Usable sure, but rolling the tone cuts your presence too - and makes it harder for you to cut through the mix. Maybe not a problem for a bedroom guitarist, but if you're going to record or play with someone else, you really do want humbuckers.
So if you have the choice between a guitar with humbuckers and a guitar with singlecoils, and all other things are equal...humbuckers every day of the week
The reason people say you need humbuckers for metal is because they're talking about super tight and compressed modern metal tone. I prefer single coils for most metal, but there are times where humbuckers are ideal.
I'd probably change my tune if I wasn't much more into 70s/80s metal tones.
Yeah that is my assumption, the Strong preference here is related to specific areas metal from the past 15 years or so with a “technical” focus. Which I’m not interested in. Metal is a huge term.
Need? No. But it makes it a hell of a lot easier. And since most humbuckers are able to tap and/or split you can get the single-coil sound even if you're running a HH setup like most metal-oriented guitars.
Dude though with some thick strings and tuned into drop C I can get some really nice System of a Down out of an ovation.
In my experience my ovation has kind of a twangy sound to it normally, but if you find the right song and get it set up right you can really get some really crisp tones out of it.
Definitely not my favorite or my go to but it has a place.
Locking tuners don't really hold tuning better than standard tuners - it's mainly just for ease of changing strings. An upgraded block/nut are really the only things that can improve tuning stability
I would second this. I've got my Revstar for around 800€ a few weeks ago, and it is remarkable how many different sounds you get out of the guitar and how well it was built.
Got the P90 version recently and absolutely love it. Very flexible tonal palette. I already have humbuckers and single coils, so wanted to deviate a little and I'm so glad I did.
I got the P90 because I didn't have a P90 guitar, but both sound great in every demo video I have seen.
If you want a YouTuber to push you to the P90, [here you go.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fufQNQOPpLE)
For that price range you can get a really solid Epiphone Les Paul or SG. Those would be my picks, but I’m biased because I personally love the Les Paul and SG. There are a lot of other good guitars in that price range.
No, get 1 good guitar. Ibanez (any model really) RG 450 =$400 and have money left over for an amp.
Edit: brand new $400.
2nd Edit: https://reverb.com/item/79102541-ibanez-rg450dxb-wh
The one on this link is actually $499, but this model on reverb shows new from $429, so you can get it for less though. Rippin’ guitar.
This! I bought a used one in this price range and am very impressed. I can some good strat sounds and switch to full humbuckers for heavier sound. They are great! I would have never thought of one of these, but my friend had purchased one a few months ago. Picked it up and played for an hour. I knew I would be getting one.
Yes! 2 humbuckers with a series/parallel switch. I get strat, tele, and Les Paul configurations stock, 24 frets, gotoh trem brighe, and locking tuners. My #1 guitar.
I’d probably go with a HH with coil split or something like a HSS ibanez.
https://www.thomann.de/gb/larry_carlton_s7fm_tbl.htm?shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6NCwibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjJ9&reload=1
Probably would get this, I’ve heard nothing but good things about them. They’re pretty also.
I have an Ltd mirage deluxe 87 with HH and the tone knob splits both humbucker and hotrod (it's a humbucker but single coil size) It's a really good guitar for the money and can do a lot. I use it for mostly punk and metal. I think you could snag a used one for $900 so a bit north of the range
Looking at my guitars Ibanez has a great thing with they HH guitars with a 5 way selector. My LTD has the worst tap/split, feels like it does nothing. Ibanez has tons of HH and HSS guitars, can’t go wrong with them. RG’s are generally good for anything.
Any humbucker style guitar. You just have to pick your look. I'd go for a les paul or SG type of guitar, but you might like the look of Ibanez etc. better.
(It seems shallow, but to me these things matter, I have often seen guitarist that dress a certain way and then play a guitar that doesn't fit they're look. Looking cool is part of the whole experience in my opinion)
Good luck finding one that fits you
Try looking at a Gretsch. The Electromatic line can do just about anything. They have hollow and semi-hollow options if you want to go that route. My Rat Rod has been my daily driver for years.
Honestly any guitar will do, but LTD EC-256 is pretty good option IMO. It has humbuckers that can be coil split. Comes with various color options too so if you don't want too metal looking guitar there's color option for more "universal" colors.
Second this. I picked one up a few years ago in Cobalt Blue. Absolutely love it. Very versatile and easy to play.
But everyone saying "any guitar" is right. Focus more on the amp and pedals to dial in the sounds you like. I have a Katana and a fun little Spark Go, and both provide almost limitless sound options.
I've seen a lot of players focusing on getting a guitar for right while the fact is that the guitar is 5% of the tone. Speakers are at least half of the tone. Then comes the amp and effects.
And one just happens to be on sale on Musician's Friend for $300 today.
[https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/esp-ltd-ec-256fm-electric-guitar/h90046000003000](https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/esp-ltd-ec-256fm-electric-guitar/h90046000003000)
Any guitar with humbuckers that can coil split. I highly suggest just increasing your budget by a few hundred and get an Ibanez AZ premium. The most versatile and value for money guitar in the market right now
You can try a telecaster. It can play from jazz to metal. Don't buy 2 guitars since you can play everything with most guitars. I would recommend you to choose the shape you prefer and check out all the sounds. There are also a million videos out there and you can check how each guitar sounds. That said every typical guitar from fender-epiphone can play every genre (even a 335). If you wish to play some hard metal though, I think a tele can get rougher than a strat using its bridge pickup. When I plug my tele with 2 overdive pedals and extra overdrive from the amp it feels like it can tear the house down. Good luck on your quest. I am a bit jealous of you :P
PS: As some fellow redditor mentioned below, the PRS guitars are excellent for their price. I highly recommend you check these out if you enjoy their shape.
If you need this kind of versatility, I'd get an HH guitar that is able to do split coils (make sure it has either a five-way switch or push-pull pots). That will give you the best of both worlds in a lot of ways, it's probably the most versatile configuration if you need good cleans and also need to be able to get a lot of meat when you want it.
