I'm looking to do some damage
 

Sooo I've got access to one electric guitar that my jazzcat friend loaned me that does really pretty sounding clean tones and whatnot...It's an Epiphone gibson with humbucker/single coil option pickups. It sounds ok distorted and through a POD, but I kinda get the feeling that it's not designed for hurting people. I'm thinking of getting a yin to it's yang (or would it be the other way around?), and was wondering if you guys had any suggestions in terms of:

Guitar body (does this matter? None of those cheesy flying V's, though)
pickups
etc.

I tend to focus more on composing and playing with VSTs than on tone so I'm sort of a newb when it comes to guitar gear, so if you guys can help me out, I'd appreciate it. I'm basically looking for the optimal setup for killing somebody using a guitar...something that's mean, heavy, and aggressive, and would produce solid modern metal rhythm tone. I don't even care if it's one dimensional...like I said, I've got the other guitar if I want something pretty. I'm looking to record some material that I've written and I trying to find the right guitar for the job.

[QUOTE=Det_Nosnip;17626751]I'm looking to record some material that I've written and I trying to find the right guitar for the job.[/QUOTE]


ESP, Ibanez, Gibson...depends on how much your willing to spend [I]"for the optimal setup for killing somebody using a guitar"[/I]... ;)

[quote=Det_Nosnip;17626751]Sooo I've got access to one electric guitar that my jazzcat friend loaned me that does really pretty sounding clean tones and whatnot...It's an Epiphone gibson with humbucker/single coil option pickups. It sounds ok distorted and through a POD, but I kinda get the feeling that it's not designed for hurting people. I'm thinking of getting a yin to it's yang (or would it be the other way around?), and was wondering if you guys had any suggestions in terms of:

Guitar body (does this matter? None of those cheesy flying V's, though)
pickups
etc.

I tend to focus more on composing and playing with VSTs than on tone so I'm sort of a newb when it comes to guitar gear, so if you guys can help me out, I'd appreciate it. I'm basically looking for the optimal setup for killing somebody using a guitar...something that's mean, heavy, and aggressive, and would produce solid modern metal rhythm tone. I don't even care if it's one dimensional...like I said, I've got the other guitar if I want something pretty. I'm looking to record some material that I've written and I trying to find the right guitar for the job.[/quote]


Price range?

Jackson soloists, maybe not the heaviest sounding guitar... but it plays fast has nice pups stock and is pretty =)

Well, unfortunately the price range is a little low...Probably ~$200 USD at the moment.

not gonna lie bro, ur kinda screwed with that kind of budget, but in all seriousness, this will be your best bet.

[url]http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-Hello-Kitty-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar-512071-i1147543.gc[/url]

[QUOTE=Crapdragoon;17627798]not gonna lie bro, ur kinda screwed with that kind of budget, but in all seriousness, this will be your best bet.

[url]http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-Hello-Kitty-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar-512071-i1147543.gc[/url][/QUOTE]

this

[QUOTE=Det_Nosnip;17627777]Well, unfortunately the price range is a little low...Probably ~$200 USD at the moment.[/QUOTE]

This...

[url]http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/ESP-LTD-M53-Electric-Guitar?sku=515729[/url]

[quote=Crapdragoon;17627798]not gonna lie bro, ur kinda screwed with that kind of budget, but in all seriousness, this will be your best bet.

[url]http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-Hello-Kitty-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar-512071-i1147543.gc[/url][/quote]

I agree :thumb:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Un9V_IkAHc[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVssZtchwfM[/url]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtm7lV8RcI8[/url]

Think Charvel, only pink...

[QUOTE=Crapdragoon;17627798]not gonna lie bro, ur kinda screwed with that kind of budget, but in all seriousness, this will be your best bet.

[url]http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-Hello-Kitty-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar-512071-i1147543.gc[/url][/QUOTE]

its still cute as a button

and i know cute buttons

not lying ill prolly get one

[QUOTE=Crapdragoon;17627798]not gonna lie bro, ur kinda screwed with that kind of budget, but in all seriousness, this will be your best bet.

[url]http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-Hello-Kitty-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar-512071-i1147543.gc[/url][/QUOTE]

lol. Would win irony points, but I'm not really interested in taking this thing live so the audience effect would be lost. :(

So it seems that as far as bang-for-buck I may be better off with knock-off/indy companies. These guys have been req'd a lot:

http://www.rondomusic.com/

What should I look for in terms of pickups? I've heard EMG is supposed to be good but they have hundreds of different ones. :(

If you can scrape up $300, or maybe find yourself a nice sale, the Ibanez RG321 is a good cheap guitar. When you run into a little cash swap out the pickups with your choice, and the thing is easily ready for the stage for cheap.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-RG321-Electric-Guitar?sku=512492

[QUOTE=Det_Nosnip;17628310]lol. Would win irony points, but I'm not really interested in taking this thing live so the audience effect would be lost. :(

So it seems that as far as bang-for-buck I may be better off with knock-off/indy companies. These guys have been req'd a lot:

http://www.rondomusic.com/

What should I look for in terms of pickups? I've heard EMG is supposed to be good but they have hundreds of different ones. :([/QUOTE]

They make some pretty solid guitars, but the cheapest I would recommend going with them is 300 bucks-ish. EMGs are pretty good pickups, if you like the way they sound, which is hard to quantify when determining their inherent value to any given person; they also bump up the price of a new guitar a fair amount, as they're expensive on their own to begin with.
Like LFD said, either save up a bit more cash or look for a nicely priced, used RG321. There's nothing wrong with looking for used pickups either, as long as they're in good condition.

