If this is the wrong forum I apologizes. :shock:
I've been playing casually for a few years on an inexpensive Fender Squire and have always struggled to hit some chords and notes cleanly, I assumed it was lack of practice. Sitting at Guitar Center in the acoustic cave the other day though I noticed that even a slight step up in price yielded a much nicer to play guitar. The string buzz went away on certain chords, and an F which has been nearly impossible for me to play cleanly on my Squire was a piece of cake... so I'm really starting to appreciate the value of a nicer machine already!
Can anyone give me some basic criteria to look for if I decide to get a new 6 string? I am still torn between acoustic and electric. I play drums mostly to metal, and all hard-rock based genres, but love to play acoustic and could see learning more country songs on guitar if I had a better one.
Even then, an acoustic electric, or just acoustic if I go that route? I think my budget will be in the $600-750 range tops. And I'm not at all opposed to used. I got my Squire at a pawn shop and my drums are 13yrs young :lol:
Probably the best thing you can do is play a few and see what you like...
I prefer electric as a metal fan, but it really depends what you want to do, and at least you can play an acoustic anywhere :-)
yeah my wife sings country pretty much exclusively so I was thinking I could play for her. I didn't mean to pigeon hole acoustic into a country genre though if I did. I know a lot of my fav metal bands have acoustic numbers as well.
I'll keep playing. I just wondered if there was anything in particular I should look for. I may just wait till end of month, see how much cash I have burning in my pocket and play with everything at guitar center in that price range, lol.
Since Apache has responded in this thread, (and I think she'd agree) I'd say to get a step up guitar take a hard look at Schecter guitars. Dual humbuckers and in many cases string through bodies and solid neck. (not bolt on)
Decently priced around $400-500 for a C1+. I have had two and swear by them.
However, not to put down your Squier, with a good setup it should be very easy to play and is a good investment, too.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Since Apache has responded in this thread, (and I think she'd agree) I'd say to get a step up guitar take a hard look at Schecter guitars. Dual humbuckers and in many cases string through bodies and solid neck. (not bolt on)
Decently priced around $400-500 for a C1+. I have had two and swear by them.
However, not do put down your Squire, with a good setup it should be very easy to play and is a good investment, too.
thanks for the tip on the Schecters, I'll check em out :)
what do you mean by a good setup though on the Squire? Mine is essentially a kit like this:
http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0301620025
Do you mean different hardware (like the pickups) or just a better amp? I know my amp is lacking and that's one of the reasons I was thinking acoustic, just cause I could afford to spend more directly on the guitar rather than having to split funds between a new elec and new amp.
One thing about the squire, is the strings are soo high above the frets I've noticed compared to other guitars. I can't help but to wonder if this is one of the reasons I have a hard time playing it as clean.
THat is CERTAINLY one of the reasons you've had a hard time playing it.
And it's part of what Bish meant by "a setup." Guitars, especially electric guitars, have a considerable number of "adjustments" to maximize their playability, and to keep them playable. Your squire can have its neck curvature adjusted by the truss rod, and your string height can be modified by adjusting the bridge and the nut. Then the bridge saddles can adjust the intonation, so it stays "true" better all the way up the neck. Even pickup height can be adjusted, and may improve tone/output.
I don't know what a decent setup costs in the US these days- round here it would be about $30. And money well spent- before you buy a new one, I would definitely get a good setup done.
If you learn how to do it yourself, you'll save money in the long run. But if you just have a tech do it at your local guitar shop, you'll be glad you did.
Squiers are sort of entry level, but they shouldn't play badly, once set up.
A lot of the regulars on this board own them, and virtually everybody has owned or played them at some point.
A well set up squier can be a very nice axe.
BEst,
Ande
If you have the money, you might think about a Parker. They are electrics, but have a piezo pickup under the bridge so they can also sound like an acoustic guitar.
They aren't cheap, but they are worth the money.
Notes ♫
Bob "Notes" Norton
Owner, Norton Music http://www.nortonmusic.com Add-on Styles for Band-in-a-Box and Microsoft SongSmith
The Sophisticats http://www.s-cats.com >^. .^< >^. .^<
Thanks Guys!
Ande, I kinda had a feeling that's the type of stuff Bish was talking about but I've never done anything like that. I'll try to swing by the local Guitar Center or something and see if someone can give me a hand on it, I'm sure there is a lot of room for improvement on this puppy then. If I am able to get a little more out of the Squire, then that would free up funds for a good acoustic and/or new amp. I found a couple Martins on Craigslist for $400 ish yesterday, and in the past I have really really liked the Martins I have played.
I find there are differences of build quality and play quality in the different price ranges of guitars, both electric and acoustic.
in general:
$100-300 beginner level. no extra workmanship was put in.
$300-500 better parts and average workmanship, but the action, feel, and tone is decent.
$500-1000 most instruments in this range have detail and workmanship showing. the neck and frets feel nice, the tuners work
really smooth, better woods, electronics etc. an acoustic in this range plays incredibly; no buzzing and lots of ringing
sustain.
$1000 and up....beginning pro and pro
thanks dogbite. I seem to be noticing about the same trend.
What do you guys think about this? how serious is a 'hairline' crack? is it fixable, or ignorable?
Since Apache has responded in this thread, (and I think she'd agree) I'd say to get a step up guitar take a hard look at Schecter guitars. Dual humbuckers and in many cases string through bodies and solid neck. (not bolt on)
Decently priced around $400-500 for a C1+. I have had two and swear by them.
However, not to put down your Squier, with a good setup it should be very easy to play and is a good investment, too.
Thought I'd add I love my schecter :-)
I have a Martin with a crack on the bottom side. I whacked a coffee table. hairline. I am bummed. cracks can be stabilized. probably a minimum charge.
that DM looks nice. can you try it out. I couldn't see the crack very well. doesn't seem bad. offer 300.
It took me 40 years to figure out that I don't like a guitar (neck) with less than a 43 mm. nut, though 42.8 is okay, but 42 which may be on some Squiers and some Fender Mexican's (the Standard models) is harder to play for me. And while I can tweak just about anything, the lower priced guitars $100 - $200 don't seem to tweak as well, and occasionally, frets may stick out and be sharp to the touch, while there have been great improvements in offshore guitars, and they need not be avoided for their origin, as long as the individual example feels and plays good. It's a hands on experience in my opinion.
Also, I'm pretty sure that all of my fingers have become fatter, if not a couple of tenths of a millimeter shorter too! :wink:
Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
OK I am leaning towards modding the Squier a bit to see what I can make of it and still have some cash leftover for either a new amp or Acoustic. Any input? I have read the obvious upgrades like pickups, but things that help with the playability of the instrument are more important to me right now. I think the nut is too high to be honest. Maybe a new neck? I read somewhere else someone mentioned the string spacing on squiers is smaller than on other guitars (to make it easier for youth fingers) I have noticed this too. Can I improve that with a new neck?
