Prog Electric Guitar Models
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Forum Name: Music and Musicians Exchange
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10323
Printed Date: November 26 2024 at 19:08
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Topic: Prog Electric Guitar Models
Posted By: Storm-Crow
Subject: Prog Electric Guitar Models
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 04:03
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Hey guys, Ill get right to the point, instead of my usual introductory "fluff". Im attempting to take up the electric guitar-- I already have a good knowledge of music, being a capable musician at several woodwind instruments, and would ideally like to become a more well-rounded musician (+ the electric guitar has always looked like such a kick ass in-your-face instrument, unlike woodwinds unfortunetely Im completely ignorant to the world of guitars and have done a bit of reseach to try to get myself up to speed. Yet, the problem is that these days most guitars seem to be geared towards hardcore metal heads, and create a sound much too harsh for my liking-- unless im willing fork out over $1000, b4 ive ever so much as played a scale on the guitar. I was wondering if there was anyone out there who knows something about this field and could recommend some electric guitar models and/or companies which produce a sound in which the loudness is not so much emphasized, but the sound quality, and anything else that is important to electric guitars which are geared towards progressive rock. My price range is pretty much anything up to about $600--- most desirably below $400 US ($500 Canadian.) Much appreciated ------------- Take a salt tablet!!! |
.) I will likely be able to pick it up fairly quickly seeing as ive got lots of free-time on my hands at the moment -- being a 17 year old with little responsibility and all. Now to my conundrum: Replies:
Posted By: BaldJean
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 04:08
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the first two that come to mind are of course the Fender Stratocaster
and the Gibson Les Paul. I have no idea about their prices in the USA
though
-------------  A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 04:09
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I am not a guitar player,I am a drummer,and you will probably get a lot more informed opinions than mine,but most of the guitarists I know and play with swear by the Fender Stratocaster. -------------  |
Posted By: Ben2112
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 04:11
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Yep the American Standard Fender Strat has been of the best guitar values for decades. You can probably buy one brand new for right around your money limit.
And if you don't want to spend quite that much money, the Mexican made Strats run around 300-400 dollars (U.S.), I think. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 04:48
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I would recommend the Line 6 Variax 300, it offers several guitar sounds - Fender, Gibson, Acoustic, ... http://www.line6.com/variax/specifications.html - http://www.line6.com/variax/specifications.html It really works, and such a guitar can save you a lot of money. You can switch between the sound of a Fender Stratocaster and that of a Gibson Les Paul in no time. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to: 
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Posted By: cobb
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 04:54
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If you are just starting out go and buy the cheapest one that sounds
okay- at this stage it doesn't have to be a name brand. After all, you
might not like playing the guitar. It may also be well to remember that
playing a guitar is a bit of a conundrum. It is very easy to learn, but
exceptionally difficult to master. ps. this thread will get moved shortly |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 05:25
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The Variax 300 is priced around $450, quite a bargain if you consider that it's really several totally different guitars packed into one instrument. The only drawback is that it doesn't have a vibrato bar, and 22 frets instead of 24. But those are problems that many other guitars have as well. BTW: Currently I play an ESP Standard Horizon NT-II, which also has no vibrato system. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Reverie
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 06:08
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In my opinion, when it comes to tone shaping, most of the work is done by the pickups and the amp rather than the guitar itself. I have an Ibanez RG which is designed for metalheads and shredder types, but i can get prog rock out of it or jazz even. This sounds really cliche and over-used but it's so true: the real tone comes from your hands, the amp just colours it. A few years back i was doing work experience in a recording studio and the guy who ran it told us (me and the other work experience dude) to bring our stuff in and record something. So i brought this RG in and all i had at the time was a little 21w samick amp and a boss metalzone (being the tonedeaf metalhead i was Well that anecdote was pretty useless but i was reminded of it |
Posted By: cobb
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 06:11
| Pretty much hit the nail on the head though, Reverie |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 06:18