+1 for that $300 RG. thats the wya to go probably. DEFINITELY check out a guitar with a fixed bridge, and not a tremolo. its just makes life easier for you.

in all honesty, just go to a local music store, and find any guitar that looks like a superstrat (RG body kinda) with a fixed bridge and high output pickups with a neck that is straight and doesnt hurt your hands, and youll be set.

youre plugging into a pod, and then into your computer, it doesnt really matter what you have its not like youre going to need any kind of dynamic variation or subtlety from your guitar. like you said a straight up modern metal axe. go with a cheap ibanez. like this one maybe: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-GRX20-Electric-Guitar?sku=519417

that was my first guitar and it served me well. wish i never sold it bc it would have been nice to have a practice guitar to toy with before i start building my own but whatever. go forth young lad. rock on.

Well, that's the thing...what exactly are "high output pickups"?

Passive pickups send a [B]low output[/B], raw signal to the amp that can only be affected by the volume and tone controls on the instrument itself. Passive pickups tend to lose the extremes of high and low frequencies, but still give a very even and punchy tone. This is because [B]passive pickups tend to push out more midrange frequencies. While passive pickups might give players less dynamic control, their smooth sound is still very unique and desirable.[/B]

Active pickups have preamps that are built into the pickup housing; so they can drive the signal to the amp themselves. This preamp must be powered by a source other than the amp, so active pickups require a separate battery to operate. This allows the pickup to send a [B]higher output signal, producing a more complete, full-range sound than most passive pickup systems and giving players more control of instrument dynamics, projection and tone.[/B]

Active VS Passive pickups...

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSDac4In9ho[/url]

Why not fit a high output passive pickup, problem solved.



Anyone remember the motherbucker? Or that other stupidly high output thing from that other little British firm?

You'd do well to look at used/secondhand stuff as well, you may end up with a better guitar for less money.

[QUOTE=overturned;17629106]Why not fit a high output passive pickup, problem solved.
[/QUOTE]

thats what i meant. by high output i did NOT mean active electronics. go to the seymour duncan or dimarzio website and see how pickups have different output ratings.

usually a pickup thats called "metal" or "screaming" or something of the like is a knock-off of a high output SD or DiMarzio.

a pickup that is called "mellow" or "warm" or "vintage" is usually a knock-off of a low output gibson or SD pickup.

odds r if u get an esp or ibanez itll have high output "metal" pickups

[QUOTE=I_am_the_one;17629061]Passive pickups send a [B]low output[/B], raw signal to the amp that can only be affected by the volume and tone controls on the instrument itself. Passive pickups tend to lose the extremes of high and low frequencies, but still give a very even and punchy tone. This is because [B]passive pickups tend to push out more midrange frequencies. While passive pickups might give players less dynamic control, their smooth sound is still very unique and desirable.[/B]

Active pickups have preamps that are built into the pickup housing; so they can drive the signal to the amp themselves. This preamp must be powered by a source other than the amp, so active pickups require a separate battery to operate. This allows the pickup to send a [B]higher output signal, producing a more complete, full-range sound than most passive pickup systems and giving players more control of instrument dynamics, projection and tone.[/B]

Active VS Passive pickups...

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSDac4In9ho[/url][/QUOTE]

Wow, thanks! Great post.

i dont think active pups give u more dynamics i think they kill dynamics tbh but whatevs

Pickups are all about preference... I usually classify Seymour Duncans as a more "classic" sound while DiMarzio is a more "modern" sound. EMGs, well I'm split on EMGs. I've heard recordings that sounded good, I've heard recordings that didn't, but I've never actually had any in my guitars unlike Seymour Duncans and DiMarzios which I have had both in.


Though I do prefer Alnico 5 magnets, no matter which way I go, for my bridge pickups and either that or Alnico 2 magnets for my neck. Depending on the pickup, most notably the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates which was specially made with a Alnico 5 for a certain (Fender I believe) guitar I tried in a store.... man that thing in the neck felt like shoving a shard of glass into my ear.


For the most part I usually stray away from ceramic magnets, as I just don't think they sound alive and in the room. They often sound kind of dull to me, lacking life, and the sound is trapped in the speaker box or something.

Honestly, if you consider buying a used guitar, your options open up considerably.

Here are decent guitars that will set you up really well:

Floating Vibrato:
http://musicgoround.com/detail.aspx?id=738712
http://musicgoround.com/detail.aspx?id=744654
http://musicgoround.com/detail.aspx?id=840212
http://musicgoround.com/search.aspx?q=&cid=1&scid=161&sid=0&z=&d=10&min=&max=200&c=10&ob=6
http://musicgoround.com/detail.aspx?id=860301

If you want a fixed bridge, here:
http://musicgoround.com/detail.aspx?id=746415

Hope this post is helpful. Whenever you accumulate more money, replace the bridge pickup with a GFS pickup.