Electric Guitars
Guitars are tough to recommend. You really have to go out
and try out different guitars until you find one that you like. Another
way is to see what your favorite artist is using. Then go out and try that
brand. You can't go wrong with Fender
or Gibson. There are a lot of opinions
and usually you just pick your favorite artist and use what they use.
Ibanez
My very first guitar was an Ibanez. Too old to
remember what it was. It was shaped like the Fender Jazz master I
believe. Bought it in 70's for $8 at the swap meet. Wish I
still had that guitar! When I traded it in, the sales guy said
that it must be the oldest living Ibanez around. You know, dumb
kid, ended up trading it in at Freedom Guitar in Hollywood for an Ibanez
Artist. I ended up paying another $300 for the Artist. I got
it because Carlos Santana was playing that kind of guitar at the
time. Eventually I would do another dumb ass move and trade it for
a cheap bass and amp. But more on that later. I
believe Freedom Guitar is only in San Diego now. But I must have
gone through a ton of guitars. Wish I kept most of them but here's
a brief list: Ibanez Artist ($300+Ibanez $8 guitar), Yamaha
SBG2000 (Santana thing I guess $400), Les Paul copy sunburst ($30), Les
Paul Copy with effects($120), Ibanez Iceman copy with effects($120),
Harmony Strat($99), Austin PRS copy($200), Galveston Les Paul copy($75),
Flying V copy($120), mini flying v copy($129), Cort mini strat($99), Les
Paul Pee Wee($99), Epiphone Roadie (almost the same thing)($80),
Peavey Predator($100), Fender Standard Strat (mexican) ($300), Dean Boca
($329), Ibanez RG550 ($75), Ibanez S540LTD ($500), Ibanez
RG540($500)(ended up trading this in for my RG470Deluxe), Ibanez RG470,
Ibanez JS100($699 brand new!), Ibanez JS100 (nickel plated $200 off ebay
plus $270 for the nickel plating job, see picture below), Ibanez MRGMK $129 (best mini
around), Squier Mini Strat $99, Traveler guitar($350), Rogue micro les
paul ($180), I've had more guitars than I thought!, Ibanez RX40 $60,
Fernandes Sustainer ($70? came in pieces), Ibanez Strat copy
($75), Hohner travel electric ($89), quite possibly more but I lost
track. I haven't even listed my acoustics or my basses.
Here's my nickel plated JS100. Click on the
picture for a larger view. My version of Satch's chrome boy.
I bought a used Ibanez JS100 off ebay (black) for about $200. Then
I sent the guitar to girlsgunsguitars.com (no longer around) (Historical
Arts on ebay). Actually I only sent the body. They nickel
plated the body for me! I loved it! It's not really heavy
but it is really cold to the touch! Of course, since the guitar
was in pieces I went and got a Dimarzio PAF Pro and Fred to install to
better match Satriani's pickups. The guitar sounds
great. I'm contemplating changing the pickups once again to
Satch's new pickups because they come in chrome. We'll have
to see, cause $124 is a lot for a Joe Satriani Neck pickup. Not to
mention another $119 for the chrome Fred pickup.
Here are the guitars I used to have. I still
have the nickel JS100. I also have an RG2EX1 and Mikro.
My main guitar was the Fernandes. It has the
Sustainer installed. I replaced the bridge with an LR Baggs X
Bridge for acoustic sounds. Then I installed the Roland GK3 for
use with the Roland GR-20. Basically I get 3 different sounds at
once! The electric guitar sound, the acoustic guitar sound and the
synth guitar sound. All I need now is the Jam
Bass to make myself a full one man band!
My favorite guitar to play is my nickel plated Ibanez
JS100. With the installed pickups I can sound pretty much like
Satriani! I contemplating changing the pickups to the Dimarzio Joe
Satriani for the neck pickup and the Dimarzio Mo'Joe for the bridge
pickup. Both in Chrome color to match!
Next is my stock Ibanez JS100 in black. If I
change the pickups in my nickel JS100, I'll put those pickups in this
guitar.
Last is my Ibanez RG470DX in midnight blue. This
was my workhorse guitar which is a great guitar.
A Yamaha bass for all my bass work. I would like
to get a headless bass. Then my classical and acoustic steel
string guitars. I like playing the Talman the most because it's
easiest to play although the AEG10 sounds better.
Anyway, I like Ibanez guitars. Not too
overwhelmingly expensive like others but good solid guitars.
I had an S series Ibanez, the S-540D. This is a Deluxe model that has
the Custom Made fret inlay. The body on this guitar is super
thin! I ended up selling it so I could get my JS nickel plated.
Other past owned guitars:
Dean Boca Electric Guitar
Squier Strat
more photos to come!
