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IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Stoneburst ()
Date: September 4, 2014 14:05

Guitar dilemma for those interested:

At the moment, I play a Japanese-made '57 reissue Stratocaster (photo here). I've had it since late last year. It's about ten years old, and had one previous owner who never really played it. It's a very good guitar, and I love Stratocasters (and Fenders generally - I learned to play on an old Mexican Telecaster). But recently, it just doesn't inspire me or make me want to play anymore. I don't know that it's actually the guitar's fault - I might be bored with single coil pickups, sure, but it might also be that I don't have anything going on band-wise at the moment.

Either way, I feel like I want to sell the Strat* and get something else, something with a thicker, wider neck, a bluesier tone and humbuckers. Ideally, that would mean a Les Paul or a 335, but I can't really afford either (and the lower priced models - Les Paul Studios etc - don't appeal to me aesthetically). I'll get about £650 for the Strat and can probably afford to go £200ish over that. So, at the moment, these are my options:

1) Gibson '61 reissue SG (used). I've seen these going for under £1k. I'll never be totally sold on SGs visually but I've played a few and can't deny how good they sound and how easy they are to play. They're also fantastic for slide, of course, something I do a lot. Taylor used a '64 on GYYYO and his tone kills me.



2) PRS SE 24 Custom. I never really thought about PRS before but this quite appeals to me. I've not played one yet, but like a lot of far eastern-made guitars I'm assuming excellent build quality and sub-standard pickups/electronics. I feel like the PRS is a much more progressive design that would actually help develop my playing style in a way more traditional designs don't. And it's well within my budget, too.



So, what do you guys think? Have you played either of those, are there other guitars I ought to be thinking about? Am I being hasty in letting the Strat go? All thoughts welcome...

*Explainer: I'm a PhD student and only play guitar as a hobby - I've never made any money from it. So I have to limit myself to one electric and one acoustic at a time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-09-04 14:05 by Stoneburst.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Date: September 4, 2014 14:21

I had a similar SG, which I ironically enough got bored with and traded in for a Strat. It was pink, though, but I got tired with its sound as well smiling smiley

Out of the two guitars there, I would have gone for the SG, as it is indeed wonderful to play.

In the price range you're talking about I would recommend the Gretsch Electromatic 5422TDC.

I bought one, and was completely taken aback by its sound - both as a rock guitar and as a blues/jazz/folk-thing with its warm and clean sound.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-09-04 15:57 by DandelionPowderman.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: TheGreek ()
Date: September 4, 2014 15:44

check prices at various shops and maybe you can find a used les paul at a price you like or go for the gibson 61 SG reissue

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Stoneburst ()
Date: September 4, 2014 16:36

Thanks guys.

Quote
DandelionPowderman
I had a similar SG, which I ironically enough got bored with and traded in for a Strat. It was pink, though, but I got tired with its sound as well smiling smiley

Out of the two guitars there, I would have gone for the SG, as it is indeed wonderful to play.

In the price range you're talking about I would recommend the Gretsch Electromatic 5422TDC.

I bought one, and was completely taken aback by its sound - both as a rock guitar and as a blues/jazz/folk-thing with its warm and clean sound.

I'm definitely leaning towards the SG, but your suggestion is an interesting one. A friend of mine had a black 5120 which he played live for several years and it was indeed very good to play, and versatile too: he used it for everything from pop-rock covers to Sabbath. I'm not sure I'd ever actually own one, though, for the same reason I probably wouldn't have a 335 - I'm pretty small (5'5) and anything bigger than a Les Paul I find quite cumbersome when playing standing up.

Quote
TheGreek
check prices at various shops and maybe you can find a used les paul at a price you like or go for the gibson 61 SG reissue

I'm in the UK, so the used market is nowhere near as good as it is in the States. But I will be in America later in the year, so might hold off on buying a new guitar until then.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Date: September 4, 2014 16:51

The other guitarist in my band has a 5120. Lovely to play indeed. I had just bought my Gretsch when he joined the band, so it was kinda funny.

