One High End Guitar or Several Imports?

[budda]

This is a bad analogy because a Ferrari is not practical for hauling groceries. A high end guitar is used for the same thing as 8 shitty imports - playing music.

How many bags of groceries are you hauling? If you can afford the ferrari chances are you can afford to use it to get groceries.

Lord knows I didnt write my best music on my budget minded guitars, whatever the reason.

 

[odibrom]

This is a bad analogy because a Ferrari is not practical for hauling groceries. A high end guitar is used for the same thing as 8 shitty imports - playing music.

I disagree, the word I used was "ENJOY", which takes the question to the personal preference of the user... you may not understand why, but the user surely have his/her reasons and those might as well be as simple as he likes those guitars... Gutar playing is not a competition on who has/is the bigger or better, it's about enjoying time.

 

[SamSam]

Of the choices above I would have to decide between one ESP or two Ibanez.

New or used those would be my two choices I think.

The Yen is pretty weak now so it's a good time to try go for a new ESP from Big Boss or something if you wanted to import.

 

[Emperoff]

See that's how I was beginning to think. I'm 38, no kids, me and my lady both have stable well-paying jobs, and whilst the mortgage hike hasn't been easy, we're fixed for two years and making it work. But what I'm wondering is do I want an SL2, or do I want this teenage wet dream nostalgia of when I couldn't even see a USA Jackson in the flesh, and actually what I want is something that feels like an Ibanez RG with a painted neck, not a Jackson.

And that is exactly the reason why you should get it. Even if it ends up not being what you expected, you have to satisfy that young you that couldn't afford that guitar and drooled over the catalogs. Been there, done that. My dream guitar when I started was a Jackson SLSMG, and I finally got one a couple years ago. I thought it was a great guitar, but my tastes now are more specific so I sold it. But man, it felt really good to finally have one in my hands after all these years!

Just do it. USA Jacksons have great resale value in case you don't like it (unlike cheaper alternatives). Most grown up musicians hoard gear they couldn't afford back in the day, because that's what they fell in love for. Nothing wrong with that!

 

[nickgray]

and consolidated them into a better instrument?

In principle, the only things that are extremely difficult to fix are neck angle issues on a set neck or a neck through, and the neck's stability with regards to temperature and humidity changes. Most everything else is treatable.

It's more of a question of price/performance ratio and if you know a good luthier (or you have the tools and the skills to DIY). The biggest elephant in the room is fretwork and that's like most of the guitar really - a $200 Squier with pristine fretwork is going to play better than a $2000 guitar with poor fretwork. Sure, the nut will be shitty, the tuners will have a lot of play in them, the pots will probably feel like crap and will crackle, but it'll still play better. And all of that stuff is fixable as well.

There's also no guarantee that a high end guitar will come with good fretwork. Or it might, initially, but they didn't dry the wood well and it'll be off in half a year, so you still need to give it to a tech, otherwise you have an expensive guitar that plays like a $300 one.

 

[MaxAidingAres]

Get what you want and what you can justify. At the end of the day we can argue whats more practical or necessary but realistically Guitars are a privileged hobby. However we live in a consumer world. So buy what you want. You worked for it so you deserve it. I hate the idea that you dont need an expensive guitar because you arent in a band or dont record. I say to those people, worry about yourself! As long as you can afford what ever you are buying, no reason to talk yourself out of it. However if you are going to go custom. Know what you want first. Go for something time less that you wont get bored of

 

[JimF]

Ok, so you know you want a new guitar, but aren't sure what for...

.... huuummm... you want a nice piece in your hands, not over complicated, but strong enough to make you feel connected to it...

... allow me to remind you that a guitar is only as good as its setup fits the player's needs, so, be specific, what are your needs in this guitar? What I found so far was:
- something that feels unique (hence the thought of going custom) and, therefore, good quality.
- not over complicated in the wiring department, so 1 vol + pickup switch kind of thing... pickup layout HH, HSH, HSS, HS, H...? I'm assuming a humbucker in the bridge to be mandatory...
- interesting color / visuals... so no boring black or dull colors
- Neck through and reverse headstock would be cool, but not mandatory
- NO SMALL SCALE LENGTH (PRS and Gibson are out of consideration)
- NO PICKUP RINGS
- NO FAT NECK...

... let's say a used guitar modded to your specs could eventually tick all options...?

