Need suggestions for first guitar

[musicmaven]

I'm finally going to take up electric guitar but have no idea where to start. I'd appreciate any suggestions on what a good first guitar would be. Thanks.

 

alex

[Teahead]

Welcome to the forums Alex, there are guitar players from all walks of life, covering every imaginable ability here, I'm sure you'll find it a very useful and even inspiring place for your quest to learn.

 

It's very easy to pick up an excellent first guitar for a reasonable sum these days. Ideal for your needs are the Fender Strat starter packs, with 10watt practice amps, if you have a friend or teacher who plays, ask them to pick one out that plays well in a local music store.

 

Quality can vary, but with a little knowledge and a little looking a great guitar can be had for a great price. If you don't have anyone to help you choose, decide what feels most comfortable to you. Imagine the guitar is like buying new shoes, you are going to spend lots of time with it so choose one that feels 'right' to you.

 

You will get them cheaper mail order, with the slight risk of getting a 'bad' guitar, search for Fender/Squier starter packs.

 

A question I always ask is what guitar or guitar player made or makes you want to pick it up and play, because that's what you have to do most of, pick up and play.

 

So, your first guitar? It should be as comfortable as the most comfortable pair of shoes you've never had, wink at you flirtatiously from the stand, and make you feel as cool as your favourite guitar player when you strap it on.

 

I hope that makes some sense to you. Soon there will be countless model suggestions flying on this post. The guys here will help you decide, I've no doubt, best wishes, Tea.

[Gato]

Originally posted by musicmaven:

I'm finally going to take up electric guitar but have no idea where to start. I'd appreciate any suggestions on what a good first guitar would be. Thanks.

 

alex

How much do you want to spend?

[Guitarzan]

and what types of music are you into?

[tahitijack]

There are thousands of roads leading to your destination. The right one depends on what you want to play. A simple answer is a Fender Strat. This is a good starting point which might lead to a Gibson Les Paul, Fender Tele. The Stat is comfortable with blues, rock and jazz. Happy sunsets.

[Dave da Dude]

musicmaven,

 

First off, WELCOME !

 

Boy, you sure asked for it, the I dont know anything, what should I buy? question will probably go on for days or weeks.

 

That being said, now, I'm going to "ramble on" for a bit here, so I apologize first. First, let me tell you my history as a way of showing you what to do, and NOT to do.

 

I started playing acoustic 'bout 1965. I went through two or three cheap ones, then (having graduated college and being financially able to consider more expensive options) decided to "stop screwin' 'round" and get a "good" guitar. After MUCH research, playin' and negotiating, I got a 1972 Martin D-18. I still have it, and have never regretted buying it. It sounds as like you've got the acoustic bases covered, so, on to electrics.

 

After getting married in 1973 and practicin with my cousins band for a while, I stopped playin for lack of time, a euphemism for lack of interest. About 1985, I got a 12-string (Ovation) that had built-in electronics (internal microphone?) at my wifes urging because I was finally able to discern that this was the sound that she liked, so I also needed an amplifier. When choosing an amp, I "stepped up" a notch from my first choice to a Roland Jazz Chorus 55 because I liked all of the controls (more knobs must equal better) and I wanted more power (55 watts, 100 watts being "meca" in my mind). It's a solid state amp with chorus, a very rare option on amps I found out almost twenty years later. I still have the amp, and in retrospect it was a very good choice. I also got a Seymour Duncan SA-1 (its now up to a model SA-3, I think) Sound Hole pickup for the Martin. I had screwed round with cheaper ones and the home stereo before with very marginal results. This also was an excellent choice and I still have it too.

 

Then I decided I wanted an electric guitar 'cause it was and I wanted to play Rock 'n Roll instead of Folk and Folk Rock and ".. be a Rock 'n Roll star .." I bought my first guitar 'cause it looked cool. It was a red Jackson look alike. I don't even remember the pickup configuration (didn't even know it could make a difference) w/ tremolo. I decided after a few weeks that the guitar was a piece of crap (true), and went back to the same store for another. This time I came away with a slick lookin', sweet playin' Ibanez RG600 (white w/ purple burst, "Cream Cheese & Jelly") that had two humbuckers (HB's), that I finally realized (in 2003) were active humbuckers. I loved it and practiced pretty regularly with it. Sweet sounds, but not that hard rockin Rock n Roll sound.