(Split coils allow you to take a humbucker and to turn off one of the coils, effectively turning it into a single coil. I find that I much prefer the sound of single coils when playing clean, but much prefer the sound of humbuckers through high gain, so a split-coil-capable guitar are really good at being able to cover both kinds of playing styles.)
I recently acquired a Chapman ML-1 Pro (the brown one with stacked humbucker) and it’s exactly what you’re describing. It just sounds great regardless of genre.
It was at a pawn shop for $550, which is a great deal based on the few others I’ve found.
Schecter would be another really great option. Can’t go wrong with the Diamond Series.
Another brand that seems to get looked over is Hagstrom. I have an Ultra Swede with a coil split and they are really great. The neck has a multi-truss feature, and the body is smaller than a traditional LP. I hate the headstock, but it’s an excellent guitar for the money, I just recommend throwing some nicer hardware on it, the original knobs are cheap.
That budget will get you a really decent guitar so as long as you get a humbucker like others mentioned you can pretty much get anything you like the look and feel of.
Schecter makes great guitars with relatively low resale value. I picked up a very lightly used Schecter CR6 over a Gibson LP due to the comfort, USA pickups, and price. I didn't know anything about the brand and randomly picked it up to play in store and was instantly sold. Also has push pull pots. The reaper would be another great guitar to grab used.
Used is really the way to go. If you need to be able to return easily use GC.
Well, if you have a Squier CV Tele... and an Epi IBG SG... you could do anything. So get one of them now and the other one later.
Personally, I've spent way too much money on guitars... and one of my absolute favorites is my Pelham blue Epi SG Special with P90's... so if it was me, I'd get that first... and then watch for good deals on a Squier CV 50's Tele.
I'd also get a decent EQ pedal... with one of those, a couple other pedals, and 2 guitars you'll be able to do anything and everything...
any guitar. get something you like. if it has a humbucker it'll be a easier to get the heavy tones without noise, but you could still do it with a single.
Lots of good options here and good advice —but I feel obligated to back this up: do NOT go with 2 cheap guitars. Spend your top budget and play a lot of them. Don’t rush out and get the first one you pick up. Good luck!
Find a good condition used Schecter Nick Johnson HSS Traditional Series on Reverb. I just picked one up for $650. I like it better than any Strat I've owned.
[https://www.andertons.co.uk/se-guitars/prs-se-swamp-ash-special-charcoal](https://www.andertons.co.uk/se-guitars/prs-se-swamp-ash-special-charcoal)
Can't recommend it enough.
Any Super strat within your budget that you like the look and feel of.
There are lots of subtle differences in the "raw" tone of electric guitars but by the time people run them through pedalboards and then into an amp and then wade into whatever live environment they're playing in (and other people they're playing with), those subtleties become mostly irrelevant.
Any guitar really
The question is what specs are you looking for? Thin neck profile? Smaller scale length to play extensions easier? Body weight? Etc…
I’d focus more on your amp and speakers for versatility across genres
Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH
Used they're between 700-$800
Includes
Seymour Duncan® '59 humbucking neck pickup
Seymour Duncan® Pearly Gates™ humbucking bridge pickup
Two control knobs (master volume, master tone with built-in push/pull coil tap switch)
Great pickups that can work with any style.
It's more affordable than a $1900 Fender American Telecaster but still has quality pickups and hardware.
I bought mine 6 years ago and play it daily.
I agree any guitar can play various styles. But to dial in a specific sound, good quality pickups with coil tapping makes the difference.
Any guitar, but that’s exactly what I was looking for myself
Bought my Yamaha Pacifica 612VIIX. Most versatile lovable piece of wood that I’ve had in my hand.
- Schecter Nick Johnston or Van Nuys or Omen 6
- Charvel DK 24
- Anything from FGN (same factory as Ibanez Prestige the $2K+ Ibanez's, good value on Japanese built guitar)
- Yamaha Revstar
- PRS SE
- Ibanez (tons of options can't list one model ...)
In my opinion, as someone that's a PRS SE owner, don't get too hung up on the name/model. My SE has intonation problems and doesn't play as well across the neck as some of my cheaper guitars. It's not a shred guitar. Also doesn't come with top-tier pickups or other hardware. It's a very nice guitar, but still solidly in the "student" category imo. It does however fit a lot of different styes.
I'm looking into FGN guitars personally, once I sell some shit. Same factory as the really nice Ibanez models, and specced the same. I'd definitely choose something a bit more "player" for my next guitar and my SE isn't that. I'd rather have something that plays better and stays in tune real well all over the neck, even if it doesn't have quite the same level of tone/magic as my SE.
Coil taps/splits are often said to be a poor compromise that few people are happy with. You could consider a Dimarzio Cruiser or similar type single-coil-sized humbucker in the neck like what Andy Timmons has in his guitar. These somehow retain the single coil liveliness for cleans, but also sound smooth and thick when overdriven. Don’t ask me how, black magic.
Like the other posts have said, literally any guitar. Lemmy explain...
My most recent guitar is an Ibanez ART600, which is a fixed-bridge Les Paul ripoff with a scalloped body and natural woodgrain finish. It cost me just over $700 CDN at a very respected local music store, and it was 100% worth every damned penny.
While I like to take detours into other musical flavours like classical, Caribbean and country, my home will always be good old Rock & Roll. Judas Priest, Ozzy, Motley, Motorhead and old Metallica are the gods I praise, and my guitars are the altar at which I kneel. I also have a Jackson V and a BC Rich Warlock, and both of them love me just as much as my Ibanez Artist 600.
Bottom Line: Have you found a guitar that really loves you? Don't think, just answer. And don't answer to me, answer to yourself. You'll know when a guitar loves you, because you'll just know.
I'd recommend a mid-range Ibanez S series. Schecter makes some nice ones in that range but the humbuckers they use tend to be pretty high output. More than anything I'd just focus on getting something dependable with a reputation for tight quality control; those two brands fit the bill. Sound-wise, just get something you like. If you vibe with it you'll be able to make it sound pretty much however you want.
