Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Saurdaukar on July 01, 2005, 10:43:53 PM
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I need a new hobby so Im going to put some of my strings exposure to use and pick up the electric geeeeeetar.
Thus far, in my e-travels, the Yamaha PAC112J seems to have the best reviews for 'overall beginner' guitar.
Thoughts? Disagreements? I can most likely get away with this thing and an amp for under $350 or so, which is attractive to me... dont need to be spending $1K+ on a Fender or something...
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My kid has an "in" at Musician's Friend here in KC. He goes down to the returns department and picks up some impressive stuff on the cheap. He's gotten two for himself so far that are ~$600-800 for ~$500. Yeah, there's a scratch or three but nothing that really affects playability or sound.
He'll be home for the 4th and he's going looking. If you like, he can look for you.
Generally, you get what you pay for; the hardware on the more expensive ones is better and easier to keep in tune.
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If you're looking for a cheaper Strat style guitar, I'd highly recommend Aria. I picked up one of these http://www.ariausa.com/series/stg003/stg003.html and loved it. The body is of great quality, pickups are decent, and the neck is one of the better cheap guitars that I've played. I've since butchered it up with a Fender neck and electrics, but it played like a dream right off the shelf.
(http://mywebpages.comcast.net/tafulwider/sunburst1.gif)
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The worst advice ever is "Get something cheap first, and figure out if you actually like doing it. If you do, then get something better."
It's the same no matter what the hobby is. If you get something cheap it will be more frustrating, less rewarding, and you're gonna give it up before really knowing if you actually like doing it.
Jump in with both feet - always.
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Get something nice...it makes all the difference. Shoeboxes with fishin line dont cut it.
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Originally posted by Nash
The worst advice ever is "Get something cheap first, and figure out if you actually like doing it. If you do, then get something better."
It's the same no matter what the hobby is. If you get something cheap it will be more frustrating, less rewarding, and you're gonna give it up before really knowing if you actually like doing it.
Jump in with both feet - always.
That's becuase the word "cheap" is wrong. You want something inexpensive and with the quality of inexpensive guitars these days you can't go wrong. Have someone you know who plays guitar pick one out for you. Stay with acoustics until you feel you are ready to get an electric and even then practice practice practice on an acoustic. If you can pull it off on an acoustic you can rip on an electric. I have 10 guitars right now. 2 of them are acoustics.
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young musicians are notorious for selling their gear cheap, hold off buying from a music store and check local trade papers and look for bargains there. do NOT invest a lot of money on a guitar until you attain some proficiency with it. i was a working musician for nearly 20 years and i have seen people that only had a passing or impulsive interest sink vulgar amounts of money in equipment. My best advice if you are a new player is to buy an acoustic, typically they will require a tad more strength to play, but this will help you later and you will not need an amplifier. The clarity will also help you develop an ear for tone... hope this helps
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Alvarez Acoustic. The strings lay close to the neck.
Karaya
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Ovation are decent sounding guitars, can be had fairly cheap, Necks are smooth as butter.
Personally I play an older Washburn acoustic, very good sound, not cheap, but also not Alvarez.
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I agree with DiabloTX and 6GunsUSMC about acoustic first. You never stop playing an acoustic and you need the basics first. Acoustic and electric are really two different animals, but both are about tone - clean fingering with one and learning how to mute strings with the other.
Yamaha is good stuff for the money. It will come down to what feels good in you hands.
Here (http://tech-rep.org/mytunes/could_u.mp3) is an mp3 with an acoustic/electric mix. I use a Yamaha acoustic and bass plus a Yamaha effects box (DGStomp) with the electrics - A Strat and a Tele. (It's not quite finished yet, but it's getting there. A sample of what one person can do with a Mac and Garage Band Software)
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Just be sure to find something with an acceptable amount of action in the strings. I made the mistake of buying a cheap acoustic off E-bay, and it turns out the action is somewhere in the area of 2 miles high with the strings staying in tune for maybe 3 sessions.
The high action makes it hard to finger chords properly, and the tuning is just a nightmare when trying to play various songs.
So in short, make sure you actually get a feel for the guitar you're buying, paying close attention to the rudiments and how easy they are carried out on that particular guitar.
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Thanks all.
The school of thought Im running off of it that Im going to gravitate towards electric anyway and one of my buddies, who does a local cover band thing just told me to skip the accoustic unless I want to be a "purist."
