Buying Electric Guitar Need Advice [Archive]

pinotnoir

09-25-2008, 11:45 AM

Eloxy

09-25-2008, 11:53 AM

Hi!

buying guitar? great investment =) i have played since i was about 14yo ( 23 now ) and i must say the guitars i loved all the way is the fenders. I have a fender with mexico pickups and its a realy sweet thing to play. U get that nice fat blues tones and a special crunchy overdrive when u turn the distortion up for the metal ;)

Ibanez is a realy good guitar aswell, but my love lies with the Fender

Eloxy

blabj

09-25-2008, 11:58 AM

When buying your first guitar, I would suggest going with something you like the look of and which feels most comfortable when playing. My personal preference would be the fender strat just because the contours of the guitar are very well suited to both seated playing (which you'll spend most of your time doing) and stood up.

Boxier guitars such as Les Paul style guitars and the like can be uncomfortable when stood up as the edges press against your body, however it's hardly painful.

Many starter guitars are of surprisingly good quality, especially from the more well known brands such as Epiphone, Fender, Ibanez and the like, and will all be competetively made, using the most of what is on offer.

Ultimately, I'd say buy what feels right to you. A much bigger decision is what amp you'll be buying, as this will make a much greater difference on the tone of the guitar and the styles of music you'll be able to play. For this I would advise a Line6 amplifier. They offer the most sounds per buck, if you will, and are great when first starting out and experimenting with the differing sounds you can make with your axe :P

Heenan

09-25-2008, 12:06 PM

Don't forget about Fender Squiers ('http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-by-Fender-Bullet-Electric-Guitar-with-Tremolo-104494315-i1385540.gc'). These are great guitars to learn on. Very inexpensive. You can put a beating on these and you won't feel bad about it. You'll also save more upfront for when you want to plop $1,000+ on your "real" guitar.

Heck, I built my first guitar from the trash. I found the body and neck in a dumpster (no lie). Ran to the store to repair the bridge, nut, strings, etc.

violent5

09-25-2008, 12:49 PM

It would be hard to go wrong with Fenders standard (Mexican) strat. For the money its a decent guitar. Be sure to play a few and choose what really feels right to YOU. As for an amp all I can say is go tube, preferably low wattage. Nothing sounds better to my ears than plain 'ol guitar>cord>tube amp. Good luck.

Drizzit

09-25-2008, 02:10 PM

here is one that is free
Guitar ('http://www.kongregate.com/games/Shinki/super-crazy-guitar-maniac-deluxe-3')

Lokked

09-25-2008, 11:07 PM

Buy my out-of-circulation Custom Jackson DK-1 with Original Floyd Rose, Seymour Duncan JB-4 Humbucker and two Seymour Duncan STK-1 Single Coils - $2,800US

I don't play anymore. You'll never want to play another guitar after stroking the g-string of this baby.

pigeon

09-26-2008, 12:11 AM

Hi there!

i think i had pretty much the same choice as you when i bought my first guitar. I already had an old fender squire that my dad had given me, but i wanted a SHINY NEW ONE, and i ended up going with a cheap ibanez (GAX70).
i paid it off and bought it home, so excited and in love with it's shiny silver-ness and it's fancy twin humbuckers... but in the months to come, i realised I still much preferred the beat up old squire, it seems so much 'easier' to play?...
I never really used the ibanez, and i ended up saving up and buying a burns...

So in my experience the cheap fender was better than the cheap ibanez.
I AM a girl though, and i think the reason there is such a difference between guitars for me might have something to do with my weak female fingerrrs?

Anyway, the best way to choose would be, of course, to play them and then pick :thumbsup:

(or to buy a burns :P )

EDIT: i forgot to mention that if you do pick an ibanez, you will have to deal with people screaming METTAAALLL!!! when they see it...

pinotnoir

09-26-2008, 12:04 PM

I think I decided to go with this http://www.schecterguitars.com/spec.asp?id=177

Now I need to decide on which amp to get. I was thinking a Line 6 or Roland amp from $100-$200. I am a beginner so I just need something to learn on.

Dooz

09-28-2008, 03:12 AM

Nice man gratz. i just bought my daughter an Ibanez hollowbody. She loves it.Ibanez ('http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez-Artcore-Series-AF75TDGIV-Hollowbody-Electric-Guitar-104794359-i1386619.gc') she has small hands, but has no issues. I just bought an Epi Les Paul and am loving it.Epi Les ('http://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphone-Les-Paul-Standard-Plus-Top-Electric-Guitar-101392165-i1149996.gc') Transparent Blue. Middle of the road guitar with a solid sound quality.

Bradster

10-01-2008, 09:35 PM

I am looking at buying my first Electric Guitar. I plan on spending around $300-400. Does anyone have experience with guitars that can advise me on which brand and model to choose? I was looking at three guitars. The Schecter 006 Deluxe, Ibanez Gsz120 and the Mexican Made Fender.

Thanks for the help if any of you play guitar. For that price range I recommend one of two brands
Epiphone Made in Mexico
Love the Les Paul versions. Also with the right pick ups the Studios have a mean bite to them.

Pictured here Link ('http://www.sunshinepump.net/equipment/pics/Epiphone%20Limited_03.jpg')

Fender � Tacotele *cough made in Mexico.

