new to electric, suggestions please

[osion]

hi all,
i've been playing acoustic guitar for years and want to branch out to electric. I have about 1,000-2,000 dollars to spend to buy the guitar, amp, and necessary pedals.
I went to sam ash today to try stuff out but there are so many guitars and so many amplifiers and i didnt know where to start. I played a bunch of guitars in the 200-800 and i really couldnt hear that much of a difference between them. I was also looking at the amps and they all had so many knobs. Seems so complicated coming from acoustic guitar where you just play. Anyway I am hoping for some suggestions.
I play alternative/indie rock and would like a nice bright sound and also a light distortion when i want it (like weezer-buddy holly). I would like to get the most value for my money. I think what i need is a guitar, an amplifier, and an overdrive pedal. are there any other important "musthave" pedals?

 

[Outlaws]

the one guy plays an ES335 if I remember.........

You could get an Epiphone one for about $600. They are really nice. Then spend the rest on a nice tube Marshall. (do not listen to anyone who says Mesa, Marshall if what you need for weezer) Look for a used on if you need to. 50 watt DSL

 

[Richard Monroe]

OK, so what kind of acoustics do you like the feel of?-Richie

 

[Track Rat]

If you're coming from an acoustic background I think you'd like the articulated sound of either a Stratocaster or a Telecaster. Even when distorted, the sound is still defined.

 

[Rockfish]

I agree with Track Rat. From the kind of sound you said you liked, a Telecaster or a Stratocaster is the way to go. Regarding amps, I'd get a fairly small tube amp, something around 15 to 25 watts and a 12-inch speaker rather than a 10, if possible. I'm looking at a Crate V1512, which is what I've described above. With the kind of money you've got to spend, I'd look at some old Fender Champs or Princeton Reverbs on Ebay. Most amps have a built-in gain (pre-amp) channel, so you may not need the distortion built in. You can always get a pedal. What you probably will want built-in with the amp is reverb. Have fun.

 

[juststartingout]

Then spend the rest on a nice tube Marshall. (do not listen to anyone who says Mesa, Marshall if what you need for weezer) Look for a used on if you need to. 50 watt DSL

I do agree, get a marshall and scrap the pedals. If you need to buy a pedal, get a compressor and a wah-wah. Coupled with the Marshall tube, you will get a good sound you can control. The Marshall has it's own overdrive that is killer and is very versitile. It doesn't have to be big, just a tube amp.

As for the guitar, play, play, play. It's the only way to find one that feels good. In my opinion, the playability is the most important thing. The electronics can be replaced or rewired. I personally prefer a humbucker over a single coil, but that's just my taste. I have to admit though, I do have a strat and love it. I also really love gibson's necks and '57 humbuckers.

http://home.comcast.net/~bonrox/guitars/gut_inv.htm

 

[Track Rat]

juststartingout, you should rename Marilyn to Sybil.

 

[juststartingout]

Well Rat, the 1275 is just such a classy b*tch, Marilyn Monroe was the first thing to pop into my mind.

 

[grinder]

That flamed SG sure looks sweet.

 

[bsanfordnyc]

Buy a Mexican Stratocaster (fender) (around $400) then upgrade the pickups to the "hot noiseless" variety found on the top of the line Strats (over $1000). THis will save you a ton of money and get you the best sound from and electric guitar.

THe hot noiseless have pickups that are dead silent even when the distortion & gain is cranked all the way up.

Spend the rest on a good amp, and perhaps a multi-FX pedal.

 

[Dani Pace]

Looking for a bright, crisp sound? I have to agree with these other guys and say look for a Fender, a Telecaster will most likely give you the sound, but comming from acoustic it (like most electrics) will feel small and strange till you get used to it. To make the transition easier you might consider a hollow body electric such as an Oscar Schmitt (by Washburn) Delta King, they feel a lot like a Gibson ES335 but have a little more of a crisp sound, not to mention, cost a whole lot less. As for amps, the amount of power you want depends a lot on how loud you want to play, big amps are great for playing gigs but are a pain to lug around just for practice purposes. Effects pedals can be a real pain too, especially if you try to use too many at a time, you might want to chech out a DOD FX7 or something similar (avoid Zoom pedals, they are tricky to program and pretty noisy too) Mainly find a guitar that feels right as well as has the sound you are looking for, and an amp that suits your needs, and keep the pedals to a minimum and you should quickly come to enjoy the world of electric guitar. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[musicsdarkangel]

Gibson or Fender sounds like the type of guitar you would like. Perfect for all around, legendary indie/rock guitars.

 

[musicsdarkangel]

look at your favorite indie bands, and see what setups you like the sound of. That will give you an idea.


For budget, I'd go with a telecaster, gibson's are overpriced, but still very good.


For an overdrive pedal, DEFINITELY go with a Fulltone. They are expensive, but incredible.

 

[Progger]

For that style of music, Fender would be the way to go, a strat, not a tele. Get any Marshall amp along with it, at least 50 watts. For pedals, find a reverb, chorus, and overdrive. I like DOD's products for that kind of stuff.

 

[tdukex]

I chose a Godin LG. You should check these out before you buy.

http://www.godinguitars.com/

 

[osion]

thanks again guys. i went to sam ash again, and i looked at an amp called fender ultimate chorus (600 dollars) or something like that and it had effects on it already. I played a stratocaster with it and it sounded good, but i wasnt blown away. I tried a telecaster also but liked the strat more. it was definetely weird hearing the sound come out of the amp instead of the guitar (as it would on acoustic), it felt like it wasnt me playing the music, haha. Any of you guys familiar with that amp? Another question, if i have an acoustic-electric can i just plug into an amp as i would an electric. I've had an acoustic-electric for years but have only played it acoustic. I didnt try any marshalls or gibsons because i was there for like two hours and my ears were tired.

 

[Dani Pace]

Fender Ultimate Chorus, good choice in my opinion, but I'm prejudice, I use one myself. It's a pretty good all purpose amp, small enough for practice yet has enough power for gigs. Like all Fenders, maximum drive is achieved at about 2/3 volume, less will clean up the sound, more will just muddy it. As for your other question, yes you can just plug an acoustic/electric into an amp and play. The sound may be a bit thin though so an acoustic processor might be nessassary to get a sound like what you are used to hearing straight out of the guitar. If your acoustic/electric has a good pickup an in-line equalizer might do the trick, try it and see how it sounds then decide what you would like to change and tweek it as nessassary.