one brand that's very underrated is Peavey - particularly used ones. With one model in particular being the Predator Plus model (the ones to look out for are the US-made Strat-styles that you only need to replace the cheap tuners on, and the Korean-made three tuners per side headstock models). I "rescued" my Predator for $150 CDN, and dropped better pickups into it over the last few months, it now sounds killer.
one place to check out for guitars are thrift shops. Although you'll generally wade through tons of crap, occassionally you can find something of interest.
I just this week found an ancient Harmony arch-top f-hole acoustic which, after a cleaning and putting on new strings, has turned out to be an exceptional axe.
Beginner's electric guitar - recommendations pls
-
- KVRist
- 289 posts since 6 Jan, 2003 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
"Ooo, look at me, I'm making people HAPPY! I'm the Magical Man from Happyland! In a gumdrop house on Lollypop Laaaaaaane!" - Homer Simpson
-
- KVRist
- 42 posts since 31 May, 2004
there is no differemnce between guitars for beginners or advnaced players to pros.
on a cheap guitar you think after sometime that its you fault, that it doesnt sound good.
buy a cheap ibanez vai-style guitar in a shop or at ebay. maybe with a floyd-rose on it. so wil habe a fine guitar that sounds right and you can do wverything on it because it comes with a perfect neck, especially for beginners. (pros like them as well ...)
if the thing is stylish or not doesnt matter ... it shall do what the player wants it to do. everthing else is behaviour that belongs in the kindergarten.
ibanez sells the best guitars for the price. and dont look too much on mtv, the guitars there to be seen are seldom played in reality.
I play since 35 years and never hab a better guitar under all aspects as ibanez-vai-type guitars.
) and thats why I will get a Brian May Red Special next week .... after 30 years of waiting on it .... ))
ah, why I tell you that all?? I am a guitar teacher and this discussion about guitars I have one every month ...
on a cheap guitar you think after sometime that its you fault, that it doesnt sound good.
buy a cheap ibanez vai-style guitar in a shop or at ebay. maybe with a floyd-rose on it. so wil habe a fine guitar that sounds right and you can do wverything on it because it comes with a perfect neck, especially for beginners. (pros like them as well ...)
if the thing is stylish or not doesnt matter ... it shall do what the player wants it to do. everthing else is behaviour that belongs in the kindergarten.
ibanez sells the best guitars for the price. and dont look too much on mtv, the guitars there to be seen are seldom played in reality.
I play since 35 years and never hab a better guitar under all aspects as ibanez-vai-type guitars.
) and thats why I will get a Brian May Red Special next week .... after 30 years of waiting on it .... ))ah, why I tell you that all?? I am a guitar teacher and this discussion about guitars I have one every month ...
-
- KVRAF
- 2356 posts since 30 Sep, 2003 from Sunny Staffordshire
I think you could do much worse than going for a Yamaha Pacifica. I used to sell guitars and these were the choice budget model. Squire comes a close second, there newer models are alright!
-
- KVRAF
- 2401 posts since 29 Dec, 2002 from In the dark
I'm surprised that no-one here recommends the stratocaster. There are some look-alike recommendations, so it does not look tooo bad then.
I have my strat for about 20 years now. Still great. They are not the most expensive out there for beginners if you go for the American standard. There is a good reason why this is the world's best selling guitar ever. I think that reason is that is the best value for money. If you don't like the strat sound, don't buy it though. There is no way you can hide the signature sound of a strat.
I have my strat for about 20 years now. Still great. They are not the most expensive out there for beginners if you go for the American standard. There is a good reason why this is the world's best selling guitar ever. I think that reason is that is the best value for money. If you don't like the strat sound, don't buy it though. There is no way you can hide the signature sound of a strat.
-
- KVRist
- 43 posts since 26 Feb, 2004 from Hamilton On.
So cool.
I just did this 6 months ago...
What I did was I went to my favorite music store Long & Mcquade in Canada and asked my favorite cool sales guy what he thought was affordaly the best. I then rented a used guitar, a Godin SD for a month and then bought it. Its kinda a strat style and got real good reviews on the Harmony Central site with people preffering it over their better guitars. Its easy to play and stays in tune forever. If you find a Godin I would try it on to see how it feels. Oh and get a hard case too, really helps to protect that investment.
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/D ... SD-01.html
I just did this 6 months ago...
