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Electric Guitars

vedhead23vedhead23 Posts: 18
edited December 2004 in Musicians and Gearheads
I've been playing acoustic guitar for about 6 years now and I think it's time to put some money and effort towards an electric. The problem is, I don't know shit about guitars and amps and I need some help to find something decent. I'm looking to spend around $400-500 total (guitar and amp). If anyone can help me out with some ideas, I'd really appreciate it!
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • r1versr1vers Posts: 244
    Just check back in a bit (probably tomorrow) & there should be a nice rundown of options in your price range by mccreadyisgod. ;)
    "Last time I think we played that song here was like, a long time ago, and there was a bonfire in the back and people were like throwing each other into it...very exciting days but a huge fucking relief that that's not how it is tonight..." Ed Irvine Night 1 2003, after Deep
  • guitarjoeguitarjoe Posts: 5
    hey jack,
    somethings to focus on are 1. defining your price range, 2. "your sound" which is the combination between the guitar and the amp. This last thing makes things really complicated. It depends upon your playing style, the type of music you play. You don't need the brand names to have a good sound. They don't hurt by any means, they just cost more. You need patience. You're going to have to go to shops and play the equipment until you find a combination you really like. That's what worked for me. Good luck.
  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    You just have to go to a music store and try everything in your price range. Guitars are way too personal to just buy based on someone's suggestion.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    r1vers wrote:
    Just check back in a bit (probably tomorrow) & there should be a nice rundown of options in your price range by mccreadyisgod. ;)


    Contrary to popular belief, I do have a life outside the BBS...

    Like everyone else said, it's dependant on your price range, desired sound, and dedication to playing. Not to mention whether you want an amp big enough to jam/gig with, or just a nice practice amp.

    With $400-500 to spend, you should probably look at getting a decent guitar (Mexican Strat, Epiphone LP/SG, Ibanez ArtCore, etc) and a small practice amp. Then you'll have a guitar that will last you a few years (maybe even a lifetime), and you can upgrade the amp once you get a band and become a rockstar. And you can still keep the practice amp for jammin' in the bedroom.

    Look around Musician's Friend and see if there are any guitars in the $350-400 range that you like:

    http://www.musiciansfriend.com

    Here are the standard options, but there are more...

    Fender Tele, $350:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/510068/

    Fender Strat, $350:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/511275/

    Epiphone Les Paul, $400:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/518351/

    Epiphone SG, $200:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/518280/

    Ibanez ArtCore, $295:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/519473/

    Look around at others, too. Is there a style of guitar you like the looks of? A style you like the sound of? I'd suggest going to a music shop and play a Strat, a Tele, and a Les Paul, and compare the relative sound, feel, and look of these guitars. You can also look around for used guitars, like on eBay, and beat these prices by a fair amount.

    Once you find a few guitars you like, research them on Harmony Central:

    http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/#man

    They have reviews of guitars by people who already own them. They'll tell you what's good, what's bad, and what to look for and expect. The folks here are also pretty knowledgable... none of us knows everything, but we all know a little, and chances are one of us has played any guitar you'd find (unless it was a really funky rare one). Best of luck.


    *damn it, I really did do a nice rundown of options in your price range... fuck...*
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • vedhead23vedhead23 Posts: 18
    Thank you all for your suggestions, I'm not sure exactly what kind of sound i'm really looking for. I'll just have to go in and try some different stuff out, but thanks a lot for your help!
  • r1versr1vers Posts: 244
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    *damn it, I really did do a nice rundown of options in your price range... fuck...*

    haha there really is no point in the response of anyone else when you give such a good summary to so many questions.
    "Last time I think we played that song here was like, a long time ago, and there was a bonfire in the back and people were like throwing each other into it...very exciting days but a huge fucking relief that that's not how it is tonight..." Ed Irvine Night 1 2003, after Deep
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    jackironschant wrote:
    Thank you all for your suggestions, I'm not sure exactly what kind of sound i'm really looking for. I'll just have to go in and try some different stuff out, but thanks a lot for your help!


    Yeah, trying stuff out will give you the best idea of what you're looking for.

    Figure out if you want a "ducky" Strat sound, a "Nashville" Tele sound, a biting P-90 sound, or a chunky Humbucker sound. Once you know what sound you want, you can couple that to the body style you want... you can, for instance, get a variety of single-coil and humbucker pickups in a Strat, Tele, SG, or Les Paul.

