21 year old son wanting to buy own guitar. Ibanez.

[mtm105]

Right now he's been playing my Strat Texas Special with Pearly Gates HSS.

i have Ibanez Sabre 1987 built Bensalem, PA since 1998. IMO it feels like a Stradivarius. I can't imagine a better build. He OK likes it.

He's thinking $1,000. i'm telling him buy used. Vintage-like. What is the best value that doesn't feel like an import?? HB or split.

He's not into playing heavy metal or Goth. We went into GC and could not find a match. He went in thinking Schecter. I tried pushing him towards Gibson SG. A universal-type fit. I went over and took a shit in the acoustic room.

Jackson?

I bought 2 amps for him. BOSS Katana II 100W with 2X12 Cab. Budda SD45 2X12 Combo. (He hasn't touched.)

 

[Filipe Soares]

LTD 1000 series used is a great bargain

 

[Dblgun]

Need more detail. What shape does he lean towards, including neck profile and radius? You said he's not into heavy metal and goth. What genre does he lean towards? In the used market, if you're a shopper, you can get a lot of guitar for 1k. You mentioned Ibanez. You should be able to get anything from a vintage RG to a vintage Lawsuit era Les Paul.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Set a rule: What you don't play, must be sold or traded to get something new. Not touching the Budda amp? Sell or trade it.

If you're footing the bill this is totally reasonable.


Consider this possibility: Make him a half and half offer, if he has an income source. That is, you'll match him dollar for dollar for whatever guitar he wants next, he pays half. In exchange for....something of value to you. This is a deal my father offered me. I ended up learning to build my own guitars instead, because my tastes were too expensive right from the very start!

 

[AdrianDSL]

^^^This, kids shouldn't take anything for granted! Strictly on the $1000 guitar now: ever since I got the RG550 Genesis, I can't stop playing it, it's THAT good. Replaced the V8 and V7 with Duncans (Distortion & Jazz) and the guitar just slays. But the neck is wide and thin, coming from a Strat the difference is significant.

 

[fitz]

He should get something he wants and makes him want to play.
If it's his money, let him decide and offer advice when it's asked for.
If it's your money, set a limit and reserve the right to veto something that's complete junk.

 

[Leonard Neemoil]

Edited because I probably jumped to conclusions after reading others comments.

Why do you have anything to do financially with him buying a guitar at age 21?

Do you have anything to do financially with him buying the guitar? Is it a birthday present?

Took a shit in the acoustic room!!

 

[gtpvfr]

Right now he's been playing my Strat Texas Special with Pearly Gates HSS.

i have Ibanez Sabre 1987 built Bensalem, PA since 1998. IMO it feels like a Stradivarius. I can't imagine a better build. He OK likes it.

He's thinking $1,000. i'm telling him buy used. Vintage-like. What is the best value that doesn't feel like an import?? HB or split.

He's not into playing heavy metal or Goth. We went into GC and could not find a match. He went in thinking Schecter. I tried pushing him towards Gibson SG. A universal-type fit. I went over and took a shit in the acoustic room.

Jackson?

I bought 2 amps for him. BOSS Katana II 100W with 2X12 Cab. Budda SD45 2X12 Combo. (He hasn't touched.)

I agree, it’s tough to beat the Ibanez 540R & S from that period with the original DiMarzio pickups. The R has a more “Strat-like” feel in general, offers a lot of versatility, and some came with the Ultra neck as well. IMO, some of the new Jacksons feel really close to the new Ibanez RG and don’t seem as comfortable to play seated as the 540 R&S. (YMM&WV) I’d look at a Charvel for a happy medium to try if he likes the shape and feel of the Strat.

 

[DirtySteve]

Why do you have anything to do financially with him buying a guitar at age 21? Is it a birthday present?

Took a shit in the acoustic room!!

I wasn't going to say anything for fear that it might come out wrong, but I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Leonard Neemoil]

I wasn't going to say anything for fear that it might come out wrong, but I was thinking the same thing.

Actually, we don't know so I'm going to edit my post now.

 

[guitarbilly74]

The best approach is indeed to go to stores and let him try out a bunch of guitars until he finds something that speaks to him. Don't go in with any particular brand in mind, just have him grab guitars that are as different from each other as possible and ask him what he likes/dislikes about each one.

That would give him a better idea of what he wants.

That said, Ibanez has a lot of great guitars under 1k. PRS SE or even used S2 could be cool too. Charvel has some really good models in that price range. But ultimately it has to be whatever inspires him.

 

[V-man]

I feel this a little strange he isn’t on a forum or FB page excitedly doing his own research (assuming he isn’t, rather than a excited dad also doing background legwork).

SGs are a poor choice IMO. I think it’s the last guitar I bought, having evaded it for 30+ years. They have a LOT to offer… for SG fans, and I like mine, but it is the weirdest Gibson I have owned/messed with (obviously not having experienced a Firebird yet).

Their necks seem all over the place from “boaty” to standard/slim, requiring knowledge of the series/year to make heads or tails of the profile. They are neck divers in *FACT* requiring mitigation and they sit weirdly forward compared to everything else. Not the hardest to transition to/from, but not the guitar I’d suggest for my first and only.

In addition to neck profile and what others are mentioning (pup config, genre styles, etc) I would also toss in scale (24.75” vs 25.5”).

