Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

[Left_Hand_Strat]

i tried loads today, but i tried the right handed versions too even though im left handed (plus i can play with the strings the wrong way round, i amaze myself sometimes....) anyway i tried loads including the following:

Fender Mex Standard strat
Fender american standard strat
Some knock off brand SG... LTD rings a bell... or vintage?
i tried an Ibanez left hander model GRG170DXL BKN (please tell me more about this please, what do you guys think these handel like?)
the Ibanez felt good but it was an absolute B***h for going out of tune cos it hadn't yet been set up.

I liked the SG kncok off feel and tone but i found four knobs a pain in the @$$...

thing is i know i keep asking you guys repetitive questions and i know to take my time so this is the first step of my research i want to ask the players, the techies, the 'professionals' what you think.

I can and Can't find guitars which suit what i want, i like Heavy, Distorted Tones, i want the metallica sound, that heavy metal/rock god tones, stuff Led Zeppelin, stuff the beatles, im talking Pantera and metallica tones, even Motorhead(!) but i cannot seem to find that right guitar, its frustrating.... (even moreso as a lefty)

I credit all of you previous contributors in the UK for your advice, it is something i have taken on board, but now im asking everyone, on this forum, from the States to Oz to Britain and the shores of europe, What Do YOU play? What would you recommend? what should i try? what are known to be troublesome guitars? i would like all the details of meg's @$$hole (as we say in Britain, lol)

Sorry it may annoy you guys but im really doing my research, compile a list of guitars and go and try them, and my parents said we may stop over in Brighton and other places to try guitars out

Many thanks again (and sorry for being a pain!),
Bruce.

 

[John_L]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Most guitars I try are disappointing as well. You have to plough through the chaff to get to the wheat.
From what you say my suggestion would be a ESP LTD Viper. http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_viper-ltd.html I assume they do them left handed, it's an SG style slightly tweaked with master volume and tome and a three way plus you can get it pre loaded with EMG's which would give you the Metallica sound.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

I dunno why you're tryin strats for that tone, at least stock, they're just not designed for it

My initial thought is if you want thick high gain tones you should be lookin at stuff like les paul and explorer copies, but since you don't dig the 4-knob and gelled with an ibanez most maybe you should look at superstrats like jackson

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

woah, looks sweet the website don't say if they do them left handed, but im sure they do?

*EDIT* posting crossovers again lol....

yes i see what you mean about a Les Paul, but i tried one earlier and i think its just me but it was The most awful feeling guitar i have ever held (sorry to the Les Paul fans) it felt awful to me.

I will look up Jackson's website wee what they have.

P.S. yes i figured that out with strat, they all sound the bloody same, haha.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Obvious basic question: What is your budget?

 

[John_L]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Website FAQ: "Are any ESP or LTD models available in left-hand versions?
Yes, but not all models are available left-handed. For availability and pricing, please contact any authorized ESP dealer or your distributor if you live outside of the US."
http://www.espguitars.co.uk/ is the UK site so you can ask.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

P.S. yes i figured that out with strat, they all sound the bloody same, haha.

Well, with copious amounts of gain they do

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Obvious basic question: What is your budget?

Intially it is going to be £400GBP at the moment But, if the guitar is going to cost a substantial amount more, i will be a patient young man and save up for it 'all good things come to those who wait'

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Website FAQ: "Are any ESP or LTD models available in left-hand versions?
Yes, but not all models are available left-handed. For availability and pricing, please contact any authorized ESP dealer or your distributor if you live outside of the US."
http://www.espguitars.co.uk/ is the UK site so you can ask.

Thanks John, typical of me to forget the FAQ section, i'll ring my 'local' up and see what the guitar bloke says.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Well, with copious amounts of gain they do

i suppose i could do an 'Iron maiden' with one and mod the thing to hell with SD pickups but theres no point, because for the money i might as well buy a different guitar.

 

[John_L]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

i suppose i could do an 'Iron maiden' with one and mod the thing to hell with SD pickups but theres no point, because for the money i might as well buy a different guitar.

Wunjo in London have a LH Strat with a pair of Seymours like that. However it's a little out of your price range ar £800

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Didn't Diocletian do a Dave Murray mod on a Squier Stratocaster? PM him and ask for details. Obviously, certain aspects need to be converted to LH. e.g. Pot resistance tapers will be linear.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

yes i remember that conversion, i shall keep that in mind....

 

[blueman335]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

I dunno why you're tryin strats for that tone, at least stock, they're just not designed for it

+1. As far as 'feel', you can complain about every guitar there is. No guitar is perfect and you can either loose up and adapt to a few or keep griping. As far as sound, many of us here dramatically change the tones with aftermarket PU's, magnets, and pots, and get what we want. You can too. Really good players aren't nearly as picky as you are; they can sound great on any guitar, no matter now crappy (I've seen it). This is more of a mental barrier than a physical one. This is the way guitars are, if you don't like any, perhaps you should try another instrument. Maybe guitar isn't for you.

Guys that really want to play guitar make it work. You've got an endless list of why you can't (Don't like the knobs! OMG!). I've seen too many guys become proficient on all kinds of funky old guitars. The drive was there. They overcome any obstacle. Sorry for the tough love, but I don't see the commitment. With a little practice, people can quickly get used to any guitar; cut the excuses and spend this time practicing. The problem's not the tools (yes, like you said, I'm annoyed).

 

[John_L]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Of course you can always make one from scratch to get it really perfect.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

Of course you can always make one from scratch to get it really perfect.

He wouldn't like that one either.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

I'm with blueman. Almost no guitar just always feels "exactly right" to me off the shelf. The guitars I own now all feel right, because I've gotten used to them. I like the way they sound unplugged so I put some money into pickups and now I have good guitars.

Find something with the features you like, and then find one that sounds good unplugged. swap pickups later.

Skip single coil guitars for the tone you're after.
4 knobs is a blessing. There's a lot of stuff you can do with 4 knobs. If you like the SG type, run with that for a while. It could just be you're not used to it yet.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

yes true thats why, im just not used to four knobs but witht them the right way up i would get to grips with them.

and Bluesman, i aint no perfectionist, i like playing guitar, its a passion i have, you learn over the years, thing is there are many people out there who have the potential to be 'real' guitarists as you said, and can make a crappy guitar sound good, and having a squier, which has outgrown its use, surely i have done that?

anyway notice for everyone, i asked for Advice if people continue to post their 'critical' opinions i will ignore them, i came here to research and learn not to engage in a discussion, if you want a discussion we can do it some other time, right now though, i asked a question and we as a collective community are giving answers. I apologised for being annoying so don't respond to the thread if you are, thank you.

many thanks to all of you who have so far given me good advice and have not gone for the 'tough love' approach, please keep it coming i am most appreciative

*edit* also give me a chance i am young yet!

*edit 2* i ballsed up a sentance i meant to say, if you find me annoying or my threads annoying please don't engage with them

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

+1 on Blueman and Fuse.

I actually try to use the "shortcomings" of any particular guitar to alter my playing. A Telecaster can do things that are completely beyond an Ibanez RG and vice versa. This is precisely why ya just gotta own (at least) one of each!!!

If I find myself getting into any sort of a rut, I change to a guitar with different characteristics and see where that leads me.

If I were a seventeen year old, with four hundred pounds to spend, I would devote roughly one hundred pounds to two pre-owned SD Li'l 'buckers and the remainder to a better amplifier.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Every guitar i try is a disappointment (sorry if my threads are annoying, lol)

again i take that advice on board, another option which i may yet take up. i am keeping my avenues open here