New guitar

cain · 2008-08-07T09:56:24+00:00

HI Ive decided i need a new guitar, something with a floating bridge, 2 humbuckers, thin neck and has a fat sound. Since i play lead stuff mostly and i wanna go into only metal and shred i think the following would work nicely. Currently the Ibanez egen 18 is standing out because of its mahogany body with maple top ( Nice fat warm sound ). Please tell me what you think. Ibanez RGT220Z neck type 5pc Wizard Maple/Wenge neck-thru body Ash wing body fret Jumbo frets bridge Edge-Zero bridge w/ZPS3 neck pu DiMarzio® IBZ-N (H) neck pu bridge pu DiMarzio® IBZ-B (H) bridge p Ibanez EGEN18 neck type 5pc Wizard Maple/Walnut neck body Flamed Maple top/Mahogany body fret Jumbo frets bridge Edge-Zero bridge neck pu DiMarzio® HLM (H) neck pu middle pu DiMarzio® HLM (S) mid pu bridge pu DiMarzio® HLM (H) bridge pu Ibanez JEM7V neck type 5pc JEM Maple/Walnut neck body Alder body fret W/6105 frets bridge Edge Pro bridge neck pu DiMarzio® Evolution® (H) neck pu middle pu DiMarzio® Evolution® (S) mid pu bridge pu DiMarzio® Evolution® (H) bridge pu

cain

haha lol!

Mr-M

Funny enough, I recently had GAS (and still do) for a very similar guitar myself. I generally play fixed bridge guitars these days, but I miss the crazy trem action I used to indulge in on my Peavey Limited (Hipshot trem) & especially my Washburn Mercury (Floyd). Don't have either of those guitars anymore (sob) but suddenly the GAS for a trem guitar is back.

I saw a show at the Barnyard Theatre called Viva Las Vegas (don't laugh it was actually pretty good and the band was really good too) a couple of weeks back and the guitarist was playing a JS1200 on Beat it and Purple Rain. The GAS kicked in there and then for one of those (again)! Only problem is I want 24 Frets, not the 22 the JS had, but I like the JS neck more than the Wizard necks (rounder rather than flatter at the back). Also prefer a 3-way selector to the normal 5-way.

Any idea on a Floyd Equipped Double HB (with no middle single coil) guitar that has specs similar to what I'm looking for?

cain

Well, like mine is like that except for the 3 way selector. I dont think you will get one standard but putting in a 3 way selector is minor ...

Mr-M

Francis Viviers wrote Well, like mine is like that except for the 3 way selector. I dont think you will get one standard but putting in a 3 way selector is minor ...

Yeah the 3-way is easy enough to fit.

For me it's also about the neck. I find the Wizard neck a little too thin and flat on the back for my liking. Not that I'm into huge fat guitar necks, but I prefer a rounder C-Profile. Also I like a bit more radius on the fingerboard (12"/305mm or 10") than the Wizards (15"/ 400mm +) which are flatter. I think the JS is 9.5" (240mm).

It's just a matter of preference. The flatter fingerboards are great for lead, but as the guitarist covering both rythm and lead in a 3-piece I find fingerboards between 12" and 10" are what I find more comfortable for covering both.

cain

The big question would be, can you get a neck in the radius's etc you want for 24 fret guitars ? Alan could prolly tell us ?

Mr-M

Francis Viviers wrote The big question would be, can you get a neck in the radius's etc you want for 24 fret guitars ? Alan could prolly tell us ?

Yup, that is the big question!
Already got a Cort KX Custom and a KX-1 with 24 frets and 12" Radius, but those are fixed bridge.

If anybody knows of anything I'd be grateful to know about it.

cain

DUDE!

I had a kort KX1! Those are awesome guitars, i never should have sold mine ...

Mr-M

Yeah, they do rock. The stock pups on the KX1 (Mightymite Motherbuckers) aren't my fave but they're way better than most stock pups on sub R5000 guitars. WAY prefer the KX Custom though with the SD Pups and big fat maple top. Gonna get me a second one soon.

Did you to get something better and regret it? I've done that way too many times.

cain

I got tired of it and sold it. I missed its fat sound, not really nice clean guitar, but very nice for metal riffing etc!

Mr-M

Yeah, it can be a bit one dimensional but definitely fat sounding. I don't really play only metal anymore so I'll probably sell it to get another KX Custom. The Custom's Seymour Duncan JB & '59 are super versatile and sound great, so I can pretty much play anything with them.

cain

Ive played on that guitar. Its the blue flame maple top with gold hardware right ?

