Can you recommend my second Electric Guitar

T

tonyoci

New member
Hi there, despite being a 40 year old old fart I only recently learned to play guitar. I bought my son a cheapo Behringer Strat Copy and when he didn't use it I learned to play.

I think I'm ready to step up in guitar but no too far since it's only a hobby. I have a few questions.

1) Will it really make any different to step up to a $200-$300 guitar
2) Should the guitar be my next buy or would a digitial amp modeler or something similar add more value
3) recommendations in the $200-$400 range.

Thanks a lot;

Tony
 
tonyoci said:
Hi there, despite being a 40 year old old fart I only recently learned to play guitar. I bought my son a cheapo Behringer Strat Copy and when he didn't use it I learned to play.

I think I'm ready to step up in guitar but no too far since it's only a hobby. I have a few questions.

1) Will it really make any different to step up to a $200-$300 guitar
2) Should the guitar be my next buy or would a digitial amp modeler or something similar add more value
3) recommendations in the $200-$400 range.

Thanks a lot;

Tony
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I'd go an extra 100 bucks(you can find them for around $500) and get a used Fender American Standard strat. The real deal.
 
Thanks, can you offer an explanation about what makes that guitar better than another one, for me given my usage and experience.

Tony
 
I don't know where you live but I suggest you go a local music shop and play a couple of Fender American Standards and see if you can feel and hear the difference. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Otherwise there's lots of other strat copies that you can get new within' the 200-400 dollar range that some of the other members here can reccommend.

Do you like the strat style or did you want to go in another direction?

What is it you don't like about the Behringer copy?
 
The Carvin Bolt Kit is arguably the best $350 guitar in the world.

What makes a guitar a good guitar?

For me, it's mostly the neck, and more specifically the fingerboard and frets. The crowns of the frets need to be precisely collinear when the neck is straight and very smooth. When the neck is ever so slightly bowed as it's strung the bowing needs to be uniform so the neck isn't s-shaped.

I really, really like ebony fingerboards which are rarely available on guitars under $1000, except Carvin.

After that, it needs to be stable, have smooth tuners, and good electronics and tone. Carvin covers all those very well.
 
There is really nothing wrong with it but it's not a "quality" guitar. There are issues relating to sound quality etc. that might be fixed by a better guitar. I live near a Guitar Center and some other major Guitar places. I'm just a little lacking in confidence to try out something in store since I can't play that well.

It's quite possible that I should stick with what I've got, that's what I'm trying to figure out.

Tony
 
For now do two things:

1. Give a bit more info: what music do you like to listen to/play? What kind of amp do you play through now? What do you not like about the Behringer spefcifically-- is the action high, the tone thin, etc?

2. Go to the local guitar store and play about 15 different kinds of guitars, take your time, don't worry about buying anytime soon. You will quickly find one or two that just feel right, make you feel like a better player than you think you are now. Try to note what it is about them that do that. I have an old made in japan Strat with a loud buzzing pot I need to fix and a decent quality gibson les paul studio. The gibson is a better "quality" guitar and sounds a HELL of alot better than the strat, but I've loved the action and feel of the strat forever. So now my next guitar goal is to get something more like the tone of the LP, with the neck, sustain and playability of my cheap strat.

Daav
 
I do most of my playing direct to a digital recording box (Zoom PS-04) it's hard to tell if the faults are with the recorder or the guitar or the playing but many others get better results with the recording unit.

The sound is very thin on the high strings, sounding very unrealistic. The sound is boomy on the bass when there is any significant bass in the effect used.

There is some string buzz but nothing problematic since I had it professionally setup.

Having read some other threads it seems that I would keep this guitar and get a different one in addition. That changes my options a little since I might be better of with a humbucker style.

I'm not clear on trying guitars - a)I don't want to play in public b) Surely the amp could be more of a factor than the guitar.

I play a varied range though most of it is light rock, more of a backing style slow rhythm complimenting a ballad or similar.

Thanks for all the comments

Tony
 
I do most of my playing direct to a digital recording box (Zoom PS-04) it's hard to tell if the faults are with the recorder or the guitar or the playing but many others get better results with the recording unit.
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I don't think you're getting an accurate idea of how good or bad the guitar sounds by playing it through a PS-04. Maybe take the guitar down to GC and try playing it through a couple of good amps?
 
I agree but ultimately that's how I will use it 90% of the time. It sounds perfectly fine when played with certain effects on pass-thru mode. But anything that adds bass (Acoustic Simulator for example), tends to overpower it.

This is part of my question really though. Perhaps I don't even need a new guitar and could spend the money on something more beneficial to my "sound"

Tony
 
This is where an amp modeler like a POD or a V-AMP really comes in handy. If you don't mind playing with headphones, you can have a ton of pretty nice tones at your fingertips. There is nothing that makes you want to practice more than getting a sound you like while you play.

I think I would do that before I got another guitar, then I would look at a fender standard "fat strat" which has humbuckers and single coil pickups. I think they run like $350. I really don't think you will hear or feel a difference between what you have and any of the guitars in the $200-$250
 
I've been looking at the POD, V-AMP and Digitech stuff. POD is great but I don't think that much can be justified. V-Amp and Digitech RP80 (cause of the pedal) are looking good right now.

Tony
 
hixmix said:
I'd go an extra 100 bucks(you can find them for around $500) and get a used Fender American Standard strat. The real deal.
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I agree. Can't beat it for the money. It'll last a lifetime.
 
Buying a used American Strat would allow you to step up in quality, while affording you the ability to resell at close to what you pay for it. I'm not quite sure about the Behringer, but in general a better playing/sounding guitar will actually help you improve because you will play it more. A used Standard Strat (MIM) can be had for considerably less, will resell for what you payed for it, and still be quite a step up. Some of the lower end Epiphone guitars might fit the bill if you're looking for a humbucker tonality. If you can kick in $50-100 more your best bet might be a used MIM Standard Strat and a used Fender Pro Jr. tube amp....Just my $.02 If you're local to NWNJ drop me an email, you're welcome to come by and try some stuff out for informational purposes away from a music store :)
 
Thanks Steve, but I'm in California, that's a real kind offer.

Please clarify, since I'm slow, what is MIM ?

Tony
 
Tony,
Made In Mexico As far as bang for the buck, at this price point VERY hard to beat IMHO...good luck and enjoy the hunt!!!!! :D
 
Hit the pawn shops and look for a les paul studio or a good les paul copy. That way you will have to two different types of guitar with two different tones to play with.
 
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