opinions on guitar for a beginner

howlinmad

howlinmad

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Thinking of getting a guitar. Nothing too interesting, since I haven't touched one in atleast 15 years. :( Never was that great at it, but remember enjoying it.

Anyway, looking at a couple of options at a price point where I could either like it and get something better, or get frustrated and not really be out as much.

Anyone have any input on either of these for a beginner?
I realize that yes, these are technically $100 guitars with questionable amps, so I realize what I'm getting won't sounds like a $1k guitar.

Fender Squier - Affinity Strat Pack
http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Affini...1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1283787904&sr=1-1-fkmr1

or

Epiphone Special-II Les Paul Player Pack
http://www.amazon.com/Epiphone-Spec...al-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1283787833&sr=1-12


Thanks guys
 
I'm not super guitar expert, but I'm not a fan of those packs. It's going to be a bunch of shitty stuff all stuck together to make one big pile of shit. I don't know that it's really worth it, even for a beginner, unless you're 12 and you might destroy that shit. I'd suggest that if you have the slightest interest in actually playing that you skip the squiers and whatnot and just go at least with a standard Mexican Fender or something like that from other brands. If there's a music shop around you then you might be able to get a used one that works great, but has some cosmetic damage, at a significant mark down.

You might be able to get a decent sale or scratch n dent guitar for around $350-400 and a decent tiny practice amp for ~$50, probably ~$50 or so for the necessary accessories. I'd say it's better to pay $450-500 for some decent stuff than $250-300 for bottom of the barrel. If you get a new guitar rather than used or on sale then you can add ~$100 to that. And I'm thinking of a Fender, there are plenty of good quality brands that could be cheaper than that.

But, if you're just learning and you're not totally into electric only, then an acoustic would be a lot cheaper for something decent. You could get everything you need for ~$250 or less and it could still be pretty good quality.
 
i would say neither-go check out one of the esp starter packs. couple really nice ones for 229.99 and so much better then fender and epiphone packs.

Daddys junky music has some good used guitars for around the same price, some higher end stuff vs. starter stuff- or check out musiciansfriend.com for lots more. i personaly like b.c rich - 4 of my 9 guitars are b.c rich :) (no cheap models either)
 
why don't you go to a guitar center. that store has good prices and a great place to get an instrument for beginners. its the in-between a good music store and amazon.
 
[quote name='shosh']why don't you go to a guitar center. that store has good prices and a great place to get an instrument for beginners. its the in-between a good music store and amazon.[/QUOTE]

Thanks guys.
Actually, Guitar Center is where I went and they recommended the Fender Affinity starter. Asked about mixing and just getting a used guitar and small amp, and the guys kept going back to the Affinity.
I just happened to see the Epiphone starter at Best Buy so added it to the list, just couldn't find it on their site to link.

Might go back to Guitar Center and atleast give the ESP a look, and take another look at their used.

Thanks!
 
I wish I had the money to buy another guitar. I'd get a Fender Jaguar HH, or go crazy and get a Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst. :drool: Those are the only two guitars I'd buy if I got anymore. Nothing else interests me.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']I wish I had the money to buy another guitar. I'd get a Fender Jaguar HH, or go crazy and get a Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst. :drool: Those are the only two guitars I'd buy if I got anymore. Nothing else interests me.[/QUOTE]

Man that Silverburst is fucking beautiful. I have a new distant aspiration, thanks.:lol:
 
My best advice would be what every other musician would tell you: try before you buy, and if you're not comfortable with the guitar's weight, neck profile, balance (neck diving), or how it sounds, try another guitar. You won't enjoy playing your recently bought instrument at all, and it will end up collecting dust.

Do not buy "starter packs". I tried that Epiphone Les Paul Special II from that starter package and it is pretty uncomfortable. My hands are big, and the neck profile on that guitar feels ike grabbing the thick side of a bat, which gave me cramps very often. Those Squier Affinity guitars are poorly constructed, so you're better off without them.

Check your local classifieds, Craiglist, or even Ebay for one of those Roland Micro Cube amps. They're cheap (usually around $60.00 to $180.00 bucks used, depending on the size), compact, and they sound really good. Some models even come with some built-in effects, which is a feature that might make some "über musicians" to throw a hissy fit, but they're pretty good, especially the delay and chorus. Also, those Honeytone headphone amps that come with a built-in speaker are pretty sweet, and cheap too.

As for guitars, if you want to buy a brand new guitar that won't leave you broke, get an Ibanez RG 321 in Mahogany Oil. It's your standard mahogany/maple/rosewood guitar, stripped down of any flashy features, but still a pretty solid guitar 9and a great bang for your buck). I've seen those on Ebay for $170.00, which is a great price for a solid body guitar that is pretty decent. Also, look for old Mexican Fender Strats and Teles. They're in the same price range (used), but if you're lucky, you might find one with a good set of pickups and better quality wiring for a lot less than a brand new Fender.

You can also check those Agile guitars at rondomusic.com. I recently heard a friend of mine playing a Les Paul Custom copy (Alpine White, very pretty), and it sounded great, although he was running it through a Peavey 5150 head and a Johnson 212 cab loaded with Celestion V30s, but from what I've read, they're pretty solid guitars for their price.

Good luck, man.
 
Went back to Guitar Center today and saw an ESP m-15 on "sale" and a Fender 25R amp. The guitar seems decent. Good weight and feel, sounds good I think.