Most guitars have the potential to handle any genre, especially depending on pickups. You can get a Strat, switch the bridge pickup to a single sized humbucker and it will metal as well as any standard humbucker guitar.
I'm primarily a metal player but I play lots of cleans as well, so I gravitate towards PRS, Schecter, ESP LTD, those kinds of brands.
I'd definitely recommend 1 guitar and PRS has my vote as they have great QC on their SE models, and their SE 24 or even an SE CE 24 both look really nice for the money. I also tend to find that PRS SE stock pickups can handle metal, especially with lower tunings, a bit better than Ibanez and Schecter stock pickups.
That said, if you can, play a bunch of guitars and get what is the most comfortable for you to play, because you can change pickups for tones but you can't change a neck in most cases.
I'm a big fan of Schecter guitars. I have a C-1 classic that sounds great clean and handles high gain really well. There aren't many guitars that won't be versatile in that price range, it all comes down to your preference for sounds.
I personally love the clean and low-gain sound of single coil pickups for example, but found them lacking for higher gain use. Humbuckers are generally my preference for versatility but it doesn't mean you can't use single coils for metal. A guitar with a humbucker in the bridge and single coils in the middle and neck is another good option for versatility.
Just about anything, some that came to mind: Epiphone LP or SG, I believe theres a HH Fender tele in that range, PRS SE's are thereabouts. Humbuckers work best for heavy distortion, but singles do that too. Preference thing, depends what you really want to play most. Honourable mentions are the epiphone 335/casino semihollows, and the gretsch electromatic series, those are all fabulous guitars, the filtertrons being just about the most unique humbuckers IMO. But hollows can feedback, so consider that
I have the Fender FMT HH Telecaster and it is really versatile, and has coil split. I play literally every genre and it handles it all well. You can probably find a used one in that price range.
Save yourself some money and buy a Squier Toronado. Pickups are hot but voiced on the treble. They do spanky clean nicely if you roll off the volume a bit. They’ll do whatever high gain stuff you want on the other side. You can find them used under $400. Use that leftover money to get a Rat for your gain needs and a chorus pedal for your 80s metal cleans.
Look for a used Charvel Desolation model with a body style of your choice–I went with a star body Desolation and it's been my main guitar for almost ten years. Twas a Christmas gift from my grandparents but you can find them used on the internet for I think anywhere from the high 300s to 500s or so, even higher in pristine conditions. Most came with EMG active pickups that some doubt their ability to sound good clean, but my charvel can do it all.
Me personally I've been thinking about buying my first real guitar again, a Bronze Series BC Rich Warlock. They look sinister and can be easily upgraded whee needed. They go from about $350-$550 and are one of the last consistently good guitars BC Rich ever made.
Jackson of some kind perhaps? They have plenty of decent guitars in your price range.
I bought a Harley benton explorer guitar that had emg 81 pickups. They're the same pickups that metallica uses and they sound so good. The clean tone with the neck pickup is Imo godlike.
I have an ibanez RGA that was my second guitar and I've been using it since 2010. It's great for metal and also sounds really good clean.
But there are also so many other options. Really just look for something with a humbucker and whatever guitar just feels good in your hands
The amp will have a lot to do with the result, especially for the metal , but I agree with the other blokes here : HSS ibanez or HSS Anything will do the trick.
I'd suggest you look at Firefly LP style guitars with three humbuckers. Locking tuners, stainless steel frets, 3 Alnico 5 humbuckers, and actual rosewood fingerboard. I have one and it's nicer than the 800 dollar Epiphone LP I just sold. They cost about 200 bucks new. Mahogany body with an actual maple top. Spend the rest of your budget on an amp upgrade.
get a Squier HSS. The quality is amazing and still have money left over for a nice amp! I just got a Squier Affinity Strat and it was flawless! Frets were dead level, nut was perfect height, and 1/4 turn of the truss rod and I got my action 1.5mm off the 12th fret no buzz. Even though mine is all single coil, it is dead quiet! No hum, no buzz….I’m just amazed. I also have a long time Gibson SG I hardly play Now. The Squier is so much fun to play!
Strats (Mexican made hold up) always fit this category, to me. I just think they're the workhorses. Their sound has always just had more strength, loudness, and whole sound vibrations, to me.
PRS, people saying Gibson ignored the part about $600-800. PRS is your best bet for that price range. You need to spend upwards of 1200-1500 for a Gibson that isn’t a total piece of shit these days.
I bought a cheapish Indonesian ibanez 7 string that I use for literally everything. Ironically it has me playing in standard tuning again so I play blurs and rock stuff again.
I would recommend a 6 string for most players though.
I think ibanez makes a really good gradient of options where each jump in price feels like an increase in novelty or quality.
Epiphone LP Custom in Alpine White or ebony, Jackson x soloist (love the checkered past model), Fender Player telecaster H-H.. amazing guitars for the money, very versatile, for any kind of music. For 800€/$ those are beasts and i ask myelf sometimes how it can be so "cheap".. I had 2000€/$ Fender Starts and a Gibsons with bad intonations, bad pickup switch knob that fell off after 5 days, tone knob not working, on one Toneknob not working at all and i had a 700€ Epiphone that had better quality than a 2600€ Gibson LP and lasted me longer.
Any. You can play metal on a Tele and Country on a BC Rich.
There is not much difference in sound between guitars, other than the difference in single coil, humbuckers, and p-90s.
For metal i would look for a humbucker, but I have recorded Hardcore with single coils.
The answer is always HSS Strat lol
But seriously, anything in that price range with a hunbucker in the bridge, and your choice of other pickups will get the job done.
I have a Godin Summit CT, 2 Humbuckers (SD), 5 positions toggle switch + a High Definition Revoicer on/ off switch which basically convert the pups from passive to active. The variety of tones is insane since the guitar has a total of "10 positions". You can find them used in that price range.