AlanRatcliffe

Hmm. The only other thing I can think of right now is the Cort X-TH, which is right apart from having a set of EMGs

and a 15" radius:
http://www.cort.co.kr/english/products/common/view.asp?product_id=128
It has a through-neck too.

You would have to have a custom neck made otherwise. You can get 24 frett necks that fit on a Strat body (with no neck pickup), but there's no standard for 24 fretters.

Those KX-customs are nice - especially for the money. If you like that, you'll probably also like the Neil Zaza (aside from the inlay at the 12th fret).

Mr-M

No. You're thinking of the quilt maple with gold hardware NS-Z1 Neil Zaza Sinature. That also has a bolt-on neck, no tone control, a Tele-style pickup selector and SD Custom Bridge PUP.

The KX Custom is set-neck with pearl-black nickel hardware. Sorta looks black from some angles and nickel from others. It also has a 20mm thick maple top which is way thicker than on the NS-Z1. A Mahogany body, not Basswood as well. The Custom comes in Transparent Black (which I have) and a darker transparent blue burst.

Mr-M

Alan - Thanks, the X-TH is cool (also the X-Custom) but I don't like the EMGs or the 15" radius. I suppose I'll have to go the custom neck route like you suggested, 'cos in a lot of searching I haven't found anything. I was so hoping somebody else here knew of something.

NSZ1 is cool, but a bit too "bling" for my liking.

I suppose I could also modify a KX1 or KX Custom with a trem bridge? Maybe a Wilkinson instead of a Floyd? What do you think Alan?

AlanRatcliffe

NSZ1 is cool, but a bit too "bling" for my liking.

Yeah, even for me. I hate gold hardware.

I suppose I could also modify a KX1 or KX Custom with a trem bridge? Maybe a Wilkinson instead of a Floyd?

Good idea. Any competent tech can rout for a trem. I prefer the Wilkys and a graph Tech nut to a double-locking trem any day, because they are still relatively stable when you're not using them. But if you want to do the radical bending thing, the double-locking trems are the only way to do it and still stay in tune (unless you break a string of course).

Mr-M

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Yeah, even for me. I hate gold hardware.

Can't agree with you more there!

Thanks for the advice. I'll investigate that possibility more (probably the Wilkinson).

Anyone else got any suggestions, bearing in mind what I've mentioned I'm looking for before I start modifying?

Malkav

Okay here's a long shot but if you're looking for something that lets you whammy to hell and gone with 24 frets and a thicker neck profile try the Ernie Ball John Petrucci signature. It is a very expensive guitar but if you were looking at a JS1200 then you're not too far off the price range.

It's got a three way selector with two Dimarzio Humbuckers (modified Air Norton in the neck & D-Sonic in the bridge) it sounds really nice and fat and has incredible responsiveness.

The bridge is not a floyd rose imitation but rather a custom design made with God(john Petrucci) himself and I've found that even after a brutal session of diving it holds in tune perfectly (and trust me I mean BRUTAL). also setup is a breeze owing to the ingenius hex wheel truss rod adjustment.

however be very careful in terms of string spacing before you go have a trem bridge put on your guitar, after all if your nut and bridge don't match up you've got a problem.

Mr-M

Thanks. Have played the Music Man Petrucci before. It's a great guitar and like it a lot, but it does cost quite a bit. Although I like the JS1200 too it really doesn't mean I can actually afford it right now. Or a Petrucci for that matter.... ?

Since my last post on this thread a friend gave me an "82 Made in Japan Ibanez Blazer Strat-style guitar he had lying around (this guy owns around 20 guitars at any one time) that needs a bit of work. It plays fantastically well, so I might just do some work on it to get it to more or less fit my requirements.

Heath

MR M , about 6 years ago i had a blazer , i love that guitar , wouldn't go anywhere without it , sadly i was stolen along with some other gear . with the blazer setup properly it will easily become one of you favourite guitars

Mr-M

Tailon wrote with the blazer setup properly it will easily become one of you favourite guitars

It already is even though the electrics are very dodgy (some bad solder joints). The neck just feels like "home." Such an easy guitar to play and the build quality is (still) fantastic, especially considering the age and the amount of use the guitar has endured.
Going to re-wire the guitar, shield it properly and star-ground it.
Sorry to hear about your Blazer being stolen. That really sucks.

Alan, have you found that shielding a guitar with copper tape affects the resonance of the body? Some guys I've spoken to on US forums claim so, but of course you can't believe what guys on forums say (you being the exception of course!). The Blazer is so lively and resonant right now I'd hate to dull it.

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