peavey wolfgang vs. rg3120

[6StringGod]

Which one do you guys will suit me better for shredding type stuff and 80's metal, prog, megadeth type sounds? I really want the rg3120 but I cant get passed thinking i wont like the neck because it is so thin... dont have anywhere to try one. How does it compair to the wolfgang? Is 24 frets allthat useful and is the recessed trem useful? How about the rosewood fretboard over the maple? Help me out here i am going crazy.. well maybe not

[Fabe]

Hmmm.... I don't know what to tell ya. I have a Wolfgang Special QT and a JEM77FP (which pretty much compares to the RG3120 as far as the PAF pro goes, I guess...). Those two guitars first of all feel pretty different. The neck on the wolf feels like a baseball bat compared to the JEM (or my old RG I had), so if I were you I'd compare the two necks side by side.

My opinion is, that the RG lends itself more to shredding, although I wouldn't say the Wolf is no shredder guitar. But to me it's a more grown up guitar just from the looks. As far as rosewood and maple goes, I like both, and the maple has a more trebly sound. Although I'd say that a Wolfgang Standard with the arched top would compare to a Les Paul soundwise (no flaming please, I haven't played too many of those...). Oh, yeah the trem is a thing to get used to. I don't have my wolf that long and it took me a few times of playing with the trem to get used to the fact it is not floating like the one on the JEM (i.e. RG). So no fluttering. And if you wanna do very crazy whacked out whammy stuff like Vai get the RG.

As far as the frets go, I personally don't feel limited with 22 frets , it was strange at first, but how often do you do a run around the 24th?

So, I guess it all comes down once again on personal taste. But I hope I could get you a little insight.

Fabe

[gkelm]

IMHO tone-wise, both should take care of you. You can pull up on the Ibanez trem, not on the Wolfy. As you mentioned, the neck should be a consideration. You can get an idea on the 3120 neck if you can try most any RG570, 550, etc...who knows, you may like it.
Greg

[strat110]

Sold my RG3120 for a Wolfgang and i have no regrets at all, here's my review of the Wolfgang Std.



Peavey Wolfgang
The latest addition to my collection. I had been using an Ibanez RG3120TW Prestige for a couple of years for metal stuff, but I never really got used to the thin flat neck. I decided to sell that and find something that was more along the lines of what I like in a neck and look for in sound. After trying out what seemed like hundreds of different guitars I tried this Wolfgang and fell in love. The guitar was second hand and has a few battle scars on the back and sides, these however add character and save me from sulking when I put my first dink in it. The neck does not have any marks, though, and has the played-in feel. The Vintage Ivory is starting to darken and cream up (it looks a lot whiter in the picture above) and I suspect in a few more years it will look killer.

The first thing that struck me about this guitar was how perfect the neck is. In its natural heavily grained birdseye maple wood state (only oiled) it is silky smooth and it really feels so good its beyond words. Its not super slim or overtly clubby and its just has a supremely comfortable fit. The frets are thin but tall (Dunlop 6105's) and this is the fastest guitar I own.

The body top is contoured to classy effect whilst the back is left slabby, it is however very comfortable despite having no cutaways. The guitar itself is very light, the body wood is basswood, there may be a maple slab underneath but whether there is or isn't the body has lots of life and sustain in it.

The twin direct body mounted Peavey Humbuckers are neatly installed and are perhaps the nicest suprise about the guitar. To my ears they are better than any DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan humbucker I have had on previous guitars, so much so I wish Peavey sold them seperately so I could get some for my Tokai!

The Peavey stamped Floyd Rose licensed tremolo is sleeker than some others, its a very well constructed unit made from quality metal (as the original Floyd), it has no provision for pulling up with it resting flat on the guitar body, this is at Eddie Van Halens instruction and you can notice the difference in sustain - no problems here. The D-Tuna is a very nifty device and works absolutely spot on. Ideal for when you want to kick out some 'Unchained' or 'Can't Get This Stuff No More'.

Acoustically the Wolfgang is resonant and loud with a warm well balanced tonality and clear ringing sustain. This only improves when amplified. The guitar seems to have a lot of horse power hidden under the bonnet but its not achieved by brute force - both pickups are every expressive, delivering fluidity ad depth along with impressive string seperation - try one you will not be let down.

The neck pickup has dark overtones but sings very sweetly - EVH described the neck pickup as "buttery" and I am inclined to agree. The bridge pickup kicks out more mid-range bark and top end bite but it never gets harsh or nasally - its quite simply a stunning rock pickup. Put the toggle switch in the middle position and a tubular edge comes into play which is pure Gibson (very Jimmy Page).

