Supestrat for beginner - Schecter vs Ibanez

[keloj]

Hey guys!

 

I'm a beginner and I want to buy my first superstrat (I'm really into metal and grunge so I want to play that kind of music). I already play on acoustic guitar but it will by my first electric one. I'm happy to spend up to $1000 for a new guitar

I found this list of best supestrats and I'm thinking about getting Schecter Hellraiser C-1 or Ibanez RGA42HP. They seem to be very good and they look cool as well (which is also important to me). Which one of these would you choose and why? Or maybe you have other recommendations?

I will really appreciate your help - I feel like a complete idiot when it comes to electric guitars lol. 

[daddymack]

A 'complete idiot' would not ask for help, so you are well over that bar.....lack of experience and specific knowledge is not a problem...it is a challenge.

Have you tried out any superstrats in person?

Reading 'a list' [although a lot would depend on who made that list] is a good starting point, but you need to get hands-on experience to know what guitar will feel right for you.

Do you have friends who have superstrats?  Is there a store that carries a selection near you?

I will not offer a specific opinion as to model, as, frankly, I am not a superstrat kind of guy...but from the list I would likely go with an Ibanez as your starter.

I will suggest you not spend too much on the guitar, as you are also going to need an amp, pedals, cables...

[Ancient Mariner]

One has a trem, one doesn't - would you want to learn to use one or would you prefer a hard tail for extra tuning stability? The jackson looks good too.

Like Daddymack said, go to a store and try some, with a guitar-playing friend if possible for a second opinion & to help you manage any 'new guitar' eagerness. See what feels good in your hands and on your lap. Be aware it will be very different from playing an acoustic, if you didn't already know that.

[garthman]

Forget Ibanez and Schecter. The Yamaha Pacifica 112 is the best budget superstrat type (HSS) guitar on the planet. You should be able to get one for ~ $350 new. Spend the rest of your money on a good amp.

[badpenguin]

10 hours ago, garthman said:

Forget Ibanez and Schecter. The Yamaha Pacifica 112 is the best budget superstrat type (HSS) guitar on the planet. You should be able to get one for ~ $350 new. Spend the rest of your money on a good amp.

Unfortunately, the Pacifica 112 ISN'T a super strat by any stretch of the imagination. A fat strat, yes, super strat, nope. 

SS's tend to have Floyds and a 24 fret neck. High output pickups are also normal.

You can find the Kramer Baretta special, or the Baretta HH for 200 NEW. Hunt thru the pawn shops, craig's list, and feebay, you'll see them for 125. 

Ibanez RG 220's, the SA series, and a few other models, used for the 200 mark, new around the 399 mark.

[garthman]

On 1/15/2024 at 12:13 AM, badpenguin said:

Unfortunately, the Pacifica 112 ISN'T a super strat by any stretch of the imagination. A fat strat, yes, super strat, nope. 

 

Well, fat strat, superstrat, whatever. It doesn't really matter - it's the amp and pedals that do the business.

[humbuckerstrat]

Floyds themselves, and I’m not talking about licensed Floyds, are themselves almost $300 new, if you want to go down that road. I have OFRs on three guitars I have, and when I bought them circa 2007-2010, they were more than $100 cheaper.

If I needed to buy a new Floyd today, I would go with the non-fine tuner Floyds which are now readily available on eBay, Reverb, MF, etc. for about $120. I don’t use the fine tuners that much anyway.

 

The cheaper licensed Floyds are not that reliable, except for the Gotoh and the Schaller.

Edited March 20 by humbuckerstrat