I currently play a completely stock BC Rich Warlock Bronze with a completely unfixible bent bridge that is always going out of tune and terrible pickups with a Peavey Blazer 158. I hate the sound I get out of my guitar, and my amp doesn't put out the distortion I need and only has so many options. I haven't played in such a long time because the sound out of it sounds like a bunch of pots and pans banging against each other! I just got the taste into playing again (I don't play in a band, I just like to jam in my room), and need some help choosing a new setup. I like to play covers to bands like metallica, bullet for my valentine, killswitch engage. I want a guitar and amp that can handle the distortion in this style of music. I have done a lot of research in guitars, and not as much into an amp. I thought that (since I am on more of a budge and I don't need top of the notch sounding equipment) my best bet would be to buy a used epiphone g310 with a small micro cube amp, but I am just not so sure. I looked at my local guitar shops and found that I can pickup the g310 for about $160 and the microcube for $100.
Will I get the sound I want for my money? I just want to hear some good sound come out of my playing, I believe it will help me progress as a guitarist.
Any feedback will help right now, I appreciate it.
Double your amp budget. 30 watters from Peavey's Vypyr series or a Line 6 Spider IV will put out the distortion tones you want.
Also I think the low-end offerings from Jackson or Ibanez are better bets than the low-end Epiphones. Try before you buy.
Buy used, save bucks.
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
+1 on the importance of the amp. Distortion doesn't come from the guitar.
In your budget, I'd look for a Line 6 Spider III amp - the model they recently discontinued. You should be able to pick up a 30W for about $100 if your local shop has any left, or get one used for that price or less. At my music school we own 12 of the Spider IIIs in various sizes and the metal students all like them.
I'm not sure what kind of guitar research you've done... but I'm also thinking that if you're not happy with your Warlock Bronze because of the pickup quality, the G310 isn't much of a step up. The pickups you'd be really happy with are going to sell for roughly $100 each (and up), and that means you're not very likely to find them in a guitar that sells new for $250. Replace the amp first, and see if your sound is closer to what you want. If it is, you can probably get a replacement bridge for $65 or so if you do the replacement, probably $100-125 if you take it to a shop. Then you'll have something playable for now, and start saving for a guitar you'll love as a future purchase.
I'm also with slej on try before you buy. Guitars aren't toasters - each one has a unique sound, even in the same brand, model, year, etc. I'd never buy an instrument before I played it, because I've tried out too many expensive instruments that didn't have it (and bought a few guitars that people literally laughed at - because they played and sounded great!)
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Thanks slejhammer and notebeat. I have test out the g310 and some special sg's and I have loved the way they have played considering how horrible the warlock I have plays. I go to my local best buy which has a music studio, I have tested the line 6 spider and LOVED it. Later this week I'm going to pick it up, but i'm going to keep on testing the guitars.
I'm new to this website and you have helped way more the UG.
- Jay
I forgot too say one thing... I don't have a choice other than buying a new guitar because the hole is stripped at the place where the bridge screws into the body. I have brought it to the shop to get it fixed, all the guy did was wedge a small wooden strip into the stripped hole and glued it in. It didn't fix a thing. It's completely JUNKED.
It may not be junked. I haven't taken a bridge off one of those, but I'm guessing if he glued in a wood strip, the screw holes you're talking about are in the wood, not into a metal insert pressed into the body. The fix for that is easy (and cheap).
Get some wood toothpicks and some carpenter's glue. Coat the toothpics with glue and wedge them into the hole - as many as you can fit. After it dries, you can cut off the parts of the toothpicks sticking out of the body. Now when you put the screw back in, it's biting into the wood toothpicks, and the compression will get it all nice and tight.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Just to add I've got Spider Line 6 IV and I love it - I also got the FBV2 pedal, so you can save different effects on the 4 channels and flick between then.
Thanks notebeat i'll definately give it a shot! I'll let you know how it turns out.
