Which Guitar: Yamaha, Gibson, Fender or Line 6?

;ivlunsdystf · Post by **;ivlunsdystf** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 4:28 pm

The cheap funky stuff is da true SNAKE OIL dude! YEEEEAAAAH!

We are neglecting the exceedingly polite chap who started this thread. Everybody cast your vote: Yamaha, Gibson, Tele, Line 6, or Line 6 transplant into Yamaha exoskeleton? I vote option five.

jeddypoo · Post by **jeddypoo** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 4:56 pm

Tele.

jmoose · Post by **jmoose** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 5:42 pm

That's really a personal thing man...I'm not exactly a "Satriani type weirdo" or anything...just a guy who's been playing for like 17+ years but really, there's a reason that some guitars cost what they do. Gibson is largely hit or miss, you can find a great one or a hunk of firewood. I wouldn't trade the ones I own for anything, nor would I get rid of my USA Schecter Tele or the PRS but hey...whatever works for 'ya.

To me, the Line 6 paddles are a great concept but the execution sucks. They feel kinda cheap and that bugs me, because if I'm shelling out $1K I want the guitar to feel like a $1K instrument. If you're really considering the surgery you should consider getting a replacement Warmoth body & neck for the guts; http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/line6/line6.cfm

That rosewood Tele you're looking at is made of solid rosewood, and that's a wildely different sound then a guitar with a standard rosewood fretboard. Check one out before you order it...most people think it'll be WAY cool until they play one. They're really, really dark in tone and pretty freakin' heavy. But George Harrison played one for about a minute so they must be kool...

Antero · Post by **Antero** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 10:04 pm

I wouldn't buy the Gibson, because Gibson is a bunch of bastards.

I wouldn't buy the Variax, because every recording I've heard of one sounds like an approximation of a guitar. They can do a lot of sounds, they're just not all that fantastic. I wouldn't even consider one until I already had a few high-quality guitars - then it would serve to fill out a few holes in the collection, rather than replace important sounds.

The other Yamaha SGV might overlap too much with what you already have.

My electrics are a Carvin DC135 ($420 new - I love sales

) and a Danelectro DC3 ($190 used). The Carvin handles most of my sonic demands and plays so easily that I don't suck, and the DC3 gives me a range of less common jangles and twangs.

As less expensive guitars go, Carvin will always be my first choice - the Bolts will take down a Strat 2 or 3 times the price. A used Reverend could also serve you well - Slingshots are awesome. As imports go, I've heard a lot of surprised praise for Agile (rondomusic.net) and Eastwood (myrareguitars.com) - you could take one of those, throw in fancy pickups (Lollar, Vintage Vibe, Harmonic Design, etc.) and have something rather impressive for rather little.

One thing you have to consider here is what sound you want the new guitar to have - you've already got a single coil guitar, so do you want more of that? I know I'm committed to single coils at this point, but you might not have settled, in which case something with humbuckers (or maybe P90s) would be in order. I'd certainly try to avoid too much overlap, tonally.

jeddypoo · Post by **jeddypoo** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 7:51 am

You're right, it is a personal thing-I've been playing for 16 years myself and I still have no interest in owning a really high-end guitar- in fact I just got rid of the Guild Slimjim I've had for 8 years because I was tired of being careful with it. I mean it's not some sort of punk rock crap guitar ethos or something, I just don't think most guitars are worth $1000, you know?

Rufer · Post by **Rufer** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:25 am

You may want an attractive looking guitar in your collection--seeing as you already have an sgv, go with the Fender.

A real nice Fender neck rules everything. The cheap ones just don't have 'em and that's exactly where the tone starts and truly makes all the difference.

jeddypoo · Post by **jeddypoo** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:21 am

bah, humbug!

;ivlunsdystf · Post by **;ivlunsdystf** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:29 am

You don't own a high-end guitar, it owns you.

jeddypoo · Post by **jeddypoo** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:42 am

Exactly my point. Of course, unfortunately, you could extend that to pretty much everything one buys.

r0ck1r0ck2 · Post by **r0ck1r0ck2** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:54 am

i'm just happy someone else loves the sgv....

but you gotta check out the sc300t!!
i'm telling you it's amazing...

and then there's the Squier '51...
that's a freak...cheap too...

daede · Post by **daede** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 2:32 pm

As someone already posted on this thread, you can get Warmoth to build you a strat style body to drop the Variax guts in. Might be a cool idea.

