Good guitar for a beginner?

[nate_D]

just got the 60 year old father in a law a pocket Pod, he loves it. he just throws that, a cord and some headphones into his guitar bag, heads down to the beach and plays, or sits on the couch late at night with headphones on, or bypasses the Pod's amp sim and uses its effects and plays through his Fender amp.

awesome! thanks dude! just figured out what i'm getting my dad for his birthday this year (who has a 64' fender strat that is the most awesomest guitar ever made).

[mikemc]

I bought a copy SG specifically to learn to play 20th Century Boy by T-Rex. Imagine my surprise when I found out the main riff is only 2 notes...

2 NOTES!!!! The baddest riff EVER is only 2 Notes!

I still haven't learned to play it, though. Think I'll make an extra effort this week...

I am one of the older ones (age-wise) here but that song isn't ringing a bell at the time...2 notes?

Intrigued, I looked it up on amazon.com and found a sample. Yes, two notes: derrn and deerr. Goes like this [edited for more accuracy]:

derrn deer-deerr derrn, deerr derrn, deeeerr dernn.

[smutek]

I bought a copy SG specifically to learn to play 20th Century Boy by T-Rex. Imagine my surprise when I found out the main riff is only 2 notes...

2 NOTES!!!! The baddest riff EVER is only 2 Notes!

I still haven't learned to play it, though. Think I'll make an extra effort this week...

I am one of the older ones (age-wise) here but that song isn't ringing a bell at the time...2 notes?

Intrigued, I looked it up on amazon.com and found a sample. Yes, two notes: derrn and deerr. Goes like this [edited for more accuracy]:

derrn deer-deerr derrn, deerr derrn, deeeerr dernn.

Yikes! Just watched a little bit of that T-REX song on youtube, not my cup of tea. To each their own though.



Here's the style of guitar music I like best, where the rhythm makes me want to just bounce right out of my seat:

The Feelies : Away It's from one of my all time favorite rock albums.

[thelike5]

Hey Smutek,

Check these guys out... one of my personal favorites... The Field Mice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBzRYpqUQzo

[smutek]

listening now

[vandons]

Schecter makes some very high quality guitars for the money. You can often get used ones very cheap on e-bay too.

If you like something with a more traditional style G&L makes some very nice telecaster style guitars for not much scratch. Higher quality than a Fender at the same price point.

Reverend also makes some really great inexpensive guitars.

Check them out:

http://www.reverendguitars.com/

[smutek]

Hey Smutek,

Check these guys out... one of my personal favorites... The Field Mice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBzRYpqUQzo

digging it bro, never heard them before. It's so cool how something I've never heard before, like this, can plop me right down at some point in my past - in this case the summers of 1989 and 1990.

Such an appropriate tune bringing back great memories on a beautiful day here, sunny and 75 degrees, all the windows open - the tune really struck me.

Thanks, will be checking out more of their stuff, like right after a re-listen.

[Winston]

I say look for a second hand guitar. There is point where the value for cost ratio is highest often around the lower mid range prices of the versions built abroad. For example, for a strat, try to find a mexican strat used. New it would be about 400, so used should be well under 300. Maybe 200. Those ones don't say squire on them, just fender strat. But the real ones are american of course. The squire's are just too cheaply made. Not nearly as good of a feel or sound. Ive played guitar for 18 years though and I'm happy to play a mexican strat. Or an epiphone les paul.

I guess I'm sayin' don't get bottom of the line. Get the knock off that's a little bit pricier than the cheapest. And used will save you the same amount anyways.

[thelike5]

Hey Smutek,

Check these guys out... one of my personal favorites... The Field Mice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBzRYpqUQzo

digging it bro, never heard them before. It's so cool how something I've never heard before, like this, can plop me right down at some point in my past - in this case the summers of 1989 and 1990.

Such an appropriate tune bringing back great memories on a beautiful day here, sunny and 75 degrees, all the windows open - the tune really struck me.

Thanks, will be checking out more of their stuff, like right after a re-listen.

At 31, I rarely find many pop gems anymore. A couple years back, I was in my favorite record store and a song came on... I asked the owner and he told me "Field Mice they just released a two-disc retrospective..." I bought it immediately. One of the best record buys in my life. It's since out of print. The release featured one disc of more poppier stuff while the 2nd disc featured New Order influenced synth flavored pop GEMS. The release I am referring to is called "Where did you learn to kiss like that".

"Emma's House" is an absolute two minute masterpeice. I really wish that song was on youtube. Actually, every song (about 30 some) on that retrospective is amazing.

