What guitar should I get for music college?

[6_string_master]

Quality wise, how do Carvins compare to USA made Jacksons?

[Bengal65]

1. SL-1 and you can coil tap the humbucker with a push pull pot and not make any modifications to the guitar. That way you will have full sounds of a Strat and a Super Strat! You already like the neck on the SL series.
2. Now, Carvins seem nice, I never played one although I have literally tons of their sound gear and guitar amps. I would figure the guitars are nice and many have them on this forum. One thing to remember is your resale on the Carvin will not be good as the Jackson.
3. Carvin again. One thing to say is that nobody will care to steal or be classmate envious if you have one. Most people will not know what the heck it is
Back in my day (which was long ago, like 30 years ), I went off to college to study I don't know what? Well, I got an engineering degree and a music degree in guitar performance at the same time.
What did I take, a Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Strat, and a Martin 12 string. The only guitars I would ever need since there were no other types of guitars made at the time The Martin did duty in the acoustic ensemble and the Les Paul in the electric ensemble and Jazz band.
If I did it over again, I would take a SL-1, coil tapped and my Martin.
Also, have your Dad check into insurance (property away from home on his home owners) and keep your guitar locked up while at school. Get a gig bag in addition to a case. The guitar in the gig bag will fit into a full size locker or closet if you have access to them.

[6_string_master]

1. SL-1 and you can coil tap the humbucker with a push pull pot and not make any modifications to the guitar. That way you will have full sounds of a Strat and a Super Strat! You already like the neck on the SL series.
2. Now, Carvins seem nice, I never played one although I have literally tons of their sound gear and guitar amps. I would figure the guitars are nice and many have them on this forum. One thing to remember is your resale on the Carvin will not be good as the Jackson.
3. Carvin again. One thing to say is that nobody will care to steal or be classmate envious if you have one. Most people will not know what the heck it is
Back in my day (which was long ago, like 30 years ), I went off to college to study I don't know what? Well, I got an engineering degree and a music degree in guitar performance at the same time.
What did I take, a Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Strat, and a Martin 12 string. The only guitars I would ever need since there were no other types of guitars made at the time The Martin did duty in the acoustic ensemble and the Les Paul in the electric ensemble and Jazz band.
If I did it over again, I would take a SL-1, coil tapped and my Martin.
Also, have your Dad check into insurance (property away from home on his home owners) and keep your guitar locked up while at school. Get a gig bag in addition to a case. The guitar in the gig bag will fit into a full size locker or closet if you have access to them.

Thanks for the tips. Do I just get a push pull pot from a store and have it installed. Or can I order it from Jackson?

[toejam]

Another vote for Carvin. I own a swamp ash SC90, had a DC400 for a brief period, traded it for a 12-string DC120, eventually sold that on ebay. Carvin's C22 pups are actually pretty good (C22T and C22N are the only ones I've ever tried), but they can be a little bit bright. I swapped the ones in my SC90 out for a DiMarzio Super Distortion and Super 2 and really love the sound even more now.

[Bengal65]

Thanks for the tips. Do I just get a push pull pot from a store and have it installed. Or can I order it from Jackson?

On the push pull pot, you can get one at any good music store. I would have the pickup coil tap wired to the volume pot. It would be close to your pickup hand that way. So, the value would be a 500K push pull pot. Other sources where you can get them would be www.stewmac.com, www.guitarpartsresource.com, www.guitarelectronics.com to name a few. If your handy with wiring and soldering, guitar electronics has some schematics to go by, so you can do it yourself.

Here's what they look like: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electron...s.html#details

Good Luck!

[Thor Von Clemson]

I had a Carvin C-66 on order back in June. It turns out they lost my order for a month and did not start building it until waaay after the scheduled date. I was on a time crunch so I could not wait that long. I cancelled the order, bought a Jackson, and never looked back.

I played the C-66 and it was agreat axe. If you are looking for a neckthru their DC guitars are pretty nice and you can get them with a lot of different options if you are willing to wait to have them build it.. Otherwise I'd snag a jackson and be done with it. Soloists are some of the most comfortable guitars you will ever play and they are very versatile. I play metal and lots of clean jazzy stuff with my SLS.

I have not played any of the older Soloists but I had a 97 SL-1 which was amazing and my SLS is absolutely perfect for me. If I was to order a custom Jackson, it would have the exact specs of my SLS but with an different paint job.

Jacksons Rule!

[6_string_master]

So would you guys recommend the SL1 over the SL2H? Or should I just stick with a fully loaded DC200C like Jason Becker's http://www.jasonbecker.com/

[Chameleonfong]

That Carvin on Jason's website is equipped with a Kahler. And if i recall correctly, Carvin doesn't offer that headstock style anymore (but you might be able still be able to get it if you pay enough-i guess).

[Thor Von Clemson]

I don't think they offer the pointy headstock option anymore. I believe they offered it in 2004 as an option but they do not anymore.

Go with a Jackson!

[OnlineStageGear]

If you are only taking 1 axe, I would make it a non-floyd model. I am sure they are gonna have yo doing weird tunings at times. Also, stuff gets ripped off at college all the time so I wouldn't take a $1000 guitar.

[Chameleonfong]

If you are only taking 1 axe, I would make it a non-floyd model. I am sure they are gonna have yo doing weird tunings at times. Also, stuff gets ripped off at college all the time so I wouldn't take a $1000 guitar.

1+

[GodOfRhythm]

I don't think they offer the pointy headstock option anymore. I believe they offered it in 2004 as an option but they do not anymore.

Go with a Jackson!

Actually, I heard if you ask for a pointy specifically on the phone and make them hear/feel you're really adamant about having it, they'll do it.

[Thor Von Clemson]

True.. I bet they would. I also bet it would be a non-refundable option so if you went with it, you'd be stuck with it.

If you are going to go with a pointy, get a Jackson.

[fett]

I'm sorry, but you sound like a spoiled brat. Yea, Dad likes what you are doing. I admire what you are doing. But, a true artist uses what is available and uses talent to make whatever is available as a tool to refine his skills.That's why all those old '60's cheap guitars are so sought after. That you have to have a multi-buck guitar to make you a better player is just nonsense. It is all a matter of putting your fingers on both hands on the guitar. Then your brain has to have the memory and/ or the creativity to make music. Just look at the old blues players. They used homemade guitars or cheap guitars to make the music that is the root of everything we play today. Just get a guitar that feels good and let your talent shine.

[fett]

Then buy all the guitars you can get.