Jarick
Rock Star
- Messages
- 3,237
Thought it would be fun to talk about my current lineup of guitars, what I've modded, and where I may go in the future.
#1 - Ibanez AZ2204N (2021)
This is more or less my #1 guitar due to it's high quality and versatility. I bought it late last year after selling my Kemper and having some extra cash. It's just killer out of the box in nearly every way. This particular guitar has more vintage output Seymour Duncans, likely close to SSL-1's in the neck/middle and something close to a lower output 59 in the bridge (it measures under 8k). It has jumbo stainless frets which are awesome to play on a medium thickness roasted maple neck. Lots of pickup switching options as well.
Currently it's mostly stock, except I had to replace the pots as they started cutting out. I'm considering getting a new pickguard though to try a different pickup layout. The single coils sound great but they are a tiny bit bright and obviously noisy, and the bridge pickup sounds really good but it can be a tiny bit warm. I'm thinking about trying some Dimarzio Area single coils in the neck and middle and either a Dimarzio PAF 36th in the bridge or maybe an uncovered Duncan 59 in the bridge.
#2 - PRS CE-24 (2016)
My former #1 guitar and I still really love it. The first guitar I owned in over 20 years of playing that I have always loved. The tone is really balanced, it has the snap of a Fender but isn't overly bright, and it has some of the warmth and sustain of a Les Paul without the excessive low end. I have tried a bunch of pickups and they all sound great, but my favorite are Suhr Thornbuckers. It's a little hi-fi and not as rock and roll, but sounds killer. Awesome flame top on it too.
#3 - PRS S2 Standard 24 (2018)
This one surprised me...I traded for this guitar last year when I was getting rid of my Charvee nel DK24 Pro Mod. It's loud acoustically and has a lot of sustain, plays great, and avoids major sonic issues. I had a PRS S2 Mira before which was all mahogany and that was overly warm/dark/bassy. This one is a touch warm but not overly so, and is not overly bassy either. I've had several pickups in this one and mostly they sound good. Right now I have Dimarzio 36th PAF in the bridge and Bluesbucker in the neck, which kind of overpowers but when you drop it low it's fine. I'm torn if I want to keep vintage hot pickups in it or swap in some low output PAF's. I also have some humbucker sized P90's but tend to get bored of those quickly.
#4 - Gibson Les Paul Tribute (2018)
When I had the PRS Mira, I wanted that to be my Gibson style guitar, but it was always a little dull sounding. One day I test drove a Les Paul Tribute and was shocked how good it sounded and played. I started shopping for a good Gibson, looking at SG Standards and Les Paul Classics and Standards, but they were all pretty hit or miss. And then I played another LP Tribute and it sounded and played great again, so I bought it.
I have a little love/hate thing with Les Pauls...sometimes they are awesome and sometimes I find them way too bassy in the neck or bright in the bridge. I've tried a bunch of pickups in this thing to counteract that and have even swapped out the electronics multiple times (I have bad luck with CTS pots). I just rewired everything again last week with fresh pots and currently have some BYO Blizzard of 59's which are budget Seth Lovers...they actually sound good but of course I have a set of Friedman Classic pickups coming in to compare.
#5 - Fender Telecaster Special (2012)
Telecasters, like Les Pauls, aren't my favorite guitars. But I have found that if I don't have one, I GAS for one and end up with one. So I've determined that I'll keep both the Les Paul and Tele as long as I can.
This was the budget American Tele and is pretty decent overall, but could use a good setup and some fret/nut work. It originally came with super hot pickups. I swapped those out a couple times and currently have Dimarzio Area Hot T in the bridge and Area T in the neck. I would like to try a Firebird or mini humbucker pickup in the neck at some point. Also I put Fender locking tuners on it (drop ins), and I swapped out the bridge for a full stainless plate with Gotoh brass grooved saddles. The standard stamped bridge is microphonic with noise canceling pickups. I also have a set of standard single coil pickups but I don't love them as they're a bit bright and noisy.
#6 - Fender Stratocaster California (1997)
My longest owned guitar, one I bought new. It's had dozens of different pickups in it and nearly every part has been swapped out. It also really badly needs a refret and new nut. I'm hoping to bring it in soon and get jumbo (or medium jumbo) stainless frets put in and a bone nut. Currently I have Dimarzio Area pickups in it, and have a few other ones in the mail that I will try. I'm thinking Injector bridge and maybe some combo of 58 and 67 in the neck and middle. I also have a couple loaded pickguards with standard single coils that I'll swap in sometimes, but I try and keep it noiseless as much as possible. Other than that, I put a Gotoh 510 6-screw tremolo in with Highwood saddles (improvement over vintage style), and Gotoh locking tuners on the other end.
I'm not GAS-ing too had for anything else at the moment, but I've wanted a semi-hollow guitar for quite a while. I can't afford a full USA Gibson and have not been impressed by any of the Chinese models. At one point I really wanted an Eastman but it seems like prices have gone way up for those. Maybe I'll check out a Sire again...they have a good reputation.
Oh, and for acoustics, I don't play them much but I have a Taylor GS Mini Mahogany and a very low serial USA Tacoma which is basically a Martin D-28 clone. That guitar sounds amazing, big warm low end and crisp strings, and it's so well intonated up and down the neck.
