Jackson RR3 or ESP LTD V-300

[Modular1]

also regarding the jackson.. are the pickups likely to be any good?

Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan® JB™ TB4 Humbucking Pickup
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan® Jazz™ SH2N Humbucking Pickup

Jazz?? LOL That doesnt sound very metal to me. hehe

[JacksonRR]

I have a RR3 and a RR24. Regarding their pickup selection there, all I have to say is Michael Amott of Arch Enemy seemed to get by with them, but maybe he's used his magic ginger powers on them.

[Doadman]

The Jazz pickup is actually pretty good and is used by a few Metal players and the JB is a decent pickup too, though nothing like Bareknuckles. I'd go with the Jackson for a few reasons that may or may not apply to you.

1) It's made in Japan.
2) Better shape.
3) It's a bit cheaper.
4) It has a locking trem.
6) I found the U shaped neck on the ESP guitars I tried to be too cumbersome.
7) It already has passive pickups that I prefer.

The Gibson is a decent V too but I'd agree that the Dean is bloody awful!

[JacksonRR]

And the trem is fine, if you take care of it. My RR3 trem only had one problem and that was from the previous owner who liked to tighten his locknut down waaaaay too tight, putting major dents in the clamps there. The neck is very nice, one of the key features. I still remember the day I went from a Gibson SG to that RR3 Rhoads. It was like the neck was faster than I was.

[Transcend]

I've played the RR and found it to be shoddy feeling all round but i always do with jacksons that come in under £1k.

I have played the old models of the V300

The original v350 which is same spec other than it has a trem and the DV8 which is the old dave mustaine signature but other than the pickups and inlays its pretty much the same guitar.

I found the LTDs to be far more toneful and much much bigger sounding.

[Dr. Stein]

To my mind, there's nothing more metal out there than a black gibson style V with black covered pickups (ideally 'Pigs, of course, and I prefer two...) Gibbo's aren't cheap, but maybe have a look out for an epi or tokai or similar and save up for the pups?

As cool as they look in a way, there's just some of the macho-ness of a V missing from the pointier alternatives.

[JDC]

With the trem make sure you loosen the strings before adjusting action, I have mine blocked with a square battery.

To stop nose diving you need to replace one of the bolt on screws with a special screw with a strap button on the end, I have no idea where you get them.

[Madsakre]

To my mind, there's nothing more metal out there than a black gibson style V with black covered pickups (ideally 'Pigs, of course, and I prefer two...) Gibbo's aren't cheap, but maybe have a look out for an epi or tokai or similar and save up for the pups?

As cool as they look in a way, there's just some of the macho-ness of a V missing from the pointier alternatives.

You know with the dollar so low atm you can get gibsons at fair prices. I bought my 67' ebony V 14 days ago with like 200£ discount.

Im ordering a new pickguard with only one humbucker(which will be a Ceramic nailbomb with black battleworn cover) ^^

[Dr. Stein]

The faded's are certainly tempting. I have a thing for red guitars and the idea of a faded V with a retrofitted Bigsby makes me very GASy indeed, but they just don't look metal unless they're black.

[nfe]

The faded's are certainly tempting. I have a thing for red guitars and the idea of a faded V with a retrofitted Bigsby makes me very GASy indeed, but they just don't look metal unless they're black.

Pssst. Works for Napalm Death!

[dave_mc]

so out of the 2 the LTD is probably the better quality guitar?

no, that's not what I meant. Having not tried the ESP or RR3, but having tried similar guitars in the same ranges, I'd say the jackson is probably the better guitar, but has a lower spec. If that makes sense, it does sound counter-intuitive.

Like if you compared a custom shop gibson les paul junior to an epiphone les paul standard (though not as big a difference in the jackson/LTD case).

EDIT: as i said, though, I'd personally try to get up to the RR5, I don't much like the jackson jt580LP trem, and I don't really like a bolt-on with a V.

[Dr. Stein]

The faded's are certainly tempting. I have a thing for red guitars and the idea of a faded V with a retrofitted Bigsby makes me very GASy indeed, but they just don't look metal unless they're black.

Pssst. Works for Napalm Death!

No. No it does not.

[Modular1]

The faded's are certainly tempting. I have a thing for red guitars and the idea of a faded V with a retrofitted Bigsby makes me very GASy indeed, but they just don't look metal unless they're black.

A bigsby is the only thing that would remove its metal credentials.

[HTH AMPS]

The faded's are certainly tempting. I have a thing for red guitars and the idea of a faded V with a retrofitted Bigsby makes me very GASy indeed, but they just don't look metal unless they're black.

A bigsby is the only thing that would remove its metal credentials.

he needs to be more careful when using that nail gun.

[Dr. Stein]

A bigsby is the only thing that would remove its metal credentials.

What metal credentials though? Red V's are all about classic rock... And white V's are just camp, no matter how incompetent you are with power tools.

Imho, of course.  :lol: