Electric Guitar

[lightshow]

I'm about to buy an electric guitar. I'm on a budget of about 300-400 dollars. I'm going to need an amp also w/ the cords.

My question is, what should I look for in an electric guitar and amp?

Right now I own a Tackamine G Series Acousitc Guitar.

In reference to music, I like to play like bands such as Coheed & Cambria, Thrice, and other rock/punk/hardcore bands. In reguards to the style of music I'm going to play on electric.

The amp doesn't need to be too big, I'm living in college dorms, so rocking out can't be too lound..stupid RA.

What do you all think?

[lee551]

i'd start by looking here:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...ecial&it=DOX31

i started out with that squier pack. i still have the guitar and play it once and awhile.

brands like fender/squier, ibanez & epiphone should be great for you.

[Mïcrösöül°V³]

get an ibanez. they have many reasonably priced guitars, plus they feel nice to play, especially the wizard necks. Im buying the prestige model, which is $1000.00 USD. I already have a carvin, which cost me $1100.00 USD, but i like the faster, slimmer wizard neck styles.

[Mïcrösöül°V³]

also, if you already have a takamine, your not gunna want to play on any of the starter model electrics (they feel bad, the action is bad, etc...). as far as a cheap amp, i cant help there, as i play through headphones from my processor, tho i do have a small peavey, i just dont know what they cost anymore.

[Afronaut]

Well, I wantto add something.
Even if you end up with a guitar that might not be really good,
the one thing to learn is to set it up yourself.

The net is full of Guides about guitar setups.
You will save a lot of money by learning to maintaing
your equipment yourself.
And, the guitar will sound and play soo much better.

Check for instance:
jemsite, even if its about Ibanez Jems,
the same principles apply for same type of guitars a lot.
Regardless the brand, one can learn a lot reading that site.

Fender Stratocaster Setup is a good read too, for ppl with a "copy of strat".

Google is good for finding stuff, there's some wicked forums out there
full with ppl who has the knowhow and like to talk about it too.

Dont be afraid about the Setup, if you want be a "player",
you need to learn it anyway, the sooner the better.

It's not rocket sience. Common sense is all you need, take it piece by pice,
read a lot, and ask questions.



For first guitar, I'd probably try hunt me a Tokai, (or Squier) a copy of a Strato.
Thats for the single coil sound.
Or maybe an Ibanez RG series, if your into heavier, beefier humbucker sounds.
Try them all if possible, hehe, there's about a million different models.
Second buy would be little tube amp with spring-reverb and
third would be an overdrive pedal (Ibanez TS-808 or TS-9).

Im not sure if you can get them under 3-400$ thought. Probably not.

But the Tube amp is a must, I never really liked the Transistor stuff.
They tend to sound so dull to me, but I guess I havent heard them all.

[lightshow]

Ok, cool. Thanks for the advice. Hmm yeah. I should go to some guitar stores and check some out. Should I focus on the feel of the guitar and the sound? Or what is the main thing I should look for when trying out different ones?

[Afronaut]

Well, if you compare guitars, use the same amp, that could reveal some
differences. Then use try the same guitars on a different amp.

Your ears is the judge, you like or not what you hear.

Electronics can be changed later, mics, pots, switches, those are not the most important things, they have to work thought, with no extra noice or zizzlez.
Check if the neck is "straight", not really straight, there suppose to be a little bow on it,
but definately no humps. If the neck has humps and if its glued on the body like in
Les Paul type of guitars, it'll be very difficult to change the neck later.
Plus the guitar is ruined, you cant make it play good.

Bolt on necks can be replaced, but its no excuse to sell crappy-neck-guitars imo.

If its used guitar, check the fret-wear, there should not be much as it will make
the intonation a hassle (thats a Setup thing you need to learn) and eventually
tuning a hassle too.

The neck should feel "easy" to play on, regardless the type.
Try different types and you may find something you feel a little more
confortable than the others.

If the strings are too high to play, or too low, that is a Setup thing and can be easily
fixed.
There's screws to set the heights.

Over all I'd say take a good look on the neck, against the light, and see if it is OK.
If there's humps, dont buy it.
If its evenly bend backwards, or its just straight, tell the guys on the shop to fix it (setup)
and go back to check it later.
I dont think they got so bad-setup guitars hangin on the shops put you never know.
The guitar has to work when you buy it. If the strings rattle against the frets, (a little can be expected, if you slam 'em hard)
...im typing too fast, probably repeating myself too... oh well...

Couple other tips:
Take a guy with you who has been playing guitar for a long time,
you would not get ripped off so easily.

Read the links I posted about the setups, it'll help you to undestand the diffences
between a Bad Setup and a Bad Guitar. There's a huge difference.

A bad setup guitar should be setup before the sale, in the shop
by the guys who run the shop.
At least thats the way it works in here, Norway.

A friend of mine bought a Reissue 1960 LesPaul, with a really bad setup.
It came on mail, he send it back, called them and cursed them to Hell.

They're going to fix the setup for free.

Oh, and do not believe the guys whos selling, they might not even know how to Setup
a guitar.
Might be some Law Student at Temp Work trying to get extra cash or something...

Yeah, The Setup, learn something about it. You wont regret it.