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picking the right guitar...need some advice on specific ones

digsterdigster Posts: 1,293
edited April 2004 in Musicians and Gearheads
Hello everyone. I'm in the process of picking out my next electric; this is an important one for me; my first guitar was a Peavey present, and it's shot to shit. So I'm making my first buy where I'm researching my choices. And of course, the best way to find out is from people who have actually played the damn things. So I have some guitars on my 'maybe' list, and you guys here always seemed knowledgeable, so I thought I'd run them by you in addition to everything else I'm doing. If you've got any comments on any of them, positive or negative, let me know. And thanks so much for helpin me out....

Gibson SG Spc
Gibson ES33RDNG Hollowbody Electric Guitar
Schecter C-1 Elite
Gretsch G3161 Historic Streamliner Hollowbody

More to come...thanks again...
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • ShredShred Posts: 28
    the Gibson SG or the Schecter C-1. there the best uve got there
  • Colors of MusidColors of Musid Posts: 55
    Asking yourself what you want to do with the instrument is major.

    If your a lover of heavy effects, single notes, and bends go solid body.

    Straight chord players and pickers who don't effect their tones much love the rich tones of the hollows but they can be a nightmare to put effects on. A real dense heavy wood solid body works for this type of playing and takes the effects well.

    So many other questions like what size and length are your fingers and how much room do you need to do what you gotta do? Don't look too hard at 'pretty' or 'names' unless you are a collector. If it's too special than you will be afraid to touch it. Pick a guitar that feels good and makes you sound good and be looking for it at all times because you never know where you will find it.
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  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    What music style do you play?

    Btw I have played some SGs in the stores around me lately, honestly the guitar should look a lot better for $1000. In my opinion the trapezoid inlays are not particularly well done nor is the paint/finish.
  • digsterdigster Posts: 1,293
    The main things I'm looking for are versatility and ease of playing...I want the guitar I get to sound good for whatever I put it in (unlike some guitars which pretty much work for only one type of song)...but even that's not set in stone. I'm not a big fan of how Rickenbackers feel, how they play, but I wouldn't mind getting a guitar with a distinctive sound that I could play around with, an identifiable sound (ex; everyone associates the Rickenbackers with those early, jangly Beatles records)...above all, I want it to be an easy play...when I'm doing my gig I don't want to have to think about what a bitch this guitar is to play, or that chord is to make on this certain guitar, I want that part of it to be effortless.

    I've never been a very technicial player; only playing for about five years, I'm still primarily a rhythm player, and the few pedals I've tried, I haven't exactly been a genius with em. This all may not help much, cause it already seems like I contradicted myself a few times, but this is what I'm going for.

    Thanks again everybody...

    ...(oh, and since it was asked, I'm probably primarily going to be involved in rock, pop, folk music, that side of the spectrum, although i certainly don't want to set that in stone).
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    Like colors of musid says:

    Depends what you're going to play. If you're rock with effects, solid body is easier. Sg's are great guitars, but you really have to sit and play them and look them over. Five of the same brand will be different from each other. I have a 1968 SG that I've had since almost new. I love that thing for rock. I wouldn't be afraid of a good epiphone SG rather than the cheaper Gibson ones, though. They look pretty good.

    A hollow body is a lot of fun, but is a different ballgame. They are woodier sounding, may feedback way more if you're looking for long sustained power chords, and it takes some experience to work it. If your playing loud and things are working right,, when you get that thing sustaining and feeding back, a good hollowbody becomes a living thing. The whole guitar actually starts vibrating!:eek:
    I think one of the best hollow body examples is Brian Setzer. Listen to him for a great example of what it sounds like.
    Or good ol' lonesome George Thorogood.
    I hear good things about that Gretsch. I wouldn't buy one without playing it and looking at a couple though. Check the neck joint with the body, the general wood joints and the fret finishing, as they are the cheaper model of an expensive Gretsch. I am actually looking for a Gretsch these days and that one crossed my mind.

    A guitar with a humbucker will play with more power. You can play sloppier than with a single coil. A single coil like a strat has a clearer sound and more "precise" tone. It forces you to play cleaner.

    Scale length makes a bit of difference with your fingers , although they can learn to stretch way farther than you think they can. A longer scale length is a little harder to play, but has a clearer sound. ( Strat is a longer scale 25 1/2 inch ).

    Shorter scale is easier to bend, a little more rock and roll sound and the strings blend in sound a little differently. (Gibson is 24 3/4 inch for the sg and paul.)
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  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    For rock, pop, folk music I would definitely get a hollowbody. They are amazingly resonant, the tone is just beautiful if you get good with it. I saw a guy do an entire Hendrix set with a Gibson hollowbody, the sound was scorching. Was a thing of beauty, the sustain and feedback (when he wanted it) that he was getting. Another choice would be a Strat or Tele, they both can play wide ranges of music.

    Also keep in mind that versatility and "distinctive sound" are two different things. A versatile guitar does not generally have a distinctive sound.
  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Also if you wanna see how "rock" a hollowbody can sound you should check out the jack white grammy performance. Like many people have said he got some insane tone/distortion outa that thing.

    I vote for the SG.

    I have a question for HYLA. Were they SG specials? or faded SG specials. Cause I think the faded are frikin hideous.
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  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    SG Standards. The fretboard is really what impressed me least: ugly looking wood (I've seen rosewood look far better) and the inlays were really mediocre looking. I'm not looking for anything flashy, but it just seemed like poor craftsmanship.

    I have played the faded SG too. Neither represent very good value in my opinion. For $1000 or $650, respectively, you can get a better guitar elsewhere. The only thing unique to the SG is the double horn look.
  • ExodusExodus Posts: 212
    *coFenderuStratgh*
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  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    Not what I wanted to hear :(

    You really didn't like the finish on them?

    I have heard from most people on this board that as far as the best necks in the buisness SG standards are where it's at.

    I am definately open to more opinions though.

    I also think the rosewood in most pictures seems to be an odd colour. it's much lighter than say fender rosewood. Almost yellowish looking.
    I miss you already, I miss you always
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  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    I would say go judge for yourself. The neck was fine, I just didn't like the fretboard or the finish. The guitar played comfortably and sounded nice.
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