What would u buy with about $2000

ClarkFord · #1 06-14-2008, 11:06 AM

Hi, everyone, this is my first post here

I like the look of these forums!

I didn't really know where to post this, as it's not necessarily just about "other 6-string Ibanez" guitars :P

I'm looking to buy a guitar in the £1000/$2000 range. I learned on a Yamaha Pacifica 312 and a £50 Peavy amp, but never really liked the way the tone sounded "thin" and transparent compared to friends' guitars. Also, it may be to do with quite a high action or something, but I also find it really hard to play cleanly too, compared to other guitars I've played.

So anyway, I want a replacement. At the moment I'm torn between a Gibson LP and an Ibanez RG/Jem. Quite different guitars I know. I love the rich, deep tone of the LP, but I also like more modern, easily playable necks/neck joints. Are there Ibanez guitars that can give similar kind of sounds to the LP?

dimefan90 · #2 06-14-2008, 11:10 AM

the artist series is very lp like. mahogany body, twin humbuckers, arch flame maple top.

Matheau · #3 06-14-2008, 11:20 AM

Artist is probably your best bet at that price range.

GMP Roxies will probably cost you a bit more than £1000, and you would almost definitely have to buy one without trying them given they didn't make that much more than 1000 instruments in all. However, the neck profiles on a lot of them are supposed to basically be Jackson guitars.

Caparison has some models that do seem LPish, but double cut from what I've seen, and I would imagine with necks more like what you are looking for. Honestly, not too sure about the price or if they really are LP sounding, but something to check on.

You could also save more and just go for a custom guitar.

ClarkFord · #4 06-14-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matheau

You could also save more and just go for a custom guitar.

Who do you have in mind? Who could I go to for this? I wouldn't know where to begin with where to get one made.

I LOVE the idea of a custom guitar, and wouldn't mind spending more to get my dream guitar, as long as I could be confident I'd be getting awesome build quality, since obviously it's try-before-you-buy, rather than t'other way round :P

**jono** · #5 06-14-2008, 01:35 PM

My advice would be to think seriously about your amp as much as your guitar.

A great amp can make a bad guitar sound better than a great guitar can make a bad amp sound.

You might even want to think if you'll be wanting to play gigs soon and whether you'll need an amp for that out of your budget here too?

Assuming you've got £1000/$2000 to spend on a guitar (the amp can come later) and have been up to this point a "learner" you need to spend some time hanging out in a good guitar shop trying everything you can for your style of music. Try a Les Paul, try a Caparison, try a Telecaster to see what you make of them. When you know whether you want a single coil set up or twin humbuckers and a double locking trem, 21, 22, 24 or 27 frets, get online and have a proper look at product lines and see what fits within your remit.

Or just do what I did when I was looking for my first "expensive" guitar and buy as close to your hero's guitar as possible

ClarkFord · #6 06-14-2008, 02:04 PM

lol, awesome reply jono.

Scali · #7 06-14-2008, 02:20 PM

The alder Jem7VWH has a pretty full and fat tone. Not a Les Paul, but for me as a Les Paul-player it's fat enough

HeavyMetal4Ever · #8 06-14-2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono

Assuming you've got £1000/$2000 to spend on a guitar (the amp can come later) and have been up to this point a "learner" you need to spend some time hanging out in a good guitar shop trying everything you can for your style of music. Try a Les Paul, try a Caparison, try a Telecaster to see what you make of them. When you know whether you want a single coil set up or twin humbuckers and a double locking trem, 21, 22, 24 or 27 frets, get online and have a proper look at product lines and see what fits within your remit.

Truer words have never been said, so try as many guitars as possible and pick the one that fits your pricerange and feature requirements.

Unless you have experience with the brands you are looking into, definately try to play before you buy, or you could end up with a guitar you think sucks. The fact that someone else likes it won't be much of a comfort, so make sure you get the right axe for you.

Gurj · #9 06-14-2008, 03:10 PM

For a grand you can pick up two good guitars. I'd say an RG550 and an Edwards LP

Plus you may get change from that. That way you get a full playability of an RG and a nice fat LP tone

michblanch · #10 06-14-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono

A great amp can make a bad guitar sound better than a great guitar can make a bad amp sound.

BINGO BONGO!!!!!!! Post of the month July 2008.

texshred777 · #11 06-15-2008, 01:40 AM

If you were planning on getting just one guitar for $2,000, there are many you could get. I think Jono's definately right, and you should think about the amp as well. It all really boils down to what you're looking for tone-wise. I love LP's, despite many here who do not. My next guitar will probably be a LP studio(or used classic), and for about $2,000 you could snatch a nice LP standard used. As stated you could get an Edwards LP and and Ibanez too.

You might want to look at getting a used Ibanez rg prestige(3120 perhaps?) and possibly a nice tube combo amp.

waylay00 · #12 06-15-2008, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono

My advice would be to think seriously about your amp as much as your guitar.

A great amp can make a bad guitar sound better than a great guitar can make a bad amp sound.

You might even want to think if you'll be wanting to play gigs soon and whether you'll need an amp for that out of your budget here too?

Assuming you've got £1000/$2000 to spend on a guitar (the amp can come later) and have been up to this point a "learner" you need to spend some time hanging out in a good guitar shop trying everything you can for your style of music. Try a Les Paul, try a Caparison, try a Telecaster to see what you make of them. When you know whether you want a single coil set up or twin humbuckers and a double locking trem, 21, 22, 24 or 27 frets, get online and have a proper look at product lines and see what fits within your remit.

Or just do what I did when I was looking for my first "expensive" guitar and buy as close to your hero's guitar as possible

Jono is absolutely correct!

Go out and try to test as many guitars as possible. Also, a great guitar won't sound any better than a bad guitar if you play through a bad amp, as he said.

Ibateur · #13 06-15-2008, 03:16 AM

I would actually go for an SZ520 or SZ720. I find it is between RG and LP, depending on pups. I wish I had bought that instead of my RG.

**Ayrton** · #14 06-15-2008, 04:49 AM

jono speaks the truth.

Look at how many great players can take a $200 guitar and work magic.

70Seven · #15 06-15-2008, 11:16 AM

The amp suggestion is a good one, but if you decide on guitar only, personally if I had 2000$ to spare I would get a Prestige (2550, 1570, ect..) and get a older 90's 550, 560, 565 or 770. you could even get 3-4 guitars on the bay with 2000$. But I would get two for sure with that money, 2 is better than one!