Where do I go in town to check out and purchase a guitar? What guitar do you guys recommend? I'm currently eye balling a Gibson and just started doing some research today.
Here, this will save you some time waiting on responses: http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=90876&highlight=guitar http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=88006&highlight=guitar http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61390&highlight=guitar Those are a few of the guitar threads we've had here.
Thanks Behad, ehehe. Ok, to be more specific, Im looking for a left handed guitar. After looking for a guitar on musicians friends website under most popular from $400-$700, I've narrowed it down to Fender Strat, Schecter C1, Gibson Faded and Fender Telecaster. I want to learn rock on this, which one would you choose and why?
Statocasters and Telecasters are both very nice. Easy to play, great sound. You'll have to learn how to adjust the bridge, but its not too too hard. Get a "Made in the USA", if you want to/can spend the money. I've never played a Gibson Faded. Go to the stores and get some alone time with each guitar. See what feels good. You wlll find some guitars feel better in your hands than others. Neck size, action, tone, weight, ...everything varies. I wouldn't buy anything I haven't played first.
You're left-handed? Well, if you're in Houston, go to Southpaw Guitars over in Bellaire... probably one of the best stores around for the lefties... http://www.southpawguitars.com Oh, and if you've narrowed it down to new Strats and Teles in that price range (400-700), that's cool... but you might want to look at used guitars too... you can still find great guitars, some better than the entry level types, in that range if you buy used.
if you are just starting out and want to make playing a long-term thing may i suggest an acoustic over an electric. learn how to play on that first and than switch over to electric. it will make you a better player in the long run, in my opinion. twas the wise sage, keith richards who said "i judge a guitarist on how well he plays an acoustic." however, if you just want to have fun and make some racket than go for an electric. strats have a more rock sound as opposed to the more twangy telecaster.
I'd look into the used market if I were you. Maybe browse the Greensheet, Houston Press & Houston Chronicle classifieds. Then I'd hit up some of the guitar shops and look in their used section. More bang for the buck that way.
Come on you guitar experts, help out a noob Those guitars I mentioned, are they pretty much all the same when it comes to sound/quality?
Strat is good screaming guitar, but the Gibson Les Paul has a very clear mellow sound. Probably due to the mahogony and double humbuckers. Telecasters are good for the characteristic bluesy sound. I paid around $750 for my strat 13 years ago. It is a well made american strat and still looks brand new. Also, the strat has a narrower neck than the Gibson. Good luck.
I'm thinking about buying a PRS Custom 22 or Custom 24. Anyone have anything to say about PRS? My understanding is you cannot go wrong with a PRS.
A lot of the sound has more to do with the player than anything else. As you develop your own sound and playing technique, you'll find that you can really make any guitar rock... and I'm not talking about amps/pedals here either... Quality in the 400-700 range can be pretty good if you expand it to used instruments. A new American made instrument may have a higher new retail price, but a used (not a vintage one, but a fairly recent one) can be much more affordable. I think you'll find more tone options with a Strat than most other guitars... think of all the different artists that use(d) strats -- Hendrix, Clapton, SRV, Buddy Guy, Dick Dale, the list goes on and on... it has to do with a fairly unique pickup set up and switching options (the stock set-up is three single coil pickups and a 5 way switch... but you can get humbuckers too if you're into that). A lot of different players are into the Tele too... they're often favored by C&W players (seems like most of them) and blues/soul guys (Muddy Waters, Steve Cropper, our own RMT)... but you'll also find more rock players using them these days too. You usually just have the two-pickup and 3-way switch though... It just has a different sound/vibe to it. I still strongly suggest going to Southpaw Guitars though just because they deal almost exclusively in lefty instruments. You may even reach ultimate enlightenment and buy a Rickenbacker...
Okay, since you wanted more specifics, I'll help out as much as I can. Fender Strat. Famous players include Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, and an assload of others. If you weren't looking specifically for a lefty, I'd consider selling you my '97 Fender Roadhouse Strat w/ 3 TX special single coils. The strat is like the flagship guitar. Everybody plays or has played one at one point in their guitar career (it seems). Very playable. They come in varying degrees of quality, but typically people say the best are the ones made in the good ole US of A. You can tell if it was made abroad by checking the serial # on the headstock. You can also tell when it was made by the serial # on the headstock. It's a good rock guitar. Typically, they come with 3 pickups, all single coil. They have a toggle switch that lets you choose any pickup or any combination of pickups. My biggest beef with 'em is I don't really like single coil pickups. I'm more of a humbucker kinda guy. Schecter C1. Never played one. So you'd really hafta get advice from someone more informed. Gibson faded. These are new guitars Gibson released to look "vintage." There's chips in the paint, the finish looks a little worn, the dot inlays are imperfect. When they first came out, everyone was raving about them. Then, apparently they had some quality control issues. So with this particular guitar, you really need to play before you buy (or at least have a really good exchange policy in place). Some of 'em are like lower priced high-end Gibsons. Some of 'em are like Epiphone throwaways. I do like Gibson guitars, though. Heavy wood (usually mohagany). They're a little more head-heavy than a strat, though. They don't balance on your shoulder quite like the strat does. Not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely a different feel. 2 humbuckers with a 3 way toggle switch so you can choose the neck pickup, bridge pickup, or the combo. That's WAY more my style - 2 pickups, both humbuckers. Gotta love that. The hardware in the Gibson faded ain't the best in the world, so if you keep playing and want a better sound but don't want a new guitar, you'll probably want to upgrade the pickups and the tuners. Fender tele. If you're more into chicken pickin' than rockin, this may be the guitar for you. More bright. More twang. Has a lighter, more brittle sound. The Gibson will be your heaviest sound (not as in heavy metal, more like darker, fuller). The tele is on the light, bright, airy end of the spectrum. If that's what you're going after, go for the tele. Have you also budgeted for an amp? Honestly, the amp you plug into may make even more of an impact on your tone & sound than the guitar you choose. A good amp can make any guitar sound decent. A bad amp can make the best guitar sound like it just had a been and cheese burrito at your local taqueria. Playability on your guitar is probably most important in your first guitar purchase. You want something with good action, a comfortable neck ... something that not only makes it easy to play, but something that makes you wanna pick it up and wail. Seriously, if you're looking at a strat and don't mind stringing a righty upside down (Jimi style), I'll tell you more about mine I'm very passively looking to get rid of. It's been sitting in its hardshell case in my closet for a couple of years. Basically ever since I picked up my '71 SG
PRS has always made very high quality, expensive electric guitars. However, they have just recently been entering the lower to midrange price market, and the only one I have tried out recently I was not all that impressed with. You might find more value and quality with a Schecter. If I were you, I would get the best Stratocaster I could afford. That's just me though. I like the out of phase setting you get between two single coil pickups.
