Check out some Suhr stuff…..I reckon you’d get on nicely with one of their humbucker equipped offerings. The ones that I’ve played have been awesome.

Patrick Eggle stuff is amazing too….I actually chatted to them about an artist deal (literally the lowest they offer, not becoming their new poster boy!) Again, their stuff would really suit your style from what I’ve heard.

You’d struggle to get a Suhr for £2K. Very impressed with the Classic that I tried. Much better finish and set up than Fender managed.

“I’ve spent a lot of time recently drooling over the new Stingray Special. What a machine. It would be a ridiculous purchase for someone at my level but I’d keep it forever and I’m finding ways to justify it.”

I’ve had my Stingray Special for about a year now and it really is a very nice machine indeed. I didn’t pay for it but we sent Ernie Ball a couple of Barefaced cabs so it was a fair trade.

Regarding the price, two things to bear in mind:

1. They are really really really well made – Fenders etc at similar prices are nowhere near.
2. They are made in the USA in a modern safe clean factory by staff who love their jobs because of the pay, conditions, etc.

If you can get similar quality for less money then there’s a very high probability that there’s either an element of sweatshop labour or a gifted one-man-band who hasn’t got a name yet and is working for below minimum wage for the love of it.

It blows my mind how cheap many guitars are nowadays – have a look at what they used to cost in the ’50s and adjust for inflation.

What would you buy with £2K to spend? Ideas needed

Oooooh, an Ibanez AZ2402 in Pearl White or something top spec from Gordon Smith.

What would you buy with £2K to spend? Ideas needed

I would probably buy an epiphone 59 les paul, a vintera strat and some pedals 🙂

If I can find another £1.5k this would be my dream guitar

Ooo that looks lovely 🙂

I love the feel and playability of my Tyler Variax 59. I’d definitely be looking at a conventional Tyler if I could.

You’d get a nice old Yamaha SG2000 for £2k or so
You could also see what Dean Zelinksy is doing with his own brand stuff:
https://deanzelinsky.com/
^ I’m planning on picking one up next time I’m in the USA

I’ve had my Stingray Special for about a year now and it really is a very nice machine indeed. I didn’t pay for it but we sent Ernie Ball a couple of Barefaced cabs so it was a fair trade.

Regarding the price, two things to bear in mind:
…………..

You know what? You’re absolutely right!

Those are among the reasons I want one. I don’t spend money on anything else, I’ve got cheap taste in everything and I haven’t spent a penny on bikes in a couple of years.

The only thing stopping me is that I’m still firmly in the early stages of playing and it would be an obscene luxury. I know loads of people vastly more talented than me who are happily blazing away on their Squires and Sterlings. I’ll get one eventually when I’ve got more hours under my belt.

The hardest part will be choosing a colour.

In the meantime I really would like a P bass to play with. So realistically for my next purchase I’ll be using my student discount again to buy a Squier 70’s style Precision.

Crimson do an LP kit, have you asked them how much it would cost for them to complete build one?

“The only thing stopping me is that I’m still firmly in the early stages of playing and it would be an obscene luxury. I know loads of people vastly more talented than me who are happily blazing away on their Squires and Sterlings. I’ll get one eventually when I’ve got more hours under my belt.”

I started playing bass just before I turned 18 and decided to get a good bass for my 21st. I clocked up a lot of hours in those three years! I think it was a good way to go about things.

Ironically most of my playing now is on a cheap 5-string ABG I got as an experiment, as that’s my bass at home that I write on.

I spent so long choosing my Stingray colour, it was between sparkle grey, sparkle turquoise and metallic green (which I chose).

One aside for this guitarist thread – I’ve been putting together a new project for the last year, which appears to be coming into shape. And it looks (to my surprise) that that shape might not have any guitars, just drums, bass, two lead vocalists (in harmony) and a backing vocal or two. Currently getting my head around filling up even more space than I already do on bass!

I find videos of people making things very relaxing. Don’t worry, I’m not linking to Crimson Guitars again. This is something that popped up on my feed earlier and I’ve bookmarked the channel.
Ken Parker, designer of the high tech Parker Fly is making beautiful arch top jazz guitars and in this show it is just a quick overview of the process teasing us with his use of carbon fibre and stunning veneers plus unique ideas for the neck joint. All on an otherwise traditional jazz box.
A stunning craftsmen who makes the right tool for the job before doing it.
Give it a try.

Help me spend £2K!!!
50th coming up in a month or so and looking to get a new guitar, budget up to the 2 grand mark. If my budget was double that I would be going down the Patrick James Eggle Macon route but it isn’t so…..
Things I’ve looked at and considered so far:
One of the new 70’s reissue Les Paul gold tops. Not played a really nice Les Paul for a while so not sure about this option.
PRS S2 Mcarty Singlecut. Didn’t get on with my Custom 24 but this looks nice. Don’t like the birds though.
What would you buy with £2K to spend? Ideas needed

Smitty Custom

Lovely guy, amazing guitars

Smitty Custom

They look very nice. The only problem with the smaller builders is getting a chance to try one. At least with the big players you can usually get your hands on one for a few minutes. Well you could until a year ago…

Well just changed around the virtual pickups on a few guitar models on the Variax again but the most fun I’ve been having is open tunings and being able to turn strings off so you can have a 5 or 4 string guitar for slide with less effort of muting unwanted strings. Good for Kieth Richards riffing too.
If you get a chance to play with one do so. The Standard is often available at decent prices, I’ve seen them in the past at around £450 new which isn’t too bad for a Pacifica but secondhand the prices can drop well below that.

