One High End Guitar or Several Imports?

[JimF]

Basically daydreaming here as I save up for a new instrument in Spring time.
I've always wanted a USA Jackson SL2, and I'm wondering if now is the time to do it before they appreciate out of my grasp. I remember seeing a used, slightly tatty "players condition" one for sale in the USA, with different knobs, and mismatched pickups, and thinking "Yes, a project! But good enough to play & enjoy while I restore it". It would have to be a players condition one however. I think that one has sold now though.

All the while, I keep eyeing up the OG bolt-on ESP MIIs with maple boards. Again, thinking that would be a similar "catch it while you can" type deal as a US Jackson. Possibly an investment, but definitely wouldn't lose money.

Then the other part of my brain thinks about getting an RG5xxx series guitar, and having it refinished in a cool colour. Again, a bit of a project and some way to own a unique instrument. But immediately devalued and harder to sell on.

At the same time, I really wanted the Brandon Ellis Kelly when it came out, and I also really like the look of the LTD JM-II, with its roasted neck and recessed TOM. But my concerns with those are that they are only ever going to lose money, and I'd prefer to buy a used higher quality instrument. I also keep eyeing up older Jackson Dinky Professionals.

Adding to this, I could just get a custom. I've had a couple of quotes, and I could even start the ball rolling now with the money I have at the moment. Or go the semi-custom/in stock build such as a Hapas.

Has anyone bought a load of LTD1000 level imports and consolidated them into a better instrument?
Has anyone had an expensive guitar and swapped to lower models? By expensive, I'd be looking at no more than approx £2200. I'm in the UK so the guitar market is madness.
But for that £2200 I could get a ropey USA SL2, or an LTD JM-II and a pre-Prestige Japanese Ibanez and mod it.

Edit: This isn't a "one ring to rule them all" situation, I'd still have a couple of other guitars in different tuning. I don't gig anymore. I have an accoustic, a pre prestige Ibanez parts build with Evertune for recording, a Prestige Ibanez for lead stuff when recording, and a 7 string Wreck Custom (bought used).

 

[MetalDestroyer]

I would get the SL2. One great guitar is worth more than its equivalent price in very good guitars IMO. You can get them for under 3k all day on Reverb.

I would not gamble on an older ESP unless you have the money to gamble and possibly take a bath on it. It sounds like you do not have the money to throw away. I strongly disagree with your "investment" or "definitely wouldn't lose money" sentiment, I think you definitely would lose money - and the fact that you're counting on not losing money would make it hurt a lot more. The exception would be if you could try it in person, but that's usually difficult with ESP.

I would not gamble on a custom from a company you have never played an example of. I would probably lose it if I had ordered and waited 2 years for a Suhr custom with a modern elliptical neck. I hate that neck profile, and am glad that I got to experience it firsthand before making that mistake (and I still took a pretty large bath on the one I did buy). The only companies I would consider a custom from right now are Suhr, Anderson, EBMM (if they were to do them), or maybe ESP. Not because other brands aren't making great guitars, but because I know for absolute sure I would like the end result. There are plenty of other people's customs out there for sale for 50-70% of what they had to pay for them.

These are just some insights from someone who has bought - and lost money on - many high end and a number of mid-tier guitars over the last few years. YMMV.

 

[budda]

Always wanted an sl2? Get the sl2.

 

[prlgmnr]

get what you actually want or you'll end up getting the placeholder things AND eventually just getting what you wanted in the first place

 

[Metal Mortician]

Agree with getting what you really want.

Keep in mind that neck carve, weight and tone can be vastly different between M-II, SL2 and RG550. Try all and see what fits your hands best.

 

[budda]

Agree with getting what you really want.

Keep in mind that neck carve, weight and tone can be vastly different between M-II, SL2 and RG550. Try all and see what fits your hands best.

Then email shops til you find an SL2 match lol

 

[T00DEEPBLUE]

"One high-end guitar or several imports"

Several high-end imports for me.

The two terms are not mutually exclusive.

 

[tedtan]

In your case, go for a Jackson. You already have several others and the Jackson is what you want.

 

[gnoll]

To me the problem is, high end guitars are not always good. And it seems like putting all your eggs in one basket. I mean you can lust after that one guitar til you're blue in the face, get it, and realize hey, this guitar kind of sucks. Or I don't like it, it's not right for me.

On the other hand, if you don't get it you might always think about what you possibly missed out on.

So if it feels important to have the fancy thing: Get the high-end guitar and prepare for disappointment. But if you just want to play music, get whatever guitar that feels and sounds right.

Personally I like fancy things but I've also realized that just because something is fancy doesn't mean it's useful to me. A guitar having a cool name on the headstock doesn't make it play or sound better necessarily. I might sit down with some ESPs and LTDs and choose to record with an LTD because it sounds better.

ESP standard series was just a production line of guitars, and I'm not sure they necessarily used the best materials all the time. They're not like the custom shop stuff just because they say ESP.

About Jackson I'll just say if you get an SL2, be careful and make sure the bridge route isn't misaligned.

Would I sell an expensive guitar to buy several cheap ones? If I didn't like that expensive guitar, yes. If I did like it, no.

Would I sell several less expensive guitars to buy one expensive one? If I didn't like those less expensive guitars, yes. If I did like those guitars, no.

