Guitars im considering

[GuitarWolf]

Epiphone Les Paul 100

Epiphone Goth Les Paul Studio

Epiphone Goth G400

Ibanez GRX20L

Ibanez GRX720

Ibanez RG270

Squier Standard Double Fat Strat

Washburn WR150Q

Washburn BT2QVS

Yamaha PAC112M

ESP H100

ESP EC100

BC Rich Platinum Assassin

 

Got any advice about these guitars? or any past experiences with some of these guitars? or got a point you wanna add?

 

Oh yea... r Squires worth buying or r they just a big big waist of money?

[Nollykin]

I cant tell you anything about anything except the Ibanez and Yamaha... so here goes.

 

Ibanez GRX20L

 

The GRX20 is one of the best guitars around for the price.. that I have seen. As far as being an excellent guitar - well - it doesnt blow anyone out of the water. the neck feels good, the construction is strong, and that black pickguard really looks good - but really, the guitar is basic. It has 2 humbucklers, basic ones, and while as far as low ends go - it IS the one to get, as far as ibanez goes, the RX20 is still pretty ordinary. the sound is great for metal - but you wont get much else out of it... its a metal guitar. Reccomended, for a first guitar, definately.

 

Ibanez GRX720

 

This baby is exactly the same as the RX20 in most ways except that it has a 7th string... which increases your preformance with metal - if you like the sound of a 7 string. Like I said - metal only, really. The clean channel on the rx20 models is very thick... lacking the treble response a single coil gets. It is also a good guitar. As far as low ends go. If you want to go higher...

 

Ibanez RG270

 

This is the one I'd be looking at - in fact, it IS one that I am looking at. This, and a couple of the 7 strings (like the RX720). This guitar goes for almost double the price, but has better parts, pickups, etc, and also has a H-S-H arrangement, allowing for more versatility. I would give you a big thumbs up on this one. IF that is the price range you are looking at - then grab it. For a first guitar - I'd say it were going a bit too expensive. Because what if you dont like playing guitar? You have a bloody expensive guitar you dont play. But still, thats an excellent choice.

 

As far as ibanez the only other thing I can reccomend for beginners are the S series - particuarly the SA and S models. The S have H-S-H, and the SA have H-S-S arrangements, and thats the only huge difference. They're designed for both metal and non metal - more rounded body, less dangerous looking. theyre on par with the RG's... ive played both. I own an SA60... its a very nice guitar for the price. Check those out.

 

Yamaha PAC112M

 

Yammies are nice guitars for beginners. Theyre built solidly, and while they dont look quite as nice as Ibanez, theyre still damn nice guitars. From what I have looked at - they arent designed with metal in mind. The H-S-S arrangement allows for a metal sound to come through, of course, though they look to be made as more all rounders than metal based. Which is good if that is what you're into. Pacificas are nice guitars to start with - and I would vouch for both.

 

If I were to reccomend any to you, I'd reccomend the RG270, the RX40 (thats 40, not 20) and its "sister guitar", the SA60. Those 3 are bloody decent guitars, and as far as the RX40 and SA60 go, its really only the feel of the neck and the body shape that sets them apart. play both if you're choosing one.

 

If you're looking at a 7 string, Id still reccomend the RX720

 

Im no expert, but thats what I know as far as ibanez and yammie.

 

From your choices there - Id say you were into metal, so lean into epiphone, ibanez or BC Rich... I dont know shit about bc rich though. Those epiphone goths are fairly expensive. If you're going for one of those priceranges, then look into the RG270 as well, eh ?

 

good luck - let us know what you got

 

Nolly

[GuitarWolf]

What kind of music do u like/ play Nolly?

 

and actluly im not really into metal that much...i guess

 

Im more into punk and hard rock

[Nollykin]

Me?

 

I like a bit of everything. I like some softer stuff like pop rock, hard rock, punk, alternative, and I can also crank it up with the best of em listening to full blown metal, heavy metal, thrash, death, melodic metal, and classical metal.

 

then again, I listen to a little country, a *little* jazz, a lot of industrial...

 

But I myself write metal / melodic metal songs... distorted choruses, with chords that get feeling across.

 

I play a lot of clean and a lot of distortion. I found that the H-S-S ibanez I have plays those both very well. Double humbuck things would be fine for your style. as would anything with a humbuck. youd need a hum though.

 

Nolly

[baronedo]

The Squier Strat line is Fender's lowest quality, made in Korea, line. I would thoroughly check out any guitar in this line before buying as the quality variation between guitars can be great. I've heard that some of the Squier bodies are made of plywood and painted - Yuck!

 

If you are leaning toward a reasonably priced Strat of decent quality, you may want to check out the Mexican Strats. They have poplar bodies (which is very similar to Alder), and have maple necks with either rosewood or solid maple fingerboard. I believe they make some Fat models with humbucking pups. I own two Mexican Strats and an American Strat Plus. The Mexicans play very well compared to the American Strat and if you want to upgrade to better pups, this is an easy mod.

 

You could also check out used American Strats which can sometimes be found at a bargain price.

 

Good Luck

[whitefang]

Used guitars? If you know of a reliable dealer that handles used, check it out. In my area, there are two stores that deal used. One gives each axe a good going over, repairs what needs it, and offers his own store warranty. The other?

