Hey everyone. First post here, so I suppose an introduction is in order. I started playing guitar while I am at home about a year ago and its really a blast. Only problem is, I have been using my fathers guitar, so I cant play when I am at college. This has caused a few problems, the most obvious being that I really want to play, but cant! The other problem is that I am progressing much slower than I would like to, as in the year of playing, I only got about 3 or so months of actual playing, and that was all spread out over breaks.
I have started to look into getting something that I can call my own, but I figured I would do my research, and ask you guys. I have already looked around online a lot to get a feel for what is out there. So, here come the questions. First, I think I would like to go with electric, but there are a few things holding me back. The first thing being that I have heard that just playing electric makes picking up an acoustic much harder due to the string tension and lack of pickups. Second, if I play an electric without the amp, would I be able to hear it ok? I dont want to always have to play loudly - when I am practicing, no one really wants to hear scales and butchered songs over and over again ;).
Next question is if I do decide to go with an electric, which one to go with. I really want something that can play a large range of songs - I like everything from classic rock (ccr, acdc, zep, vh, etc) to some more modern stuff, so there is that "clean" sound, and also the very distorted sound. The next consideration is price - as in, a low one. I dont have a great deal of money to spend. I think the $300 - $400 is about right - cant go much higher (at the moment).
Anyway, kind of a long winded post, but I appreciate any help or advice you guys can offer. Thanks a lot!
Acoustic, electric, classical, 12-string... each one has a different feel, but each one has techniques that directly translate to the others. People who start on electric tend to get 'fast' sooner than people who start on acoustic, but people who start on acoustic develop dynamic control sooner than those who start on electric. So start anywhere - get a guitar you'll like playing.
You'll be able to practice without an amp. I play my electric 'unplugged' just about every day - when the house is quiet, I hear errors better without amplification and distortion. If your place isn't quiet, you might not be able to do that - but headphone amps are cheap and won't bother the neighbors/housemates.
The clean vs. distorted sound will be more in the amp than the guitar. With guitars you'll basically be choosing between single coil pickups (ala Strats) and humbuckers (ala Les Pauls). Humbuckers give you a 'fatter' sound, but you can get almost any sound out of almost any guitar with the right signal processing.
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My biggest recommendation would be to not stress over it so much in the beggining, or ever really. I'm learning on a very old electric guitar and it suits me fine. People say it's better to learn on an acoustic, and they might be right, but a lot of the music I would enjoy learning are best suited for electric, so I believe electric is best for me for that reason.
So basically, instead of trying to think whats "best," consider first and foremost what you would enjoy most.
"Like the coldest winter chill. Heaven beside you. Hell within." -Jerry Cantrell
Saber has a very good point there. There are always gonna be arguments as to whether you should start on an acoustic first or an electric, but I think the key is what you'll enjoy playing the most.
For me, preferring acoustic sounds, it was an obvious choice to go for an acoustic guitar. But now I have an electric also and I enjoy playing them equally.
I found that a lot of what I learnt on the acoustic transferred across to the electric, but there were skills more specific to the electric that I hadn't even begun to learn.
So I don't think it really matters what you settle on, as long as you enjoy playing it. 8)
From little things big things grow - Paul Kelly
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Some of us also started out pretty much like you are. I originally started out on an acoustic. Electric came sometime later. I realized that in order to imitate the sounds I wanted to make come from my guitar I would need an electric. Now many years later I have many of both. As for the string tension that all depends on the guitars setup. I have some acoustic's that are setup pretty close to my electric's. Which don't need much more than to just touch to play. On the other hand I have a few that are monster's for playing and after about 5 minutes you start really feeling it.
Joe
Since you said you have between $300 - $400 to spend and want something that plays a broad range, I'd recommend looking at Strats. You could get a Mexican Strat and a Roland Micro-Cube for about what you have and it would cover a lot of ground.
Of course I'll also say you need to venture out and play everything you can get your hands on to make up your own mind.
Jason
"Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
if I play an electric without the amp, would I be able to hear it ok?
That's what I do, and I can hear it well enough.
I like everything from classic rock (ccr, acdc, zep, vh, etc) to some more modern stuff, so there is that "clean" sound, and also the very distorted sound. The next consideration is price - as in, a low one. I dont have a great deal of money to spend. I think the $300 - $400 is about right - cant go much higher (at the moment).
Almost every misic store I walk into has beginner packages like this.
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If you decide to go electric there are 'fat strat' copies by Yamaha and Washburn that have two single coils and a humbucker. There are also headphone amps and a lot of small practice amps now have headphone connections.
"Things may get a whole lot worse/ Before suddenly falling apart"
Steely Dan
"Look at me coyote, don't let a little road dust put you off" Knopfler
Wow - thanks for all the replys! Sure gives me more to think about :) I was looking at the Squier Fat Strat. Any thoughts on this one? I still have to go to the store to try some out, but on paper, it looks like a good one for the price, right? Thanks!
Wow - thanks for all the replys! Sure gives me more to think about :) I was looking at the Squier Fat Strat. Any thoughts on this one? I still have to go to the store to try some out, but on paper, it looks like a good one for the price, right? Thanks!
Why not try the Squier '51 It's got alot going for it for the money.
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I actually own a Squier Fat Strat, they are real nice. It's the only thing I have now, and it's been about 2 years since I bought it as my first guitar. It holds up very nicely and sounds nice in comparison to other guitars. I am going to upgrade real soon though, but I recommend the fat strat because of the different tones you can get from it.
Thanks Dudes!
Keep on Rockin'
Pat
