A what guitar do I want thread- aka help!

grungebob

I'm lost in a sea of options!

I've played PRS for years, really enjoy the ergonomics and the pattern necks but they do have a mid hump to them that no longer works with my set up and whilst I like the idea of owning many different guitars I typically tend to just play one so I've now sold my last PRS in search of something else.
 I've dabbled with different pickups with PRS over the years but they never seem to eradicate that hump so I'd like to try something different, now I do own and enjoy a musicman Sub 1 guitar with a single humbucker in the bridge that although limited in its sounds does sound great. 

I've loved the look of the Albert Lee HH for years so that was my natural choice however after playing one its not 100% right, don't get me wrong still love the look and it played great however it lacked a little balls when i put the gain on, beautiful note separation and clarity just a distinct lack of low end.

So given that i've not really looked at guitars with a view to buy for quite sometime i dont really know what to look for?
I want good ergonomics ( but not modern headless monstrosities), nice clean tones with a good amount of treble but with balls when the gain comes in.  what would you recommend i look at?   Budget is around £1600.

please no ,get a tele or LP's as i dont think Tele's have that hard rock gain sound i want nor do LP's have the clean treble note clarity I like, all help appreciated though.

crunchman

Have you tried the PRS S2 Satin Singlecut.  Without the thick maple cap it sounds very different from the main core line PRS.  I've sold all 6 of the US PRS I'd previously had, and wasn't planning to buy another, but I've bought 2 of the S2 Satins in the last year or so (Singlecut and Vela).  They are absolutely brilliant.

Phil_aka_Pip

SG2000? RevStar?

humbucko

A Tele with humbuckers perhaps, a deluxe etc.?

ICBM

Gretsch Duo-Jet, or even the cheaper Electromatic version.

That's what I've replaced my PRS with... really. A messed-up Chinese Gretsch fitted with the wrong pickups and with some other mods has replaced a 2002 PRS Standard as my 'do everything' guitar.

bazxkr

You obviously like the EBMM neck so have you tried/considered the Morse (original or Y2D) or Reflex/Axis/Supersport (essentially same)...both clean up very well and can also be very aggressive when needed

dazzajl

ICBM said:

Gretsch Duo-Jet, or even the cheaper Electromatic version.

That's what I've replaced my PRS with... really. A messed-up Chinese Gretsch fitted with the wrong pickups and with some other mods has replaced a 2002 PRS Standard as my 'do everything' guitar.

A Jet is exactly what came to mind from your wish list. Be a little wary of the Powerjet though. An amazing Jet  with TV Jones Powertron pickups. A lot of people find they sound too dark and muddy, which is partly true. They can be at low volumes or played too clean, they come into their own through a pushed amp and really sit beautifully in a live and loud mix. 

grungebob

Thanks guys. I’ve never considered Gretsch , wrote them off a rockabilly guitars, do you think they would handle modern hard rock sounds as well as the nice treble cleans?

Limehouse_Blues

I’d be checking out the new Ibanez AZ guitars

WindmillGuitars

grungebob said:

Thanks guys. I’ve never considered Gretsch , wrote them off a rockabilly guitars, do you think they would handle modern hard rock sounds as well as the nice treble cleans?

Check out some of Jeffery Kunde from Jesus Cultures videos - he uses a Jet. They're incredibly dynamic guitars so lend themselves well to being clear when played clean and dirty.

John_A

I was worried a Gretsch would be all high action and '50s sounding, until I got my pro jet, really  versatile and look great!

Whitecat

Duesenberg makes a few long-scale dual-humbucker options. The 59er would be their direct take on a Les Paul but with greater clarity due to the 25.5” scale length and also some middle position wiring voodoo. 

grungebob

Just saw the Andertons video of the latest Gretsch solid bodies and they sounded great. For £440 I think I’ll take a punt. 

octatonic

Check out a used Tom Anderson in HSS or HH.

JezWynd

How about an EQ pedal to shape the Albert Lee's output? I'm surprised you say you find it lacking in low end but then I came to it from a Telecaster so it seems plenty meaty enough to me. Something like the Empress ParaEQ or Maxon/Ibanex PQ-9 would work well.

Matt_McG

A friend loves the Kotzen tele for hard rock stuff (it has a blade humbucker in the bridge position).

Revstars are pretty good, though, and the dry switch really works to add sparkle and clarity.

Funkfingers

Electric guitars do not operate in isolation. The amplification is part of the overall sound.

I see little point in suggesting guitars to check out without knowing what amplification it is likely to be played through.

rico

Not a tele and not an LP = SG

grungebob

Funkfingers said:

Electric guitars do not operate in isolation. The amplification is part of the overall sound.

I see little point in suggesting guitars to check out without knowing what amplification it is likely to be played through.

I have an Orange Dual Dark 50 into a 2x12 V30 closed back Orange cab. 

So the  amp is capable of plenty of mids and bass but for some reason the Albert Lee sounded a little wimpy. 

Im going to give the Gretsch a shot I think, can’t hurt surely?

Corvus

Filtertrons are glorious things, got three guitars with them. The Blacktops are pretty different to the trad trons. Good with dirt, less bass in them. Trad ones have more mids and sweet chimey top end.

stratman3142

If I buy another guitar in the near future it will be a new American Pro HSS Strat.
Of all the guitars I own (and I own a lot) my American Standard HSS Strat is my favourite and the most versatile, but a bit weighty. My American Pro Tele is as light as a feather and I love the neck and frets. So I'd go for that in an HSS Strat format.