#1 - Ibanez AZ2204N (2021)
This is more or less my #1 guitar due to it's high quality and versatility. I bought it late last year after selling my Kemper and having some extra cash. It's just killer out of the box in nearly every way. This particular guitar has more vintage output Seymour Duncans, likely close to SSL-1's in the neck/middle and something close to a lower output 59 in the bridge (it measures under 8k). It has jumbo stainless frets which are awesome to play on a medium thickness roasted maple neck. Lots of pickup switching options as well.
Currently it's mostly stock, except I had to replace the pots as they started cutting out. I'm considering getting a new pickguard though to try a different pickup layout. The single coils sound great but they are a tiny bit bright and obviously noisy, and the bridge pickup sounds really good but it can be a tiny bit warm. I'm thinking about trying some Dimarzio Area single coils in the neck and middle and either a Dimarzio PAF 36th in the bridge or maybe an uncovered Duncan 59 in the bridge.
#2 - PRS CE-24 (2016)
My former #1 guitar and I still really love it. The first guitar I owned in over 20 years of playing that I have always loved. The tone is really balanced, it has the snap of a Fender but isn't overly bright, and it has some of the warmth and sustain of a Les Paul without the excessive low end. I have tried a bunch of pickups and they all sound great, but my favorite are Suhr Thornbuckers. It's a little hi-fi and not as rock and roll, but sounds killer. Awesome flame top on it too.
#3 - PRS S2 Standard 24 (2018)
This one surprised me...I traded for this guitar last year when I was getting rid of my Charvee nel DK24 Pro Mod. It's loud acoustically and has a lot of sustain, plays great, and avoids major sonic issues. I had a PRS S2 Mira before which was all mahogany and that was overly warm/dark/bassy. This one is a touch warm but not overly so, and is not overly bassy either. I've had several pickups in this one and mostly they sound good. Right now I have Dimarzio 36th PAF in the bridge and Bluesbucker in the neck, which kind of overpowers but when you drop it low it's fine. I'm torn if I want to keep vintage hot pickups in it or swap in some low output PAF's. I also have some humbucker sized P90's but tend to get bored of those quickly.
#4 - Gibson Les Paul Tribute (2018)
When I had the PRS Mira, I wanted that to be my Gibson style guitar, but it was always a little dull sounding. One day I test drove a Les Paul Tribute and was shocked how good it sounded and played. I started shopping for a good Gibson, looking at SG Standards and Les Paul Classics and Standards, but they were all pretty hit or miss. And then I played another LP Tribute and it sounded and played great again, so I bought it.
I have a little love/hate thing with Les Pauls...sometimes they are awesome and sometimes I find them way too bassy in the neck or bright in the bridge. I've tried a bunch of pickups in this thing to counteract that and have even swapped out the electronics multiple times (I have bad luck with CTS pots). I just rewired everything again last week with fresh pots and currently have some BYO Blizzard of 59's which are budget Seth Lovers...they actually sound good but of course I have a set of Friedman Classic pickups coming in to compare.
#5 - Fender Telecaster Special (2012)
Telecasters, like Les Pauls, aren't my favorite guitars. But I have found that if I don't have one, I GAS for one and end up with one. So I've determined that I'll keep both the Les Paul and Tele as long as I can.
This was the budget American Tele and is pretty decent overall, but could use a good setup and some fret/nut work. It originally came with super hot pickups. I swapped those out a couple times and currently have Dimarzio Area Hot T in the bridge and Area T in the neck. I would like to try a Firebird or mini humbucker pickup in the neck at some point. Also I put Fender locking tuners on it (drop ins), and I swapped out the bridge for a full stainless plate with Gotoh brass grooved saddles. The standard stamped bridge is microphonic with noise canceling pickups. I also have a set of standard single coil pickups but I don't love them as they're a bit bright and noisy.
#6 - Fender Stratocaster California (1997)
My longest owned guitar, one I bought new. It's had dozens of different pickups in it and nearly every part has been swapped out. It also really badly needs a refret and new nut. I'm hoping to bring it in soon and get jumbo (or medium jumbo) stainless frets put in and a bone nut. Currently I have Dimarzio Area pickups in it, and have a few other ones in the mail that I will try. I'm thinking Injector bridge and maybe some combo of 58 and 67 in the neck and middle. I also have a couple loaded pickguards with standard single coils that I'll swap in sometimes, but I try and keep it noiseless as much as possible. Other than that, I put a Gotoh 510 6-screw tremolo in with Highwood saddles (improvement over vintage style), and Gotoh locking tuners on the other end.
I'm not GAS-ing too had for anything else at the moment, but I've wanted a semi-hollow guitar for quite a while. I can't afford a full USA Gibson and have not been impressed by any of the Chinese models. At one point I really wanted an Eastman but it seems like prices have gone way up for those. Maybe I'll check out a Sire again...they have a good reputation.
Oh, and for acoustics, I don't play them much but I have a Taylor GS Mini Mahogany and a very low serial USA Tacoma which is basically a Martin D-28 clone. That guitar sounds amazing, big warm low end and crisp strings, and it's so well intonated up and down the neck.