The only problem with the smaller builders is getting a chance to try one.

anyone is welcome to try mine – hertford area

If you get a chance to play with one do so

No lefties innit

Some cool suggestions of things I’ve not heard of. The Dean Zelinksy particularly looks really interesting.
I agree that at £2K my budget may be a little low for what I want so if I can resist, I may hang on until the end of the year when (hopefully) gigging can resume and I can add some gig money to the budget and get the Eggle that I really want. In the meantime, once guitar shops re-open it will be fun to try stuff and you never know what you’ll stumble across and fall in love with.

Avid reader but don’t post much…

Always worth a look at second hand market, for 2k you could get something ace. A used Suhr perhaps if you really want a Humbucking super strat, maybe even worth looking at Fender Custom shop HSS for nearer the 3k mark.

If you are having something made, I’d look at Iveson guitars available through ATB guitars. Hands down the best luthier in the UK at the moment.

I’ve bought a couple of second-hand guitars when nearly new, as in no fret wear. All the others, including some really nice ones got dismissed because I detest small frets and 80% of fret remaining I don’t consider enough. When I included the cost of a refret it was no longer bargain.

Just had had an email about a heritage guitars from Andertons. Always loved these.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/brands/heritage-guitars/heritage-standard-collection-h-150-original-sunburst

I think @chipps may possibly have just agreed to sell me this ’96 Olympic White MIJ Strat with rosewood board and Texas Specials 🙂

Dammit! I might have done…

Japanesse Strats have lovely necks on them. I tried one that was one of the nicest guitars I’ve played eyes shut. Thing was it was blue, clear blue everything, the finger board, the neck, head, body. I couldn’t hand over money for something that blue.

Bite his hand off, Simon.

Bite his hand off, Simon.

I have 🙂

Silent lurker here but have been reading this thread with interest for that last few months and you’ve all inspired me to pick up the bass again. I’ve even started messing with a £25 Squire Strat I picked up locally and really enjoying it.

If I had your budget guitarhero I would be looking for an SG. Always fancied one since I saw Tony playing one in Sabbath.

Anyone tried one of the recent Epiphone SG’s? It’s our 5th wedding anniversary coming up and apparently the theme is wood!

Anyone tried one of the recent Epiphone SG’s?

I haven’t, but I love my one from the late ’90s 🙂

The most recent Epiphones seem to have been getting stellar reviews… It’s not doing good things for my vow to cut down on my guitar collection… 🙂

@eddiebaby – A friend of mine has had a Heritage 535 (their 335) and it’s lovely. They’re not cheap though and for the money, I’d be tempted by an older Tokai or similar (Burney/Orville/Edwards) or even a new Eastman. It depends on how much stock you place in the ‘Made in USA’ label, I guess. I’m not sure I like what Heritage have done with their headstock shape though – seems a little more Gibsony rather than the nice slim shape they used to have.

Thanks and congrats on getting that lovely strat!

I know that battle well Chipps, I keep thinking about selling my Thunderbird but it just has too much character. I don’t play it for weeks but it brings a smile to my face when I do.

I played one about 30 years ago when they hadn’t long been making them. Working a lot in Soho I tried a couple in Denmark Street and despite liking Strats thought them amazing comfortable. Built by ex-Gibson guys in the old Gibson factory AND Gary Moore had one (maybe a signature model?). Lovely to play back then and they look good now.
Price doesn’t look too bad for an LP like guitar but obviously I have no idea how good they are now…

Nice bit of flame on that neck Simon. Very tasty. 👍🏼

Any opinions on this as a toy to mess around on for a total beginner? I’ve never heard of the brand.

http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/417732266001137

It doesn’t have to be incredible but I don’t have the knowledge to tell if it’s more Apollo, Carerra or Boardman if you know what I mean.

The included amp is probably terrible but I’ll mostly plug into the laptop.

Any opinions on this as a toy to mess around on for a total beginner?

Well it looks pretty fine which is one of the main things 🙂

My opinion is never buy a guitar you have not had a chance to hold and play, what it looks like is of no concern to me.

if you are not shure what you want go to a shop and spend the day checking stuff out,
if they have a problem with that, find another shop.

Gibsons are alright but they are heavy uncomfortable and often a bit unbalanced IMO

Trying to learn some Rory Gallagher but not making a very good job of it so far.

Maybe the arrival of a Strat at the weekend will help 🙂

I have an MIJ Strat – bought it last year for about £400? It’s a Candy Apple Red 80s e-series one. nice guitar, especially once I put an SD Quarter Pounder in the bridge.

The one thing I’ve found (and a guitar playing friend who is much more skilled with me agrees) is that they are a bit harder to play than the LP necks I’m used to, just feel like I have fumbly fingers.

On an aside, any love for Parker Flys here? I love the idea of the originals, with the carbon fibre monocoque construction etc Never played one though and they are pretty pricey used!!!

On an aside, any love for Parker Flys here?

Played one in a shop back in the 90s for ten minutes and it felt super light and comfortable. I had the cash in my pocket but never did buy it. I tried a Steinberger headless about a year later and in that case went away to get together the money for it but they sold before I got back the next week.
I think the Fly is a remarkable guitar but it wasn’t really that grabbing to me.

This morning I somehow found exactly the sound I want for the James Tyler. No Battery in it for the Variax just the normal pickup into a Mojo overdrive with almost no drive, trble boos and a bit of bass cut and then into a very lightly drive clean amp on the THR10 with a little bit of delay, a tad of tremolo and a hint of spring reverb.
It is very touch sensitive with the vol rolled back to 3 and just driven enough at full volume and the pickups, solo and in combination, sound great.
If only I had separate volumes for the neck and bridge PU.

Oh and it sounds great on the cleaner end of the range with a Sus4 chord purring away as it lightly distorts.