He also stated that its, byenlarge, easier to learn electric than acoustic.
So... two schools of thought... hmm... anyway - thanks again. :)
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Learn to play an acoustic
Get big callouses and strong fingers .... or you'll play like a hack, like most do :D
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I'd recommend starting with an electric. There's a huge difference in playability between a cheaper acoustic and a higher quality one. Cheap acoustics can be a pain to fret and frustrate the heck out of ya. A cheaper electric is going to be easier to play. IMO unless you plan on spending a lot of time around a campfire, you're better off learning on electric.
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Rule #7
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If you want to compare it to drumming (which I did for 10 years before playing guitar), playing a cheap acoustic is like using drum sticks wrapped in sand paper. It's needlessly harsh and difficult.
As for cheap guitars and cheap amps always sounding cheap, that's a common misconception. There are guys that will spend thousands of dollars picking up the exact gear that their idol used to try and get that sound. What most don't realize is that 90% of the sound comes from your very own hands. Hand SRV a knockoff strat and a practice amp and it'll still sound like SRV. If you learn how to pull good tone out of sub-pro equipment, playing on the good stuff is gravy.
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check out
jay turser guitars.
Made in china so they are cheap but surprisingly well made.
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Standard Fender Strat somewhere around $350, good to start with, not too expensive, and can usualy be easily modified. Got my crate 15 watt amp for $99.99. Look around and don't settle til you're sure.
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Unless you plan to do this for a living or something, I come down on the electric guitar side also. Just more immediate gratification... more fun.
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Having played for 30 + years this is my advice to you based upon my experience and reading the responses to your question. The acoustic approach for a newbie is the correct approach. It will teach you the proper fretting techniques and build your hand strength. Second it will teach you the proper picking tecniques because acoustics can be less forgiving. Now having regrettably worked for (Guitar Center as a manger) for a short and regrettable period of my life, let me tell you a little bit about the grind in the purchase of your new instrument. They will sell you any crap that generates profit for them. (All stores including the online variety do that). Now with that being said what do you do?
You make up your mind why do I want to play an instrument? Is it because I want to learn how to play? I have to much time on my hands? Something to do when I'am flying bombers on AH2:rofl ?
If it is the first one (learn how to play guitar) Buy the one that looks good to you, has a nice rich sound, and a solid non laminated top. Get a case for it and a dampit and sign up for some basic lessons and practice your bellybutton off! After you have done that send me an email and if you want to go electric, I will walk you through that minefield.:aok
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Trying to post image having hard time, how about some help here guys.
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That's a good point, Nash. He never said he wanted to play well. :p
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But that's something, right? :)
I mean... I would never talk someone into going directly to electric guitar if they were young or serious. I don't think that's the case here.
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What ever you do..dont buy any guitar without having played it..And bring an experienced player so he can look for what you can't see is potentially fugged.
Yamaha,Peavy,Fender Squire,Hammer...all great priced guitar that have good pickups/hardware(and easily upgadable)
Happy Pickin'!
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I'd recommend starting with an electric. There's a huge difference in playability between a cheaper acoustic and a higher quality one
yup..i teach guitar and bass..im a light and sound tech for a music store..been in music for 20years..play every weekend in a local bar band for 6 years now..i recomend starting electric...if you start some one who never played a guitar on a acoustic..i normaly find they progress much slower..harder to play..harder to make sound good..and harder to learn your cords on..they tend to give it up much faster..electric much easer to play...you can play acoustic on electric..plus play dirty<~~which most kids wanna play anways....kids and people tend to give up easy..best to start them off with the easiest playing..then move them up..kinda like a game..start on easy and move up to hard
i like acoustic and electric..there both fun to play...i got a nice nippon gekkii classical i enjoy and a old carlos..played a few martins in the store..there very nice acoustics....but for 3 to 500 bucks you will find a nice electric in most any music store..even japan made fenders are good anuff....the argument about acoustic and electric can go on and on...best thing is to get what you want!! and from the name of the thread sounds like electric
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Originally posted by Cougar68
. There are guys that will spend thousands of dollars picking up the exact gear that their idol used to try and get that sound. What most don't realize is that 90% of the sound comes from your very own hands. Hand SRV a knockoff strat and a practice amp and it'll still sound like SRV. If you learn how to pull good tone out of sub-pro equipment, playing on the good stuff is gravy.
