Here's the deal. I need a new guitar. Not because I just want one, but well, ok that's why.

I don't really care to spend more than $8-900 on one, mainly because I don't play often enough to justify a $3500 Les Paul Custom or whatever.

Key things I need:
The ability to change volume nice and easy, like with a simple 2 or 3 way pickup selector. The biggest hassle I have with my current axe is trying to kick up the sound for a lead without having to mess with a volume knob. I hate that crap. I guess the ideal setup would be sorta Les Paul like, where I can set the volume of the pickups separately and just toggle a switch. Why not get a Les Paul then? Cuz I don't like the way they feel, esp the neck, prolly cuz I have big hands and have always wrapped my thumb over the top (not correct I know, but it's too late to change that now). I love the sound, but not the feel.

A decent clean, jangly sound, for Beatles tunes.

Decent sustain. I don't need the active pickup sustain for days, but most of my leads are more bendy/bluesy and Strat-like choppiness doesn't really cut it for that.

Humbucker crunch, or at least something similar to that.

I was looking at some Schecters and PRSs on , like this one - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=513072 , but don't know anyone that has one to see if they are just pretty.

All recommendations will be considered, thanks!

what kind of Amp are you using?
are you playing with a band? is this for recording?
are you looking for one particular sound or do you want versatility?
what type of music do you play other than Beatles?

answer these ? and i will help you.

Craz

Gibson 335
Fender Tele x 2
Fendor Strat
Martin Acoustic x2
Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic
Tackamine Acoustic
Fender Deville 2X12 Tube
Fender Deluxe 1X12 Tube
Vox ac30 Classic Beatles Amp
+ assorted other guitars and effects

playing 25 years , 1 cd fav bands Beatles, Stones, Grateful Dead, Neil Young,
Floyd, Zep, Sabbath, Hendrix

double post sorry

RIght now I am using a Roland Cube 60 with nothing else for effects (I rarely use anything other than chorus and the built in chorus on the amp is ok for me). I was in a band that broke up 12 years ago but we just got back together to 'see if we still suck' and we are having fun so we plan on continuing. We have 3 guitars but one guitarist is more 'singer dude' than guitarist.

I don't see us doing much more than playing the occasional party and/or bar due to the fact that we are all over 40 and have kids and such.

IIRC, this is what we played the other night:
Hard Days' Night
Kryptonite
Turn The Page (Metallica version)
Enter Sandman
Sweet Child O Mine (instrumental now that the singer guy is old and can't hit the high stuff, lol)
Hold My Hand
Honky Tonk Women
Sympathy for the Devil
Hemmorhage
Rockin In the Free World
Times Like These
Everlong
Love Aint No Stranger

and about 37 minutes of 'jam in Am while the singer dude changes a string and fetches us all beers for being the first one to pop a string'.

We probably lean more towards 80s/90s rock with some older and newer mixed in. I would need the guitar to work pretty much everything as I don't like switching back and forth.

Cutting through the band with leads may be more of an Amp issue than a Guitar one.
as a good tube amp will have more dynamics than the Roland. (especialy with three guitars) based on big hands and a faily versatile set list i think you should check out the Fender Telecaster. preferably an American one. however some of the Mexicans
are quite nise.

they will easily cover the heavy stuff GnR etc.. Keith Richards is pretty much only Telecaster, so it covers the Stones stuff , Zeppelin 1 though Page is known for Les Pauls was recorded entirely with a Telecaster. some great jazz guys play Teles too. Big necks easy to play, however no two are exactly alike so you may have to play a few before you purchase.
some models come with a Single coil bridge pup and a humbbucker in the neck
they are extreamly customizable for after fitting new pups etc...

also they are available in maple or rosewood necks..

check out





a company call G&L aslo makes really beautiful Teles.

you also may want to try a stomp box EQ that you can set for a good lead tone
then when its time to rock just step on it.

personaly never been a big fan of Schecters and PRS is gonna feel like a Gibson. flat small neck Tele = big round base ball bat feel.




craz