Seeking input on 2nd guitar

Stack, for under $1000 you can get crazy thinking about guitars. Too many to list. I think you need to narrow down your requirements...

Need a tremolo? Does fit and finish matter that much? Is binding and inlay important?

As for the single-coil versus humbuckers... you can wire your humbuckers to get a "sorta" single coil sound...

Anyway.. hard to supply a great recommendation, but in reading your email it sounded like you liked the wood finish of the Strat necks and Strats in general. I think you would be VERY happy with a Standard USA Stratocaster for $800. You could even get a Strat Deluxe used for $900.

In addition, look at the PRS CE guitars. Made in the USA and can be had second-hand for under a grand.

In terms of answering your questions, I don't think I need a trem and that might be best left for a future guitar as I read they can be finicky and hard to keep in tune, especially on lower-end guitars. Fit and finish matters as I want a decent quality guitar. This is the one main thing that is leading me away from the Line6 Variax right now. Inlays are not important at all, cosmetics are not my primary concern by any means.
I didn't mean to give the impression I was a fan of the strat necks, just that they felt better than what I have. I think I may be more a fan of thicker LP-style necks and the shorter scale from trying a few and reading. I will check out the PRS CE, I have been looking at the PRS SE Soapbar II recently and plan to play some PRS SE's tomorrow.

Yeah, check out the CE models. I think you should look at the Gibson SG standard as well. Not the faded special, but the standard. I think they go for $900 or so.

For something totally different, I can unequivacally recommend the Fender Tele FMT Custom (HH) guitars out of Korea. They are light, with great necks and superb finish. They have two humbuckers, which are generally USA made Fender or Seymour Duncan humbuckers. I own one and a few others on the board own them and we are all VERY happy. BRAND new they run about $500.

You will get a LOT of guitar from an Agile Les Paul. They are pretty well known on this board - sort of a "legend" for the low cost to high quality ratio. I own 3 Gibson Les Pauls and 1 Agile Les Paul/ Obviously, the Gibsons are nicer, but the Agile is a really great guitar for the money. Hands down better than an Epiphone Les Paul I have ever picked up. They are really nice guitars. They are only sold via internet, from Rondo Music. Don't let that worry you, they stand behind their guitars and will correct any problem.

Here are two models for you to consider, which are WELL within your price range:

http://www.rondomusic.com/al3000prest.html

http://www.rondomusic.com/al-3000csbp90.html

I happen to own the second one, with P90s, which sound great. Take a look around their site, there are many Agile Les Paul models to choose from. The two I have above are actually one the expensive side for Agiles. The 2000, 2500 & 2800 are even cheaper.

I've got a EPI LP. Love it. I do understand that some don't. There's been some discussion about possible quality differences between made in Korea vs made in China. The others I have no experience with. However, if you go with Dali's idea of the 2H tele and CFB's idea of the Agile LP, that would leave you money left over for a hard to find Squire 51. Why get one when you can get three? :lol: :lol:

Oh, I'm not helping, am I?

By the way, here is what a FMT Tele Custom looks like:

I have one of those, Dali. Hell, I have at least one of most guitars! haha

Very nice guitar, but to be honest, I am not a big fan of the humugous, gigantic frets on that baby. Other than that, it is a very nice guitar. But, because of the speed bump sized frets, it sits in a case in the closet. One of these days, I am gonna have to have an on-line guitar yard sale. Lets see... I have to sell: that Tele, an Epi Sheraton, an Epi SG Les Paul Custom, at least one of my Gibson Les Pauls, a Vox AD30VT amp, a Behringer amp, etc. etc. Damn, where did all this stuff come from?!?

Thanks for all the info! I am really hoping to be closer to $500 that $1k. Someone said something against the faded SG. Why is that? This is one I was looking at since I can get a gibson faded sg for under $600 and I know that I like the neck (thick AND with satin finish). A couple people have mentioned the PRS CE series. I see those are around $1k whereas the PRS SE models are closer to $500. Are there huge differences between them meaning the PRS SE's are not worth considering? I will be playing a faded SG, a few telecasters and some PRS SE's in a store this evening.

Sorry for the immediate reply, but I just checked out the prices and features on those Agile LPs... Wow! Thanks for pointing me towards those! Definitely something to consider.

No problem. Agiles are great value. Very nice guitars, for very low prices. If you decide to go with a Les Paul, you can't beat the value of an Agile.

Don't listen to what anyone says about the faded SGs. If you like you they feel, play & sound, then it is a good guitar - for you. Everyone is different, so not every guitar fits every player. I for one, can't find much to like about PRS - but that doesn't mean they aren't great guitars for other players. Go with what you think - chances are it will not be you last guitar purchase anyway, so as long as you like what you buy, you can always buy something else later.

Ok, so I went and played the PRS SE Soapbar II and the PRS SE Standard as well as a Gibson faded SG. Out of the three I think I liked the faded SG the best. Sadly, I think this might have the most to do with the finish on the PRS necks. It was kind of thick/sticky feeling and I really didn't like it. It felt like I was playing a lucite neck or something. The SG has a satin finish and the neck felt better to me. I don't know if it was just the finish though. However, I am not crazy about the idea of another dual HB guitar as it sounded a bit "distant" or muddy. And I would really like to be able to get some single coil tones. On the other hand, I feel kind of odd just ordering a Godin w/o having played even a single example of a godin. Some of the fender tele necks felt ok.
I also heard some people strip some of that finish off with steel wool but I don't know if it would work well or not.
Any other thoughts?

You said you like the texture of an unlacquered neck; as far as single coils are concerned there are lots of ways to minimize the noise. I'd look at the faded Gibsons, they have a great guitar in the SG with P90's (I have one) or the Les Paul Special. The faded finish is not as glossy and sticky as the polished Gibsons. They use the same pickups as the standard Gibsons, made on the same production line; I know the Gibson rep for this region and he advised me that they are essentially the same guitars with far less labor involved due to the finish process.

And I would really like to be able to get some single coil tones. On the other hand, I feel kind of odd just ordering a Godin w/o having played even a single example of a godin.

I have a Godin LGX3 that is now discontinued. It's a single coil version of the LG Signature series (which are still being made)and came with 3 "single coil" SD Duckbuckers and a trem bridge. It's a great guitar - sounds good and plays well. They were MSRP of around US$1500 when new and are still around US$700-800 used. I'm not sure it fits some of the criteria you are looking for - it has a thin neck, it's not a satin finish neck (though it isn't really gloss either), and it's more than you want to spend. There aren't too many in the current Godin line with single coils. Which one were you thinking of?