Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: witeter on December 15, 2012, 06:55:14 PM
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So am toying with the idea of maybe getting a guitar that will be my guitar for primarily 'lead' playing. So im after something with 24 frets, great access to the high frets, and most importantly, that plays fast as lightning. My budget isnt huge so something that i can upgrade over time would be great (or get 2nd hand), but i would rather not have a basswood body guitar. Any recomendations? thanks!
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Mahogany bodied ibanez S?
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Cheers man, are all the S models as fast as each other?
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I'm no shredstick expert, but when it comes to something like this, I would go through a company like Warmoth and really pick what I want in the guitar when it comes to neck, body type and shape, etc.
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I highly recommend the Ibanez RGA42FM if you can find one. If not the standad 42 and even the 32 is petty nice that you can probably grab for around £200 on ebay
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I'd look for a used Jackson if I was you. Most of those have an Alder body which sounds ballsy and strong in the mids and highs yet not shrill and play lightning fast, especially for leads. If you can grab an older model (love the 2010 DK2M my bassist owns) you won't be dissapointed :)
cheers
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Cheers guys-will look Warmoth and Ibanez then, thanks for the model info Toe-knee; GuitarIv, all the Jacksons i have played (which i admit havent been THAT many) have quite wide fretboards, so i guess i wouldnt immediately associate them with fast fingerboards? maybe im wrong...
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Cheers guys-will look Warmoth and Ibanez then, thanks for the model info Toe-knee; GuitarIv, all the Jacksons i have played (which i admit havent been THAT many) have quite wide fretboards, so i guess i wouldnt immediately associate them with fast fingerboards? maybe im wrong...
THe fretboards on Ibanez are quite flat and wide but the necks are really thin which really helps with the speed as does the 16" radius on the fretboard.
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Cheers guys-will look Warmoth and Ibanez then, thanks for the model info Toe-knee; GuitarIv, all the Jacksons i have played (which i admit havent been THAT many) have quite wide fretboards, so i guess i wouldnt immediately associate them with fast fingerboards? maybe im wrong...
THe fretboards on Ibanez are quite flat and wide but the necks are really thin which really helps with the speed as does the 16" radius on the fretboard.
Same with the Jackson Fretboards. Some models have fatter neck profiles, but if you find one with a thin neck it will be fast as hell. 16" radius and wide necks are common on Jacksons, however I always find those necks, as longs as they are thin, really good for leads, especially sweep picking. I own a cheap Ibanez RG 350, the radius is 14", the fretboard is pretty wide and the neck itself is thin and great for soloing, so just as Toe-Knee pointed out you should like those.
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Cant go wrong with ESP, Jackson or Ibanez dude. I PERSONALLY dont like Ibanez though but needless to say there are incredible guitarists that do get on with them!
I have an ESP LTD M1000 and an ESP George Lynch Skulls and Snakes. I love the M1000 think you can pick up up for around £700 new but if you checked ebay you could get them for 'peanuts'. The bridge is pretty much as good as a top floys rose and it comes with EMG 81's.
Even if you look at guitars 'lower' in the ESP M range than te M1000 youll find theyre quality.
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It is quite an interresting thing. What I will be going at is: It is really a matter of personal preferance, so try it all out and see what you think plays fast!!
Also I wanne apologize for the wall of text...
Thing is that I own a handfull of guitars, but I am gonna focus on 3 here: A Ibanez S series, a Dean Vendetta 7 string (the older mahagony version) and a very modern version of an LP (one big ass heavy piece of neck through wood kinda thing).
Now I´ll give you a quick rundown of the basic distinctive characteristics when it comes to playing.
Ibanez S: Lowest action, smallest body, thinnest neck
Dean: highest action, medium body, thin (compared to the others medium) neck
LP: medium (rather high) action, thick heavy body, thick neck.
Now take a guess which guitar I use for which sounds and which feels fastest. Got an expectation? Good.
Then let us take a look at how they feel to me and how I ended up using them after playing them and setting them up and a purely acoustic / playability level (pickups where bought after that).
Ibanez S: My mainly classic rock and blues work horse (very capable of going into folk and metal) loaded with RY bridge, IT middle and Mule neck (selfmade custom wiring). Plays fast, but it is played slowest of these three. Love it for the drawn out bluesy bended notes and it also invites strumming for me.
Dean: My modern axe loaded with Dimarzios John Petrucci Signature PUs (with Petruccis split middle wiring). This is the fastest guitar I own (and probably I have ever played, though one needs to also concider that it was my first electric, although I have modified action and PUs greatly since then). Great for modern rock and metal (prog metal) and modern metal leads.
