Went down to Sound Affects again, today.
Needed to trade in a couple of guitars for something nice.
I wasn't really sure whether I wanted another Les Paul style guitar or a Super Strat.
On the LP front, I tried a lovely Koa fronted Gibbo and an even better PRS Singlecut McCarty SC-594, in Faded Whale Blue Smokeburst.
Great guitar but I realised I already had a great LP guitar, so decided to go for a Super Strat.
That came down to 2 pre-owned, boutique type, HSS strats, that were very similar in price.
A Patrick James Eggle 96 Drop Top, in tobacco burst and a Suhr 2012 Standard Pro Quilt Top, in Trans Amber.
The PJE is a very stylish, individual guitar, with a classy, gloss front and an organic/industrial, matt rear.
Very light, with all the trimmings and great pickups.
The Suhr, was a little more conventional, with a thicker, heavier body.
Again, it was superbly built and finished, with great sounding pickups and quality hardware.
My only initial dislikes, was the PJE not having a back plate, over the trem's workings.
And the Suhr's trem seemed far too light/sensitive in operation.
But the backplate is no deal killer and I got used to the Suhr's trem, pretty quickly.
I A/B'd these 2 beauties, back and forth, over and over again, on clean, crunchy and mosh pit mania.
Both had lovely, sweet single coils and bridge humbuckers that pushed overdrive beautifully.
It was very very close and I wanted to back the UK.
But the Suhr won the day, with it's super playable neck and an overall feel of solid quality.
I've got next week off work, so I'm going to get some 10s on this beauty and let it sing.