This is so true...a talented guitarist can make the worse piece of crap on earth sound great, I've seen it done many times.
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Originally posted by nirvana
Standard Fender Strat somewhere around $350, good to start with, not too expensive, and can usualy be easily modified. Got my crate 15 watt amp for $99.99. Look around and don't settle til you're sure.
Yep....recently picked up a standard Fender Telecaster for my daughter...mint con. used $199.00. Now this *cheap Tele* plays and sounds so much like it's 800 dollar American big brother it is hard to beleive.
I've been giving beginner guitar lessons for many years and of course what to buy is an oft asked question. Electrics do fret easier than acoustics, (for the most part), but something I tell my students is...it's gonna hurt for awhile so you've got to want to do it.
Bottem line, value for dollar you cannot go wrong with Fender's entry level guitars.
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Originally posted by Manedew
Learn to play an acoustic
Get big callouses and strong fingers .... or you'll play like a hack, like most do :D
Alvarez Acoustic. The strings lay close to the neck.
Karaya
Amen!
Go Acoustic first... if the need to play electric then buy an Ovation. There's nothing better than the sound of an Acoustic played well that a Electric slamed hard with no talent...
Ovation
1962 Yamaha
3 piece back Terada
I play a lil.
Mac
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Get an acoustic. It will still work after the breakdown of modern society due to the upcoming nuclear holocaust.
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Yea Acoustic way to go. So is a bunker for the hollocaust.:eek:
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As far as electrics go. If the hollocaust does not come.
1. Gibson Les paul custom
2. Late model Fender Strat( Custom builts and signature can be nice)
3. PRS custom 24 can be nice (Santana)
4. Ernie Ball Musicman maybe axis,axis sport or Van Halen all good
5. Late Model Gibson Hollow Body Or Epiphone say before 1970.
Alvin Lee, John Lennon Eric Clapton, Duane Allman. George Harrison. All played Hollow body.
All electric have their own playing personality. I own many and use them for different applications Some can be very forgiving some not. some have bolt on necks (Fender) some do not (Gibson). And they both have different pick up configurations. Then their is Amp question. All I can say is tube,tube,tube! by a tube amp. What ever kind you get you will be happy. Tube emulaters come close (Line 6) But it is not the same. Tube amps have that warm unmistakable sound that will help you play like you want to play . They respond to you. basically a Guitar is an extension of your self. It is like the old world war 2 pilots would say. "You strap the plane on". Same for a great guitar. If you can harness the energy of wood and steel you will Evolve.
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I think uberhun is right. I have started a few friends off and always, always tell them to start on acoustic. preferably a good one.
Having said that......i never play acoustic :D (dont play much at all anymore....but i thought i might get a giggle from the line)
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Originally posted by Masherbrum
Rule #7
Whatever :aok
Karaya
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Speaking from my own Standpoint... wait over here... yeah, Here.
My Mother was a Gibson Girl... Not a "Bolt Neck" and her Father, MY GrandFather Melvin... Yeah crack jokes... My Grandpa was Mel Gibson...Not the Actor... Back on track...Played drums with some of the big bands in the late 40's...He also said that Bobby Jones cheated at golf....
Oppps back on thread...Once you go Ovation....
:aok
Like the first time you stuck yer finger into a, a... a ......apple pie.
:D
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Without reading the thread, and having played for years.. for a 1st guitar I'd suggest a Fender Squire. If you decide to stay with playing then move on to a Strat or any other high end guitar you want once you know you have a hobby for life.
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I do believe he posted looking for an electric guitar, so I'll recommend the first one (still own it) I got. It, too, is a Yamaha. Yamaha EG112C2. It came in a pack with a little 10watt practice amp, cable, stand, strings, picks, and tuner. Everything you need to get your feet wet. This little beginners guitar has actually held up well and plays suprisingly well. The pickups are much better than can be expected from the price range, and with a good set-up it can play incredible.
If you want to raise your price range a little bit, I'd recommend a Made in Mexico Fender Strat. My local shop sells them for about $350 new. They are excellent guitars for beginners or experts.
Also, if you have the chance, ALWAYS play the guitar before you buy it. You can always pick up one guitar and think its crap, then pick up the exact same model of guitar and think that one is great.
Don't know if this applies to this thread, but I'll second Alvarez acoustics. I have the entry level RD-8 and couldn't be happier with it.