Hi Everyone. I'm looking for a solid body electric guitar with humbucker and multiple single coil sounds along with piezo, but it looks like the current line has limited single coil options (just one in the JP ones). I came across the Ernie Ball Music Man Reflex Game Changer w/Piezo which looks amazing, but it seems to be very rare. Any tips about older models I might actually be able to find used? Thanks!
Where to find a "does it all" guitar?
- Thread starter marmatkat
- Start date
Hi marmakat - welcome! If you can find a Regular Reflex (non-game changer) that will most certainly fit the bill based on your description. With the five-way selector and series/parallel switch you can get virtually any tone you'd want. The only thing it doesn't have is piezo. Check Reverb as I believe they have a black Reflex for sale there currently. If you're really lucky you can find yourself a 25th Anniversary model which is the predecessor to the Reflex but with a beautiful Venician Reburst Finish in quilt or flame (see my avatar for an example). Those are more rare than the standard Reflex though as they were only offered for a very limited time. Hope this helps.
EDIT - here you go. Reverb has both a standard Reflex in White AND a Game Changer with Piezo for sale. Just head over to the site and search on Ernie Ball Musicman Reflex.
EDIT - here you go. Reverb has both a standard Reflex in White AND a Game Changer with Piezo for sale. Just head over to the site and search on Ernie Ball Musicman Reflex.
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TonyEVH5150
Well-known member
It also might be worth a look for a Silhouette Special. It comes in an HSS config, and is available with a piezo as an option.
banjoplayer
Well-known member
The Morse (especially the Standard one) will do a lot.
But it is not a Les Paul nor a Strat and not by any means both.
It will give you great Humbucking and very useful Singlecoil sounds, as will the reflex.
But it will not replace a Les Paul or a Strat or a Tele or whatever...
But it is not a Les Paul nor a Strat and not by any means both.
It will give you great Humbucking and very useful Singlecoil sounds, as will the reflex.
But it will not replace a Les Paul or a Strat or a Tele or whatever...
DrKev
Moderator
The reflex and game changer guitars were discontinued a few years ago and used is all you’ll find.
Similarly piezo option was discontinued on guitars except the JP line. Again, used is the only option.
Similarly piezo option was discontinued on guitars except the JP line. Again, used is the only option.
mrmckinney
Well-known member
I have an HSH Game Changer with piezo and trem that I would part with if that is what you are looking for. PM me if interested.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
vuduhwy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2018
- Messages
- 212
+1 on this. It won't do "everything" sonically, but it will do many things very well.
johnnyboogie
Well-known member
Personal opinion: A JP model, install split-coil for every position (not just the middle position, which is the factory setup) and you pretty much have it. Super player-friendly instruments, not to mention the JP6-JP7/JPXVI that offer the arm-scoop as well.
You can always change pickups to find exactly what you are looking for. You should examine however whether you like the neck or not. It's a slim/very slim neck on all iterations of the guitar. Slightly thicker on the Majesty.
You can always change pickups to find exactly what you are looking for. You should examine however whether you like the neck or not. It's a slim/very slim neck on all iterations of the guitar. Slightly thicker on the Majesty.
TripHazard
Well-known member
James valentine says it’s the valentine
BUC
Well-known member
As a long time reflex gamechanger player I can only say that if you're looking for a guitar that does almost everything...well, that is the one. I don't think I've played a gig without in in about 4 or 5 years.
I've frequently thought about buying a second one.
They're not hard to find. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. Definitely get one with a piezo.
It's absolutely dumbfounding to me that this guitar hasn't caught on.
Some guys get all up tight about the color. Don't. The black looks great on stage and under lights. Did someone tell Peter Frampton that black les pauls look boring? The player makes the axe, not the other way around. Get one that you can make yours.
I've also owned several steve morse style guitars and while they'r every versatile, they're certainly not everyone's cup of tea.
I've frequently thought about buying a second one.
They're not hard to find. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. Definitely get one with a piezo.
It's absolutely dumbfounding to me that this guitar hasn't caught on.
Some guys get all up tight about the color. Don't. The black looks great on stage and under lights. Did someone tell Peter Frampton that black les pauls look boring? The player makes the axe, not the other way around. Get one that you can make yours.
I've also owned several steve morse style guitars and while they'r every versatile, they're certainly not everyone's cup of tea.
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Thors Twins
Member
Hey folks, just joined forum today and this is 1st post. I picked up a used Reflex this past weekend and found religion with this guitar. It's very playing and sounds wonderful. For background, i wanted a bit of a cross between my LP and Strat and this guitar really fit the need.
tbonesullivan
Well-known member
I think the big problem with the Game Changer is simply that it's WAY more guitar than most people want, and the options can honestly be VERY daunting. The choices are endless, but for total tone nuts, that can mean spending untold hours searching for the perfect sounds. Often better just to get a simpler guitar and limit ourselves.
They are incredible pieces of tech. They really can do just about anything.
They are incredible pieces of tech. They really can do just about anything.
