Entry Level Electric Guitar

ForgottenVariable

I'm a guitar player of a few years, and I've been looking to move from acoustic to the electric arena. However, I have no idea what I should be looking for as far as brand/model/etc.

That is where you come in.

Recommend to me whether I should buy used or new, and try to stay within a $500 pricerange.

Thanks!

Organichu

Does the $500 include an amplifier?

Tube

My standard recommendation is a squier stratocaster, and I'd buy new. Since you've been playing a few years though, you probably know what you like, so head to the store and play some different guitars and see what you like. What kind of music do you want to play?

Pheezer

Washburn makes some really fun entry level guitars in your price range. But yeah, you need to provide more details before any real suggestions can take place.

Demerdar

epiphone is a good choice if you want a les paul style guitar.

ForgottenVariable

Cardboard Tube wrote: »

My standard recommendation is a squier stratocaster, and I'd buy new. Since you've been playing a few years though, you probably know what you like, so head to the store and play some different guitars and see what you like. What kind of music do you want to play?

OK, to begin with, I'd like to play some harder rock type stuff (think Drist or Black Sabbath).

Also, the $500 would ideally include an amp, but it doesn't have to (I have a friend with a decent practice amp atm).

EDIT: The reason I'm not just going to the store and trying a bunch is that I'd like a good general direction to go in, I'm not too savvy about electric guitars.

Demerdar

If you want to play harder rock type stuff, I'd stay away from fender, just because mostly all of their pick ups are single coil, which gives you a twangy sound. Go for guitars with humbuckers. Les Paul style guitars are good to go for. Epiphone sells some cheap, but high quality guitars. Check out www.musiciansfriend.com, they have great deals.

Murago

My friend just picked up a beautiful Ephiphone Les Paul for like 450. Really awesome guitar. For the kinda music you want to play i HIGHLY recommend the Boss distortion pedal (its a little orange one). I don't recmmend multiple effect processors, but that's just personal preference. Get a machine that does one thing REALLY well...not a machine that does 100 things poorly.

Quirk

if you aren't too electric guitar savvy i'd advise taking someone who really knows what they're doing. This can help you avoid all kinds of problems and stop unscrupulous shop owners ripping you off

The Cheese

If you live in Canada (even the US, really), check out a Godin guitar. They pretty much make the best guitars in the $500 range.

ForgottenVariable

Quirk wrote: »

if you aren't too electric guitar savvy i'd advise taking someone who really knows what they're doing. This can help you avoid all kinds of problems and stop unscrupulous shop owners ripping you off

I've got a buddy that owns quite a few electrics and is pretty proficient, I'll probably take him along. Thanks for the suggestion!

Horseshoe

I have a couple of Danelectro's that look good and sound good for the price. I like 'em a lot.

ForgottenVariable

I'm thinking I'll probably go with a Les Paul, could someone explain the different models of it to me?

I'm seeing things like studio version, special II, standard, etc and it's getting a little confusing.

TheGreat2nd

I'd suggest the Epiphone Les Paul.

ForgottenVariable

Oh, I almost forgot, what kind of amp should I be looking for to pair with the Les Paul?

(I'm planning on going Epiphone, thing is that they have several models of the Les Paul, that's what was confusing me)

CptKemzik

If it's your first foray into electric guitars the standard should be fine, but try out the various Epi LP's at the store with your friend.

I don't know what the best choice of amp would be (I'm a bassist), but I usually hear Marshall is overpriced and overrated. I've heard good things from Vox though, and higher end fenders (however im assuming you won't be aiming for a tube powered half stack anytime soon).

Demerdar

A tube amp is ideal for a les paul, in my opinion. I have a Roland with 3 10 inch speakers at about 80 watts and it sounds great on my Gibson Les Paul.

Flo

If you don't mind, I'd like to hijack this thread a bit and ask a question of my own.

I'm actually looking in to getting an electric guitar as well. The thing is, I'm 21 years old. Am I too old to be getting in to something like this? I have a bit of a background in woodwind instruments from several years ago, and can read sheet music pretty well. I just think learning to play electric guitar seems like a lot of fun.

Any thoughts?

