Gonna buy a new 'lectric guitah + amp ..... vat 2 buy?? Help is much appreciated

[laesperanzapaz]

Ok, so my budget for the guitar is around 500 bux.  I like the Gibson Les Paul shape [my budget forces me into Epiphone], and Rickenbaucker has nice history of the '1960s' sound. I'm a complete newb in guitar models and brand, but I do know how to play guitar...but i am still amateurish. I have been doing acoustic for hobby for 2 years now. anyways....

Guitar
- this is just for myself: practicing, and some jams with my homies
- i want a 50s/60s classic rock sound.  the classic rocknroll, if you will.  None of that impure punk/metal posy rosy bullshit, i want me some good pure rock.  straight and without questions asked. NOTE: i still wanna try some hendrix-like dive-bombing/LSD-inspired stuff.
-  as i said, I want either Rickenbaucker or Epiphone [which is just cheap Gibson stuff]. about 500 bux range, give or take.
- whammy bar is a REQUIREMENT.  See my hendrix comment.  I can't believe Gibson [or epiphone] has no whammy bars on most of their factory-new stuff.
- i believe mahogany bests suits me.  Because it suits newbs, i think. not too importnat.
- short scale is recommended for relative newbs, right? like 24-3/4 inch...not too importnat.
- single coil is cheaper?

Amp [i've never bought an amp before  ((
- for practice, for hobby mainly. for newbish stuff.
- $100-200
- still i wanna try some hendrix-imitation too.
- small, low power
- is portable recommended? i saw one that was like the size of a kleenex box, but not sure how shitty the sound was.
- solid state and class B is for newbs, right? or was it class D [portable] or H? plz help.
- must have reverb.  but i guess reverb is standard across almost all amps?

finally, i got this comment about amps from some site, is it accurate?

Practice amps are usually solid state or modeling combo units featuring low power (10-30 watts) and small (8" or 10") speakers, although there are some small tube amps to be found. For rehearsal and playing smaller venues, consider tube and

and finally, the lead. aka the cable that connects guitar with amp.  is $15-20 recommended price?


as always, your help is much appreciated. thank youfrom bottom of my heart.

[laesperanzapaz]

this is my fav guitar shape of all time, btw. the rickenbaucker classic shape is my second choice.

[Bildi]

You have a bit of a dilemma because you want a Les Paul type of thing, but want to do crazy whammy bar stuff which is the domain of Floyd Rose's that are typically found on more modern guitars (I wouldn't go with a dual-post (or six-screw) Strat style bridge unless you're really into being out of tune every time you get a little wild on the whammy bar).

So I think you have to decide which way you want to go in that regard.  Otherwise:

Scale - doesn't matter much, short like Les Pauls or longer like Strats.  If you learn on a short, you might find a longer scale harder later, but there really isn't that much difference.  I wouldn't worry about it.
Body wood - I wouldn't worry about it.
Pickups - whether single coil or humbuckers won't affect price.  Get something with at least one humbucker otherwise you'll be in constant noise-heaven with single coils (yes, you can buy hum-cancelling single coils but I assume you don't want to buy a simple guitar and immediately start "upgrading" it with new parts).  The most flexible combo out there if you aren't sure what you want is probably a HSH configuration (two humbushers with a single coil in the middle), or two humbuckers that have an option to coil-tap (turn off one coil and act like a single coil).

Amps, just get something nice and small and cheap.  It's going to end up a second/unused amp eventually so try to keep it cheap.  Reverb is good to get, but I think some of the smallest amps forego it.  I'd definitely try to get it.

I'd look at something with a 8-10" speaker, with maybe 10-30 watts (I just realised I typed the same as that quote in your post  ), and I'd definitely go solid state.  At this level it's we're not talking world-class sound so tubes will just give you the added hassle of having to re-tube every now and then.

[Tauntaun]

Tauntaun is doing research, I'll post again as soon as I've got something. 

[Tauntaun]

Ok so this looks like your best bet guitar wise, it's a Fender strat with a licensed floyd rose:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Standard-FR-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar?sku=517910



Amp wise you will want a Marshall as it seems that's the sound you're going for.  Here's a nice 30 watt combo:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Marshall-MG30DFX-Combo-?sku=483188

[Mupepe]

My baby

It's too bad I haven't touched in like 6 months, much less even had a decent jam session in probably like a year.  :'(

[Tauntaun]

It's too bad I haven't touched in like 6 months, much less even had a decent jam session in probably like a year.  :'(

   NUKKA I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD PLAY!  This just means we were meant to be together. 

