Let's Talk Guitars

[Spyke]

It seems to me, in looking around recently, that Fender have got a great range of guitars at reasonable prices now, aimed at guitarists that don't want to spend too much but still want a very good guitar.

The Modern Player series guitars have modern board radiuses and pickup combinations with good hardware and at decent prices and quality. I like the look of the Squier Vintage Modified range too - in fact I'm seriously tempted by one of their Jaguars! The Marauder is interesting too with a unique "triplebucker" pickup in the bridge and a single coil at the neck. Very varied combination options are possible too, but for me I think I'd love to try the Vintage Modified Jaguar with the two single coil pups and the full old rhythm/lead circuit style wiring.

Ant

[Ziggy]

I thought this Blacktop was pretty cool...

[WrathOskvro]

Just so ya know, if you didn't like the Squier you might not like the Fenders. Fenders are obviously a step up in quality but alot of people who don't like Squier guitars I've found to just not like the single coil sound. However since you're not feeling the sound of that Schecter, I'm guessing you want something a in between right? If you can find one, give one of these a shot:

PRS SE Soapbar 2

[Ziggy]

I finally got some pickups for my SG! I forgot what I said about my SG, but I've never been able to get pickups that I like in it. This time, I'm pretty sure I'll be very happy with the sound. If not, I'm NOT changing them again. I swear, I'll just get rid of the guitar before changing those pups again. I'm just sick of doing it in that guitar, and I have too many other guitars to tend to.

Anyways, here's what I got:

Dimarzio Super Distortion (bridge). Right now I have the Super Distortion II in there. The only reason why I got the II is because that's all the guitar shop had in stock at the time so I decided to just try it (I work at the shop so I get parts for cost). It's actually a great pickup, but it's not for me. I wanted the original Super Distortion, and now that's what I finally got. I'm sure I'll love the way it sounds. It's the original after market humbucker.

Dimarzio The Breed (neck). The easiest way to explain what this pickup sounds like is to go down the line. Start with the PAF 36th Anniversary. Then there's the PAF Pro, which has slightly more output. This was the pickup I was originally gonna get for the neck. Then there's The Breed, which is basically the PAF Pro with slightly more output. All three have similar voices. When I got the SG, it had a Duncan 59 in the neck. That pickup sounds sweet, but I always hated how low output it was compared to a hot bridge pickup (I play with both pickups selected most of the time). So that's why I went with The Breed. It has the power to compete with the Super Distortion in the bridge, while still having the tone I'm looking for.

I was sick of waiting to see if the guitar shop would get them in stock, so I just paid full retail for them. I did get a good deal on some push/pull pots though. I think it was a lot of 5 I got for only $11 shipped. The catch is they're linear, not audio taper. But I'll just use them for the tone knobs and it'll be perfectly fine. I'll have three left over from the SG, and all 5 cost what one brand name pot would have from a supplier.

Here's how I'm planning on wiring my SG: I really like to have a series/parallel switch for the bridge pickup, especially hotter ones. For the neck, I might see how The Breed sounds in series and parallel, but I'm thinking I'll just use another push/pull to split the coils. This is how I have my LTD MV wired and I like it, so I wanna do the same for the SG.

[AppleQueso]

One day I might swap out my V's pickups. It's just got a pair EMG 81s, which while they naturally aren't bad by any means, they're kinda a little indistinct.

That Super Distortion would probably be a good fit for me. That or probably an X2N.

[Ziggy]

I have a pair of 81's in my LTD MH, and I love them. But it's funny, I found out that they're not for everything. Not too long ago I scored an 81/85 set on eBay for super cheap. I figured since I loved them in my MH, I would like them in my SG. Wrong. The reason why I like them in my MH so much is because I have an older MH-100 with a basswood body. It has a really nice 80's metal sound. My boss at the guitar shop told me he has the 81/85 set in his MH-1000, which has a mahogany body, and hates them. The SG is mahogany, so now I know what he means. It was too much output for that guitar, and I hated it.

They work great in my MH tho. I can see why a lot of people say they sound bland or sterile, but I think that's why I like them in that guitar. They have an almost hollow sound to them in that guitar, I can really hear the voice of my amp, and they're hot so I can get some really good metal tones out of my JCM 2000. They work for me in THAT guitar, but I don't have another guitar that I would put EMGs in (which is why I had to sell the 81/85 set).

The X2N is a MONSTER of a pickup I never tried one out before, but I think it would have too much output for my tastes. IIRC, that's Dimarzio's hottest pickup.

edit: While on the subject, I rather like the Dimarzio Area set I have in my Strat. Area 58 in the neck, 67 in the middle, and 61 in the bridge (what Dimarzio recommends). I don't know if they'd be my favorite Strat pickups ever, but honestly, I'm getting tired of constantly trying out pickups. It's not so much the pain in the ass of swapping them and trying to remember the difference and what you like better, it's having to purchase them. I have the Area pickups in that order. I can't help but feel that if I swapped them around I might find that I like two 61's and no 67, or all three 67s, or two 58's and one 61, etc. But I don't have that money to spend, and who the hell has the time for that?

[TSTR]

Mahogany body + Super Distortion = sweet.

[Ziggy]

Awesome, I can't wait to hear it.

I got both pickups in the mail, and the push/pulls too, now I just gotta find the time to do it.

[pierrot]

If you can find one, give one of these a shot:

PRS SE Soapbar 2

A PRS would be great. I'm just not that filthy rich at the moment. My local M&P guitar shop has a nice, throw-back telecaster with a mini-humbucker, but it's pretty expensive itself. Didn't care too much for the made in Mexico Blacktop HH, but they also had a made in America series tele that was pretty nice to play. $1300 is still a bit rich for my blood, though.

Liked what I heard from an Ibanez Artist Series guitar, though. I've never cared too much for Ibanez guitars, but it's got lots of pickup selections/micro-switches. The level of sound customization is intriguing, especially considering the price point.

[WrathOskvro]

^That particular PRS is only $650 retail. And you can get one used for about half that.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/In-Store-Us ... 3506254.gc