What about a used Junior?

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: More Hot Rocks ()
Date: September 4, 2014 17:00

I heard somewhere the the PRS SE line might be discontinued. The American made S2 line would take over.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Stoneburst ()
Date: September 4, 2014 17:46

Quote
DandelionPowderman
What about a used Junior?

Oooh, now you're talking my language smileys with beer

Was actually very close to getting a Junior a few years ago, might have to go and play one soon.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: MingSubu ()
Date: September 5, 2014 07:18

How about a SG jr?

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: From4tilLate ()
Date: September 5, 2014 07:58

DON'T SELL THE STRAT!!! Save your money and get an SG when you have your money saved. You'll miss that baby one day if you sell it. I promise.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: resotele ()
Date: September 5, 2014 09:38

Quote
From4tilLate
DON'T SELL THE STRAT!!! Save your money and get an SG when you have your money saved. You'll miss that baby one day if you sell it. I promise.

Right, it's already bad that you parted with your Telecaster. You absolutely need a Tele, a Strat, an SG, an ES ...

And maybe you can find a used Eggle LP or Junior-a-like in the UK. Great guitars

resotele

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Date: September 5, 2014 10:10

Quote
Stoneburst
Quote
DandelionPowderman
What about a used Junior?

Oooh, now you're talking my language smileys with beer

Was actually very close to getting a Junior a few years ago, might have to go and play one soon.

thumbs up

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: RockingLonestar ()
Date: September 5, 2014 12:20

Stay with the strat, if it´s only the sound you don´t like and replace the neck pickup, i.e. a Seymore Duncan Pealy Gates Humbucker!
There are Syemour Duncan Humbuckers that have the size of a single coil as well.
Otherwise you can´t do anything wrong with a PRS SE. The Bernie Marsden model is a real killer. And the PRS SE are not expensive (about 650 EUROs).

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: RockingLonestar ()
Date: September 5, 2014 12:25

Another alternative to the PRS SE is a Ibanez Artist (ar420 or ar220). The new models have two humbuckers and a tri-sound switch for each pickup, so you have humbucker sounds, single coil sounds and something in between for each pickup. And the ar220 only costs less than EURO 400, the ar420 abot 450 EURO.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: RockingLonestar ()
Date: September 5, 2014 12:43

And don´t forget: If you use a Mick Taylor-like guitar and amp, you don´t sound like Mick Taylor, if the sound is not in your fingers.
Or like a frind of mine says: Give Eric Clapton the cheapest guitar and amp, and it will still sound like Eric.
Give an average guitarist Eric´s guitar and amp, and it will still sound average ;-)

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Stoneburst ()
Date: September 5, 2014 13:36

Quote
From4tilLate
DON'T SELL THE STRAT!!! Save your money and get an SG when you have your money saved. You'll miss that baby one day if you sell it. I promise.

Maybe, but I can always get another Strat down the line if I want one - they're not hard to come by. And they're very consistent. I've played loads of Strats that were as good as the one I currently have - it's not like the typical Les Paul-hunting scenario where you spend days playing sub-standard ones in shops in order to get the one that speaks to you. I just feel it's time for a change, I've always played Fenders with single coils and want to try something different.

Quote
resotele
Right, it's already bad that you parted with your Telecaster.

I haven't. It's still around, just doesn't get played much (there are some issues with the neck). Some day I'll mod it and start playing it again, but I don't really have the time for a project guitar at the moment.

I really appreciate all the advice in this thread, by the way. I would much sooner post this sort of question here than on an actual guitar forum: Stones fans have excellent taste by implication, and I know a lot of the musicians who post here are extremely good.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: GasLightStreet ()
Date: September 5, 2014 16:16

Do you play guitar for fun or are you in a band?

If you were in a band (or a studio guitarist) you'd want to keep the Strat. And have other guitars.