Both sound pretty close to the American ones (which are $800+). Put some hot rail pickups in there and you�re jamming now!

Every guitar type has its own sound. You have to pick which one is for you. I personal love Les Pauls, the sustain the feel and the sound, all perfect. Always make sure you play before you buy, its like a car.

pinotnoir

10-01-2008, 10:23 PM

I got the guitar I linked above. It should be here in a few weeks. The amp I got is the Line 6 Spider III 30w. Hopefully I can learn to shred.

Bradster

10-02-2008, 04:42 PM

Great choice for brand with Line 6, I really enjoy their products. The POD is pretty sweet, I also have their Guitar port for the PC, decent for recording, effects not bad.

Dooz

10-04-2008, 01:18 AM

Love the Les Paul versions Best sounding electric I own. Heavy as hell ... I wan't a hollowbody now. For those bluesier moments. I've been playing my daughters... gain's a little tricky though.

Bradster

10-06-2008, 10:52 PM

Love the Les Paul versions Best sounding electric I own. Heavy as hell ... I wan't a hollowbody now. For those bluesier moments. I've been playing my daughters... gain's a little tricky though.Woot, Les paul 4tw! It took me a year of searching to find a grey smoked Starburst one. I'll have to dig up pics when I get home, you'll love it!

pinotnoir

10-23-2008, 01:03 PM

Well I been playing my new Schecter C1 guitar. I am learning how to play and so far its pretty fun. I cant wait until I can actually play something that sounds like music.

Dooz

10-24-2008, 02:21 AM

Nice. How are your fingertips? :D There are tons of places online for chords and scales. Chords ('http://www.chordbook.com/guitarscales.php') Some free lessons here Free Lessons ('http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/') I'm not sure if you've used any of these yet, but they can save you a little cash. I played with your Line 6 at Guitar center the other day. Great sound at 1/4 power, Cool Amp. Did you get the foot switch too? I think at some point you'll want to if you haven't already. Anyway, Have fun. \m/

Robby

Anjuna

10-24-2008, 02:29 AM

Well I been playing my new Schecter C1 guitar. I am learning how to play and so far its pretty fun. I cant wait until I can actually play something that sounds like music.It better not be emo music!

pinotnoir

10-24-2008, 07:08 AM

Finger tips are getting red. They will build up after time. I will check out those free lessons. Right now I am using a beginner book and I plan on doing some lessons at the shop where I purchased the guitar.

NO EMO music! I would love to be able to shred some metal riffs. I like all music except country and rap. Some of the old school rap is good. I grew up with that stuff but I dont care for anything past 1989.

violent5

10-30-2008, 08:01 PM

How's the guitar now that you've had it for a bit?

This is a guitar and amp I built about a year ago. The body is mahogany like a les paul. I made the neck from flamed maple. I used a gibson humbucker in the bridge position because the same pickup in my les paul is amazing. The single coils are fender texas specials. The bridge has a piezo pickup in it to simulate an acoustic tone. The little amp its leaning on is a clone I made of a '66 Marshall.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa225/Violent5/Picture013.jpg

My brother built this archtop for me. It's a hand carved mahogany body. The neck is mahogany too. I made the inlay in the fretboard. They are buddist mudra hand symbols and my initials.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa225/Violent5/Picture008.jpg

You can hear all three in this song if you want. It's not a great recording. It's just me in my basement trying to write songs and mess with my homemade gear.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=4526092

Redbeard

12-11-2008, 07:39 PM

pinotnoir

12-11-2008, 08:48 PM

Pinot how is your Schecter treating you? I have heard nothing but good things about them, wondered how it was going now that its been a few months.

I am considering getting one myself and trying to learn, probably this one http://www.guitarcenter.com/Schecter-Damien-6-Electric-Guitar-103135687-i1147995.gc?mode=1

Hope all is well, would love to hear how youre doing.

I have not started my lessons yet. I have been working 7 days a week. The guitar is bad ass. I was going to get the one you linked but upgraded to the C1. Its not much more and has much better active pickups. Half the fun in owning it is looking at it sit in the stand.

Redbeard

12-11-2008, 09:13 PM

All I have right now is an acoustic that my dad gave me years ago. Theres no reason I shouldnt be trying to learn on it... I am just being lazy I guess lol. I work quite a bit as well, then I get home and spend time with my family til my son goes to bed at 8. Then I want to play some WoW. I need to dedicate some time to trying to pick up the guitar.

I should find a teacher too but im antisocial (hence the boxing haha).

You mentioned a beginners book, what do you have?

I can totally relate to the whole "half the awesomeness comes from having it and looking at it" lol.

Hachoo

12-16-2008, 06:17 PM

Yeah...sad as it is, the hobby that brings us all to this website also costs most of us to miss out on MANY other things in life.

I own a piano and for awhile was really working on learning a lot of songs, I have a ton of video game consoles that now sit and collect dust, I hardly ever do utilize things outside that I used to enjoy (laying in my hammock, relaxing on my deck with a beer and a book, etc) - all because WoW takes more time :)

Obviously the time playing WoW is very fun but sometimes I think about all the things I COULD be doing instead of playing WoW and wish I was (but not enough to stop playing WoW lol - unless I cancel my accounts).

I go in cycles though, every 6-12 months I cancel my account(s) for 6-12 months then resubscribe again later - I'm sure it will happen again eventually.