LP: This is the pure metal axe loaded with an AM set (with a push pull poti for splits). This one is fast and very, very heavy (in sound and actual weight). It invites palm mutes, riffing and modern metal stuff (somewhat Heaven Shall Burn, but bigger, more defined and crushing), precise and crushing as heck, while getting me lead tones the are time whise in the middel of these three with the ibby being the oldest (the AM neck fits so good, brings out early Petrucci tones).
So again. What I am getting at is that the one that is supposed to play fastest (by the very general citeria) of these three makes me play slow blues, while the middle on is the fastest and the slowest one is middle fast...it is just crazy.
Just like today I went acoustic guitar shopping with my brother (he is the one who wants a guitar) and father (I also tried some electrics) and the difference in perception of what is playable in what way is astounding.
Not just that sound whise the gap between the best 500 pound guitar and the best 2300 pound guitar we could find was more like a 500 pound gap, but also which one feels good or fast.
Two sales people (who I generally really trust), my father, my brother and me all picked different playability favorites (which one is fastest, easiest to play) each one saying "this one is the best by miles". And that was just with Fender Strats I tried (just so you know, the Jimmy Vaughan Signature was my fav).
Bottom line from me (once again, cause I have had a few bears after my live mixing job tonight xD) is: Try and see what YOU think playes fast and is best for lead work.
Anything besides what your thingers tell you are guidelines at best.
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Thanks again guys-Kiichi, very good point. I guess I havent really got out there to try stuff out regarding getting a guitar designed for lead. I think I was after pointers, as at least if I have an idea as to what most people consider a fast guitar, then there is a higher probability that it will be more conducive to that type of playing (though not always like in your experience Kiichi), ive read in magazines that ibanez seem more often than not to play ultra fast (some models anyways). So i guess its between Ibanez, ESP and Jackson. Im not fussed about having a floyd rose style trem, i am assuming i can block it?
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Normally upper fret access and fret size are the main things to consider. Frets shouldn't be too small, many would want at least medium jumbo if not extra jumbo frets.
Whether the neck is flat or a bit curved, thin or a bit thicker, wide or narrow is a matter of taste. George Lynch preferrred quite fat and wide necks for a long time, strat scale. Joe Satriani prefers them much more vintage. Steve Vai has necks which are fatter then the standard Ibanez RG ones and have a bit smaller frets than their usual huge version. Zakk Wylde, Michael Amott, Michael Schenker and Kirk Hammett (sometimes) have all "shredded" on 24.75" scale necks quite superbly.
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Normally upper fret access and fret size are the main things to consider. Frets shouldn't be too small, many would want at least medium jumbo if not extra jumbo frets.
Whether the neck is flat or a bit curved, thin or a bit thicker, wide or narrow is a matter of taste. George Lynch preferrred quite fat and wide necks for a long time, strat scale. Joe Satriani prefers them much more vintage. Steve Vai has necks which are fatter then the standard Ibanez RG ones and have a bit smaller frets than their usual huge version. Zakk Wylde, Michael Amott, Michael Schenker and Kirk Hammett (sometimes) have all "shredded" on 24.75" scale necks quite superbly.
+1. It's a matter of personal taste. Ritchie Kotzen playes a.... uhhh... tele.
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Thanks again guys-Kiichi, very good point. I guess I havent really got out there to try stuff out regarding getting a guitar designed for lead. I think I was after pointers, as at least if I have an idea as to what most people consider a fast guitar, then there is a higher probability that it will be more conducive to that type of playing (though not always like in your experience Kiichi), ive read in magazines that ibanez seem more often than not to play ultra fast (some models anyways). So i guess its between Ibanez, ESP and Jackson. Im not fussed about having a floyd rose style trem, i am assuming i can block it?
It's easy to block floyd rose style trems. Dunno about Ibanez ones...... Whats your budget out of interest?
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/251150204854?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y
This is my main and work horse guitar (Not literally mine cause i wouldnt sell it!). Possibly my favourite guitar ive ever played, has a natural warm solid tone too. I think ESP did themselves a mischief when they made these............ or I got lucky with this one as i prefer it to their stnadrards and sigs....... in fairness though preference again.
I have some old vids of me using the M1000 with all the stock specs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiULEa56sPo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcPwBBM2vUo
Glenn Drover also used to use them as a main axe whilst he was in Megadeth. Believe one of the guitarists from God Forbid did too but im not mithered about them..... Not bad for a 'budget' guitar tho!
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also take a look at agiles.
A friend has the intrepid 627 and its a really nice guitar and plays rather quickly
http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar-ss10.html
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The Tremol-No is the answer for blocking Floyd equipped guitars, as long as you're not using an Ibanez Trem. And well I guess if one thing is true then that you should play a guitar before you purchase it. Tastes differ and I'd never buy a guitar blindly anyway.