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^^ That's certainly true. But no matter how talent someone is, he cannot make a Gibson Les Paul sound like a Fender Stratocaster. That's because the wood of the guitars is entirely different, the neck construction as well (Gibson: Neck is glued to the corpus, Fender: Neck is attached using screws). You will never get a Gibson to "twang", even my Gibson Nuighthawk doesn't twang, and it has single coils. The twang is caused by the wood of the Strat/Tele guitars and the bolts in the neck. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Reverie
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 07:12
| Very true Mike! Certainly different constructions and wood types yeild different attributes to the sound, but i think both bolt on necks, neck throughs, hollow bodies etc. all have a place in prog, depending on where you want to take your prog music. I mean prog rock can be a pretty open style of music. But yeah i hadn't really thought of that. |
Posted By: porter
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 07:23
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since you're a beginner, I would suggest not to go too far with brands and especially money, so you'd better choose a cheap guitar...there are some good brands like Epiphone, if you like the les paul style, or maybe you could opt for a Mexican or Japanese Fender, if you like the strat. PLEASE LEAVE ALONE THE VARIAX at this stage, I think it could be a little confusing since, as you said, you still haven't played a scale on a guitar. That's a guitar for the pro's, or for people who already know what they need and what they don't. ------------- "my kingdom for a horse!" (W. Shakespeare, "Richard III") |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 08:02
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Quite the opposite. Why do you want to force him to decide whether he's a Fender or Gibson guy? The Variax is certainly a good guitar for beginners - especially the Variax 300. Hey, you not only get both Gibson and Fender sounds, but also quite good simulations of various acoustic guitars including a 12 string guitar. I'd rather say the reverse: The Variax is NOT a guitar for pros, because the sounds are not as good as the genuine versions. But they're DAMN good, and certainly better than cheap versions of Fender and Gibson guitars. BTW: If you use your computer to play music, you might want to consider buying the GuitarPort instead of a fully fledged amp. Its sound is as good as that of the POD XT ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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porter wrote:Posted By: Gedhead
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 08:17
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Fender Strat is the one almost every guitarist cuts his teeth on before moving up to more elite models. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 08:42
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The Fender Strat is actually one of the more difficult guitars to start with. If you don't like the Variax (I'll stop promoting that one, I've done enough of that already), I'd recommend Yamaha. Their Pacifica guitars are quite versatile and the quality is ok. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Empathy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 09:47
Somehow I knew you were a guitarist.  So I assume you have a Variax? I've got a Vetta II (which I love), and I've been looking at picking a Variax up. Which model do you have? How do you like it? ------------- Pure Brilliance: 
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 09:50
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Unfortunately I don't have one (yet). When the first Variax was available, it lacked the vibrato system and only had 22 frets. While I can live without a vibrato system, I really need 24 frets for some of my favorite songs ...
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Damen
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 11:24
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Unless you're willing to shell out ALOT of money, you can't get a decent guitar in this day and age, which is why all my equipment is vintage 60's or 70's. New equipment is all mass produced, even in companies like Gibson, so the quality is definately sub-par, and companies like ESP or Peavy gear their equipment towards metal or punk. I suggest going to a pawn shop and looking for an old Les Paul or Gibson SG or something along those lines. Pawn Shops sell things ridiculously cheap, and usually in good condition. ------------- "It's amazing that we've been able to put up with each other for 35 years. Most marriages don't last that long these days." -Chris Squire |
Posted By: Wormboy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 12:20
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Well, you need to ask yourself what kind of sound you want. Who
is your model? Gilmour? Gilmour played a strat mainly. The best all-around guitars out there are Fenders and Gibsons. You can get cheap knockoffs of these, but I wouldn't. You can also get a guitar by a lot of other companies, but there's a reason why they are not the best. Gibson and Fender have a long history of great quality control. So if I were in your shoes, I'd get a Fender Stratocaster. The Telecasters are cheaper, good guitars, but I think they're not as high quality. The Strat is probably the best value for your money. But if you like a less twangy, fuller-bodies sound, a Gibson might be your choice. The double humbucker of a Gibson Les Paul makes a big sound difference, as well as the wood and bridgework (as somebody mentioned). One note: if you're going to pick up an instrument and you want to get good at it, why in the world would you cut corners? Learn on quality, and learn right the first time. Second note: don't bother with collector's items. Who cares if it's old? Not me. Go with a company with a long tradition of quality. Fender and Gibson are that. Also, maple necks can be easier for beginners. That's what the strat has. Rosewood is different. I like it better, but it takes some getting used to. And me? I play a Fender Master Series Flame Ultra, which I bought new in 1986. It's a white (actually platinum blonde) beauty, and I've taken excellent care of it. The Master Series guitars were made with double humbuckers with coil splitters, so you can play with double pickups or singles. The body makes it sound like a Gibson, but the coil splitters and neck make it sound like a Strat. So, depending on setting and whether you ujse the coil splitterss, the guitar can sound either like a Les Paul or a Strat.  