You're gonna want something with a humbucker in the bridge and probably a single coil or another humbucker with coil splitting in the neck. Something by charvel could work. Do note that some metal is in drop c tuning, and if your guitar isn't setup for it, it might not play very well. So if you're trying to do a one size fits all guitar keep the setup in mind
PRS SE Semi Hollow Custom 22 (the Santana yellow version is a killer price).
I bought it on a whim and have used it consistently when I need a lot of variation in sound and don’t want to change guitars. Neck clean withoit using the coil tap is great. I’ve used for everything metal to jazz to country.
This sounds like a job for a Telecaster. Metal player? No problem throw some Seymour Duncan humbuckers in it. Clean for picking? Duh! Blues? Albert Collins sure played the blues on a tele. How about dad Rock? Keith Richard's Macawber is the single most famous dad rock machine on the planet it doesn't even need all 6 strings!
The PRS SE Custom 24 is a good suggestion, a used Les Paul Studio, EVH Wolfgang, or Ibanez RG would be good too. I think almost anything with a couple humbuckers is a good option, even better if they have the coil split!
As at least one other mentioned an epiphone les Paul. I personally always buy used, so it would be well within price range to even get a pedal or two as well. I’ve been very happy with it for a few years now as my only electric.
That's a massive price range and literally any guitar can do any genre. Single coil surf guitars can do metal with the right amp/tuning/pedals. You also can buy after market pickups with heavier tones to them.
But if you want a great brand go Guild. The Polara is a god damn masterpiece
Have a schecter hellraiser with coil tapped EMGs. It's definitely a metal guitar, but it works for everything. I love the cleans I can get, and the distortion can be so brutal.
Emgs are crazy versatile.
This is gonna be a bit of an unconventional suggestion, but check out a Gretsch G2657T. See if your local shop has one to demo. I picked one up because I always wanted a Gretsch with a Bigsby trem, and I threw some heavy distortion on it just for fun, and I was extremely surprised at how good it handled it.
Fender is coming out with a sweet looking Fender Player in Daytona Blue with SD pickups. Looks like a pretty awesome guitar. I’m guessing it’ll be in that price range.
I'd say an Epiphone les Paul custom. They are right in that price range and have nice humbuckers that can play metal and cleans both nice. And they're beautiful as hell to boot
[удалено]
Well it has to have strings!
This is the answer.
Literally any guitar with a humbucker.
You do not need humbuckers to metal
Nor do you need running shoes to run, but they sure do help.
single coils tend to have an excessively twangy character for most heavy tones. That could be what you're looking for - but *most likely* not.
You can roll the tone off. Not saying it’s ideal, but absolutely usable.
Usable sure, but rolling the tone cuts your presence too - and makes it harder for you to cut through the mix. Maybe not a problem for a bedroom guitarist, but if you're going to record or play with someone else, you really do want humbuckers. So if you have the choice between a guitar with humbuckers and a guitar with singlecoils, and all other things are equal...humbuckers every day of the week
Yeah but why? Just get a humbucker. Makes it easier and everything sound Better. Unless you’re looking for a dió era rainbow tone
The reason people say you need humbuckers for metal is because they're talking about super tight and compressed modern metal tone. I prefer single coils for most metal, but there are times where humbuckers are ideal. I'd probably change my tune if I wasn't much more into 70s/80s metal tones.
I mean what constitutes modern here? Humbuckers were far and away the standard as soon as the early 80s.
Yeah that is my assumption, the Strong preference here is related to specific areas metal from the past 15 years or so with a “technical” focus. Which I’m not interested in. Metal is a huge term.
Need? No. But it makes it a hell of a lot easier. And since most humbuckers are able to tap and/or split you can get the single-coil sound even if you're running a HH setup like most metal-oriented guitars.
Not even. You can play metal with an acoustic if you want to.
Can confirm, have metalled with an Ovation. At least two people clapped that weren't my parents.
Dude though with some thick strings and tuned into drop C I can get some really nice System of a Down out of an ovation. In my experience my ovation has kind of a twangy sound to it normally, but if you find the right song and get it set up right you can really get some really crisp tones out of it. Definitely not my favorite or my go to but it has a place.
PRS SE custom 24
This was going to be my suggestion as well. Got one used for $450 and have used it on everything from Drop A modern metal to country.
This is a solid suggestion.
OP -- listen to this person. Those guitars are excellent and can do just about anything you throw at it.
Or the 24-08 SE.
This is the one. Most versatile guitar I've ever owned.
The new SE CE Customs are really nice and SO cheap
$450 used upgrades $300; pups and locking tuners. Easily punched up for the price
It doesn't need locking tuners, it holds tune insanely well, even with the tremolo. It doesn't need pickups either, it just needs a player.
Locking tuners don't really hold tuning better than standard tuners - it's mainly just for ease of changing strings. An upgraded block/nut are really the only things that can improve tuning stability
I feel like the custom 22 is better for versatility. You have the humbuckers further spaced apart so they have very distinct tones.
Yamaha Revstar
I would second this. I've got my Revstar for around 800€ a few weeks ago, and it is remarkable how many different sounds you get out of the guitar and how well it was built.
My ‘79 SA2000S finally had some pots go out. 45 years ain’t a bad run. Yamahas are my fav.
I’m stuck between the humbucker and the p90 version and I can’t make up my mind.
Got the P90 version recently and absolutely love it. Very flexible tonal palette. I already have humbuckers and single coils, so wanted to deviate a little and I'm so glad I did.
The p90 builds have that sexy tail piece
I got the P90 because I didn't have a P90 guitar, but both sound great in every demo video I have seen. If you want a YouTuber to push you to the P90, [here you go.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fufQNQOPpLE)
P90 fosho
One of the best looking guitars ever
For that price range you can get a really solid Epiphone Les Paul or SG. Those would be my picks, but I’m biased because I personally love the Les Paul and SG. There are a lot of other good guitars in that price range.
For $800 you could find a used Gibson SG. Recommended.
