Gear buying time arrives... Help out, guys...

Hi guys

Time for a guitar upgrade, hope I can get some advice from experienced guys.

I'm planning to upgrade my guitar to something in the range of 20k-25k... Music style: Classic rock, chord based music, blues.

NOT NEGOTIABLE

1. Fixed bridge preferred. Will accept non-floating tremolos (don't plan to use it, don't want to suffer the tuning issues). Floating trems not wanted.
2. Atleast one single coil pickup

ADJUSTABLE

1. Would like a strat/superstrat/SG/Tele look. Anything other than a Les Paul look, I would like a change in appearance. Not a die hard requirement though.

I think there will be just few guitars that fulfill these requirements, please point at a few models for me to check out...

Thanks a lot!

 

The Washburn N2 has coil tap/split I think. But it's an FR bridge.

I don't know of many guitars with an HS/HSS configuration.

 

Have a look at Ibanez SA260 FM. I haven't played it but i think it might be very suitable for you.

 

Yeah I didn't see many myself... Why are they so infrequent, that is what I wonder...

Some guitars I found by searching online:

Greg Bennett Formula FA2 (Telecaster, HSS Duncan pickups, Fixed bridge)
https://www.gregbennettguitars.com/fa2.html

Yamaha Pacifica 112V (Vintage tremolo, HSS, I'm not sure which other Pacificas are available in India, will see at the store)

Ibanez SA260 FM (HSS with coil split/tap... Unfortunately I'm not sure about the bridge, online people seem to be saying it's a floating bridge. Some info plz?)
https://tinyurl.com/2bj9y5k

I was wondering which company sells good telecasters in India... Didn't find much resources for that online... Gotta check them out.

Rickky, what's the SAT pro II bridge? Floating?

 

jazzmaster!

if you're iin for 25k, look for a used mex strat. they go between 15k and 25k i think.

mex strats are VERY good guitars, a pickup upgrade later makes them pretty damn killer on the whole. i know one professional who slapped a set of suhr FLs on his mex strat (well, i installed them) and now the damn thing is a tone beast. here are clips: https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=1046495

I'd personally go for the HSS config. there's a lot you can do that way, i've personally never liked the sound of the bridge single coil much, so you can drop in a humbucker, or a split coil humbucker if you want to retain some of the single coil sound, or a P90.... adds to the versatility.

also consider a tele with a P90 in the neck, perhaps?

 

keep in mind: duncan designed isn't the same as duncan.

 

https://www.seymourduncan.com/products/duncan-designed/

Oh... Just noticed... Well, Duncan designed then :

 

Sat pro is non locking, floating tremolo. I only know this much. I anyways use mine as a hard tail with my tremolo bar lying inside the gigbag. So never bothered much bout any details of the bridge configuration.
It gives tuning issues if you use tremolo.

 

Well, I've heard adjusting each string affects the tuning of other strings on a floating bridge... So I'd rather avoid the whole hassle altogether and go for a fixed bridge or a non-floating bridge...

@Flood: That sounds good! I'd love a mex strat but I don't know anyone who's selling...

I wonder why there aren't more fat strat knock-offs available in India... You'd think every manufacturer would be rushing to make HSS instruments.

 

Fixed bridge is the best. My Dean VMNT is also fixed bridge.

 

In my humble opinion, i'd say if you are digging the fat strat, go for the Fender fat strat, rather than looking for a knock-off. It is a bit above your budget, but if you can beg, borrow or steal, or probably wait till you have enough dough, you should buy that. It perfectly suits the genre you intend on playing, and well in the next buying season, upgrade the puppies. Or upgrade after two seasons, you know. It will be totally worth it.

Alternatively, if you are really hell bent on making the purchase this season, and cannot beg, borrow or steal, then i'd say the closest you will get to play the genre in the fat strat configuration is the Yamaha Pacifica 112V. It's a great guitar for it's price, has a coil-split feature in the bridge humbucker, which is activated by a pull/push switch on the tone knob. Plus, it's all chrome, if you dig chrome.

It has a Vintage style vibrato/whammy bar, and the guitar does stay in tune even after a decent amount of abuse.

But you know, i'd still insist you go for the Fender fat strat, or the Fender standard mexican strat (SSS config), cause you can go ahead and buy the 112V, but after a while you will not be able to feel it, you know, you'll want something more, something better, to satisfy your tonal needs, and then my friend you will ultimately want to go for a strat. So stop looking for a knock-off, and go for the original one. Costly, yes. Over budget, oh yes. Will have to beg, borrow or steal, definately yes. But my friend, you'll see in the end, it will all be worth it.

Cheers.

 

Thanks a lot for the advice... But my gear buying time has been long long overdue and I can't put it off any longer... Actually I can't put off this buy any more even if I wanted to... Some professional issues involved...

I'm thinking of buying the best I can afford, and upgrade the pickups (after my amp) in the next buying season... At present I think the limiting component in my gear is my guitar>my amp, so I'm planning to upgrade in that order. Guitar>amp>pickups

The Pacifica 112v looks pretty cool and I hope it sounds good too... But I've still got wriggle room in my budget (I think the 112v is 18k) so please advise any other guitars if you know them... What's the next guitar in the Pacifica series available in India?

 

https://www.yamahamusicindia.com/products/products.aspx?CategoryId=51&SubCategoryId=29

since the site says yamahaindia i think all shud be available..

 

Well the 112V and 112XJ are missing in that website (I've seen both in stores)... And the descriptions are a bit sketchy... So I wonder if it is accurate.

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/guitars-basses/el-guitars/pacifica/?mode=series This page seems more accurate with what I've actually seen in stores...

I guess the Pacifica series will have to wait till I get to a store... Any other recommendations? What about telecasters? Anyone ever tried any?

 

I think i know somebody who's selling his mexican strat. Lemme confirm once. You're interested right?

 

Yeah, I am, as long as the guitar is available in Delhi...

 

greg bennet av7....Good for blues

 

Did you even bother reading my requirements? I know Greg Bennetts are nice at the budget... Unfortunately they all come with dual humbuckers...

 

aerodyne telecaster - p90 in the neck and standard single coil bridge. mij. p90 can be swapped for a mini-humbucker.

sells for $500 on ebay. you can negotiate with icc world to ship it in for an additional 1/3rd of the cost (duty + shipping).

there is a gibson les paul studio lite mIII - which came with 2 hbs and a single coil. gibson also has an sg with 3 single coils. or a robert cray strat (mim) with a hard tail (non-tremolo) bridge.

 

^Expensive!!

Btw... Do you guys think furtados would want to buy back their guitar from me cheap? It's one year old, still in warranty for two more years and absolutely flawless condition... Everything is as perfect as when I bought it. Anyone ever tried selling back to the store?