How about investing REALLY hard on setting up an already owned guitar to the specs you like?... or, how about investing temporarily on a workhorse in order to take it to another level, learn from the experience and decide then on what you really want this new guitar to be?
- I'll say that the fret and string relation is the MOST IMPORTANT aspect a guitar has by far and against all other specs. The fretjob and fretboard radius are single handed the most important parts of a setup. This obviously includes the nut and the bridge since these do belong in the fret department of a guitar.
- followed by this is the electronic department, since it's where the sound comes from to be amplified. What pickups and controls do you like or want for this guitar?
- last is the body style and finish. The body style interferes with the guitar's comfort (and setup) and the finish with its overall visual, so it's a almost only cosmetic.

Pick a workhorse guitar you have and elevate it to another level of quality, then decide by experience on what you really want...?

I love your posts in this thread, its like going to therapy!
I keep seeing cheap DXMGs near me, and getting one of those to hotrod would be a sensible idea to tide me over for the next few months. Fretwork is one thing that's always put me off (including my scratch built project that's now stalled) so it would be a good thing to get stuck in with.

What I found so far was:
- something that feels unique (hence the thought of going custom) and, therefore, good quality.
- not over complicated in the wiring department, so 1 vol + pickup switch kind of thing... pickup layout HH, HSH, HSS, HS, H...? I'm assuming a humbucker in the bridge to be mandatory...
- interesting color / visuals... so no boring black or dull colors
- Neck through and reverse headstock would be cool, but not mandatory
- NO SMALL SCALE LENGTH (PRS and Gibson are out of consideration)
- NO PICKUP RINGS
- NO FAT NECK...

I currently don't have a HH 6 string, my two RGs are HSH and HS. Bridge humbucker would be mandatory, but I'd consider a single hum guitar if it was cool enough.
You're right with wanting something stimulating visually, but the SL2s I keep gravitating towards are black. Black with black hardware, and then the sharkfin inlays really stand out but don't look too over the top.
I'd considered unusual pickups but when it comes down to it, I just like humbuckers and traditional single coils. I fancied something with a piezo bridge in theory but never really liked the sound of them in reality.

The whole USP of this new instrument is to be its dick-exploding quality and playability.

buy a used SL2. Sell it if you dont like it and try the second choice. Its not life or death here.

I have owned 4 gibson CS guitars and kept two. I have played maybe triple that in total.

I didnt play for the last two weeks and clocked some time today with my lpc. Still no regrets in getting it.

Very good advice, I always forget that these decisions aren't final. Having an SL2, getting over the honeymoon period and moving it on isn't exactly a torturous situation to be in!

Without going into the nuance of your wants/needs, I'm an OG board member here, so I'm obligated to say "used Prestige" whenever anyone even offers that up as an option.

That being said, my genuine answer would be a real ESP or a used USA/CS Jackson. Owning over 20 Ibanez guitars, I think it's clear where my allegiance lies, but I have also had a change of heart in recent years after playing some crazy nice M-I/IIs. And I've constantly lusted over some CS Jacksons I've seen over the years.

I agree with you here, in that as much as I love my used Prestige Ibanez RGs, just how much better/different will that 2 grand 27 fret RGA be once the novelty has worn off.

And that is exactly the reason why you should get it. Even if it ends up not being what you expected, you have to satisfy that young you that couldn't afford that guitar and drooled over the catalogs. Been there, done that. My dream guitar when I started was a Jackson SLSMG, and I finally got one a couple years ago. I thought it was a great guitar, but my tastes now are more specific so I sold it. But man, it felt really good to finally have one in my hands after all these years!

Just do it. USA Jacksons have great resale value in case you don't like it (unlike cheaper alternatives). Most grown up musicians hoard gear they couldn't afford back in the day, because that's what they fell in love for. Nothing wrong with that!

I like this idea! Bald Jim is buying it for Long Haired Jim from 20 years ago to live vicariously through my younger self via my present self's instruments!
I also have been lusting after the SLSMG and the SLS3 with the block inlays, but I can never decide if I like TOM bridges.

In principle, the only things that are extremely difficult to fix are neck angle issues on a set neck or a neck through, and the neck's stability with regards to temperature and humidity changes. Most everything else is treatable.

It's more of a question of price/performance ratio and if you know a good luthier (or you have the tools and the skills to DIY). The biggest elephant in the room is fretwork and that's like most of the guitar really - a $200 Squier with pristine fretwork is going to play better than a $2000 guitar with poor fretwork. Sure, the nut will be shitty, the tuners will have a lot of play in them, the pots will probably feel like crap and will crackle, but it'll still play better. And all of that stuff is fixable as well.

There's also no guarantee that a high end guitar will come with good fretwork. Or it might, initially, but they didn't dry the wood well and it'll be off in half a year, so you still need to give it to a tech, otherwise you have an expensive guitar that plays like a $300 one.