He couldn't care less! You can find out more about the Epi's in their forum in Epiphone.com. Get on the site and click on interactive. Chances are, you'll hear from "Bobskippy", and this dude don't bullshit! Knows his stuff, does Bob!

Let us know what happens, OK?

whitefang

[Ardeekahn]

If you are looking for something like a Strat, but with better features for the price, check our Carvin's Bolt. Yu get their wonderful neck, 3 singles or H-S-S or they have new Twinblade Hums(3). You can get all this for under $600.00 US.

I don't have much experience with the lower end Ibanez. The only one that I ever looked at seriously was the Gax-70; and it was way cheap-o.

The SQuier line are good, but check out each one individually. That is true of most of the lower end intruments out there. They vary widely from piece to piece. I have a DeArmond (one of Fender's Korean copy things) that is great, but I think they have been discontinued now. If you can get one, they are at a good price and have a lot of good features for the money. I have been very dissappointed in the last few years of Epiphone. Again, IMHO, cheap! Yahmaha- what can I say, good solid intruments, but not spectacular. Had a Pacifica 120-S Tele-style body, 2 Hums. It was a good little axe.

The best thing you can do is go out and play the things. Find what feels good in your hand and sounds good to your ear. You might find something not on your list that will surprise you.

[Gabriel E.]

D-Prime,

 

All of the guitars you listed are imported budget models. They may be perfectly fine but as someone already mentioned, they can be very inconsistent from guitar to guitar. So check a few out and, if possible, take a more experienced friend with you to look at the quality.

 

Avoid Squiers at all costs.

 

You can get much better guitars for the same price if you get them used. Any 500 or 700 (i.e. RG550, 570, 770, S540) series Ibanez guitars will be pro quality and can be had used for the price of the guitars you listed. Mexican Fenders are also great deal if you find a good one.

 

Happy hunting.

[Chip McDonald]

Some of the new Korean Squiers are made MUCH better than Mexican Strats... Some of the $300 and less models are as good as what they were making for the $450 mark a few years ago.

 

Most all of the Samick/Korean stuff is amazingly good for how cheap it is; the Korean Ibanezes are a good value if you're not sure about wading through the 8,997 different Fender models...

 

You really can't recommend a Fender "anything" anymore - they're making so many different models, and have swapped their lines around so much that what they're making this year - or for that matter, what they're making NOW versus 6 months ago - is totally different.

 

1997-98 were the good years I think for Mexican Strats; since they've become the "standard" they've fallen off a great bit. I'm telling everybody: Samick is out to make their mark, they've stepped their game up enormously, and if they were to strike out and leave the "names" behind they'd all, save Ibanez, probably have an extremely difficult time at competing. It's really quite clever: gradually up your production quality to the point where people start noticing "gee, these Korean guitars aren't too bad", then it gets around that Samick makes them, THEN... then they go it alone and drop everyone, leaving everyone else to scramble for production while they churn out millions...

[Nollykin]

Samicks I have seen are REALLY shoddy quality, but I'm talking the ones around the 100 - 200 dollar mark (american). But uhh, you'd be stupid to buy a uitar that cheap anyway unless of course it was used...

[signal1000]

Of the lot, I'd say the Yamaha Pacifica line is the best bang for the buck. I'd stay away from the Squier and Ibanez. With the Yamaha, as Gabriel E. said, play a bunch of them because they will vary in quality. I've played some that were nicer than an American Standard Strat, and I've played some really crummy ones as well.

[Nollykin]

stay away from ibanez? Never heard that one before

[Wrave]

Without a doubt, look into the PRS Santana SE. I bought one and a Brian Moore at about the same time and the PRS is the one I pick up most often. I don't know for sure what you are looking for in the pups but this little axe plays like a dream. I think it was right around the $400 mark.

[ernest828]

Dprime,

 

I bought a Mexican Strat 60`s reissue recently, Rosewood neck? (darker color) and I just love it. I honestly don`t think there are many guitars that offer what Strats` offer right out of the box.

 

They are probably the most flexible guitars on the planet, thats why everyone uses one. I`m not a "guitarist" in that I can play, but I do play rhythm and I can accompany myself when singing but i was looking for a flexible guitar and the Strat gives me that. As a studio owner, I don`t want 15 guitars, I have enough gear.

 

Anyway, I would avoid the Epiphone, the Squiers and probably the Yamahas as well even though I own a Yamaha acoustic and love it beyond...

 

Peace,

Ernest

[Wickerman]

Epiphone and Yamaha both make some very good guitars but not the $300 models your looking at. In that low price range, I'd look into mexican Fenders, Ibanez and maybe ESP LTD.

 

Fender makes the typical strat and tele but you sound like you're more of a metal boy so the Cyclone and Tornado might apeal to you more. Also Ibanez's SA and RG series and the ESP LTD M, MH or H-100 models. If someone is too expensive, look used and on Ebay...

[cincinnatirock]

Most of the guitars that you listed have nonlocking trem systems or stop tailpieces. The Ibanez RG270 has a Floyd Rose system in it and if you are unfamiliar with these, they can be quite a chore to set up. Floyd Rose systems have their good points, but can be difficult to maintain if you have never done it before. However, as an owner of an Ibanez RG320, I must say that the Ibanez are a great value.

 

One guitar line that you should check out is Tradition. Go to www.traditionguitars.com

Everything from the electronics to the playability of these guitars is top notch and they won't empty your wallet. I am particularly fond of the MTM-2