Buying an electric

hotnipples

Right so, I've gotten into the acoustic guitar lately and i'm really enjoying it. Although I think I would much prefer an electric as I'm into hard rock and metal and would love to be able to bang out songs from bands like AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Metallica and Black Sabbath and the likes..

I've been browsing away looking at the different types I can buy, I know the main brands like Fender, Ibanez, Gibson and Epiphone but I'm a complete newb when it comes to buying guitar equipment and I don't want to make a mistake so I'm asking around... what type of guitar and amp would you recommend? I dont really want to spend more than €500 as I'm new enough and not really good enough for anything over that price.

Cheers

Rustar

You didn't mention your goals, so I'm assuming this is for home playing....

With the type of music you're interested in, you probably couldn't go wrong with an Epiphone SG and a Roland MicroCube. The prices there are USD, so with VAT and taxes added it should be about E500.

noh showband

Didn't somebody a couple of weeks ago get a deal on an Epiphone SG and Microcube starter-kit in Waltons? I seem to remember they got it for a good price, too.

hotnipples

Thanks for the reply, I do like the look of the SG and I like the comments people say of it being a good beginners guitar, not too expensive aswell.

I've been told aswell that no matter what guitar I have unless I've got a decent set of effects pedals I wont get the sounds I want. Is an effects pedal kit really that necessary if I want to just play casually?

lee_baby_simms

hotnipples wrote:

Thanks for the reply, I do like the look of the SG and I like the comments people say of it being a good beginners guitar, not too expensive aswell.

I've been told aswell that no matter what guitar I have unless I've got a decent set of effects pedals I wont get the sounds I want. Is an effects pedal kit really that necessary if I want to just play casually?

Yeah get an SG!

This one perhaps? It'll cover the ACDC/Sabbath bases.

http://www.musicstorekoeln.de/en/E-Gitarren/3_42_GEGIT_188_GIT0007327-000/0/0/0/detail/musicstore.html

hotnipples

lee_baby_simms wrote:

Yeah get an SG!

This one perhaps? It'll cover the ACDC/Sabbath bases.

http://www.musicstorekoeln.de/en/E-Gitarren/3_42_GEGIT_188_GIT0007327-000/0/0/0/detail/musicstore.html

Looks tasty but a bit expensive isnt it. I've to get an amp with my €500 too

lee_baby_simms

hotnipples wrote:

Looks tasty but a bit expensive isnt it. I've to get an amp with my €500 too

Yeah, good point hot nipples.

I like this one:

http://www.musicstorekoeln.de/en/E-Gitarren/3_42_GEGIT_15_GIT0005288-001/0/0/0/detail/musicstore.html

deaddonkey

epiphones are fantastic starter guitars as long as you don't get the cheapest "special" series, they're a bit crap to be honest.

squier is also a good place to start. it depends on what you want to play tbh.

I've got an epiphone SG g400 in black, it's a nice guitar but i don't have the use for 2 buckers so i don't play it.

hotnipples wrote:

I've been told aswell that no matter what guitar I have unless I've got a decent set of effects pedals I wont get the sounds I want. Is an effects pedal kit really that necessary if I want to just play casually?

no, it isn't necessary... most rock is played with a guitar run into an amp and being able to select the amp's distortion... you really don't need effects if you're just starting out on electric. whoever told you that probably wanted you to buy a multi fx kit. and they generally sound like poo.
i've been playing for years and most of my playing is still a guitar straight into an amp. AC/DC style.

hotnipples

Cheers for the reply deaddonkey, thats put my mind at rest about the foot pedals anyway. I'm leaning towards the Epiphone SG alright, I like the look and price of it, and nobody has many bad words to say about it.

I've noticed those special series epiphones on ebay alright and was wondering why they were cheaper!

Savman

Strat Strat Strat.

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_fender_60th_anniversarystandard_strat_prodinfo.html

Johnny Storm

deaddonkey wrote:

epiphones are fantastic starter guitars as long as you don't get the cheapest "special" series, they're a bit crap to be honest.

squier is also a good place to start. it depends on what you want to play tbh.

