Musicians where are ya?

[Scaleyinx]

Ok, I know a few of you DW'ers are musicians - and I'm looking specifically for some guitar advice.

I've owned a couple of acoustics in my lifetime, but haven't played in ALOT of years. I want to start playing again, only this time I want an electric guitar, and I want it for performance, not garage band stuff. I have alot of friends who play acoustics, but I don't know anyone over the age of 17 who plays an electric and besides, asking one of them would more than likely just cause some strange facial reactions on the part of the teenager :laugh: . Anyhow, just thought some of you wise ones out there might be able to give me the skinny on what to look for,...maybe some do's and don't...or any other kind of advice you can think of, such as amps and what brands to avoid. Thanks :)

[spider]

Most people get a Yamahah guitar when they start off (or at least should), you can get them in many colors though they usually have the same shape.
They come pretty cheap too.

[BKMDog]

If you can possibly afford it, get yourself a Gibson or a Fender - Les Paul or Stratocaster respectively. Both top of their respective lines ( at least in my opinion ) and designed to give a range of sounds. When you treat 'em reasonably well, they'll last a lifetime. They cost a lot and always have, even when I started playing back in the day. But, you pay more for a Cadillac than a Toyota, so take it from there---

You should be aware too that both Gibson and Fender make less expensive models that'll more than do the job. Nothing wrong with a Gibson SG or Melody Maker, or a Fender Telecaster or Telecaster Deluxe or something similar ( Fender used to make the Venus - a guitar exclusively designed to be more playable by women, so maybe that'll turn out to work for you? If they still make 'em that is. )

If you're on a budget, a Squire brand Stratocaster is very close to the real thing, too. Squires, I believe, are / were made by Fender or by an authorized Korean manufacturer - something like that - but they are very well made for an inexpensive guitar. Were I to buy a new guitar on a budget, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Squire Strat, have a good set-up done on it, get a good amp, etc.---I'd be completely confident using it in a live show.

Amp-wise, a good 'ol Fender Twin Reverb or a Marshall short stack work well for me. A lot of guys I knew were partial to the Mesa Boogie amp, but I'm not sure they even still make those anymore - I haven't seen one in years. Peavey too, makes great little honkin' stage amps. I've also played with guys who went directly into the PA system - no amp, and used an over-drive ( fuzz box ) and various other pedals and sound processors to get the guitar sound they wanted. There are a thousand different ways to do it, depending on the PA you're using, the sound guy and other factors.

So that's the short rap, Scaleyinx. Hope this helps. :)

[knockedoutpanzer]

Good advice from BKMDog. i hate to ask but what sort of music do you want to play?

A good Gibson like a Les Paul or a 335 semi-acoustic will always keep it's value (and indeed may rise if it's a bit rare or unusual),however you can do anything and everything on a Fender Telecaster. Led Zeppelin did not record with the famously expensive 1958 Gibbo Les Paul at first but with a battered but solid Telecaster. Not much goes wrong with it.

Having said that I play a Rickenbacker 620 because I like jangle 60's stuff stuff and The Jam!

Even a cheapo guitar can be improved by putting better pickups and buying a decent amp like as made by marshall,fender and orange/mesa-boogie. Check out any stuff you want to buy at harmony central it has reviews from people who've bought the stuff, NOT rock stars who are being paid to say nice things about a product.

If you've set your heart on one particular make of guitar TRY IT OUT FIRST -I cannot emphasise that enough. I love Fender Jazzmasters but my fingers hate their necks, so it would be a waste of time buying one. And rock! :)

[Toyandgadgetguy]

Budget?