 

After a year or so, I lost interest with the guitar again and moved on with my life and made a coupla moves (geographic) and wound up in eastern Tennessee where the electric guitar (Cream Cheese and Jelly) was stolen in 2001.

 

I got a replacement for Cheese Cream and Jelly on the internet at ebay (2002), a Raven (Korean made) H-S-H (HB, SC, HB) pickup config with the rational that it; a) looked cool purple quilted top with gold hardware and b) the pickup configuration would allow ANY type of sound. It still looks cool, but after much research (here on the Guitar Forum), playing and listening, I find that it does NOT give all sound possibilities and that NO guitar ever will.

 

In my quest for the sound that I wanted (Classic Rock with some Hard Rock), I was finally convinced (correctly) that what I needed was not different guitars or effects (efx) pedals, but a tube amplifier. I got a used amp on ebay for $350 that is not a main stream or popular brand (Randall) with all the features that I wanted and more; two channels (clean & dirty), 1/3 power (for lowER practicing levels, still pretty loud) and bias switching for 6L6 or EL34 power tubes. Again, no regrets, absolutely the right thing to do );

 

Firstly, the amplifier is just as important, if not more so, than the guitar. Solid state (open or articulate, some say clinical or sterile others say) or tube (raunchy, Classic and Hard Rock, hi gain tube distortion), OR if you can afford it BOTH.

 

Secondly, the guitar, OR guitars (again depending on budget). There are two basic styles; the Fender (open, articulate, cut through the mix) SC, SC, SC setup with alder body and maple neck with 25 1/2 Scale Length; or the Gibson Les Paul (growl, fat, rockin) twin HBs, with mahogany body and neck and 24 ¾ Scale Length. There are of course are MANY variations on these two schemes, but the choice still narrows down to one of the two. IMHO, you ultimately need one of each, and maybe (dependent on your needs/wants) a Gibson ES335 (semi-hollow body, ala Chuck Berry) or clone.

 

It is difficult, if not impossible, to compensate for the body and neck construction style and material, Scale Length, or pickup configuration; or the basic amplifier type.

 

There will be many opinions, all good, of what you should do, but IMHO you should keep the two basic amplifier types and the two basic electric guitar types in the forefront of you mind; and choose the one(s) that best suit what you would like to do.

 

Dave the Opinionated

[Tedster]

Thank you, Dave Tolstoy!

[revorhythm]

Please man dont give in to the fad of getting a strat. be original if you want fender get a telecaster, or if you go epiphone/gibson, get a les paul or sg. or be real original and get a semi-hollow body for your first. just dont get a strat.

[Blue Strat]

Originally posted by revorhythm:

Please man dont give in to the fad of getting a strat. be original if you want fender get a telecaster, or if you go epiphone/gibson, get a les paul or sg. or be real original and get a semi-hollow body for your first. just dont get a strat.

What's wrong with Strats? It they're set up right they're awesome! I would however recommend that a Double Fat Strat or a Fat Strat be considered instead of the plain-jane Standard Strat. The three guitars everyone should have are a Strat, Tele, and Les Paul (or copies there of).

 

If you really want to stand out, get a Danelectro or an old Silvertone or Harmony. But keep yer hands off'a mine, mister!

[Dave da Dude]

Tedster,

Thank you, Dave Tolstoy!

You're welcome, you're welcome (he says bowing low and graciously)

 

For my next short novel ....

 

Okay, so I've always had some trouble being concise ... as well as a penchant for understating things

[Teahead]

Originally posted by Tedster:

Thank you, Dave Tolstoy!

Is that what Lennon meant when he said "Give Peace A Chance?"

 

Was he encouraging us all to finish the second half of that gargantuan book(!)? Or Daves post? I think I'll take W&P, sorry Dave.

 

Hey, I do feel like I know you better, and it was a really well constructed post too.

 

You know I'm just messing with you about the other stuff, best wishes, Tea.