Master series: http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=18 I've had several people offer me several times its purchase value, but I won't sell. I've had one friend claim it has the best action of any guitar he has ever played. I play it through a Roland JC120, though it's getting a little hissy and maybe I need a new amp. Think hard about the approach you want to take to learning. I recommend a combination of 1) basic chord books, 2) basic soloing book, 3) a guitar workout book (drills for speed and dexterity), and 4) PRACTICE WITH A METRONOME (so many self-taught guitarist have lousy rhythm). Some big tips: do not try to go faster than you are able!!!!! If you mess up, then you are going too fast. It is better to practice slowly making no mistakes than faster making mistakes, as you are actually PRACTICING the mistakes! Think about it! My mother in law is a concert-level pianist who has taught master classes her entire life (was one of those child prodigies). She endorses this method. Two--warm up with drills. You are basically an athlete, and athletes don't just play their sport, they train a lot to enhance their ability. Doing extensive picking, fingering and chord change drills was the best thing I ever did for my technique. Since I was emulating Gilmour, I also added vibrato drills to my guitar drills routine: quarter, eighth, sixteenth, triplet and sextuplet vibrato at various tempos. Later I added doing this with bends with various fingers. Hard core, but that's how you get the world's best vibrato, like Gilmour. Now I can play most Gilmour solos, no problem, vibrato and all. Edit: tremolo arms are a cop-out for wusses, at least if you are using them to add vibrato. No reall pro uses them for that purpose, and an experienced ear can always tell. Using them for other purposes (like Adrian Belew ) is another
matter! Also, remember that excessive tremolo use really detunes
your guitar. Belew uses a high-end tremolo system, and still
needs to retune all the time. |
Posted By: Wormboy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 12:26
Sorry, I totally disagree. A Variax would be a horrible choice for a beginner. Frankly, it doesn't matter that much what you learn on as long as it's a good instrument. Go with standards, and worry about the Gibson/Fender split after a couple of years. No beginner really cares about that kind of crap anyway. They are just trying to learn a new instrument. Sounds to me like you're pushing a specific guitar for some reason. Variax rep, are you? |
Posted By: Wormboy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 12:27
Careful! As a beginner he doesn't know a good instrument from a bad. So why go someplace where it's Dicey? |
Posted By: Heptade
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 12:42
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If you have 600$, you'd have to buy a Mexican or Japanese Strat. They
aren't bad. American models will cost you more. The Epiphone Les Pauls and SGs are OK too. For $700.00ish, you can get a Faded Series Gibson SG or Les Paul, and they are fine instuments. Danelectros used to be the best guitars in the $400.00 price range, IMO, but they aren't very versatile, and they are hard to come by these days, at least where I live. The only problem with all these guitars is they won't go up in value, so if you want to upgrade, you won't get much for them. A good guitar will cost more, that's just a fact of life, I guess. Personally, I've never seen a top-flite guitar in a pawn shop, but I suppose it must happen. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 12:55
I'm not a Variax rep, I don't even have one. Sounds like you're bashing the Variax for some reason. If you read reviews, ask guitar teachers etc. you'll find out that that Variax isn't a bad guitar at all. Sorry, the highlighted bits in your post are just nonsense. It's true that no beginner cares ... but they should. If they buy the Variax, they are free to explore the Fender sounds and the Gibson sounds. The WORST thing a beginner can do is to buy a Fender Strat and then discover that he needs humbucker sounds, or he buys a Gibson and misses the "twang". As I said in the above post: If you don't like the Variax, buy an alround guitar from Yamaha, Ibanez etc. but not a Fender Strat or a Les Paul. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Damen
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:09
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Good point, I guess using a lower quality instrument is better for beginners, so you can at least feel out if you want to continue playing, and upgrade as your skill level increases, trust me, you won't be able to play prog right off the bat ------------- "It's amazing that we've been able to put up with each other for 35 years. Most marriages don't last that long these days." -Chris Squire |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:15
I started with a $125 Japanese Strat knockoff. It served its purpose well (besides having a bad switch  ). When I get some cash on-hand, I'd like to get a Parker Fly... 
