Help Deciding What Guitar To Get

[BenjaminW]

The time's come again where I've decided to get a new guitar. I'm currently deciding between an Epiphone Les Paul Custom and an EVH Striped Series. I like both guitars since I'm both a Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen fan but I can't get both since I don't want to spend up to $2,000. I'd also like to know the pros and cons of each guitar. Thanks.

 

[vilk]

One is a floating bridge and one is stoptail. I think that's the biggest and most important difference, to me at least.

Do you know how to fuck with a floating bridge? They're pretty intimidating if you've never owned one before. Actually, they're still a little tricky even if you have owned multiple guitars with them (as I have )

Do you detune your guitar or play in standard? Do you ever switch between standard tuning and dropped? If you don't detune your guitar, you can drop D using a D-tuna on a floyd rose, but if you detune your guitar it will not work out. You can't go from D standard to drop C with a D-tuna, or so I've heard.

I was pretty sure you're like 13, right? So you might change your music tastes quite a lot in the years to come. An LP is more easily changeable than the EVH. You CAN change a floating bridge/locking trem system to fit your needs, but not as easily as you can on a gool ol' stoptail LPC

 

[cip 123]

If you tune regularly to various tunings get the LP. If you are always in one tuning get the EVH.

 

[USMarine75]

Or get a different EVH guitar with stoptail, like the Wolfgang Special? I have several and they are amazing. Or get a Peavey HP2 with stoptail when they are released?

 

[BenjaminW]

One is a floating bridge and one is stoptail. I think that's the biggest and most important difference, to me at least.

Do you know how to fuck with a floating bridge? They're pretty intimidating if you've never owned one before. Actually, they're still a little tricky even if you have owned multiple guitars with them (as I have )

Do you detune your guitar or play in standard? Do you ever switch between standard tuning and dropped? If you don't detune your guitar, you can drop D using a D-tuna on a floyd rose, but if you detune your guitar it will not work out. You can't go from D standard to drop C with a D-tuna, or so I've heard.

I was pretty sure you're like 13, right? So you might change your music tastes quite a lot in the years to come. An LP is more easily changeable than the EVH. You CAN change a floating bridge/locking trem system to fit your needs, but not as easily as you can on a gool ol' stoptail LPC

I've been 14 for 5 days so that answers the age part of your response. As far as I'm concerned, I think my acoustic guitars are the only ones with floating bridges but I've never payed a whole lot of attention to my guitar bridges. I play mainly in standard E but I will sometimes go down to D# but nothing past standard D unless I decide to give myself carpal tunnel from trying to play Bleed. I've heard before that Floyds are a nightmare to deal with especially when tuning or putting new strings on.

 

[vilk]

I think my acoustic guitars are the only ones with floating bridges

Think again

floating bridge = a bridge that is suspended between strings on the front of the guitar and springs on the back of the guitar (inside the guitar's body)

Floyd Rose is one brand of floating bridge

 

[MattV]

I would recommend: buy a cheap, used variation on each of those guitars, possibly over a period of some months, and decide which one you prefer - then sell both testers and buy the one you really like. If you pay sensible money for a used guitar in good condition and keep it in good condition, you'll get (at least most of) that money back when you sell it again.

 

[BenjaminW]

Think again

floating bridge = a bridge that is suspended between strings on the front of the guitar and springs on the back of the guitar (inside the guitar's body)

Floyd Rose is one brand of floating bridge

My IQ probably just dropped 20 points after reading that but I thought they were on acoustics because I was looking up pictures of them and some looked like acoustic bridges but I guess not.

 

[Shoeless_jose]

get the Les Paul. Then you can focus on playing instead of raging at your Floyd all the time.

 

[GuitarFactoryDylan]

I'll second the comments about floating bridges, you really want to be absolutely sure it's what you want and you know the downsides - not the kind of thing for learnings songs in different tunings all the time etc. etc.

 

[BenjaminW]

I stopped by Guitar Center today to buy some drum gear and to noodle around on some guitars there and I happened to play both the Les Paul and EVH I like. It's hard to say honestly what I liked about the playability of both but now that I've played both, it makes me feel a bit more challenged to determine what guitar I want more now.

 

[jl-austin]

Randy Rhoads is most identified by flying V guitars. Not Les Paul models. Look up Jackson Rhoads.

I would say get a tremolo guitar, because if those are the guitarist who inspire you, you will probably want a tremolo at some point. You are young, you can learn how to deal with a floyd.

 

[Glades]

Get the one the looks coolest to you.

 

[Sephiroth952]

Randy Rhoads is most identified by flying V guitars. Not Les Paul models.

Maybe more for the V, but he is definitely known for his les paul.

 

[Shoeless_jose]

Randy Rhoads is most identified by flying V guitars. Not Les Paul models. Look up Jackson Rhoads.

I would say get a tremolo guitar, because if those are the guitarist who inspire you, you will probably want a tremolo at some point. You are young, you can learn how to deal with a floyd.

Didnt he play the V for like 1 year if that? Like a prototype only? The white Les Paul Custom is when the legend was born.

Either way id get a rhoads v over an evh. But Les Paul is still my top reccomendation but im a weird LP fan boy.

 

[BenjaminW]

I ended up spending time deciding what I want I figured I'd get the Les Paul in the end.

 

[Zhysick]

I love my Wolfgang. More than my Les Paul.

BANG!

I know you hate me now...

 

[dimebagfan01]

Personally, I never found the floating bridge to be much of an issue unless you retune a lot (which it sounds like you don't). Up until about two months ago, I've only had guitars with Floyds so I'm a bit biased, but I kind of enjoy what others seem to think is a hassle. Changing strings takes longer and the set up is a bit more meticulous, but the payoff is very worth it, IMO. Plus, with Randy and EVH being two of your biggest influences, you'll eventually want to mess with a whammy bar and it'll be better to have the option to use it than not. I would most definitely go EVH, but whichever plays and sounds the best should ultimately be the winner.

 

[prlgmnr]

Les Paul Axcess with a Floyd, sorted.

 

[dr_game0ver]

Les Paul Axcess with a Floyd, sorted.

Yes but in the real world, some of us don't have that kind of money.