DarkSymphony

there is NEVER a "too old" or "too late" if you feel you're behind, which you should never ever feel (there will always always always be someone younger better and faster with the instrument), then work your ass off with lessons and/or self teaching. If you really do feel like you need to "catch up" then take as much free time as you manage to practicing. You'll get pretty good quite fast if you put alot of work into it. My girlfriend started practicing at 14 and took lessons very slowly. I started when I was 20 and I took lessons extremely fast. In 2 years she learned what I had learned in roughly 6 months and I had a much faster understanding of the fretboard than she did. I was able to run through modes in all the major scale keys when she was starting to learn them.

So, (to long didn't read):
if you feel you're too old to start, start no matter what and practice as much as you possibly can. Learn as much as you can and you will feel better by learning stuff at a fast rate.

joshuadewaal

I am suprised how many of you have suggested epiphone les pauls. That was my first Electric back in high school and while it is a great guitar it weighs a TON! You might not realize this when you just pick it up in the store and are overcome by its beauty. But lugging that thing around to practice studios and to gigs and stuff SUCKED!

I don't know where you plan on playing or how much you will be taking your guitar around with you, but consider how much it weighs! If I could have gone back, I would have gotten something a lot lighter.

=\/\/=

ROCK ON!

\m/-_-\m/

CptKemzik

A Les Paul's weight is nothing compared to say, a bass, or carrying around drum gear. If anything it's better for him to build up endurance with having the thing strapped to his shoulder.

Tube

You can never be too old, young, uncool, fat, thin, white, black, asian, nerdy, smart or dumb to play guitar.

Just too female.

liquidlogan

Let me hi-jack this thread too.

Has anyone heard anything about the quality of Michael Kelly guitars?

Demerdar

joshuadewaal wrote: »

I am suprised how many of you have suggested epiphone les pauls. That was my first Electric back in high school and while it is a great guitar it weighs a TON! You might not realize this when you just pick it up in the store and are overcome by its beauty. But lugging that thing around to practice studios and to gigs and stuff SUCKED!

I don't know where you plan on playing or how much you will be taking your guitar around with you, but consider how much it weighs! If I could have gone back, I would have gotten something a lot lighter.

=\/\/=

ROCK ON!

\m/-_-\m/

It's pretty heavy, but not too bad. I like it, makes me feel like I'm playing something solid.

Flo

So, since I have absolutely no knowledge of guitar quality, how would this be for a very first electric guitar?

Keep in mind that if I start having a really good time playing it, I will absolutely invest in something better.

Ant000

I just bought my first guitar like five months ago, a Fender Strat -- the Mexican one...which as far as I know is a step up from the Squire, but not as good as the American one. I got that and an Amp for like 700 Canadian, which I felt was good price. It's a nice teal blue, is solid as hell and plays great.


The only problem is the tone is not really what I have ended up gravitating towards, as most of my guitar idols are Gibson Les Paul/Marshal Amp users. I still need to get a lot better before I really need to worry about that though . Not that I could afford a Gibson anyway.

Do the Epiphone Les Paul's emulate that Gibson Les Paul sound, or are they their own thing?

DarkSymphony

my first guitar was a Gibson Epiphone for about $250 and it was awesome. I loved it's heavy sound. I still have it actually and when I need a backup guitarist to practice with my friend will play when he's not busy. It's a great guitar. I'll find a link for the same one I have when I get back tonight from work.

musanman

I have this (mexican $400)

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0134702306

it's got a humbucker on the bridge so you can do some pretty cool stuff that strictly single coils can't play

It's a fantastic guitar because it's totally decent but it's not so badass that I feel scared to break it all the time. I like to play blues-inspired rock like pink floyd, eric clapton, maybe some day try some hendrix (all fender players). My next guitar might be a top end les paul, but I am glad for this amount of money I didn't get an epiphone version.

These are just my thoughts, and I've only been playing for like a year and a half, but I really have no regrets.

PS My amp is a line 6, that was totally awesome at one point but I spend most of my time these days putting it on the cleanest setting and using my macbook for effects. It's really fun but I think I could've spent $100 on a better amp instead of one with more gimmicks. It's fun, but ultimately I'm not sure what I'm really getting from it anymore.

edit: I don't mean to say all rock isn't blues inspired, but the "cleaner" players are more my speed