What type of electric guitar should i get?
I really would like to get an electric guitar this summer so that instead of being bored I can play. I haven’t played before but I am really interested. Is there specific types of guitars, and whats the difference between bass, treble, and all of that stuff. (Is it the way it sounds??) btw its for a 13 year old
most beginners are going to start out with a squier strat pack. it’s not necessarily a terrible instrument but I personally don’t care much for them. they are maligned by all the problems associated with a beginner guitar. bad fret work, bad hardware, substitution of lower grade wood, cheap pickups. the list can go on, if you are really picky about this stuff. I make them sound like the plague, but a beginner probably couldn’t tell the difference right away. Anyways the nicer models that squier offers are much nicer, than their basic affinity line. also, its a fact that many beginning guitarist quit because they had a terribly set up instrument.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Deluxe-Strat-Electric-Guitar?sku=517231
the above link is an example of one of their nicer guitars. the finish is actually quite good.
acoustics are great simply because you concentrate on playing and not fiddling with amps, and pedals. Another benefit is increased finger strength because the strings are thicker. although on my guitar I just put on .10 gauge electric strings. Makes for the same playability as an electric guitar if set up well.
while i own and play an acoustic they have a whole different set of variables. so this is something you have to consider early on. acoustic electric or straight acoustic. yamaha makes some really nice affordable guitars. remember that the sonic goals are very different from an electric guitar. usually you want that nice sparkling top end.
Also, I like to advocate smaller brands that don’t get any attention from beginners. most people looking to purchase a new guitar mainly look at Ibanez, squier, epiphone. all decent guitars but their beginner guitars offer low cost at the expense of quality control and grade of components.
You can’t go wrong with a strat or a les paul. traditionally a strat should be made of alder and can have either maple or rosewood fingerboards. les pauls usually will have mahogany bodies with a rosewood fingerboard. having said that, look at musiciansfriend.com and you will notice that guitars usually don’t have this once you start looking at about the 300 for epiphone and 350 for squier. tonewood is important because that is the one thing you cannot later upgrade or swap you are stuck with it forever. you might not even notice but, it is something to consider. it really changes the tonality and resonance of the instrument.
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rondomusic.com is a great reputable site that i haver personally used. they offer great guitars at an affordable price. stick to the brand agile and you will surely get a great instrument.
here is their variant on the les paul, not too many of that type around. thick meaty sounds available. good all around guitar, known for use in rock and roll.
http://www.rondomusic.com/al2000csb.html
and here is a cool take on a strat. almost every company has made some sort of strat is their history. I like rosewood fingerboards, but maple is fine too. maple will be brighter. strats have the added benefit of having a tremolo system. i block it with a piece of cork that i cut in two. this is something you can look into, changes sound slightly and disables trem. it makes for a more stable guitar, especially if your trem springs are not set up well.
http://www.rondomusic.com/st802rn3ts.html
also i understand that you will have a limited budget. spend as much as possible towards the guitar. if that means going without an amp that is fine. for practicing purposes you’ll live. a good guitar is plenty resonant for practicing purposes. cheap amps have little resale value, and you will outgrow them rapidly.
the things above are things that i personally look for when i want a guitar. pickups matter, but that is something that you will learn to discern later on. That is a completely different can of worms altogether. as long as the craftsmanship is there, and the tone woods are good you will be fine. amps and pickups, and guitar pedals are part of the fun but this is something that should be part of a long term investment. i spent 400 for a used Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp, and at least 350 for pedals some of them used. i got a great deal on a blemished raven West strat for about 210 on ebay. this is not counting the mistakes along the way on bad gear choices made as a beginner.
i know its a lot more info than you probably need, but i would hate to see you make the same mistakes i did. guitar is a long term commitment. if you really want to learn the initial investment will pay off.
Monday, 17. August 2009 15:32
Its hard to sum up my understanding into this box, but there are all kinds of guitars, made with different sound styles in mind. If you haven’t played before, get a few lessons from someone you know to start you off. Check what your favorite musicians play online. There’s a world of different guitars. There are websites for this, probably search "guitar forum" and take some time to browse. You will gather knowledge from guitar sites Im sure. Otherwise, I bet one out of 5 people plays some guitar. You should have no problem meeting someone who would tell you about it.
References :
Monday, 17. August 2009 15:45
my favorite electric guitar thats cheap is a squire strat, the look really cool + the have the crisp hard body sound and feel, probly mexican or chinese made for a better price. And i cant tell you what bass and trebble are but your amp should have a booklet that tells you where to put em to make the different sounds.
