My name is John and I am considering purchasing a new electric. I've always loved Ibanez...the necks, the look, etc. Actually, I just recently sold a MIJ RG440 Roadstar II that I had since 1986...it had one of the best necks I had ever felt...no paint/lacquer, rosewood fretboard w/micro-
dot inlays. Anyway, I currently have a Line 6 Variax 600 which I use for church...along with a Digitech GNX3 which goes straight into the board/console. Now I want my metal guitar...
First off, I love the S - the thin shape, mahogany body, ZR trem...nice. I just don't care for the pickups. I would consider Dimarzio D-Activators, EMG 81/85 or SD Blackouts. I just wonder if the S would give me that Zakk Wylde/KSE heavy-ness along with those trademark
pinch harmonics w/out having to go with a Les Paul-type guitar. Besides the fact that I want a wammy bar.
I am also considering the Xiphos - it comes with neck through mahogany body, D-Activators stock, reverse headstock and that cool red chameleon paint job. However, it appears to have a painted neck which I wonder if it would be as fast or comfortable as a non-painted neck, and it has the Edge 3 trem which I have read a lot of bad reviews on.
I know that I'll have to try these guitars out, but I know I won't be able to find an S to play that won't have anything but stock pups. So I'm looking for some advice from some of you who may have considered this. Do I go with the stock Xiphos or S and switch the pups?
BTW, I would have to go with non-Prestige S...I can't afford Prestige right now.
I have an orig Peavey 5150 2x12 combo and I love the sound of EMG's, but I don't want the hassle of replacing the batteries or the not-so-nice clean sound...hence my consideration of the D-Activators, but I wonder if they'll be able to get me that ZW/KSE sound I'm after.
I was also checking out (blasphemy I know) the new Epiphone Prophecy guitars...mainly the Futura FX which has a thinner, wierder explorer shape, 24 frets, satin-finish speed taper set neck, EMG 81/85 and OFR trem...for about the same price as a Xiphos or non-Prestige S.
Sorry for being long-winded, just wanted to explain my plight. Any help? Thanks!
