Newbie.. needing help picking a new guitar to buy

[Tonedef]

I know this will probably get 50 different answers based on user preference but I have no idea what to step up to next for a guitar.

 

I bought a Squier Affinity Strat about 6 months ago never have picked up a guitar before except for a couple of days in my youth which don't account for any real world value. I got it at Guitarcenter for about 60 bucks in what looked like new condition to me and all I had to go on was how it felt in my hands since I barely know how to hold one and of course being a Metalhead all my life I know the big name brands and Fender is a recognizable name.

 

It has been great for me to this point but I am getting to the point where I need that 22nd fret. I also am getting I think it is called fret buzz on 2 strings but the Low E is pretty bad on the 1-9ish frets. So rather than having a pro setup the guitar to fix this, I am thinking of a new guitar. I also have a problem where the game doesn't recognize my bends even though I have broken a couple of strings now trying to get the game to register that I am actually doing it... This would be the pickups I am guessing?

 

So that is my dilemma. I need a guitar that has 24 playable frets with decent electronics in it so I can progress in the game with bends. I really like the way the Strat sits on my lap when playing but I am sure I would get used to another style though I think except like the Dave Mustaine Dean or the Dimebag Dean extreme styles due to me sitting to play as much as I love to play the music.

 

Any of you kind souls out there that know much more than me, I ask of your guidance. I am not sure of my price range but if its the right thing I guess I don't really have one but if it come down to a Corvette or a guitar... I am going with the Vette. I will most likely get it from guitarcenter if that will help in the guidance.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Tonedef

[AtGame7]

I was in nearly the same situation recently as I am a rookie and needed my first "real" guitar.  I searched web site after web site looking at hundreds of guitars.  Finally, after all that searching I just went into Guitar Center and found a sales person I felt comfortable with and she helped me pick one out.  I am very happy with my purchase and it's one I don't think I ever looked at on-line, at least I don't remember if I did.

[dazedandbemused]

Leaving aside the issue with bends.... my main advice would be to look at some Ibanez guitars(RG and S series, since they're roughly strat-shaped), and Jackson(Soloist and Dinky) to start with. There are some good guitars in those ranges that'll set you back less than a horribly beat-up third hand Corvette.

 

Also, have a tech look at your strat. It may not be that tricky(or expensive) to fix, and having a spare guitar for other tunings(or different gauge strings) is always a good thing. And if it's really bad, raise the action and buy a slide.

[MVega]

Tell us what music you're most interested in playing, bands etc. That's going to make a big difference. What kind of guitar does your favorite guitar hero play?

[philo5080]

Hi Tonedef! Having just gone through this very same situation a couple years ago, maybe I can give you some advice on some things to look for. The first guitar I had was an old  ST-2 Stinger made by C.F Martin years ago. I thought the same thing you did when you picked up that Squire. Martin makes some of the best acoustic guitars you can buy, so although cheap it must at least be decent.......no so. The thing would not stay in tune and had fret buzz like you cant imagine. This thing actually was so unpleasant to play, that I hung the whole idea of playing guitar up for like 20 years until Rocksmith came along and I decided to try it again. Using that same old dog guitar, I had the same issues you are having with bends, tons of stray noise, tuning, etc. Even with good strings it was bad. Nothing seemed to help. I decided to give it one more chance and started looking for a new guitar. After sifting through tons of forums and talking to people who play, it came down to these important things: #1 make sure the neck feels "right" to you, and choose a body shape that's comfortable to you while sitting. No one stands for two hours learning scales and chords. #2 Tuners. get a guitar that has name brand tuners, or at least ones that a big manufacturer will stamp their name on.  #3 The bridge. same deal as with the tuners, look for name brands. I wanted to avoid anything not "fixed" as my old guitar had an imitation Floyd Rose style on it that was terrible.  #4 pickups. You don't have to have high end EMGs or Seymore Duncans, but make sure it has something in it other than a "single coil" or "humbucker" in the description. If you bought Chocolate Metal Shredders cereal, the free prize inside would probably be a "humbucker" pickup.... :P

 

In the end I decided on a Schecter Omen Extreme. It has all of the above things I mentioned and plays phenomenally well. I think I spent like $350 on it, so it doesn't break the bank. BUT, there were several others out there made by Jackson, Ibanez, Epiphones, that were in the same price range with the same qualities, so there are tons to choose from.

 

Hope that helps a little bit, and have fun shopping!

[noahfence]

I'm a noob too, and I made the mistake of getting a guitar with a Floyd Rose.  My thought process was that I'd rarely have to tune it, which was something I was no good at.  Still not, really.  And the reason is the Floyd Rose.  So while you don't have to bother with the constant re-tuning that a cheap guitar forces you to do, it also stunts your growth as far as learning how to tune it.

[Tonedef]

Sorry the Quote didn't work. Was replying to Mvega for this first part. I cant seem to copy/paste either... different problem though:)

 

I grew up on Slayer, Megadeth, Pantera, Prong and so on.

