zantetsuken Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 hi guys, im sorry if this is in the wrong section, im not sure where to put it lol, ive played the keyboard for a few years, not a pro but a decent player and i thought it was time i gave it a shot at guitars, been wanting to do so for a few years. I was mostly inspired by the style of music by Johnny A, the whole blues/jazz/rock mix, if anyones got similar music they could suggest to me that would be much appreciated. my real reason for putting this up is, i want to get an electric guitar which will let me play the style of music by johnny a, songs like get inside, and oh yeah etc. i didnt know which guitars would do the job tho so thats my question, whats a good suggested guitar?. second, ive been told by some people buy a good guitar and it wil last you a lifetime, and some say buy a cheaper guitar and dont bother spending too much on it. my original intention was to have a budget of bout 2000-2500 on the guitar and around 1000 on a amp, and this will probably suffice for atleast 10 years for me if not more, and since they retain their value very well i dont see the harm in getting a good one. but my question is, is it worth putting money into an expensive guitar even though you are a beginner?. i was considering a les paul, id like to get the johnny a sound as close as possible without killing my budget whats a good way to go?. also ive been told that electric is not a good way to start, is this right? im having difficulty in getting in touch with some professional people mostly just friends who play here and there but nothing serious so i thought id come here and ask. thanks in advance! any help is much appreciated.
albertjohn Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 Welcome I do a bit of teaching with youngsters and my advice is always to only spend between £100 and £150 on a guitar to start. Just in case they don't like it. The simple truth is that there are many good electrics for that sort of money e.g. Squier, Epiphone, Yamaha. All good instruments but not Gibsons or Fenders. My other piece of advice is to have, whatever you buy, professionally setup. Many shops will say they come "setup" byt it's always best to get it done professionally. Any new student is going to find learning difficult on a badly set up guitar. If you really like the playing then go and spend your $2-3K on something that will last you a lifetime. Same with the amp. There are plenty of digital and now valve amps which will do fine for practice at well under $1k. Hope this is of some help.
ChanMan Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 +1 to AlbertJohn's post. Never drop huge money on something you don't know you'll like. Get the Epiphone Les Paul Special II and a Line 6 15 watt amp. Total money should be less than $500 (straps, chords, picks,stands, etc), as the LP will only run you $169.00 and the amp should be around $99. Once you have learned a bit more about the instrument, and can make a more educated purchase, you can go ahead and jump to the Gibson LP and a Marshall stack Think of it like this.... my little girl thinks she wants to play piano... so should I go get her a Steinway Grand for her to try it out? Make sense?
MikeRom Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 Electric guitars are a great way to start. Nothing wrong with acoustics either. Just get what ever floats yer boat and inspires you to play.
Homz Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 IMO Since your already a musician and there is a better then average chance you'll stick with it I wouldn't buy a altra-cheap guitar. I went through about 10 guitars over the last 30 years. I wish I had purchased a decent one to begin with. Not that you really need to run out and get a Gibson Les Paul Standard, but I would get something more then a $200 guitar. If it were me and I had it to do over again my starter would be a Schecter C1 classic which is about $650. That could last you a life time and the playability rivals guitars that cost 3 times as much. I would also suggest you go with a decent digital amp. I.E. Line 6 Spider III 75W digital ($300). It emulates many amp models and even specific songs and artists. That way you can explore many amp models before you spend 1k or more. Good Luck, have fun.
ChanMan Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 Electric guitars are a great way to start. Nothing wrong with acoustics either. Just get what ever floats yer boat and inspires you to play. Yep... another BIG +1 I should have mentioned getting a good acoustic guitar as an option as well. I adore my Ibanez, and it was less than $250....
Thundergod Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 It deppends on what you want to play... electric or acoustic? you can't play the same things on both guitars (ok, most of the things yes you can, but there are some you wont be able to play on both). I would suggest to go for a cheaper rig... Chan's recomendation is great for starting... and if you find out you really like guitar, then you can go and buy a nice gibson or made in USA fender, and a nice amp. Regarding the amp... I know those full stacks look terrific... I used to be one of those "full stack only" guys... but then again... are you ever going to need that much power? are you ever going to afford a roadie with your music? do you have enough room at your place to have one of those laying around? If the answer is not, then think twice... those things are heavy, and will take a huge chunk of your living room, and will be too loud for you to crank without your neighbours calling the cops. Best thing is a low watt tube amp... or, a digital one if you are into those things (seeing as you have been playing keyboards, maybe you will preffer the digital because it will let you use fx). Welcome to the forum by the way... hope you like it here...
retrosurfer1959 Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 I don't really agree with the cheap guitar for a beginner statement for an adult especially a musician. Ive done it myself with other instruments thinking the same thing I'll just test it on a more cost effective instrument and all it did was piss me off and make me frustrated I did it with a mandolin and a resonator. I always wanted to play slide on a Resonaor but thought well who knows if I'll really use it so I went inexpensive and hated them and rarely if ever touched them over a four or five year period. I finally dropped the cash on a good National when I needed it to record an intro to a song and what a change I loved it both playability and tone were amazing I stuck with it and now I use it all the time. I think it depends on more what makes you happy, what you can afford and finding the sound that makes you want to stick with playing enough to learn. If your buying a eight year old a trumpet for the school band buy cheap or rent but for a adult music hobby you get what you pay for. I do agree on the amp though go small nobody needs a full stack in the bedroom to learn to play it just wastes money and annoys th hell out of the neighbors.
SRV-Zeppelin Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 I've played the keyboard for a few years' date=' not a pro but a decent player and i thought it was time i gave it a shot at guitars, been wanting to do so for a few years. [/quote'] Is this your only musical experience? If so, just a disclaimer: don't expect to be able to play all of "Stairway to Heaven" in your first two weeks of playing just because you drop $2500 on a guitar. I've seen a lot of young beginner guitarists who think they're going to be awesome because they own a Gibson, Fender, etc. In fact, it's almost better if you start on a cheaper guitar... that will make you appreciate the Gibson much more once you get it because you'll be able to truly tell the difference. also ive been told that electric is not a good way to start' date=' is this right? [/quote'] As guitarslinger mentioned, whatever floats your boat. Acoustic is better for a beginner in my opinion because you get tougher callouses faster with less playing time, and you can start to sound good once you string together a few basic chords. But hey, if you're set on starting electric, who am I to stop you? Just go with what feels right. And don't go into debt on your very first guitar.
zantetsuken Posted October 30, 2008 Author Posted October 30, 2008 thank you to everyone who replied!:) i really appreciate all your help im thinking i might get myself a decent one of each (acoustic/electric) and try and learn them simultaneously see the thing is im finished uni for the year now and ill be off till all the way mid november till end of february, so heaps of alone time at home or just working so i can pretty much go ahead and devote a lot of time to an instrument, that sorta what made me want to get a good one from the start and just keep it for a lifetime. A friend of mine whos been playing for 7 years or so suggested a les paul slash i think it goes for around 800-1000, but dont quote me on that he said since i was already a musician and i looked commited enough he suggested i go for a decent one from the start, and he suggested a marshall amp to go with that since ive been told theyre the best and they last a long time. on the question of amps, im a little confused since ive been looking around on eBay and stuff i see this quite frequent where they've got XXXXXXXXXXXX amp "Head", whats that?, is that the same thing or is it just like a control panel?, coz they look really small and good enuf for my room, sometimes they're sorta paired up with like a more giant amp underneath so i got a little confused.
Thundergod Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 Well an amp head is just the power and preamp section of the amp, with no speaker/s. That configuration is best known as a "stack", it can be half stack (one 4x12 cab) or a full stack (two 4x12 cabs), some people use heads with 2x12 cabs (I do). Now, the "combo" amp is composed of everything in the same cabinet (speakers included), and can be found in a variety of configurations: 1x6, 2x6, 1x8, 2x8, 4x8, 4x5, 1x10, 2x10, 1x12, 2x12, 4x12 and 4x10... being 1x12 and 2x12 the most common (if we are talking "semi pro" and "pro" equipment). What you need is a small amp, but be sure you get one with at least a 10 inch speaker (the ideal being two 12 inch speakers, as you can buy fine replacements everywere). If you buy from ebay, be careful, people sell lots of fake instruments and goods there... if you see a gibson guitar you like there, you can post it here so we can help you identify if it is the real thing or not.
