Hey guys, I'm looking into buying a new guitar, my price range is right around $500, in or around the ballpark, do you guys have any suggestions for that price? I've been looking at Musiciansfriend.com and can't really seem to make a decision, anyone have any insight? I've been looking into either a Schecter or Epiphone.

Yes, what kind of music do you like to play?

Regardless, I'm going to recommend an Epiphone SG Deluxe. I picked mine up for about £300 3 months back and I love it to bits. Should be able to get one for about $500.

Well we really can't give you an opinion until we know what style of music you play. :p If it's metal, I would recommend an ESP or an Ibanez. That's all I can really say. :banned:

fenced or retail?

A vox phanton XII.

Ibanez SZ series. The 520 in particular.

Mahogany set-in neck and through-body stringing will gives you loads of sustain. The neck joint is among the most comfortable I've ever played. Duncan-designed pickups. Beautiful quilted maple top on a mahogany body.

SEX.

http://www.godinguitars.com/godinpresslgfreewayemg.htm

you can't go wrong.



especially with the LG EMG. full mahogany body. with 81 and 85 pickups. active. rock solid woods. had a chance to try these myself. they have a tight low end because of the active pickups. perfect for chugging. and the neck pickup gives a really sweet harmonic overtone since they're 22 frets so when you can lead, you can really speak.

and ibanez tends to suck when you pay under 1000

Go for a used Fender Strat. You can use them for almost every genre and not look like so much a tard.

don't listen to schming he's a slave to looks not tone :p

I get the tones I want out of the equipment I own bizzle.

so do i and i don't have to pay thousands for a US strat shizzle...

my strat sounds nice

for


SKA



BWUUAHAHZ

I don't think I'd buy a guitar without trying it first...like, not just the brand but the actual instrument.

Go grab an Agile, great quality for a next to nothing price. If you get an AL-3000(Les Paul Copy), you get a solid mahogany body, maple top, alnico V pickups(eh, you can always change them), ebony fingerboard, and abalone inlays for $369. I have nothing but great things about them, often being compared to the regular Gibson model(and much better than the Epi). If I had the cash I would have got one ages ago. Here's a picture:


And the site is http://www.rondomusic.net/al3000prestthincsbf.html

They have a couple great PRS copys(I've only seen a couple people get them, but the ones that have them love them)

This one's $289, comes with a Floyd Rose

And the sites at http://www.rondomusic.net/ps970floyd.html

This one is $359, much better version than the above one. Wilkinson tremolo, maple top, mahogany body:

and the sites at http://www.rondomusic.net/ps924.html

I wholeheartedly recommend buying an Agile, and if you need more opinions you should check out the thousands at harmony central.

Pfft, I guess Paganini was a talentless hack because he looked like satan? :p

Well I'll be playing some grunge for some shows (mostly Pearl Jam and a little Nirvana), and then i'll be playing some Numetal tunes, mainly System of a Down for other shows, and then obviously some of my bands own tunes which i can't really place in one genre. I'll look into some of the guitars suggested here, write the ones I like down on a list, and go up to Margareets (huge guitar store in my area) and try them all out, and then buy the one i like on Musiciansfriend.com. Keep the suggestions comin'

as i said.

guitars, pushbikes and televisions.

three items that are easy to purchase for a tenth of their retail price.

ask around, you'll find an offer.

indeed. i got my amp for $100 cheaper than at some most stores.

I don't know what he means by "fenced".

What amp did you wind up getting?

I think he bought a Vox thing.

get an Epiphone Les Paul. They're amazing. Just as good as the real thing (maybe even prefered!) in my experiences.

They're also both heavy and uncomfortable as ****.

I don't like how the pickguard is on a bracket either.

quit complaining, epiphone les pauls are the best guitar you can get for the price range. I also prefer them over any gibson les paul.

I really didn't like the feel of the last Epiphone I played. The bridge system bugged me, too.

Gibson and Epiphone are notorious for terrible quality control, I'd be extremely wary if you're buying one from MF and not in person at least at GC or something. I'm telling you, go with the Agile, you'll be paying for a great guitar and not just a name.

Actually, the graphite finish on those Godin models you posted is pretty sweet.

Also, strats look boring.

I would really, really, really reccomend buying local. Play the guitar you will be buying. Not just the model, but the actual instrument. Every instrument, especially guitar, has it's own little quirks and personality. To me it's very much like asking a girl out. You wouldn't just order 'perky girl 357' over the internet and not care which one you get, as long as it looks like a perky girl?

FE, Neil Young has a huge amount of LP Deluxes, and none of them sound anything like Old Black. Even the other ones that have a bigsby, have the replaced pickup, with the same wood, sound totally different.

I've played two of the same model of guitar next to eachother at guitar center (Gibson SGs, don't rememeber which particular kind) and they just played different. Different vibe, different feel in the neck, different everything. Really similar, yeah, but a lot different, IMO.

But to some people, it really doesn't matter, at least until you're far along in playing. I'm not far along but I am picky.

I agree with Spook abouy buying locally.

Ordering online you can't check the instrument before you buy it [to see if the frets have been filed down correctly etc.] and since every guitar will be set up slightly differently it's a good thing to check.

I probobly will do that! Thanks for the comments guys!

I've got the solution...... Fender Jazz Bass anyone?

No, I play guitar, not bass in the band I'm a part of.

I must recomend Ibanez.

= SEX

sheesh. stop being stuck on brands.

try before you buy. the guitar market is full of good brands waiting to be tried.

Well right now I have a
Greg Bennett Interceptor II IC20. It works alright, but I'm generally just going for a generally higher-quality guitar. I'm defineatly not stuck on brands though.

My Guitar:

I'd say, hack that guitar apart and affix the fretboard and essential magnetic components to a guitar-shaped cardboard box. You can call it... the GHETTOTAR.

Thanks for all your comments guys! I've pretty much made my decision! Thanks alot for your guys' help!