Good Shred guitar?

Hey,
I got some money to buy another guitar :D so i'm keen on getting a type of guitar i dont have - a metal/rock/shred guitar :cool: . I was wondering if any of you guys have any suggestions as to a good guitar which fits these requirements - i can afford anything up to a jackson soloist but nothing in the price range of say...a PRS :( .
My initial thoughts for wood, pickups etc is a fast, thin maple neck with an ebony fretboard, hard rock maple body, EMG humbuckers, Floyd Rose. Could you guys make any suggestions as to what guitar i should get? (i dont mind if the guitar is not exactly the same as my initial thoughts, if it is a good guitar, ill consider it)

These are some guitars i've been looking at:

Jackson Dinky
Jackson Soloist
Ibanez Jem
Ernie Ball Musicman Axis (?!)


Any suggestions and reviews?

Thanks

Heh, thats what i thought - any other thoughts anyone? Anyone know about Ibanez RG series guitars?

Check out the ESP M-II. It's basically the same guitar that Kirk Hammett plays minus the inlays and his name on it.... It's good to know that you have a good idea of what you want... a lot of people come on here and ask what guitar they should buy without any idea of what they want or need in a guitar. However... you won't find a guitar with a hard rock maple body... I'm sure someone has made one... unless you're talking about a quilted or flames maple top... but you won't find a major company selling any solid maple body electric guitars... Alder, Mahogany, Basswood, and Poplar are the more common body woods. The Soloist would be a nice axe to have... also you might want to look into the Carvin Custom Shop... you might be able to afford a Custom Shop gutiar from there?
Good luck!

Some one said Carvin. Id listen to them

also the JEm is overpriced. try the PGM or a RGT or prestige model.

as for jacksons, not very mant 24 fret models and the neck joint restricts higher fret acces unless u get a neck through.

For a general fast guitar:

any guitar with a thin satinized neck (mostly maple). Most people like a 25 1/2 scale neck to shred because there is a decent amount of space between frets. Also, a light weight guitar can help your playing because it causes less stress on your arms. Company doesnt really matter, its all about personal preference.

One person can rip away on a Les Paul while another person cant even completly grasp its neck properly, therefore its all about playing the guitar before making a real decision.

Soloist. For sure.

Ok, thanks for your help people, ill try to make my decision soon :D

Ughhhh, one thing - i've looked at the carvin custom shop models but they seem a bit "PRS/Gibson like" dont they? Are you sure people use carvin custom shop guitars to play metal?!

Also, does anyone know if the Soloist sl2h comes with a matted neck (not glossy)? If not, then why do so many use it to shred with? Surely its harder to play quickly on a glossy neck :confused:

Before you go on and buy a Jackson try one out. I would actually suggest an Ibanez Rg or something because they feel a lot better... well at least for me. If you really want a guitar with a Floyd Rose not Edge Pro your best bet would be an ESP. But yeah go and try them first before making your purchase.

ok thanks, ill go try some out!

I had a Carvin DC127 for awhile but recently sold it. I felt it was an excellent guitar; the original floyd on that axe was the best I have ever played. It was also a very versatile guitar so you could get multiple tones out of it - I swapped the carvin pickups for EMGs (81/85). Plus using particular amps / pedals can punch up the dirt and give you some legit metal tones. The build quality of the Carvin was high - usually takes them 4-6 weeks to build a custom axe. I am thinking about possibly ordering another Carvin but can't decide on a model - there are a couple models that I like but they don't come in a floyd rose version so their out for me. Frustrating trying to find a guitar that has exactly what you want - even with the millions of guitars that are out there.
There was an American Special Series Fender Strat with an HSS pick up configuration and original floyd but they don't make it anymore (the guys in Maiden - Smith / Murray - have been using them for a few years now).