[Tedster]

I've gotta say a word about Strats. I'm a Strat guy. Yeah, they're a fad, but, they're also extremely tonally versatile. So that's the reason I'm a Strat guy. But, I also have a bunch of other guitars for different tones etc. So...I'd say get the kind of guitar that goes along with the kind of music you like. If you're a chunka chunka kinda guy who likes bands with Cookie Monster vocals, get something with humbuckers rather than single coils. That sort of thing. And nowadays, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get the basic equivalent of the sound you like.

[Guitarzan]

i like the cookie monster description! seriously you are correct on a strat being very versatile. if you add a bucker in the bridge, then the chunka chunka stuff is easily mastered on one instrument. strats are longer scaled so drop tunings are clearer as well. c is for cookie that is good enough for me!!

[Teahead]

Ditto on the Cookie Monster line, fantastic Ted...

[Dave da Dude]

musicmaven,

 

Sorry for the novelette in reply to your queston. Let me try and summarize.

 

1) Learn everything you can before you buy.

 

2) Decide which sound you want to do first. Do you like Cream (Les Paul) or later Eric Clapton (Strat), etc.

 

3) a) Buy the best you can afford to.

b) If you can't afford to buy "good", then buy brand name and well known models. When you "trade up" later, you'll get more money back on the first axe.

 

4) Spend as much on the amp as the guitar.

 

5) Oh, yeah, and have fun

 

6) Sorry, I forgot the MOST important; check back with us and let us know what you did, post pics, sound samples, etc.

 

Sorry, that's as concise as I can be.

 

Dave the Novelist

[demarc]

I never was much of a stratocaster fan. I always liked Gibson styles and copies with their shorter scale length and dual humbuckers.

 

Then I picked up used Yamaha fat strat copy for cheap a while ago and am impressed with the sounds and feel. Kinda funny, used Yamaha Pacifica's don't go for much money...

 

My point is that with so many strats(and copies) around, you have a good chance of finding a deal on a nice one.

 

(In a Homer Simpson voice)

Hmmm.... Guitar shopping....

[Tedster]

Originally posted by Teahead:

Ditto on the Cookie Monster line, fantastic Ted...

Shucks...I wish I could say I thought of it. But when I heard someone say "All these bands these days have 'Cookie Monster' vocals" I nearly split a gut laughing...and Guitarzan...I remember when my youngest son, Derek, was little, him singing that song over and over.

 

Yeah...have fun in your quest for a guitar, Alex!

[revorhythm]

really i got nothin against strats if they work for you fine. but from my perspective every tool at my school buys a strat to start playing, but then never try anything else they just get stuck on strats are the best. personally id rather have a tele. but that basically covers my single coil selection, except for some gibsons with p-90s.

[J J]

if i were you i'd probably go for a Squire (tele or strat)

 

or i'd buy a epiphone if i had enough dough

 

but if you only wana spend around around 200 and wana get an amp, go with one of those starter packs

 

or wait, maybe a squire starter pack

or maybe an ephiphone starter pack or something

i dont know...

just listen to these jokers

[musicmaven]

Thanks for all the suggestions and stories. I'll give you a little back story and what I'm looking for: This electric guitar will be my first guitar ever and I'd like to spend around $500, including the amp and such. I'm looking for a guitar that would be good to start out on but that I can continue to play once I'm past the beginning stages. I'm into all types of music but would like to be able to play songs by zeppelin, clapton, the strokes, and kings of leon(ha). I'm also wondering about the transition from electric guitar to acoustic and vice versa. Is either way easier? How vast are the differences? I'm coming into this thing not knowing much at all except I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to play music. I'm not sure where to start exactly and the best way to learn. Any ideas and suggestions are welcome. Thanks again.

 

alex

[Teahead]

That's a nice sum to be spending Alex, you should be able to get a guitar and amp that meet your needs perfectly.

 

When you listen to the strokes, which guitar tone do you prefer? The reason I ask is that one plays a chiming Fender Strat and one plays a darker Epiphine Semi. If you can tell us which sound you

prefer then you have your answer as to what you should go with.

 

I suspect from your Jimmy Page and Kings of Leon tastes you may choose the Epiphone/Gibson sound with it's powerfull humbuckers over the single coil voiced Fender, but I could be wrong!

 

Try looking at Epiphones hollow bodies if you like the KOL and thicker Strokes sound, or an Epiphone Les Paul for the Page/Early Clapton vibe.

