New Guitar, Questions

X-SL

Right, well I'll be looking to get a new guitar in summer or just after (when I get a job :rolleyes: ) and wondering what I should get?

I'm new to the guitar. Right now I have an Encore. I got ripped off for it:mad: It's eh.. not great
Don't want to go too dear so suggestions would be nice.

or - do you think I should keep playing this until I'm alot better and go for a pretty dear one?

Opinions please.

Duff_Man

you could do what i did. i started pllayin last june....then saved till october and bought a gibson sg....was well worth the wait. but the best thing for you to do is to go into town and try a load of different guitars in teh shops jsut to get a gd feel as to the model...and make you want. diff pl like diff things so i cant recommend anythin to ya unless there is a certain sound ur lookin for!

Karl Hungus

What style of music are you playing?

Johnny Storm

Duff_Man wrote:

...try a load of different guitars in teh shops...

Good advice. That's the only way to go really. Then buy the guit you like as cheap as possible on the Internet
Also have a look at the reviews on harmony-central.com and other sites (but as you will see many reviews are written by total idiots)

noh showband

Personally, I wouldn't go next or near ebay for a guitar unless it was only for a spare or a gift or something. Find the one you like in the shop and buy it then and there, then anything wrong with it was your own decision. Or am I just paranoid. Probably.

Funnily, I bought an Encore acoustic that way about five years ago and, you know what? It was the best sounding guitar in the shop. Crap shop. No money. Good deal. I have to be very careful choosing a mic when recording, that's all.

I'm planning to spend a bit more on a new acoustic this year and I reckon to make a day of it in Dublin and possibly Drogheda (the Sound Store there has great staff and a reasonable range of new and used), trawling through as many shops as I can before deciding, and I'll be deciding on tone, feel and wallet, end of story.

shatners basoon

Tanglewoods generally make for very nice acoustics at good prices so i'd definately check them out but yeah try out as many as you can often you can find a guitar that costs 200 can be a hell of a lot better than one at twice than if you're playing. Brands such as encore, Sx etc. tend to vary alot more than the bigger brands which seem to be a bit more consistent but alot pricier.

If you're buying an electric make sure to also play it alot first amplified on an amp similar to one you have/want to have as to know what sound you're getting, above all experiment lots!

herbieflowers

The most important thing is that you actually play the instrument for say 10 mins at leat. Bring someone with you for a second opinion. Check for blemishes (crooked neck, fret buzz) and try and get it set up as part of the deal. Disregard any brands, buy what plays nicest - good luck!

Paladin

You wont go wrong with a Yamaha Pacifica.

If you buy a sub E400 guitar you wont get a really world class guitar. You may however get a very good guitar, and if you are unlucky, the exact same make and brand could also be muck. The build quality tends to fluxuate with the cheap guitars.

I havent found this to be true yet with the Pacifica.
I am sure there are other good guitars for cheap money, but be sure and try out this one.

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_yamaha_pacifica_012dbm_prodinfo.html

This is the most basic model.

conzy

I got the Tanglewood Rock3 MBK (what a name:rolleyes: ) last summer, I was learning guitar on a spanish guitar and was mad to get my hands on an electric:D

Anyway, I obviously bought the prettiest one in the shop because I knew nothing, but It turned out to be a great guitar.

Its build quality is amazing for a ~€300 guitar, alot better than the squires in the same price range. It has a nice fast neck, and has a basswood body, and a nice floating trem, I have taken it apart and messed with it so many times and its a really solid guitar;)

Its sounds great too, It has 3 humbuckers (not sure who makes them, entwistle i think....) and the combinations are:

neck
neck middle
middle
bridge middle
bridge

heres a picture



The finish is very good, and it has chrome hardware all round......

Anyway thats just my 2c ( I sound like a tanglewood salesman:D )

david

conzymaher wrote:

I got the Tanglewood Rock3 MBK (what a name:rolleyes: ) last summer, I was learning guitar on a spanish guitar and was mad to get my hands on an electric:D

Anyway, I obviously bought the prettiest one in the shop because I knew nothing, but It turned out to be a great guitar.

Its build quality is amazing for a ~€300 guitar, alot better than the squires in the same price range. It has a nice fast neck, and has a basswood body, and a nice floating trem, I have taken it apart and messed with it so many times and its a really solid guitar;)

Its sounds great too, It has 3 humbuckers (not sure who makes them, entwistle i think....) and the combinations are:

neck
neck middle
middle
bridge middle
bridge

heres a picture



The finish is very good, and it has chrome hardware all round......

Anyway thats just my 2c ( I sound like a tanglewood salesman:D )

Thats not a floating trem

Rented Mule

I am originally from the States, and I have come across a great website for getting gear. http://www.musiciansfriend.com

They constantly have sales and a 'clearence section' where you can find discontinued items as well as items that may have a slight blemish and they are very good on prices, even if it is shipped from the USA.

I generally order things before I go home for myself, the brother-in-law and the nephew and ship it to my fathers house (free shipping in the USA on orders over $100 US)

Have a look and I hope it works out for you.

conzy

freakonaleashx wrote:

Thats not a floating trem

It is a floating trem, its not a floyd rose but It floats on two pillars and can be pulled up or pushed down, Its a floating trem;)

A floyd rose trem locks at the nut and the bridge, A "Strat type" Trem is screwed down and can only be pushed down.

david

Woops thought it was a fixed, didnt see the two point fulcrum

Johnny Storm

conzymaher wrote:

... A "Strat type" Trem is screwed down and can only be pushed down.

Point of order there, conzymaher. Just FYI Strat trems are designed to be able to be pulled up or down, although a lot of people do have them "decked" so they only go down.

conzy

Johnny Storm wrote:

Point of order there, conzymaher. Just FYI Strat trems are designed to be able to be pulled up or down, although a lot of people do have them "decked" so they only go down.

Mkay;)

I have heard of some people putting blocks of hardwood in front of the trem so it only dives....But I dont see how a strat trem can be pulled up, it screwed down with 6 srews, is there enough play in them to let it up? That must be where the strat tuning issues come from:p

X-SL

thanks people. main type of music will be rock/metal.. indie and rock'n'roll

david

How much do you want to spend?

X-SL

I'm not really sure.. 300 - 700 maybe?

Karl Hungus

Ok, how about something like this?

david

Humbuckers or single coils? What amp are you running?