[wdkwang]

A lot of higher priced guitars will have mostly 4-5/5 star reviews about how fast the neck feels, great craftsmanship, paint, tone, wood, etc. Although there are negative reviews from a few; not sure if they are just picky, or tried a defective model.


But my main question is really about a specific guitar, A7X's Synyster Gates custom. A lot of fans, including myself, will get the guitar because they love him as a guitarist, the design and paintjob, and set neck/ all mahagony wood body. So once a person has a guitar like this, why would they sell it? There's always several postings selling it for around $650-750.

Now most of the reviews about the guitar will say that it has a great Floyd Rose system and can do divebombs for hours without it going out of tune, but then there are a few people saying it goes out of tune after 1 pull. I don't understand why? Also, they'll say it has a lot of feedback. =/ ?

 

[elcid]

Long story short, all kinds of reasons.
People could buy the guitar then need money or after spending some real time with it figure out it isn't for them, or they stop being fan boys.

Going out of tune could be a bad set up, an idiot who doesnt know how to restring properly, or use a locking trem. Same thing with the feedback issue.

When I worked in a guitar story I watched a guy sit less than a foot away from a JSX half stack, facing the speakers with the guitar, crank the gain and volume and say the amp sucked because it fedback.

 

[wdkwang]

That clears some up of my confusion. Thank you. Also, would you give me a quote on how much you'd spend on a like-new guitar that's originally worth $1000? I see people listing anywhere from $650-800.
There's a listing for Syn's guitar that's "New" and he states there are no scratches. The packaging has been open just to take the pictures and make sure there's nothing wrong with it but he says he bought it off another person on the same site. Auction starts at $650 with no bids, almost ending, with Buy Now of $900. Would you say it could be some sort of defective model or is he one of those guys that buy low/sell high?

 

[jono]

That clears some up of my confusion. Thank you. Also, would you give me a quote on how much you'd spend on a like-new guitar that's originally worth $1000? I see people listing anywhere from $650-800.
There's a listing for Syn's guitar that's "New" and he states there are no scratches. The packaging has been open just to take the pictures and make sure there's nothing wrong with it but he says he bought it off another person on the same site. Auction starts at $650 with no bids, almost ending, with Buy Now of $900. Would you say it could be some sort of defective model or is he one of those guys that buy low/sell high?

It's all about supply and demand. If a guitar is hard to find, then you'll be looking at having to pay close to, or more than, the retail price. If something's easy to find or fading from popularity, then dealers might be selling new ones cheap and second hand values will be low.

There's very few ways to actually determine if a guitar is defective without playing it yourself unfortunately.

 

[C.Thep]

That clears some up of my confusion. Thank you. Also, would you give me a quote on how much you'd spend on a like-new guitar that's originally worth $1000? I see people listing anywhere from $650-800.
There's a listing for Syn's guitar that's "New" and he states there are no scratches. The packaging has been open just to take the pictures and make sure there's nothing wrong with it but he says he bought it off another person on the same site. Auction starts at $650 with no bids, almost ending, with Buy Now of $900. Would you say it could be some sort of defective model or is he one of those guys that buy low/sell high?

For beginners, its best not to purchase online. Go to a guitar store, pick one out that feels and sounds good to you, regardless of the brand.

 

[jono]

For beginners, its best not to purchase online. Go to a guitar store, pick one out that feels and sounds good to you, regardless of the brand.

I'd temper that with the point that I think it's important to remember your inspiration. If that inspiration is a player with a signature model, you can do a lot worse that buying into that.

Having said that, as C.Thep said, you should try a guitar out before you buy it in case it's completely wrong for you

 

[snshami]

I have one. I did not buy it because it is a signature model but because of its specs and I am glad I did. Its hands down one of the nicest guitars I own or have played. The quality of the materials are exemplary. The smooth transition between the neck and body is seriously making me consider selling my strats or upgrading to an American Deluxe to get a more rounded feel. The ebony finger board makes a huge difference and the resonance in the body is amazing. It sustains forever. On the downside its a little heavier than my strats but no overly so.

 

[Swirltop]

I like the looks/paint schemes of them too, if I was going to go for another neck through I'd seriously consider one of these...

 

[j.arledge]

Long story short, all kinds of reasons.
People could buy the guitar then need money or after spending some real time with it figure out it isn't for them, or they stop being fan boys.

Going out of tune could be a bad set up, an idiot who doesnt know how to restring properly, or use a locking trem. Same thing with the feedback issue.

When I worked in a guitar story I watched a guy sit less than a foot away from a JSX half stack, facing the speakers with the guitar, crank the gain and volume and say the amp sucked because it fedback.

this ^

i worked at a music store as well and this is not uncommon. I can't tell you how many times dudes would come in pick up an ibanez with a floyd and then try to drop tune to C. After a few minuets they would put it back on the shelf all jacked up and say that the guitar sucked because it wouldn't stay in tune.... freaking idots.

the gates custom is a cool guitar imo. I like them and think schecter makes a great guitar. I have played a couple and i am not a huge fan of invaders and the top horn hits my chest a little when i sit but as far as the guitar itself. All the ones i have played are solid.

 

[Stradovarious]

Not the Syn model but the much fawned over (in certain circles, at least) Hellraiser C-1 FR, Korean made.

I am told the Syn model has specs that are similar to the ones that I have fallen out of love with on my Hellraiser.

If I am wrong about that I stand corrected and I apologize, but I still need to rant a bit here, before I return this axe (later today):

I went through standard non-Ibanez NGD "honeymoon" period for about a week and realized that I simply can't get along with the body style, as in lack of contours and as the post above mentions, upper horn cutting into the player.

