Opinions on my next guitar

[slash-ed]

A Korean NJ will be pretty reasonable actually, like that Beast that AndyS linked up there, but that one IIRC has Speedloaders which wuld be a pain in the ass...

But yeah, me old NJ Mockingbird served me real well for years, it was probably one of the guitars I've held on to the longest. The stock pickups are nice and high output.

[IkeKrull]

I was in the guitarium the other day and had a look att the $620 umethar V mentioned, and an acrylic mockingbird they have.

I also had a play on the 'Evil Edge' mockingbird that is/was at Weta.

I currently own a 40 lashes mockingbird, from the same series as the umethar V.

there was a noticeable difference in neck profile between the chinese (body art) guitars and the(supposedly korean) acrylic and EE 'birds - the korean necks are skinnier - the acrylic guitar was also ridiculously heavy and both korean 'birds had a brighter, more 'zingy' tone and feel than my one - I put this down mostly to their stoptails and factory light strings (mine has string-thru and 11-52s ) however I believe the .same pickups are used on everything from the bronze series to the NJs.

My guitar,even though it's cheap and chinese is rock solid and plays and sounds great. I can't say it's a very 'alive' sounding guitar wood-wise, but a surprising variety of tone can be squeezed out of it.once the volume knob on the guitar is backed off a bit.

I don't think you can go too far wrong with a BC Rich, if your focus is metal. I've never seen a poorly finished or obviusly shoddy one in a shop,except for the dings that Beasts can't help but get on their pointy bits. The bigggest problem I had with mine was the balance when standing - I had to move the strap button, as the factory location is just unplayable due to neck-diive

However, i'd agree there is more to life than looks - and definitely buy 2nd hand if you can. The only thing in your price range i like the look of new in the RS is the $699 Epiphone SG G400, the new PRS SEs (might be slightly too expensive) and the hello kitty squier (oh god i've said it now). there might have been a tasty LTD les paul clone too actually.

but if its going to be a brand new gat, make sure to play everything you can to try them out - especially the ones outside your price range so you can pick a cheapie that compares well to them - and buy the one that feels/plays/sounds best to you.its as simple as that.

[DarcyPerry]

mine has string-thru and 11-52s.

What brand?

[Rog]

However, i'd agree there is more to life than looks

Obviously, you're not a JAFA...

[raz]

One thing you have to remember is although your fave guitarist may play something that looks like the warlock in the rock shop, he will be playing a custom made in the USA set neck beast with active pickups that cost more than than the whole RS gat. Just because it looks the same and has the same name doesn't mean it is the same. One thing oriental factories are superb at is finishes, which is great if you don't have to play the thing.

First consideration has to be how does it feel? Followed closely by how does it sound? Both acoustically and electrically. Try putting your ear against the wood with the guitar unplugged and play a few chords - listen to the wood, it'll give you an indication whether a crappy electric sound can be fixed by fancy pickups, compare it to something expensive. If it doesn't sound good through the wood, then there isn't a lot of acoustic resonance there to start with and pickups may help a bit but the basics aren't right.

Cheap guitars can range from not bad wood with crappy fittings, to well tuned plywood that would be better off keeping you warm.

My 2c worth.

[Bg]

However, i'd agree there is more to life than looks

Obviously, you're not a JAFA...

Perhaps you need to move to the other Island, then you can be a JAWSI

[Rog]

LOL - I was gonna say 'Yank' or 'Hollywood', but where's the fun in that? Everyone takes the piss outa the poor, misunderstood 'mericans. So JAFA it was.

[Capt. Black]

It's OK Beegee, don't let them get to you.

People in the rest of the country have inner beauty.

[Rog]

People in the rest of the country have inner beauty

I had an inner tube for floating down the river - out to sea when I was a kid. Does that count?

Mind you, it was off a tractor, not a beauty....

[Capt. Black]

People in the rest of the country have inner beauty

I had an inner tube for floating down the river - out to sea when I was a kid. Does that count?

Hmmm, having your inner tube inflated may explain a lot....

[1-3-8]

One thing you have to remember is although your fave guitarist may play something that looks like the warlock in the rock shop, he will be playing a custom made in the USA set neck beast with active pickups that cost more than than the whole RS gat. Just because it looks the same and has the same name doesn't mean it is the same. One thing oriental factories are superb at is finishes, which is great if you don't have to play the thing.

First consideration has to be how does it feel? Followed closely by how does it sound? Both acoustically and electrically. Try putting your ear against the wood with the guitar unplugged and play a few chords - listen to the wood, it'll give you an indication whether a crappy electric sound can be fixed by fancy pickups, compare it to something expensive. If it doesn't sound good through the wood, then there isn't a lot of acoustic resonance there to start with and pickups may help a bit but the basics aren't right.

Cheap guitars can range from not bad wood with crappy fittings, to well tuned plywood that would be better off keeping you warm.

My 2c worth.

Yeah, I knew that, allthough I really like the feel of a BC Rich warlock, I was just wondering if the kerry king wartribe, is any worse than your standard warlock.

[IkeKrull]

They are Dean Markely Blue somethings... they came in the box with the guitar when i bought it (yes, i need to change my strings). Actually maybe they were 10-52s.

Either way, I probably got the guitar cheap because when it arrived, the neck was noticeably bowed, (likely from the previous owner's heavy string fetish) and the pickups were screwed so far down into the body it mewed like an anemic kitten.

Had Weta tweak the truss rod and wound the pickups back up to a more reasonable height, and it plays 50 times better.

Since i moved the strap button I can even play it standing up now, and its much harder to consider selling it.

[angry_young_poet]

a good setup goes a long way..

[slash-ed]

there was a noticeable difference in neck profile between the chinese (body art) guitars and the(supposedly korean) acrylic and EE 'birds

"Supposedly"? The acrylic definitely is, if I had to guess I would mark the Evil Edge as Chinese made.

As of now, all the new ones are 100% MIC anyways.

[IkeKrull]

Hey, if thats the case, thats the case - i just wasn't sure, so put 'supposedly' in there.