[muckhole]

I'm starting to think playing guitar is an Evilbore prerequisite. 

[laesperanzapaz]

1. thanks for your assistance, everyone.  i thank you from teh bottom of heart, i wish i could give you all a blowjob as reward!

2.  well crap. So can anyone pick out an epiphone with the FLoyd Rose tremolo around 500 bux? I just dislike the fender strat shape...so cliched.  Yes, hendrix [aka the great guitarist ever] used it, but it's such a cliched, tired design, no? Kinda like riding the same car model as everyone.

ALso, the 50s/60s classic rock sound, aka the "chugging sound" or the "chuck berry" sound is of real interest to me.  Metal/punk is not the sound i'm looking for.

3. that amps sounds nice tantan, but maybe a bit cheaper? i heard you can get a good practice amp for 100-150 bux.

[laesperanzapaz]

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-Limited-Edition-Les-Paul-Studio-Electric-Guitar-with-Floyd-Rose-Tremolo?sku=519398&src=3SOSWXXA

discontinued

ok, so is ibanez + Floyd rose recommended? how bouts rickenbaucker + FR?  rickenbaucker <3 the beatles guitar

[MyNameIsMethodis]

I'm even starting of thinking to learn electric guitar, only because i've recently developed a attraction to surf rock tunes, and you can't really do that with a bass.

[Bildi]

Everyone seems to be buying Les Pauls nowadays, you can't turn around without falling over one.  It's to the point that the strat shape is becoming a rare bird

If you'd like a Floyd-equipped guitar, be careful as not all Floyd's are created equal.  In particular, many Floyd-licensed trems do not pivot on hardened knife-edges which means they dull very quickly and never return to neutral which is intensely annoying.

Original Floyd's I believe do have a hardened baseplate.  Otherwise, you can go for something like the Ibanez Edge trems (again quite a few models, some better than others), which have removable hardened knife edges and are probably the best Floyd-licensed trems.

Ibanez also have the ZR trems (Zero Resistance) which are double locking like a Floyd, but pivot on ball bearings so are extremely stable also.  They feel a little different to a traditional knife-edge Floyd because of the different pivot point but perform identically otherwise.

The closest I can find to what you would like is this:

http://www.ibanez.com/eg/guitar.aspx?m=S470DXQM

But they're a double cutaway unfortunately, which it sounds like you're not keen on.  Price seems to be around $500.

[Powerslave]

I'm really not a fan of the Les Paul look.

[laesperanzapaz]

what about rickenbacker? any recommendations?

if push comes to shove...i''ll be forced to get a fender strat with FR.  the hendrix weirdo-sounds are a must, i must have the whammy bar!

alas....the beautiful les paul shape....unnattainable

[Tauntaun]

what about rickenbacker? any recommendations?

if push comes to shove...i''ll be forced to get a fender strat with FR.  the hendrix weirdo-sounds are a must, i must have the whammy bar!

alas....the beautiful les paul shape....unnattainable

Do you have like $4000 to spend?  Rickenbackers are duuuuuuuumb expensive.  Ibanez would be a good route to go, I'd recommend an RG model (they have 24 frets). 

Here's the Ibanez in your price range:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez,Solid-Body-Electric-Electric-Guitar,300-500,Page-1.gc?pf=6&ipp=15

[MyNameIsMethodis]

Man how do people afford gear for when they start actually performing live?

[Bildi]

Once you start getting up into the really expensive solid body electric guitars, custom is frequently a much better option unless you're hell-bent on having an original.  Luthiers can duplicate anything really.

As for other gear like expensive amps, second hand is a good option.

[MyNameIsMethodis]

Yeah but like, looking at all this gear it's like $1000 in gear just to start with shitty stuff :O

I'm guessing lots of amateur musicians have credit card debt 

[Bildi]

It can be a bit expensive, especially if you're trying to not buy things that will be useless withing a year or something.  I'm not very familiar with US prices, but I imagine you'd get a very nice start for $1,000.

[laesperanzapaz]

what about rickenbacker? any recommendations?

if push comes to shove...i''ll be forced to get a fender strat with FR.  the hendrix weirdo-sounds are a must, i must have the whammy bar!

alas....the beautiful les paul shape....unnattainable

Do you have like $4000 to spend?  Rickenbackers are duuuuuuuumb expensive.  Ibanez would be a good route to go, I'd recommend an RG model (they have 24 frets). 

