El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

El CHupacabra

El CHupacabra

New member
Yes it's true, I am interested in getting a shredder-type guitar. THought i'd expand my horizons, and it might be good to spice up the indie-rock-blues-jazz-rock band I'm soon going to be lead guitar for. I've been partly inspired by my own curiosity with something so blatantly un-blues and by my sorta-recent interest in the styles of Mr. Steve Vai & Joe Satriani, like everyone else. And yes I know all that "gotta go in and try one, dur!" stuff, I still say it, but I'm looking for general ideas. Here's my stuff.

male, 16, seeking shred-style guitar.

Looking for:
-Ok tremolo, probably a locking kind, that can stay in tune "reasonably" well.
-low action
-light gauge strings
-pickups that aren't totally flat, although aftermarkets aren't out of the picture.
-at least 1 tone knob.
-something that won't break the bank

Not looking for:
-spikes
-blood
-gore
-demon/skull/gorey graphics
-really, anything BC Rich

Please help oh forum bros!
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Can you be more precise on the price range?
Despite being BC Rich, This seems to be the best option, it has Floyd Rose original.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

jackson dinky or a schecter of some sort would probably suit you.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

I'm assuming you don't want to spend crazy money, so here are a couple of recommendations in the $500-range or less:

A Japanese Dinky is a great guitar; I love mine. The neck on it is sick. The trem is okay but could definitely benefit from a real Floyd, which is an easy retrofit. Older ones will need a pickup upgrade, while newer ones have Seymours or EMGs.

Also, if you find a used Japanese Ibanez, 500-series or above, with the all-access neck joint (AANJ), Edge or Edge Lo-Pro trem, and a multi-piece Wizard neck, it will be pretty much what you're looking for. Upgrade pickups to taste, and you're there.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

When you wrote, "pickups that aren't totally flat", were you referring to their appearance or their frequency response?
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

El CHupacabra said:
Yes it's true, I am interested in getting a shredder-type guitar. THought i'd expand my horizons, and it might be good to spice up the indie-rock-blues-jazz-rock band I'm soon going to be lead guitar for. I've been partly inspired by my own curiosity with something so blatantly un-blues and by my sorta-recent interest in the styles of Mr. Steve Vai & Joe Satriani, like everyone else. And yes I know all that "gotta go in and try one, dur!" stuff, I still say it, but I'm looking for general ideas. Here's my stuff.

male, 16, seeking shred-style guitar.

Looking for:
-Ok tremolo, probably a locking kind, that can stay in tune "reasonably" well.
--low action
-light gauge strings
-pickups that aren't totally flat, although aftermarkets aren't out of the picture.
-at least 1 tone knob.
-something that won't break the bank

Not looking for:
-spikes
-blood
-gore
-demon/skull/gorey graphics
-really, anything BC Rich

Please help oh forum bros!
Click to expand...

Action & stock strings sould never be a factor when buying a buitar. IMHO !

Action can always be adjusted, and the strings can be replaced for 10 Dollars.
Even the pick ups can be replaced for a very affordable amount if you buy form eBay.

That leaves you with a Trem, tone knob & pocket/wallet friendly requierments.

So what is your price point ?
$300-$500 ? $500 - $750 ? ...or maybe $750 to 1K ?
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Good options in order of my perference:

Charvel US production series ~$1000 - Ping Floyd, Duncan or Dimarzio depending on model, no tone knob, but I have two of these and they just don't need it, best quality to $ ratio!....what they lack in "pretty" or "fancy" is completely negated by sound and feel

Jackson DK2 ~$600 - Japanese, Jackson Floyd, good quality, Duncans, great bang for the buck, the flame veneers are very nice for the price range also.

Ibanez RG1570 ~$1000 - Edge Pro, will need a pickup change, stock aren't terrible, but they aren't good, great player and really has that DM/Ibby sound and feel that I remember of these type of guitars in the '80s

All three will play really well and sound good.

I can't think of many others that I would spend less on that would be worth playing (I could never gell with Schecter and others).
 
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Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

SirJackdeFuzz said:
Action & stock strings sould never be a factor when buying a buitar. IMHO !

Action can always be adjusted, and the strings can be replaced for 10 Dollars.
Click to expand...

It's dangerous to assume that any guitar can be easily adjusted to give the kind of action you want. Some necks and some fret jobs have flaws big enough that they force you to have the strings at a certain height or to have more relief dialed in just to avoid buzzing or fretting out.

If you're serious about a guitar, you should try to adjust the action to where you want it. If the strings are way old or are different gauge from your preference, insist on a new set of strings and a quick setup before you leave with it. Otherwise, make sure you have return privileges.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Jackson DKMG.

