Specs: must/must not haves

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ClintN667

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Hey guys. What are your preferences on guitars as well as what will you never see on one of yours? What started off as a hell no and now is a hell yeah?

My specs are way more specific these days. Like Im a humbucker guy. I hate single coils at least in the bridge position. I also have to have locking tuners and stainless frets. I have just gotten to where I prefer them.

My "hell no" specs besides bridge single coils are the volume knob placement can't be too close to the bridge. I can't play some guitars cause I turn them down the volume when I play. Also I will never buy a relic 'd guitar. Also there are a few shapes I just can't dig. One example is BC Rich mockingbird. Also I won't put active pups in a guitar.

A few things that are outside my usual go to specs are neck woods. I used to hate maple necks but lately I have been lusting after a roasted maple neck guitar. Also I used to hate star shaped guitars but now after seeing a few chubtone stars I want one. I've also suddenly have been thinking of something like a mayones hydra or standberg. Also been thinking about an Ironbird. Just curious if you guys are more flexible or more specific?
 
I think I’m learning that I don’t love flat radii.
 
The only thing I can really think of is no Neck Thru, I just can't seem to get along with them, which sucks because Jacksons are my favourite guitars (neck shape/body shape) but every US jackson I have had is neck thru and I just can't bond with them..the bolt on imports are GREAT

Weirdly i'm fine with set necks hahahahaha .. I don't no why
 
Nut width can't get any bigger than a Fender (42.8mm), even an Ibanez (43mm) feels massive to me. Unfortunately Gibsons (42mm) I don't like the string spacing as much as it feels too crowded.

I've been wanting to build a partscaster but Warmoth only does 42 and 43 mm nut widths, nothing in between :(
 
scottosan said:
I like 12 or flatter radius, hate tone knobs, not a fan of swamp ash, hate small or shallow frets. Everything else is okay
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Swamp ash really? I like it and alder. I like mahagonu too as long as it's not being tune low
 
sytharnia1560 said:
The only thing I can really think of is no Neck Thru, I just can't seem to get along with them, which sucks because Jacksons are my favourite guitars (neck shape/body shape) but every US jackson I have had is neck thru and I just can't bond with them..the bolt on imports are GREAT

Weirdly i'm fine with set necks hahahahaha .. I don't no why
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That is really interesting. Never really heard anyone complain about that. I've heard plenty complain about bolt ons. I've actually gotten to where I prefer bolt ons which I didn't expect.
 
ClintN667 said:
Hey guys. What are your preferences on guitars as well as what will you never see on one of yours? What started off as a hell no and now is a hell yeah?

My specs are way more specific these days. Like Im a humbucker guy. I hate single coils at least in the bridge position. I also have to have locking tuners and stainless frets. I have just gotten to where I prefer them.

My "hell no" specs besides bridge single coils are the volume knob placement can't be too close to the bridge. I can't play some guitars cause I turn them down the volume when I play. Also I will never buy a relic 'd guitar. Also there are a few shapes I just can't dig. One example is BC Rich mockingbird. Also I won't put active pups in a guitar.

A few things that are outside my usual go to specs are neck woods. I used to hate maple necks but lately I have been lusting after a roasted maple neck guitar. Also I used to hate star shaped guitars but now after seeing a few chubtone stars I want one. I've also suddenly have been thinking of something like a mayones hydra or standberg. Also been thinking about an Ironbird. Just curious if you guys are more flexible or more specific?
Click to expand...
scottosan said:
I like 12 or flatter radius, hate tone knobs, not a fan of swamp ash, hate small or shallow frets. Everything else is okay
Click to expand...
I HATTE a volume by the pickup, that is where my pinky hits it. if it is inline with the bridge, sometimes i play with my pinky on it to roll down for a clean.
I HATE tone knobs also. Why the fuck would I want to make my guitar sound like shit? I have actually had guitars where i accidentally roll the tone knob down and don't notice then wonder why my amp sounds like shit.

DON'T LIKE middle or neck pickups, because they are superfluous for me.

I prefer neck throughs or set necks, but some of the bolt-ons are really nice these days. Stainless steel frets are nice, but i don't have as much fret wear on nickel ..maybe because i don't use steel strings? Don't get along with floyds because of the palm mute resting position. I played a hipshot and schaller hanes 6 the other day, and noticed that I am very spoiled by a tom. It just feeels best to me. even though i used to love the hipshot and evertune.
 
Smashedguitaris⸸ said:
I HATTE a volume by the pickup, that is where my pinky hits it. if it is inline with the bridge, sometimes i play with my pinky on it to roll down for a clean.
I HATE tone knobs also. Why the fuck would I want to make my guitar sound like shit? I have actually had guitars where i accidentally roll the tone knob down and don't notice then wonder why my amp sounds like shit.

DON'T LIKE middle or neck pickups, because they are superfluous for me.

