New Guitar/Pickups

[Metallica1234]

I'm getting a new guitar soon and I need some help deciding.

I'm either getting an LTD KH-202

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/prod...-Hammett-Signature-Electric-Guitar?sku=516639

OR

A Jackson DK2M Dinky Pro (Snow White)

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--JAC2911005

Which one is better for playing metal?

Will a Dimebucker sound good in either of them?

P.S. Will Guitar Center let me return a pickup if I already opened it?

 

[CaughtLikeFire]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

I'm getting a new guitar soon and I need some help deciding.

I'm either getting an LTD KH-202

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/prod...-Hammett-Signature-Electric-Guitar?sku=516639

OR

A Jackson DK2M Dinky Pro (Snow White)

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--JAC2911005

Which one is better for playing metal?

Will a Dimebucker sound good in either of them?

P.S. Will Guitar Center let me return a pickup if I already opened it?

1) The one that is better for metal is the one that plays easier/faster in your hands. Play them both. I'd personally go for the Jackson.

2) A Dimebucker will be fine if you're into a hi-fi kind of sound and want a lot of output. It would suit modern metal pretty well.

3) You can't return an opened pickup to GC - you have to mail it back to Duncan for an exchange. I'm currently a GC accessories dept. manager and I hate it when people try to do that. Only thing worse is trying to return microphones :smack: Sure . . . I'd be ahppy to take that back after you breathed and spit all over it!

 

[Metallica1234]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

I can only play the Jackson because my local guitar center doesn't sell ESP's or LTD's.

P.S. I bought an EMG HZ H4 pickup and I wanted to return it to get a dimebucker. Can I send it to EMG?

Can someone give me the pros and cons of each guitar?

Are the FR trems the same on each one?

 

[H8Red442]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

I think the LTD would be better but try to get the KH2 that has the neck through. Secondly GC will take a pickup back even if it's opened. I don't care what CaughtLikeFire says. If they give you any crap tell em it's SD's policy. Hell it's their own policy. 30 day return policy means 30 day return policy. There is no exclusion in their policy for pickups. Just try not to take too much lead off the wire. I would go for a SD Distortion or JB in that guitar however, maybe even a Custom.

 

[Metallica1234]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

I would like to get the KH-2 but it's too expensive.

By the way I haven't even used the pickup, it's brand new.

Which guitar plays faster?

How about a SH-8 Invader?

(Sorry about all of the questions)

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

I'm getting a new guitar soon and I need some help deciding.
I'm either getting an LTD KH-202
OR
A Jackson DK2M Dinky Pro (Snow White)
Which one is better for playing metal?
Will a Dimebucker sound good in either of them?
P.S. Will Guitar Center let me return a pickup if I already opened it?

The KH-202 has ESP pickups (not EMG). I'd end up yanking both those out in my opinion, so it don't matter. The Jackson Dinky comes with Duncan Designed pickups, and I think these are either the Hot Rodded Combo cloned ones or the cloned Distortion pickups.

Still, it should be more about how they feel. Who cares how nice it sounds if your hand hurts due to the neck? Try 'em both out is what I say. Try them through a metal amp. However, with either of them, I'd probably switch pickups to something I want. You could go with the KH-202 and just swap out the pickups, and for the price difference it might actually be an even better idea than the Dinky, due to having a basswood body with rosewood fretboard. It has a Floyd Rose, and the Distortion Mayhem set, Dimebucker, and Hot Rodded set would all be good picks for swapping pickups on the KH-202. For this price, it would seem the KH would be a better guitar to modify. I'd have to hear the DK2M to know if the pickups are close enough to USA-made models to be worth keeping, and since I'm not into the Dual Distortion setup, I'd be swapping either guitar's pickups for the Hot Rodded set, so for my needs, the KH-202 would be best.

Still, I don't think I could justify a guitar with skull & crossbones in church (which is where I play) so I'd end up buying something else lol

 

[Metallica1234]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

Ya, I planned on replacing the pickups.

What I need to know is if the KH-202 is reliable.

I'd have to order if off of the internet because my local Guitar Center doesn't sell ESP/LTD guitars.

I have no experience with FR's, would GC do a setup for me?

I would either put a DimeBucker or an SH-8 Invader in it.

 

[D-EJ915]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

Get the DK-2M, but not in that god-awful white colour, it looks sick in red.

The KH-202 has a painted neck and is basswood

The Jackson Dinky comes with Duncan Designed pickups, and I think these are either the Hot Rodded Combo cloned ones or the cloned Distortion pickups.

it comes with the JB/Jazz combo and they are real SDs.

 

[Metallica1234]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

What's wrong with basswood?

By the way I play in Standard EADgbe tuning, which pickup is better DB or Invader?

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

What's wrong with basswood?

By the way I play in Standard EADgbe tuning, which pickup is better DB or Invader?

Nothing is wrong with basswood. As for standard tuning, any of the bridge humbuckers would work, so I'd recommend (for standard tuning) JB for early metallica / any megadeth, but the Distortion, Custom, and Invader are all good for metal, or should be, and so is the Full Shred. It's really up to you.

As for Floyd Rose, just learn how to properly set up the guitar. The ESP owner's manual has an excellent setup guide.

