Members PumpkinDog Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 hey guys... bassist here. I play some acoustic and electric where needed. I've got an electric guitar that I use for my home recording but live it's a horrid pain to get/stay in tune so I'm looking to get a new one. My current is a peavey straight from the 80s that I bought used in 1996 for $175. Aside from the tuning, it's actually got a fairly decent sound: gets an almost acoustic sound using the neck pups and a nice chunky sound with the double or single bridge pup. I'm not really looking to get a supreme guitar since it's not my primary trade. probably about $3-500 new or used. My priorities: 1) stays in tune 2) sounds good 3) feels good 4) cost 5) looks good. from CL: 2002 american made fender strat ($500). strats are good, right? how is this for staying in tune, though? Is a whammy bar a sign that tuning problems will be had? (peavey has whammy bar... if I touch the bridge while playing bye-bye in tune) In general: given my 5 priorities what guitar should I be looking for? What would you suggest I try out? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mike42 Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 If you don't get any action on this, just look back over the last few weeks. This question gets hashed over 2 or 3 times a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Undertaker4 Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 What kind of music do you want to play on it? Do you have a particular sound you'd like to go for? Do you have a preference regarding pickups, i.e. single coil vs. humbuckers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 Have you tried just blocking the bridge to turn it into a hardtail? Easy to do and may solve your problem. This and a good setup is most likely all you need. I like to cut a block to go between the bridge and the body on the neck side. Then I tighten down the spring holder to keep it in place. Put the back plate back on and you can't see it. BTW use a hard wood like maple if you can. Balsa won't work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PumpkinDog Posted March 17, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 What kind of music do you want to play on it? Do you have a particular sound you'd like to go for? Do you have a preference regarding pickups, i.e. single coil vs. humbuckers? Nothing specific. Rock, pop, metal? I use electric mostly for personal recording... some chunky power chords during the heavy part of the song... maybe an over reverb'd lead line here and there. Color where needed, etc. I think I like humbuckers better than single coil the bridge pups on my current elec are humbuckers and i tend to use them over the neck pups which are single coil (according to pics i browsed on the web) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JDE Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 Used Baja Telecaster. Edit - just saw your preference for HB's. Tokai ES-60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PumpkinDog Posted March 17, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 Have you tried just blocking the bridge to turn it into a hardtail? Easy to do and may solve your problem. This and a good setup is most likely all you need. I like to cut a block to go between the bridge and the body on the neck side. Then I tighten down the spring holder to keep it in place. Put the back plate back on and you can't see it. BTW use a hard wood like maple if you can. Balsa won't work Is this the type of work I'm going to need on any cheaper guitar if I am annoyed at it staying in tune? I guess I'm trying to get a feel if I'm experiencing a common problem that I should learn to deal with (i.e. tuning a lot on stage)I'll probably leave my $175 peavey unmodified... I'd be hard to give up my whammy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 You could probably find a great used Carvin in that range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members d_dave_c Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 As someone else mentioned, may be good to get that Peavey a pro setup or a replacement nut. Spend $40 to get that one to where you like it. If I were looking for a 300-500 workhorse, I'd look at Godin and Yamaha. You can find used Yamaha Pacifica's for well under $300 - I'd start looking at anything with a number higher than the 012 or 112 series. 521/612/812/921 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Undertaker4 Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 Not sure if you can get one for $500, but a used Gibson SG Special (like a Faded perhaps) would be close to your price range. No whammy bar so it stays in tune; sounds and feels good (to me anyway); looks are subjective of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Musicscotty Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 Two guitars spring to mind for what you're after.A used Godin Freeway can be picked up in the States for silly money, and they are fantastic guitars with real strong build quality. It's an HSH configuration and the guitar will certainly stay in tune when the trem is used.Staying with HB equipped guitars the other choice would be a used Yamaha AES620, or something else in the Yammy range. Yamaha also offer a strong build quality, which is a good reason for recommending them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted March 17, 2010 Members Share Posted March 17, 2010 You can buy any number of guitars for half what you are willing to spend that will hold tune like a rock. The state of the art in inexpensive guitars now bears little resemblance to what it was in the 80s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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