References :
Monday, 17. August 2009 16:20
most beginners are going to start out with a squier strat pack. it’s not necessarily a terrible instrument but I personally don’t care much for them. they are maligned by all the problems associated with a beginner guitar. bad fret work, bad hardware, substitution of lower grade wood, cheap pickups. the list can go on, if you are really picky about this stuff. I make them sound like the plague, but a beginner probably couldn’t tell the difference right away. Anyways the nicer models that squier offers are much nicer, than their basic affinity line. also, its a fact that many beginning guitarist quit because they had a terribly set up instrument.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Deluxe-Strat-Electric-Guitar?sku=517231
the above link is an example of one of their nicer guitars. the finish is actually quite good.
acoustics are great simply because you concentrate on playing and not fiddling with amps, and pedals. Another benefit is increased finger strength because the strings are thicker. although on my guitar I just put on .10 gauge electric strings. Makes for the same playability as an electric guitar if set up well.
while i own and play an acoustic they have a whole different set of variables. so this is something you have to consider early on. acoustic electric or straight acoustic. yamaha makes some really nice affordable guitars. remember that the sonic goals are very different from an electric guitar. usually you want that nice sparkling top end.
Also, I like to advocate smaller brands that don’t get any attention from beginners. most people looking to purchase a new guitar mainly look at Ibanez, squier, epiphone. all decent guitars but their beginner guitars offer low cost at the expense of quality control and grade of components.
You can’t go wrong with a strat or a les paul. traditionally a strat should be made of alder and can have either maple or rosewood fingerboards. les pauls usually will have mahogany bodies with a rosewood fingerboard. having said that, look at musiciansfriend.com and you will notice that guitars usually don’t have this once you start looking at about the 300 for epiphone and 350 for squier. tonewood is important because that is the one thing you cannot later upgrade or swap you are stuck with it forever. you might not even notice but, it is something to consider. it really changes the tonality and resonance of the instrument.
rondomusic.com is a great reputable site that i haver personally used. they offer great guitars at an affordable price. stick to the brand agile and you will surely get a great instrument.
here is their variant on the les paul, not too many of that type around. thick meaty sounds available. good all around guitar, known for use in rock and roll.
http://www.rondomusic.com/al2000csb.html
and here is a cool take on a strat. almost every company has made some sort of strat is their history. I like rosewood fingerboards, but maple is fine too. maple will be brighter. strats have the added benefit of having a tremolo system. i block it with a piece of cork that i cut in two. this is something you can look into, changes sound slightly and disables trem. it makes for a more stable guitar, especially if your trem springs are not set up well.
http://www.rondomusic.com/st802rn3ts.html
also i understand that you will have a limited budget. spend as much as possible towards the guitar. if that means going without an amp that is fine. for practicing purposes you’ll live. a good guitar is plenty resonant for practicing purposes. cheap amps have little resale value, and you will outgrow them rapidly.
the things above are things that i personally look for when i want a guitar. pickups matter, but that is something that you will learn to discern later on. That is a completely different can of worms altogether. as long as the craftsmanship is there, and the tone woods are good you will be fine. amps and pickups, and guitar pedals are part of the fun but this is something that should be part of a long term investment. i spent 400 for a used Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp, and at least 350 for pedals some of them used. i got a great deal on a blemished raven West strat for about 210 on ebay. this is not counting the mistakes along the way on bad gear choices made as a beginner.
i know its a lot more info than you probably need, but i would hate to see you make the same mistakes i did. guitar is a long term commitment. if you really want to learn the initial investment will pay off.
References :
6 years or so playing.
Monday, 17. August 2009 16:57
For one thing, before buying anything expensive (300$ +), I’d be 100% sure that you or whoever it was for was going to stick with playing and not give up.
I started at 13 with my Sister’s boyfriend’s Fender Stratocaster (Sounds Great with soft rock, blues, jazz, and with the right amp and effects, hard rock and metal.). I’d reccomend him getting someone else’s guitar temporarily first.
Once he/she is sure, I’d go with a Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telocaster, Epiphone Les Paul, Epiphone SG, and MAYBE a Schecter.
The guitar all depends on the type of music they want to learn, whether they’ll want a gainy sound or a clean sound. Also, before you buy the guitar, be sure to read up on reviews.
References :
Myself
Monday, 17. August 2009 17:09
It all depends on what music you like. If you like Eric clapton i would recommend a classic vibe squire strat. (50’s) If you like Metal then you should get a Les Paul or an SG. And if you want something accoustic i would recommend the V200S. Just go to Guitar center or something and try everything out and then pick which guitar feels right in your hands.
References :
Monday, 17. August 2009 17:28
I like Daniel M’s answer, so I won’t cover the same ground. But I will add this:
Buy the instrument from a guitar store, NOT a big-box retailer. A locally owned music store will be your best bet. This means you get the guitar properly set up to play, rather than taking your chances with it right out of the box (and there is a 99.9% chance that cheap guitar at Wal-Mart- Gawd, I HATE Wal-Mart- will be almost UNPLAYBLE right out of the box.) Look for lots of guitars, amps, basses, other gear that are way out of your budget, to find a good shop. They should be able to sell you a decent beginner accoustic guitar or electric guitar and amp setup for under $200 to $300. You can save about half that buying used, but you would be at a disadvantage as to knowing if you are getting a good deal, or a good instrument.
References :