 

Got introduced to Rush, Floyd and Queensryche have always been a fan since and now listen to other progressive styles like Dream Theater, Nightwish and ill toss Tool into progressive.

 

I also listen to the Nu metal I guess its called like Mudvayne, Deftones(Tonedef backwards) Fear Factory, slipknot, Soulfly, static-X.

 

Don't know how to classify the rest. Older Incubus, NiN, Nirvana. AIC, Manson or SOAD.

 

Not a full list but I can switch from E-standard Megadeth to Rush to C# Static X back to Drop D Tool or Pantera in a moments notice.

 

Mvega I named the guitars Dimebag and Mustaine play:) but as you can see i enjoy more then just old school Metal. I have been looking at Dean and Ibanez, atleast leaning towards that way, more towards the Ibanez after all the replies.

 

Noahfence, My concern for tuning is gone now. I constantly change while playing and have no problem tuning. May not be perfect by ear but I always know if I am tuning up or down based on my previous tune and roughly what it should sound like.

 

Thanks Philo5080 for the lengthy response. You have guided me towards Ibanez the most along with Dazed giving me specific Models to look at. The biggest problem of it all is i am a disabled Vet. I cant just run to Guitar center and pick up 20 different guitars looking for the right one, my condition sadly doesn't allow for it and I will be doing an online buy. This is why i needed the guidance of passionate players which this site obviously has to sit and recreate music for others to enjoy learning from.

 

Thanks for all the responses and in that may come after. Playing guitar will never be anything i become a pro at but I love playing along with the bands I grew up with, no matter how bad i am at it:)

[thlunasa]

If you're used to the massively thick neck of a Fender, then Ibanez is not the best idea.

Well, Ibanez has *some* thick necks such as the SAS (S, Archtop, Set-neck) or RGT (RG, neck-Through), but Jackson's necks are marginally thicker... still not as thick as a Fender.

 

If thick-necks are your jazz, I would agree with Philo that Schecter is a good brand to pick, you will get decent genuine features for a decently low price. Consider ESP as well.

If you're doing an online buy - consider Agile Guitars, they have super-cheap base models, and you can specify upgrades such as EMGs. They also do the crazier stuff like extended-scale, 7/8/9 string, multi-scale...

 

As for me, I need a super-thin neck (asian guy, tiny hands) so I'm an Ibanez boy all the way!

[Tonedef]

Thanks thlunasa. Like i said the Fender was a good start. A thinner neck will do wonders for my hands as i miss a lot of chords that need stretching, pretty much non simple chords:) Only 5 foot 9 so my hands aren't huge by any means.

 

I will check into Agile as well.

[Olorin]

The only way to know the guitar is the right one is by playing it. We all can tell u more than 10 diffrent guitars what could fit. But u have to now which one feels right in your hands.

 

So grab your pocket money and go to the next guitar store, tell them what sort of guitar u want, depends on genre and play some.

[Spades]

Thanks thlunasa. Like i said the Fender was a good start. A thinner neck will do wonders for my hands as i miss a lot of chords that need stretching, pretty much non simple chords:) Only 5 foot 9 so my hands aren't huge by any means.

 

I will check into Agile as well.

 

I would highly suggest checking out a Epiphone Special SG. It was my first guitar and honestly I prefer it to my Fender Strat. They can be had for about $100 at most used guitar stores. $200 new. They look very nice and feel wonderful for a cheaper guitar.

[thlunasa]

@@Spades

I didn't know they made 24-fret SGs?

 

@@Tonedef

Hmm, well if a thinner neck is good for you, then here's a list of typical neck thicknesses:

BASEBALL BAT (like 28mm): Schecter Guitar Research

THICKEST (24mm): Gibson/Fender (Epiphone/Squier)

THICKER (21mm): Agile

THICK (20mm): ESP

MEDIUM (19mm): Jackson

THIN (17mm): Ibanez, Hagstrom

THINNER: Anyone wanna give me some recommendations? :D

 

tl;dr Consider how many steps thinner than your Strat you want, then have a look at that particular brand.

I'm also 5'9" actually, so our hands might be nearly similar. Consider the 19-20mm range, I guess.

Not all models from a brand have the same neck. Ibanez has stuff as thick as 21-23mm, Agile has stuff as thin as 17-21mm.

[Tonedef]

I thank you all for the help. I f i didn tmention it above I can not simply grab my pocket money and go to the guitar store.

 

I am disabled and I play Rocksmith to basically waste time but I have gotten decent at it and its why i want to make the next step up because I love the music and want to improve even more..

 

My disability leaves my less than mobile without a lot of planning which is why i was asking for specifics from this community. I know there is 50 different guitars that would fit well, I was just hoping someone could point out a specific guitar for me with what im looking for such as 24 frets and better pickups. A lot of Dimebag stuff has that 22nd fret i need... and i want the game to recognize a sustain for more than 3 seconds and actually pickup that im am bending the crap out of the string. The thinner neck was just a bonus and the Ibanez has that easy sit on your lap and play for hours shape so i was leading towards that.

