NGD: Decisions, decisions...

[Iron1]

While hunting for another guitar to flip, I stumbled across this:


And, wow, did it catch my eye. Reached out to the guy to see what kind of deal I could work, thinking I could get it to flip. He didn't want to budge off his price, but we did chit chat for a bit and then I walked away from it.

A few days later I came across the listing while hunting again and my wife was right next to me so I showed it to her to get her opinion. She LOVED it. So, I did some research and came to the conclusion I could flip it and make $100-150 probably. Then I thought about it some more and started wondering if I could keep it and sell the SL2Q I bought a few months back instead. With that thought, I decided to go play it.

Went and checked it out - the thing is flawless. Set up exquisitely (except he has the pickups really low) and it plays like butter. He offered to throw in a hardshell case so I bought it.

Got it home, connected it to the Axe FX and bounced through a few presets I've made and landed on one that sounded really good - which surprised me since it has the "Duncan Designed" pups in it.

Worst case, if I keep it, I'll pull my Elysian Trident II out of my 540SLTD and put it in this one, then put the stock pickup back in the Saber since I never play it anymore.

Now, I have to decide which guitar to keep. This one, or this one.

Or, maybe I sell the 540SLTD...

Anyway, it's a 2019 SLX DX, for those who hadn't figured that out already. And, Big Dave, gonna need that tremolo (GOTOH?) purchase link you gave me at the old site when I was looking at the swirly one of these.

[DingusMaximus]

gonna need that tremolo (GOTOH?)

Looks clean I'm wondering, though, have you had much experience with gotoh floyds? It just bugged me that they seemed to come with a flat radius whereas the schaller or OFR dropped right in to most the guitars I have/had

[jacksonplayer]

Very cool!

[Iron1]

Looks clean I'm wondering, though, have you had much experience with gotoh floyds? It just bugged me that they seemed to come with a flat radius whereas the schaller or OFR dropped right in to most the guitars I have/had

I've not. Mainly, for the most part, I've always played Floyd's or licensed Floyds - and to be honest, I really don't need a trem, but love Soloists. These Floyd Rose Specials don't get very good reviews, so (in the other thread on the old forums), the idea of replacing it come up and the GOTOH (I think) was recommended, so that's what's in my head... It might have been a Schaller, though - my brain just remembers I own tuners of the same brand - and I have GOTOH and Schaller tuners.

Now I think I'm gonna have to go to the other place and see if I can find the thread...

EDIT: Ok, I found it. It was Big Dave, not Leon, and it was indeed a GOTOH:

https://www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/bridge-and-tailpieces/tremolos/gotoh-ge1996t-tremolo-black/

[Megametal7]

Nice Jackson, ifs shred machine.

[Mike]

Clean. If only they didn't have the freakin' blade switch...

There's not much distance, playing wise, between a good SLX and the SL2 Pro. It's all hardware and PUs.

[Markus]

Nice guitar.

If you're not using the trem, I don't know if it's really worth swapping it out. Just block it.

[Iron1]

Clean. If only they didn't have the freakin' blade switch...

There's not much distance, playing wise, between a good SLX and the SL2 Pro. It's all hardware and PUs.

My first impression is I actually like it better than the SL2. The guy swapped out the chrome hardware with black, although it's still Jackson branded tuners/FRS trem. And, I like the way the H103 pickups sound better than the Pro's Distortions, also. I think they might be a tiny bit more scooped than the DDs in the Pro, which just works better for my ears. Gonna record some comp tests today and see if I truly do like them better. Probably going to sell the Pro at this point, although keeping it and selling the Saber is still on the table... either way something has to go as I'm back in the hole again budget wise.

Nice guitar.

If you're not using the trem, I don't know if it's really worth swapping it out. Just block it.

Thanks! I do use it every once in a blue moon, which is why I won't block it. Now, if it won't stay in tune or something like that, it's gonna get blocked til I can replace it, but so far she's dead on. My old RG470's Lo Pro got blocked and I never regretted it - what a piece of junk that trem was. This one seems much better so far.

[Iron1]

Took some time yesterday to record it and the SL2Q through the same exact presets on the Axe FX, then played them back repeatedly. Can't tell the difference in the pickups at all. So, the H103 (allegedly modeled after the Duncan Distortions) does indeed sound exactly like a Duncan Distortion... at least in this case through a modeler. YMMV.

Hoping to crank 'em both through the Jet City today, but wife is working from home so she may not appreciate it.

[Darren]

The white Soloist is, in my opinion, one of the most perfect guitars ever.

[Budda]

That looks damn good

[Iron1]

The white Soloist is, in my opinion, one of the most perfect guitars ever.

Can't argue that at all.

That looks damn good

It really does. As much as I love blue and blue quilt and other woods, it looks decidedly better than the SL2 hanging side by side. Not to mention I like the shark fins more than the piranha teeth inlays.

[bigdave]

Although I love the Gotoh for a list of reasons, if that one on it works just fine then dont bother. Its easy to rattle down a list of "better" on about anything but I start with the old quote "if it aint broke, dont fix it" ...though I know thats not how we guitarists work.

[bigdave]

....and.... they both seem really sweet, but that quilt one sure is pretty and its got a 3 way toggle , I H8 5 way blades. IMHO

[Mike]

I H8 5 way blades. IMHO

[Iron1]

....and.... they both seem really sweet, but that quilt one sure is pretty and its got a 3 way toggle , I H8 5 way blades. IMHO

If I was a lead player - or even someone who used the neck pickup even 10% of the time, I'd agree. But, since I'm not if I have to have a neck pup, I prefer the blade. It isn't as easy to change positions mid strum (which I get would be a huge bonus if I was ever wanting to switch pups mid song) which happens accidentally on the guitars I've had with a toggle. Not like that happens much when I'm jamming, but it does every once in a blue moon.

In a perfect world, I'll keep both of them, but I'm not sure I can swing that on my budget right now.

[bigdave]

If I was a lead player - or even someone who used the neck pickup even 10% of the time, I'd agree. But, since I'm not if I have to have a neck pup, I prefer the blade. It isn't as easy to change positions mid strum (which I get would be a huge bonus if I was ever wanting to switch pups mid song) which happens accidentally on the guitars I've had with a toggle. Not like that happens much when I'm jamming, but it does every once in a blue moon.

In a perfect world, I'll keep both of them, but I'm not sure I can swing that on my budget right now.

3 way blade is fine, my H8 is more for the 5 way.....where you end up on position 2 or 4 right when you didnt want to live.... hey whats wrong with my sound, look down and damn thing is at 2nd position. The Drewcaster has 3 way blade and it rocks.... split coil on the tome by pulling up.

[Lozek]

If you can afford to be down on budget for a while, I'd say hold on to all three and see what you naturally reach for over the next few months. Let the honeymoon period settle before doing something you may regret.

[Iron1]

If you can afford to be down on budget for a while, I'd say hold on to all three and see what you naturally reach for over the next few months. Let the honeymoon period settle before doing something you may regret.

Definitely not a bad idea. Right now, it's this order: SLX>SL2>540S

But, that could simply be the novelty of the SLX that beats out the SL2. The only reason I still have the 540S is I wanted one for so long, got it custom painted and it plays so well. But, I never reach for it. If it was an HH it would be my #1, but that middle pickup just turns me off...

In the end, I only "need" 2-6 strings, and I'm not giving up my KM6 - love it and play it a lot.