Hey guys,
I’m looking to buy a new guitar and wanted to hear some opinions from people who are into superstrats/shred guitars.
I play a pretty wide variety of genres, but mostly: Death metal, Melodeath, Thrash, 80s hair metal
So I’m basically looking for a dedicated shred machine.
After playing for a long time and owning a bunch of guitars over the years, I know pretty well what I like. My requirements are pretty specific:
* 24 frets * Neck-thru construction * Floyd Rose is an absolute must
Pickup configuration honestly doesn’t matter too much. HH, HSS, HSH are all cool, but I can also happily live with a single bridge humbucker.
Right now the guitar that appeals to me the most is the Kramer SM1, both the HSS and single humbucker variants. I tried one out recently and really liked it. The neck-through construction, Floyd, and overall 80s-inspired vibe felt great.
I’ve also been looking at the Jackson Pro Plus Soloist SL2.
Another guitar I absolutely love is the Ibanez RG550 Genesis. The only thing stopping me is that it’s bolt-on. I have smaller hands and over the years I realized I really don’t get along with chunky/blocky bolt-on heels. The RG neck itself feels amazing, but the heel bothers me enough that it’s hard to ignore.
Main things I care about:
* Fast neck * Comfortable upper fret access * Stable Floyd * Good QC/build quality * Something inspiring for lead playing but still tight for aggressive rhythm work
One thing I noticed while researching the Kramer is that opinions on the neck are kind of divided. Some people say it’s thin and fast, others say it’s surprisingly chunky compared to Ibanez/Jackson.
Would love to hear recommendations in the ~1000€ range that fit these specs.