You don't have to be a tweaker and I think perception is what scared a lot of folks off the GC. The possibilities are vast and can surely be overwhelming if your intention is to hear every possible sound. However, you don't have to do that at all. I set up Bank A to humbucker tones I like, set Bank B to single tones I like, didn't do anything with Bank Z (although you have a whole other set of slots there to cover a tone of ground), and really haven't messed with the settings since. The really cool thing about it is how much more mileage you can get out of your amp without changing guitars--especially responsive amps that roll from very clean to dirty to raunchy with the volume knob. In my opinion, anyway.
It's guitars. To each his own. I know a lot of people grumbled about only having black, but I think it's one of the classiest looking guitars out there. Not flashy, but when you pick it up and hold it you know you're holding something special, and the binding, it's just a very nicely crafted guitar. And one of if not the best piezo I've heard. They're worth the money and then some--especially now that you can only buy previously owned.
It's guitars. To each his own. I know a lot of people grumbled about only having black, but I think it's one of the classiest looking guitars out there. Not flashy, but when you pick it up and hold it you know you're holding something special, and the binding, it's just a very nicely crafted guitar. And one of if not the best piezo I've heard. They're worth the money and then some--especially now that you can only buy previously owned.
Claude H. Smoot
Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2018
- Messages
- 5
JP7. That extra string opens up so many possibilities for metal and jazz chords. The center position split is a super neat jangly strat sound which i love to do dirty blues leads with. I installed a split pot on mine so i can get a bunch of different usable tones from one guitar. I don't like the Crunchlab or Liquifire, so i think im gonna change them to something closer to a PAF soon, i prefer lower output pickups and high gain for my metal tones. The ergonomics alone make it an all night guitar which is a plus. My Custom 24 used to be my swiss army knife, but now it has been usurped.
BUC
Well-known member
WahoonC is spot on.
Don't try to make the GC too complicated. I don't use 200 different pickup selections...but I do use more than 5! And that's what the GC lets you do. It lets you try something at the gig and if you don't like it, you don't have to sell the guitar, you just try a different pickup selection. Over the years I've settled to approx 9 selections that I frequently use. Didn't happen overnight, it was a long time settling on my faves, but I didn't have to solder anything or buy a new axe to get where I am with it.
And let's face it, with todays technology and the acoustic IR's available, piezos are more useful than ever and yet weirdly becoming LESS common.
Every time I gig I get questions about how I get an acoustic sound out of my gamechanger. (piezo -> L6 Helix ->taylor IR->PA).
Plus I don't have to schlep my taylor to the gigs anymore! One less guitar to tune/risk/scratch/carry! Yay!
Don't try to make the GC too complicated. I don't use 200 different pickup selections...but I do use more than 5! And that's what the GC lets you do. It lets you try something at the gig and if you don't like it, you don't have to sell the guitar, you just try a different pickup selection. Over the years I've settled to approx 9 selections that I frequently use. Didn't happen overnight, it was a long time settling on my faves, but I didn't have to solder anything or buy a new axe to get where I am with it.
And let's face it, with todays technology and the acoustic IR's available, piezos are more useful than ever and yet weirdly becoming LESS common.
Every time I gig I get questions about how I get an acoustic sound out of my gamechanger. (piezo -> L6 Helix ->taylor IR->PA).
Plus I don't have to schlep my taylor to the gigs anymore! One less guitar to tune/risk/scratch/carry! Yay!
tbonesullivan
Well-known member
The game changer is kind of like the Boogie Tri-axis of guitars. They can be really intimidating, but in the end it's more about being able to expand what the guitar is capable of, right on the guitar. I think you get 15 presets with just using the controls on the guitar? And if you've got the piezo that can be mixed in at will.
Compare that to a regular guitar, where you get 5 standard presets, or one like the Steve Morse, which has 11 pickup settings, but you've gotta work a two way toggle, a three way selector ,and a three way toggle to get those.
With the game changer, you've got them ready to go, just flip flip flip.
This also means that you can set up the guitar to have a non standard bunch of settings, kinda like how the St Vincent guitar has a 5 way switch with three pickups, but does not use the standard pickups you would usually select.
In other words, it give you unlimited choices, just like some of the high end modeling/profiling preamps. If you like that level of control, it may be worth looking at.
Compare that to a regular guitar, where you get 5 standard presets, or one like the Steve Morse, which has 11 pickup settings, but you've gotta work a two way toggle, a three way selector ,and a three way toggle to get those.
With the game changer, you've got them ready to go, just flip flip flip.
This also means that you can set up the guitar to have a non standard bunch of settings, kinda like how the St Vincent guitar has a 5 way switch with three pickups, but does not use the standard pickups you would usually select.
In other words, it give you unlimited choices, just like some of the high end modeling/profiling preamps. If you like that level of control, it may be worth looking at.
beej
Moderator
I would love the GC electronics. I've lost count of how many times I've re-wired my main guitars (Morse especially).
