Hello folks,
I have a quick question: I want to pick up an electric guitar or 2 but I'm not that familiar with guitars. What's the best one 2 get?
I was thinking about picking up a Parker Fly or a PRS but I'm not really sure. Any suggestions?

My only requirement is that is has 2 be QUALITY and look damn cool.

You can't go wrong with a Fender strat, Telecaster or Gibson Les Paul or ES 335. I have been using both Fenders and Gibsons for years and have been able to dail in some great sounds. The Parker and PRS are also good choices. Good Luck.

Cheers, Frank Axtell

FrankAxtell said:

Thanks for the info. I wanted to find a tele like the one Prince plays but that's damn near impossible.

You can get all kinds of quality, cool looking guitars. Ultimately, the decision is made by what you're using it for.

Playing shred would demand a very different instrument to playing jazz for example

Personally, I'm currently dreaming of the Ibanez RG8270FBX, which costs loads but looks godlike:



I also encountered a company called LAG Guitars at a guitar show earlier this year. They make some beautiful instruments. My favourite is the AP2000:



Check out their site if you've got a minute: http://www.lag.fr

Graycap23 said:

Oops, no sooner do I post, then it becomes irrelevant Still, pretty pictures to look at

There's the Hohner 'The Prinz', which is kinda similar. Might find one of those on Ebay. You could roughly recreate it by getting some kind of stock telecaster, and fitting a custom leopardskin pickguard. The only difference would be the missing stripe through the body (rosewood? mahogany?).

And it wouldn't ejaculate all over the crowd.

Rowdy said:

Tease me why don't you.....NICE.

Are those guitar modellers like the Line 6 POD any good?

You don't want a Hohner Prince guitar, even if you find one
They blow

Graycap23 said:

This has to be a joke, right? You want to pick up a guitar or 2? A parker FLY? A PRS? You just named $2K guitars.

beauhall said:

Why would that be a joke? Am I missing something?

beauhall said:

Hummmmm..... I've NEVER seen cheap professional music gear. Have u?

Graycap23 said:

You can get excellent instruments in a lower price bracket. A lot of costs, for example with a PRS, are incurred by the posh fittings, like the '10' top and gold hardware (booooo).Don't get me wrong, these guitars are beautiful pieces of work, but a lot of their selling points don't really have any link to the quality of the tone or the playability.

Shredwise, a Jackson DK2M is extremely well priced ($600), well finished, solid hardware (they've hardened the formerly shitty baseplates on their Floyd Roses) and Seymour Duncan pickups.






Alternatively, the Ibanez RG1570 - Wizard neck, Edge Pro trem, although granted the pickups are boring stock ones - it's a bare bones instrument, but just fine for pretty much anything you'd ask of it.

You can get excellent, professional standard Fenders at good prices. Like this telecaster - Seymour Duncans, birdseye maple neck - a good solid instrument with quality hardware and build:


http://www.samedaymusic.c...-FEN265102

If a guitar sounds good, has solid hardware and plays like you want it to, then I'd consider it professional standard.

Rowdy said:

Cool. I'm really out of my element on guitars. I'm a keyboard player but I need 2 add to my tiny collection of guitars. Most of them will wind up as ART on the wall of the studio anyway.
Thanks.

Graycap23 said:

so your willin to shell out a couple of k's for art...
astonishing...

EmbattledWarrior said:

There is an old saying....."You get what you pay for". I believe it.

It must be nice to have $4,000 to drop on a couple of guitars, life is expensive right now. I think that's what Beau was sayin too.

To answer the question though, I agree with Frank's picks but that's just because I'm partial to the feel of Tele's and Strats and the tone I get with them. What feel and tone fits you will be totally different than me, so get to the music store and play through a set-up like the one you have and feel around.

Me and my friends used to/still do, refer to Ibanezs' as "I been Had's" Guitar snobs

Early 80's Jackson soloist's and early 80's Randy Rhoads Quarter V's were some beautiful intruments but that's not me anymore.