What I did was I went to my favorite music store Long & Mcquade in Canada and asked my favorite cool sales guy what he thought was affordaly the best. I then rented a used guitar, a Godin SD for a month and then bought it. Its kinda a strat style and got real good reviews on the Harmony Central site with people preffering it over their better guitars. Its easy to play and stays in tune forever. If you find a Godin I would try it on to see how it feels. Oh and get a hard case too, really helps to protect that investment.
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/D ... SD-01.html
-
- KVRian
- 693 posts since 21 Oct, 2003 from Madrid
If you are really serious about learning the instrument. Buy the best guitar you can afford.
I have seen many ppl give up early because they bought a cheap shit guitar that could not be played and blamed it on themselves as not being "good at it"
Peavey, Epiphony and the Fender Squire line come to mind as really good bang for the buck.
Best of wishes on you new endeavour.
Germ
I have seen many ppl give up early because they bought a cheap shit guitar that could not be played and blamed it on themselves as not being "good at it"
Peavey, Epiphony and the Fender Squire line come to mind as really good bang for the buck.
Best of wishes on you new endeavour.
Germ
-
- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
What the...Sepheritoh wrote:I'm surprised that no-one here recommends the stratocaster. There are some look-alike recommendations, so it does not look tooo bad then.
I have my strat for about 20 years now. Still great. They are not the most expensive out there for beginners if you go for the American standard. There is a good reason why this is the world's best selling guitar ever. I think that reason is that is the best value for money. If you don't like the strat sound, don't buy it though. There is no way you can hide the signature sound of a strat.
The very first recommendation was a strat! The Pacifica is a strat-style (there's a tele-style one as well, but it's not as widely available). I echoed the Squier recommendation, but indicated that I thought a "fat strat" would be better for recording in front of a CRT. There have been all kinds of strat recommendations. <chuckle>
Godin guitars are exceptional! My other electric is a Godin LG. I haven't actually tried an SD, but the build quality of the guitars I've seen in shops (eg. Long and McQuade) is wonderful, and best of all-- it doesn't just look like a cheap, generic knock-off guitar. It is its own beast!
I'd have to agree AND disagree that there are no 'beginner' or 'pro' guitars. I agree because a pro might well choose a "budget" guitar if it's the right sound and feel. And a beginner can use a 'pro' guitar because it will actually work properly and therefore encourage practice.
However, a "budget" (ie. 'beginner') guitar features cheaper components and less craftsmanship that can contribute to a few things: 1. weaker tone (cheaper woods and pickups = tone drainage); 2. instable tuning (cheap tuning machine heads that let the string go slack) 3. poor action (nut too high or too low, ditto for the bridge) 4. poor intonation (frets, nut, and bridge not accurately seated in the right spot in relation to the others)
Overwhelmingly, though, you'll find that the "budget" guitar simply hasn't been "set up" correctly, and this is something that can be fixed by a good technician in most cases. They'll intonate the guitar, adjust the neck for the right amount of relief, and set the height of the bridge for optimal action, as well. In some cases, luthiery would be required (removing and adjusting the nut, or levelling the frets), but a good set-up will usually be enough.
If you get them to do the set-up for free when you get the guitar, you're laughing. Otherwise, spend a little bit of money to get it done and you'll be happy in the long run. Eventually, depending on the kind of person you are, you may learn to set up your guitar on your own!
Greg
Greg
-
- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 14 posts since 16 Dec, 2003
Excellent - thanks very much everyone. I have a guitarist friend who I'm sure I can dust off and drag around the shops with me.
In the meantime, I'm off to grow my hair long and get a perm.
In the meantime, I'm off to grow my hair long and get a perm.
-
- KVRAF
- 2401 posts since 29 Dec, 2002 from In the dark
j2cuba wrote: In the meantime, I'm off to grow my hair long and get a perm.
-
- KVRAF
- 13444 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
Another kinda vote for the Yamaha Pacifica series. Excellent beginner guitars, great VFM.
Still it'd be even better if you can take a friend with you and look for a used one.
Maybe even a used Pacifica.
Some thoughts though:
- I would carefully listen to what Greg (aka Lunch Money) said. Single coils can be a TRUE pain in the ass in case you're using CRT's. Also, in case you'll be running the clean signal into your soundcard, then amplifying it inside your host, you will most likely end up with a bit more noise as well (seems that most signal chains plus amp sims introduce more side noise than real guitar amps) - and noise gates can't cure everything.