Here's the Ibanez in your price range:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez,Solid-Body-Electric-Electric-Guitar,300-500,Page-1.gc?pf=6&ipp=15

is there one with a whammy bar? an ibanez is a less cliched guitar than fender strat, at least.

btw, is the floydrose overrated? is the hendrix-weirdo sounds possible only on a FR whammy bar?  i'm sure other kinds of tremolo bars can imitate it, right?

[Bildi]

Edge III, Edge Zero, and ZR's are Ibanez's double locking trems - there are a number of guitars on that page that have them.  The Edge III is their cheaper version, the Edge Zero is their best.  The ZR is used on the S's and is a very good trem also.

Double locking trems aren't really overrated - they're as good as you'll get if you want to go nuts on a whammy bar and still stay in tune.  Otherwise, if you want good stability you have to go to locking tuners and a nut made of slippery material and make sure the bridge is up to the task.  The John Petrucci Music Man models are very good for example and don't have a double locking trem - but they also cost a lot.

Hendrix just used a standard six screw Strat bridge.  So to answer your question, anything Hendrix did on a whammy bar can be done on even the cheapest of strat copies.  Whether you'd be in tune after is another matter.

[Tauntaun]

Maybe go try out this S:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-S320-S-Series-Electric-Guitar?sku=512503

Basically you need to actually play the guitar you're going to get.  Go to a music store and try some out.

[laesperanzapaz]

i know how to play guitar. i'm a newb at guitar/amp models

and thanks evryone

[Tauntaun]

i know how to play guitar. i'm a newb at guitar/amp models

and thanks evryone

We're like the mob, it ain't for free.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

  the gay mob. 

[close]

[Powerslave]

i know how to play guitar. i'm a newb at guitar/amp models

and thanks evryone

We're like the mob, it ain't for free.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

  the gay mob. 

[close]

This man has willpower.

[Tauntaun]

i know how to play guitar. i'm a newb at guitar/amp models

and thanks evryone

We're like the mob, it ain't for free.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

  the gay mob. 

[close]

This man has penispower.

Fixed. 

[Bildi]

And stamina.

[MyNameIsMethodis]

I need urgent help

I just broke my first bass string trying to tune my guitar

And I don't know what to do

Anyone know any good bass strings to buy? Do I need special ones because my bass is a micro?

[Tauntaun]

And stamina.

Bildi

[muckhole]

I need urgent help

I just broke my first bass string trying to tune my guitar

And I don't know what to do

Anyone know any good bass strings to buy? Do I need special ones because my bass is a micro?

I would imagine the strings would be the same, regardless. Just snip off the extra after they`re on at the headstock. As for good bass strings, I couldn`t say. I use Ernie Ball strings for my guitar, but to each their own.

[Bildi]

I don't think I know much more than most guitarists?  I'm fairly out of the loop on current equipment because I haven't bought any new equipment for ages, but guitars themselves don't seem to evolve very fast so there's very few new innovations to keep up with I suppose.

[laesperanzapaz]

yeah, it would be much easier to understand the product category of a guitar company if they just followed a sensible naming scheme

why do electronics companies and even music instrument companies do this

dont they want to sell more products? make the naming scheme understandable, you twats

for example

[company name] [product name] [model number] [optional: one more descriptive word, like "studio" or "junior" to show its intended audience]

not that hard

[Bildi]

How long have you been playing? You seem to know a lot more than most guitarists I know, but it could just be that most of my friends are broke motherfuckers and also kind of young.

As a teenager I fetished over electric guitar gear like most do so I still remember lots from that.  I used to teach so dealt a lot with students and their equipment which helped too.

yeah, it would be much easier to understand the product category of a guitar company if they just followed a sensible naming scheme

Naming of guitars sucks now.  Ibanez used to be one of the better ones - you had the S guitars and the RGs mostly and each had their distinct body shape like they still do.  RG770, RG550, RG570s and S570s were the better guitars. RG450, S470's were more entry level.  RG350, RG270, RG175 were progressively cheaper.  It was pretty easy.  Even the 50 and 70 part of the name meant something.

Now it's all over the place.  I have little idea what one of their guitars is just from looking at the model number.

Had any luck deciding on some equipment?

[laesperanzapaz]

i'm gonna go to various local shops to ask for available ones of my preferences, and try them out.

i just wanted to know if "epiphone + FR =  cheap" was a possibillity. guess not.

thanks for help! ur now my favorite member! <3