Best Shred Style Guitars

[livebiz]

GAS for the best of the shredders. Been eyeing Kramer Barettas and BC Rich Gunslingers to go with my Wolfie, Kramer Focus 6000, and 83 San Dimas. Having never played a Baretta or Gunslinger, how do they compare? Any other axes to add to my obsession list?

[SGplayer]

I'd say a Jackson SL1or2 or 80's model 6, with highest output pickups (Dimarzio X2N, EMG's, Seymour Duncan Dave Mustaine Livewires & Dimebag Darrell Humbuckers.............

[jgcable]

Washburn N4
Ibanez Jem
Ibanez RG550 and up
Fender HM Strat
ESP George Lynch model
Peavey Wolfgangs
Carvin DC145
There are a ton of great shredders out there

[Bengal65]

Does it matter what guitar you play to have a great shredder? I believe it's more technique than the type of guitar. There was a picture posted awhile back of YJM playing an ES-335 Gibson. One exception would be a Gibson J-200 Jumbo acoustic. They are just big, neck and body! LOL!

[Soap]

Here I go again...

As stated many times in the past and already stated in this thread, to shred can be done on nearly any guitar, but thats not the qestion asked.
The question is, "best shred style GUITAR"?

Little things matter much.
1. Oiled smooth feeling neck...
Many love and appreciated the smoothness of oiled neck.
Most don't mind so much the preffered neck profile(C shaped to thin) as much as the smooth feel of the back of the neck. I'm one of the many that will gladly take a smooth feeling neck over a preffered profile. I can adjust to a profile.

2. Fret job...
Have a fret leveling and a polish done, and you will have a silky smooth playing experience. Bends, runs and etc feel effortless due to handy fret work and polish thats been done. A good fret job and polishing will make the neck feel and play "like butter".

3. Type of fretboard wood...sorta but not really...
In my experience ebony boards are nice for shredding because of their slickieness. However, if your hands gets alittle sweaty on a ebony fret board things can be alittle problematic. Ebony is fairly bright sounding and may not be what some ears are use too or can tolerate.

Everything else about the guitar as far as shredding goes, is irrevelant.
Its all in the hands to be able to shred.

[Seventh Avenged]

^ i agree with those.

i need a thicker neck, nice and wide, big and 22 frets, and an axe that will balance well.

that said, i have an ESP Custom M from the early 90's that is an amazing guitar. 22 frets, oiled/sanded neck, slightly thicker, non-recessed Schaller/Floyd, EMG 81/85 combo, push-pull volume a'la ESP Lynch. amazing amazing guitar.

A Jackson Friedman rocked too, but the balance threw me off.

[diablomozart]

ibanez jems shred pretty damned well..actually of the ones jgcable listed work...also include

esp m1, mII, and horizon
hamer californian
washburn ec29
peavey vandenberg

the gunslingers are cool as are the st III's

...d.m.

[khabibissell]

Any guitar will do ya... Les Pauls will give you a chunky tone... great sustain.

Ibanez makes a great guitar. Check out any of the Japanese RG's.

Charvel! I love my San Dimas reissues. They are meant to do one thing, and that is shred.

Jackson King V or Rhoads. Nothing screams "shred" like a Rhoads or King V.

B.C. Rich Gunslinger.

Fender Strats... Go old school on 'em!

[straycat]

To me the gunslingers and C/Js are the guitars to have.

[Robotechnology]

Any guitar with at least medium jumbo frets and that has a cutaway(s) to let you reach its higher registers is a shredder for me

[T-Town]

Jap rg 550 and up
Gunslinger
Charvie 80s jap and sd

[thetroy]

parker fly

[owlhead]

GMW
Axis
SD Charvel

[Flatpicker]

Ibanez Roadstars from the early 80's are underrated.

[VulfgangPfuck]

I'd have to say pretty flat neck profile (ala Ibanez Wizard profile) or similar...Jackson's SL1 and 2 profiles are very shreddable.

Jumbo (and not medium jumbo...I'm talking 6100s!!) frets
A good setup, neck almost flat in adjustment with a little tiny bit of relief down near the 14th fret. You want to keep the neck as true and consistent as possible...if that neck is on ANY guitar, not necisarily an Ibanez or a Jackson...HELL!..a Gibson ES127 for that matter, It makes for a good shredder!