Help a noob- first guitar for ambient/drones/doomy sludge and learning

[donkey tugger]

I wouldn't pick out a short-scale guitar if the plan is to use low tunings; will be more difficult to set up a comfortable action without rattling.

Good point actually, the light strings on the Mustang were ok at normal tuning, but I reckon it wouldn't go much lower than D without them flopping around like rubber bands. You'd definitely need a heavier gauge for very low detuned stuff, not everyone's cup of tea.

[donkey tugger]

If you're not that arsed about having a retro look, then also have a look at a Yamaha Pacifica. Nice, well made guitars and great to play, just a bit boring to look at. Not much more than the Mustang.

[.jon]

Awesome responses guys thank you thank you!

Very good point about the running costs, I haven't considered spare parts and maintenance but I'm fortunate enough to afford this hobby. What I don't have as much is time, and that is the main reason for starting cheap- I'm fully aware of the time investment required to become a proficient player... if I fail to slot in regular practice, at least I haven't spent a fortune on the kit.

Also good note about the drop tuning, I'll probably need heavier strings but I guess I can worry about that later when I find my style.

[vurt]

Awesome responses guys thank you thank you!

Very good point about the running costs, I haven't considered spare parts and maintenance but I'm fortunate enough to afford this hobby. What I don't have as much is time, and that is the main reason for starting cheap- I'm fully aware of the time investment required to become a proficient player... if I fail to slot in regular practice, at least I haven't spent a fortune on the kit.

Also good note about the drop tuning, I'll probably need heavier strings but I guess I can worry about that later when I find my style.

definitely, best to get to playing, without too much investment cashwise now.
if you find its your dream, you can invest then.

to get the basiics, leave the tunings/modifications.
any guitar will do for now (well, within reason obviously :hihi )

[Unaspected]

I agree that pretty much any guitar will do for starting to learn. Depending on the kind of sound you want, you could use a guitar not suitable to low tunings and keep in mind that you won't be using it live but retuning between each riff. A Floyd Rose locking system will help a guitar to remain in tune, though it can be irritating to some. With that in mind, a cheap, entry level Jackson might work for you.

Also, I agree that it's perfectly feasible to do everything in the box. Check out Audiority, Kuassa, Mercuriall Audio and Neural DSP.

When it comes to strings, I wouldn't expect the factory strings to be all that great but there's no need to waste them when you're learning. Get into the process of wearing them out before ordering some thicker gauges.

For me, progress seemed stepped. So I would experience little reward or return for a while and then overnight I would seem to level up, as it were. Then plateau for a while before suddenly improving. As muscle memory is involved there must be other unconscious processes involved so don't be surprised if you take a break and return to find you have improved without playing for a while.

Most important thing is confidence as it will translate to record. Confident playing can make a shitty guitar sound great.

[epiphanius]

Regarding playing: I'm an old guy trying to learn guitar, the best advice I have had yet is: commit to 5 minutes a day. Every day. You will end up playing more, but it will not seem so much like work.

[.jon]

Some of your ambient music sounds great, I liked Cloudride, I happily left it playing. It isn't so easy to make ambient music coherrant and interesting, but you have.

I would go with humbuckers, although I use Charvel with J90c for this kind of thing. Single coil guitars probably aren't best for this kind of music, especially if you are new to guitar, you need a lot of feel to get the best out of them.

For the Bullet, I haven't owned a low end Squire, but I would imagine you'll need to learn how to set up the guitar for it to play nice and stay in tune, as I doubt they all come out of the factory with great setups at that price.

Wow, thanks for listening I hope to publish some new tracks soon now that I have more free time again

You are right about the setup, at this price point I'm not expecting more. I find tinkering with a guitar quite interesting! Prepared to finish the neck and frets, Should I fail by myself, there's an excellent local luthier shop just a few hundred meters from my home.

[.jon]

It's on the way with cables, picks, a cheapo Mooer multi-fx for practicing without the computer and a Behringer Superfuzz (1:1 Boss Hyperfuzz clone) as distortion is certainly one thing computers still struggle with. I'm super stoked and honestly feel like a kid again

[Unaspected]

It's on the way with cables, picks, a cheapo Mooer multi-fx for practicing without the computer and a Behringer Superfuzz (1:1 Boss Hyperfuzz clone) as distortion is certainly one thing computers still struggle with. I'm super stoked and honestly feel like a kid again

Nice guitar. Check out Audiority's stomp plugins and you might change your mind. Good distortion has been available from a few developers for a little while now. Especially check out their HM-2 emulation if you want doom or black metal.

[vurt]

distortion/od maybe.
fuzz nope! not there yet

[Unaspected]

distortion/od maybe.
fuzz nope! not there yet

I was happy enough with their efforts to find it impossible not to purchase both the face and the muff. Also we have Cytomic's fuzz to look forward to, next millennium. I jest though. I'm happy to wait. All good things and that.

Currently looking at building a fuzz. It has progressed since I last mentioned. Moved from muff to face (much easier circuit for a first build); sourced (tempted to mispell that) all my parts and half my bits arrived the other day.

[vurt]

distortion/od maybe.
fuzz nope! not there yet

I was happy enough with their efforts to find it impossible not to purchase both the face and the muff. Also we have Cytomic's fuzz to look forward to, next millennium. I jest though. I'm happy to wait. All good things and that.

Currently looking at building a fuzz. It has progressed since I last mentioned. Moved from muff to face (much easier circuit for a first build); sourced (tempted to mispell that) all my parts and half my bits arrived the other day.

there is a case to be made for "in the mix it works" or even for the overall fuzz sound.
i just havent been happy personally with the dying fuzz sound, you know where it breaks up towards the quietest tail of the note (especially with starved battery )

or for live, naked guitar playing as oppose to in the mix.
im not naked, i mean its just guitar

[Unaspected]

distortion/od maybe.
fuzz nope! not there yet

I was happy enough with their efforts to find it impossible not to purchase both the face and the muff. Also we have Cytomic's fuzz to look forward to, next millennium. I jest though. I'm happy to wait. All good things and that.

Currently looking at building a fuzz. It has progressed since I last mentioned. Moved from muff to face (much easier circuit for a first build); sourced (tempted to mispell that) all my parts and half my bits arrived the other day.

there is a case to be made for "in the mix it works" or even for the overall fuzz sound.
i just havent been happy personally with the dying fuzz sound, you know where it breaks up towards the quietest tail of the note (especially with starved battery )

or for live, naked guitar playing as oppose to in the mix.
im not naked, i mean its just guitar

Naked performance can help with vocals though.

But indeed. I know exactly what you're talking about. After a straight clone, one of the mods I want to work on for a second pedal will involve the ability to starve the battery - along with proper buffers so it will work at any stage of the effect chain - though, I'll likely use it straight into my audio interface most of the time.

Also, I did suggest the battery mod to Audiority in that other thread so maybe it will happen and you will also find yourself compelled to make a purchase. I figured I'd pick them up for convenience and the tone of the muff is certainly there (sounds alright on vox too - so you can use it naked). I have less experience with a real fuzz face to say but it does things other plugins don't when playing with the input level so I twisted my own arm.

This is also in the pursuit of doom so we're on topic.

[vurt]

not cheap, but beautiful...

http://fuzzhugger.com/index.html

[Unaspected]

not cheap, but beautiful...

http://fuzzhugger.com/index.html

That is good inspiration. Beautiful work. I think I have a farily unique if not obvious idea for the aesthetics though I am still mulling over the execusion - and buying cases. I think the visual design and how to achieve it will take more than one build.

The door has been opened and I'm starting to see sense in having a little box full of draws.