Avg. price for Guitar?

Are you just starting? Electric? Acoustic?

If you're just starting, don't go over $250 or so. You can find many high-quality guitars in this range, and then go from there if you decide you want to continue.
 
[quote name='Ledhed']Are you just starting? Electric? Acoustic?

If you're just starting, don't go over $250 or so. You can find many high-quality guitars in this range, and then go from there if you decide you want to continue.[/quote]

This is exactly right. I'd start on an acoustic and once you get the chord progressions and can play cleanly and your fingers are sufficiently calloused then move to the electric and rock out.
 
Look at your budget and buy the best you can afford.

Check out the posts in the 3AM Revelation thread started by Mr. Anderson for a guide to buying your first guitar. It also explains why you should buy the best you can afford given the budget instead of making price the only factor of your purchase.

Cheap ass link - here you go
 
Fender.
Get a Fender.
And, go with acoustic. Builds up your finger strength, builds up your knowledge for chords, and it builds character.

Don't forget to try and learn how to read sheet music.
Look for one around $150 for an acoustic, I suppose.
 
How much are you willing to spend and what kinda music are you going to play? Electrics are easier to start with but much more expensive while some beginners get frustrated with acoustics.
 
I'd recommend an electric. Some guitar places has a Fender Squire bundle where you can buy a Fender Squire and a practice amp for like $100 or so. Electrics are also easier for string bending, but that'll come later.
 
[quote name='rockhero']Get a Stratocaster. You should be able to get one for around $250[/quote]

:shock:

Where from? If he got one for twice that it'd be cheap.
 
If you're gonna buy it in a store HAGGLE!!!! Seriously. I've gotten the good people at Guitar Center to lower about $100 on each guitar I've bought. If they don't want to lower the price ask them to throw something in like a strap or cable.
 
I'd suggest different things depending on how serious you are...

Get an acoustic if you want to try it out, or a small practice amplifier with an inexpensive electric.

If you're serious, be prepared to shell out some serious coin for a nice guitar and some powerful amplification.

My friend has an Ibanez GSA60 and it sounds great for rock... plus it's 200$
 
ok I looked around and found a good beginner elec guitar
E. Guitar

I actually started out with this guitar and its ok sounding, but as a beginner you're gonna suck so its perfect.. I recommend going to pawn shops and finding a Sidekick amp. Total spent=$100. Also once you get your guitar, heres a a good tab site.

guitar tabs

They also have a forum like ours, so you can ask as many questions as you want there.
 
[quote name='PaulEMoz'][quote name='rockhero']Get a Stratocaster. You should be able to get one for around $250[/quote]

:shock:

Where from? If he got one for twice that it'd be cheap.[/quote]

Hmm, I bought a Strat in perfect condition about a year ago for 250 at a flea market type place. Sounds amazing. Maybe they normally cost more than that..
 
Great deals on Strats, those. I would agree that if he can get a good deal he should get a Strat, definitely.
 
If you're shopping for a guitar, the best way to find out what guitar is best for you is to go into a store and play them. I recommend a Guitar Center or Sam Ash if you have one nearby. If not, most any guitar shop or even a pawn shop will do for just trying out stuff.

Don't feel embarrased to pick one up, even if you don't how to play yet. Hold it in your hands and see how the neck, the strings, and the frets feel. When you're first learning, comfort and playability trumps quality of tone or finish.

If you're looking online, Musiciansfriend.com has great prices and a very lenient return policy. Here's a few starter packs that include a guitar, small amp, strap, picks, strings, tuner, and other goodies to get you started.

Behringer V-Tone II - $109.99
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/511681/

Since you're on CAG, I'll assume you want the cheapest first. Behringer is a quality name in sound equipment and this pack is an unbelievable value. The guitar is a strat copy, so it should play just as well as the squire guitars. The only thing is you'll have to pay shipping on it, which came to about $11 for me.

Fender Squire SE-100 Pack - $199.99 w/free shipping
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/511681/
If you simply must go with a Fender (Squire is a sub-brand of Fender guitars, usually made in Asian countries on machined assembly lines) go with this pack. The guitar is the same as the Squire Strat pack, but the amp is slightly less beefy, but you probably wont notice the difference (10W vs. 15W)

Fender Strat Pack - $279.99 w/free shipping
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/519633/

This is virtually the same as the package above, but includes a 15W amp with some auxilary inputs for a CD/MP3 player so you can play along with it.

This pack is also what you are most likely to be sold at any given music shop as a beginner.

Epiphone Les Paul Special II Pack - $229.99 w/free shipping
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/search/detail/base_pid/518677/
If you prefer the Gibson/Epiphone guitars (humbuckers = fatter tone), this pack is a good value. I personally owned one of these guitars when I started and loved playing it.

As for sheet music, most music shops sell it, either by the song or by the book, which usually contains a complete album or collection of songs.

As a beginner, you would probably find tabs (short for tablature, where numbers indicate the fret and string to play, vs reading music notes on a staff) easier to read and play by. There are many sites online you can get free tabs for popular songs, including:

A great tutorial on reading and playing by tabs:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/tab-notation.txt

http://www.olga.net
http://www.tabcrawler.com
http://www.mxtabs.net
http://www.guitaretabs.com
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com
http://www.guitartabs.cc

or just do a google search for the name of the song + tabs

I hope this helps and I hope you enjoy playing guitar. Feel free to PM me if you need some advice or help with anything. It will take a lot of practice and patience to get good, but it is well worth it to hear yourself jamming on your favorite songs, or playing something for someone else.
 
from www.guitartabs.cc for guitar tableture

Also about the Strats mentioned earlier. You COULD get those, but they are pricey for beginners. The thing with guitars is that you spend 200-1000 dollars to make them sound 10% better (e.g. Epiphones sound almost like Gibsons for a fraction of the price) Some people dont like the Strat sound and prefer the Epiphone sound. If you insist on paying 200+ for a guitar, I would look into the epiphones/ibanezs. Go to Guitar Center or equiv. and have the salesman play you guitars. Even though you're a beginner, you'll know what sounds clean and what doesnt.
 
