Help me spend my money (:

[Rakija]

Hey guys, I will have $2400 US saved by the end of the month, I have been looking for a guitar to buy for quite some time but still haven't a clue.

I play prog/alternative rock, lowest I would like to go would be Drop A.
Preferably a 6 string, have been looking at the JP6.

Was going to go the custom route but I am a little impatient.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

E-II ST-1 MAPLE AQM - The ESP Guitar Company

 

[Rakija]

Wow, ESP hasn't even crossed my mind. Looks beautiful!

Keep em' coming guys.

 

[Garfish]

I think we might need some more info of what you like and the sound you're into and your amp setup etc.

 

[Vrollin]

Id be looking into the PRS S2 line if you want something new, or have a look at the local second hand market for a used PRS, but thats just me, Im a little PRS must own one crazy at the moment....

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Oh, +1 on a PRS.

Spend a little more and you can get a brand new Navarro sig or a 408.

 

[Jarmake]

Oh my god that E-II is beautiful.

 

[77zark77]

25.5" and drop A ? that's the deal ?

I'd better look after a baritone (I own an Ibanez RG6CSD2)

 

[JustMac]

That E-II is just wow.

 

[Rakija]

I think we might need some more info of what you like and the sound you're into and your amp setup etc.

My main influences that I draw from on guitar at the moment would be Tool, Karnivool, Allan Holdsworth, Periphery, Exivious, Animals as Leaders, Porcupine Tree, Sikth, Meshuggah and TesseracT.

 

[trevose]

Hold out for the custom. Seriously. Nobody ever buys a Porsche and then looks back a year later and says "Crap. I should've bought a Jetta.". Get the toy you really want and you'll never lust after the other.

Here's what you do:
Let's say you can save another $1000 while you wait for your custom. Your budget is now $3,400. Use your current funds to put down a deposit, and spend the rest on baritone or a 7-string to write riffs in drop A while you wait. When your custom is done, sell it to pay off the balance.

Satisfies your GAS, and you have something awesome to look forward to.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I honestly don't think a baritone is necessary for drop A. It's probably the lowest I'd go on a 25.5'' guitar, though.

 

[CrazyDean]

Hold out for the custom. Seriously. Nobody ever buys a Porsche and then looks back a year later and says "Crap. I should've bought a Jetta.". Get the toy you really want and you'll never lust after the other.

Here's what you do:
Let's say you can save another $1000 while you wait for your custom. Your budget is now $3,400. Use your current funds to put down a deposit, and spend the rest on baritone or a 7-string to write riffs in drop A while you wait. When your custom is done, sell it to pay off the balance.

Satisfies your GAS, and you have something awesome to look forward to.

This is a guide on how to be in debt by spending money you don't have and maintaining your GAS for a year or two. Also, resale value is terrible on a full custom. Don't do this unless you know that you can't be satisfied with anything production.

If you're looking for a good 6, you can't miss with the JP6. It's a very versatile guitar and they play great. Also, EBMM has a new PDN which looks very nice.

Of course, there's always Carvin. You can get all the specs you want and stay under budget which gives you money for some nice BKPs maybe? Also, the wait period isn't nearly as long as the full custom.

 

[Bilbone Shaggins]

If you're sure you want a 6-string, I'd definitely go play some (US) PRS guitars and some EBMMs. Especially the PRS Custom-24 and the EBMM JP6, given your tastes. From there, you can find a used one in your price range.

Don't rely on reviews or even sound clips online -- get your hands on a guitar and see how it feels and sounds in person. If you buy used online, it won't be the exact guitar you tried, but you'll know exactly what to expect from it.

 

[Vrollin]

Find yourself a silverburst les Paul and be just like Adam from tool

 

[Vrollin]

Just remembered another really cool option, the Jim root telecaster from fender, absolute beast of a guitar! He has a stray and jazz too but I would be going the tele! Look them up, I reckon given the influences you suggested it might do you well!

 

[Rakija]

I think we might need some more info of what you like and the sound you're into and your amp setup etc.

This is a guide on how to be in debt by spending money you don't have and maintaining your GAS for a year or two. Also, resale value is terrible on a full custom. Don't do this unless you know that you can't be satisfied with anything production.

If you're looking for a good 6, you can't miss with the JP6. It's a very versatile guitar and they play great. Also, EBMM has a new PDN which looks very nice.

Of course, there's always Carvin. You can get all the specs you want and stay under budget which gives you money for some nice BKPs maybe? Also, the wait period isn't nearly as long as the full custom.

JP6 seems like the best option for me, but living in Australia and going to a lot of guitar shops I have never even seen a JP6 in person and probably have no way of playing one without ordering one online..

I have an old Carvin DC150 1994 model and I love this guitar to bits.. Do you or anyone else here own a JP6 or newer Carvin and would be able to give me a comparison?

 

[trevose]

This is a guide on how to be in debt by spending money you don't have and maintaining your GAS for a year or two. Also, resale value is terrible on a full custom. Don't do this unless you know that you can't be satisfied with anything production.

Fair enough. Personally, I'd rather float myself a loan knowing that I'm disciplined enough to make good on it and get what I really want. Buy once cry once and all that. I'm debt free and have never got myself in hot water this way. YMMV.

You're definitely right about the second point, though. If you're going to order a custom, be fairly sure it's a forever guitar. And obviously, if there's a production-line instrument that will satiate you, there's not really any reason to go custom. I just figured that if you had been planning on getting something built, it was because you wanted something you hadn't been able to find.

There's a killer blue Framus Diablo on eBay right now for $999.
Used Framus Diablo Custom Guitar Seymour Duncan Pickups Wilkinson Trem with Bag. | eBay
IMHO Framus makes the best production-line guitars you can buy. I've barely touched anything else since I got my Panthera. Plus with your budget, you can buy the Renegade Pro Custom that's up there as well!

 

[david_pri]

JP6 must be amazing, +1 for mm

 

[AndruwX]

A Carvin if you can wait or a Music Man if you can't.
Also, they are not well known, but Wirebird Guitars.

Wirebird Guitars