Beginner guitar for heavy metal

Wow I've not posted on here for months, but having been where you are 18 months ago and having consumed guitars sold and sent a few back. I concur with going into a shop and trying them out, but it can be a bit overwhelming due to so much choice. Nearly all manufactures do something in your budget, a lot of what sound you'll get depends more on the AMP set up than the guitar itself. Metal is my thing but I have a telecaster copy, several stats, an Explorer (proper metal right!!) but my daily driver is a 2013 Gibson LPJ and I can get any sound out of that I want. My proper Metal axe is a Charvel with active EMG's nice guitar and I wouldn't get rid but it's an aquired skill playing that bugger.

My recommendation for a light weight go to metal guitar would be a PRS SE of some sort played one in my local shop and it's defo my next purchase.

As you can see I had a lot of GAS in the early days hence the collection, but it's a hobby and lots of fun. Go explore all you can, good luck!!
 
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Rob Chapman has a YouTube channel which gives plenty of advice:

https://www.youtube.com/user/RobChappers

His entry level guitar is also likely to be worth considering, although I haven't played one:

Chapman ML-1 Natural - Ash Body inc Gig Bag £369

http://www.andertons.co.uk/solid-bo.../chapman-ml1-natural-ash-body-inc-gig-bag.asp

Otherwise, some of the Jacksons are good, and Ibanez too.

I have an Ibanez with a floating bridge. This makes setup and restringing a bit harder, so I'm not sure whether you'd want that as a beginner. I'm not sure how much benefit it gives play-wise, but some of the metal guitars have them.

The important thing is to find a guitar whose action feels nice to you, i.e. you enjoy playing it. Looks come into it too of course.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Get a telecaster, it can do anything.

Ps his post was just on the price, so I have just continued with that point.
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Tut tut Raymond, the Swiss Army Knife of guitars has always been the Stratocaster or perhaps that's what you meant.

Of course, if you want a guitar that can play any sound you want and in any tuning you want then you go for what I swapped most of my major guitars for - The James Tyler JTV series.

Line 6 now do a Yamaha based guitar with the technology, well worth a look.
 
Man I love my tele but it's a blues and jazz guitar the neck is far too rounded for shredding. Now if you want to slide it's about as good as you can get unless you getting some good 'ole american steel (and I do want some american steel maybe next purchase after a decent electronic piano).
 
Raymond Lin said:
It's not £200-300 new no. I said 2nd hand. if its new at £449, there is no way one would pay £449 used.
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Yes, but he's asked for a guitar at £2-300 and you're making suggestions for a guitar that's 50% more than his highest stated price, and more than twice his lowest price.
 
Personally I would suggest Ibanez for a metal guitar - necks are nice and quick, easy to play and you can get something that will do fine for beginners in your price range.

Of course if you're after the metal sound you will need a bit more than the guitar but presumably you have an amp and a pedal or two?

Ultimately if you think you are going to get something nicer in a few years time I would save your money and put a bit more on a second hand guitar. It wouldn't be a wasted investment IMO.
 
Do you know what bands you are looking to play?

If the music is written/played in lower than standard tuning, it's likely you will want a guitar with an appropriate scale length...

Metal on a 24.75" les paul is all well and good, but the string tension in low tuning will force you to use thicker strings in order to stop the note bending out of pitch under heavy picking. "Metal" players tend to have quite aggressive pick attacks.

If you are in standard than a 24.75" scale length (les paul) will be fine (with .10 or .11 gauge strings). I would likely go with a super-strat 25.5" scale (Ibanez RG, S or Jackson, ESP M etc) as a rough recommendation, without knowing what tuning the music you want to learn is in.
 
m3csl2004 said:
Do you know what bands you are looking to play?

If the music is written/played in lower than standard tuning, it's likely you will want a guitar with an appropriate scale length...

Metal on a 24.75" les paul is all well and good, but the string tension in low tuning will force you to use thicker strings in order to stop the note bending out of pitch under heavy picking. "Metal" players tend to have quite aggressive pick attacks.

If you are in standard than a 24.75" scale length (les paul) will be fine (with .10 or .11 gauge strings). I would likely go with a super-strat 25.5" scale (Ibanez RG, S or Jackson, ESP M etc) as a rough recommendation, without knowing what tuning the music you want to learn is in.
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I'm glad I changed all my major guitars to the James Tyler JTV series so I can just rotate a knob to go into any tuning.
My lowest is Drop B which I use on Iron Man by Sabbath and it sounds awesome.
We do a couple in Db drop tuning and our main tuning is Eb.
I stand there turning a knob while my guitarist is retuning all the time, obviously he doesn't do the drop B (Bb foir us).
 
Dimple said:
I'm glad I changed all my major guitars to the James Tyler JTV series so I can just rotate a knob to go into any tuning.
My lowest is Drop B which I use on Iron Man by Sabbath and it sounds awesome.
We do a couple in Db drop tuning and our main tuning is Eb.
I stand there turning a knob while my guitarist is retuning all the time, obviously he doesn't do the drop B (Bb foir us).
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Surely can't feel the same? Or indeed, sound the same? I've read how much you love them on here over time, I'm half tempted to pick one up just so I can see... :p
 
m3csl2004 said:
Surely can't feel the same? Or indeed, sound the same? I've read how much you love them on here over time, I'm half tempted to pick one up just so I can see... :p
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Obviously will never feel the same because it's strange playing (eg) a 12 string Martin acoustic on an electric but you get over it.
Sound wise the drop tunings aren't too bad and convinces audiences.
We have a local band who use pedals for their drop tunings an nobody can tell the difference.
Technology - embrace it.
 
Ibanez and Jackson are standard fare for a "Metal" guitar.

Most of mine are definately classed as metal - an ESP/LTD MP-600 (Padge BfmV signature), and a Schecter Synyster Gates custom (red/black), and others.

Some of the ESPs (LTD ones, like the Gibson/Epiphone) are superb, but spend more if you can on something with better rated pickups, not own-brand. I know they are marmite but I love EMG pickups, so maybe try out one of the LTD/ESP with an EMG 81/85 set (gold writing on one, silver on the other - look for EMG on the pickups).

Also I've had a few Schecters - they are amazing value for the money - the Damien/Omen series well worth a look and should be within your price range.

If you want something like a Les Paul, then look at the Epiphone Matt Heafy signature - very metal, fitted with nice pickups and a kill switch - sustains forever.

Or do what I'm doing now, grab a cheap Squier bullet start (<£100) rip out everything except the body/neck, and put some nice parts in it - insamely epic HSS metal strat for under £300 :)

Good luck.
 
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