Prog Electric Guitar Models

Empathy wrote: 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?

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 ...

Gedhead wrote: Fender Strat is the one almost every guitarist cuts his teeth on before moving up to more elite models.

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. 

porter wrote: 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.

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 ... 

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.

I would recommend the Line 6 Variax 300, it offers several guitar sounds - Fender, Gibson, Acoustic, ...

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.

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 .) 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: 

 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