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The Tremol-No is the answer for blocking Floyd equipped guitars, as long as you're not using an Ibanez Trem. And well I guess if one thing is true then that you should play a guitar before you purchase it. Tastes differ and I'd never buy a guitar blindly anyway.
the tremelno works on most Ibanez guitars. Its just the ones with the edge zero with zpf whatever that it doesn't fit on.
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I see, my fault. Thanks for the clarification!
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I see, my fault. Thanks for the clarification!
I think its only the absolute newest ones say mid 2012 that have the newer zero point system that you cant block with a tremelno. I think the same guitars also have the slightly thicker wizardIII rather than the wizardII
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I own one of those, although it's a 2010 model, it's a RG 350MZ. That ZPS System is a pain in the ass and useless, I removed it and blocked the Floyd with a piece of wood...
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I own one of those, although it's a 2010 model, it's a RG 350MZ. That ZPS System is a pain in the ass and useless, I removed it and blocked the Floyd with a piece of wood...
Really? I've heard nothing but good things about it. I'm glad I bought my Ibanez before they changed all the necks and bridges out then.
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I'm serious. It didn't help anything regarding tuning stability. But then again I don't use my Floyds and might be a bit biased :P
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I've heard that Warmoth necks aren't the best for a 24-fret guitar because it's just a fingerboard extension on a standard Fender neck joint, so access to the upper frets isn't that great, unlike a guitar where the neck join is designed for 24 fret access.
Note: I don't have personal experience of this, I'm just repeating what I have read on the internet so YMMV... :?
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So am toying with the idea of maybe getting a guitar that will be my guitar for primarily 'lead' playing. So im after something with 24 frets, great access to the high frets, and most importantly, that plays fast as lightning. My budget isnt huge so something that i can upgrade over time would be great (or get 2nd hand), but i would rather not have a basswood body guitar. Any recomendations? thanks!
Uhm, this might be late, but i just saw your signature; basically the PRS SE 24 and the Schecter should be already quite there.
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Thanks for all the info guys-some great suggestions!
Alex, yes i love the guitars I have at the moment and its not in any shape or form that they are not good for lead, as i can play anything on them. I just fancied something that was pecifically built for lead. But I know what you guys mean, at the end of the day it has to work for me, so time to start trying stuff out. I adore Prs guitars so may go down the route of getting another SE with better upper fret access and tremolo style bridge (as i love the low feel for the picking hand) :-)
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Normally upper fret access and fret size are the main things to consider. Frets shouldn't be too small, many would want at least medium jumbo if not extra jumbo frets.
Whether the neck is flat or a bit curved, thin or a bit thicker, wide or narrow is a matter of taste. George Lynch preferrred quite fat and wide necks for a long time, strat scale. Joe Satriani prefers them much more vintage. Steve Vai has necks which are fatter then the standard Ibanez RG ones and have a bit smaller frets than their usual huge version. Zakk Wylde, Michael Amott, Michael Schenker and Kirk Hammett (sometimes) have all "shredded" on 24.75" scale necks quite superbly.
+1. It's a matter of personal taste. Ritchie Kotzen playes a.... uhhh... tele.
Which has the biggest neck I've EVER come across.
the JS1000 isn't massive, but its not "shred" thin, it's more of a medium c, which really suprised me. None of the EVH guitars (charvel, kramer, MM, peavey) had tiny necks either. all a good handful, although the MM neck doesn't feel so wide in the hand.
+2 all personal taste, get out, try a bunch and see what YOU actually play the fastest on.
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Thanks again guys, yeah certainly the way forward Tekbow.
Im maybe looking at a PRE Se Torero but looking to block the trem-if i block the floyd trem does that take away the extra hassle of string changes and changing tunings that normally comes with a floyd rose? cheers
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Thanks again guys, yeah certainly the way forward Tekbow.
Im maybe looking at a PRE Se Torero but looking to block the trem-if i block the floyd trem does that take away the extra hassle of string changes and changing tunings that normally comes with a floyd rose? cheers
well.. IMO if the guitar hasn't got a recessed trem, just get all the spring in and have the trem flat back on the body. Thats the only way i have any trem guitar set up with the exception of the PRSS because you can't really do it with them. you'll 90% of the benefits of blocking with the added advantage of the trem still being usuable.
If it is recessed, get a tremsetter.
But no it won't, you still have to go to university, study mechanical engineering, pass the exams, get the correct precision tools, break out the Orbital style glasses with lights on them, unlock everything, cut the ballends off etc etc.
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Thanks for that - ah well that crosses out the Torero. However have recently found that Ibanez RGA121's look rather nice :-)
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The best necks I played, were Music Mans. Maybe you can spot a good used one.
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Thanks for that - ah well that crosses out the Torero. However have recently found that Ibanez RGA121's look rather nice :-)
They do but theyre quite awkward to find or were the last time I looked.
I really love the whole RGA series especially the ones with gibralter bridges they're just something special