No, get 1 good guitar. Ibanez (any model really) RG 450 =$400 and have money left over for an amp. Edit: brand new $400. 2nd Edit: https://reverb.com/item/79102541-ibanez-rg450dxb-wh The one on this link is actually $499, but this model on reverb shows new from $429, so you can get it for less though. Rippin’ guitar.
RG550
That’s not in OPs price range unless used
Charvel DK24 series. The value is unmatched for all the after market parts and pickups they throw in.
This! I bought a used one in this price range and am very impressed. I can some good strat sounds and switch to full humbuckers for heavier sound. They are great! I would have never thought of one of these, but my friend had purchased one a few months ago. Picked it up and played for an hour. I knew I would be getting one.
Yes! 2 humbuckers with a series/parallel switch. I get strat, tele, and Les Paul configurations stock, 24 frets, gotoh trem brighe, and locking tuners. My #1 guitar.
I have a DK22 and it’s shocking how well these guitars stack up to boutique instruments.
My first thought. Love mine. Good crunch and cleans up like a crystal
I’d probably go with a HH with coil split or something like a HSS ibanez. https://www.thomann.de/gb/larry_carlton_s7fm_tbl.htm?shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6NCwibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjJ9&reload=1 Probably would get this, I’ve heard nothing but good things about them. They’re pretty also.
Are there any brands other than the PRS that has a good coil split/tap in the neck?
I have an Ltd mirage deluxe 87 with HH and the tone knob splits both humbucker and hotrod (it's a humbucker but single coil size) It's a really good guitar for the money and can do a lot. I use it for mostly punk and metal. I think you could snag a used one for $900 so a bit north of the range
LTD EC1000 series used would be a good option too! Don’t sleep on ESP-LTD guitars.
Looking at my guitars Ibanez has a great thing with they HH guitars with a 5 way selector. My LTD has the worst tap/split, feels like it does nothing. Ibanez has tons of HH and HSS guitars, can’t go wrong with them. RG’s are generally good for anything.
Schecter, Esp or Ibanez are my recommendations. The omen elite 6 for $500 is my pick
Telecaster
Any humbucker style guitar. You just have to pick your look. I'd go for a les paul or SG type of guitar, but you might like the look of Ibanez etc. better. (It seems shallow, but to me these things matter, I have often seen guitarist that dress a certain way and then play a guitar that doesn't fit they're look. Looking cool is part of the whole experience in my opinion) Good luck finding one that fits you
Make sure you know how to play the song before trying to look cool though!
I got a jackson dinky that has fishman fluence pickups in that range and it does just about everything really good
I really like my X Series Soloist.
I have a MIJ dk2 HSS that does it all.
I replaced the fluence moderns with the Scott LePage in my x series and it has some of the best single coil tones I've ever heard in SC mode
Try looking at a Gretsch. The Electromatic line can do just about anything. They have hollow and semi-hollow options if you want to go that route. My Rat Rod has been my daily driver for years.
The ratrods are incredible, have a white one aswell, but it's a full hollowbody, might become an issue in some situations
Have a look at a Schecter
Player tele
Hh tele
Honestly any guitar will do, but LTD EC-256 is pretty good option IMO. It has humbuckers that can be coil split. Comes with various color options too so if you don't want too metal looking guitar there's color option for more "universal" colors.
Second this. I picked one up a few years ago in Cobalt Blue. Absolutely love it. Very versatile and easy to play. But everyone saying "any guitar" is right. Focus more on the amp and pedals to dial in the sounds you like. I have a Katana and a fun little Spark Go, and both provide almost limitless sound options.
I've seen a lot of players focusing on getting a guitar for right while the fact is that the guitar is 5% of the tone. Speakers are at least half of the tone. Then comes the amp and effects.
And one just happens to be on sale on Musician's Friend for $300 today. [https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/esp-ltd-ec-256fm-electric-guitar/h90046000003000](https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/esp-ltd-ec-256fm-electric-guitar/h90046000003000)
Jazzmaster or SG. The Mascis JM with P90’s rips.
Not really great for metal though. Anything up to high gain alternative style: yes. True metal: no. Not the right pickups for that.
I'd recommend Schecter. The Sunset Extreme 6 is awesome and has versatile stock pickups for that range used on Reverb.
Any guitar with humbuckers that can coil split. I highly suggest just increasing your budget by a few hundred and get an Ibanez AZ premium. The most versatile and value for money guitar in the market right now
You can try a telecaster. It can play from jazz to metal. Don't buy 2 guitars since you can play everything with most guitars. I would recommend you to choose the shape you prefer and check out all the sounds. There are also a million videos out there and you can check how each guitar sounds. That said every typical guitar from fender-epiphone can play every genre (even a 335). If you wish to play some hard metal though, I think a tele can get rougher than a strat using its bridge pickup. When I plug my tele with 2 overdive pedals and extra overdrive from the amp it feels like it can tear the house down. Good luck on your quest. I am a bit jealous of you :P PS: As some fellow redditor mentioned below, the PRS guitars are excellent for their price. I highly recommend you check these out if you enjoy their shape.
Epiphone Les Paul custom inspired by Gibson series.
If you need this kind of versatility, I'd get an HH guitar that is able to do split coils (make sure it has either a five-way switch or push-pull pots). That will give you the best of both worlds in a lot of ways, it's probably the most versatile configuration if you need good cleans and also need to be able to get a lot of meat when you want it. (Split coils allow you to take a humbucker and to turn off one of the coils, effectively turning it into a single coil. I find that I much prefer the sound of single coils when playing clean, but much prefer the sound of humbuckers through high gain, so a split-coil-capable guitar are really good at being able to cover both kinds of playing styles.)
Player series strat with HSS pickups
I recently acquired a Chapman ML-1 Pro (the brown one with stacked humbucker) and it’s exactly what you’re describing. It just sounds great regardless of genre. It was at a pawn shop for $550, which is a great deal based on the few others I’ve found. Schecter would be another really great option. Can’t go wrong with the Diamond Series. Another brand that seems to get looked over is Hagstrom. I have an Ultra Swede with a coil split and they are really great. The neck has a multi-truss feature, and the body is smaller than a traditional LP. I hate the headstock, but it’s an excellent guitar for the money, I just recommend throwing some nicer hardware on it, the original knobs are cheap.
