Need Help Picking Out a Shreddy Sorta Fusiony Guitar

[vich]

I have the classics covered...Les Paul Standard, Grosh Strat, and a Suhr Tele. Now I'm GASin' for a modern kinda shred guitar for a fusion project I'm involved with, but I don't like the feel of most 'shred' guitars...and I have no idea where to begin to look. Few thoughts, desires, and specs...

• 2 humbuckers, strat style body
• I wouldn't even mind a Floyd Rose
• I dig the buttery sweet mids of Duncan JB bridge pickup...I even dig Steve Vai's tone, believe it or not
• Nice big fat frets
• 1 and 5/8 nut width (Not too crazy about 1 and 11/16, but certainly no wider)
• Typical shredder guitars have a neck that's too thin (.750" - .770" at the nut)...I like a medium thick neck (.830" - .850")
• Don't like a really flat fingerboard...12" is about as flat as I like
• 22 frets or 24 frets not a big issues
• Spend no more than $1000

Any thoughts or ideas would be helpful. Thanks!

[johnmfer]

Build your own! Check out Warmoth or USA Custom Guitars for parts.

[chemical69]

try this one? Ibanez S620EX

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...tar?sku=512501

[enharmonic]

I'd keep an eye out for a used TCM Taurus Sportster T with the 57 neck carve. Can behad for under a grand sometimes, though resale is creeping up.

[jcground]

I think you're describing one of serveral signature Ibanez guitars, actually, or perhaps something like the Vigier Excalibur Shawn Lane signature model, though those guitars are not what I'd aim for if I wanted a guitar for a fusion project.

Have you considered something in a semi-hollow? You might run the risk of blowing your budget, but you could probably find something on the used market under $1000 that would have the mellow more open tone plus sustain that comes from a semi-hollow axe. That, to me, is what I think of for fusion work.

I think something like a G&L ASAT Deluxe or an Ibanez Artcore would put you in the airy Pat Metheny ballpark without stepping up to the serious archtop budget. However, they are hard tail guitars. If you want something more along the lines of a fusion shredder that can do dive bombs and uber fast runs, like Shawn Lane style fusion chops, I'm not the best equipped to give a good recommendation.

(And no, I'm not usually so quick to recommend Ibanez. They're just the guitars that come to mind for this kind of stuff on a sub-$1000 budget.)

[phretbored]

SUHR.

Check out Guthrie Govan putting a Suhr through its paces.

[Robotechnology]

Suhr's are great but, getting one for $1K could be a mite tricky Try to find an Ibanez RGT3120. It is neck thru body and has the thickest neck profile available on a non signature model Ibanez super strat style (.770-.850). It happens to be my favorite Ibanez neck profile. An Andy Timmons neck would work for you but, it's an SSH model. Tried a Joe Satriani model? Neck is like .780-.880 and is dual hum. Not sure of the neck specs but, what about a Peavey Wolfgang? I have one of those too. You may be able to snag an older Jackson PC-1 model (which I also have... surprise, surprise) for about $1K too. .835-.890 I think and a great guitar... all of these are actually. I'll think up some more.

[buddastrat]

I hada Brian Moore that was perfect for that. Had the JB and a real sweet fusiony singy tone. Action was so low a girl scout could play it. But..it had a tooth pick of a neck.

You could just pick up a strat and shove in whatever pickups and go. Most will accomadate two buckers.

Shred on a strat is where it's at!