Upgrading My Guitar

It wouldn't be worth upgrading the equipment in your guitar: you'll still have the same basics: wood, bridge, frets, etc.

In the 500-1000$ range you can get a really good new guitar, of much better quality.

First check if you prefer single or double-coil pickups, then, do you need a tremolo; it's worth investing in a guitar with a high-quality tremolo on it if you're going to use it.

How many frets do you need? 21? 24? If you're going to do a lot of solos in the high notes, it's worth getting a 24-fret.

Do you prefer a rosewood neck or maple?

Do you like thin frets or large ones? The large ones are fantastic for hammer-ons or tapping.

Once you know all that, go to a good guitar store and check out what they have. Then go to another one. And another one. Don't compromise one thing for another: get the guitar you want.

Brands like Gibson, BC Rich, etc, will have an affordable, quality line (Gibson's is Epiphone) that should suit you.

I agree with the above. I'm actually a fan of cheap guitars and have several, but I take 'em for what they are. I'd never buy a cheap guitar and spend hundreds of dollars on upgrades for it.

$500 to $1000 range? Well the world is your oyster. Take your pick.

Re: upgrading....if you like the feel of you guitar and it's structurally sound...AND... you can find a broken more expensive guitar with working components....AND....you like to tinker, make yourself a Frankenstein guitar.

Don't spend any serious money on it though.

Thanks guys!!

I don't know how much push pull pots cost in the US, but if you had humbucker pickups i could easily see spending about £40 to allow more tonal range. Of course on a strat this isn't worthwhile unless you had humbuckers on it.. having an SG copy and an ibanez with 2 humbuckers and a single coil could well be worth while though.

my guitars like that too, with one humbucker and one single, what is that thing youre talking about though?

You can split the humbucker coils so the humbucker acts as a single coil... it's also possible to do things like put other pickups in series with it rather than parallel, pretty sure there was an article about that sort of thing on here somewhere.

A guitar is only part of the over all signal chain. To follow through with a Quest for sound and tone everything must be taken into consideration, from the guitarist themselves and every thing used in between until the final speaker output. Upgrading may still not give you the sound and tone you desire.

Example: Over the Holidays I was up north visiting. My niece received a guitar and amp starter set I believe their called made by a company called first act? Not having a tuner handy, I tuned it by ear to were it sounded best without being able to check or adjust the intonation. Well the first time out getting some warming up I broke an high E string (if you can call the strings that came with it strings, more like wire!).

Luckily they had sent two sets of strings. I changed the one that broke and re-tuned down 1/2 step. Adjusted the amp, only having volume, tone, gain. I set the gain to 91/2, volume to right around 3/4 (from 0 to 1), tone control about the 1 o'clock position. The guitar volume and tone up full. It sounded and played just like I figured it would. I cranked out everything from metal to 50's for at least an hour or more before handing over to her.

She sat there silent and amazed with a grin from ear to ear. she now realized the wild stories about her uncles guitar playing were true. What I'm trying to say is that mostly the sound, tone and music comes from within the guitarist themselves. Doesn't matter playing on thousands of dollars of equipment or this starter setup. It's whats in your heart an soul.

Joe

dont no much about prices in the u.s. but for that sort of money you cant go far wrong with the epiphone les paul.Make sure its a standard or a custom though.As they got gibson pick ups and grover tuners.It'll do just about everything.

What I'm trying to say is that mostly the sound, tone and music comes from within the guitarist themselves. Doesn't matter playing on thousands of dollars of equipment or this starter setup. It's whats in your heart an soul.That's worth repeating, because it's absolutely true.
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