A new guitar?!???

Argh. Damn it all. Why oh why did I have to try my friend's Gibson Les Paul studio? Why the hell do I go to Guitar Center at least once a week?!

But before you folks read on (laff not like anyone really reads right?), no, I have not bought a new guitar..... YET!

Muahahaha.

Yes, I love Gibson guitars. It is a fact. I absolutely completely want a Les Paul Standard with 60s 'fast' neck. Unfortunately, that would set me back 2.5k for the super pretty Cherry Sunburst one. So that will be for next year... :p

When I went out to get my Ibanez, I initially wanted a Floyd Rose tremolo. However me not knowing better (I insisted on Ibanez), I went with my current guitar because the Ibanez that came with a floyd rose was from their 'prestige' line at the time. So that would cost 800+. Screw that. I got my guitar and I'm pretty happy. All I needed was a pickup change. But even then, I really wanted to play with Active pickups. But they cost way more and I didn't really have a proper battery cavity in my current guitar.

Meet the Epiphone Futura FX. This is a metal machine is coming out next month (just in time for my planned half stack purchase!). It has a licensed Floyd Rose and EMG active 81/85 pick ups for sonic metal mayhem!

However, me being my over-analytical self, I do have some problems deciding.

1) My brother wants an explorer too.
I really don't want to make his future purchase anti-climatic. He has stated that he hates quilted maple finishes. He prefers solid colors (lol if that's what he likes).

2) Price
No, not really talking how expensive it is (because it is expensive). If i add $200, I can get an US made Gibson Explorer. Opportunity cost is certainly there but the cheapest Gibson version does not have EMG active pickups.

3) Ms Ibanez
What will become of her? I am tempted to sell her off but it would be kind sad. She's only a few months old, been babied like crazy, I just had her 'set up' as well as had new pickups installed.

But at the same time, I feel an attachment to it. I am learning how to play on it anyways. I could also give it to my youngest brother and sell of his current guitar (Ms Ibanez is WAY better). But then I would be out quite a bit of cash.


Nick told me today that he sees the Les Paul nicely for me and not so much an explorer body (though he concedes that it is one mean looking metal shredding machine). So I don't know. Still have a few weeks before that bad boy hits the stores.

Argh!