Hey everyone!
Just a couple of weeks back I came across this site and I must say that I have learnt a lot about the guitar. This place is surely a haven for all guitarists. I have been playing accoustic for almost a year and I simply love playing it. Its more of an addiction actually. Though I am still more of a beginner.
Anyways to get to get to the point, I was wondering if some of you guys could help me choose my first electric guitar. My price range is about $250. Though I might go higher if there is a signifcant leap in quality. First of all, I am not sure whether I should go for a Combo Pack (like Behringer V Tone - II, Ibanez Jumpstart, etc. ) or i should get a separate amp and an axe. Also I am not much familiar with the best types of pickup configuration. I am mostly into rock, metal and blues. So I am guessing I will probably need two single-coil and one humbucker pickup as most guitars of that genre.
So far, I have thought of 2 possible packs-
1. Squier SE100
2. Ibanez Jumpstart
I have heard pretty good reviews about them. In case you know a better deal, please let me know.
Oh yeah and have anyone of you played the Washburn WG587?
http://www.music123.com/Washburn-WG587-i20396.music
It seems like a pretty good guitar, for the price. From what I have heard, its being discontinued. The only let-down is that is Made in China.
Looking forward to your opinions.
Sorry, no opinion, but WELCOME TO GN
Geoo
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
{Seconding Geoo's welcome} 
A combo pack like an Ibanez Jumpstart set is a good way to start out. I wanted to get into electric bass, too, so I just couldn't pass up a deal I saw on a Jumpstart Bass. A plus with that was the instruction DVD. (Had to go buy a DVD player, too, but we needed one anyway. :wink: )
The little amps in those are certainly not something suitable for gigging, but they're quite adequate for practicing or basement (garage?) jamming with friends. The guitar, into a larger amp, would probably be okay for "playing out" some day.
When you decide to replace the guitar with something different, you could sell the starter one or otherwise pass it on to a beginner, or keep it for a backup. Maybe put heavier-gauge strings on it (see other thread about finger strength), keep it in an alternate tuning, and/or use it as your frst project guitar if you want to try changing pickups and other electronic modifications.
Okay, pickups. As you may already know, singlecoils have a single coil of wire around the magnet. The pickups (and maybe some other factors) are largely responsible for the "quack" of a Stratocaster and similar guitars. (See http://www.deaf-eddie.net/drawings/drawings.html , and click on the link at "A brief discussion of 'quack'.")
Humbuckers have a whole different sound because they have a pair of coils in them, with one coil wound the opposite direction of the other so that noise ("hum") is cancelled out and signal ("sound") is allowed to pass. (See http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/pickups.php for a much better explanation than any babbling I can do.)
Guitars with singlecoils do not have to be "noisy," in spite of what some might say, but that's a whole 'nother discussion.
One can achieve Guitar Happiness with either type of pickup, or both. It's all according to what sound(s) you like.
Happy hunting. See ya around the Forums.
--
Doug C.
Welcome to GN Shred!
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welcome to GN
#4491....
I would piece together a good guitar and amp. It can be done.
This guitar is excellent for the very low price.
And this is a good amp for a very low price. Lots of features, and good reviews.
You will have a much higher quality guitar and amp than any of those packages. :wink:
There are other guitars and amps that you can put together. So spend some time researching and reading reviews.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Wow thanks for the replies everyone. I still need to do a lot of research though. By the way, I still have a question - If I buy an amp from the US its power supply is going to be 110V. But the problem is I dont live in the US. So the power supply at my place is 240V or something. So will I have to buy a separate transformer or can i get an amplifier with a built-in transformer or something like that?
If I buy an amp from the US its power supply is going to be 110V. But the problem is I dont live in the US. So the power supply at my place is 240V or something. So will I have to buy a separate transformer or can i get an amplifier with a built-in transformer or something like that?I'm no electrician, but I've seen an amp listed on eBay as "dual power." Apparently it was set up for European as well as US standards, so the seller was even going to relax his usual "US buyers only" rule. Check the specs of any model that interests you.
That was good thinking, knowing that ahead of time. Good way to head off "rude surprises" down the road. :wink:
well, I own the squier pack your talking about, and I have to say its not the greatest.....
The guitar is good for beginners and it plays well, but the amp is fair and cheap quality (its sometimes buzzez more then it should), and the bag is bad...... I would probably go with buying the guitar, amp and all seperate instead of going with a guitar pack.
good luck!
i really can't comment too much since a buddy of mine gave me his fender squier after upgrading to a gibson flying V. I think it's good for what it's worth. Good beginner guitar, but I'm moving on from it and already put money down on a Made in Mex strat. I'm still going to keep it since it was my first guitar and so I can use alternate tuning on it and therefore have 2 guitar tuned differently but it was good for the beginning. I didn't get the squier pack amp, but I put money down for a small fender frontman that serves its purpose.
"I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it, that's a technical term." - SRV
Listen to Wes, he's right on as usual. You'll be wanting a affordable guitar that is as simple as it gets. Cheap vibrato bridges detune so fast they are useless and the more cheap electronics inside the more chance things go dead on you. The Dean EVO XM is about $100, has two decent sounding pups (compared to the supershrill singlecoils you'll find in the squier starterpack), has a fixed bridge, tuners that might actually last longer then a week and a neck that allows for pretty good setups (the models I tried atleast). It doesn't have much extra, but it is a guitar that will allow you to learn perfectly without any crap you might experience with some other cheap guitars.
As for amps, really a lot of choice. The GM110 is a very nice amp, espescially for it's money. Versatile sounds right out of it and the FX loop allows you to add effects later on. But there are other amps, a lot of other amps. Have a friend who plays guitar or a salesmen play on all amps in your budget using various settings and go with the one you think sounds best.
I actually just bought the Ibanez jumpstart pack (sans the DVD) and I am more than happy. I had an Ibanez a few years ago but never had the time to really learn to play, one thing or another I spent a humbling 30 minutes at the pawn shop hawking something I held very dear to me. I stepped back in now that A) I have the money and B) I have a little bit of time and no wife or girlfriend. However I think Wes is right on his point, especially when you factor in the power issue. If you are buying electronics in the US and they are being exported, then you have to deal with a converter which is extra cost. Tack onto this what you are probably going to pay for shipping and you can probably piece together a comparable package with an amp that will support your local power system. The amp that came with the Ibanez looks to be 120V 60hz only - no toggles unfortunately.
You may want to check out a site like Musician's Friend to see what they have in the way of power adapters an/or switchable amps....
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cheers!
aoco
