Practice "guitar" for work?

Cheap is completely relative to your situation. Outragously expensive to me is often concidered very cheap to much higher income areas of the country.

Perhaps just a cheapo electric from Target if its just to mess around with and keep at work. Electric without an amp I think would be ideal for practicing when you don't want to be heard (my situation, night is the only time I have to actually practice, but the kids are in bed and with a small house, I can't practice with my acoustic only equipment.) You can get a cheapo from Target for probably under $100 without the "beginner package" that comes with the amp and stuff.

That's where the "cheap is relative to you" comes in to play. $100 is a lot of money for me to be spending, but a $100 guitar is indeed a cheap guitar. Where as a $300-400 guitar to me would be "whoa, that's expensive!" "Cheap" needs to be defined.

How about the Shredneck? I am seriously thinking about buying one.... I thought about buying an old kids guitar at a yard sale and converting it, but I don't think I could do a good enough job for the $.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Shredneck-Practice-Guitar-Neck?sku=360704

Remember, Shredneck is NOT a guitar... it does not "play"... it does not make sound... it does not plug into an amp (like some other micro-traveller guitars)... it is purely for fingering and picking practice.

They make them in electric, acoustic or classical necks.

I am *not* affiliated with them... just a fan of them and have researched them a bit as I do think I am going to buy one.

Look around, there are lots of deals but musicians friend seems to have a good price on them.

There is a real, playable, plug-in-able guitar that is about as small as a Shredneck... but they are very expensive ($700+?)
http://www.lapstick.com/standardmodels.html
There are a few YouTube vids of it... sounds pretty good for what it is.

Also, depending on your work, and what they would think about a "real" guitar at work... there are lots of Travel sized guitars that you can get...

http://www.travelerguitar.com/

My personal fav is the "Ultra Light"... goes for under $300:
http://www.amazon.com/Traveler-Ultra-Acoustic-Electric-Travel-Guitar/dp/B000OQI2CI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1245077351&sr=1-1

If you end up being in the market for a Travel guitar... there are lots of others out there.

A plug-in-able Travel guitar (non-acoustic) would go along great with my Vox Amplug AC30... although a lot of them have a direct headphone jack (preamp) anyway... so you wouldn't even need it.

How about the Shredneck? I am seriously thinking about buying one.... I thought about buying an old kids guitar at a yard sale and converting it, but I don't think I could do a good enough job for the $.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... sku=360704

Hmm, now that might be just the thing. Wonder why I've never heard of it? :o

Sorry for the unqualified "CHEAP". Definitely under $100, I don't even know how my next rent check is getting paid. :oops:

I work in a corporate office (financial type building) and bringing in a small guitar... even something as small as a "Traveler Guitar" would be frowned upon.

However, I could see the Shredneck being fine... I could hold it on my lap and practice with just the left hand... (insert one handed typing jokes here)... and when on my desk in view, people would just think it is a toy/display... nothing really usable other than for decoration.

Hmmm... I think I might plant that idea in my wife's head and see what happens on father's day. Now to hop on the phone and call the local stores to find who carries them.

I work in a corporate office (financial type building) and bringing in a small guitar... even something as small as a "Traveler Guitar" would be frowned upon.If I came in to work 2 or 3 hours early, I'd tell the boss to go do one before I'd let them tell me what I could bring in. If its being played before work starts, then no one will know. If they do, so what? As long as you don't slack off to play it. Go on, be a trend setter :lol:

having a real guitar in your office at work is very Greg House.

Translation: having a real guitar in your office at work is a signifier of the cool.

does you absolutely no good, but we have real guitars hanging on the walls in my office. I can't read the signatures on most of them, but one is signed by Tom Morello. and, yes, we've played them during some of the parties. my fave has to be the tiny tambourine with "Weird Al" written across the skin.

I have a hofner shorty (they can be found for about $80) and it would be good for something like that. Much better than a shredneck because it's an actual (crappy) guitar.

Or, depending on the office, get something like a Squier Strat that you can hang on the wall. Instant coolness, good for practice, and not a complete tragedy if it's stolen or broken.

Disclaimer: I work at home and you couldn't drag me kicking and screaming into an office job that wasn't cool enough to let me keep a guitar on the wall...

Sorry for the unqualified "CHEAP". Definitely under $100, I don't even know how my next rent check is getting paid. :oops:

With a budget of just $100 your best option is to keep watching Craig's list for the low end guitars. You can sometimes find some decent beginner's guitars for sale for a low price. It often seems as if the best deals are from those who are giving up - their guitars also appear to be in better condition.

It may take a while if you want to keep the price down but just keep checking regularly. If you have certain models that you're looking for you could also set up a Google alert and have it mail you with anything it finds.

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like I have at least a few options. I may lean towards the Shredneck because it's cheap, and I really don't need much if anything in the way of sound (and I can probably keep it out of sight better -- in this economy, any slight indication that you might be doing something other than work will get you a pink slip quicker than the intro to "Minority"...) :evil:

How about running an electric through 100W Marshall once. Surely your office will be rocked...;)

OTOH, why don't you try ukulele ? It is a cute little instrument which will save you a lot of space and plays well too mostly.