Should I buy a practice guitar or not? Is it worth the money? [solved]

amateurhour

so musicians, here's the deal.

I play a little acoustic guitar. I can make four or five good chords, strum, read tab, and do a little fingerpicking. I've always wanted to play electric though. I'm saving up now to get a good electric and amp, but I still want something to practice with and haul over to friends houses for jam sessions. JCPenny has all of their jacked up stuff on sale after christmas, and they've got a Peavey electric with a single humbucker pickup, and a small practice amp on sale for $80. It's only going to be there for a few more days, if that, so if I want one I need to jump on it. I think it's a good deal, but if the kit is only like $110 normally and it just really, really sucks, then I'm not going to bother.

I just want something for practice until I get a nicer electric later in the year. I do already know how to play, but I'm just getting into the world of electric.

Yes or No?

Does anyone have experience with Peavey Guitars?

Scrublet

If you've got the money to spend on a guitar you won't play long, you might as well. The most important thing is to get used to playing in general. I guarantee an awesome musician could play one of those shitty guitars and make it sound awesome.

amateurhour

Scrublet wrote: »

If you've got the money to spend on a guitar you won't play long, you might as well. The most important thing is to get used to playing in general. I guarantee an awesome musician could play one of those shitty guitars and make it sound awesome.

And that's the thing. I can play a decent rhythm guitar now, but I really want to get into all the distortions on electric. This will strictly be for daily practice, an extra when friends come over, etc. It's just SO damn CHEAP

Svelte Penguin

Just go play it and see if it's ok. The amp will suck though.

flatlinegraphics

rondomusic.com
the wood is better than ok, the electronics and hardware are servicable. basically $100 now, and 50-100 later in upgrades. peavey stuff is generally underrated, so it can be a good deal. but most department store level gear is basically not worth the pakaging it comes with. plus the rondos are really good modding platforms.

the amp will absolutely be garbage, and you will never be able to get rid of it (past actually thowing it out), because you will be unable to trade it in or to sell it.

for amps, be patient and buy something used but good. buying used, you can usually get what you paid back out when you trade it in/sell it. a $100 used amp will still be worth $100 to someone else later when you upgrade.

watch your local craigslist like a hawk and you can get some decent stuff at a good bargain.

also, harmony-central forums can be great resources.

short version: cheap gear is almost never worth it.

amateurhour

UPDATE: I am buying the guitar tonight. It was originally $160, marked to $80 after christmas. Now it's $64, and starting tomorrow all after christmas stuff at JCPenny is 70% off. I picked it up and checked the tuners, cable jack, etc. and it looks pretty good for a secondary/practice piece.

Anyone looking for a "decent" entry level electric with a humbucker pickup (just one though) and a crappy 5 watt, but portable amp, JCPenny has the whole kit, from Peavey, for $58, but they're only going to have them for a few more days....

thanks all.