------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:19
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That's obvious, because your biggest heros play Parker guitars. they're pretty nice, but priced well above $1.500, if I remember correctly. BTW: Welcome, fellow collaborator! ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: alan_pfeifer
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:21
| the guitar i play with uses Ibanez, they sound pretty nice (I'm a drummer as well, and know only a bit about guitars.) |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:23
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The Ibanez RG series are good alround guitars. They're a good compromise between Fender and Gibson, and you can choose between metal oriented guitars with two humbuckers, 24 jumbo frets and H-S-S models with 22 frets. They all have a locking tremolo (vibrato) system, which is a bit more cumbersome, but also has advantages ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:28
Yeah, they're pretty expensive... I think I'd be content for a chance to PLAY one... BTW: Thanks! ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:30
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^ I played one half a year ago when I was looking for a new guitar ... quite nice. But in the end I chose the ESP Horizon. The neck-through construction is awesome, both handling-wise and sound-wise. I love the design of the Parker Fly ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Damen
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:43
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1970 Les Paul Custom ------------- "It's amazing that we've been able to put up with each other for 35 years. Most marriages don't last that long these days." -Chris Squire |
Posted By: Sam Fire
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:43
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Strats are great, Les Pauls are great, why can't there be one that's like both of them?! There is! Well, not really, but PRS guitars are very nice. Unfortunately, they can get pretty expensive. My friend has a Schecter C-1 that's been described as "the poor man's PRS", and it is an absolutely fabulous guitar! 2 humbuckers, but you can switch 'em to single-coils if you want that chime and twang! I myself have a Peavey Raptor EXP Plus, and I really adore it. It is almost identical to a Strat, but for a humbucker in the neck position. It gets the twang and the crunch! |
Posted By: Heptade
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:47
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The BC Rich Exclusive is a great guitar. Neck-through, sunburst finish,
classic design with no thingys sticking out of it like you'd expect a BC RIch to have... I love it. About $1000. The Mockingbird (as seen in many late-70s acts) is also great. People speak highly of Hagstroms, but I've never had the chance to play one. |
Posted By: TURK182!
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:47
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The best guitar for to have yhe best prog sound is a "Rickenbaker". It's the guitar that've been used buy almost all prog group in late 60'S and begining of 70's. But, I dont know if they still make guitar or still alive!!
------------- "A Flower!!!" "If you go down to Willow farm, you look for Butterflies..." |
Posted By: Damen
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:50
Rickenbacker still produces alot of 6 strings and their famous 12 strings, but I prefer their basses, even though i'd rather have an old 4001 with the toaster pickups and dual truss rods over a 4003. ------------- "It's amazing that we've been able to put up with each other for 35 years. Most marriages don't last that long these days." -Chris Squire |
Posted By: Heptade
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 13:58
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I stood slack-jawed in front of the Rickenbacker booth at the NAMM show
in LA for a while last year...tasty indeed. If I could go back in time and join the Byrds, I would. Unfortunately, their applications are rather limited, even in the basses, which have a certain tone that doesn't fit everything. A lot of bassists prefer the reliable old Fender P-bass for a nice thick tone. |
Posted By: Storm-Crow
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 14:46
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Thank you so much for all the suggestions! They have been most helpful in my goal of purchasing a guitar. It seems the majority of people are swaying towards recommending the Fender Strat. I was checking out some of the local music shops, and this guitar seems to be priced around 800 for the american-made version and 500 for the mexican ones. I was also checking about some of the usual online-buying suspects (ebay, etc.) and discovered that the Maxican-made strats drop in price significantly once they've been used for a year or two. I would likely be able to purchase one from a reliable seller for around $250 or so. Would this be a good idea? Also, we here in Vancouver are lucky enough to have a Tom Lee music store which seems to offer the best prices in the area. They currently have what i believe to be an amazing deal on an Ibanez RG170R-- which ive looked up and seems to usually sell around $300-350. However, they currently have it on sale for $230 Canadian (190ish US) The problem is that even i know this model is built for metal-heads. Yet would it be a good option for a beginner like me? ------------- Take a salt tablet!!! |