 

As for an amp, well a Fender Blues Junior would nail the tones you're after perfectly. Coupled to an Epiphine LP or Semi it would go into thick and creamy overdrive that just screams the kind of blues you're describng. It's a 15watt tube amp, with a sound similar to that of the Hot Rod Devilles used by The Strokes, except a little warmer, which is good! Problem is it's over $300 new I think.

 

So maybe something like the Fender Champion 30 DSP which is more resonably priced at $229. The Champion is a solid state amp, not neccesarily a 'worse' sound than a tube amp, just different.

 

I don't hesitate to recommend the Champion because it has built in effects like delay, chorus, and flange which save you a bundle whilst still coming within your budget. If you can get a Blues Junior, maybe ex-demo or a clearance deal, then great, you'll have just the sound you're after.

 

If not, don't worry, the joy is in the learning, not sounding exactly like anyone. You'll have plenty of time to worry about tone in your years to come... Sorry for another long winded answer too, hope some of this helps.

 

Click here to see the Blues Junior

 

Click here for a nice Ibanez Hollow body

Click here for an Epiphone SG, a la K\'O\'Leon

Click here for an Epiphone Les Paul, Go Jimmy Page style!

[Dave da Dude]

musicmaven,

I'm also wondering about the transition from electric guitar to acoustic and vice versa. Is either way easier?

IMHO, it is better to go from acoustic to electric, because the acoustic takes more fret hand strength and therefore the electric (at least on the fretboard part) is a "piece of cake". However, the electric has other styles that are unique to the electric and therefore do not transfer well from the acoustic to the electric.

 

BUT, many people on this forum have gone the opposite way 'round very easily, so it's not really a big issue. Besides, if you don't really like the acoustic, you probably won't play / practice nearly as often.

 

And, yeah, it sounds like you're headed towards the twin HB Les Paul or ES335 type of sound, and the Epiphone would be a good place to start (BTW, it's taken me almost two years to figure out that the double cut Epiphone Les Paul clone is the "Del Ray", just in case you like that look better as I do). I'll leave the amplifier to more knowledgable people in that area, although I've heard plenty of good stuff 'bout the Blues, Jr.

 

And, yes, $500 is a good realistic budget for decent quality gear. IF you were to choose an Epiphone clone, I've heard that just changing the pups (in a year or two when you want "better") makes a tremendous difference for "only" $150 or so. Oh yeah, and try to get the model with the mahogany body 'n neck, the cheaper model is not. That might mean you have to go used.

 

Good luck! Have FUN!

 

Dave

[tahitijack]

Used Fender Highway 1 Strat & Pro Jr. Amp......done

[Dave da Dude]

I agree, BUT it sounds like musicmaven is leaning towards the twin HB Les Paul side (is that the Dark Side? ), AND his budget is $500. The Highway 1 alone is $550 or so.

 

I don't know the best bang for the buck, or what amp; but the Epi LP clones would be a good place to start if that's what he's lookin' for.

 

Dave

[Dave da Dude]

My last post got me thinkin', so I took a look on ebay. I had my search set for Epi Elite's and this came up. If the price stays down, this could be a great deal!

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2372382427&category=33037

 

I never did get to the standard Epi LP line.

 

Time to actually practice on the guitar.

 

Dave

[Blue Strat]

Ok, here's what I'd do with $500.

 

1) New Fender Standard Tele (made in Mexico) - $300

 

2) Peavey Rage 158 or similar practice amp with distortion/clean switch. $100 or so.

 

3) That leaves $100 to spend on a gig bag, guitar cable, picks, strap, and a tuner. If you watch for deals at Sam Ash or Guitar Center you can pick these items up fairly cheap.

 

Oh, and sign up for all the sales catalogs that Sam Ash or Guitar Center(Musician's Friend) puts out.

Fender Strat

Peavey Rage III practice amp

Gig bag

Tuner

10\' guitar cable

 

Total: $506.95

 

It's good stuff too. The guitar should last you a lifetime if taken care of and routine maintainance performed. The cable has a 25 year guarantee. The tuner might be all you'll ever want. The amp you might want to upgrade after you've been playing for a year or two. The gig bag I'd keep for my cheaper guitars, but I'd upgrade to a hard-side SKB case when I got the money.