[quote name='shakezula']Also about the Strats mentioned earlier. You COULD get those, but they are pricey for beginners. The thing with guitars is that you spend 200-1000 dollars to make them sound 10% better (e.g. Epiphones sound almost like Gibsons for a fraction of the price) Some people dont like the Strat sound and prefer the Epiphone sound. If you insist on paying 200+ for a guitar, I would look into the epiphones/ibanezs. Go to Guitar Center or equiv. and have the salesman play you guitars. Even though you're a beginner, you'll know what sounds clean and what doesnt.[/quote]

The Mic-Rulah is on the spot here. Find the middle ground; don't go crazy on a $350 Strat, but also don't buy a shitty amp/guitar combo for $100. Ibanez makes great, low-cost electrics and acoustics. Hard to go wrong with them.
 
[quote name='shakezula']from www.guitartabs.cc for guitar tableture

Also about the Strats mentioned earlier. You COULD get those, but they are pricey for beginners. The thing with guitars is that you spend 200-1000 dollars to make them sound 10% better (e.g. Epiphones sound almost like Gibsons for a fraction of the price) Some people dont like the Strat sound and prefer the Epiphone sound. If you insist on paying 200+ for a guitar, I would look into the epiphones/ibanezs. Go to Guitar Center or equiv. and have the salesman play you guitars. Even though you're a beginner, you'll know what sounds clean and what doesnt.[/quote]
It may only affect the tone of your guitar 10% (I'd argue it's more), but as you find your unique sound, it becomes 1000% more important in crafting your tone, but things like amplifiers and anything else you put in your signal chain also have a significant impact as well.

Also, the Fender (not Squire) Strats start around $350 new, but those are made in Mexico. American made Strats start just under $1000. The differences in fit, finish, tone, and craftsmanship in the hand-assembled American models make up the difference in price.
 
[quote name='radjago'][quote name='shakezula']from www.guitartabs.cc for guitar tableture

Also about the Strats mentioned earlier. You COULD get those, but they are pricey for beginners. The thing with guitars is that you spend 200-1000 dollars to make them sound 10% better (e.g. Epiphones sound almost like Gibsons for a fraction of the price) Some people dont like the Strat sound and prefer the Epiphone sound. If you insist on paying 200+ for a guitar, I would look into the epiphones/ibanezs. Go to Guitar Center or equiv. and have the salesman play you guitars. Even though you're a beginner, you'll know what sounds clean and what doesnt.[/quote]
It may only affect the tone of your guitar 10% (I'd argue it's more), but as you find your unique sound, it becomes 1000% more important in crafting your tone, but things like amplifiers and anything else you put in your signal chain also have a significant impact as well.

Also, the Fender (not Squire) Strats start around $350 new, but those are made in Mexico. American made Strats start just under $1000. The differences in fit, finish, tone, and craftsmanship in the hand-assembled American models make up the difference in price.[/quote]

As a beginner, he shouldnt be so worried about finding a unique sound but finding a sound in general. Its just ive seen so many people run out and buy $600 guitars because they want to sound like SOAD or Santana and get discouraged when the songs actually require skill.
 
[quote name='shakezula'][quote name='radjago'][quote name='shakezula']from www.guitartabs.cc for guitar tableture

Also about the Strats mentioned earlier. You COULD get those, but they are pricey for beginners. The thing with guitars is that you spend 200-1000 dollars to make them sound 10% better (e.g. Epiphones sound almost like Gibsons for a fraction of the price) Some people dont like the Strat sound and prefer the Epiphone sound. If you insist on paying 200+ for a guitar, I would look into the epiphones/ibanezs. Go to Guitar Center or equiv. and have the salesman play you guitars. Even though you're a beginner, you'll know what sounds clean and what doesnt.[/quote]
It may only affect the tone of your guitar 10% (I'd argue it's more), but as you find your unique sound, it becomes 1000% more important in crafting your tone, but things like amplifiers and anything else you put in your signal chain also have a significant impact as well.

Also, the Fender (not Squire) Strats start around $350 new, but those are made in Mexico. American made Strats start just under $1000. The differences in fit, finish, tone, and craftsmanship in the hand-assembled American models make up the difference in price.[/quote]

As a beginner, he shouldnt be so worried about finding a unique sound but finding a sound in general. Its just ive seen so many people run out and buy $600 guitars because they want to sound like SOAD or Santana and get discouraged when the songs actually require skill.[/quote]
For one, this post was addressed toward the other posters in the thread discussing more expensive guitars.

I agree many people buy high-dollar equipment in order to get a pro sound without all the technique and skills required to get that sound, and are usually disappointed with their purchase and say these expensive items are over-rated (many are). Beginners can learn on any guitar and buy a better one when they feel their instrument limits their abilities. Someone who plays well can be limited by the quality of their instrument as well. Ultimately the beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so whatever makes your boat float the most is what you should buy.
 
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