Posted By: Heptade
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 14:52
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Personally I would not suggest that Ibanez...if you are not a metal-head,
you may not enjoy learning on it and you certainly won't want to keep it. But Ibanez's are not bad guitars per se. Ebay can be a good option if you find a reliable seller. It's always a risk, and remember the shipping could cost you from the States. I'm Canadian also, and I know about that. Customs charges could add another $150.00 bucks, no kidding, if the government decides you are buying something and the seller doesn't mark it as a gift. So you have to factor that possibility in. Are there any other used music stores in Vancouver? I figure there has to be. Check around some more in your Vancouver/Victoria stores before buying on the internet. Mexican strats are common and a good value for the money. |
Posted By: Wormboy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 15:03
I was just kiddin you about the Variax rep!  My take is that if you're going to learn and you're determined to be good at it, then learn on a good, but not great instrument. Also, it is my opinion that beginners don't care as much for the finer subtleties of sound, but instead need a guitar that is easy to play and easy to learn on. IMO moderate-priced Fenders and Gibsons fit this bill. But I can indeed see the allure of versatility in sound--that's why I went for the Fender Flame back in the day. I'd been playing a couple of years, was fair in skill, and wanted the diversity of sound without having to buy two guitars. I have no regrets, but I dropped a pretty penny for it, too. |
Posted By: joe S
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 15:05
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I have a Mexican Strat - bought it new about 7-8 years ago for $290. I don't play out, but it works just fine foer me. Sounds good, really easy to play, and I was able to add a wammy bar for $20.00. It seems to me that you should be able to get a used one inyour price range.
------------- jjs |
Posted By: Wormboy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 15:11
Hey, just go down to Seattle and buy one minus the GST! I lived in Seattle for 7 years a while back, and there were lots of music stores. Unfortunately, it was long enough ago that I wouldn't be willing to make recommendations. There was this cool little place on NE 65th St though, just a half block from 15th Ave NE. I'm still kicking myself for not buying a Chapman Stick I saw there once, but I didn't have the >$1000 (I was in grad school). Anyway, you can bring one back over the border, and if it's used just claim that you were down with some buddies. |
Posted By: Heptade
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 15:15
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Good idea. Seattle has come cool places, including one of those fancy
Guitar Centers. |
Posted By: Wormboy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 15:24
Watch those GC guys though--in my experience, awfully slimey salesmen (with exceptions, obviously). In fact, guitar store salesmen aren't exactly the most honest folks in the world--similar to car salesmen! [sorry if any of you are reading this, but you know it's true! ]In general, I always know what the fair price is with musical gear, and I never settle for the ticket price. Research pays! If nothing else, I'll pull the old "well, a little expensive for me. Just out of my range" routine. Remember that pricing in music stores, especially those that sell mostly new gear, is set to get early teen's parents to cough up substantially more than the gear is worth. I also always get them to throw in a cord to finish the deal: "tell you what, throw in that 20' cord and we'll do it." ALmost all of my support gear was gained this way (guitar stand, mic stand, cords, etc) Think about two guys haggling in a middle-eastern souk. |
Posted By: Wormboy
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 15:26
| An aside, they're now making Strats with special pickups for various guitar synthesizers. For those with the $$, it's a nice rig! I've been thinking about getting my Flame retro-fitted, but am leery of letting some guy muck with it. |
Posted By: Storm-Crow
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 16:15
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It appears as if the mexi-made strats are right in my ideal price range... how would they stack up to the American-made strats? Would it be a better bet to go with the Ibanez RG170R for $230 Canadian? ------------- Take a salt tablet!!! |
