Electric Guitar

Yes, I'd go with a tele. You can get a mexican made for around 300, and it is well worth it. As a beginner, I think the thinner neck will be very helpful. And the sound of a tele is so much better than the quacking of a strat.

 

I have to agree with this. If you want to be decent, it's best to start acoustically (though not mandatory).

If you're going to be playing Limp Bizkit, it's best not to start at all.

 

Exactly what UTWeezer said.

 

I like Ibanez and ESP, of course I am a 80's metal player more than anything but I love my Ibanez Jem 777 its a great guitar.

 

And mine... (damn, why am I at work now when my baby's at home?)

 

We boght our son a Squire guitar for his first guitar. Although it was a decent guitar, it was not something to continue to learn with. Once we discovered he was a natural and eager to get better, we bought him this (in black):



Ibanez RG220B, a great intermediate guitar, with much much higher quality than the Squire. Guitar Center has them on sale for $299 right now (regularly $599).

 

Unfortunately, I cannot find a picture on the internet of a 1954 Gretsch Electromatic. That is my "Den Guitar"...the one I keep on a stand in my den so I can grab it when I hear a song on the stereo I want to play along with. I also have a blonde 1983 Fender American Standard Tele, a black 1988 Fender American Standard Tele (those two are my main gigging/recording guitars), and an early 1980s Yamaha FG160 acoustic. Currently shopping for a nice mandolin....layed down a couple of mandolin tracks on the Holdouts' forthcoming CD and liked it alot. I had never touched a mandolin until that recording session. My amps are a 1992 Fender VibroVerb reissue with 10" Jensen Ceramics in it (my main amp) and a 1971 Fender Twin Reverb with 100 watt Celestions and Russian Military Tubes in it.

 

Does it look somethin' like that?

 

kpsta...no, that is a newer model. The 1950's Electromatics were Spanish style (rounded on both sides...no horn) with one big fat DeArmond pickup just below the neck. I'll keep looking for a pic.....

 

That pic is a '51 single-cut... (or so they say at gbase.com)... they also show one more like what you're describing... either way, nice-looking jazz box.

 

kpsta...yeah buddy! Thanks for the link! This is what mine looks like, only mine has been refinished in a cherry sunburst. I love the guitar and will own it until the day I die.

 

Thanks for the boner.

 

You are most wholeheartedly welcome. Keep your eye out for a Gretsch Electromatic. They don't sell for as high $$$ as other 50s Gretsch models. Keep checking Ebay and other websites, and you could probably get one for around $700-800. I paid $400 for mine in 1997...bought it in LA from a guy who was moving out of the state and was liquidating everything he owned. A local vintage guitar store owner offered me $800 for it a couple of months ago, and I told him he'd have to pry it out of my cold dead hands!

 

I like that Rickenbacker -- a lot.

As others have said, you can't go wrong with a Telecaster -- unless your favorite band is Celtic Frost, Voivod, or Slayer. I don't know how Leo Fender got it right the first time, but he did. They're so basic--which I believe is one of the reasons even some cheap Tele's are pretty good--and yet they get the job done. All in all, the Telecaster is my favorite guitar.

 

I used to play a little guitar back in the day, and I would really like to get back into it. I wasn't very good to begin with, so I would basically be starting from scratch. I have a very kiddie-type electric guitar, but I've been told if I want to make any progress as a guitarist, I will need a real guitar.

I see that a few of you have warned against starting out with an electric...any reason why? What about an acoustic-electric? I would like a guitar that I could potentially keep for a very long time and be satisfied(I'll never be in a band or in a situation where I will need a $1000 guitar).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I probably don't want to spend more than $200-$300.

 

I'm impressed so many here are Telecaster fans. I always thought for most people the Tele was the "other guitar" that Fender made.

I only own 2 guitars now,but in the not so distant past, I was kind of a pawnbroker in the building I live in for all of my musician friends going through slow periods. This enabled me to get my hands on all sorts of guitars.

My favorites were a completely beat-up 72 Telecaster that was at one time the touring guitar for the Lemonheads (go figure) and a very recent Takamene electric classical (not a typo) which I bought and play now. I never liked using a pick anyway so nylon strings work for me. I would have bought the Tele, and my friend needed the money, but he said "No way."

and Rm Tex:
Your guitar is totally dope. I'll be searching ebay, like you suggested.

 

The reason I like Telecasters:

 

Here's mine!

 

Thanks! It's definitely one of the best guitar buys I've ever made. Keep checking EBay and I'm sure you will be able to find one.

 

This is what I'm currently waiting for. Ibanez Artcore AS73. Only $300.