Suhr guitars.

[ClintN667]

I just dropped an amp off with a tech in my city and there is a boutique shop a block away so I dropped by. They had a St Vincent, some PRS, some USA fenders, Rivolta. Basically a lot of really nice guitars but not in my wheelhouse. Then in their Suhr section that had a couple of about all the styles that Suhr offers. I picked up a Surh modern and holy shit I was blown away. My main two guitar that I love are a Solar S1.6 and an LTD Sparrowhawk. Which both of them were around 1000 each. This guitar was $4500. I dont see how you guys can swing guitars like this but now I understand why someone would want to spend that kind of money on guitars like these.

I am firmly in the sub $1000 but I would at least like to have one higher end guitar in the future. For metal guys what do you guys recommend to get close to that kind of quality? I've been toying with the idea of a Mayones or Balaguer but for those of you who play higher end guitars what do you recommend?

 

[Dimebag11]

EBMM

 

[mystixboi]

Balaguer... I had to sell my Suhrs to pay for some unexpected medical bills. When I had some cash I tried a BG. I never looked back. Fantastic playability and tone

 

[Findthetone1]

I feel ya OP. I tried a Tom Anderson for the first time a few weeks ago and it pretty much ruined me.

 

[Monkey Man]

You could maybe look for a second-hand Suhr Modern Satin, Clint.

It's the cheapest Modern model (much cheaper), and IMHO sounds fantastic. You're looking at a mahogany body and neck, but with the same PU's and PU-configuration options that you have with the Modern Pro range.

The finish is basic, and the neck not-as-slick, but if it's a fat, woody tone you like, there's no way you can improve on this thing with anything in the Modern range, at any price IMHO.

 

[jski59]

For $4500 that Suhr must have been loaded with options. While the fancy woods are nice there are plenty of used ones out there in the $1500-2k range.

I’ve had several over the years (still have a holy grail standard I bought in ‘09), don’t be afraid to get a “cheaper” model as they’re all excellent.

I gigged a Modern Satin and those have to be the best deals in a top shelf guitar anywhere.

 

[ClintN667]

Im not a single coil or tele kinda guy this was the only model that I gravitated to. It did have a pretty nice paint job. I like Andy Wood's sig too though even though its a tele. That guy is a beast. You know you can shred when you have Ben Eller relegated to bass duties.

 

[Monkey Man]

... don’t be afraid to get a “cheaper” model as they’re all excellent.

I gigged a Modern Satin and those have to be the best deals in a top shelf guitar anywhere.

Agreed!

I got to keep a BelgalBurst Modern Pro HSH and Modern Satin HSH for an extended period before deciding to send the Pro back. Great finish, fancy-assed use of multiple woods, slick neck, but... the bridge HB sound scratchy and thin to me, whereas the same HB in the Satin was kickass.

I concluded that the Satin had to be the best-value Suhr guitar bar none, and that to my ears it sounded way superior to the Pro, which was, like, 40% more-expensive or something.

 

[Racerxrated]

If you want a new guitar check out Chubtone...they can do any neck profile you want, probably source any wood as well and you'll come in WAY under 4k. I have played a few used but mint Suhrs and TA's and I get why people love them..they are great guitars. I am in the Charvel camp though, and feel a Charvel custom shop can be just as amazing as anything out there. I've owned 3.
I was quoted around 1700 for a Chub with same color headstock and a GG case. Shipped. They had a 6 month lead time for builds..
I'm not one to spend too much on a guitar though, and would rather have 2 more cool amps and a nice used sub 1K guitar instead of 1 guitar that is 4K new, hence my sub 1K Charvel USAs from 08 and 09. You can get lucky with those, and score one that plays like a dream and has great tone/resonance as well..I've gone through 20 something of these USAs and found 2 that are flat out killer.

 

[Nitrobattery]

Fancy tops drive the price up pretty quickly. My buddy just picked up a used Modern Satin for $1,600. You can usually find used Modern Pro models with maple tops around 2k used. I have four Suhr guitars myself, but they're all pretty plain Jane with solid colors...which equals way less cash.

The Charvel DK24's (non USA) are around 1k new and everyone is raving about them. That'd be in the ballpark spec-wise of a Modern for a lot less dough.

 

[ClintN667]

If you want a new guitar check out Chubtone...they can do any neck profile you want, probably source any wood as well and you'll come in WAY under 4k. I have played a few used but mint Suhrs and TA's and I get why people love them..they are great guitars. I am in the Charvel camp though, and feel a Charvel custom shop can be just as amazing as anything out there. I've owned 3.
I was quoted around 1700 for a Chub with same color headstock and a GG case. Shipped. They had a 6 month lead time for builds..
I'm not one to spend too much on a guitar though, and would rather have 2 more cool amps and a nice used sub 1K guitar instead of 1 guitar that is 4K new, hence my sub 1K Charvel USAs from 08 and 09. You can get lucky with those, and score one that plays like a dream and has great tone/resonance as well..I've gone through 20 something of these USAs and found 2 that are flat out killer.

Thanks I will check Chubtone out. Charvels are kinda are starting to appeal to me a lot more than they used to. I've done an online mock up of a Balaguer thats pretty a decked out superstrat(evertune, SS frets, trans black maple top) It worked out to be about 2k. I'm the same way about amps though thats usually where my mind is. I love my Solar S1.6 and my LTD Sparrowhawk but as absolutely as fantastic as the Suhr was I dont think it was $3000 worth of improvement. Mainly just a fancy top and a well built guitar. I find that I'm preferring heavier weighted superstrats for the most part. Just something about playing a solid guitar.

 

[cardinal]

Suhr guitars are super nice.

You can get the same playability on just about any guitar, though, for around $100 with a pro fret level. I can recommend someone in Delaware if you don't know anyone.

Then it's easy to stay under your $1,000 budget, even if you redo the electronics too.

 

[ClintN667]

I have a guy that I take my guitars to so the guitars I do have are in the best possible shape. He used to work with Dean doing setups for some of their artists so when I take my guitars to him I try to hang out cause he has cools stories.

 

[cardinal]

I have a guy that I take my guitars to so the guitars I do have are in the best possible shape. He used to work with Dean doing setups for some of their artists so when I take my guitars to him I try to hang out cause he has cools stories.

Pretty cool! But a fret level is more than just a set up. A skilled fret level job is what makes these uber expensive guitars play so well. It's not the fancy paint or wood. The right guy can make a Squier play as well as a Suhr as long as the neck is straight (and even then you could pull the frets, level the board, and redo the frets and level for a few hundred bucks).

 

[ClintN667]

Yeah he throws in fret leveling or even recrowning with the set up if needed.

 

[the rossness]

Under a grand, new the closest is a Charvel or Ibanez. Over a grand is Kiesel. You can find Suhr a Classic strat used for $1800-ish. There's also Rasmus. I have one and its AMAZING! Vigier guitars also pop up once in a bit.

 

[skullfxr]

I am in concurrence with the guys who are saying that fretwork and setup make or break a guitar.

I tend to keep it under a grand (on the used market) too. I love my ibanez prestiges, and higher end used MIJ Jacksons, (most I paid easy $250) and after fretwork and a setup they slay.