Jackson was my first and made me the snob I am today (amazing MIJ guitar), but the choices and specs are dizzying compared to the well-represented stock going on when I got started. I’d say a lot more info would be useful.

 

[mtm105]

I feel this a little strange he isn’t on a forum or FB page excitedly doing his own research (assuming he isn’t, rather than a excited dad also doing background legwork).

SGs are a poor choice IMO. I think it’s the last guitar I bought, having evaded it for 30+ years. They have a LOT to offer… for SG fans, and I like mine, but it is the weirdest Gibson I have owned/messed with (obviously not having experienced a Firebird yet).

Their necks seem all over the place from “boaty” to standard/slim, requiring knowledge of the series/year to make heads or tails of the profile. They are neck divers in *FACT* requiring mitigation and they sit weirdly forward compared to everything else. Not the hardest to transition to/from, but not the guitar I’d suggest for my first and only.

In addition to neck profile and what others are mentioning (pup config, genre styles, etc) I would also toss in scale (24.75” vs 25.5”).

Jackson was my first and made me the snob I am today (amazing MIJ guitar), but the choices and specs are dizzying compared to the well-represented stock going on when I got started. I’d say a lot more info would be useful.

I feel this a little strange he isn’t on a forum or FB page excitedly doing his own research (assuming he isn’t, rather than a excited dad also doing background legwork).

SGs are a poor choice IMO. I think it’s the last guitar I bought, having evaded it for 30+ years. They have a LOT to offer… for SG fans, and I like mine, but it is the weirdest Gibson I have owned/messed with (obviously not having experienced a Firebird yet).

Their necks seem all over the place from “boaty” to standard/slim, requiring knowledge of the series/year to make heads or tails of the profile. They are neck divers in *FACT* requiring mitigation and they sit weirdly forward compared to everything else. Not the hardest to transition to/from, but not the guitar I’d suggest for my first and only.

In addition to neck profile and what others are mentioning (pup config, genre styles, etc) I would also toss in scale (24.75” vs 25.5”).

Jackson was my first and made me the snob I am today (amazing MIJ guitar), but the choices and specs are dizzying compared to the well-represented stock going on when I got started. I’d say a lot more info would be useful.

I have 6 or 7 guitars, to include PRS SE and Swamp Ash from Celeb guitarist. He has an idea of what he might like.

He bought a BOSS Metal Zone. I haven’t a clue why. I figure he’s entitled to his own mistakes. ( I have both BOSS SD-20 and ME-50 giving him an idea of what each pedal represents.)

I know that Ibanaez 540S is a guitar to die for. He doesn’t want Dad’s guitar. The 540S can be found for $800. What others are there? To include Jackson, etc… I think that he is interested in that style.

I am forwarding him this thread so that he can read.

I am not buying it for him. I don’t want to see him waste his $$. However, I can spoil him in the future. (Hamer OML) He is likely taking Budda to college dorm.

1981 I started with a Harmony electric guitar hooked into living room stereo speakers.

 

[V-man]

Don’t rule that Metal Zone purchase of his as a mistake. It does sound like shit through an amp’s clean channel more often than not, but running it as a preamp pedal through the FX loop pays dividends. It is also a *very* finicky pedal to dial, but it’s an arguably superior OD compared to the SD-1 once you dial it in.

And if he hasn’t figured this out yet, be sure to forward this info to him as well,

 

[V-man]

My favorite Jacksons are the King V and Randy Rhoads, which with the Warrior, Kelly and Death Angel would probably be too metal/pointy for him.

They do have a Monarkh single cut (though i’d prefer the ESP/LTD LP copy… were it not for their stupid “wavy flag” inlays).

Lots of people like the Dinky as a lower price option, but the standard for the apex SuperStrat IMO is the Soloist. If he likes the marriage of a traditional Strat with the modern appointments of a Jackson, the Adrian Smith sig is one to consider.

 

[Filipe Soares]

Good Indonesian Jackson X series. RRXMG is a killer deal, also de DKMG.

Japanese jacksons by fender also kicks some serious as, such as DK2.

Craigslist, FB Mkt place, ebay... try it all, there is always a bargain waiting to be bought.

 

[AlvisX]

1981 I started with a Harmony electric guitar hooked into living room stereo speakers.

Now ya talkin !!

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Well, the way things just ARE these days, it's absolutely nothing unusual to find that kids in their thirties...forties...even fifties... may still be living at home with the parents. Just being open to that possibility, trying not to make assumptions.

 

[AlvisX]

If it was me with that budget , I would Probably get 3 guitars ...or more
I would definitely get a Classic Vibe Strat or Tele
A Danelectro / Harmony / Teisco for open tunings
And some kind of p90 / Humbucker rock machine

I have half a dozen $400 SGs ...but days of those deals may have passed
Knowin how to shop for guitars is as big a deal as knowin how to play

Hell , I got all three of these for under a grand .

 

[mtm105]

Well, the way things just ARE these days, it's absolutely nothing unusual to find that kids in their thirties...forties...even fifties... may still be living at home with the parents. Just being open to that possibility, trying not to make assumptions.

He is getting Honors at college, final year. do the math... And has a private pilot's license, and is training over the summer to become an flight Instructor.

What were you doing at that age?