HEVYDEVY FORUMS

Well, I started playing guitar about six months ago... at the moment, I'm playing an old (about thirty years old, to be precise) imitation Les Paul through one of those tiny little Marshall amps that cost about $80. I also have a Melos square wave pedal that oddly didn't blow the amp when I used it.
Anyway, I want to upgrade my setup. I've already decided on the amp I'm going to get, and there's a music shop near me that sells two relatively inexpensive guitars that seem to be of quality make; this one http://www.onlinemusicstore.com.au/index.php?page=showProduct&id=IBRG170DXBKN (the Ibanez RG170DX) and this one http://www.onlinemusicstore.com.au/index.php?page=showProduct&id=EPG310 (the Epiphone G-310). Prices are in Australian dollars. I would like you guys to help me make a decision. I've read reviews on the G-310, and they are very mixed (although my guitar teacher plays one, so I don't know what that says about him or the guitar), and I know that Ibanez are a reliable brand, so HALP PLEZ.

Do you want a tremelo or not seems a good starting point between those two?

I have no real use of a tremolo.
Additionally, I've now changed the amp I shall obtain from a Behringer to a Peavey VYPER (in about three months).

Don't get the one with the trem then. If you don't use one, it is a pain in the arse to have.

Good-o. Settled then - I will purchase an Epi G-310.

Has the reliability/durability of the Vypyr series increased yet? I looked at those amps about a year ago and back then the reviews were quite negative on that issue.

I'm not sure, I sat and played it for about half an hour in the shop yesterday though, and it sounded great. I also played a Line 6 15 watt amp that really sounded like Ki, and I had problems deciding between them because of that... but the VYPYR was 30 watts and a whole lot of extra stuff (and good metal sounds!), so I went for that instead.
I never could quite achieve the Ki sound with it, though, which is a bit disappointing.

Knotrice wrote:I'm not sure, I sat and played it for about half an hour in the shop yesterday though, and it sounded great. I also played a Line 6 15 watt amp that really sounded like Ki, and I had problems deciding between them because of that... but the VYPYR was 30 watts and a whole lot of extra stuff (and good metal sounds!), so I went for that instead.
I never could quite achieve the Ki sound with it, though, which is a bit disappointing.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the sounds you can get out of it are quite nice, but in the end I decided against one since I'd be using it fairly intensively for rehearsals/practice as well as gigs. Therefore reliability is a big factor for me and the reviews weren't in its favor. Having said that though, at that time the Vypyr series was pretty new so I guess they are/were some infancy issues. I think Peavey will have improved their firmware, getting rid of the most common issues so you're probably safe. Congrats on the purchases in any case!

Thank you both for your help!