ATTN: Blue, Niccolai, guitar geeks
[views:13041][posts:117]_____________________________________________
[Aug 5,2007 8:11pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
Who makes good quality LEFTY jackson style guitars these days?
I'm tired of trying to do metal on a Les Paul as old as I am. I'm looking for something inexpensive, access to the higher frets, smooth playing, tremelo (not necessarily a floyd), preferably with rosewood fingerboard. I've played a couple maples, and hated them.
I've looked at guitars by ESP, Jackson, Ibanez, Carvin, and many more, but finding a LEFTY is pretty damned hard. Usually when I do, it's some crap model they don't even have a right handed version of in stock.
I remember being a impressed by one of Gunface's LTD leftys, but I didn't actually get to play the guitar.
You guys got any experience with left handed guitars?
BTW, my #1 pet peeve with lefty guitars is the nut. Even some of the top companies don't seem to know how the fuck to cut one, and forget about finding a luthier to make a new one. If you don't know what I mean, go to a store and strum a few left handed guitars, see how many of them buzz like fuck at the nut.
[Aug 5,2007 8:14pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
BTW, when I say "inexpensive", I'd probably be willing to save as much as $500 for a guitar. I'm not against buying something used, but again since lefty guitars are less common there's more chance of getting one that has been abused or kept in a state of disrepair. If a guitar is going to be abused, I prefer the be the one doing it.
[Aug 5,2007 8:15pm - powerkok ""]
Dude, thats a crappy predicament.
I would say, and only going by what Ive seen out and about, Ibanez may be your best choice for an inexpensive, but decently built lefty.
What about an SG?
[Aug 5,2007 8:22pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
SG is about the same as my own guitar as far as frets/access. I want to go "wheedly wheedly wheedly doo" up on the top 20+ frets.
[Aug 5,2007 8:25pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
Ibanez has me very curious. I had an old late 70's early 80's strat style Ibanez Roadstar (RoadstEr?) that was probably the worst piece of crap I have ever played.
However, from what I understand they are a completely different company now. Instead of making crappy Fender rippoffs, they now make crappy Jackson ripoffs.
My buddy is a huge jackson fan. He's got a few $1000+ jacksons that sound and seem to play absolutely sweet. However every lefty jackson I've ever seen/played has been poop.
[Aug 5,2007 8:27pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
I should just learn to play a righty upside down, and take lessons from the dude in Powerglove.
[Aug 5,2007 8:31pm - Niccolai ""]
I'm pretty sure LTD makes MH250s in a lefthanded version right around your price range, you wouldn't be able to try it out before buying it, but every place will have a return policy. These may be your bet since they are a direct spin off of jackson soloists.
Schecter has a lefty hellraiser with floyd, but that's probably going to be at least 100 bucks out of your price range.
finding a good lefty guitar is hard, finding a good left guitar with floyd rose is even harder.
[Aug 5,2007 8:33pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
Niccolai said:
Schecter has a lefty hellraiser with floyd, but that's probably going to be at least 100 bucks out of your price range.
I could probably swing $600, if it were truly worth it.
[Aug 5,2007 8:34pm - Niccolai ""]
If you don't mind signature guitars, carlino guitars north of boston has a lefty KH202:
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[Aug 5,2007 8:41pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
uhh, no way. Kirk Hammett touches children, I swear.
That hellraiser looks interesting, but it's $600+ just for the right handed. I haven't found a price on a lefty yet.
[Aug 5,2007 8:43pm - Niccolai ""]
I agree on hammet.
If you're not set on having a trem, you have alot more left options with string-thru lefties.
DCGL has a list of lefties they have in stock.
http://drumcityguitarland.com/inventory/DetailsLefties.cfm#Electric
They actually have a schecter c5x lefty 5string. I've never seen a righty in person, so to see a lefty is pretty rare. I wish I were left handed so I could snag it.
[Aug 5,2007 9:25pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
Nice link. Brought me right to "Girl's Guitars". You saying something?
[Aug 5,2007 9:26pm - Niccolai ""]
Oh come on, you know you'd play it.
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[Aug 5,2007 9:28pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
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OOH!!!
[Aug 5,2007 9:32pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
How are the Diamond Series?
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[Aug 5,2007 9:39pm - DestroyYouAlot ""]
ArrowHead likes Pie said:How are the Diamond Series?
Two friends of mine swear by them. They play in The Rectangle Club. It's not metal, by any stretch of the imagination, but they both tear up the fretboards on those things. Check'em out here:
http://www.rectangleclub.com/
Or here:
http://www.myspace.com/therectangleclub
You'll have to get past the writing on the site - Shane goes out of his way to be as nerdy as possible with this band; with Shane, that's pretty nerdy.
[Aug 5,2007 9:47pm - blue ""]
my choices for NEW lefties would be either some of the current LTD lefties or the jackson dk2. if youre looking on the super cheap but still awesome for your money go on rondomusic.net.