I have been a Fender guy for a long time. I've played some righteous vintage Gibsons that I would love to own.

My main two guitars at the moment are made in Mexico vintage reissue Fenders that I absolutely adore.

I have what is called a "Vintage Player '50s Strat" that is really cool. Flame maple soft V neck with medium jumbo frets and a 9.5" radius, (If you're familiar with the Clapton signature strat, it's VERY similar) an olympic white body, gold hardware and an anodized gold pickguard. I bought it new for $500.

My favorite guitar at the moment is a '69 Thinline reissue. Semi hollow with a mahogany body. I just had a Bigsby put on it. Great sounding guitar, fat, with nice sustain, and it's pretty light and I paid $500 used for it.

Anyway- good luck with the search. Try a lot of guitars.

hammertime · Post by **hammertime** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 4:14 pm

I've had a bunch of strats and teles, and they're great guitars. I just got a used Heritage semi-hollowbody for a little under a grand (you could probably get one for cheaper), and it definitely gives me a much different sound than any other guitar I've owned. More sustain than a tele or strat -- I don't really have to fuck around with the amp or pedals, just plug it in, clean or dirty, it sounds and records great. Personally, I think those line six things suck. I saw the dude from Line Six demo one in San Francisco, and it had that "almost" quality that characterizes Line 6 stuff. It almost sounds like a strat, almost like a tele, almost sounds like an acoustic.

foxystoat · Post by **foxystoat** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:25 pm

First, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to my post. I've been busy the last few days and haven't had a chance to reply. Part of this was spent hunting down the 50th issue of Tape Op at a Tower Records. If I don't include a reply to you below, please don't think I didn't read or appreciate your input.

tatertot: Don't worry, you still have quite a ways to go before you catch up with Joel. I know I'll eventually end up doing the modification, but it will probably be a while.

bounce: I'm glad there are actually some other people out there that have played one of the SGV and realized what a good guitar it is. I'm rather afraid of changing the pickups out with anything else, because I already like the way they sound. I wish that we in the states had the same selection to choose from that the Japanees market did.

r0ck1r0ck2: I'm researching the other guitars you mentioned.

jeddypoo: The Faded LP, the one I'm considering, is only about $700. To me, that isn't too expensive, although I could spend that much and get four or five cheap guitars instead. I'm also considering a Silvertone SSL3 at this point.

jmoose: I'm of the same opinion about the Variax; I can't stand the physical build of the guitar. I was aware of the Warmoth bodies and necks, but I think I'd rather like to attempt the SGV modification like I described. Aesthetically, I've never liked the Strat or Tele body styles. Thanks for the information on the rosewood Tele.

Anteru: I'm interested in a P90 or a Tele type single coil. Though, the more I look, I keep finding different things. Now I'm also considering a Danelectro MOD7.

daede: Thanks for the information and I will try to get my hands on as many of these as I can before making a commitment.

hammertime: What model is your Heritage, if you don't mind me asking?

Regards,
Bejamin W.

;ivlunsdystf · Post by **;ivlunsdystf** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:44 pm

If you need another reason not to buy a Gibson, I just stumbled on an interview with Paul Reed Smith where he confirmed that he is (was?) being sued by Gibson recently for ... get this ... manufacturing a single-cutaway guitar. I don't like companies that behave like that.

Maybe you need a double or triple neck guitar. That reminds me: Has anybody ever seen a doubleneck guitar that has the necks pointed away from one another so there is a right-handed and a left-handed side? If the necks were totally on the same axis they could actually share a set of strings, for better or for worse.

The closest thing I've seen was a little S10 pickup that was modified so there were two cabs, one facing towards the front and one towards the back. I assume that this was a cosmetic and not a mechanical feature although I suppose there might have been two competing engines, steering columns, etc. Some tough decisions in the design-build of that one.

Sorry, I just had to get this off my chest. Good luck buying the guitar of your dreams!

foxystoat · Post by **foxystoat** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 8:18 pm

I remember reading about that lawsuit a while ago. Gibson also ran Oberheim and their product line into the ground when they acquired them. Knowing all this, I still don't think it would stop me from buying the model I'm considering from them, if that is the one I decide on. Maybe it will... I don't know. I've also been considering the PRS SE Soapbar II or SE EG.

That lawsuit was dismissed, though and PRS is now able to manufacture the single cutaway models again. Not that I agree with Gibsons rationale to begin with.

Regards,
Benjamin W.

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