So far I'm happy with it, just a bit overwhelming since I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. :) The dog and cat are running for cover, and the wife closes the door. HAHA

Thanks again for the responses.
 
Yeah, you can't go wrong with ESP. I had a cheapy LTD that I absolutely loved.

If you're feeling "overwhelmed," check out Ultimate-Guitar if you haven't already; their forums aren't full of..."experts," per se, but there are a ton of good articles to read and lessons to watch.
 
Looks like it's going back. :( Fret buzz on first two strings 5 - 6 frets down.
Had it fixed once and had a setup done tonight.
The guy at GC was awesome, and knows what he's doing. But it's still buzzing/rattling.

Maybe I'm just expecting too much from a cheap guitar, but shouldn't there be a way to stop it from buzzing?

Can't afford much what I think would be the next best, so might just have to wait a while for something else.
 
Counterpoint to what everyone else is saying: My main guitar is a $100 Squier Strat. It plays better than a $300-$400 Mexican Fender Strat. It was originally part of a starter kit. So they aren't all rubbish. Just make sure you try before you buy, and have it professionally set-up.
 
[quote name='Chairman_LMAO']Counterpoint to what everyone else is saying: My main guitar is a $100 Squier Strat. It plays better than a $300-$400 Mexican Fender Strat. It was originally part of a starter kit. So they aren't all rubbish. Just make sure you try before you buy, and have it professionally set-up.[/QUOTE]

I find this hard to believe, personally. It certainly isn't the norm.

Personally I'd stay away from the bundles. The amps tend to be fine for starters, but the guitars are trash.Once I stepped up from a cheap Les Paul I felt literally 100% more comfortable with a guitar in my hand. The cheap models tend to just be really poor quality...

Btw the people at guitar centers get paid by commission and will do everything in their power to sell you a guitar. If you see a guitar you like and an employee shows you him playing it, politely tell him you'll let him know if you need him.He's trying to wow you, don't buy into it. Closely exam the guitars on the wall; they will sell them to you "new" but they are ALL used. Always ask for one in the box.

This is only if you HAVE to buy it from guitar center. I like to go there and try there stuff and buy off of musiciansfriend. Last I ordered I was charged no tax and it shipped for free.If you wait a couple of months they usually have really good deals for the Christmas season too.
 
Here is my advice. First off go Epiphone for the guitar and buy a decent one. (If you want a strat go Squire but I can vouch for an Epiphone since my dad owns one). You may be thinking that well $200 for a guitar is a lot and yes it may seem that way but if you spend $100 on a pack guitar your going to realize it's a piece of shit soon enough and you might get like $20 for it if you sold it. At least a good Epiphone will last a good while, and the build quality will be 10x better than those pack ones, and trust me you will want good build quality.

The amp, well you can just get a starter one for now since you are learning, and well you can also buy effects pedals if you get experienced and want to improve your amp's functionality.
 
More or less added a few more to the range of guitars I'm looking at and upped the price range a bit.
In no specific order:
- Squier Classic Vibe (either 50s or 60s can't decide which) Strat
- Epiphone LP-100
- Squier Bullet HHS (I keep getting mixed reviews here. Some love it, some hate it. Some say it's as good or better than the more expensive models. Yet to try it, but going by reviews)
- Squier Affinity Strat
- Squier Affinity Tele

Kept the 25R amp, I like it, so I'll stick with it.

Actually will probably buy from GC once I decide (b-day money soon! :)). Everyone there has actually gone out of their way and above and beyond on a $100 - 200 sale. Considering they aren't making much off of me in the grand scheme, I saw that as more of a courtesy.
Hoping I can up the limit a bit.

I really like the Classic Vibe 50s and the Affinity Telecaster that I tried.
Love the way the Epiphone LP100 looks, but want to go play it. But like the others I've read and watched reviews for, some love it and some say it's trash. No illusions here. Hell, I know it's not a Gibson. I have to wonder how many bad reviews for it are due to that fact alone, and people looking for a problem with it.

One of the guys at GC did say something that makes me think though. Buying the best to learn on really doesn't give you much to appreciate later when you go to upgrade once you actually can play.
 
Its good to get something that isn't a complete piece of shit, but no need to go crazy with the price.

I feel very differently from most people about guitars in that I think any guitar that is functioning properly can be made to sound almost as good as any other guitar (no burrs on frets, action is the right height, neck is solid, etc.) I think your money is much better spent on quality sound gear like a nice amp and a few fx pedals. The difference in sound between similar style guitars is minor compared to the difference between a nice amp and a shitty amp and you can get an effect pedal to create pretty much any sound you're looking for.

So, don't stress about the guitar too much at least not your first one. Just make sure its decently made and get GC to set it up for you whichever you decide to go with. You'll buy a new one soon enough if you decide to stick with it. I started off on a cheap Johnson strat, internals died on me in a few years, hated it. Switched to a Epiphone LP standard, hated the feel and weight of it, took a fall from my guitar stand and the head snapped off the neck. Currently on a Godin Exit 22 which I absolutely love.

You my friend have a massive advantage over me though, you can actually try your guitars out before you buy them. I play left handed, and left handed guitars are few and far between at least in all my local stores. So take advantage of that advantage like you have been and you can't go too wrong.

About that LP100. When I decided to get the LP Standard, I had also considered the LP100. What stopped me was the neck. Its a bolt-on, which has its pros and cons and the cons mattered more to me than the pros. Thats just one of those things people have a problem with and would probably account for a few of those negative reviews.
 
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