 

[SamSam]

What is your use case?

I currently own 18 guitars (I think), including a few customs: strandberg m2m, kxk, daemoness, esp custom shop and a few high end production guitars: music man jp, 2 x mayones.

I gig and use the following: my rgd4427, rgd 2127, rg2077xl and my rg570 (when I need a six).

I feel its impossible to baby gigging guitars when in the rush of things and some of my guitars are irreplaceable (daemoness and strandberg).

For home play a few custom is awesome to have. But I doubt I would ever take them on stage!

 

[narad]

Yea, I mean, lots to potentially comment on.

- I wouldn't recommend a custom given your level of uncertainty here. In my experience of ordering dozens, they're almost always a wash. I lost so much money back in the day ordering the latest and greatest custom...I'm probably forever in the negatives on gear. And that's when all the cool used stuff was 1/5th the price it is now.

- I don't think there's a strong winner between the SL2 and the M-II. I guess the M-IIs tend to be cheaper -- I've seen some steals out here lately I was tempted to pickup just because I figured I'd at some point be able to trade for an amp or another guitar I wanted, but ultimately felt like too much hassle. If I had known you were looking, I'd have hit you up! But I think there are comparable QC and issues on either, since you're talking older guitars. But if you have a leaning towards the SL2, get the SL2, even if it's 50% more expensive.

- I don't see the point really of having multiple meh guitars. It's just more maintenance, really.

 

[Lozek]

Another vote for fewer high quality guitars. At one point I had about fifteen Indo/Korean level guitars which was nice, but realistically they mainly sat around getting dusty while I used a couple for what I was doing. I sold them all off, picked up two ESP Standard Series (one of which is "The One") and kept hold of a sentimental Japanese Charvel from the 80's.

Now they all get played a decent amount, with The One getting live and recording use and the Charvel being used as a 'practice on this, because I'm not precious about the state of it particularly'.

 

[Emperoff]

SL2

 

[ZLE]

95% of the people on thus planet are not Americans. So the term "import" is a little iffy. Also consider Caparison, which are basically Jackson's, but better. Also what is wrong with a high end NEW Ibanez. And lastly I think that Horizon, being neck trough is closer to SL2 that MII.

 

[ZLE]

Scratch that last thing. MII is also neck trough, Im stupid.

 

[gabito]

Buy the best guitar you can afford that you like the most.

Or you can buy several lesser guitars, own them for a while, not use them that much, mod them, change a lot of strings, and then end up selling them to buy the guitar you really wanted.

 

[Nightside]

If you always wanted an SL2 get an SL2.

Or a Jackson Stars.

 

[jephjacques]

Get a SL2. It will be much easier to find good, cheap import guitars in 5 years than afford a USA jackson.

 

[jephjacques]

95% of the people on thus planet are not Americans. So the term "import" is a little iffy. Also consider Caparison, which are basically Jackson's, but better. Also what is wrong with a high end NEW Ibanez. And lastly I think that Horizon, being neck trough is closer to SL2 that MII.

I've owned several USA jacksons and a couple caparisons and the capas are in no way better. They're basically "good Ibanez Prestige" level. Which is fine, but a US Jackson is going to be better.

 

[odibrom]

... so is this "new to you" guitar a whim of yours...? Do you really NEED a new guitar? The question about a higher end one versus several import is related to what do you want to do with such guitar(s). It looks to me that there is no real purpose besides the "novelty" in your hands like an excuse to excite one's creativity...?

... nevertheless, a guitar is only as good as its setup suits the player. You already know this, but a guitar is to the player's perspective just a set of strings aligned down a piece of wood with the ability to sustain some tension in order to vibrate upon the strings' mechanical excitement... This means that the scale length, neck and fingerboard profiles and body shape (as for ergonomics and comfort) are the most important design features for the player. Then comes the wood and hardware choices, build style (neck joint type) and finishes. The electric part of the guitar is, as well, something that clearly defines the guitar's voice. Control layout, type (Single, P90, Hum - brand and model included) and number of pickups are the specs that accentuate the guitar's scale length's properties and channels the guitar's sound mojo.

So, having this reminded, I see the following paths:
1 - get a guitar that challenges you, either by its specs, either by its setup (different tuning, string set, fretless?...)
2 - get a guitar that comforts you
3 - get many guitars so you can set them up in different ways (mod them to your preferences), some in your comfort zone, some out of it...?
4 - get your "I always wanted" guitar
5 - get a custom in either previous points 1 or 2
6 - get something flashy to hang up on the wall...

Personally, I see guitars as tools, so to be played. Sure I droll over some pretty guitars that I wish I could own, but I know those won't make me play any better, only the god of practice will. I have a small collection of 11 guitars from which 6 are the most played ones. I'm feeling I can't keep track on each guitar's setup and end up playing 1 or 2 of these 6 more than the others. These are all setup similarly so I can take any of these to rehearsals and play all the band's songs. I'm not yet in the mood to take several guitars with me to support different tunings. This to say that my next "new to me" guitar (either used or brand new) has to be very special and something that I don't have yet. I'm thinking about a 7 string trem'ed guitar with a sustainer kind of project... to keep costs low...

... hope this helped on your decisions...