At first the axe wowed me with it's shiny beauty, abalone all over the place, but like young love, if love enters through the eyes, it probably ain't gonna last.

Also: THE UPPER FRET ACCESS SUCKS (on the Hellraiser as compared to RG with AANJ).

This is strange because it is one of the features that is most raved about in reviews and on forums, not only for this model but other similar Schecters.

The upper fret access is nowhere near what is easily playable on my RG's. Not even close.

The thing I somehow fell for in the shop is now feeling heavy, klunky, and worse still, has neck-heavy/ balance issues as compared with RG's.

Didn't "notice" these issues early on...probably because I was infatuated with the other features, some of which are nice but are simply not worth the trade-off in dealing with the negatives. Again, much like when you first fall for a woman...she is perfect. Then she wakes up with bad breath and a nasty attitude. Hmm, hold on a second here, let's rethink this...

Not at all a comfortable guitar to play as compared to an RG. And I am talking weight, balance, and body shape. Oh yeah and upper fret access.

Forget the endless EMG debates/ issues; it's not even the pickups that phased me, and as we all know those are changeable anyway.

Yeah and we all know that between an RG and a Schecter the necks are like night and day but I don't give a **** about that, thin neck, fat neck, c shape, u shape, I can play them all n problem being a life long classical player...talk about "baseball bats", try playing a high end boutique Spanish classical.

I only insist that a neck be wide enough, not a problem with the Hellraiser in that department...still, I have grown to strongly dislike this neck, which is weird because I really have never had a major dislike for any neck on any guitar, as long as it was wide enough.

That said, though I can normally get used to any neck profile, I vastly prefer all variations of Wizard necks with AANJ over the Schecter profile, and the "ultra access" neck-to-body interface on Schecter is a joke compared to an RG with AANJ.

I don't know if anyone else has had similar experience with falling hard for Schecter or some other brand and then wondering why the hell you even looked at it when you were already beyond happy with your Ibbys, or not.

I am sticking with Ibanez, though there is one other guitar that has been with me or a great while and I still love it as much as ever, every bit as much as Ibanez in almost every respect: my DBZ (Dean B. Zelinsky Guitars) Venom. Wow, what a neck. Soft v neck profile which I thought I would hate. It was love at first playing, and the honeymoon has never ended with that guitar.

I am done even looking at other brands. Between Ibanez and the DBZ Venom, pretty much covered here.

I have heard a lot about the Syn model and hopefully these issues are not present, and if they are I am sure many won't find them a problem.

Apples and oranges, once again.

 

[silverctr]

You're not the only one that dislikes the upper fret access, or lack thereof, on the Synester. That, plus the pickups, are what kept me from buying one of these. It sucks because I really like the body shape and paint scheme.

 

[snshami]

I guess it depends on so many factors. Firstly let me say that the neck on the Syn model is very different to the c1. It is one of the newer slimmed down Schecter necks. I was never a big fan of the old necks . This neck for me is the most perfect neck in the world. The guitar has its faults. It's body is uncomfortable in places and its a bit heavy but the neck makes it all worthwhile. I personally do not like the new Ibanez necks. They are too flat and the edges are not soft enough. I get cramps from it. I love early rg necks love the Syn neck even more. The latest Schecter sls models are in my opinion even nicer and are what the Ibanez necks should have evolved to.

 

[e32lover]

If its your first guitar it will be full crap regardless of whether you buy the worst strat copy or the best j custom, just get the guitar you think looks the coolest, and is a comfortable shape

 

[snshami]

If its your first guitar it will be full crap regardless of whether you buy the worst strat copy or the best j custom, just get the guitar you think looks the coolest, and is a comfortable shape

I am not sure who you were saying this to. This is my fourth guitar. The first was a Schecter Omen Extreme. The next was a Fender Squier Classic Vibe, followed by a Blacktop Fender Strat that I put an American Standard pickguard on. I still have the two Strats.

I actually bought the Schecter on a whim thinking if I like i'll sell one of my other ones and if I dont I'll sell it. I got it really cheap and was confident i wouldn't lose money on it. At that stage I was looking for a Floyd Rose guitar and was also contemplating Ibanez models up to around $700. When I got it it took a small period of adjustment but what became immediately apparent was the sustain the guitar could manage and the divine neck. The combination of the most beautifully dressed and polished frets, the smooth ebony fret board and the profile that fit my hands like it was designed for me. The access to higher frets was also really awesome.

The downsides includes the problem facing all floyd rose 24 fret guitars. There is not much room for palm muting and it is a bit large and there is an edge that digs into my ribs. Surprisingly the horn feels fine. It might look like it would be a problem but in fact isnt.

The thing about the neck is that after I had placed the order I discovered that it was one of the new generation of slimmed down Schecter necks but it was still 1mm thicker than the new standard Schecter neck. When I got it I discovered that at the nut it is 0.7 mm thinner than the standard Fender modern C shape. Given that I love the modern C shape on a Fender this neck is perfect. What also makes it great is that it has a very comfortable 14" radius. I find the typical Ibanez neck at 16" a tad too flat.

The only other problem was the very shiny and sticky gloss coat on the back of the neck. This has now been buffed to a very smooth feel by lots of playing.

One thing I will say is that my hands are obviously unique and the neck shape and profile will suit different people differently. I am not saying in any way that this is a better neck than an Ibanez, just that it suits me better.

 

[Act of God]

I had a 7 string blackjack, possibly the worst upper fret access of any guitar I've ever played.