    So, maybe you like the chunk of an SG's humbuckers, but you like the look and feel of a Telecaster (I'm talking about me here). You can then look for a Tele that has two humbuckers, and you'll have the best of both worlds. My #1 guitar is a Tele Deluxe that I had customized with P-90 pickups, so I have the look and feel of the Tele and the sound of Fralin P-90 pickups.

    Let us know what you figure out... once you have a few biases, we can help steer you in the right direction.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • guitarjoeguitarjoe Posts: 5
    You mentioned that you're not sure of what your "sound" may be. If it's possible borrow a friend's guitar and amp for a little while. That way you can experiment on sounds, and find out how a guitar feels. You won't have to spend a ton of money doing this.
  • vedhead23vedhead23 Posts: 18
    A friend of mine just recently told me about G&L guitars, and how amazing they are. He's had one for about a year and he's telling me that they are better than the mass produced fender strats that he's played. Any thoughts or opinions on G&L?
  • The Black CircleThe Black Circle Posts: 15
    G&L was founded by Leo Fender after he had sold the Music Man company to Ernie Ball R.I.P :( , which he had founded after selling Fender. G&L guitars were designed by Leo with a few 'adjustments' from when he first designed his guitars.

    Today, G&L guitars are very well priced (here they are anyway) and the Legacy and S500 lines easily beat the Fender Highway One series of guitars on just about every count apart from having the word 'fender' on the headstock. Very good guitars for the player willing to 'drop the badge' and take a look at the unknown brands and try them out.

    I recommend that you try and try one out in a shop unless your friend has one you could try. Just steer clear of their hardtail bridges as they are ugly as sin
    :eek: .

    Tr_Inv_XL_TSB.jpg
    Tr_Inv_XL_TRNSRD.jpg
    Sleep tight, grim right,
    We have two hundred couches, where you can sleep tonight.
  • who's_pearljam?who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    I've got a G&L Legacy, which is basically a Strat. They are great guitars, the "L" in G&L stands for Leo Fender!, who wanted to build his way when the Fender company was out of his hands and went downhill. A regular Legacy will be better built than most Strats, and they use better hardware and all, unless you go to the deluxes and custom shop Fenders, that have gotten good again.
    I have a Deluxe 50th Anniversary Fender, and it is a superb guitar, but pricey,,, but the G&L is right behind that.
    You can probably pick up a really nice used G&L in or a little above your price range and have a pro quality nice guitar that you'll always have. They have a "Tribute" line that I don't think is quite as nice, but worth checking out.
    Be kind, man
    Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
    __________________________________
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Seeing as how G&L was founded by Leo Fender, a G&L guitar is more of a Fender than any Fender made after 1967.

    You can get new Fenders that are better than a G&L, but you'll pay twice to three times as much for a nominal step up in quality. They're a great middle-ground between a Mexican Fender and an American Fender, and worth every penny.

    Another company worth mentioning in the almost-Fender category is Tokai, which made shameless Fender copies back in the late 70's and early 80's. You can find their stuff on eBay for a very reasonable price, and they're awesome guitars.

    Are you leaning towards a Fender? Strat or Tele?
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • The Black CircleThe Black Circle Posts: 15
    Tokai make amazing LP copies that rival the Gibson LP Standard for less than you'd pay for Gibson LP Studio. I've not heard too much about their Strat-a-likes. Tokai are turning their attention a bit towards their Korean production and the cheaper models, their Japanese made stuff is brilliant though, i especially like their goldtop :) .

    Although they aren't exactly strats Godin make excellent guitars too.
    Sleep tight, grim right,
    We have two hundred couches, where you can sleep tonight.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    The Black Circle wrote:
    I've not heard too much about their Strat-a-likes.

    That's because of the lawsuit filed in (I believe) 1984.

    Paco would CREAM if he saw this puppy...

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3772428514

    Gorgeous... those "U" pickups have a cult following...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    That's because of the lawsuit filed in (I believe) 1984.

    Paco would CREAM if he saw this puppy...

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3772428514

    Gorgeous... those "U" pickups have a cult following...


    damn, they got the finish more right than fender, that's a set of Kinmans away from being really fucking good though the U pickups are pretty damn good as well.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Pacomc79 wrote:
    damn, they got the finish more right than fender, that's a set of Kinmans away from being really fucking good though the U pickups are pretty damn good as well.

    Not to mention it's a fuck of a lot cheaper than a Custom Shop model...
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    mccreadyisgod wrote:
    Not to mention it's a fuck of a lot cheaper than a Custom Shop model...


    it's only roughly $2,000 cheaper than a comprably built Relic.

    Suhr and Grosh aren't that greedy.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
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