The Official Guitar Thread

[AlexTheDictator]

Originally Posted by Seventh

Absolute trash.

You don't have to go balls out on your first guitar, but don't go cheap either. You can get a great entry-level axe these days from brands like Ibanez/Schecter for around $300-400. Go any lower than that, and you'll end up with something that plays like shit, sounds like shit, and most importantly for the new guitarist - will NOT stay in tune worth a damn. You'll spend more time tuning it than you will playing it, and instead of enjoying your new hobby, it'll be an exercise in frustration.

So true. I second the Schecter suggestion. I have a Schecter Tempest and I love it. I was able to get it used for $275 (they're $600 new). These guitars certainly do not play like $500-level guitars, either. I like the feel a lot more than my roommate's Gibson Les Paul Custom (though the sound is not as good).

[Kiely]

Originally Posted by Zarcath

Wanted to get a first guitar, was looking at an Ibanez Gio. Anyone have experience with one?

I went with Ibanez rg1570, £500 for my first "real" guitar. Has prestige finish, comes with lovely hard case, locking nuts, nice bridge and overall feels great. Pickup's are average when I compare to my bro's rg3000something (Dimazzrio's) so I guess they will be the first things to change when I make some new buys, those or emg's i guess.

[Seventh]

Originally Posted by Kiely

I went with Ibanez rg1570, £500 for my first "real" guitar. Has prestige finish, comes with lovely hard case, locking nuts, nice bridge and overall feels great. Pickup's are average when I compare to my bro's rg3000something (Dimazzrio's) so I guess they will be the first things to change when I make some new buys, those or emg's i guess.

I'm not a big EMG fan at all, and converting that to an active setup will probably require you to route the body a bit for the battery. EVO/AN or TZ/AN, or something like an X2N in that depending on your tastes would be my choice. I've got an X2N in one of my 550's and it RIPS for high-gain stuff.

If you ever want to sell that, please let me know, haha. 1570's are just sexy.

[Hathe]

And if you do go the active pickup route, see if you can go with the option of a battery box. I don't see this option on guitars too often (maybe you guys don't use 9volts?) but it is a common feature on basses. Routing is straight forward for yourself or professionals and removal / installation of battery takes 5 seconds.

Here's an example with an 18v dual battery box:

[AlexTheDictator]

A seven-piece bolt-on neck? I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before. Usually necks that nice are through-body or set.

[Seventh]

The thing with active pickup routing is that sometimes you need to route the pickup cavity as well, and in the event that you end up preferring passives, you're left with a guitar body that's routed for actives with a 9v size hole in the back.

Seymour Duncan Blackouts are usually what the guys on my sites do when they want to get the active gain out of passives. They get pretty fantastic reviews and are supposedly very close the the EMG/707 tone. (I haven't heard them myself).

[Aria]

Originally Posted by Seventh

The thing with active pickup routing is that sometimes you need to route the pickup cavity as well, and in the event that you end up preferring passives, you're left with a guitar body that's routed for actives with a 9v size hole in the back.

Seymour Duncan Blackouts are usually what the guys on my sites do when they want to get the active gain out of passives. They get pretty fantastic reviews and are supposedly very close the the EMG/707 tone. (I haven't heard them myself).

Blackouts are active aren't they?

Maybe you're thinking of D-Activators?

[Hathe]

Originally Posted by AlexTheDictator

A seven-piece bolt-on neck? I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before. Usually necks that nice are through-body or set.

Yeah, the crazy world of custom instruments always throws out something unique.

[Seventh]

Originally Posted by Aria

Blackouts are active aren't they?

Maybe you're thinking of D-Activators?

I am, my bad. Blackouts are actives that FIT in passive (standard) routes, unlike the squared EMG's.

Good catch.

[Seventh]

Not my guitars, but I do Sherman's website, and just updated it with a few new goodies.

[AlexTheDictator]

Damn, are six-string guitars going out of style or something?

[Seventh]

Originally Posted by AlexTheDictator

Damn, are six-string guitars going out of style or something?

If you ask me, yes. If you ask the other 99.999% of the guitar playing world, naw.

[sl4ck3r]

I've been taking jazz lessons on and off for at least a year and currently taking a break because of school, but I'm looking into purchasing an Ibanez Artcore AS73 (similar to the Gibson 335).

I fell in love with the Gibson ES339 for it's smaller Les Paulish size yet incredible warm sound it produced and after seeing it played live, wow... Although right now it's best to say it's out of my price range and I'm not quite there yet to purchase such a swell guitar. The AS73 seems to be just right. My style is heavily influenced by Joe Pass's walking bass line playing. Eric Krasno of Soulive, which I can never get enough of, frequently plays a Yellow Ibanez Artstar AS200 which is honestly the same type of semi-hollow.

Right now I'm playing on an old Fender F-15 acoustic my dad got back in the late 70's that sounds absolutely pristine. Also a Squier Strat that actually plays quite well as my first electric before I knew jazz was my niche.

Gibson ES339


Ibanez AS73

[Seventh]

Is that you in the video? If so, very nice chops man, smooth as hell and that guitar sounds fantastic.

[Seventh]

No idea where this belonged and this is mostly a gear thread, but I had to post this somewhere. What a badass legato lesson: