The old theory seems to ring true after all...

[Mudder]

I wouldn't waste my money on Gibson or PRS***! You really should checkout Carvin guitars. I love my TL60.

http://www.carvin.com

There you go. IMHO about the most guitar for the money on the market. Even better if you look used.

 

[headlessdeadguy]

I wouldn't waste my money on Gibson or PRS***! You really should checkout Carvin guitars. I love my TL60.

http://www.carvin.com

There you go. IMHO about the most guitar for the money on the market. Even better if you look used.

Agreed

 

[Greazygeo]

I had the guitar setup by 3 different professionals because of the problems I was having with it in comparison to the cheapo one. I'm not saying Ibanez Prestige's are not good, its just strange if I end up picking a much less expensive guitar because of its feel.

Well liking the feel of one guitar over another is something different from a guitar not functioning correctly. If you don't like the feel of one guitar a correct setup is not going to change that regardless of the price range....within reason of course.

I have high and lower end guitars, they all play in tune, intonate and function.

 

[grunge782]

I had the guitar setup by 3 different professionals because of the problems I was having with it in comparison to the cheapo one. I'm not saying Ibanez Prestige's are not good, its just strange if I end up picking a much less expensive guitar because of its feel.

Well liking the feel of one guitar over another is something different from a guitar not functioning correctly. If you don't like the feel of one guitar a correct setup is not going to change that regardless of the price range....within reason of course.

I have high and lower end guitars, they all play in tune, intonate and function.

Agreed. The Ibanez actually had a lot of buzz problems and I took it in to the techs and it still felt like the notes died out really fast. The "feel" of a guitar in my head has a lot to do with sustain too I think.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

The Early Ibanez Prestiges(2000-2002) were killer...Newer ones on the other hand sound cheap to me...especially for the increase in money.
Older ESP's are nice....pre-late 90's.

Just my opinion.

 

[just42dave]

I wouldn't waste my money on Gibson or PRS***! You really should checkout Carvin guitars. I love my TL60.

http://www.carvin.com

me to

 

[Jordon]

There are horror stories of Gibsons and PRS guitars, even ESP.

Sorry, just got a kick out of how it came across: "Gibson and PRS, and EVEN ESP!!!!!!!!1!!111ONE"

You're gonna have horror stories with every guitar manufacturer at some point. Though I'm curious of the PRS horror stories that stand next to the debacle that has been Gibson for the past few years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfnHaPrD3lQ&feature=related

Been watching these videos. What do you guys think, is this wrong or right? I mean he does actually own some nice guitars so he has a basis for forming an opinion.

Dude, don't ever let anyone tell you what guitar is right for you. Just go out there and play as many as you can. Take suggestions, sure, but take them for what they are: other people's opinions.

PRS guitars tried using ebony fret boards but the machinery snapped it like twigs because it takes real hands to put it in correctly. And I think they are overpriced for the materials. There are much better options in that price range.

ESP there aren't really horror stories that I know of but it drives me nuts that I would spend around 2000 on a guitar only to like a 800ish LTD guitar more.

And to be honest, I don't think having "horror stories" about every guitar company just puts them all on an even playing field. How the company handles it, how usual it is, the severity of the problems are factors.

I agree, I have to try guitars for myself, but I am trying to whittle away guitars that have no chance of me ever liking them based on the criteria I said.

You can objectively look at certain specs of guitars to at least get a basis, what hardware, wood, nut, neck, standards of inspection and such for judgement. I'm trying to gather information from other people's opinions to strengthen my lack of experience. I'm not going to go out and spend thousands of dollars a week trying new guitars. If I try a guitar, it has to be on my rig and I have to play it for at least a couple of days.

I've heard several horror stories about ESP, and no, saying that every company has them does not put them on and even playing field. PRS, for me, has been an upstanding company, and are much more worth the cash than a Gibson or Fender, with EBMM being the only company I have come across in a mass-production capacity to stand next to the consistency of PRS. Again, this is what I have found. By the way, every major company uses "machinery" to build their guitars. In fact, the company I just interviewed with today (won't divulge the name at the moment) does almost everything with CNC and they only use ebony for their fretboards. I have worked in the guitar manufacturing field in the past, and I'm hoping to get into it again, so I have a very good understanding of the construction and theories behind what makes a "good" guitar. I don't mean to sound like a condescending ass, but I find that PRS bashing (really, all bashing) usually comes from those who know very little about the company, or only have experience with the SE models and maybe one or two US models. The SE models, by the way, are excellent for the money, and I use one as one of my main live guitars.

By the way, I do own a Gibson, a few Fenders, an EBMM Stingray, and several other guitars of higher and lower quality. I've played selections from many, many, many companies.

PRS is worth more depending on what you get. However, what they use the machinery FOR is what matters, of course all guitars use some machinery, but PRS is ALL machinery made. Once a guitar company starts charging 15,000 for a guitar http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... sku=531047
I'm sorry I don't trust them or want to buy anything from them. And for the price I would much rather have a Music Man or a Parker.

No guitar is "all machinery made" unless you're counting human hands as machinery. Stuff like fitting neck pockets, sanding, fret crowning and dressing, hardware installation, wiring, setup, paint, polish, ect. is done by hand. I can't justify their prices, I do think that 15,000 for a guitar is insane for ANY manufacturer, and trust me when I say that if you want quality, Parker is NOT the way to go.

BTW, I used to work for US Music, and assembled and set up Parker guitars along with Washburns. Parkers are shiny pieces of shit, to be blunt about it.

 

[Greazygeo]

Agreed. The Ibanez actually had a lot of buzz problems and I took it in to the techs and it still felt like the notes died out really fast. The "feel" of a guitar in my head has a lot to do with sustain too I think.

Any guitar can be a dud....I had a PRS Standard that was a dud. Bought it new and it just never came around to being a guitar....Guitars with too thin of a neck don't normally sound very good. That's why I liked the Japan Prestige 5 pc necks, a bit thicker than the Wizards and much more stable. Sometimes necks will twist/ warp regardless. The two Prestige gtrs I had were great. Both were 05's I think...necks never moved and they sounded nice.

 

[gkinsingapore]

Sounds to me like an EBMM Axis could be right up your alley.

I have a EBMM Luke that I just can't get to feel right for me but my Axis is superb and a lot more versatile than you'd think.

 

[grunge782]

No guitar is "all machinery made" unless you're counting human hands as machinery. Stuff like fitting neck pockets, sanding, fret crowning and dressing, hardware installation, wiring, setup, paint, polish, ect. is done by hand. I can't justify their prices, I do think that 15,000 for a guitar is insane for ANY manufacturer, and trust me when I say that if you want quality, Parker is NOT the way to go.

BTW, I used to work for US Music, and assembled and set up Parker guitars along with Washburns. Parkers are shiny pieces of shit, to be blunt about it.

Good to know about the Parkers. Lots of hype about them, I heard they had to adjust their pickups because of how insanely bright they are.

How were the Washburns? If I'm right they use the Buzz Feiten system.

 

[grunge782]

The Early Ibanez Prestiges(2000-2002) were killer...Newer ones on the other hand sound cheap to me...especially for the increase in money.
Older ESP's are nice....pre-late 90's.

Just my opinion.

Sounds good
Used stuff is kind of strange though, because you don't always know the history and returns can be a pain. However, used can be big scores too. Just more of a gamble than getting it direct.

 

[grunge782]

Sounds to me like an EBMM Axis could be right up your alley.

I have a EBMM Luke that I just can't get to feel right for me but my Axis is superb and a lot more versatile than you'd think.

I'm sure its awesome, I just can't stand the shape.

 

[grunge782]

Agreed. The Ibanez actually had a lot of buzz problems and I took it in to the techs and it still felt like the notes died out really fast. The "feel" of a guitar in my head has a lot to do with sustain too I think.

Any guitar can be a dud....I had a PRS Standard that was a dud. Bought it new and it just never came around to being a guitar....Guitars with too thin of a neck don't normally sound very good. That's why I liked the Japan Prestige 5 pc necks, a bit thicker than the Wizards and much more stable. Sometimes necks will twist/ warp regardless. The two Prestige gtrs I had were great. Both were 05's I think...necks never moved and they sounded nice.

I guess thats what drives me so insane about purchasing a guitar . Its the variability even among the same models.

 

[Jordon]

No guitar is "all machinery made" unless you're counting human hands as machinery. Stuff like fitting neck pockets, sanding, fret crowning and dressing, hardware installation, wiring, setup, paint, polish, ect. is done by hand. I can't justify their prices, I do think that 15,000 for a guitar is insane for ANY manufacturer, and trust me when I say that if you want quality, Parker is NOT the way to go.

BTW, I used to work for US Music, and assembled and set up Parker guitars along with Washburns. Parkers are shiny pieces of shit, to be blunt about it.

Good to know about the Parkers. Lots of hype about them, I heard they had to adjust their pickups because of how insanely bright they are.

How were the Washburns? If I'm right they use the Buzz Feiten system.

Washburn USA Custom Shop guitars are top-notch. Well made, well put together, all around nice guitars. Just stay away from the models with the carbon-fiber Parker-style necks. Bad design move if you ask me (and the surely didn't haha)

 

[grunge782]

I wouldn't waste my money on Gibson or PRS***! You really should checkout Carvin guitars. I love my TL60.

http://www.carvin.com

I looked around a bit and found a Carvin I really like the shape of. I think I'm going to go ahead with one of those. I can't find many higher end 7 string guitars so it seems like a good choice for me. How long have you owned one and have you had any problems?

Anybody else could they chime in on Carvin? I'm specifically making sure that it LASTS, frets not wearing down or things of that nature if I keep it well maintained.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

http://www.warmoth.com

Why not just spec out and build exactly what you want? It's what I did and I don't regret it one bit.

Here are the two I built this year.
Finish work done by Warmoth, I just assembled them.
Warmoth also has a great forum to go along with their guitars.
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php

#1 Tele:
Warmoth Body:
Chambered Tele
Dark Blue dye/clear back
No binding, clean line option/no burst over

1-piece mahogany body
Unique Choice quilt maple top
Contoured heel
Tummy cut
HxH pick-up routing
Gotoh Tele humbucker bridge
Graphtec saddles
Rear contol route
Single volume
Blade 3-way switch - Strat position
Electrosocket jack
_____________________________________________________________
Warmoth Neck:
Warmoth Pro
Dark Blue dye/clear back
No binding/no burst over

3A flame maple neck
Jet black ebony board
Tele headstock shape
Quilt maple headstock veneer
1-11/16 nut
Graphtech graphite nut
Wolfgang neck profile
22 fret
SS6100 frets
No face dots/inlay
White side dots
Clear back
__________________________________________________________
Hardware:
All chrome
EMG 81/85 pups
Gotoh tuners
CRL 3-way blade switch w/black knob

#2 Soloist
Warmoth Body:
Carved Top Soloist
Amber dye/dark brown burst over/transparent dark brown back
No binding, clean burst over

1-piece mahogany body
Unique Choice flame maple top
Contoured heel
Recessed Floyd routing
_____________________________________________________________
Warmoth Neck:
Warmoth Pro
Amber dye/dark brown burst
No binding, clean line burst

3A flame maple neck
3A flame maple board
Warmoth headstock shape
1-11/16 nut width
R4 locking nut 1-11/16 string width
'59 Round Back profile
24 fret extension
SS6100 frets
Black side dots
Clear back and fretboard finish
_____________________________________________________________
Hardware:
All black
EMG 81/85 combo
Original Floyd Rose w/Brass Big Block
R4 nut
Schaller mini locking tuners
Electrosocket
CRL 3-way blade switch w/black knob

 

[grunge782]

Why not just spec out and build exactly what you want? It's what I did and I don't regret it one bit.

They don't have set necks. Plus, I think I am pretty set on getting the Carvin the more and more I look at the DC727. I was offset by not wanting a 7 because of so few high quality ones that I could find. All I heard was "Agile, Agile, Agile" or they were all straight black which I can't stand.


By the way, killer guitars . The Tele is astonishing.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Why not just spec out and build exactly what you want? It's what I did and I don't regret it one bit.

They don't have set necks. Plus, I think I am pretty set on getting the Carvin the more and more I look at the DC727. I was offset by not wanting a 7 because of so few high quality ones that I could find. All I heard was "Agile, Agile, Agile" or they were all straight black which I can't stand.


By the way, killer guitars . The Tele is astonishing.

There are a couple of guys on the forum building some baritone guitars, you should take a look. Set necks are cool, but in a side-by side blindfold test, you probably would pick up on a difference.

 

[grunge782]

Why not just spec out and build exactly what you want? It's what I did and I don't regret it one bit.

They don't have set necks. Plus, I think I am pretty set on getting the Carvin the more and more I look at the DC727. I was offset by not wanting a 7 because of so few high quality ones that I could find. All I heard was "Agile, Agile, Agile" or they were all straight black which I can't stand.


By the way, killer guitars . The Tele is astonishing.

There are a couple of guys on the forum building some baritone guitars, you should take a look. Set necks are cool, but in a side-by side blindfold test, you probably would pick up on a difference.

Hmm... I'm just a bit uncomfortable doing that, but I'll take a look. And did you mean "you probably WOULDN'T pick up on a difference"? In terms of sound, no I don't think there is the difference that a lot of people make out to be, however I do play on the higher frets a lot and it feels much nicer on my hands. To each his own though.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Yeah, I meant to say wouldn't. They have the contoured heel option for neck joint. There are plenty of options. Just take look.