 

If anyone wishes to suggest a model that fits those small guidelines and isn't an arm and a leg in price... I would love it. I wont hold it against you if it isn't perfect because I am not an expert and didn't even know what to look for at all before this thread. I know not to get humbucker or single coil which was a huge help because a lot of what i was looking at had one or the other on it.

 

The only other thing i can do is call guitarcenter and tell them these same things and have them suggest a guitar which they will likely look for a higher priced one.. So if anyone want to shoot some models at me. I will purchase from Guitarcenter and there is so many listed it is hard to pick even based on what i know now...

 

I can pay more than 200 bucks. i was expecting more like 3-400 or so for a good mid range guitar.

 

Again, Thanks in advance.

[Olorin]

Well allright, if u want it that way.

 

I had a Ltd Viper 10, pretty solid guitar. Good for those music u like.

[ledbthand]

Sounds like your frets are uneven and your pickups are to far away from the strings.  Normally a fret level / crown job and a setup would put you back in business.  However, that poor little guitar just isn't worth it.

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/In-Store-Used-USED-SCHECTER-DIAMOND-SERIES-OMEN-6-BROWN-110026996-i3684519.gc

 

Not a bad deal here and If the pickups aren't to your liking you can always order a budget aftermarket set from guitarheads.net or similar.  Most of the used GC guitars have setups done to them when they take them in.

 

I'm a vet myself so just jumping in the car and heading more than 10 or so miles down the road or to 5 or 6 guitar stores in a day is a bit of a process for me as well, I understand that for sure.

 

Used is the way to go for sure.  The majority of mine were bought used.  Good way to get a nice instrument for (most of the time) half off the original price!

 

Also, Craigslist :D

 

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/4398705079.html

[superinstaller]

+1 for Ibanez   got mine new for 220.00  and love it.   She is my first but my next one will be Ibanez.

[DahlKen]

All good advice here, except for the Agile stuff. I have had 4 Agiles, (still have 2) and never got one from Rondo that didn't need to be set-up, frets leveled, and/or electronics changed out. I've played with a bunch of the early to mid 80s Orange County punk bands, so have always preferred the Les Pauls and have spent WAY too much money on the ones I have/had. For bang for the buck, and the only ax I have that gets played even close to as much as my '77 Gibby LP Deluxe is the Epiphone LP Tribute Plus. Outstanding craftsmanship with the T+'s, Gibby pickups, pots, and wiring, deep set neck joint, and can be had used for about 400-500. And they come with a hard shell case! Definitely have a look at them as if you like the growl and bite of a classic Les Paul, but don't want to spend 2K on a real one, the Epi T+ can't be beat.

[Daring33]

 

I know not to get humbucker or single coil which was a huge help because a lot of what i was looking at had one or the other on it.

 Just want to point out to you that most guitars do infact have humbucking pickups or single coil pickups, I think what the poster above was trying to say to you was make sure they are of a certain quality i.e. they have a brand name attached to them and that they aren't just listed as 'single coil or humbucker'. I think if you buy one of the guitar brands suggested elswhere in this thread then you won't need to worry about who made the pickups. Given the style of music that you like and the fact that you are looking for the extra fret I think most of the guitars will have humbuckers on them or even a combination of the two.Good Luck in your search.

[MVega]

Since you're disabled, consider a more radical idea... Try a Steinberger. They're awesome guitars, not least because it's probably the best sit-down guitar I've ever played (I'm too old now to stand up and play for hours). The more recent models aren't very expensive -- I picked up an SS-2F for 400 euros, the Spirit line sells even cheaper, used. The Hohners are just as good, from what I've heard (but I liked the SS-2F's matte finish better).

 

The new Transcale line is a baritone with a built-in capo -- could be really interesting for the type of music you're playing. I think they're also using active pickups, which again, suits the music you're into.

 

I love the hell out of the neck on mine. It's not thin by any means -- it's more of a Gibson-style U, but it just fits sweetly in my hands. I don't have huge hands either. It's also a carbon-wood hybrid, so it's very responsive but nice and solid. It's got the 22 frets you want. The phenolic fretboard is really nice -- very smooth. I didn't think I'd like a non-wood fretboard, but I'm sold on it.

 

Now that I've gone headless, I don't think I'll ever go back. It's really nice not having the extra weight of the headstock. And the zero fret makes a huge difference in playing, especially bar chords at the low end.

 

No.... I do not work for Steinberger!

 

As for buying online -- I only buy online, since the shops around me don't really have guitars that interest me. And I wouldn't be comfortable playing in a store anyway.  I like to change guitars a lot, so it's not a big deal for me to play a guitar for a while, then sell it on when I'm ready for something else. (But if you do that, make sure only to buy brand name guitars.)