The guitar sound superb across different gain thresholds, clean its very pure, slightly overdriven and great blues and classic rock tones can be coaxed out with ease. Set the amp to afterburn and look out - definition remains very good throughout with no excessive mid range mush, this goes to highlight the guitars good design and good components. The volume knob really works as does the tone knob!!

The Wolfgang is a powerhouse performer and I can easily see it becoming my #1 guitar. Don't let the EVH signature fool you into thinking this is a one trick pony, its not, there is something for everyone in this package. If you are not a name snob and don't mind having Peavey on your guitar then you could well have found the guitar for you too - try one, I think you'll enjoy it ;-)

For reviews of all my gear above visit.......

http://www.dinosaurrockguitar.com/me...ndygearnew.htm

[6StringGod]

Do you ever miss not being able to pull up? Is the tremelo just as good as the edge? The Rg3120 has more of the pickup switch i want... it has a 5 way and all the positions do something I would want. Is the wolfgang neck really all that much better? Did you not like the rg3120 neck at all or just not as much as the wolfgang? I just can't make up my mind because the rg3120 has the configurations, etc. i want, but not the neck...

[screamndemon69]

It's kind of like comparing a Ford F-150 to a sports car- they both get you from A to B but they both do it in their own way. I LOVE the Wolfies!!! I hope to visit the custom shop to have a couple built (I work at a store that sells Peavey gear- can't beat the discount!) some day. Right now I'm in the middle of two custom Jem projects. Different guitars have different feels and different sounds for a reason -to be different! Noone would want to drive the same car as everybody else and wouldn't be happy with a style that someone else might like. It's the same with guitars. Try as many different guitars as possible and one (or more) will call your name and you will KNOW it is the ONE!! Good luck in your search - they are both great instruments and you will be happy with whatever you decide on!
For what it is worth, it doesn't sound like you will like the RG too much if thin, flat necks aren't your thing. Let us know what you decide on!
Todd

[strat110]

Well you can easily install a 5 way switch into the cavity near the volume and tone controls on the Wolfie.

The neck was not what I disliked the most about the RG3120TW, I didn't like the sound all that much, it sounded thin to me, the wolfie is PHAT. No I don't mind the trem not being able to go up on the wolfie, tone is more important IMO and it has oodles more than the 3120.

If you don't like the neck then I don't see the point in getting a 3120, I mean the neck is one, if not THE, most important aspect of a guitar, you have the most connection with it.

I suggest try both extensively and then go from there.

[6StringGod]

The thing is I don't think the pickups are going to be right for me on the wolf... I'm not sure if I'll like the neck on the RG3120 or not... it has all the options i like though. On the recessed tremelo on thr rg3120 does the guitar go out of tune if you bend?

What did you find thin about the rg3120? It seems like the tone zone wouldn't be thin and mahogany shouldnt be ethier...

[strat110]

Well maybe thin is not the right word, but it had no body to it. Maybe its the Lo-Pro Edge which I had major problems with (tuning), return to pitch, changes the posts, the knife edges - nothing worked....

I liked the pickups, I just think they would have been better suited in another guitar. The 3120 just sounded not like it should have considering its looks i.e. CLASSY. Maybe I just had a bad example but to me it did nothin for me, after 2 year I sold it - went into a store with no intention of buying a new guitar and came out with the Wolfgang, it does everything I want.

I should stress that I am not a Vai,Satriani kinda player, I am more an Yngwie meets Gary Moore meets EVH meets Jake E Lee kinda dude so its probably all apples and oranges.

If you feel the pickups are not right for you on the Wolfie be warned that the cavity is not quite big enough to house stock DiMarzio's or SD, they will need a little routing.

[gemini8026]

Ok,

Ive owned 3 Ibanez's, and one USA Peavey Wolfgang standard.

Totally different animals. HEre's my take on the BIGGEST selling point for the Wolfgang. The neck.... period. Amazing neck, feels great, great profile, nice to play on.

If the Wolfgang came in a 24 fret model with an All access neck joint, id sell off all my gear just to buy that ONE guitar! The standard pups on the USA wolfs sound great, at least to me they did! Very smooth and buttery

I HATED the huge heel, its hard to get used to after you've played neck-thru's and AANJ's for a long time. I sold mine to buy a Jackson Soloist SL2H which was another great guitar.

But I ALWAYS dream of the Peavey neck, and how darn GREAT it was! Id like to try out the Warmoth wolfgang necks, but I dont know how close they would be and feel.

Lots of great players are playing Wolfgang's, and for good reason especially if you dont mind large heels. But for me, the guitar was perfect except it needs a better neck joing and 2 more frets to make accessing the higher ones a little easier (20-22)

It's ALL about the neck with this guitar!

[bob mclaughlin]

And the TONE!!!!!