[Scaleyinx]

Hey, thanks guys! :happy:

I've been kinda torn as to whether I really need a beginners guitar or not. You see the last guitar I played was an acoustic Ovation and I loved its deep rich sound. I've been looking at the prices of the electric guitars and noticed there's a HUGE gag between the beginner guitars and pro ones. It's like a $1500 difference with not much in between. Part of me sees it as a waste to pay $399 on a beginners, only to turn around and upgrade to the $2000 one in a year or so. But then, it also seems a bit extravagant to just blow a couple grand (or more with all the additional needed gear)....I mean, supposing I start playing, and then realize I suck as an electric guitarist! :blink: :laugh:

But I've been reading some good things on the reviews about the Gibson Les Paul. Also been listening to the sound effects from a DigiTech GNX4,...damn that's some SA-WEET sounding stuff!

And BKMDog, thanks for the advice on the amps too. I really have no experience with guitar amps. All I ever did before in the past was let some sound person take care of that for me.



...i hate to ask but what sort of music do you want to play?


I want to play some alternative/metal merged with a bit of dreamwave. Right now, I mostly sing vocals with musicians who like classic rock or contemporary styles, but that's only because my friends are limited in their preferences. I love all styles, but my voice is really big and I feel like I could do so much more with a bigger sound. I bought a Korg Pa1X Pro a little over a year ago and I can mimic several other instruments on it, but I can't achieve the electric guitar sound I want.


Budget?

It's fair. Naively I thought I'd be looking at the $500 to $1000 range, but it looks like this could be more like a $2000 to $5000 dollar investment. I'd have to convince the hubby to think of it as a few years worth of birthday's and Christmas presents wrapped into one. :har: Not sure if he'll go for it. Maybe if I tell him he can go ahead and splurge on that big screen TV that he doesn't need he might change his mind. :laugh: :p

[Buckyrig]

It's fair. Naively I thought I'd be looking at the $500 to $1000 range, but it looks like this could be more like a $2000 to $5000 dollar investment. I'd have to convince the hubby to think of it as a few years worth of birthday's and Christmas presents wrapped into one. :har: Not sure if he'll go for it. Maybe if I tell him he can go ahead and splurge on that big screen TV that he doesn't need he might change his mind. :laugh: :p

Pawn Shops. I know you'll probably have to travel to Oakland to find one. :laugh:

My brother got a Les Paul for a couple hundred simply because it had a cosmetic crack in the body.

It's worth the time to take a look.

[Scaleyinx]

Pawn Shops. I know you'll probably have to travel to Oakland to find one. :laugh:



Hey, what a great idea! :w00t:

Although,...Oakland can be a pretty scarey place. I got trapped in someones house one night at a party, because their house goes into lock down after certain hours. Suddenly metal shields covered over all the bars on the windows, and all the doors secured with warning lights... there was no way out!

[Toyandgadgetguy]

Hey, what a great idea! :w00t:

Although,...Oakland can be a pretty scarey place. I got trapped in someones house one night at a party, because their house goes into lock down after certain hours. Suddenly metal shields covered over all the bars on the windows, and all the doors secured with warning lights... there was no way out!

I saw that movie!

[steveo]

Hey, what a great idea! :w00t:

Although,...Oakland can be a pretty scarey place. I got trapped in someones house one night at a party, because their house goes into lock down after certain hours. Suddenly metal shields covered over all the bars on the windows, and all the doors secured with warning lights... there was no way out!

Don't forget to check Craigs List online for your area. You sometimes can find a decent guitar.

SteveO
e3w

[Scaleyinx]

Don't forget to check Craigs List online for your area. You sometimes can find a decent guitar.


YES! Another great idea! Thanks Steveo :happy:

And thanks to all of you guys. This is all really, really helpful. I KNEW you were the ones to ask. :thumbs:

[knockedoutpanzer]

Aha! if you want a big ,modern metal sound perhaps you should try an ESP make of guitar -they make les paul and SG type guitars but have often have "active" pick ups (you need to put batteries in) that are very loud indeed and distort well without losing all your sound in one big horrible mess. (Though they can do that too if that's what you like :p ).

