I like them both - Schecter SV Sup Shredda vs ESP ’87 Rainbow Crackle Mirage

[Gitar]

I like them both, a lot. I love the Lambo Orange Schecter with a Retro Active 70 EMG in the bridge and the Sustaniac in the neck, makes some sick tones. But the ESP 87 rainbow crackle takes me back to those times with a duncan distortion in the bridge and a Hotrails in the neck and it looks wicked. It is also a neck through.

Schecter worked with Floyd Rose to use tougher steels on moving parts ie stainless steel, they named it the "Hot Rod". But the newer models use the FR1500 which is a slight tweak to the 1000 seen on almost every FR now. Either one is better than a normal "special". The ESP's just went straight for the FR1000 which is essentially the OG.

But right now they all cost so flappn much in NZ. Even with currency and GST, Duty etc, the Schecter is cheaper to import by a few hundred. I think the ESP whilst not one for my collectibles is a guitar that has some nostalgia to it....

Sometimes I wonder if I should just buy a Jackson JS32, replace the trem with a drop in GOTOH and put some bitchin pickups in it????

https://www.schecterguitars.com/Sun-Val ... r_list=513

https://espguitars.com.au/esp-ltd-limit ... available/

[Danger Mouse]

I like your taste in guitars!

With the recent USA Jackson sale and now your post you'd be forgiven for thinking not everyone on here was alive when Gibson was knocking out 57-59 Les Pauls.

[NippleWrestler]

Are you looking at an actual ESP or an ltd? If it's ESP I'd grab one of them. I don't think there's anyone else making better production guitars.

[Gitar]

Are you looking at an actual ESP or an ltd? If it's ESP I'd grab one of them. I don't think there's anyone else making better production guitars.

The linked model, the 87 series are all LTD's, as good as most US made ESP's imo, Ive owned enough to know which ESP LTDs are as good as US made ESP's.

[Kris]

Arent most esp's outside of custom stuff japanese? X2 on what DM said and i'd add if it the graphic/aesthetic side you are going for then either would work (i do love sustainers) but for the money you'd prob get something second hand with better spec. My USA hamer was just over a grand and it was all schaller hardware. The js32 would also work,gotoh1996 and hot duncans-good to go! Theres no wrong choice

[Gitar]

I like your taste in guitars!

With the recent USA Jackson sale and now your post you'd be forgiven for thinking not everyone on here was alive when Gibson was knocking out 57-59 Les Pauls.

Why thank you, I get bored easily, I like to mix it up with non collectibles.

I own some Gibson's but they do not get played (or seen ;-p). Fender are at least trying to keep with the times, they have a Luxe FR model. They also have a floyd rose on their Player Series MiM model and even on the Squiers. They do need to mix it up with finishes a bit more though.

Jackson and ESP LTD are some of the only reasonably priced shredders in NZ with a modern C (or thin U according to LTD). Schecter is up and over $2500 for some models which really are nothing to write home about and should be starting to get into Schecter USA money. But these Sun Valley Shredders are one of their better value for "modern" money and quality.

Jackson also do an excellent crackle, like on this Soloist SL3X. https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Zoom ... _01_rr.jpg
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Zoom ... _01_rr.jpg

I wasnt Joking about using the $650 JS32 as a mod platform haha. Another $600 and its a hell of a guitar.

I build my own guitars when I have the time but I usually mod as it has a quicker turn around time and a lot of guitars that I find boring are still using quality woods plus they use neck shapes which I prefer. Ash for me is my fav wood as it has a beautiful grain and it has string/note delineation without needing a w@nky maple veneer. It also stains really well. And, its really light weight. But I enjoy most woods aside from Poplar. Mahogany makes for a fantastic rhythm guitar.

[hamo]

I guess Fender own the Charvel brand fit when they want to get super stratty.

[Gitar]

Arent most esp's outside of custom stuff japanese? X2 on what DM said and i'd add if it the graphic/aesthetic side you are going for then either would work (i do love sustainers) but for the money you'd prob get something second hand with better spec. My USA hamer was just over a grand and it was all schaller hardware. The js32 would also work,gotoh1996 and hot duncans-good to go! Theres no wrong choice

Haha I like that reply, theres no wrong choice. I could drop a real Floyd Rose in a Gibson Gold Top (sacrilege ;-p).

This is an example of an ESP USA I have owned, it is a great guitar but not $8k great for a bolt on neck, Ive had LTD's just as good. https://www.espguitars.com/pages/usa-m-ii-fr-dlx

ESP and its rise to fame with its various brands now is a very very interesting story, but that 87 series is a real homage to that Thrash Metal beginnings ie Metallica.

Yep the custom shop is in Japan, even though ESP are in LA and Tokyo.

This is the Custom Shop gallery https://www.espguitars.com/photo_albums/1966806/photos

I agree on the JS32, you drop a Gotoh in and add $200-300 in used screaming pickups and its a solid axe. The cheaper Jackson maple necks are vastly improved as well. But fret work and intonaton isnt something that concerns me even if it wasnt good (which Im sure it would be).

When dropping a Gotoh (or Floyd) into a guitar with different posts that overlap, the hardest part is if you want to be professional and be able to show the wood grain, one of the reasons you cant just dowel it, you need to shim the actual wood. But honestly, I just paint mine black, who goes looking around my routing under a tremolo? haha. But if you have a platform where you do not have to repress the post holes, like I assume (will need to check to be thorough) the JS32 will be, its just a Mod job.

[Gitar]

I guess Fender own the Charvel brand fit when they want to get super stratty.

one of my fav products coming out of the Fender MiM Player Series factory is the Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas 1. Check out this Chameleon option;
https://www.charvel.com/gear/shape/san- ... 2975031500

They also have one of my fav necks. 12-16" compound, goes from super easy open chording to fairly flat like an Ibanez for shredding. Also they use Floyd Rose 1000 series. Although the $7k Charvels use the OG Floyd Rose and Schalller machine heads etc. If Gotoh's were not cheap to use, I would go with a Schaller Lockmeister as my personal choice of Tremolo, hard to beat that German precision engineering.

Here is another example of that rainbow vibe, this one is in an Ash Body stain on a Charvel.

https://www.thomannmusic.com/intl/charv ... h_fr_e.htm

[Gitar]

And its hard to beat the Jackson SL3M for Rainbow Crackle paint job. Ugggh.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81b ... L1500_.jpg

Also the RR24 crackle options https://www.thomannmusic.com/intl/jacks ... rackle.htm

Maybe I should try doing it myself with a JS32 non arch top along with the mods.

So many choices, end of the day this is probably going to be a guitar I want to reach for every time just because of how it looks and feels to play. It wouldnt be hard to convert any of them to "Active" if I want the sustaniac like in the Schecter. I wonder if you could put a Fishman Modern in the bridge with the Sustaniac in the neck, 2 different brands/platforms.

[Olderama]

Shame we are so limited here in NZ

[Gitar]

Yeah, sometimes have to resort to importing, not for price, just for stuff we can't get. Even living in Aus there was far more choice.

Has anybody seen one of these at the rock shop? Framus is a German brand known for quality, its using quality pickups but I think these are made in Asia. Seems like a bargain for $999 even if its a Floyd Rose "Special".

https://www.rockshop.co.nz/framus-diabl ... e-d-series