zantetsuken Posted October 30, 2008 Author Posted October 30, 2008 is it worthwhile going for the "stack" setup? i mean id only be playing at home and stuff. I was thinking of getting a tube amp from marshall but theres so many out there id only need something around 50-60watts for home use any suggestions here?.
zachd33 Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 is it worthwhile going for the "stack" setup? i mean id only be playing at home and stuff. I was thinking of getting a tube amp from marshall but theres so many out there id only need something around 50-60watts for home use any suggestions here?. 50-60 watt tube amp is way more than enough for home use. I just got a 40 watt tube amp and i cant turn it up past 3 without getting the neighbors panties in a twist.
zantetsuken Posted October 30, 2008 Author Posted October 30, 2008 do amps break a lot?, i mean should i get a very good marshall amp from the start? im thinking a budget of bout 1000-1200 on a very good tube amp that will last 5-10 years. i dont know how often you have to replace an amp, but i mean ud have to replace the tubes quite often id assume. but i think clarity is very important and if i get some expensive gear i think my parents would proly nag me into doing it if i give up lol, and im just stuck at home for 3 months so might as well make the best of it. any recommendations on a tube amp?. oh and am i right in looking for a marshall or is it just a stereotype that theyre good.
zachd33 Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 Marshalls are great amps and all, but for the price...I just don't know. I guess if you have money like that then go for it, but i am very happy with my tube/digital amp mix. The Line 6 Spider Valve. It is like $700 new, lots of good presets, built in tuner, 40 watts (very loud) with 1 12 inch celestion speaker. You can go a few hundred more for the 2x12, but the 1x12 is pleanty loud.
myspace.com/jessenoah Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 some valve amps that i really enjoy.............. http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Princeton-Recording-Amp-103946166-i1168502.gc these things might be the best recording amps ever made http://www.guitarcenter.com/Vox-Custom-Classic-AC15CC1-15w-1x12-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp-103635231-i1145854.gc pretty good price, easy to use and sounds good http://www.guitarcenter.com/Blackheart-BH5-112-5W-1x12-Little-Giant-Tube-Combo-Amp-481675-i1387317.gc very fun, crank it and hear what real tube distortion sounds like also, oilpit is trying to sell his jvm check it out, he might cut ya a deal
zantetsuken Posted October 31, 2008 Author Posted October 31, 2008 in terms of acoustics are electric guitars very very different?, i really love the johnny a sound, but obviously cannot afford his signature custom, any recommendations on something thatwill come close?, but for a reasonable price?.
aj Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 hi guys' date=' im sorry if this is in the wrong section, im not sure where to put it lol, ive played the keyboard for a few years, not a pro but a decent player and i thought it was time i gave it a shot at guitars, been wanting to do so for a few years. I was mostly inspired by the style of music by Johnny A, the whole blues/jazz/rock mix, if anyones got similar music they could suggest to me that would be much appreciated. my real reason for putting this up is, i want to get an electric guitar which will let me play the style of music by johnny a, songs like get inside, and oh yeah etc. i didnt know which guitars would do the job tho so thats my question, whats a good suggested guitar?. second, ive been told by some people buy a good guitar and it wil last you a lifetime, and some say buy a cheaper guitar and dont bother spending too much on it. my original intention was to have a budget of bout 2000-2500 on the guitar and around 1000 on a amp, and this will probably suffice for atleast 10 years for me if not more, and since they retain their value very well i dont see the harm in getting a good one. but my question is, is it worth putting money into an expensive guitar even though you are a beginner?. i was considering a les paul, id like to get the johnny a sound as close as possible without killing my budget whats a good way to go?. also ive been told that electric is not a good way to start, is this right? im having difficulty in getting in touch with some professional people mostly just friends who play here and there but nothing serious so i thought id come here and ask. thanks in advance! any help is much appreciated.