[BKMDog]

Yup. Pawn shops are an excellent place to pick up a good to great used guitar. Be warned though: Guitars, both acoustic and electric can be badly abused before landing in a pawn shop. Said guitars may indeed be given up to get cash for the owner, but many of 'em can be cracked, have a warped neck or worse the neck's truss rod is over-twisted, or other defects - in other words flaws that will make them unplayable in a very short time with any additional, normal wear and tear that might come while performing.

A really good electric or acoustic that you can make your own and will grow with you is worth paying for. Check the bulletin board at your local music store. The private sale via the music store is also a great place to pick up a bargain. Take a seasoned player with you or talk to the store staff when going to look at a guitar that's for sale. It's likely they'll know the individual selling the guitar and can tell you if it's a good deal.

I've been kinda torn as to whether I really need a beginners guitar or not. You see the last guitar I played was an acoustic Ovation and I loved its deep rich sound. I've been looking at the prices of the electric guitars and noticed there's a HUGE gag between the beginner guitars and pro ones. It's like a $1500 difference with not much in between. Part of me sees it as a waste to pay $399 on a beginners, only to turn around and upgrade to the $2000 one in a year or so

Understood, but think about this: Most schooled / experienced players rarely play a stock model. That is: a guitar that hasn't been modified in some significant way from the way it came out of the factory. Point being, you can buy a $399'er guitar, get proficient on it and then take it to a Luthier ( guitar builder ) and he or she can modify it for far less that it would cost to upgrade. It's more personal too, because it really makes the guitar your own and gives you the chance to work with the Luthier to get exactly the sound ( or look ) you want. Jeff Baxter ( Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers ) is famous for taking the cheapest guitars he can find and working on them himself, modifying pickups, adjusting all aspects of the guitar, to make a truly great and personal instrument. Eddie Van Halen's famous black & white-striped pseudo-Strat, seen on the cover of the first VH album and imitated endlessly, is also an el cheapo of his own creation.

As before, a million options. Patience and a little research will turn a good result either from a lovely store-bought stock model ( if your wallet allows ) or a custom job brought up to higher specs by someone who knows how. ;)

[Lord Fejj]

If you want a good electric get a Gibson if you can afford it. I have two Les Pauls and an ES335. I love Gibsons. DON'T GET AN EPIPHONE! I have a Stratocaster and it's been in the closet for years. I do like the Telecasters, but not the standard pick ups that come on them. Get a tube amp, nice warm sound. Fender makes nice amps.
Go to a music store and play some guitars through different amps. A good store will let you do this.
Since your kind of local somewhere around me, my favorite music store is Zone Music in Cotati.

[Buckyrig]

Yup. Pawn shops are an excellent place to pick up a good to great used guitar. Be warned though: Guitars, both acoustic and electric can be badly abused before landing in a pawn shop. Said guitars may indeed be given up to get cash for the owner, but many of 'em can be cracked, have a warped neck or worse the neck's truss rod is over-twisted, or other defects - in other words flaws that will make them unplayable in a very short time with any additional, normal wear and tear that might come while performing.

Yeah...you need to know guitars to make an informed purchase this way and not end up screwed. So, make sure to bring someone with you who is, if that doesn't describe you. :)

[Scaleyinx]

Since your kind of local somewhere around me, my favorite music store is Zone Music in Cotati.

Zone Music,...I love that place! That's where I bought my Korg.

And thanks for the tip on plugging it into various amps. I'm really leaning towards the Gibson Les Paul, but of course, without having played one I won't know yet if it's the guitar for me.


Yeah...you need to know guitars to make an informed purchase this way and not end up screwed. So, make sure to bring someone with you who is, if that doesn't describe you. :)


I have music practice tonight, so I'm going to ask one of my friends if he'll go with me. He might not be an electric guitarist, but he seems to know alot more about guitars than me. If I went by myself, more than likely I'd end up sounding like a complete stooge.

Ya know....I think I'm gonna end up being one of the most vertically challenged electric guitar playing chicks ever! :laugh: