Guitar suggestions to try please

baldy

I would like to try something with a 25.5" scale length, 22 jumbo or X jumbo frets, preferably T-O-M style bridge (stop bar or string through), twin humbuckers, superstrat shape but will consider single cut shape.
Mainly playing classic rock stuff.
I don"t mind having to change pups.
Budget the cheaper the better but up to about £500 I suppose.

pintspiller

Yamaha

baldy

pintspiller said:

Yamaha

Which model ?
I have 3 Yamaha"s now & really rate their build quality.

dbphoto

Ibanez JS600 (If you can find a used one out there)

Or a used Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas HT (if it wasn’t for the gold hardware and white pickups I would definitely have one in natural)

http://www.charvel.com/guitars/pro-mod/pro-mod-san-dimas-style-1-hh-ht-aged-ebony-fingerboard-natural-ash/

Funkfingers

dbphoto said:

a used Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas HT

+1 for one of these, either pre-owned or new old stock with the black hardware.

Even the old HS version is worth considering. Just replace the stacked coil Stratocaster type pickup with a Rails or Li'l 'bucker. 

pintspiller

@baldy I was generalising. I didn't know what you had, but when I was checking out used Gibsons 26 years ago for a back-up guitar I came close to buying a Yamaha superstrat. I seemed to have the speed of neck I wanted and the output I wanted.

The Gibson I ended up with had mini-humbuckers. It sounded great in the shop, but weedy at home - even after a pickup upgrade!

I should have gotten the superstrat. It just didn't have the cool value I wanted as I played in indie/alt-rock bands at the time.

baldy

The Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas HT certainly looks like a contender if I could find one second hand.
Only thing I don"t like is the colours that seem to be available.
Also I have never played a compound radius neck before.
The guitars I already have are either 10" or 12" radius I think & the Charvel is 12" - 16" ?

dbphoto

Just thought of something that ticks all the boxes:  EVH Wolfgang, such as this one:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EVH-Wolfgang-Special-Made-In-Mexico/232976110899?hash=item363e755533:g:xEsAAOSwXx9b5Jya

skullfunkerry

Shameless plug - you should give my Jackson a go:

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/140943/fs-ft-jackson-dinky-dk2-with-duncan-distortion-pickups

Regarding the compound radius, the Jackson has the same as the Charvels, it's very comfortable to play

dbphoto

While that looks lovely it’s 24 frets though, and the OP wants 22

Which from my experience really limits what is out there that fits the fixed bridge/twin humbucker/25.5” scale ‘superstrat’

skullfunkerry

dbphoto said:

While that looks lovely it’s 24 frets though, and the OP wants 22

Which from my experience really limits what is out there that fits the fixed bridge/twin humbucker/25.5” scale ‘superstrat’

Dammit, yes you're right! I read it as '22 or 24 frets' for some reason...

merciful-evans

I agree about Yamaha. If you can find any, Hagstrom are not bad either.

Try 2nd hand in Gumtree or Preloved locally. Anything made in Korea is worth a serious look

sweepy

Ibanez or ESP cover those bases

dbphoto

sweepy said:

Ibanez or ESP cover those bases

Which models?  I’m not aware of any that have 22 frets, 25.5” scale length and a fixed bridge?

The OP’s requirements match mine hence why I regularly look, but I have given up trying to tick all those boxes really.  I would be very happy to find something I liked that did though!

baldy

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys, keep them coming.
There are a few reasons that I am looking for 25.5", 22 jumbo or extra jumbo frets, T-O-M style bridge (either stop tail or string through).
I have now been playing for about 10 months & a couple of months ago started lessons.
I had mainly been playing a Yamaha 611 HFM which has a bridge a bit like a tele ashtray bridge but without the sides, if that makes sense.
I do have 2 LP copies with T-O-M with stop tail .
I also have 2 other Yamaha superstrats with 6 point trem bridges.
The first thing my teacher got me to do is change my picking technique so that instead of using the guitars "arm rest" cut on the body instead anchor the corner of the palm of my picking hand on to the top corner of the bridge.
This has made my picking more accurate & consistent but I find the 611 bridge a little uncomfortable/unnatural to do this.
As the bridge has basically square corners I find it unnatural moving my hand slightly to pick the treble E & then conversely moving it back slightly to pick the bass E.
On my LP copies with T-O-M I find this more comfortable & natural, hence wanting a guitar with a T-O-M style bridge.
I have average sized hands & average length fingers but my finger tips are big & "stubby".?
I have now started adding some bends into my playing & my teacher says that I would find that easier on a guitar with bigger fret wires than my 611 ?
A couple of weeks ago I had a quick go of someones guitar that, for me, felt the most comfortable guitar I have played so far.
It was a a natural finish ESP, I don"t know the model, just that the owner said it had cost him over £2,000.
It was 25.5", 22 X jumbo frets, string through T-O-M style bridge & twin Seymour Duncan Humbuckers.
I didn"t ask the model as as soon as he had said how much it had cost I knew it was out of my price range but I have been thinking of a guitar with the same features ever since.

carlos

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kemp-Guitars-Custom-Shop-6-string-Super-Strat-Guitar-Metal-Rock-Nazgul-Hipshot/173637127051

baldy

I have decided to include 24 fret options to broaden my search.
The Cort KX Custom & KX5 seem to fit my criteria ?
The only difference between the 2 seems to be that the Custom has SD "JB" & "59" pickups & locking tuners where as the KX5 has Motherbucker MB-2F & MF-2R pickups & non locking tuners.
The Custom is only available in a burst blue which my colour co-ordination minded wife would not like where as the KX5 is available in white or black, both of which would be acceptable colours.
KX5 seems to be priced around £200-£250 & the Custom around £650 so there would be plenty of cash left to upgrade the pups & tuners on the KX5 if I wanted to.
Does anyone have any experience or opinions of either guitar please ?

dbphoto

Well if you start to look at 24 fret options then that really opens up all kinds of possibilities!

(personally I really dislike 24 frets)

I would suggest forgetting Cort and look and Ibanez, ESP, Schecter, Jackson or Charvel.

baldy

dbphoto said:

Well if you start to look at 24 fret options then that really opens up all kinds of possibilities!

(personally I really dislike 24 frets)

I would suggest forgetting Cort and look and Ibanez, ESP, Schecter, Jackson or Charvel.

I have never played a 24 fret guitar before.
I have 2 x 24.75" 22 fret guitars & 3 x 25.5" 22 fret guitars.
The reason for forgetting Cort being ?
Just wondering ?

dbphoto

Range available both new and used, along with resale ease and value mostly. 

baldy

Fair enough.
I do like the look & spec of the KX Custom though, pity it is only available in blue though as Mrs Baldy wouldn"t let me hang it on the living room wall.