Hi everyone,
So, in my quest for the perfect guitar (for me at least
), I've come to a point where I sort of know what I want based on several instruments I've owned or tried based on the different "highlights" of each. However, I'm not sure what guitar would best combine all these features, since none of the ones I've encountered nails them all. In the not-too-distant future I'd like to invest in a really nice, high-end guitar, and your advice would be greatly appreciated about what to look for!
Okay, so basically I used to think that the Les Paul was my "perfect" guitar. I love the thick growl, the sustain, and the sound of a high-output, PAF-flavored pickup (the SD forums were key in leading me to the legendary Custom 8, which was perfect for that!). However, three things keep it from being ideal: (1) they're heavy, even if weight-relieved, and bulky; (2) the sound is a little TOO thick, it's not as cutting and "shred-friendly" as I'd like (even with higher-output pickups); (3) the neck is a little too fat (even the 60's slim profile), and I find it hard to play fast.
So, I'm basically looking for a guitar that still has that thick tone and will retain the Custom 8 growl, but not quite SO thick. And a guitar with a thinner/faster neck and lighter. This may initially scream "PRS!", but I've tried several, and while the neck is great, their tone is a little too thin and "raspy" (if that makes any sense). Maybe that's a pickup thing, but it seems to be similar across many models and it always left me a little wanting.
I also have an Ibanez RG, and the neck is fantastic, and the high-output pickups are definitely awesome, but it lacks that thicker tone, even after swapping several pickups into it. However, it definitely shreds, so that's a definitely plus.
Any recommendations on a good guitar that I might not know about that could meet these needs? I was thinking maybe an SG (I've never tried one), or a double-cutaway LP, but I'm open to any type of guitar as long as the tone is there. I don't care about a tremolo (though it's fine if the guitar has one), or the body style (though I do rather like the double-cutaway look; in that respect PRS is my optimal body type). The stock pickups aren't an issue; I fully plan on taking them out and putting in a couple SD pups, probably a Custom 8 and a 59 or something, so the guitar has to work well with that setup.
As for musical styles, I play mostly blues, classic and hard rock, with a little 80's metal thrown in. So nothing super heavy is necessary, but the guitar has to really growl and scream when pushed, yet be able to nail those beautiful glassy cleans as well.
I know there are a lot of smaller manufacturers out there that I've never heard of, so any advice would be greatly appreciated! And I guess that a custom job is also a possibility, but for the time being I'd like to stick to production models if possible, I'm not that rich
.
Thanks so much for the help!
