Author Topic: Guitar sub-£400 (Read 18220 times)

mattisfrommars · « **on:** November 14, 2006, 09:55:55 PM »

Although i do love my squier, and (for a squier at least) it's a decent guitar- i have recently found out that if i save up enough of my own money i could have a christmas present budget of around £350-400. (Yep, i'm old enough to have my own money AND young enough for my parents to buy me stuff. Life is good)

Now this is enough to buy a guitar that is a full step above my current one. (My squier was £200). The two guitars that have caught my eye are Washburn Idol WI65 and the Prs Tremonti SE.

I play modern metal (in the vein of Lamb of God, but with more chuggy breakdown type riffs and some black metal type chord sequences- Dimmu Borgir et al)

Although i've yet to play either, i'm leaning towards the washburn. Name brand pickups (I believe it's a Duncan Distortion in the bridge and a SD '59 in the neck), "VCC" pots instead of tone pots which switch the humbucker from series to parallel- very cool. "Buzz feiten" tuning system, some fancy intonation bridge/nut thing that i don't quite understand. And the shape and finish just appeal to me more.

Both guitars are pretty much les pauls, although the washburn looks like it has easier access to the top frets. Both are mahogany body and neck with rosewood fingerboards. The washburn has a set neck, but i don't know what the PRS has. However, both guitars are cheaper versions of acclaimed guitars (One of the more expensive guitars in the wasburn idol range got 5 stars in this months total guitar. The only thing they didn't like were the EMG 81/85 that comes standard with that model)

Does anyone have any opinions on these guitars at all? Has anyone played either? I've emailed the shop to tell them to get in a WI65 for demo. But until then i'll be grateful for any ideas you might have

mattisfrommars · « **Reply #1 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:02:34 PM »

Also, my dad has a Washburn electro acoustic guitar- which is the nicest guitar in the house. Except for maybe the old fender strat.

So i'm kinda biased towards washburn than a guitar company that i associate with the big chain store in liverpool where the guys selling stuff havn't a clue what they're selling.

"Unfortunatley, we can't let you demo the behringer wah pedal as it's in non-resealable packaging. But we all played one when the shipment arrived and it's just as good as the Dunlop in my opinion"... Yeah don't like dawsons

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #2 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:41:27 PM »

TBH i wouldn't say any of those guitars were made for modern metal, however you would be right in saying that the Washburn is better. I like Washburns, very nice and well put together guitars. May i suggest a Washburn X series, a Washburn X50 perhaps, that is what you want for your style. That's just my opinion though.

Here it is: http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/13721
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/8580

2 wonderful finishs. (personally i would go with trans blue)
Lovely Arched top too.

dave_mc · « **Reply #3 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:53:11 PM »

i believe it's a custom custom in the bridge of the washburn. not really aimed at metal.

you just gotta try them. they're both pretty good for the price. the yamaha aes 620 (duncan JB at bridge, no-name at neck) would be another option.

EDIT: £389 for the washburn? jeez, you can get them for £300, ditto the yamaha I mentioned.

Twinfan · « **Reply #4 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:56:23 PM »

I've played a few of the SE PRSs and I liked the overall build quality and the fact they had decent pots. The neck is quite full, but you get used to it after a little while (I hated it at first). I'd certainly try one of those out.

Window-Licker · « **Reply #5 on:** November 15, 2006, 06:58:04 AM »

Only advice i can give is, either buy a guitar based on looks or if you have a good store near you pick something that feels good to play... dont worry about tone or hardware too much because you can switch it all out for better quality gear later on. So if you can get either of those guitars you listed, with the same body/neck, but with cheaper pickups installed id go for that.

Sifu Ben · « **Reply #6 on:** November 15, 2006, 09:51:42 AM »

The bridge on the Tremonti means that your intonation will go down the toilet as soon as you downtune.
The Washburn is a good guitar, but I always think it looks kinda freaky.
For a cheap Lester you should also consider the Dean Evo special and Special Select (£260 and £325 respectively) which have really fast necks, tiny heels giving good access and are solidly bulit, good looking platforms for upgrading.
The Cort Z series is also worth a look.

froglord · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2006, 10:43:16 AM »

Maybe this is a bit crazy and out of your budget, but:

Gordon Smith GS 1.60 = £394
Ask them to take out the humbucker = -£47.60
Add BKP of your choice (e.g. Nailbomb) = £90
Total = £436.40

Voila! A British, hand-made, one-pickup metal monstrosity Les Paul for under £450.

Okay, it may not look as "metal" as some, but you'd be getting a really high quality guitar with a no-compromise pickup.

Gordon Smith are at:
http://www.fairplay.demon.co.uk/

dave_mc · « **Reply #8 on:** November 15, 2006, 12:06:45 PM »

^ seconded. I was going to suggest that, but then he said he wanted a metal guitar, and the stock gs1 isn't really metal. But yeah, now you mention it, I'd forgotten that they'd remove the price of their own pickups.

Go with that!

Kilby · « **Reply #9 on:** November 15, 2006, 12:45:38 PM »

Hmmm,

as I said before I'm not sure what a metal guitar is, apart from a chunk of mahogany, with a nect you can get on with and some (usually) high output pickups.

If you are looking for that GS should be fine (or a bit more for an explorer shaped beastie)

froglord · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2006, 12:49:37 PM »

My only concern about the GS is that it has a fairly thin body, which might rob you of a bit of meat in the tone department. You can go for a thicker 1 3/4 inch slab for an extra £27, but the price is creeping up...

dave_mc · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2006, 12:56:56 PM »

^ yeah, that's true. but if you're willing to go to £400, surely you should be willing to go to £460 odd to get something that'll rule? That's the way I normally think, anyway. If I get something at £400 and don't like it as much, I've wasted £400...

Of course, if going above £400 means you have to do without something that's more important to you, you gotta stay under.

:drink:

dave_mc · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2006, 12:57:43 PM »

Quote from: Kilby

Hmmm,

as I said before I'm not sure what a metal guitar is, apart from a chunk of mahogany, with a nect you can get on with and some (usually) high output pickups.

If you are looking for that GS should be fine (or a bit more for an explorer shaped beastie)

I meant the pickups not being metal, mainly. (it was kind of ambiguous, I know, I knew what I meant in my head :lol: )

:drink:

Twinfan · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2006, 01:06:25 PM »

Used Gordon Smiths are superb value for money - I'd be tempted to get one off eBay and BKP it up.

Oh - I've done that with my GS-1 already :D

mattisfrommars · « **Reply #14 on:** November 15, 2006, 03:54:44 PM »

The Gordon smith ones look great, but £400 is pushing it really and i doubt anywhere near me will stock it.

The EC400 looks good, but out of my price range. How about the cheaper EC200? anyone played that?

Dolphin say that they dont have the washburn in stock, and wont order one in "just to demo".