Need Help Selecting An Electric Guitar Options

[Skizik]

Hello everyone,

I am going to be buying an electric guitar either in 4 or 6 weeks to start playing in a band my buddies and I want to get going. This isn't my fist electric guitar, but it will be the only electric I currently own. In the past I have mostly owned beginner Fenders. Currently, I have a Washburn and a nice Stagg acoustic. Post-hardcore is my favorite genre and is most likely the direction we will take our band. Some bands that I like include Silverstein, old A Day to Remember, I See Stars, Bring me the Horizon, Crown the Empire and bands similar to this sound. One of my friends who currently plays in a band recommended an ESP LTD but I want to hear some other opinions before I start shopping. my budget will likely be in the $500-$750 range though probably closer to $500.

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions!!!

Joe

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[Todd Simpson]

Hey there I'm Todd and I"m on of our Staff instructors here. You have a great many choices available and thanks for letting us know what kind of music you will be playing as well as your budget.

One question is NEW OR USED. If you are open to a slightly used guitar, you can get nearly double the instrument for the money that you are about to spend IMHO. If you want a new guitar, your choices are a bit more limited. At the $500 mark, you may be a bit dissapointed. This is typically the cut off point for medium range new guitars. However, $750 puts you in a different league. Even a new instrument, can be hand for that price that will keep you happy for years.

Your pal has a good suggestion in terms of the ESP/LTD imho.

Here are two options at $750 that would work well and are both nice axes. One with active pups, one with passive.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LMH427BLK

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LMH401QFSTBK

here is a nice Ibanez 7 string, with locking trem for about $600
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RG7420PBSBF

And here are a couple of nice Jackson guitars within budget. Again, once active, one passive.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SL3XSG

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WRXMGArmy

Just using sweetwaters store as they have an easy click to find type interface that let's me narrow down speedily You should be able to get these guitars at nearly any online retailer.

Now if you go used, you could take these suggestions and simply move up the model chain a bit. You'll know you have when you stop seeing DUNCAN DESIGNED pickups and start seeing SEYMOUR DUNCAN Pickups (assuming the pups were stock of course). Duncan likes it's top pups used in guitars that cost around $800, generally speaking.

Hello everyone,

I am going to be buying an electric guitar either in 4 or 6 weeks to start playing in a band my buddies and I want to get going. This isn't my fist electric guitar, but it will be the only electric I currently own. In the past I have mostly owned beginner Fenders. Currently, I have a Washburn and a nice Stagg acoustic. Post-hardcore is my favorite genre and is most likely the direction we will take our band. Some bands that I like include Silverstein, old A Day to Remember, I See Stars, Bring me the Horizon, Crown the Empire and bands similar to this sound. One of my friends who currently plays in a band recommended an ESP LTD but I want to hear some other opinions before I start shopping. my budget will likely be in the $500-$750 range though probably closer to $500.

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions!!!

Joe

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[Skizik]

Awesome man thanks for the reply...Im not opposed to going used, I would probably prefer a new one though. Even if I can only get a mid-range one right now that would be great for where I am at I think and would work for starting my band with my friends...I can always upgrade later.

My plan at the moment is to go to Parkway Music (This is the biggest local guitar shop here...and its HUGE there is a ton to choose from) and I am going to try out all of the suggestions that have been given to me to see what I like. Right now I want to stick with just a basic 6 string. I'm going to go there in about 3 weeks and start trying out the different models....my paycheck 2 weeks from then I will be ready to purchase but by going and trying them out if I find one that is a little outside of my budget that I like I can look for a used one. I'll continue to take suggestions and once I take my trip to Parkway I will post again what I have tried and what I like the most so I can be 100% sure I get what I want with the following paycheck. Thanks again man I really appreciate the suggestions and the links =)

Joe

Wow man I REALLY like the looks of the ESP's and even the Jackson's...I will definitely be trying some of those brands when I take my trip...with any luck maybe they will have a good sale on those or similar models...

Can you explain a little what you mean by the active/passive? I'm not too familiar with the technical stuff all I have played before for electrics were beginning Fender's...

Thanks again

Joe

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[Todd Simpson]

Sure

ACTIVE: pickups use a battery to power a small internal "preamp". This means that they can have very high output in terms of being able to drive an amp, E.G. make an amp sound very full of distortion/gain/harmonics, etc.

PROS: Less noise than some passive pickups, higher output than most passive pickups, very good for Metal in general, which is why so many Metal bands still use active pickups like EMG's.

CONS: Active pickups can sound a pinch "thin" or lacking in bass compared to some passive pickups and thus sound less "organic" and can be "fizzy" or have a brittle top end (treble)


PASIVE: pickups don't use a battery. They just use the magnet/wire inside them to create tone/ouput. In general, many passive pickups have slightly less output than your typical EMG pickup.

PROS: Passive pickups, especially those with Alnico Magnets (instead of ceramic magnets) have a very "organic" sound. Also a very full/rich/bass present sound. More "brown" sounding. They can also be very articulate, meaning you hear every pick strike. Also, they are often less "fizzy" or top end brite.

CONS: They often don't match active pickups in terms of sheer output to drive an amp.

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In short, try EVERY guitar that is within your buget and put it through an amp that is as close to what you have at home as possible. That way you can get a better idea of what the guitar will sound like once you get it home

Here is a killer vid showing some great duncan pickups in both active and passive selections. Listen to it a few times and if one pickups stands out, just go look it up on the duncan site. You can find out if it's active or passive over there and thus get an idea which you may like better before hitting the shop

The semi legendary Keith Merrow

Todd

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This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Jun 16 2016, 07:52 PM