Vrejara
Newbie
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- 3
I want people to discuss in this thread what the best performance guitars are for different price brackets and come to a final, somewhat objective ranking.
I'm taking the leap to sell ALL of my guitars and buy a decent practical guitar that I won't sell later on. I'd love something as ergonomic as possible, with true temperament frets, a good wide-ranging vibrato bridge, headless design + preferably multi-scale, 7-string and pre-installed active pickups (so I don't need to modify the guitar much later). Of course true temperament frets are a luxury and missing most preferred features isn't a deal-breaker; sacrifices will be made so the price isn't too far from what I can realistically afford (I'm from Romania and anything over $950 is impossible). Looks don't matter.
I've been researching headless guitars and I've come to the conclusion that the HILS HN5 from Andersons Music Co. UK offers the best (performance+quality)/price ratio. I will probably go for the HN7 or HN6 since they're in my budget and already come with the Fishman Fluence Modern combo, which I will never replace. I'd also add a kill-switch and accessories for fast pick swapping (I use multiple types of picks--don't ask), so minimal modifications would meet most of my needs. I appreciate that they include rubber feet; this support is another preference.
After research, my ranking for performance guitars under 950$ is:
1. HILS HN5 (Not buying for myself. Includes a gigbag and doesn't need a stand)
Ormsby Run 21 The One GTR
Omne Vetus series
PRS, Schecter, ESP LTD on sale (personal preference; there are many good brands and small shops with cheap options)
Out of my budget:
Aristides H/07
Ormsby Goliath GTR series
Kiesel Vader/Leia (No 45 degree angle lap rest; rubber feet possible on Leia)
Mayones Hydra
Skervesen Shoggie series
Honorable Mentions (some non-headless):
Abasi
Legator Ghost series
BlacKat
Labyrinth Guitarworks
Balaguer
Ceccarini
Cort KX77 TT
Endgame brands:
Strandberg
Rick Toone
FM Guitars
Ramos Guitars
I'm not an expert and have surely missed things (this is not a full list, but an attempt to identify the best in the lower price brackets); these ratings are subjective, based on my very limited experience/knowledge, and I welcome all criticism. I didn't spend much time writing this either and forgot about some of the brands I researched that didn't meet my needs.
I'm willing to learn and take the best decision for myself and my students. I urge all experienced players to share their thoughts.
I'm taking the leap to sell ALL of my guitars and buy a decent practical guitar that I won't sell later on. I'd love something as ergonomic as possible, with true temperament frets, a good wide-ranging vibrato bridge, headless design + preferably multi-scale, 7-string and pre-installed active pickups (so I don't need to modify the guitar much later). Of course true temperament frets are a luxury and missing most preferred features isn't a deal-breaker; sacrifices will be made so the price isn't too far from what I can realistically afford (I'm from Romania and anything over $950 is impossible). Looks don't matter.
I've been researching headless guitars and I've come to the conclusion that the HILS HN5 from Andersons Music Co. UK offers the best (performance+quality)/price ratio. I will probably go for the HN7 or HN6 since they're in my budget and already come with the Fishman Fluence Modern combo, which I will never replace. I'd also add a kill-switch and accessories for fast pick swapping (I use multiple types of picks--don't ask), so minimal modifications would meet most of my needs. I appreciate that they include rubber feet; this support is another preference.
After research, my ranking for performance guitars under 950$ is:
1. HILS HN5 (Not buying for myself. Includes a gigbag and doesn't need a stand)
2. HILS HN6/HN7 (Top choice; concerned about QC and bridge materials)
3. Sire Larry Carlton X6 7-string (Comes with a gigbag. No reviews yet; risky)
4. GOC 6 or 7 string series (Lap rest seems small on most + other model specific flaws; good overall but not for me)
5. Eart GW2-SE (Great hobbyist value; not for me)
6. Eart GW2-Pro (Rounded frets might be risky to play live)
7. HILS HZ7 (Hardtail)
Honorable Mentions (most non-headless):3. Sire Larry Carlton X6 7-string (Comes with a gigbag. No reviews yet; risky)
4. GOC 6 or 7 string series (Lap rest seems small on most + other model specific flaws; good overall but not for me)
5. Eart GW2-SE (Great hobbyist value; not for me)
6. Eart GW2-Pro (Rounded frets might be risky to play live)
7. HILS HZ7 (Hardtail)
Ormsby Run 21 The One GTR
Omne Vetus series
PRS, Schecter, ESP LTD on sale (personal preference; there are many good brands and small shops with cheap options)
Out of my budget:
Aristides H/07
Ormsby Goliath GTR series
Kiesel Vader/Leia (No 45 degree angle lap rest; rubber feet possible on Leia)
Mayones Hydra
Skervesen Shoggie series
Honorable Mentions (some non-headless):
Abasi
Legator Ghost series
BlacKat
Labyrinth Guitarworks
Balaguer
Ceccarini
Cort KX77 TT
Endgame brands:
Strandberg
Rick Toone
FM Guitars
Ramos Guitars
I'm not an expert and have surely missed things (this is not a full list, but an attempt to identify the best in the lower price brackets); these ratings are subjective, based on my very limited experience/knowledge, and I welcome all criticism. I didn't spend much time writing this either and forgot about some of the brands I researched that didn't meet my needs.
I'm willing to learn and take the best decision for myself and my students. I urge all experienced players to share their thoughts.
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