Otherwise... I dunno. I mean, if you get bored with having one guitar what makes you think you won't get bored of a different guitar? I could understand if you didn't like the Strat anymore - they are annoying - but bored? Perhaps you should get an acoustic!

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: liddas ()
Date: September 5, 2014 16:30

A friend of mine has both the SG and the PRS.

He loves the PRS so much that since he bought it he practically stopped using the SG. In fact the only times the old SG gets out of the case is when I drop by his place for a jam.

All I can say is that - FOR ME - with its old strings, neck in bad need of a set up and all - the SG blows away the PRS every time. The PRS sounds great, but it doesn't have the balls/character that the SG has.

Once more it is confirmed that guitar tone is the most subjective subject in the world.

C

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Stoneburst ()
Date: September 5, 2014 17:12

@GasLightStreet: as I said in the OP, I play for fun and am not (currently) in a band, just go to blues jams occasionally and so forth. Since I'm a student and don't make money from playing guitar, I'm not in a position to have several electric guitars on the go at once



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-09-05 17:12 by Stoneburst.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Roadster32 ()
Date: September 5, 2014 17:22

Keep it with Einstein!


Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: GasLightStreet ()
Date: September 5, 2014 17:23

Quote
Stoneburst
@GasLightStreet: as I said in the OP, I play for fun and am not (currently) in a band, just go to blues jams occasionally and so forth. Since I'm a student and don't make money from playing guitar, I'm not in a position to have several electric guitars on the go at once

You said you "don't have anything going on band-wise at the moment." I didn't see anything anywhere else that you specifically played for fun. That's why I wondered. Although I supposed that could go without saying. Then again, maybe for some people it's therapy.

Regardless of that, I think you should keep it. I regret getting rid of my first electric. I've had several guitars since then, one that baffles me to this day why I bought it (I got rid of it within 4 months) and have managed to not sell any since. It took me 2 years to pay off one of them - and it wasn't the guitar I was paying for!

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: ComeOn ()
Date: September 5, 2014 17:25

I play only for fun to and just own a cheap chinese copy guitar . I set it up with Ernie Ball strings and now it sound like this :
video: [www.youtube.com]

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Stoneburst ()
Date: September 5, 2014 17:47

Quote
GasLightStreet
You said you "don't have anything going on band-wise at the moment." I didn't see anything anywhere else that you specifically played for fun. That's why I wondered. Although I supposed that could go without saying. Then again, maybe for some people it's therapy.

Regardless of that, I think you should keep it. I regret getting rid of my first electric. I've had several guitars since then, one that baffles me to this day why I bought it (I got rid of it within 4 months) and have managed to not sell any since. It took me 2 years to pay off one of them - and it wasn't the guitar I was paying for!

Fair enough. All else being equal, I would keep it (likewise if I was in a band or did sessions or whatnot). I considered upgrading the pickups a while ago - it still has the stock Texas Specials, which are okay but don't really do much for me. But the bottom line is that I can't afford to keep the Strat and have something else of equal or greater value at the same time so long as guitar is just a hobby for me.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: sanQ ()
Date: September 6, 2014 19:17

I like my strat: 1992 SRV, first year of production. I got sick of it after 5 years and switched to acoustic only. Years later, I got back into it. I also bought a blackout telecaster. I loved everything about it. Had to sell it in a pinch though. I miss my tele. I love those guitars. But for a strat with a wide neck, the srv is the best I've played. I would like a different pick guard though with my name on it.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: GasLightStreet ()
Date: September 6, 2014 19:57

Quote
Stoneburst
Quote
GasLightStreet
You said you "don't have anything going on band-wise at the moment." I didn't see anything anywhere else that you specifically played for fun. That's why I wondered. Although I supposed that could go without saying. Then again, maybe for some people it's therapy.

Regardless of that, I think you should keep it. I regret getting rid of my first electric. I've had several guitars since then, one that baffles me to this day why I bought it (I got rid of it within 4 months) and have managed to not sell any since. It took me 2 years to pay off one of them - and it wasn't the guitar I was paying for!

