Guitars

[Banshee7]

It depends on how you like to play, I suppose. I find the Jumbo frets a great asset to my playing and would never go back, but that's just me.

The whole feel of the RR3 is just something special, though. The neck is just perfect for metal... I never understood why people banged on about necks so much until I played my Jackson.

It was a   moment, for sure.

It'd be a love or hate instrument to live with, I imagine.

You can't sit with it sitting on your right leg, you have to sit with it between your legs. I prefer that and sit with all my guitars like that anyway, though...

I let the RR3 sit on the chair rather than my legs and it works perfectly. The neck will sit right up, though, so you might not like playing like that. I always have, so I prefer it.

I can't recommend the RR3 enough... It's awesome.

Part of me wishes I spent the extra cash on the RR24 (neck-through, 24 frets)... but the RR3 is killer.

(Image removed from quote.)

Yeah, the Rhoads I played Saturday was absolutely amazing.  I didn't mind playing it between my legs as I usually play my guitar like that when sitting down, too.  I've always loved the Jacksons.  They just fell "right."  But that ESP also feels pretty great, too, and it sounds amazing.

[Xasthur]

The other guitar I was looking at is the ESP EC-50  http://www.guitarcenter.com/ESP-EC-50-Electric-Guitar-516672-i1370020.gc

I'm thinking I will go with the ESP before I go with the Rhoads.  Both are under $300.  Since I'm still a beginner, but not complete n00b, I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a really great guitar.

That's a fair call. I haven't played the cheaper Jacksons, so I don't know what they'd be like. My RR3 is a model or two up from the one in your first post.

One thing I will say about guitars is... Don't be afraid to drop the coin right away and get something good/what you really want.

A lot of people suggest getting a cheap guitar to start with and then work your way up.

I decided I wanted to play guitar, so I went and bought that Ironbird in my first post. That was my first guitar. I wanted it, I wanted to play, so I went and bought it.

I'm glad I didn't take a half step with something cheaper. If your budget allows you to go higher up, I say do it.

If you've got something half decent now (and your Jackson looks alright), I'd even suggest you hold off until you can get something more than just 'the next step up'.

The differences in quality are there, so it's worth spending the money.


Having said that, you could have the best guitar in the world... but if you have a rubbish amp or nasty effects... you'll still sound horrible.

[Banshee7]

Thanks for the advice man.  I've considered exactly what you said about buying a really good guitar, I just can't afford it since I only work during the summer when I'm home and not at school. 

I love my guitar. I think it was a great investment.  I went with it instead of some really cheap guitar (less than $100).

Right now, I'm playing on a 10 watt Marshall with a Digitech Death Metal distortion pedal.  I've been thinking of upgrading equipment before actually buying another guitar (or buying both at the same time)

[RTHolmes]

I started on a plastic strung POS spanish acoustic, then a borrowed really nasty cheap strat copy with a manky home-made amp. learnt alot playing both guitars, both sounded horrible.

after about 200 hours of pot-washing in a local hotel I had the £280 for my late-70s LP (£280 was a real bargain even then. bought it from martin glover while he was working with alien sex fiend, he musta been broke at the time, or high )

another 100h of pot washing and waiting and I had a 1971 marshall 50w 2x12, a boss chorus pedal and a cry baby wahwah, all really tatty but finally the sound was pretty close to the sound in my head


edit: theres alot to be said for learning on rubbish gear, if you can get a half-decent sound out of a bad guitar, it really comes together when you finally get something good

[Xasthur]

Thanks for the advice man.  I've considered exactly what you said about buying a really good guitar, I just can't afford it since I only work during the summer when I'm home and not at school. 

I love my guitar. I think it was a great investment.  I went with it instead of some really cheap guitar (less than $100).

Right now, I'm playing on a 10 watt Marshall with a Digitech Death Metal distortion pedal.  I've been thinking of upgrading equipment before actually buying another guitar (or buying both at the same time)

The Electro-Harmonix 'Metal Muff' is pretty awesome. I use that with a BOSS ME-50 (which I just use as a tuner and for delay now... the distortion is a bit limp-wristed). It's cheap too.

In your situation I'd be inclined to go with a better amp rather than another guitar. You could even put a better pick-up in your Jackson to get a better tone out of it.

Try and get yourself a nice tube combo amp. Your sound will improve so much more going that way. I don't know what your options would be over there but a 30w all-tube combo would be killer.

This is what I use at home:


It's more than enough for home use, you could gig with it, (my brother has) and it just sounds sooooooo much better than any 10w amp ever could.

[Yeager]

a Really good guitar?

I have a 1991 Rickenbacker 4001CS (Chris Squire limited edition signature series), a 2004 Hamer B12M Medium Scale 12-string Bass, a 2008 Birdsong shortscale hand-built Corto Bass.  Together the value of these three instruments alone is $10,000.

The bass guitar that gets the most compliments, and the one my bandmates want me to play over all the others is a Jay Turser (importer) copy of a Hofner Beatle bass built in China with unidentifed wood.  I bought it on Ebay for $199

Go figure....