The band was on Sarah Records in the UK which was the forerunner for the "twee-pop" stuff. Amazing label. Basically, a bunch of bands influenced by New Order or 60's pop stuff. Less to do with punk rock than the Lookout Records bands of the late 80's early 90's. Kinda similar to what Morr music out of Germany is doing now...

Yeah, the Field Mice. One of my all time favorites right there. Members went on to become Trembling Blue Stars and Northern Picture Library. Great stuff...

Lemme know if you have trouble digging up their stuff. PM me and I may be able to "make it happen."

[jlgrimes]

Thinking about picking up guitar. Any recommendations for a decent, low cost electric for a beginner?

Ultimately I want something I can just dick around on, learn at my own pace. Would like it to be electric because I plan on running it directly into live.

I know nothing about guitars. I did have a Rickenbacker 6 string electric when I was a teenager, but I never learned to play it. Ended up trading it for 2 skateboards and a half ounce of weed.

Also, don't know if I want to pick up a guitar or a bass. Any suggestions for a beginner, as to what might be easier to learn?

Bass is easier than guitar for the most part. Bass can get tough when you get into advanced stuff, but you will be able to play simple basslines quicker than simple guitar licks.


You can do what I did start off taking a year of electric guitar then go right to the bass.


I recommend an electric guitar with extra light strings and one that's properly adjusted.


Strats are an all around type of electric guitar but sound kind of neutral and can be a bit heavy.

Tele's have a twangier tone and for some reason I seem to be able to play chords better on one.

A nice guitar I kind of inherited is a gibson SG. It is pretty lightweight and seems to be pretty comfortable for lead playing and it got a lot of sound control,


But anyways I'm still new to guitar (only 1 year in the game).

[smutek]

Any recomendations between a Fender Star Caster and the Yamaha Eg112c?

Fender comes with an amp, the yamaha doesn't. I am not so worried about the amp at this point, was planning on running it through the set up that I have, most likely into a soundcard and out through ableton, or into my mixer and directly out to start (am I completely off base by thinking that will be ok?)

Deal is I've been doing some work for a friend, taking a chunk of the money that he owes me and using it for a guitar. Don't have a lot to spend, that's why the other Yamaha looked appealing(at $99 on ebay) to start, but this friend of mine does trading and consignment and can often times get his hands on stuff at lower prices, and the 2 guitars he told me he can get are the Fender Star Caster and the Yamaha eg112C.

This is why my options are limited to start, but I am ok with that.

Any suggestions between those two guitars? Already had some good recommendations here on the Yamaha, but didn't know how it compares to the Star Caster...........

[Tone Deft]

I'd go Yamaha just because I'm a big fan of humbuckers in the bridge position.

check wikipedia on humbucker pickups. the other pickup you should read up on is the single coil.

then spend $50 at a guitar shop to have them adjust the setup for you, makes a HUGE difference, more of a difference than the quality difference between those two guitars.

[smutek]

Right on man, thanks for the info bro.

Heard a lot of nice things about the Yamaha being a good starter unit and all.

And will defo follow your advice about taking it to a guitar shop, there's a small Mom & Pop music store right near my house. Going to read about pickups later as well, can't now at work, but will defo check it out.

[Winston]

A Star Caster? Is this a real thing? Like a knock-off strat?

I'm a big fan off humbuckers too. I've had 2 strats in my life and both have had bridge position humbuckers.

If it's a comparable price to the yamaha, I'd be very worried about this 'Star Caster' if it includes an amp and the yamaha doesn't. You can always get yourself a cheap amp plug-in.

[Tone Deft]

A Star Caster? Is this a real thing? Like a knock-off strat?

I'm a big fan off humbuckers too. I've had 2 strats in my life and both have had bridge position humbuckers.

If it's a comparable price to the yamaha, I'd be very worried about this 'Star Caster' if it includes an amp and the yamaha doesn't. You can always get yourself a cheap amp plug-in.

good call Winston. it'd be -84 cool points to have a 'Star Caster', it's a Best Buy model FFS.

just make sure whatever you get makes you smile when you see it, guitars are just freaking cool, I still grin at mine, real purty, then we have rough sex all night. been playing lots of Juanas Addiction lately, guitar and bass, 'sex IS violent'.

careful about relying on VSTs for sound, if you've ever played through Live and felt latency and didn't like it, it'll be 100x more annoying with a guitar.

holy moley, Pod XTs are on sale on my local craigslist for $150-$350, I guess with the new one out people are upgrading.