[Aug 5,2007 10:09pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
The DK2 looks very nice.
"The JT580 Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo"
How are these? I know very little about tremelos, I've been playing a les paul for 13 years.
[Aug 5,2007 10:10pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
DestroyYouAlot said:
http://www.rectangleclub.com/
Or here:
http://www.myspace.com/therectangleclub
Ack! Why would you do that to my ears?
[Aug 5,2007 10:13pm - blue ""]
ArrowHead likes Pie said:The DK2 looks very nice.
"The JT580 Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo"
How are these? I know very little about tremelos, I've been playing a les paul for 13 years.
ive got a 2006 dk2m, and the trem is great. excellent guitar for the money.
[Aug 5,2007 10:25pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
Hmm, the plot thickens. The jacksons look real nice, but a lot of reviews I'm reading are saying that you get more guitar for your money with the schecters. I just sort of had my heart set on a tremelo.
[Aug 5,2007 10:26pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
and schecters are butt ugly
[Aug 5,2007 10:27pm - blue ""]
schecters are solid for the money, but i find their neck 9 times out of 10 to be too thick for my tastes (except for the bolt ons).
[Aug 5,2007 10:28pm - Niccolai ""]
blue said:my choices for NEW lefties would be either some of the current LTD lefties or the jackson dk2. if youre looking on the super cheap but still awesome for your money go on rondomusic.net.
already checked there for a lefty interceptor, agile hardly has any lefties anymore.
[Aug 5,2007 10:33pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
I'm really interested in that DK2.
[Aug 5,2007 10:56pm - NoodleFace ""]
I'd spend a little extra and try to grab a lefty Ibanez prestige RG, I'm sort of a fanboy of them but I haven't played many guitars that are better.
[Aug 5,2007 10:57pm - FleshFries ""]
anything with a mahogany body and a set neck
[Aug 5,2007 10:58pm - blue ""]
ArrowHead likes Pie said:I'm tired of trying to do metal on a Les Paul as old as I am.
[Aug 6,2007 11:27am - metal_church101 ""]
ArrowHead likes Pie said:uhh, no way. Kirk Hammett touches children, I swear.
:krusty:
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
[Aug 6,2007 11:36am - xanonymousx ""]
i may pick up a cheap lefty and learn how to play it.
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what about a toni iommi?
[Aug 6,2007 12:54pm - Niccolai ""]
ArrowHead likes Pie said:I'm really interested in that DK2.
a DK2 would be nice. I didn't know they currently made leftys though.
Edit: I stand corrected. The DK2L
[img]
the trans red and blue finnishes look good, but they are a bit more money:
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I think these are kindof expensive (almost 700 bucks on musicians friend) for what they are... bolt on, licensed floyd, and generic tuners. but it might be your best shot if you didn't want a left MH250.
[Aug 6,2007 10:37pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
So what would the consensus be? Price aside, would the MH250 be a better guitar than the jackson?
I like the neck through on the ESP. Also, the fininsh looks good, and I like the way the knobs are recessed a little. However, the pickups look a little sketchy.
However, I like the look of the jackson a little more, the pickup configuration looks nice, (although not sure about the pickups themselves), and the body is all alder (as opposed to the agathis wings on the ESP)
The big gap in price leaves me wondering why the jackson is so much more expensive.
[Aug 6,2007 10:41pm - blue ""]
the mh-250 is made of agathis, which is a cheapo production wood (also called chesswood i believe) where the dk2 is maple with a flame maple top.
you will have to change the pickups on the LTD where as the jacko youll be fine keeping it stock (i did and it sounds great), theyre real duncans.
but in the long run the LTD might just be a better deal with a pickup swap, youll still be a couple hundred under the jackson.
[Aug 6,2007 10:49pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
If I went with the ESP I'd probably end up putting Duncans in it anyway. However, aren't duncan designs just a license? Is it comparable to a pickup made by semore duncan, or is it a cheaper clone like the tremelo on the DK2?
The ESP definitely looks like the better value, but the agathis has me a little nervous. I'd never even heard of it until I looked up that guitar. Value aside, the jackson just seems like the better guitar right now.
It blows looking at guitars I can't play unless I order one. Music stores suck balls and never stock shit for lefties.
[Aug 6,2007 10:52pm - Niccolai ""]
Jacksons always kindof been an expensive for the money company.
The jacksons got the more expensive alder body (which doesn't matter tons considering the 250 is neck through), and the more expensive pickups.
There's nothing wrong with the pickups on the MH250 though, and the LTDs got a much better floyd IMO. I fucking hate jacksons liscensed floyds.
[Aug 6,2007 10:54pm - blue ""]
duncan designeds are overseas made versions of the real thing, but ive never met a DD that i liked. the dk2 trem is a better quality product than the duncan designeds though.
you nailed it on the head there. the LTD is the better value, but the jackson youll be able to order at your local GC and return it if need be.
