Need help on deciding on a new guitar to take on the road

[virus5150]

im about to hit up a small new jersey to georgia tour in a couple weeks with my frends bands. Filling in for guitar. and i happened to run into a 990's ibanez rg 770, it looks amazing, but i need some info first and i know someone hear can help me out . btw, the band tunes to drop b and plays blackmetal.

 

[budda]

do you like the way ibanez's play?

 

[virus5150]

the neck is perfect IMO. but i just wanna make sure its something that can survive a beating and stil pull through.

 

[HeavyMetal4Ever]

Well, it's from the 90's, and it's still around. That's gotta be a good sign right?

Plenty of folks swear by the older RG's, and lots even prefer them to the newer Prestige stuff. Like anything, check it out first, but reliability wise, 90's Ibanez FTW!

Rock on!

 

[TheSixthWheel]

The older RGs can be quite reliable. I've owned an '87 RG560 and it was still going strong last year when I had it. I still own a '99 RG7421, a '93 SF470 (I know, it's an S, not an RG) and a '96 RG350DX. All are still structurally fine and if you don't go dropping them, throwing them, sitting on them or lighting them on fire, you should be pretty right.

But I'd almost go with a fixed bridge for Black Metal. Call me weird...

 

[MaxOfMetal]

If you can't find one of the rarer/more sought after models such as the RG550 or RG770, look for RG520s, RG570s, and early model RG470s, they have the same neck and bridge as the nicer models, but aren't as flashy.

 

[Banana Wedgie]

Any decent Ibanez strat will last till the next millennium to be perfectly honest.

 

[JohnIce]

Any decent Ibanez strat will last till the next millennium to be perfectly honest.

Ibby don't make strats, their guitars most cetrainly won't last anywhere near a millennium, and jumping to conclusions is not the same thing as honesty.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Ibby don't make strats, their guitars most cetrainly won't last anywhere near a millennium, and jumping to conclusions is not the same thing as honesty.

And taking everything so seriously is not good for your blood pressure.

 

[Banana Wedgie]

Ibby don't make strats, their guitars most cetrainly won't last anywhere near a millennium, and jumping to conclusions is not the same thing as honesty.

No need to be a dick about it. Exaggeration is a bitch when people take you seriously.

 

[JohnIce]

The thing is that 13-year olds spreading their wisdoms without really knowing what they're talking about, is the reason I never go to places like ultimate-guitar or Harmony Central, and the lack of it is the reason I hang here.

I had a 90's Japan made RG that didn't hold up very well at all, granted I bought it used, but when a trem spring screw shoots out of the cavity, needing the hole to be filled and redrilled, I wouldn't say it'd last a millennium.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

The thing is that 13-year olds spreading their wisdoms without really knowing what they're talking about, is the reason I never go to places like ultimate-guitar or Harmony Central, and the lack of it is the reason I hang here.

I had a 90's Japan made RG that didn't hold up very well at all, granted I bought it used, but when a trem spring screw shoots out of the cavity, needing the hole to be filled and redrilled, I wouldn't say it'd last a millennium.

Sounds like whoever had it before you decided to screw the claw screws all the way in at some point. This DESTROYS those holes, so unless you get longer screws/fill and re-drill, they will pop out at some point. Especially in a fairly soft wood like basswood.

 

[JohnIce]

Sounds like whoever had it before you decided to screw the claw screws all the way in at some point. This DESTROYS those holes, so unless you get longer screws/fill and re-drill, they will pop out at some point. Especially in a fairly soft wood like basswood.

Yeah, it needed a lot of setting up when I bought it. The neck pickup wasn't even attached to its mounting screws Even after a good setup it wasn't a very reliable guitar though, I sold it after a year or so. So I wouldn't recommend anyone to blindly trust a guitar just because it's an Ibby.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

It should go without saying, but if you're going to buy a guitar for touring, especially a used one, it's typically a good idea to give it a COMPLETE once over, including a full tear down and then build up.

 

[I_infect]

I had a 90's Japan made RG that didn't hold up very well at all, granted I bought it used, but when a trem spring screw shoots out of the cavity, needing the hole to be filled and redrilled, I wouldn't say it'd last a millennium.

I've had this happen too, it wasn't MiJ, but it was a brand new Ibby RG
Personally, if you don't need a trem, don't get one. Alot easier to set up a fixed bridge w/new strings than a trem, especially on tour. If you are deadset on the guitar, for what its worth I've had very little issues with the older Ibby's. It's the newer ones I don't get along with much.

I do agree with people posting opinions on things they have no experience with though, alot of people will tell you to get Agile or something but have never touched one, let alone owned one for any length of time. If you like it, use your judgement and kick the tires a bit

 

[virus5150]

yeah, idk, i like having a trem. but then again it only takes me about 10 or 15 minutes to set one up. Been doing it since i was about 13

 

[Scar Symmetry]

EC-1000s are absolute tremendous guitars, all purpose workhorses good for everything - especially touring. If it's within your budget, looking into it would certainly be wise.

 

[Banana Wedgie]

EC-1000s are absolute tremendous guitar.

I'm trying to get my friend to sell his piece of shit Melody Maker (which he only bought to buy because it says Gibson on the headstock, even though its technically an Epi lowest model les paul...) and buy an EC-1000 or 400/401. But no.

Although come to think of it, recommending an Eclipse, when they are playing Black Metal... feel a bit weird... I wanna see it though.

 

[virus5150]

if i could, i'd get an eclipse, but i have no money. I'd probably be able to build a house out of ESP's if i had the money. needless to say i love the things.

btw, my eclipse does not leave the house, it comes before the guns, every the m4.

 

[xtrustisyoursx]

I'm trying to get my friend to sell his piece of shit Melody Maker (which he only bought to buy because it says Gibson on the headstock, even though its technically an Epi lowest model les paul...) and buy an EC-1000 or 400/401. But no.

Although come to think of it, recommending an Eclipse, when they are playing Black Metal... feel a bit weird... I wanna see it though.

Who ever said Black Metal guitarists have to play a certain body shape? The Eclipse is an incredible guitar, and many metal bands use it.