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persondude
Pulsing Member
Any reccomendations on what to get? A guitar playing friend has told me to go for a strat, but I'm looking for other opinions and advice.
c7sus
Disenfranchised Member
Start on something with a stop tailpiece. Have it set up and intonated by a good luthier.
Nothing is more frustrating when you are learning than a guitar that won't stay in tune.
Nothing is more frustrating when you are learning than a guitar that won't stay in tune.
hixmix
Halibut, North Dakota
c7sus said:
And nothing is more frustrating, after you learn how to play, than a guitar that won't stay in tune.
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solo.guitar
New member
I'm assuming you're going to be starting out on electric...
If that's the case...anything decent that will stay in tune, is comfortable to play, and doesn't sound like complete crap plugged into an amp (ie. most Fender Squires).
Also get a small 10-15watt practice amp. Once you can sound good with this then you're ready to get a better guitar/amp.
I started on an Epiphone Les Paul Junior ($100) which only has one pickup. It's great for beginners and sounds fine, also stays in tune really well. I also had a 10watt Drive amp, but you may not like it, so the only way to know for sure is to goto a shop, tell them you're looking for a beginner guitar and try some out within your price range.
If that's the case...anything decent that will stay in tune, is comfortable to play, and doesn't sound like complete crap plugged into an amp (ie. most Fender Squires).
Also get a small 10-15watt practice amp. Once you can sound good with this then you're ready to get a better guitar/amp.
I started on an Epiphone Les Paul Junior ($100) which only has one pickup. It's great for beginners and sounds fine, also stays in tune really well. I also had a 10watt Drive amp, but you may not like it, so the only way to know for sure is to goto a shop, tell them you're looking for a beginner guitar and try some out within your price range.
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flamin-gitaur
New member
If you are just starting out, I wouldn't worry too much about gatting a top line guitar, just something that is comfortable to you. There are several styles and models to choose from in the 200-500 dollar range, and even cheaper if you want, all depends on your buget of course. A strat style guitar is a good choice to start off on, I don't know what style of music your into, just keep in mind that if you want to play stuff that is more metal or shredding type music, you might be better off with a guitar that has a humbucker in it, instead of a single coil pup.
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ermghoti
New member
I want to learn guitar.
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ermghoti
New member
Sorry, too much Naked Gun in my upbringing. Not in the Neverland Ranch way either, you Komedy Kwip Kommandos.
Seriously, you can learn on a guitar with a trem. I did, no big deal. That some people can't figure them out after years of playing is, well, the reason why Fallout Boy is successful. I keed. Not everybody likes trems.
A flat-mount trem like the one on the Fender is a good option, because you can tighten and or add springs to temorarill fix it if it gives you crap. They will be harder to keep in tune than a double locking design, but a set of locking tuners will take care of most of the difference.
If you read my Lite Ash thread a couple down, you will see a spent a couple hours playing Fenders to the mid $1k range, and found only two I would bother with at any price. I would no longer recommend buying any fender online. If you can shop with an accomplished guitarist, great. If not, for about one-third that price, you could get a USA Peavy Predator or the imported but nice Yamaha Pacifica, spend the rest on carefully targeted upgrades (work with a good local tech) and build an awesome axe that you will keep for as long as you play.
Seriously, you can learn on a guitar with a trem. I did, no big deal. That some people can't figure them out after years of playing is, well, the reason why Fallout Boy is successful. I keed. Not everybody likes trems.
A flat-mount trem like the one on the Fender is a good option, because you can tighten and or add springs to temorarill fix it if it gives you crap. They will be harder to keep in tune than a double locking design, but a set of locking tuners will take care of most of the difference.
If you read my Lite Ash thread a couple down, you will see a spent a couple hours playing Fenders to the mid $1k range, and found only two I would bother with at any price. I would no longer recommend buying any fender online. If you can shop with an accomplished guitarist, great. If not, for about one-third that price, you could get a USA Peavy Predator or the imported but nice Yamaha Pacifica, spend the rest on carefully targeted upgrades (work with a good local tech) and build an awesome axe that you will keep for as long as you play.
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persondude
Pulsing Member
ermghoti said:
ok, so now that's out of the way...
hixmix
Halibut, North Dakota
solo.guitar said:
It should have a satisfying resonance unplugged, too.
tkingen
Djembes Rock
Have you considered an acoustic as your first guitar? IMHO, it will benefit you the most to start off learning chords and songs, sit around the living room or campfire with your friends singing and playing acoustics, and maybe get into electric later if you still have a desire for it.
fraserhutch
Flypaper for freaks
Nothing is more annoying than a guitar player that can't play in tune - they always blame their instrument......hixmix said:
Anfontan
Banned by eurt
hixmix said:
I would say I usually play any electric 15 or 20 minutes unplugged to get the acoustic sound and feel of it, and spot any dead spots or buzz spots on the neck. Then I will plug in to see what the electronics and pickups can do for it. A resonant ring is what the pickups have to work with, if that isn't there..keep looking!