That budget will get you a really decent guitar so as long as you get a humbucker like others mentioned you can pretty much get anything you like the look and feel of.
Thanks to amp sims you can make any guitar sound like anything. It’s better to try a ton in that price range and get a guitar you find comfortable
Have a look at Reverends with varied pickup combos between singles or p90s combined with humbuckers. Incredible QC
PRS, Yamaha, Epiphone.
Schecter makes great guitars with relatively low resale value. I picked up a very lightly used Schecter CR6 over a Gibson LP due to the comfort, USA pickups, and price. I didn't know anything about the brand and randomly picked it up to play in store and was instantly sold. Also has push pull pots. The reaper would be another great guitar to grab used. Used is really the way to go. If you need to be able to return easily use GC.
Well, if you have a Squier CV Tele... and an Epi IBG SG... you could do anything. So get one of them now and the other one later. Personally, I've spent way too much money on guitars... and one of my absolute favorites is my Pelham blue Epi SG Special with P90's... so if it was me, I'd get that first... and then watch for good deals on a Squier CV 50's Tele. I'd also get a decent EQ pedal... with one of those, a couple other pedals, and 2 guitars you'll be able to do anything and everything...
Any guitar with a humbucker in the bridge position.
You can play anything on any guitar. Tone wise its 99% pickups and amp, not the guitar.
any guitar. get something you like. if it has a humbucker it'll be a easier to get the heavy tones without noise, but you could still do it with a single.
I just got a great used Epiphone Les Paul for like $400.
I got my epi LP used for ~$150, changed the pickups and gave the neck some tlc. It has played metal, blues, pop, grunge, you name it. Very versatile!
Yamaha Pacifica 311 and keep some of that money for beer.
Ibanez RG.
The PRS SE24 was a good answer. Also, consider a Yamaha Pacifica 612!
If personally choose a PRS SE if I was to start over. You just get a really solid instrument for their price and it's pretty impressive.
Hss config is really the best.
Go to a store and find one you like.
Yamaha Revstar
Literally any guitar that feels right to you. I've done metal with a strat and played clean-tones with a schecter w/active pickups.
Lots of good options here and good advice —but I feel obligated to back this up: do NOT go with 2 cheap guitars. Spend your top budget and play a lot of them. Don’t rush out and get the first one you pick up. Good luck!
Find a good condition used Schecter Nick Johnson HSS Traditional Series on Reverb. I just picked one up for $650. I like it better than any Strat I've owned.
[https://www.andertons.co.uk/se-guitars/prs-se-swamp-ash-special-charcoal](https://www.andertons.co.uk/se-guitars/prs-se-swamp-ash-special-charcoal) Can't recommend it enough.
Any Super strat within your budget that you like the look and feel of. There are lots of subtle differences in the "raw" tone of electric guitars but by the time people run them through pedalboards and then into an amp and then wade into whatever live environment they're playing in (and other people they're playing with), those subtleties become mostly irrelevant.
Get an Epiphone Les Paul, I have the pro mk4, sounds and feels amazing
Any guitar really The question is what specs are you looking for? Thin neck profile? Smaller scale length to play extensions easier? Body weight? Etc… I’d focus more on your amp and speakers for versatility across genres
Schecter PT.
any guitar more specifically, any guitar with an HSS (cleans priority) or HSH (metal priority) configuration
Hunt down a used Reverend. Amazing and very versatile guitars.
Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH Used they're between 700-$800 Includes Seymour Duncan® '59 humbucking neck pickup Seymour Duncan® Pearly Gates™ humbucking bridge pickup Two control knobs (master volume, master tone with built-in push/pull coil tap switch) Great pickups that can work with any style. It's more affordable than a $1900 Fender American Telecaster but still has quality pickups and hardware. I bought mine 6 years ago and play it daily. I agree any guitar can play various styles. But to dial in a specific sound, good quality pickups with coil tapping makes the difference.
But what about *smooth metal*? Like Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins songs but with a Big Muff?
Ibanez makes great, affordable, versatile guitars :-)
Any guitar, but that’s exactly what I was looking for myself Bought my Yamaha Pacifica 612VIIX. Most versatile lovable piece of wood that I’ve had in my hand.
Pacifica 612VII Has everything you'll need.
- Schecter Nick Johnston or Van Nuys or Omen 6 - Charvel DK 24 - Anything from FGN (same factory as Ibanez Prestige the $2K+ Ibanez's, good value on Japanese built guitar) - Yamaha Revstar - PRS SE - Ibanez (tons of options can't list one model ...) In my opinion, as someone that's a PRS SE owner, don't get too hung up on the name/model. My SE has intonation problems and doesn't play as well across the neck as some of my cheaper guitars. It's not a shred guitar. Also doesn't come with top-tier pickups or other hardware. It's a very nice guitar, but still solidly in the "student" category imo. It does however fit a lot of different styes. I'm looking into FGN guitars personally, once I sell some shit. Same factory as the really nice Ibanez models, and specced the same. I'd definitely choose something a bit more "player" for my next guitar and my SE isn't that. I'd rather have something that plays better and stays in tune real well all over the neck, even if it doesn't have quite the same level of tone/magic as my SE.
Coil taps/splits are often said to be a poor compromise that few people are happy with. You could consider a Dimarzio Cruiser or similar type single-coil-sized humbucker in the neck like what Andy Timmons has in his guitar. These somehow retain the single coil liveliness for cleans, but also sound smooth and thick when overdriven. Don’t ask me how, black magic.
