Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
- 38,359
- 16,249
The Official Guitar Thread
- Thread starter Dr.Retarded
- Start date
-
Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
Go here and give us your nominations!Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
Every guitar in the $500 and under range is going to be basically the same man. They'll have something you like, something you don't like, and the sound will be just OK. Figure out what you want and just spend the cash when you have it.
After you get a Block Letter 5150 and an old school square heel RG550, of course.
This is my Suhr standard. (Basically a fancy strat, it's alder/maple) through my 6505+, which is basically a 5150. Shitty camcorder audio and not my most inspired playing, but listen to how many different tones I get without ever changing a single amp setting. All I'm doing here is fucking with the volume knob.
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
- 38,359
- 16,249
Ibanez MIJs are an exception to any rule though. I bought a $600 RG3120 brand new about 10 years ago and it was the best guitar I've ever played. My RG550 is a close second. If you go for seven strings, even the 1527 is incredible - and my black/green universe, although a bit more expensive, was amazing. Hell, I think even the RG570's are really nice, although not my style.
Breaking the cycle of Dupping buying new shit every two weeks, I got some new gear today too. I stopped by Fractal and upgraded my old MFC-101 Mk1 to the Mark III model. Silent switches, FASLink connection and a few other subtle upgrades. Fucking fantastic controller.
100% true. I should have said every new/current guitar around the $500 range. RG550s are the exception to the rule, and IMO everyone should own one. They're the absolute bar none best workhorse rock/metal guitars out there, ever.
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
- 38,359
- 16,249
I want to eventually get one of those re-issue ones that came out a few years ago.
IIRC they did some reissues with the AANJ, and some with the (subjective, but IMO better) block heel. The awesome thing about 550s is that there really doesn't seem to have been a shitty one ever made. I own 3 now, have probably played 100 of them, and I'm yet to lay hands on one that didn't just kick a whole fucking shitload of ass. Even beat to hell old ones seem to just get better - worn in maple boards, asskicker of a bridge in the Edge Pro and a ton of color options. There's so much to like about them.
Believe me, I'm getting tired of getting new shit every two weeks. I'm trying to break the cycle but I keep finding stuff that's close to what I want, but not close enough. Plus there's a bit of "ooh shiny" going on.
So, sell me on this. Why would I want a RG550 as a relative newbie who's still mostly playing blues and blues-influenced rock? Isn't it going to be too metal and piss me off?
So, sell me on this. Why would I want a RG550 as a relative newbie who's still mostly playing blues and blues-influenced rock? Isn't it going to be too metal and piss me off?
It's just a basswood superstrat with a maple board man. Other than the body wood and the fact that the body itself is pointier than a Strat, it's not exactly a metal-only guitar. They have awesome necks, a great pickup setup, a great nut and a fucking fantastic locking trem. Setup properly, you can twirl the damn thing over your head by the trem arm and it will still be in tune when you're done.
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
- 38,359
- 16,249
No you don't have to play metal on it, especially a stock one. If you got mine, with EMG 81/SA/85 in it and a 18V mod, then sure - that's metal. I think we're half-joking about it, but the neck is extremely fast, and along with the block or AANJ heels they have incredible neck access. Also I firmly believe that the lo-pro Edge bridges are right up there with OFR's as the best bridges ever made. You can definitely play blues/rock on them, but don't be surprised that they won't sound anything like a Fender.
Also Duppin, we've all been there in GAS land. You'll never find the tone you have in your head, and consequently the tone you get in your bedroom is much different than what you'd actually want to record or play live with.
I'm pretty sure I had my dream tone with my ENGL fireball, but it got continually drowned out by my band-mades 5150. That's when I converted.
I've had both block heel and AANJ and they're both pretty good. I think I like the block heel just a little more.
I don't think at this point I want anything to do with a locking trem. It's one of the reasons I didn't keep that Squier.
I picked up a little 4 watt Vox yesterday. I think I might like the Vox sound, particularly with P90s. But that could change in a few days.
I picked up a little 4 watt Vox yesterday. I think I might like the Vox sound, particularly with P90s. But that could change in a few days.
The difference between a Squier and an RG550 with an Edge pro is night and day dude. Cheap guitars with cheap trems will always be a tuning nightmare. Good guitars with quality trems are not. You set them up once and make small adjustments here and there, that's it.
Agreed. That said - have you ever played an EBMM, with their incredible non-locker and compensated nut? Holy fucking shit what a FANTASTIC setup. I have a JP6, and I can abuse the trem just as much as - if not more than I do on my Ibby/Suhrs/etc, and the thing just will not go out of tune. They are absolutely awesome.
Edit: This is the EBMM compensated nut:
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
- 38,359
- 16,249
Man you cannot really compare a squier to a mid/top-tier Ibanez with one of the highest rated double-locking trems ever made.
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
- 38,359
- 16,249
Only played one once for a very short time. Not a huge fan of EBMM so never gave it a fair shot.
It's less about "comparing" than the fact that a locking trem of any quality is extra hassle I don't need to be subjecting myself to at this point. I am doing fine with my fingers for now.
The only difference between a locking trem and the trems on the Squier/strats that you're looking at is the locking pads at the nut dude. You can just not use them, and a quality trem will still outperform every single low end floater you can think of.
Those are pretty solid too. I have a bunch of buddies with Warmoths, and those are almost always the go-to for them.
Definitely check out an EBMM sometime. They are seriously nice guitars.
I get that. The Squier actually had a locking trem on it. But right now, I'd rather stick with a hardtail. That's what I'm saying.