I am also currently considering a Jackson soloist (SL2H), but I have yet to find a paint job (finish) that I like enough, given the cost involved. I know that they are great guitars, but I want everything about it to be what I want, including the finish. Has anybody seen any decent finishes? Please don't point out the blue flame finish. (I have not actually played the SL2H yet.)
I had a DKMG with the piranha inlays (also swapped out the pickups for EMGs (81/85). I felt that was a very solid guitar but I am looking to drop a substantial sum on a high quality guitar (not $3,000 for a Gibson or PRS) but enough to swing an SL2H. (I want the Floyd anyway so those guitars aren't options for me - floyds suit my playing better - some people like them - some don't - it's all personal preference and style.) I am sending an ESP LTD EC Deluxe 1000 back to Musician's Friend tomorrow - 24-fret guitar but it is very difficult to accesss the high frets - why have them if it is too hard to get to them? Great guitar otherwise - earvana compensted nut, EMGs, Sperzel tuners, etc. - but not well-suited for my playing.
I am also looking at the Ibanez JS1000 (Black Pearl). There is a guy in New Jersey that you can order from who also does a complete set up on every guitar b/f shipping. I think his name is Rich Harris- www.ibanezrules.com.

Sorry for the long post.

Thanks alot for the detailed post im considering the guitars you have mentioned..

Originally Posted by: hhcaveUghhhh, one thing - i've looked at the carvin custom shop models but they seem a bit "PRS/Gibson like" dont they? Are you sure people use carvin custom shop guitars to play metal?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, because I don't want to offend you, but are you trying to say that most people don't use PRS or Gibson for metal? My favorite metal band, In Flames, their one guitar player plays Gibson exclusively, and the other one plays Gibsons and ESPs (by the way, man, you should check into ESP, in general, good brand. However, just as with all companies, you will find a bad guitar here and there.) Cradle of Filth is another big metal band, their one guitar player plays PRS exclusively. I forget what the other guy plays. I'll look it up, maybe. Anyway, I don't see why people wouldn't use Carvin Custom Shop guitars to play metal. They seem good for it, to me. Again, sorry if that's not what you meant, but that's the way it came off to me.

Ok, in my opinion, you should get an Ibanes S series guitar. They're beautifully made from mahogany, but the edges are thin, so even though mahogany is a heavy wood, they're no heavier than any standard electric. They sound great for both clean and dirty tones. Do yourself a favor, and at least try a few, even if you're not interested. They might surprise you.

Heh, sorry - i've seen people use les pauls in shred metal bands (Trivium) - the thing is i have a les paul and have a problem with sliding up and down the neck quickly and there is slight restriction of playability in the higher frets, nevertheless it is a GREAT guitar, i can play most of your average solos (Mr Crowley, Aces High, The Trooper) quite comfortably on it but i want to take it a step further - im going after vai and gilbert stuff (when i said metal that included this kind of stuff as well as trivium, children of bodom, dragon force etc.) - i NEED a stripped neck for that stuff. Ill go and try out an S style ibanez at my local guitar shop now...looks good! PS: are the S Style guitars only made in Japan or can you get USA made ones?


PS: just re-iterating ----- when i said metal i meant SHRED

Carvins are solid for metal/shred. The necks are relatively thin and i believe they have a flat fretboard radius. U can order with 3 different bridges (fixed, wilkenson, or floyd). also theres an tung oil option of the back of the neck which supposedly plays super fast. And they're neck-thru!

Check this site out http://drumcityguitarland.com/ They do free setups and give you free stuff.

Hey, let me know what you think of the S. And actually, mine was made in korea, but assembled in a factory in PA. haha, interesting, eh? I didn't know they made em in japan too. I'm not sure where else they may be made. And you're right. The LP's aren't great for shred, in my opinion. There was only one (out of like 10) that I could really get screamin' on.

Ok, thanks for the info on the carvin guitars, ill check them out - ive looked at some ESP guitars, does anybody know anything about the Eclipse 2 standard and the M-II standard?

Thanks

PS: The shop i went to didnt have decent strings ono the s that i was able to try so i was playing on a rusty pair of trings with a ridiculously high action :mad: so sorry, i cant really say how it would play with new strings and lowered action. I like the thin neck and body though!


PPS: I've just checked out the carvin website - the guitars seem to be awsesome! Im now seriously considering a carvin! Anyone know anything about the DC727 and is a Floyd Rose trem useful of seven strings (never owned one before)? ALSO, im looking at the DC400 or the Bolt if i go for a 6 six guitar - anyone know anything about these guitars?

Any suggestions would be appreciated...