Fair enough. All else being equal, I would keep it (likewise if I was in a band or did sessions or whatnot). I considered upgrading the pickups a while ago - it still has the stock Texas Specials, which are okay but don't really do much for me. But the bottom line is that I can't afford to keep the Strat and have something else of equal or greater value at the same time so long as guitar is just a hobby for me.

If I was in your position I'd get better pickups first, see how that goes. It may make all the difference in the world. I got some Seymour Duncans for a Les Paul imitation I had (Series 10 was the guitar - the one I regret letting go) and it made a huge difference. I have a Les Paul Smartwood now and I'm thinking of putting Seymour Duncans in it as well. The stock pickups are OK but I know SD would be better.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: dmay ()
Date: September 6, 2014 21:44

I would look at changing the pups to humbuckers on the Strat first to see if they make a difeence in the sound and how you play. You may also want to look at replacing the Strat neck. The best neck I have found stock on a guitar is on the James Burton Standard Telecaster I own. I had a local guitar shop find a similar neck and put it on a hand made Tele someone made for me after the neck on the hand made Tele went bad. A generic neck similar to the Burton Standard Tele neck on a Strat would be awesome, even though some folks would say you can't put a Tele neck on a Strat. I ask, "why can't you?"

The pups on the hand made Tele are now Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II's. They replaced a set of Fender Texas Specials. The sound and tones are incredible. The James Burton Standard Tele has the Fender Texas Specials. They are also excellent pups, but the hand made Tele is something else with the Alnico Pro II's.

I am also in the process of redoing a Mexican made standard Strat from the 1990s. It needs some cosmetic body work and I made need to replace the pups. If I do, it will be with Strat oriented humbuckers. If it needs a new neck, I will probably go for a neck similar to the Burton Standard Tele neck. If I go this way, I guess I'll have created my own version of what some people call a Frankenstein guitar.

Good luck with whatever way you decide to go.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: Steen G ()
Date: September 7, 2014 01:39

Never ever bought a guitar like that. I go into shops, fool around on what ever is there, and when I find one that I can make sound great and make my fingers move with ease I buy.

Next thing at home I measure the string gauge so I later know what the guitar was born with. Not always I keep that but I use it as a reference point.

And I never let a guitar go...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-09-07 01:39 by Steen G.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: ComeOn ()
Date: September 7, 2014 06:16

Amazing decorated guitars for inspiration :
Steve Miller guitars

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: RockingLonestar ()
Date: September 8, 2014 12:00

If you wanna know how good a PRS SE 24 Custom (in this case a small vatriation, the Bernie Marsden model) can sound, listen to Bernie´s new record "Shine" ;-)

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Posted by: ash ()
Date: September 8, 2014 21:53

Quote
DandelionPowderman
I had a similar SG, which I ironically enough got bored with and traded in for a Strat. It was pink, though, but I got tired with its sound as well smiling smiley

Out of the two guitars there, I would have gone for the SG, as it is indeed wonderful to play.

In the price range you're talking about I would recommend the Gretsch Electromatic 5422TDC.

I bought one, and was completely taken aback by its sound - both as a rock guitar and as a blues/jazz/folk-thing with its warm and clean sound.


good call...i got a walnut/brown one of those like George Harrison's country gent. The Gretsch blew my nose and then it blew my mind.
If you're getting rid of the Strat for around 650 and have another 200 squid or so you might just be able to buy a Grestch electromatic and a second hand Epiphone Les Paul.
Of course you could buy the Gretsch and a Hofner Ignition violin bass too. But then you're gonna have to buy a Rickenbacker ! I'm on the wrong board again aren't I.

Re: IORR guitarists: advice needed
Date: September 9, 2014 03:15

I'd go with the SG every day, and twice on Sunday. Like you, I'm not totally sold on the look either, but I am sold on the tone.

And this is coming from a guy who's a Tele-man through and through. Have you thought about maybe getting a SG with P-90's? That could be really good, too.

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