Or a Dean VMNT. No tremolo, but the neck on those VMNTs is just amazing!
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Funkfingers said:
When you wrote, "pickups that aren't totally flat", were you referring to their appearance or their frequency response?
Click to expand...

Hey hey, no 16 year old is going to go for pickups without boobs!
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Jessie Sammler said:
It's dangerous to assume that any guitar can be easily adjusted to give the kind of action you want. Some necks and some fret jobs have flaws big enough that they force you to have the strings at a certain height or to have more relief dialed in just to avoid buzzing or fretting out.

If you're serious about a guitar, you should try to adjust the action to where you want it. If the strings are way old or are different gauge from your preference, insist on a new set of strings and a quick setup before you leave with it. Otherwise, make sure you have return privileges.
Click to expand...

This is true, but i have never bought a guitar where the action or strings are how i like it.
Still, after i bought it, i re-did the action and replace the stock strings (12-54), and have never ever had an experience where i could not get it to play the way * I * like it.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Jackson or Schecter.
Most shred style guitars are 25.5 with floyds. Although people do shred on LP's and stuff too, you just don't see it as much, aside from Zakk Wylde. If you're going to get a floyd, get an original to start, and save yourself the hassle of upgrading it later.

You can get most guitars to a close range of what you may prefer in terms of action and setup. If you wanted the Absolute lowest possible action, you'd have to go a different way.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Ok, ok. So far looks like a Jackson would be most fitting... It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

My definition of cheap is sorta relative, but probably nothing $900+. That's just out of the question for me. But I'll keep my eyes peeled, and I'll be checking bargain basement blowout sales too. Thanks very much.

Follow Up: Is the Floyd/Edge/Locking Vibrato bridge worth the extra cash? I have little experience with those kinds of guitars, I'm using a blocked vibrato 21-fret strat, so yeah. What's the maintenance like? How is changing the strings? How often? How long does it take to get used to the floating bridge?
 
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Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

Schecter C-1 FR/Omen FR or a Michael Kelly Hex/Vex would be my choice.
Also I'd check several Jackson DK-2s (they CAN be hit or miss, much more than Schecters anyway).

There are several others (like Ibanez's RG and/or S series) but I find that I don't like them as much...

IMO a Floyd Rose (and all its' good variants) is a great bridge and personally I have no problem maintaining it.
However if you find that you do, give the Tremol-No a try. It's a piece of hardware that replaces the stock claw and allows you to turn the trem from full floating to dive only or hardtail.

Even if you have no need of it playing-wise it makes string changes and setups a breeze!!!
 
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Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

El CHupacabra said:
Ok, ok. So far looks like a Jackson would be most fitting... It'll be interesting to see how this turns out.

My definition of cheap is sorta relative, but probably nothing $900+. That's just out of the question for me. But I'll keep my eyes peeled, and I'll be checking bargain basement blowout sales too. Thanks very much.
...
Click to expand...

for 8-900$ US you should easily be able to score a used USA on eBay with a little patience;)
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

If you want a great shred player for low cash, try a Washburn WM24. VERY impressive player for under $500.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

I have this one
Super strat
locking LFR (Edge III)
light weight
super skinny fast neck
under $500

RG4EXMT1scaled.jpg

RG4EXFM1.jpg


also

this is under $400 at MF
579685.jpg
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

No one suggests ESP? I am aghast.

I had an M model that was my baby for the longest time. Sounded awesome, played even better.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/ESP-LTD-M300FM-Electric-Guitar?sku=584492

This one has dual EMG 81s. Not my cup o' tea, but it's a damn good deal for 599.99

And a step down from this...

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/ESP-M200FM-Electric-Guitar?sku=516679

I personally favor the necks on the ESPs as opposed to an Ibanez. That was the best part of the one I had.
 
Re: El Chupacabra seeking high-output shred guitar?!?! what!

You really need the locking trem?

I ask this because they can become a pain if you don't really need them. I bought my Ibanez with a Edge Pro thinking "well, I'll eventually bond with it". I wanted to shred, a lot. And I did. But it turns out the Steve Vai whammy bar abuse bag of tricks doesn't really go with my way of playing, which isn't constantly shreddy either. Now it's a hinderance.

My point is that there's plenty of guitars suited to flashy styles of playing, like the Ibanez RG321, that have a fixed bridge. You should consider them if you aren't 100% positive that you'll really need a Floyd Rose. They'll make your life easier.

Hope this helps!
 
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