Get what you want and what you can justify. At the end of the day we can argue whats more practical or necessary but realistically Guitars are a privileged hobby. However we live in a consumer world. So buy what you want. You worked for it so you deserve it. I hate the idea that you dont need an expensive guitar because you arent in a band or dont record. I say to those people, worry about yourself! As long as you can afford what ever you are buying, no reason to talk yourself out of it. However if you are going to go custom. Know what you want first. Go for something time less that you wont get bored of

An older guy I knew once said "money can't buy happiness, but after family, there's nothing better than being surrounded by nice things", and that stuck with me!

 

[Emperoff]

I like this idea! Bald Jim is buying it for Long Haired Jim from 20 years ago to live vicariously through my younger self via my present self's instruments!
I also have been lusting after the SLSMG and the SLS3 with the block inlays, but I can never decide if I like TOM bridges.

Well, that's the exact reason why I sold mine

*If* I liked TOM bridges, I would have snagged a black one with the block inlays and put gold hardware on it, to get a "LP Black Beauty" kinda look.

 

[odibrom]

I think you already know what to do:
1 - Get that late teens/early 20s guitar you always wanted
2 - Get a beater to test / mod out to what a one guitar to rule them all is and them commit to it.

2 guitars is always better than only one... there you go... please pay the therapy bill when exiting the forum to surf another web page...

 

[yan12]

I voted full custom.

As I have said many times before, it's only if you really know what you need and it is not offered anywhere else. Resale can be dangerous, so I never promote a full custom unless you know you will keep it.

The Jcs/ESP is a good angle due to resale. Any the player can experience "better" playing, if they don't like it, get most if not all the money back.

I own some ridiculous guitars and have owned quite a few over the years. It's hard to go backwards in quality after you have had a real taste. That said, my full-blown customs are my favorites because everything is where it should be for layout and the neck fits my hand like a glove. I love all my guitars, but the one that goes to the grave is a one-of-a-kind custom. Every time I play it, I ask myself "why do I even own all these other guitars?". The answer is laziness. I have them all set up differently and in different tunings. More guitars are always better if you can afford them. Carry on.

 

[JimF]

I think you already know what to do:
1 - Get that late teens/early 20s guitar you always wanted
2 - Get a beater to test / mod out to what a one guitar to rule them all is and them commit to it.

2 guitars is always better than only one... there you go... please pay the therapy bill when exiting the forum to surf another web page...

Can't argue with that!

I can get around the bill - I never leave here!

 

[Musiscience]

Just replying based on the title, too tired to read all that

It really depends on your needs. If you're just playing at home, get one high end guitar and enjoy a nicer instrument every day. If you need to gig and/or tour, get a few imports and have them set up properly so you have backup(s) and don't feel too bad when they get all banged up.

 

[JimF]

Without meaning to sound like a junky justifying a habit, I would be up for one high end guitar to enjoy. However to enjoy it fully means to have it set up in the tuning my band uses so I can use it for recordings, and then that means I can't use it for playing Megadeth or The Haunted etc, so I'd need another...

 

[budda]

Just replying based on the title, too tired to read all that

It really depends on your needs. If you're just playing at home, get one high end guitar and enjoy a nicer instrument every day. If you need to gig and/or tour, get a few imports and have them set up properly so you have backup(s) and don't feel too bad when they get all banged up.

Tour the good guitars too - insure them so they can be replaced.

 

[MetalDestroyer]

Tour the good guitars too - insure them so they can be replaced.

Don't tour anything - sit at home hoarding nice guitars like a little goblin

 

[budda]

Don't tour anything - sit at home hoarding nice guitars like a little goblin

This is once you retire from touring

 

[JimF]

Don't tour anything - sit at home hoarding nice guitars like a little goblin

I like the way this one thinks

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Just curious if you've made a decision or are heavily leaning towards one or another. I vote for a USA Jackson but regardless... whatever you decide, I sincerely hope that it scratches that itch.

 

[JimF]

I haven't made a decision as such, my 'deadline' is late Spring next year after some personal stuff has been sorted out. I did a quick Jackson Custom Shop enquiry form and worked it out manually. Ended up at £5700 lol.
I am leaning towards a USA Jackson, however I'm also curious as to what models are going to be announced for 2024 by Ibanez & Jackson, namely Prestige models & the potential Vogg explorer. I'd like to think its not posed to be a 2025 model.

 

[diogoguitar]

OG ESP vs Jackson USA vs Ibanez Prestige are too different ... I wouldn't compare them side by side because they're have completely different neck profiles.

I've owned all 3 brands in their flagship form (ESP MIJ, Jackson USA and Ibz prestige) and prefer the Ibanez prestige, but I prefer it because of the neck shape, not because of looks or anything else