Which guitar?

**BLS33** · 08-31-2007, 09:35 PM

I've been thinking of picking up anew guitar. I think I've narrowed it down to two.

An Ibanez JEM:

Or an SRV strat:

A JEM can range from a little cheaper, to a couple thousand dollars more then the SRV strat depending on which model JEM I got. Also the JEM comes in a bunch of different paint jobs. This would also affect what style of playing I would get more into. An easy way to think about it is Steve Vai Style (he is quite versatile as is his guitar) vs an SRV style (blues obviously). Thoughts? Other suggestions? Let me hear em'

**Matt Gertsch** · 08-31-2007, 09:40 PM

A friend had a Yamaha that was a copy of a similar Ibanez. It sounded really nice. He played it on a big Marshall stack though a wah-wah and a chorus pedal. He played mostly blues with it. It just screamed.

PJL · 08-31-2007, 09:50 PM

On my guitar forum I would ask you the following questions:

What music do you prefer to play?
What do you have the ability to play before you buy?
How much do you want to spend max?

At the end of the day, the JEM and the SRV Sig Strat are almost completely different animals (completely different necks, completely different trem systems, different fretboard radii, different sounds), so it's really hard to instantly say one or another.

fundabug · 08-31-2007, 09:51 PM

Have you played the SRV Strat? If it's the true signature series and set up like Stevies, you may not like it. He used heavy strings, a thick neck, and high action....This was a guy who played constantly and that set up still made his fingers bleed, but he made it sound great. The SRV is not ONLY a blues guitar, that's just what Stevie played, you could play anything you want with it and it's not only the guitar's sound, but it has a lot to do with the amp you combo it with. I've had numerous Strat's & Tele's over the years and I've loved every one of them.....as long as they're American versions.

**BLS33** · 08-31-2007, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJL

On my guitar forum I would ask you the following questions:

What music do you prefer to play?
What do you have the ability to play before you buy?
How much do you want to spend max?

At the end of the day, the JEM and the SRV Sig Strat are almost completely different animals.

Exactly thats why it is such a tough choice. I have such a wide range of of influences and what I like to play is all over the place. I'm looking to spend between $1200-1900.

dopod · 08-31-2007, 09:57 PM

I played the Jem and didn't like the feel of it at all, and me being a strat guy and all I had to vote for the srv

**BLS33** · 08-31-2007, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fundabug

Have you played the SRV Strat? If it's the true signature series and set up like Stevies, you may not like it. He used heavy strings, a thick neck, and high action....This was a guy who played constantly and that set up still made his fingers bleed, but he made it sound great. The SRV is not ONLY a blues guitar, that's just what Stevie played, you could play anything you want with it and it's not only the guitar's sound, but it has a lot to do with the amp you combo it with. I've had numerous Strat's & Tele's over the years and I've loved every one of them.....as long as they're American versions.

I will definitely test drive the guitars before pulling the trigger. I'm used to a high action as well, I learned how to play guitar and a real POS that my friends couldn't play because you had to press to hard

PJL · 08-31-2007, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLS33

Exactly thats why it is such a tough choice. I have such a wide range of of influences and what I like to play is all over the place. I'm looking to spend between $1200-1900.

Have you tried any PRS guitars? You might like the PRS Standard 22 or 24, the 22 being a bit more versatile and the 24 a bit more aimed towards hard rock. I got my Standard 24 for $1,700, but that was almost 10 years ago. Also, the trem system on the PRS is more like the Strat, so it's very simple yet stable. You might also want to check out the Eric Johnson signature Strat, an American Deluxe Strat (gives you a lot of sound options with the S-1 switching system). The former runs around $1,600 and the latter runs about $1,200, which will give you plenty of money for a nice set of custom handwound pickups. I have an American Strat, but I also like Teles. I'm a big fan of the '52 Reissue with the modern hardware upgrades. Also, if you don't use a lot of trem, those Floyd Rose systems are more of a pain in the *** than they're worth.

**FreemasonJeeper** · 08-31-2007, 10:03 PM

I hate the Floyd Rose trem that is on the JEM. I have the same one on an Ibanez. I would go for the Strat, it's a beauty.

**mrbates** · 08-31-2007, 10:19 PM

i like this: i won't explain i am sure you know...lol

**BLS33** · 08-31-2007, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek (D-BO)

i like this: i won't explain i am sure you know...lol

I like the camo bullseye even more. Zakk Wylde has a seriously fun style to play. I know everyone hates how much he does pinch harmonics, but I love playing like his style, it's fun. I have an LP already though and will get the camo bullseye (epi version) sometime.

**ScotZ** · 08-31-2007, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek (D-BO)

i like this: i won't explain i am sure you know...lol

I think you are comparing apples to oranges

**BLS33** · 08-31-2007, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJL

Have you tried any PRS guitars? You might like the PRS Standard 22 or 24, the 22 being a bit more versatile and the 24 a bit more aimed towards hard rock. I got my Standard 24 for $1,700, but that was almost 10 years ago. Also, the trem system on the PRS is more like the Strat, so it's very simple yet stable. You might also want to check out the Eric Johnson signature Strat, an American Deluxe Strat (gives you a lot of sound options with the S-1 switching system). The former runs around $1,600 and the latter runs about $1,200, which will give you plenty of money for a nice set of custom handwound pickups. I have an American Strat, but I also like Teles. I'm a big fan of the '52 Reissue with the modern hardware upgrades. Also, if you don't use a lot of trem, those Floyd Rose systems are more of a pain in the *** than they're worth.

Yeah I've dealt with a FR and it is no fun, especially when you are used to a tune-o-matic LP bridge which a monkey could string up. I love the way Vai and Satriani use the whammy bar, and the whammy bar harmonics (I guess thats what you would call em?) they pull off are insane, I would love to learn to use it like them. Guys like Kerry King ruin the use of the whammy bar.

**Matt Gertsch** · 08-31-2007, 10:27 PM

Kerry King rocks.

**BLS33** · 08-31-2007, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Gertsch

Kerry King rocks.

Jeff Hanneman is the best guitar player in that band.

View Poll Results: Which guitar?
JEM	9	47.37%
SRV Strat	10	52.63%
Voters: 19. You may not vote on this poll

08-31-2007, 09:51 PM	#4
fundabug Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 442 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Have you played the SRV Strat? If it's the true signature series and set up like Stevies, you may not like it. He used heavy strings, a thick neck, and high action....This was a guy who played constantly and that set up still made his fingers bleed, but he made it sound great. The SRV is not ONLY a blues guitar, that's just what Stevie played, you could play anything you want with it and it's not only the guitar's sound, but it has a lot to do with the amp you combo it with. I've had numerous Strat's & Tele's over the years and I've loved every one of them.....as long as they're American versions. __________________ 2004 Wrangler X 4.0 I6 Solar Yellow OK, so I messed up the quote in my sig....I was probably on the downhill side of a few beers when I did it......Somebody say something funny so I can get a new one.