New Guitar Suggestions

I'm looking to add a new guitar to my stock..... Currently I have a strat clone made by a local guy and a Jackson Soloist (Asian made model..... would love a US made, but they are very expensive!):



Mine is the silver one (the BC Rich V and Les Paul are my friend's)

The Jackson is my main guitar right now and I absolutely love it - seymour duncan pickups, floyd rose (impressed with how well it stays in tune!) and ebony fret board. It almost plays it self - LOL!

Not sure what I want at this point, plan to get it in the next 6 months, but want to start looking soon... I love the strat shape, but want to something different this time... would love another Jackson, but want to think about what else is out there.

What I want is different pick ups (either DiMarzio or EMG active, since I play thrash with a friend.)

Shape - doesn't completely matter.... I'm not a fan of the Fender Telecaster (don't like they way it feels or plays), and I want to add something different to the mix.

Wood - suggestions?

Fret board - either Ebony (my first choice) or maple (my other guitar is maple), Rosewood would not be my pick... but I would consider... I absolutely love the feel of an ebony fret board.

Bridge - I'm open on this, but love the Floyd - just tune it and go!!!

Also planning to use this one for some of the down tuned stuff (sabbath, some megadeth, etc....)

Neck - not looking to wrap my hands around 1/2 a baseball bat.......

Anyone have suggestions? Looking to pull together a list of "must try" guitars when I hit the shops to look.

Well, that's tough. I have never been a Gibson guy but I want a Thunderbird Reverse and A Fender Jagmaster and VG Strat but the one thing with Fender that I hate is they never get past the 22 fret (21 playable) neck and they never change the color of the headstock. I have a Strat with Lace Sensors (red and gold on the mid and neck respectively) and a DiMarzio Fast Track 2 on the bridge to not have that Strat sound when I don't need it. I also have a Steinberger Synapse which is really fun to play and has a fast neck/fretboard and has an ebony fretboard but it isn't good for detuned stuff IMO. I have more six string guitars but I mostly just play those and then I went to 8 strings especially for the detuned stuff. I tune them standard on the 6 "regular" strings and then B and E on the 7 and 8. The necks are flatter but aren't uncomfortable. I know this is a bunch of useless info but maybe reading between the lines will help. I have never been able to enjoy playing a Carvin due to the neck shape. As far as wood I have been looking into wenge and koa but they are not cheap but I like the natural sounds that come out of them.

I actually played an SG and I liked it well enough; great beefy tone. That would be the only Gibson I'd ever play besides a Thunderbird.

What about an SG. Joker?

Maybe a Gibson Explorer? Never played one of those, but they look cool. I have a Gibson Challenger, had it since I was 14 or 15.

I'm looking to sell my guitar in the near future (1979 Gibson Explorer, E2, re-wired with active EMG pickups) and use the proceeds to purchase a Paul Reed Smith.

Akeldama wrote:

I actually played an SG and I liked it well enough; great beefy tone. That would be the only Gibson I'd ever play besides a Thunderbird.

What about an SG. Joker?

I've played them before - not my favorite, but an option.

I've thought about an explorer (or any of the explorer shaped guitars)..... cool looking guitars

S.D. wrote:

I'm looking to sell my guitar in the near future (1979 Gibson Explorer, E2, re-wired with active EMG pickups) and use the proceeds to purchase a Paul Reed Smith.

Might have to play a PRS and see how it feels to me.

I was a proud Jackson owner (Dinky Reverse) and I've never found that same feel and tone in any other guitar other than a vintage Strat. They're an amazing mfr. That Soloist looks sweet.

You could give ESP a shot. Their action is pretty much unprecedented but they tend to be pricey for their quality builds. If you want to go really different, try Schecter. Their Hellraiser model looks crazy yet classy, has everything you listed above (except for Floyd Rose Pro, which few builders are opting these days), and absolutely shreds. It runs for about 1000 MSRP depending where you go.

My next guitar is going to be an Explorer. Absolutely love that design, but I'm gonna custom the pu's (big fan of DiMarzio).

My brother has a Schecter - it sounds good, but I'm not a fan of the neck though - I told my brother "I'm trying to jam not hit baseballs!" LOL!!!!!

It's not quite that bad.... it does play nicely, but the neck doesn't work for me to own.

My soloist is killer - love it. Killer sustain on it too (insert spinal tap joke.)

Yeah they are wide...which works for me 'cause my fingers work better on wider necks. Doesn't Ibanez have a smaller neck? Except they're being built uber-cheap these days from what I hear.

"The sustain, listen to it."
"I don't hear anything."
"You would if you were playing."