Posted By: Foxtrot
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 18:35
| I've been a guitarist for many years, and my advice is to look for a used US or Mexican Gibson or Fender. There are cheaper guitars out there, but they generally won't intone properly. Having a chord tuned properly near the headstock will leave you out of tune on the funky chords you will be learning high on the neck. For prog oriented music, I would lean toward the Gibson, which has humbuckers - these provide a fuller more mellow sound. The Fenders have a brighter (some say more tinny) sound. My baby is a 2003 US Les Paul my fiance bought me, I also have a Hamer Explorer that I picked up used for about $700, and a Strat copy that I put DiMarzios in to enrich the sound. I got a cheap Jackson at a pawn shop, and have never been able to keep it in tune, even with an official "licensed" Floyd Rose tremolo on it. Ibanez used to make decent guitars - I have one of the lawsuit 1978 Les Paul customs they built - it keeps in tune pretty well, but there is a world of difference between that and the Gibson and Hamer guitars. Shop around, and check intonation carefully all over the neck - the note on the 12th fret should be EXACTLY an octave higher than on the open string. If you are in a guitar shop, have them check the intonation - and you recheck it by ear before you buy - will save you a lot of frustration. |
Posted By: Tony Fisher
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 19:40
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If I were you, I'd go for a Yamaha Pacifica without doubt. The best guitar under £300 in England so it should easily be in your price range. Looks and plays like a Strat and is far better built than the Fender Squier Strats. It would do well until you can afford a more advanced model. The Epiphone Les Paul is a good alternative with a more chunky, less "singy" sound. One of the guitarists in my son's band plays one and it's a very fine guitar. The other guitarist in the band has a Ibanez and hates it (but Ibanez basses are fine since my son has a BTB 6 string so this may be personal prejudice). I know other guitarists who swear by Ibanez. Mexican Fenders are excellent quality since Fender's QC is legendary - it really isn't worth paying a premium for the American models except for snob value - so a second hand Mex Strat might be a possibility. Good luck! |
Posted By: Storm-Crow
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 20:12
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Tony Fisher: Thank you for the advice. I never knew yamaha made guitars (i guess they make pretty much everything these days tho.) I bought a professional yamaha clarinet over the more renown clarinet makers such as Buffet because i was totally blown away by the consistent great sound throughout the whole range of the instrument. I imagine this likely applies to their guitars as well. Yamaha music instruments are extremely well made and i would like to continue to ideally buy their products. I was wondering, are there different models within the yamaha brand? And if yes, is there one in my price range that you or anyone else would recommend? ------------- Take a salt tablet!!! |
Posted By: CalamityDaemon
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 20:21
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I'm sixteen and have been playing guitar for about four years now.
Being a prog-fan I've naturally tried to get my hands on the guitars of
my heroes or similar models. I'll throw some at you. Both Kerry Livgren and Richard Williams from Kansas use Dean Hardtails (Which I also own) Kerry, seen http://www.deanguitars.com/kerry.php - here , is playing a Dean. I bought mine http://www.zzounds.com/item--DNEHTSTD/view--Black - here at Zzounds.com at the cheapest price (nearly a steal for a great sounding guitar as it is.) It's sleek and it's extremely flexible towards tone. I've thrown out squealing blues, roaring metal, delicate harmonics, and even pop-esque tunes with it. Another, common, option for more laid back players is an archtop of sorts. Steve Howe, of Yes, plays a Gibson L-5 and a Gibson ES-175 (Which I'd kill to get my hands on). He even has a Signature Archtop Gibson ES-175 for a whopping 3k. Howe, seen http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/gallery/albums/album03/Steve_Howe.jpg - here , has been defining classic prog rock for years. A place that was recently put in the back of Guitar Player magazine has excellent archtops for unbelievable prices is http://phillipsguitars.com/guitars_archtop_nouveau.html - Phillips Guitars , I'm actually going to get a job next summer just to buy the Nouveau 17. I suggest getting one of these! There's thousands of other players out there who all play different things. Petrucci, of *gasp* Dream Theatre, plays Ibanez guitars which are stylized more towards shredding and hard-rock. The members of Glass Hammer play Ibanez, Guild, and Gibson Les Paul guitars. I heard once from a teacher of mine that the guitar equals only about 30% of the actual sound, the rest is the amp. I believe this, so if you're planning on electric, be prepared to try out many amps before you find one with a tone you like. Some good sites to go to are musiciansfriend.com - Musiciansfriend.com and zzounds.com - |