- I wouldn't get a guitar with a tremolo for a start. They go out of tune more often, jobs such as complete string replacement are taking more work as well, plus certain techniques can't be learned as easily on them.
Along those lines, Mr. whiteaxxxe, greater bullshit has never been heard, regarding beginner guitar recommendations.
I would NEVER recommend a Floyd Rose to a beginner, let alone a Vai-guitar. They aren't cheap either.
In addition, I find them to sound lifeless.
A starter guitar should be something allowing you to just let it gather dust after a while, should you ever decide you'd need another sound. Vai guitars don't fit that scheme.
And while you're saying they have a "perfect neck", that has just got to be another pile of nonsense, as for many traditional playing styles it's too thin. In addition the frets are jumbos, so high finger pressure (a problem for almost all beginners) will lead to serious detuning.
So, to the original poster, get something solid, non-fuzzy, whatever. Stratstyle is good (very ergonomic shape), humbucking along with it might be even better (even if not sounding exactly authentic).
In case there's a tremolo on it, make sure it can be fixed for a start.
Still it'd be even better if you can take a friend with you and look for a used one.
Maybe even a used Pacifica.
Some thoughts though:
- I would carefully listen to what Greg (aka Lunch Money) said. Single coils can be a TRUE pain in the ass in case you're using CRT's. Also, in case you'll be running the clean signal into your soundcard, then amplifying it inside your host, you will most likely end up with a bit more noise as well (seems that most signal chains plus amp sims introduce more side noise than real guitar amps) - and noise gates can't cure everything.
- I wouldn't get a guitar with a tremolo for a start. They go out of tune more often, jobs such as complete string replacement are taking more work as well, plus certain techniques can't be learned as easily on them.
Along those lines, Mr. whiteaxxxe, greater bullshit has never been heard, regarding beginner guitar recommendations.
I would NEVER recommend a Floyd Rose to a beginner, let alone a Vai-guitar. They aren't cheap either.
In addition, I find them to sound lifeless.
A starter guitar should be something allowing you to just let it gather dust after a while, should you ever decide you'd need another sound. Vai guitars don't fit that scheme.
And while you're saying they have a "perfect neck", that has just got to be another pile of nonsense, as for many traditional playing styles it's too thin. In addition the frets are jumbos, so high finger pressure (a problem for almost all beginners) will lead to serious detuning.
So, to the original poster, get something solid, non-fuzzy, whatever. Stratstyle is good (very ergonomic shape), humbucking along with it might be even better (even if not sounding exactly authentic).
In case there's a tremolo on it, make sure it can be fixed for a start.
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
-
- KVRist
- 42 posts since 31 May, 2004
right!!j2cuba wrote: In the meantime, I'm off to grow my hair long and get a perm.
) the best you can do before you hit the world with a guitar in your hands ... )"the bitter comes out better on a stolen guitar ...." (David Bowie)
thats not a hint how to get a git cheapest ...
-
- KVRian
- 588 posts since 14 Feb, 2003 from Rural splendour (Up North, England)
Call me Mr Boring, but the Pacifica/Squier opinions are spot on. Epiphone often get a mention (especially if you're looking for a dual humbucker Les Paul type guitar) but you may need to play a few to find a really good one.
Other makes to try (redundant information as I assume you'll try everything in the shop below your price ceiling!) would be:
Dean - I've never played one but I've heard good things about them from people I know and trust
Steinberger - maybe an odd choice but they are affordable (at least they are here in the UK - about £250), have a tremolo which you can lock until you're ready to use it, have rock-solid tuning (even when abusing the old dive bombs!), are *very* portable and produce a good range of tones. The downside is that they use unusual strings (with a ball at each end) so you might have to buy a few packs at a time off the web
Paul Reed Smith (don't laugh!) - although best known for the ultra high-end stuff PRS do a range of starter guitars (I think they all have an "SE" suffix (for "Special Edition")). The Santana and the latest "soapbar" model (don't know the name) have had rave reviews so might be worth a look.
Bottom line - there is no guitar, no matter how much you pay, which is "great" for everyone. You need to find people who can advise you on build quality, features etc. but you have to find the guitar which feels right for you. This is hard/impossible when you don't play yet, but if something feels right at this early stage then you're more likely to stick with it through the hard times (i.e. learning barre chords and hammer ons!).
