Jonrh98

an amp modeller, not a guitar modeller - I would need a neck pickup for exactly the same reason that someone playing into an amp might want one. The ability to switch pickups would be a big plus within the duo too, for moving between rhythm picking parts and solos or leads

For sure - I played an SR bass for a long time and the weirdly angled recessed jack was a pain in many ways - looks like it might feed up nicely to loop around the strap button though.

The primary reasons for going for a compact option are: - I live in a limited space which already houses a number of instruments, and I want something I can easily store away. - I want something I can happily sit and pluck away at on the sofa without having to weild around a big heavy body. - I want something lightweight for longer standing gigs as I play a LOT on my jazz bass and it takes a real toll on my back. - I live in a city centre, and while I do drive, many of my gigs will be me walking to the venue or travelling by tram with my guitar, modeller, mic and stand plus cables, so a smaller and/or lighter unit is a benefit. I'd considered the blackstar but no neck pickup is a no go for the sounds I want unfortunately. Funny you mention a strat - my MIM was a brill guitar which I unfortunately had to sell a while ago to fund a house move, but I want something now with humbuckers ideally. The locking tuners thing certainly isnt a must for me, it's just a preference as I end up restringing on the move a lot, and across all my instruments it becomes tedious far too easily. The difference in playability with a compact guitar is my biggest fear, which was why the Ibanez stood out to me.

Looking to get back into electric (as a gigging bass and acoustic player). I want something lightweight and relatively compact. I will be playing primarily clean fingerstyle and leads in an acoustic duo, plus some jazz chord melody stuff at home and maybe some occasional driven sounds when recording. Playability is number one priority for me - in terms of sound, it just needs to be full and warm without excessive muddiness. The options I've got in mind are below (with a budget of roughly 400 gbp, maybe just over), any insight/experience with them would be great as none are in stock to try near me. Steinberger GT-Pro: Pros: Compact and with a gig bag, love the HSH configuration. Cons: The trem would be locked and left, the requirement for double ball end strings is annoying but at least they're stable and I could add the converter for normal strings if needed, and I've heard of QC issues out of the factory. Donner Hush-X: Pros: Also compact and with a gig bag, locking system is secure and uses regular strings, headphone amp for practice without needing to have my modeller plugged to an outlet. Cons: No humbucker in the neck is a little disappointing, I have no experience with the brand, all the bells and whistles suggest the general quality may be lesser. Ibanez S521-MOL: Pros: Slim body and lovely playable Wizard III neck, versatile switching including parallel neck humbucker and SS mode, brand that I am familiar with and trust. Cons: Less compact than the others, no locking tuners (would add to the cost if I installed some), no included gig bag (further added cost). Any insight based on experience would be really welcome.