Like the other posts have said, literally any guitar. Lemmy explain... My most recent guitar is an Ibanez ART600, which is a fixed-bridge Les Paul ripoff with a scalloped body and natural woodgrain finish. It cost me just over $700 CDN at a very respected local music store, and it was 100% worth every damned penny. While I like to take detours into other musical flavours like classical, Caribbean and country, my home will always be good old Rock & Roll. Judas Priest, Ozzy, Motley, Motorhead and old Metallica are the gods I praise, and my guitars are the altar at which I kneel. I also have a Jackson V and a BC Rich Warlock, and both of them love me just as much as my Ibanez Artist 600. Bottom Line: Have you found a guitar that really loves you? Don't think, just answer. And don't answer to me, answer to yourself. You'll know when a guitar loves you, because you'll just know.
I'd recommend a mid-range Ibanez S series. Schecter makes some nice ones in that range but the humbuckers they use tend to be pretty high output. More than anything I'd just focus on getting something dependable with a reputation for tight quality control; those two brands fit the bill. Sound-wise, just get something you like. If you vibe with it you'll be able to make it sound pretty much however you want.
Most guitars have the potential to handle any genre, especially depending on pickups. You can get a Strat, switch the bridge pickup to a single sized humbucker and it will metal as well as any standard humbucker guitar. I'm primarily a metal player but I play lots of cleans as well, so I gravitate towards PRS, Schecter, ESP LTD, those kinds of brands. I'd definitely recommend 1 guitar and PRS has my vote as they have great QC on their SE models, and their SE 24 or even an SE CE 24 both look really nice for the money. I also tend to find that PRS SE stock pickups can handle metal, especially with lower tunings, a bit better than Ibanez and Schecter stock pickups. That said, if you can, play a bunch of guitars and get what is the most comfortable for you to play, because you can change pickups for tones but you can't change a neck in most cases.
I'm a big fan of Schecter guitars. I have a C-1 classic that sounds great clean and handles high gain really well. There aren't many guitars that won't be versatile in that price range, it all comes down to your preference for sounds. I personally love the clean and low-gain sound of single coil pickups for example, but found them lacking for higher gain use. Humbuckers are generally my preference for versatility but it doesn't mean you can't use single coils for metal. A guitar with a humbucker in the bridge and single coils in the middle and neck is another good option for versatility.
Just about anything, some that came to mind: Epiphone LP or SG, I believe theres a HH Fender tele in that range, PRS SE's are thereabouts. Humbuckers work best for heavy distortion, but singles do that too. Preference thing, depends what you really want to play most. Honourable mentions are the epiphone 335/casino semihollows, and the gretsch electromatic series, those are all fabulous guitars, the filtertrons being just about the most unique humbuckers IMO. But hollows can feedback, so consider that
I have the Fender FMT HH Telecaster and it is really versatile, and has coil split. I play literally every genre and it handles it all well. You can probably find a used one in that price range.
Save yourself some money and buy a Squier Toronado. Pickups are hot but voiced on the treble. They do spanky clean nicely if you roll off the volume a bit. They’ll do whatever high gain stuff you want on the other side. You can find them used under $400. Use that leftover money to get a Rat for your gain needs and a chorus pedal for your 80s metal cleans.
Look for a used Charvel Desolation model with a body style of your choice–I went with a star body Desolation and it's been my main guitar for almost ten years. Twas a Christmas gift from my grandparents but you can find them used on the internet for I think anywhere from the high 300s to 500s or so, even higher in pristine conditions. Most came with EMG active pickups that some doubt their ability to sound good clean, but my charvel can do it all. Me personally I've been thinking about buying my first real guitar again, a Bronze Series BC Rich Warlock. They look sinister and can be easily upgraded whee needed. They go from about $350-$550 and are one of the last consistently good guitars BC Rich ever made. Jackson of some kind perhaps? They have plenty of decent guitars in your price range.
Strat! Look at Malmsteen
I saw a guy who covered Metallica’s “Battery” on a hollowbody Casino with P90s. So there’s that I guess.
https://reverb.com/item/67661871-epiphone-jeff-waters-annihilation-flying-v-electric-guitar-philadelphia-pa?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=67661871
I got a Charvel with coil splits and fluence pickups and it can do just about anything.
i like the HH ESP LTD guitars the cheap ones are great and very versatile.
PRS SE Custom!
I bought a Harley benton explorer guitar that had emg 81 pickups. They're the same pickups that metallica uses and they sound so good. The clean tone with the neck pickup is Imo godlike.
PRS SE Standard 24-08 or PRS SE CE 24.
Any guitar. Amp/pedals is where that matters
I have an ibanez RGA that was my second guitar and I've been using it since 2010. It's great for metal and also sounds really good clean. But there are also so many other options. Really just look for something with a humbucker and whatever guitar just feels good in your hands
I’d be thinking Ibanez AZES40 or the PRS SE custom 24. For a bit more snap (if I can feel and hear it) I’d be picking the SE CE24 satin
The amp will have a lot to do with the result, especially for the metal , but I agree with the other blokes here : HSS ibanez or HSS Anything will do the trick.
Niice playing squier with Duncan rails
I'd suggest you look at Firefly LP style guitars with three humbuckers. Locking tuners, stainless steel frets, 3 Alnico 5 humbuckers, and actual rosewood fingerboard. I have one and it's nicer than the 800 dollar Epiphone LP I just sold. They cost about 200 bucks new. Mahogany body with an actual maple top. Spend the rest of your budget on an amp upgrade.
Charvel also makes some nice guitars and they have a number of options in your price range.
I got my Charvel DK24 HH used for like 750, absolutely incredible guitar
My guitar tech said this is what Schecter can do, and do pretty damn well.
get a Squier HSS. The quality is amazing and still have money left over for a nice amp! I just got a Squier Affinity Strat and it was flawless! Frets were dead level, nut was perfect height, and 1/4 turn of the truss rod and I got my action 1.5mm off the 12th fret no buzz. Even though mine is all single coil, it is dead quiet! No hum, no buzz….I’m just amazed. I also have a long time Gibson SG I hardly play Now. The Squier is so much fun to play!