[Tr1gg22]

I had a nice jackson v In the mid 90's.. I was making 8 buks an hour paying on it every week for close to a year untill I finally got to bring it home Then a few years ago someone ripped it off    So i bought some chepo untill I could afford something much better.. I have alway's been a jackson fan myself ,but over the years with age I have decided to get this.... Along with a marshall... I hope they will still have one this friday..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xnwElJ24qc&feature=related

[Guppy35]

Not trying to somber this up as it's good memories for me.  My late son Andrew was never going to be a ball player like I was in school.  He'd have happily sat at the computer or done nothing most days when he was in Middle School.  I finally forced the issue and said he had to do something and we agreed, him grudgingly on the guitar.   We then looked for lessons and a not real expensive electric guitar and he ended up with a Squire Strat.

Well he got really lucky and had a great teacher, and the more he learned the more he loved it and by the time he was in high school he'd gotten pretty good.  He'd also figured out that show up with an electric guitar and folks pay attention, including the girls if you can play.

It also kept us talking through the typical Dad knows nothing ages of 14-18 as we could always talk music and guitars.  As with everything I want to know the history so we learned about the old blues players the background on the electric guitar.  He at first was a Jimmy Page fanatic so it had to be a Les Paul.  That was out of the price range but there was an Epiphone Les Paul that we could manage to the Squire got traded in with a few more bucks for that.   

That worked for a bit, but Muddy Waters took hold with his Red Telecaster.  Then he found out that Jimmy Page started with a Tele along with folks like James Burton and Albert Lee and the Telecaster went front and center.  Again it was to scrape up the money and trade in the Epiphone for the holy grail, which was an American made Fender Telecaster.

Oh how he loved that guitar and oh how he could make it sing.  There were times wher he'd drift off while playing and what he could do with it was magic.  Yeah I know I was his Dad, but folks who heard him knew it too.

His playing inspired a friend of his little sister to learn.  He idolized Drew and his guitar playing.  When Andy and Chris died in 2005 the Guitar sat in it's case in Drew's room, probably my most prized possession of his.  At my daughter's wedding this summer I asked that friend of Christina's to play Drew's Tele at the wedding and he did a masterful job including some impromtu Blues at the bride's father's request.  It's the only time that Tele has been played since Drew died.

Drew and his Tele in his graduation picture from 2001.

[ebfd11]

  Guppy and what a way to remember him, inspiring others to do something he loved doing. I hope you are carrying on the tradition.

BTW anyone have a couple hundred dollars lying around so I can get something like this??

 

LOL

[Xasthur]

Guppy, it's nice to see you again, mate. It has been a while, how have you been?

 

[EskimoJoe]

Guppy, I'm not afraid to admit I shed a few tears.

 

[AAJagerX]

Guppy, I'm not afraid to admit I shed a few tears.

 

I as well.  So sorry man. 

[Imaslipper]

I'm an acoustic kinda' guy and nothing beats my Taylor

[caldera]

My brother has two beautiful Rickenbackers:





He just got the twelve string yesterday.

[Banshee7]

Not trying to somber this up as it's good memories for me.  My late son Andrew was never going to be a ball player like I was in school.  He'd have happily sat at the computer or done nothing most days when he was in Middle School.  I finally forced the issue and said he had to do something and we agreed, him grudgingly on the guitar.   We then looked for lessons and a not real expensive electric guitar and he ended up with a Squire Strat.

Well he got really lucky and had a great teacher, and the more he learned the more he loved it and by the time he was in high school he'd gotten pretty good.  He'd also figured out that show up with an electric guitar and folks pay attention, including the girls if you can play.

It also kept us talking through the typical Dad knows nothing ages of 14-18 as we could always talk music and guitars.  As with everything I want to know the history so we learned about the old blues players the background on the electric guitar.  He at first was a Jimmy Page fanatic so it had to be a Les Paul.  That was out of the price range but there was an Epiphone Les Paul that we could manage to the Squire got traded in with a few more bucks for that.   

That worked for a bit, but Muddy Waters took hold with his Red Telecaster.  Then he found out that Jimmy Page started with a Tele along with folks like James Burton and Albert Lee and the Telecaster went front and center.  Again it was to scrape up the money and trade in the Epiphone for the holy grail, which was an American made Fender Telecaster.

Oh how he loved that guitar and oh how he could make it sing.  There were times wher he'd drift off while playing and what he could do with it was magic.  Yeah I know I was his Dad, but folks who heard him knew it too.

His playing inspired a friend of his little sister to learn.  He idolized Drew and his guitar playing.  When Andy and Chris died in 2005 the Guitar sat in it's case in Drew's room, probably my most prized possession of his.  At my daughter's wedding this summer I asked that friend of Christina's to play Drew's Tele at the wedding and he did a masterful job including some impromtu Blues at the bride's father's request.  It's the only time that Tele has been played since Drew died.

Drew and his Tele in his graduation picture from 2001.
(Image removed from quote.)

Very touching Dan.