[/quote'] Are you LH or RH? If you are left handed, your options become extremely limited, both in style and availability, and your costs will be higher. (Unless you get lucky and find a closeout sale) I would suggest handling lots of guitars before you buy - there are both subtle and not so subtle things that can make a big difference. I like my (Epi) Iommi SG, but the 24 fret neck is reeaalllllyy long, and the neck tends to drop. Because of the relative high output of the Iommi pups, it's not a 'sweet' for lower volume or un-distorted songs. I like my LP Studio - it's shorter, so it is easier to play. It's also quite versatile style-wise. It's fast becoming my preferred instrument. I liked the idea and sound of a Strat (or clone thereof) until I actually found a LH one to play. I discovered because of the way I position my hand over the body, due to the volume knobs location relative to the strings, I tend to accidentally roll the volume knob. Annoying, to say the least. To that end, while I understand the logic of "buy good quality once, it'll last you forever," and "you get what you pay for" but spending a chunk of change on something that you may find uncomfortable or difficult to work with, doesn't "fit" your body build, etc, may not be the most practical route, if that makes sense. Amp wise... part of it depends on who else is in your house. I have a 60w. Have to get some volume in it for it to sound "right," especially distorted. Great if no one else is home, but if they are, and are trying to (watch TV), we'll then there's a problem. Also tends to annoy the neighbors if you have your windows open AJ
zantetsuken Posted November 2, 2008 Author Posted November 2, 2008 hahahz i see wht u mean, to answer your question i am right-handed. i spoke to one of my mates whos been playin for a few years this is what he said. i dont know if this is fact or fiction so i thought id ask you guys. 1. dont spend so much money, if you go over 2000 theyre guitars made for people who play for a living 2. on a 50-60W amp (good quality marshall im thinking) you wont be able to tell the difference between the acoustics of the two 3. for a beginner theres really no need to spend so much on it, instead i should get an epiphone les paul. but in my opinion, this is what im thinking...tell me if im right or wrong here if i get a good guitar, i want something that looks really good...and logically ill have to spend a decent amount of money for something that looks as well as it plays, second of all if it cost a fair bit i will feel like i should play it more often to get the best bang for my buck, and utilise it and lastly im an audiophile and i love clarity above all in music i want to be able to play blues/rock the whole slow music thing and i wnat it to be crisp, i dont know how good epis are, but i read somewhere theyre cheap and korean made? i feel really dedicated to guitaring and if i can see some results in a few months of playing i really want to pursue it and become really good at it, which is really making me confused on how much to spend. are there any recommended les paul models that i should try out? if so shoot and recommend them to me=D
Tim Plains Posted November 2, 2008 Posted November 2, 2008 1. dont spend so much money' date=' if you go over 2000 theyre guitars made for people who play for a living[/quote'] I don't play for a living, have you seen my equipment? You're going about this all wrong, to be honest. If I were you, I'd spend an afternoon in a music store playing every guitar that interests you. Acoustic, electric, Gibson, Epiphone, Fender, whatever...just play them. See what feels comfortable and what sounds good to you. Play them all, play the electric guitars acoustically first and then plug them into an amp...into the same amp for consistency. Once you have an idea of the guitar you like, go back home and do your homework on it. Gibson.com, Fender.com a forum, etc...and really, study up on what's on the company's website because a Gibson Les Paul isn't a just a Gibson Les Paul. There's like 10 different ones. All look the same to the untrained eye, but they do have their differences. Once you buy a guitar, then use it (or the same model in the store) to pick out an amp. The same applies for amps. Marshall, Fender, Vox, whatever...just try them out and see what you like. It's not about "look what I have" it's all about "what sounds good to me." Amps. Three types you should know about. Solid-state, tube, and hybrids. Tube amps sound much better to most people, but they are not as reliable as solid-state amps. Solid-state amps are turn on-play-turn off. Tube amps have these light bulb looking things in them (hence the name) that require love and affection to prolong their life cycle. If you can't hear the difference between solid-state and tube, then don't spend your money on a "good" tube amp because it's wasted money. Same goes for the guitar if you can't hear/feel a difference between a Gibson Les Paul and an Epiphone Les Paul, don't waste your money on a Gibson. Watts. If you plan on playing with a drummer, than you should look into powerful amps. Otherwise, a 15W amp is more than enough to handle your needs. Unless you want something bigger, which is entirely different. Johnny A. Honestly, with the amount of pedals out there, you can sound like anybody. As for how much money you should spend...none of us can answer that for you. You can buy starter kits, where you get a guitar and a solid-state amp for around $200 - $300, or you can jump into a $2,000 - $8,000 guitar/amp combo. My first guitar was a Fender Squire Stratocaster. I can't remember the amp that came with it, it was something small but did the job. Paid around $300 for it around 10 years, I think.