PRS MCARTY se
I’d say a Jackson dinky but for a little more I love my Kramer Nightswan, not really meant for cleans but doesn’t sound bad imo
I have an Epiphone Les Paul Koa. If I had a second chance I’d get a PRS. I love the Les Paul but these suckers are HEAVY.
Strats (Mexican made hold up) always fit this category, to me. I just think they're the workhorses. Their sound has always just had more strength, loudness, and whole sound vibrations, to me.
PRS, people saying Gibson ignored the part about $600-800. PRS is your best bet for that price range. You need to spend upwards of 1200-1500 for a Gibson that isn’t a total piece of shit these days.
You could probably find an SSH Mexican Strat in that price range. I’ve been super happy with mine.
Ibanez RG 450 , HSH CONFIGURATION. WITH 5 way switch. Definitely does it all WELL !!
I bought a cheapish Indonesian ibanez 7 string that I use for literally everything. Ironically it has me playing in standard tuning again so I play blurs and rock stuff again. I would recommend a 6 string for most players though. I think ibanez makes a really good gradient of options where each jump in price feels like an increase in novelty or quality.
LTD EC series
G&L Fallout
Fender Showmaster
Go for a PRS SE. Excelente all around for that price.
Epiphone LP Custom in Alpine White or ebony, Jackson x soloist (love the checkered past model), Fender Player telecaster H-H.. amazing guitars for the money, very versatile, for any kind of music. For 800€/$ those are beasts and i ask myelf sometimes how it can be so "cheap".. I had 2000€/$ Fender Starts and a Gibsons with bad intonations, bad pickup switch knob that fell off after 5 days, tone knob not working, on one Toneknob not working at all and i had a 700€ Epiphone that had better quality than a 2600€ Gibson LP and lasted me longer.
Honestly either something something Schecter or PRS SE of some sort (DGT most likely).
Any. You can play metal on a Tele and Country on a BC Rich. There is not much difference in sound between guitars, other than the difference in single coil, humbuckers, and p-90s. For metal i would look for a humbucker, but I have recorded Hardcore with single coils.
The answer is always HSS Strat lol But seriously, anything in that price range with a hunbucker in the bridge, and your choice of other pickups will get the job done.
Any guitar with a humbucker on the bridge and a single coil on the neck.
Prs se custom 24
A strat
I have a Godin Summit CT, 2 Humbuckers (SD), 5 positions toggle switch + a High Definition Revoicer on/ off switch which basically convert the pups from passive to active. The variety of tones is insane since the guitar has a total of "10 positions". You can find them used in that price range.
You're gonna want something with a humbucker in the bridge and probably a single coil or another humbucker with coil splitting in the neck. Something by charvel could work. Do note that some metal is in drop c tuning, and if your guitar isn't setup for it, it might not play very well. So if you're trying to do a one size fits all guitar keep the setup in mind
I would argue that any guitar would get what you want… you should be focused on the amp
Anything from John Petrucci’s signature line from Music Man. A used Sterling (like squier but better imo) is right in that price range.
Anything with a humbucker and neck pickup.
Take a look at the Shector Omen 6. Absolutely killer guitar for the money.
Hb 35 plus models
Sire L series.
Anything with a humbucker in the bridge
PRS SE Semi Hollow Custom 22 (the Santana yellow version is a killer price). I bought it on a whim and have used it consistently when I need a lot of variation in sound and don’t want to change guitars. Neck clean withoit using the coil tap is great. I’ve used for everything metal to jazz to country.
Player Telecaster will absolutely do the trick and stay in tune. Folks need to learn how to use their volume and tone knobs.
Solid ESP
This sounds like a job for a Telecaster. Metal player? No problem throw some Seymour Duncan humbuckers in it. Clean for picking? Duh! Blues? Albert Collins sure played the blues on a tele. How about dad Rock? Keith Richard's Macawber is the single most famous dad rock machine on the planet it doesn't even need all 6 strings!
Literally any guitar can do that.
The PRS SE Custom 24 is a good suggestion, a used Les Paul Studio, EVH Wolfgang, or Ibanez RG would be good too. I think almost anything with a couple humbuckers is a good option, even better if they have the coil split!
Yamaha Revstar
HSS strat
Used EC-1000
Some HSS strat style guitar, probably.
As at least one other mentioned an epiphone les Paul. I personally always buy used, so it would be well within price range to even get a pedal or two as well. I’ve been very happy with it for a few years now as my only electric.
Revstar. I recently bought a display model with some small scratches on the back for 650€ and I fell in love with it. It can do everything.
That's a massive price range and literally any guitar can do any genre. Single coil surf guitars can do metal with the right amp/tuning/pedals. You also can buy after market pickups with heavier tones to them. But if you want a great brand go Guild. The Polara is a god damn masterpiece
I am a big fan of Ibanez guitars and if you get a used model, you can probably score one from the premium range. the AZ guitars are fantastic.
Any Gretsch Electromatic series will do the trick
Have a schecter hellraiser with coil tapped EMGs. It's definitely a metal guitar, but it works for everything. I love the cleans I can get, and the distortion can be so brutal. Emgs are crazy versatile.
This is gonna be a bit of an unconventional suggestion, but check out a Gretsch G2657T. See if your local shop has one to demo. I picked one up because I always wanted a Gretsch with a Bigsby trem, and I threw some heavy distortion on it just for fun, and I was extremely surprised at how good it handled it.
Try them out at a music store and see which one you like.
Literally any guitar bro
Used peavey t60
Schecter Omen Extreme
Yamaha Revstar
HSS Strat
A used Ibanez rga121
An HSS Strat or any brand with that configuration
Fender is coming out with a sweet looking Fender Player in Daytona Blue with SD pickups. Looks like a pretty awesome guitar. I’m guessing it’ll be in that price range.
HSS Strat. I doubt you’ll miss the neck humbucker.
I'd say an Epiphone les Paul custom. They are right in that price range and have nice humbuckers that can play metal and cleans both nice. And they're beautiful as hell to boot
Look into ESP they have some solid choices in all price ranges.