i've been wanting to learn for a while and i havent had the money. i finally have enough and was wondering what electric guitar would be good for newb. i dont want to spend 90 bucks on a piece of crap, then have to go spend 250 on something better once i improve.
my range is about 240.
my range is about 240.
Do you mean electric? If so..
Ibanez.
Good stuff, not expensive.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--IBAIJS20
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Electric?sku=519658&c_tid=topseller
ZZounds has the better deal.
My student has the Ibanez red Stratocaster copy version of this package. If you get good, you can play it onstage without any snickers.
Ibanez makes equipment for beginners or serious pros...Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are Ibanez men.
Where are you located?
Ibanez.
Good stuff, not expensive.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--IBAIJS20
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Electric?sku=519658&c_tid=topseller
ZZounds has the better deal.
My student has the Ibanez red Stratocaster copy version of this package. If you get good, you can play it onstage without any snickers.
Ibanez makes equipment for beginners or serious pros...Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are Ibanez men.
Where are you located?
If you mean acoustic guitars, I recommend Alvarez.
http://www.guitarstop.com/Alvarez/RD20S.htm
Both my 6 and 12-stringers are Alvarez. They just sounded better than any other brand in my local store, and they're cheap. Years later, i'm still banging away on it.
http://www.guitarstop.com/Alvarez/RD20S.htm
Both my 6 and 12-stringers are Alvarez. They just sounded better than any other brand in my local store, and they're cheap. Years later, i'm still banging away on it.
In electrics, Yamaha makes good value guitars, that play very well. Buy used - especially if you don't know how to play yet. Used guitars sell for about half of new ones, and most folks take care of their guitars pretty well so lots of nice used instruments are around. You can get electrics that play very well pretty cheap. Again, Yamaha seems to be the best value in my view, and I like the feel of the fretboard better than some other brands.
In acoustics, $240 won't get you anything very good, but I'd recommend used here also. The higher dollar acoustics play so much better than the cheap ones. Larivee or Taylors would be my recommendation there, but that's a much higher price point.
IF you're in Nashville check out Nashville Used Music for a great selection of used stuff
http://www.mwcamerica.com/num/
In acoustics, $240 won't get you anything very good, but I'd recommend used here also. The higher dollar acoustics play so much better than the cheap ones. Larivee or Taylors would be my recommendation there, but that's a much higher price point.
IF you're in Nashville check out Nashville Used Music for a great selection of used stuff
http://www.mwcamerica.com/num/
Yep, used is definately the better value, as long as you know what it is you're shopping for.
I'd suggest taking someone who knows about guitars around to pawn shops and used gear stores with you. Pawn shops do no maintainance, so their selection is usually covered in dust and rust, and may have scratchy electronics.
Strings make all the difference in the world. A good guitar will feel like crap if it has rusty strings.
I'd suggest taking someone who knows about guitars around to pawn shops and used gear stores with you. Pawn shops do no maintainance, so their selection is usually covered in dust and rust, and may have scratchy electronics.
Strings make all the difference in the world. A good guitar will feel like crap if it has rusty strings.
Gunny said:
DUDE! Can you play "Eruption"??
Edit: This afternoon I found this 12-year-old girl who can.
a buddy of mine who knows a little something about guitars recommended this when i showed him those two links.avvie said:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Guitar/Electric?sku=519633
he said squire feels more like a fender than ibanez. if it's really worth the extra 40 bucks i'm willing to go that far, but i need a second opinion.
bigtitan53279 said:
The Squier is basically the lowest end Fender Strat. Personally, I think the Ibanez is a little better guitar, but I'm sure I wouldn't have to look too hard to find someone to argue about it with. If you've never played before and you are just starting, you'll be so busy learning chords and licks that you probably won't be able to tell much difference.
Guitar choice is important, and I applaud you for spending time researching, but at this point the most important thing is 30 minutes a day of dedicated practicing and a good teacher.
A Squier or an Ibanez would be fine as a starter guitar to learn on. Pick the one you think looks better and start jammin' :winker:
bigtitan53279 said:
Two things at play here:
1--it's a matter of feel, like your friend said. But I'm guessing that, at this point, you really don't know the difference in neck radius' enough to know if it will effect your playing.
2-There is a drastic difference in the SOUND of the Squier and the Ibanez. See the pickup at the bridge of the Strat? It's a single-coil...much thinner sounding. Switch position 2 will make the 1st and second pickups out of phase with each other, for a trebly, bell-like tone (The Fixx "Saved By Zero")...also a great tone for country music. 4th position does the same thing with the middle and bridge pickups for a very bluesy tone.
Both Ibanez that I posted have a dual-coil humbucking pickup at the bridge position. It's a thicker, heavier sound that eliminates hum (hence the name). This is what you want if you're getting into rock or metal...the gain is higher to help drive distortion.
The one at Zzounds has 2 humbuckers...this is the arrangement made famous by the Gibson Les Paul....definately a heavy rocker or, with both pickups on, a great jazz sound.
All three have a good blues tone using only the bridge pickup.
What style are you wanting to play?