 

[H8Red442]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

Dude just do yourself a favor and go buy a Schecter C1 Classic. It has Duncans in it, plays amazingly, feels great, looks great. Just an all around great guitar. For $700 you can't beat it. You'd be hard pressed to beat it even at a higher price. Frankly the KH 202 is made to the KH2 specs but is probably a much cheaper guitar. I wouldn't buy a Dinky if you put a gun to my head. I head one about ten years ago maybe more, yeah that was a long time ago, and I hated it. I like the Schecter C1 Classic so much I have to fight the urge to buy one every other week.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

Dude just do yourself a favor and go buy a Schecter C1 Classic. It has Duncans in it, plays amazingly, feels great, looks great. Just an all around great guitar. For $700 you can't beat it. You'd be hard pressed to beat it even at a higher price. Frankly the KH 202 is made to the KH2 specs but is probably a much cheaper guitar. I wouldn't buy a Dinky if you put a gun to my head. I head one about ten years ago maybe more, yeah that was a long time ago, and I hated it. I like the Schecter C1 Classic so much I have to fight the urge to buy one every other week.

+1 The C1 Classic has the Jazz+JB in it and looks beautiful. Dangit, thanks for giving me GAS!

 

[H8Red442]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

+1 The C1 Classic has the Jazz+JB in it and looks beautiful. Dangit, thanks for giving me GAS!

I'm not the only one who should suffer. I love that guitar. The blue finish just pops and the burst finish they have is just way classy. Plays great sounds great looks great. I love that guitar. Plus the 25.5 inch scale is much better for down tuning than my 24.5 BC Riches.

 

[Metallica1234]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

The highest I can go is $600.

Are there any other guitars in that range ($600-) with a FR?

 

[H8Red442]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

If the most you can spend is $600, how did you plan on getting new pickups in there? The pickups will be about $70 a piece. Are the LTD and Jackson priced under $500? If it has to be those two, I would go with the LTD. I've never played a Dime but I hear they sound like him so if that's what you're going for I imagine it wouldn't be bad. If you're just looking for something agressive the Distortion would be a good one or the Custom. The JB might do you well in either of those as well. I think the Dime might be too much for either guitar.

Yes Guitar Center will let you exchange pickups, just don't cut too much off the lead of the one being returned.

 

[I_M_Ken]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

personally i'd go for the jackson as well. because i've never tried the LTD KH before.
I returned a dimarzio pup to guitar center once, so i dont think its any issue for duncans as well.

on pup choices, i agree with TwinReverb

 

[Metallica1234]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

The KH-202 is $419.99 and the Jackson is $600, but I already have a pickup for the bridge.

P.S. I have an Epiphone Les Paul Classic. Will the KH-202 be a downgrade from the LP or and upgrade?

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

The KH-202 is $419.99 and the Jackson is $600, but I already have a pickup for the bridge.

P.S. I have an Epiphone Les Paul Classic. Will the KH-202 be a downgrade from the LP or and upgrade?

As for the neck being painted, I can't verify that. It's an LTD, however, so I wouldn't necessarily put it past them. However, I have an ESP LTD EC-100QM and the only reason I'd part with it (since I put the Hot Rodded combo in it and push/pull pots for splitting them, which is such a versatile combo, and such a good price too!) is because it's an agathis-body guitar. But I really can't tell the difference, and people compliment me on my tone all the time when I'm playing that thing. I was going to slowly part-by-part swap it out for mahogany body / mahogany neck / rosewood fretboard / etc.

As far as the KH-202, the guitar itself should be as solid as they come. Like I've said, I've never had a problem with ESP / LTD, aside from their krappy pickups. They should've never built pickups.

If you want my opinion on the price versus bang for the buck, here is my list of guitars I'd buy, in this order (assuming you play metal, and the guitar must be dual humbucker with floyd rose and 25.5" scale):

1) Sorry, none come stock on MF with FR and SD pickups standard, so:
2) ESP LTD MH-50 $239 or M-100FM $279(then $120 for pickups) it's agathis, but the HR set with agathis worked for me. At this price, you can save up for replacing the body later on with a warmoth mahogany one, etc., which may matter to you if you want to later on have a mahogany body guitar (since agathis is supposed to be a "poor man's" mahogany).
3) ESP LTD KH-202 $419. Better wood: just swap pickups ($120, total cost $550 with tax, free shipping, etc, from MF).

 

[Metallica1234]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

I've decided to get the KH-202 from MF for $419.

I don't have the money, time, or skill to buy a guitar and then replace the body, neck, etc.

As for pickups I'm not sure. I have a brand new EMG HZ H4. The Tone Wizard said that the DimeBucker would be a good choice for basswood.

P.S. I might get flamed for asking this but oh well. Which is better? the DB or the Bill Lawrence DB.

P.P.S. Would a Dunlop Original Wah get me closer to Kirk's sound?

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: New Guitar/Pickups

I've decided to get the KH-202 from MF for $419.

I don't have the money, time, or skill to buy a guitar and then replace the body, neck, etc.

As for pickups I'm not sure. I have a brand new EMG HZ H4. The Tone Wizard said that the DimeBucker would be a good choice for basswood.

P.S. I might get flamed for asking this but oh well. Which is better? the DB or the Bill Lawrence DB.

P.P.S. Would a Dunlop Original Wah get me closer to Kirk's sound?

Kirk's sound is with EMG active pickups (which model I'm not sure), so why are you going to try to emulate it with a wah if you want a Dimebucker bridge? Just get stuff that you like how it sounds. Kirk's sound isn't for everyone, neither is Dime's.