Graycap23 said:

There's also that one about a sucker being born every minute. If you already have an arsenal of guitars, sure, upgrade. If you don't have any guitars, maybe starting at the top is a bit of an overconfident step? Maybe?

Fender Strats and Telecasters. The best bang for the buck. Ever. If you drop it off a cliff, you can replace it for $650.

Just my opinion. If money is no object, what the hell, live it up.

Slave2daGroove said:

You too? I don't know HOW they got that rep, but yeah, Ibanez = Ibeenhad.

beauhall said:

If money is no object, go buy my CD!

I cannot recommend PRS guitars highly enough. I have been playing one since 1991 (how the hell I mustered the money up for it at the age of 16 is still amazing, although I was gigging my arse off at the time) and find them to be the perfect combination of being eminently playable and truly aesthetic, as well as extremely versatile stylistically wise. I have used mine (and continue to do so) on countless recording sessions and it never fails to impress an innumerable amount of producers that I work with. Sod it, spend your money on one. You won't regret it.

Of course, if your finances are limited...just go to your local guitar shop and try loads of guitars and DON'T be snobby about the make. It is really all about which ever one feels most comfortable (and of course is tonally suitable). Mine just happened to be a PRS model. Even the cheap copies are fine. I would also consider whether the guitar would be suitable for gigging, weight wise; no point having a guitar which weighs you down (Gibson Les Paul, anyone?)...but then again, I am a short arse...(!)

Now if only PRS would give me an endorsement deal...although Martin Guitars are quite amenable in this respect. I'm digressing now, so will get my cybercoat...

beauhall said:

I truly appreciate the advice on the guitars. I DO NOT play guitar that well but I don't like buying cheap stuff. I picked up a telecaster and a couple of other guitars. Now if I can find that Prince pickguard I'd be good 2 go.
9 times out of 10 these will end up on the wall in the studio. My playing is a point 5 out of 10 but I do intend on teaching my son how 2 play. I'm a keyboard player at heart but it's time 2 learn some new skills.

Much love 4 the advice.

Pickgaurd:
I'm looking for the same one...until then, see if these sites can help
you!!!

http://www.stewmac.com/sh...ml#details

http://www.warmoth.com/pi...guards.cfm

http://www.q-parts.com/

GGD

workingupahiyellasweat said:

I have a 72 madcat Hs. Anderson Like Princes which is an Original Hohner before Hohner took them over and put on there logo and it sounds great.

I also have Hohner proffesional Prinz that sounds great

The Fender Telecatsers and Strats are great even the squires sound good if they are set up right. I would replace the pickups with Shur vintage 60's

ESP makes goo guitars also. I just renewed the guts of a ESP Cloud and it sounds good. it is basically a strat sounding guitar

Once again, I have to say that you should go with how the guitar sounds to you, since tastes are so personal. But I must say that there are some solid recommendations here by other forum members (particularly by Frank and Beau) besides PRS of course
[Edited 6/24/06 19:24pm]

What do u guys think about guitar models like the Line 6 Pod? I really don't have a clue about the guitar side of instruments.

Graycap23 said:

I have one. I really like it. It needs a little tweaking to be really good (better nut mainly). I don't see it as on par with the guitars that it's supposed to mimic - it's just a guitar with a huge variety of tones. The sitar is kind of interesting.

I'm partial to this model myself. Has loads, if not several presets that will keep you entertained for hours.

yamomma said:

I see you got the model without the Captain Feathersword plugin.

beauhall said:

No, no ... It's right there above Dorothy the Dinosaur, Waggs the Dog and just to the left of Henry the Octopus. THAT IS why I posted a picture. (To show I have the MOST current model, that is)

Only the best for this man!

yamomma said:

The sad thing is that only you, me, and my wife here GOT this little joke. Sigh.