Regards,
Derek.
Other makes to try (redundant information as I assume you'll try everything in the shop below your price ceiling!) would be:
Dean - I've never played one but I've heard good things about them from people I know and trust
Steinberger - maybe an odd choice but they are affordable (at least they are here in the UK - about £250), have a tremolo which you can lock until you're ready to use it, have rock-solid tuning (even when abusing the old dive bombs!), are *very* portable and produce a good range of tones. The downside is that they use unusual strings (with a ball at each end) so you might have to buy a few packs at a time off the web
Paul Reed Smith (don't laugh!) - although best known for the ultra high-end stuff PRS do a range of starter guitars (I think they all have an "SE" suffix (for "Special Edition")). The Santana and the latest "soapbar" model (don't know the name) have had rave reviews so might be worth a look.
Bottom line - there is no guitar, no matter how much you pay, which is "great" for everyone. You need to find people who can advise you on build quality, features etc. but you have to find the guitar which feels right for you. This is hard/impossible when you don't play yet, but if something feels right at this early stage then you're more likely to stick with it through the hard times (i.e. learning barre chords and hammer ons!).
Regards,
Derek.
Less than 1000 posts and writer's block has set in 
-
- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
Excellent suggestions, Derek. The PRS SE guitars still aren't 'cheap', but the extra $$ (not all that much!) will get a quality guitar that will last as a new player learns and grows, which is often more valuable than a mere price-point winner.
I was interested in what you said about the Steinbergers. Are they 'true' Steinies or the Gibson-made ones with the rosewood necks? A true Steinberger used to cost $2,000+, so if you've found a source for cheap ones, I'd be interested.
Greg
I was interested in what you said about the Steinbergers. Are they 'true' Steinies or the Gibson-made ones with the rosewood necks? A true Steinberger used to cost $2,000+, so if you've found a source for cheap ones, I'd be interested.
Greg
-
- KVRAF
- 4908 posts since 10 Aug, 2004 from Colorado Springs
My guitar collection:
2001 Fender Fat Strat (Made in Mexico - I re-wired it so the neck tone control is a master, and the middle tone control is a variable split on the tail humbucker)
1985 Peavey Milestone - letting the high school kids at church use this for their drop-D chugfests.
2002 Larrivee L-03-E, and absolutely glorious acoustic guitar.
2004 SX P/J bass guitar - Precision knock-off with a jazz pickup in the tail location.
Of all of these guitars, I would say that the best value for the money was the SX, believe it or not.
I paid exactly $119 for this bass, and the fit and finish far outshine the Fender MIM strat, particularly on the neck (the fret job on the SX is unbelievable). Far better than any Squiers or Fender bass guitars that I have ever played or auditioned at stores.
They have several strat copies available, mostly for under $150. If you want to see what these babies look like inside (which is very important for a mostly single-coil guitar), they have a better shielding job than even Made in Mexico Fenders.) Here is the link to a guy that records mostly country rock and rockabilly type stuff, almost exclusively with SX and Agile (a sister brand) guitars and he took photos of all of his strats, even of the insides.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jaysmith/
The website for the store that sells them is:
http://www.rondomusic.net
-Scott
2001 Fender Fat Strat (Made in Mexico - I re-wired it so the neck tone control is a master, and the middle tone control is a variable split on the tail humbucker)
1985 Peavey Milestone - letting the high school kids at church use this for their drop-D chugfests.
2002 Larrivee L-03-E, and absolutely glorious acoustic guitar.
2004 SX P/J bass guitar - Precision knock-off with a jazz pickup in the tail location.
Of all of these guitars, I would say that the best value for the money was the SX, believe it or not.
I paid exactly $119 for this bass, and the fit and finish far outshine the Fender MIM strat, particularly on the neck (the fret job on the SX is unbelievable). Far better than any Squiers or Fender bass guitars that I have ever played or auditioned at stores.
They have several strat copies available, mostly for under $150. If you want to see what these babies look like inside (which is very important for a mostly single-coil guitar), they have a better shielding job than even Made in Mexico Fenders.) Here is the link to a guy that records mostly country rock and rockabilly type stuff, almost exclusively with SX and Agile (a sister brand) guitars and he took photos of all of his strats, even of the insides.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jaysmith/
The website for the store that sells them is:
http://www.rondomusic.net
-Scott