I prefer neck throughs or set necks, but some of the bolt-ons are really nice these days. Stainless steel frets are nice, but i don't have as much fret wear on nickel ..maybe because i don't use steel strings? Don't get along with floyds because of the palm mute resting position. I played a hipshot and schaller hanes 6 the other day, and noticed that I am very spoiled by a tom. It just feeels best to me. even though i used to love the hipshot and evertune.
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I love tune o matic bridges and the volume know close to the bridge is a deal breaker for me no matter how much I love the guitar.

I like Evertune and hipshot.
 
ClintN667 said:
Tone knobs though... wtf I don't know any one who actually uses them
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You had a solar right? Those had the volume exactly where i like it. My jackson does too. But my kiesel, they put it right by the pickup. It was disgusting
 
ClintN667 said:
Swamp ash really? I like it and alder. I like mahagonu too as long as it's not being tune low
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I own a swamp ash guitar, but I've found that many are inconsistent and finicky with pickups. To me, it seams I don't like heavy swamp ash
 
Smashedguitaris⸸ said:
You had a solar right? Those had the volume exactly where i like it. My jackson does too. But my kiesel, they put it right by the pickup. It was disgusting
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Yeah I loved the Solar guitars I had. The 1 series models were perfect for an import guitar. And yeah perfect placement. I would love to get a v from them just nervous about the QC these days. Seen too many negative reviews
 
I despise trem guitars especially on a PRS. They sound so thin and bright at the same time. I still own one but it's a super unique Tremonti signature Private Stock and I barely ever pick it up to play
 
ClintN667 said:
Yeah I loved the Solar guitars I had. The 1 series models were perfect for an import guitar. And yeah perfect placement. I would love to get a v from them just nervous about the QC these days. Seen too many negative reviews
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If you remember when they first came out, there were three sigs. I and two of my friends each got one. I got the s1 in quilted blue maple, and the other two got the v and a(super strat) version. I got mine in the first batch. Mine was maybe 17 or something. Mine was great. Second guy has an evertune bridge saddle broken (easy fix). Other guy has a serious warped neck. So i under stand about not wanting to risk it
 
PiggySmallz said:
I despise trem guitars especially on a PRS. They sound so thin and bright at the same time. I still own one but it's a super unique Tremonti signature Private Stock and I barely ever pick it up to play
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Man I hear ya. I love PRS, but most trem models I have owned have either been sold, or are just sitting in storage. I would also add to your thin/bright, I find they take away the punch and attack.

My current fave is a McCarty, which has the hardtail and an ebony board. I would love a Custom 24 hardtail.
 
My spec preferences are for tonal purposes rather than functional or aesthetic bs, so big no-no's for me are poly or oil finishes. The former seems to always make the guitar sound choked, homogenous and stripped of lots of good tonal nuances and responsiveness in expressive in playing, while the latter seems to typically sound dry and lacking in harmonics and good connection between notes on leadwork. Ideally I seem to like shellac finish guitars, but since most vintage guitars use nitro I go with that as the next best finish option for tone. IMO it shouldn't be acceptable for guitars that are considered high quality to be using poly finish, but sadly most of them still use it

Other must not-have/tone sucker specs to me are Floyd or Kahlar bridges vs bridges that allow the strings to go through the body

Also I never heard a basswood guitar yet with remotely good tone nor an ash guitar I liked other than on teles and maybe a few Strats here and there. The best overall body tone wood imo for humbucker guitars is good Honduran mahogany (just hard to rival) and others I still have are alder, Spruce (most tonally complex wood ime), rosewood (yes whole body), Paduak, Poplar and would like some in the future in limba and port Orford cedar or Mediterranean cypress

Other than that not too many strong preferences. I like tall, fat frets. I like scalloped ones too. I like stainless steel frets also, but not a must have for me
 
scottosan said:
I own a swamp ash guitar, but I've found that many are inconsistent and finicky with pickups. To me, it seams I don't like heavy swamp ash
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I have a hard ash strat that is decently heavy, it’s always been a problem guitar that is hard to match pickups to, very picky. Plays great though and does sound great with the right pickups.

Whereas I have other guitars where it almost doesn’t matter what pickups I use, they all sound good.
 
I don’t like thin nut widths.
For me, only a vintage guitar gets a pass for having only 21 frets.
Basswood, never played a guitar I liked with it. That doesn’t mean it was always the Basswood but it’s too soft anyway imo.
I’m not a relic guy but I wouldn’t kick a guitar outta bed for being a relic. To me, it’s just a beat up guitar and still might be great.
 
ClintN667 said:
That is really interesting. Never really heard anyone complain about that. I've heard plenty complain about bolt ons. I've actually gotten to where I prefer bolt ons which I didn't expect.
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yeah I realise a few years ago all the guys whose tone I love all played bolt on ...... with the neck thru there is something about the way the guitar resonates that feels off for me... i've owned soloists and rhoads V's all neck thru and I have never bonded with any of them even though I LOVED the way all of them have looked, but my bolt on V's and DInky bolt ons I love
 
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