Okay, here's my crisis.

I'm going to have around 700-1000 dollars to spend on a guitar... i have no idea what i want to pick up except that i'd like a tremolo bridge, 24 frets, and dual humbucker ideally. For some reason i'm definetely attracted to the ibanez's i've seen around this price range.

I'm in a punk/screamo band right now but i'm a metal head at heart. Some of the tones i've heard and love are Kalmah (the palm muting), Dream evil (just plain heavy tone), In Flames (everything), Opeth (clean tones), and Sonata Arctica (lead tones).

I also have another 1100 dollars to spend on an amp. Currently I'm using the Line 6 Spider II. It's a half decent head/cab and it definetely served its purpose but i'm looking for tubes now and something that can just scoop my mids a bit more. I've been looking at the Peavey 5150 Combo.

Could someone give me some input on the Peavey 5150 combo? Is it worth going for a 6505 or a head/cab setup instead of the combo?

And as for guitars, could someone recommend a guitar of that style? Thanks in advance.

ok before i say anything

DONT SCOOP YOUR MIDS!!!!!!!!!

NO ONE will hear you live well at all. You will not cut through. Your lead tones will be terrible. Your rhythm will be faint.

Now if you already have a decent cab, i say sell the spider if you can, use that 1100, draw some more from your guitar fund and grab an ENGL Powerball (or anything ENGL really).

For a guitar? Get a Jackson anything (stay in the X-to-above series though...i find models with "3" in the name to be the perfect balance of budget, features, and playability). Or grab an Ibanez RG370DX. Daaaaaaaaamnnn sweet gee-tars.


a 5150 is also definately a good choice for metal. It's pretty much the metal standard, and doesnt cost too much.

Besides ENGL and Peavey try:

Mesa Boogie (Mark series...IMO better for metal than Rectifiers)
Soldano (If you like a bit of classic vibe in your tone)
Splawn
Framus
VHT
Bogner (<---you get one of these and you are SET FOR LIFE. Literally, they have a lifetime warranty. Your amp breaks, you get a new one. Dont count on getting one with only 1100 though)


Stay Metal

i reckon you should go for an old second hand gibson lp, sweet guitars make sure you get one with an ebony fretboard . I also nab a crate blue voodoo and matching cab with v30 speakers or a 5150 combo as they are hotter than the head.

__________________

And an EQ pedal so you can scoop out some more mids

__________________

if you want an amp that doesnt sound like shit scooped. buy a jcm 900.

__________________

HEY THAT WAS MY IDEAZORZZZ!!!1!!1!!!



xdx is right ( as usually, concerning amplifiers ) about Marshalls not sounding like shit scooped.

And I'm to once again get a plug for the solid-state crowd ... look at an Ampeg VH-140 or a Randall Vmax, or something Tech 21 has made.

Check out the Moser Bastard Vi. It's at the upper end of your price range but has the features you are looking for. www.mosercustomshop.com