[Aug 6,2007 10:55pm - Niccolai ""]
you could ask a dealer if MH400s are currently available lefty..
They blow DK2s out of the water in features, tone, and playability, and they are still cheaper.
mmmm..
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[Aug 6,2007 10:59pm - blue ""]
Niccolai said:They blow DK2s out of the water in features, tone, and playability, and they are still cheaper.
this coming from someone who prefers stoptails and EMGs.
i would find a floyded guitar with passive pickups and a thinner neck to have more features, tone and playability IMO.
[Aug 6,2007 11:06pm - Niccolai ""]
The stoptail preference doesn't matter since the MH400 is a floyded guitar.
And I don't prefer EMGs over duncans, I love the JB/59 combo (actually prefer x2ns to any other pickup) I just never had the dough to swap the pickups out on al my gutiars.
The tone comes from the horizon being setneck, and the features come from the upgraded hardware and pickups(which could be traded out for actual SDs free of charge from practically any dealer) and when I say playability, I'm refering to the shaved heel and 6515 frets.
I see what you mean though, there's a preference margin between the two guitars.
[Aug 6,2007 11:09pm - blue ""]
my bad, i thought you were talking about an NT.
setneck though means a generous loss of high end, bolt on produces a brighter overall guitar (much like neck through).
and ive never seen a dealer that will gut a EMG equipped guitar to replace with an all passive setup for free.
[Aug 6,2007 11:12pm - Niccolai ""]
The brightness is kindof up in the air since the 400 is set-thru, although the alder body on the dk2 will be brighter anyway.
Carlino and mattsmusic do free pickup swaps emgs to SD or dimarzio when you buy the guitar new I believe (which are pretty much the only LTD dealers around anyway).
and jason from drumcityguitarland will do it also.
it costs money to have them throw actives in a passive equipped guitar though.
[Aug 6,2007 11:13pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
mahogany body and emg pickups turn me off a little. I want something tonally different than what I have now, which is a big hunk of wood with an 81 and an 85 in it.
Also, the big turnon for the LTD would be the neck through. The 400 is a set neck.
That jackson is pretty interesting, but the neck through on that ltd is attractive. If I could, I'd probably buy both.
[Aug 6,2007 11:13pm - DJ DEATH ""]
Only Gibson is real.
[Aug 6,2007 11:15pm - Niccolai ""]
ArrowHead likes Pie said:
Also, the big turnon for the LTD would be the neck through. The 400 is a set neck.
it's sortof both.
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[Aug 7,2007 6:24pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
DJ DEATH said:Only Gibson is real.
You missed the initial post? I already have a '76 leftie les paul deluxe. I've fulfilled my Gibson quota. I'm seeking a guitar that is the exact opposite of a Gibson, unless they started making superstrat style guitars when I wasn't looking.
Niccolablue, or blucolai, I think I got my heart set on the DK2. What should I do to get the best price on one of these? Wait for a big sale at GC, rub Blue's weiner a little, go online?
[Aug 7,2007 6:29pm - blue ""]
GC wont put them on sale, nor will they carry them more than likely. you could wait 4 months until you finally see one on ebay, or just order one online.
[Aug 7,2007 6:33pm - Niccolai ""]
Most online retailers have lowest price policies, free shipping, and you don't haveto pay sales tax outside of the state.
So what i usually do is search froogle.com and a couple online retailers (mattsmusic.com, americanmusical.com, music123.com, musician.com, worldmusicsupply.com, zzounds.com, samedaymusic.com, musiciansfriend.com, drumcityguitarland.com, etc.) I find the lowest price, and then submit it to a retailer that has a higher price. they will beat the lwoest price by usually 10-50 dollars.
This is how I got both of my MH400nts for $550 each (they go for 650ish, plus it would have cost 20$ for shipping, and 35$ for sales tax, totaling $705)
You could also try haggling at guitar center. If you talk to the right person it's not to hard to get $25, $50, or more off a guitar who knows how long it will take to get though.
if you order online, certain places will hook you up. DGCL gives out free syhirts and picks and straps and shit with some guitars, worldmusicsup gives free hardshell cases sometimes.
[Aug 7,2007 6:36pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
So far the prices at zzounds, musicians friend, ams, etc... all seem right around the $650 mark. If you see anything cheaper let me know.
Another thing is shipping. Should I buy a case and have them ship it in the case, or is it safe just to order the guitar?
[Aug 7,2007 6:37pm - ArrowHead likes Pie ""]
You guys should have your own advice website, seriously.
[Aug 7,2007 6:39pm - Niccolai ""]
http://www.fretstore.com/detail.aspx?ID=759 - 600 bucks even.
It's safe to just order the guitar, they are usually packeged well and I've never had a problem. companies pack well because they hate dealing with damage claims.
The bigger online retailers won't even throw a guitar in a case and ship it. they'll sell both seperately.