Well then you won't be needing any lessons :ha:
You'll definately want something with a humbucker. If things go well for you, you may find that in a couple of years (or less), you'll be talking yourself into replacing the stock pickups with Dimarzios or Seymour Duncans.
You'll definately want something with a humbucker. If things go well for you, you may find that in a couple of years (or less), you'll be talking yourself into replacing the stock pickups with Dimarzios or Seymour Duncans.
i went to the store today to kind of play around with them. i'd have to say the squire was more comfortable. i think that's the one i'm going to end up getting.
thanks for the help guys.
thanks for the help guys.
I started with a Fender Squire Strat (back in the day), and I still use it today. It's the crunchiest of my guitars. I replaced the stock pickup with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail (probably called something different now) and it absolutely smokes
foer punk and metal, you can pretty much go by a pawn-shop-finger-shredder, change the strings, (get someone to) set the intonation and shred on Garth
for you, your choice of Amp / Distortion may be more important than Axe
It may also be in your best intwerest to go ahead and get an intermediate guitar (chances are that you'll end up with more than 1 - I currently have 5) I good Epiphone Les Paul might work out for ya
furthermore, for crunchy metal, I ended up buying a 7-string (Vai/Petrucci/Satriani all play or have) , there's nothing like having a Low B string through heavy Distortion
Rock On
foer punk and metal, you can pretty much go by a pawn-shop-finger-shredder, change the strings, (get someone to) set the intonation and shred on Garth
for you, your choice of Amp / Distortion may be more important than Axe
It may also be in your best intwerest to go ahead and get an intermediate guitar (chances are that you'll end up with more than 1 - I currently have 5) I good Epiphone Les Paul might work out for ya
furthermore, for crunchy metal, I ended up buying a 7-string (Vai/Petrucci/Satriani all play or have) , there's nothing like having a Low B string through heavy Distortion
Rock On
If you want a Fender Squire you can get one used for much less. I recommend going to a used shop and just look around and haggle to see what the going prices are. Lots of folks move up from starter to more expensive guitars, adn there's a glut of what you're looking for.
For punk and metal you'll definitely want a humbucker pickup on the bridge (that's a fat double looking pickup down next to where the strings attach to the body of the guitar.) It's nice to have some single coils too for different sounds. I think a humbucker at the bridge and two single coils - on middle and one at the neck (a fat strat setup) gives a good array of sounds.
For punk and metal you'll definitely want a humbucker pickup on the bridge (that's a fat double looking pickup down next to where the strings attach to the body of the guitar.) It's nice to have some single coils too for different sounds. I think a humbucker at the bridge and two single coils - on middle and one at the neck (a fat strat setup) gives a good array of sounds.
bigtitan53279 said:
I don't know where you live or what store you visited....but PLEASE go back and buy it THERE and not on the internet. Sorry! I am big on that.
Also....check out the Schecter guitars.
www.schecterguitars.com
skitch said:
I second that. Trust me, you'll want that store to still be in business when it's time to change strings.
Besides, I've never found the prices to be that different (at my store, at least).
Your not going to get anything great for $250 so I would consult someone that's plays and knows what to look for. The way that the guitar plays is very important when your learning to play guitar. If it plays like crap it will most likely sound like crap and you probably won't play it as much. Thus, you'll probably hang it up sonner like most do. I would definatley buy a used guitar. You'll get a complete pile of crap if you spend $250 on a brand new guitar so get out of the musiciansfiend stuff and get online line to read reviews to find something nice.
Look for a guitar that goes for around $500 or $600 new and try to find it on Ebay in your price range. It may sound risky buying a guitar on Ebay but several of my friends have done it and none of them have gotten ripped off yet. You can find a really good deal on a nice guitar here and have it set-up if need be. By "set up" I mean take it to a guitar shop and have the action and intonation set so that it plays perfectly. It's really not a problem.
Here's an example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Standard...410496824QQcategoryZ38082QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This Fender Strat is a great guitar that goes for $369 new and you could find something like this in the upper two hundred's or so. I would look for a Standard Strat. They sound great, they keep their tune pretty good and you can use them for any type of music. Ibenez are alright but I've never really been impressed with any of their lower end guitars. Getting a good guitar is just a start. I've been playing guitar for over fifteen years so if you have any qustions feel free to pm me.
Look for a guitar that goes for around $500 or $600 new and try to find it on Ebay in your price range. It may sound risky buying a guitar on Ebay but several of my friends have done it and none of them have gotten ripped off yet. You can find a really good deal on a nice guitar here and have it set-up if need be. By "set up" I mean take it to a guitar shop and have the action and intonation set so that it plays perfectly. It's really not a problem.
Here's an example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Standard...410496824QQcategoryZ38082QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This Fender Strat is a great guitar that goes for $369 new and you could find something like this in the upper two hundred's or so. I would look for a Standard Strat. They sound great, they keep their tune pretty good and you can use them for any type of music. Ibenez are alright but I've never really been impressed with any of their lower end guitars. Getting a good guitar is just a start. I've been playing guitar for over fifteen years so if you have any qustions feel free to pm me.
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