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Ironklad Audio
New member
seriously...for a beginner guitar, get a cheap-o strat from a well-known manufacturer.
the squier strarts that were mentioned are perfect - i've played quite a few of these over the years, and while none of them are great guitars, none of them are shit either. they're exactly what they're marketed to be - decent quality guitars for those who are just starting out/learning
the biggest thing that i would attempt to do when starting out is to get a decent amp - if you get some shitty little 10W thing like i 1st did, you're going to face nothing but disappointment with the way you sound
of course after countless hours of dicking around with it, i thought that i had my little crapass amp sounding totally awesome...until i got a tube half stack, and realized the difference that a real amp makes. all of the shit out there that i thought i couldn't play because i didn't have the ability yet was really the result of not having an amplifier that could effectively convey what i was doing with my instrument
in short...i'd get the $200 strat, then use the rest of the money for an ok amp in the 30-50W range
the squier strarts that were mentioned are perfect - i've played quite a few of these over the years, and while none of them are great guitars, none of them are shit either. they're exactly what they're marketed to be - decent quality guitars for those who are just starting out/learning
the biggest thing that i would attempt to do when starting out is to get a decent amp - if you get some shitty little 10W thing like i 1st did, you're going to face nothing but disappointment with the way you sound
of course after countless hours of dicking around with it, i thought that i had my little crapass amp sounding totally awesome...until i got a tube half stack, and realized the difference that a real amp makes. all of the shit out there that i thought i couldn't play because i didn't have the ability yet was really the result of not having an amplifier that could effectively convey what i was doing with my instrument
in short...i'd get the $200 strat, then use the rest of the money for an ok amp in the 30-50W range
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orksnork
New member
Anfontan said:
a lot of people who set up their guitar for some serious action won't mind some buzzing unplugged...i, when set up right, am one of them...
last time i went into the studio, the producer took all of guitars to a shop to get setup while we were doing drums...we went the next day and picked them up and i sat down in the lounge and started messing around...the buzzing freaked me out...but it played great
anyways...we pop open all the guitars, try them all, they buzz, we load up and we head back...
the guy looks at us like we're insane...and smiles
"how do they play.."
we tell them they play great but they're buzzing like mad...he plugged in them all, with a big smile, and they sounded great...
and we had egg on our faces
random.hero
New member
i would highly recommend the squier telecaster custom II ...
it stays in tune, and sounds incredible...
my little brother got (against my opinion) a behringer v-tone pack thing... DONT EVER GET THAT... hes got me tuning it every day... and i swear to god it will fall apart in his hands by next week...
anyways just jump down to your local music store and talk to the people... what kind of sound are you lookin for?
also the epi les pauls arent bad... a little more pricey than the squier's, but it could also serve as your guitar for giggin' purposes...
crate makes a good amp btw
it stays in tune, and sounds incredible...
my little brother got (against my opinion) a behringer v-tone pack thing... DONT EVER GET THAT... hes got me tuning it every day... and i swear to god it will fall apart in his hands by next week...
anyways just jump down to your local music store and talk to the people... what kind of sound are you lookin for?
also the epi les pauls arent bad... a little more pricey than the squier's, but it could also serve as your guitar for giggin' purposes...
crate makes a good amp btw
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solo.guitar
New member
persondude said:ok...so with my limited knowledge, I have decided that I like this one. What do you guys think? Also, are whammy bars worth having?
That would make a very nice first guitar, you wouldn't have any problems. Just don't buy it online if you can help it. A shop can change action and stuff for you once ou buy it.
My friend got that same guitar as his 2nd guitar after a Kramer and he likes it a lot. I like it too, and I'm not even a big fan of Fender guitars.
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orksnork
New member
well...i didnt even look at the link...but it's always better to play a guitar and find one that is already set up more the way you'd prefer it to be...
and every guitar ive bought (7) ive been able to have the store triplecheck the intonation and set it up, fresh strings etc....for free when i bought it...
just ask..make it a selling point
and every guitar ive bought (7) ive been able to have the store triplecheck the intonation and set it up, fresh strings etc....for free when i bought it...
just ask..make it a selling point
Codmate
New member
Get a friend who knows about guitars to pick out a squier telecaster for you.
I wouldn't bother with a floating bridge, or an expensive guitar, until later on.
I wouldn't bother with a floating bridge, or an expensive guitar, until later on.
Monkey Allen
Fork and spoon operator
hixmix said:
There are guitars out there that actually stay in tune?!