Thundergod Posted November 2, 2008 Posted November 2, 2008 1. dont spend so much money' date=' if you go over 2000 theyre guitars made for people who play for a living [/quote'] bullsh¡t... most guys in the forum dont play for a living and have the nicest guitars (I dont play for a living and am planning on buying some more gibbies and fenders). 2. on a 50-60W amp (good quality marshall im thinking) you wont be able to tell the difference between the acoustics of the two 50-60W is a little too much for ome usage' date=' get a 5W-15W amp... even the 15W will be a lot for home, specially if it is a tube amp. 3. for a beginner theres really no need to spend so much on it, instead i should get an epiphone les paul. That's debatable... an epi is fine but its flaws will not encourage you to practice and become better... the magnificence of a gibson or a USA made fender surely will. I would go for a studio or a standard, a nice dist/od pedal and a vox pathfinder 15r... if you still have some money left you can buy some pedals: wah, delay, chorus. Ok, that's what I would do because that setup is nice for home use (the amp is solid state so no manteniance needed) and sounds great with a lester.
zantetsuken Posted November 3, 2008 Author Posted November 3, 2008 i think what you say is absolutely right, i dont know why but for some reason i seem to have my heart set on a gibson im going to go out to the store a few times and try as many guitars as i can and ill go for the one i like, speaking of small amps i heard they dont sound very well?..how much should you invest in an amp if your guitar is say 2500ish...i mean obviosuly to get the best sound outta that you should invest in a decent amp as well..any recommendations are welcome. and i was thinking bout a gibson studio atm...that seems really nice. btw whats a lester?
Tim Plains Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 Lester = Les Paul. zantetsuken, here's where you get into opinions, to which there are no right answers. How much should you spend on an amp? Well, price shouldn't influence your decision. It's what sounds best to you. If you do go the tube amp route (which you probably will), expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $5,000. Fender has a bunch of great amps in/under the $2,000 range. That doesn't mean you should spend $2,000 on an amp. You may try out a $500 Fender Blues Jr. and just love it. Then again, you may not. I paid around $600 for my 15W Vox and it's perfect for home use. I paid a little more than that on my stack and it's overkill...but that's what I was looking for. Who told you small amps don't sound good? You should stop listening to that person.
zantetsuken Posted November 3, 2008 Author Posted November 3, 2008 i think what im going to do is go out and try as many guitars and amps i like and buy the best one i like regardless of its cost, i think getting into the whole cost business is drifting me away from the passion of the playing, if i see a guitar i like ill post up something up here to ask for an opinion on peoples experience with that guitar for a second opinion as well as the amp. btw i dont have much experience with tubes, but how long do tubes last?...i know if u turn them on and off too much its not very good...but how long do they last practically?.
Thundergod Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 Try the Fender Supersonic... you can go for a stack or a combo version. They are not too expensive. You should give small amps a try... I have 2 small amps that I really love, one of them is solid state and it sounds very nice (15 watt vox pathfinder with reverb and trem)... I remember I used to think small amps sounded horrible... but then I started playing through them with a gibson... then with a higher end parker... then with an american fender... they sounded amazing (which lead to me buying two)... I realized the thing that maded them sound awful was the guitar, not the amp itself, so be careful, you can make a nice and probably expensive amp sound bad with a guitar that doesnt sound well, you can make a nice and probably expensive guitar sound bad if the amp doesnt get along with her.
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