Posted By: Storm-Crow
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 20:30
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CalamityDaemon: Im quite intrigued with the Dean models... tive done a little research on them and they appear to be quite top-notch. The price on the site you showed me is indeed a steal, considering people say they've payed $1300 for a used version. 1 thing-- is there any difference between the 3 guitars in the ZZ sounds sttachment u sent me? cause one is $429, another $500, and even another at $600. Plz get back to me soon... ------------- Take a salt tablet!!! |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 20:32
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Petrucci used to play Ibanez guitars, he now plays Music Man guitars exclusively. They're extraordinary - and also extraordinarely expensive. Storm-Crow: If you - for some reason - don't want to try the Variax, I recommend the Pacifica. There may be many models, but as you are a beginner, it doesn't matter much which one you choose. If possible, you should choose a H-S-H guitar (Humbucker - Single Coil - Humbucker). ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 20:37
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Why do you make it sound that complicated ... it doesn't matter if you buy a used guitar or a new one, the intonation has to be ok. In fact, most really used guitars have crappy intonation because the frets are worn and need to be replaced. BTW: How can a newbie determine if the intonation is ok in the store? He/She can't. You need an analogue tuner to do that properly ... ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: cobb
Date Posted: August 19 2005 at 21:19
Yamaha have been producing quality guitars for years. Carlos Santana is the only famous artist I know offhand who uses them. I actually went in to buy a yamaha sg back in the 70s when it was on a special deal, but by the time I got there, the recording studio around the corner had beat me to it- had to settle for a les paul custom, which I was lucky to get. Back then it was very diffucult for a lefty to find them in store. |
Posted By: Storm-Crow
Date Posted: August 20 2005 at 00:26
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Ok well i think I'd like to go with the Dean Hard tail. Ive read around and it seems to be a steal on this website--- almost too good to be true. I was hoping someone could tell me if the guitar on zzsounds.com is the same as the one on this review page... which seems to imply that these guitars go for like $1500. If they are indeed different, what are the major differences? zzsounds.com link: http://www.zzounds.com/item--DNEHTSTD/view--Black - http://www.zzounds.com/item--DNEHTSTD/view--Black Guitar review page: http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Dean_Guitars/HardTail-1.html - http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Dean_Guitars/Har dTail-1.html Much appreciated ------------- Take a salt tablet!!! |
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: August 20 2005 at 01:59
Musicman are great but so expensive. me i have an olp version it kicks A*** and with a v-amp i could get it so sing. HSH guitars are very cool and Ibanez sells a cheap one for $225 but the pickups are horrible |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: August 20 2005 at 04:35
Most guitar manufacturers offer their flagship models in different versions. There's usually a low cost version, a standard version and a custom version, with price levels like these:
These versions differ in many ways:
As you're a beginner, it doesn't make much sense to go into too much detail here ... BTW: That Dean guitar is ok, but you won't get any Fender-like sound out of it. That may or may not be a problem for you, it's your call. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: CalamityDaemon
Date Posted: August 20 2005 at 12:52
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He's right. You will not get a Fender sound from a Dean, but it really depends on what you're after. Fenders have an extremely flexible sound, they can be blues, punk, sleek, prog, whatever. The only problem I ever had with a Fender is that everyone and their little brother has one. They're cheap, they're good guitars, but they're as common as weeds. The Hardtail is a little more off the wall. I certainly love mine, which is the same model you're looking at. The pickups arn't bad either. But, personally, I'm dying to get my hands on one of the Phillips Guitar models. It's your call really. The Dean is at a good price, likewise is the Phillips. Fenders will always be cheaper, and extremely durable (Just look at SRV's guitar!), but once I saw Fender brand shoes I never wanted to even look at a Fender again. Fight the power, eh!? ------------- I wake to Sleep and I take my Waking slow, I feel my fate in what I cannot fear, I learn by going where I have to go. |