I've got an epiphone SG g400 in black, it's a nice guitar but i don't have the use for 2 buckers so i don't play it.



no, it isn't necessary... most rock is played with a guitar run into an amp and being able to select the amp's distortion... you really don't need effects if you're just starting out on electric. whoever told you that probably wanted you to buy a multi fx kit. and they generally sound like poo.
i've been playing for years and most of my playing is still a guitar straight into an amp. AC/DC style.

Plus if you get the Microcube it has a number of effects built in. If you want more you can also buy a few pedals later. Many people on this forum incl me think very highly of the Microcube.

david

A fender standard strat (mex) Is about €370 on thomann, just buy one. It'll hold its value and be more versatile than an SG. Either that or an Epiphone LP standard.

hotnipples

Yeah I will consider that Mexico Strat too.. something like this you mean..

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_fender_mexico_standard_strat_prodinfo.html#fpix

By the strat being more versatile do you mean the SG is just best for the one style of music?

The amp is decided, I'll get a microcube.. just need to decide on a guitar, I love the look of the SG's and it is designed for the type of music I'm into from what I've read.. but then alot of people prefer the strat.. decisions decisions!

Johnny Storm

Try out plenty of guitars in music shops, find one you like and buy it from the cheapest source on-line. Dont be afraid to send it back if there's anything wrong with it. Fretwork is labour intensive and can be skimped on inexpensive guitars

IMHO you shouldn't worry too much about resale value or whatever. You're buying it to play. Just get one that feels right for you. If you end up liking this guitar you can rest assured that you'll be buying a few more in the coming years :rolleyes:
The SG is a fine rock guitar. I think freakonaleashX means that a strat can also be suitable for country'n'western or somethin'

david

Well a strat is a jack of all trades. It'll cover more mellow stuff and rock/indie/alternative very well. It wont get you a great metal tone but still a strat can do most things with the three single coils. You wont get great clean sounds out of that SG, its built for rock with a pair of humbuckers and you'll only get an epiphone in that price range, they will lose their value if you wanna sell it after a few years, you'd be looking at half of retail price in the second hand market. Besides, the strat is a genuine fender, you could sell that easily at €379 in the buy and sell. Believe me, I have both a Gibson SG and a Fender Japan Telecaster custom and the Fender plays a lot better than the Gibson despite it being worth about 2/3 the price of my SG. If I was starting guitar all over again with €500 to spend, I'd go for Epiphone Valve jr./microcube and one of those Mexican strats

david

Actually reading over your influences, I think an Ibanez would suit you better, they are very versatile. You should get something with a fixed bridge though if its your first electric...
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_ibanez_rg321mhwk_prodinfo.html
Floyd rose style bridges are kinda awkward but if you think you'd use a trem then go for one.

Johnny Storm

A lot of good advice from freaksonaleashx there.
If I was buying my first electric I would definitely take a good look at Ibanez.

fish-head

On the amp front I think there's alot to be said for the Vox Valvetronix Series.
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_vox_ad15vt_valvetronix_gitarrencombo_prodinfo.html

That's a really great little amp right there, my little brother has one and that little box has tone by the bucketload. It also has alot of amp models spanning basically every genre and some nice built in FX.

Johnny Storm

This vox, the DA-5, is their direct MicroCube competitor.

Rustar

Passed over a whole bunch of stuff to make this reply, but

a.) The names 'Tony Iommi' and 'Angus Young' are synonymous with 'SG'.

b.) The Microcube has a Mesa Boogie Triple rectifier setting, a Marshall Stack setting, a 60's Blackface setting, and an amazing Roland Chorus setting....along with phaser, flanger, reverb and delay. They all sound incredible (although the Marshall setting doesn't sound *exactly* like a classic stack, that would be tough), no stompboxes wanted or necessary. It even has a record out so you can go direct to tape or computer.

SG-Leper

My suggestions would be

Amp : All valve amp for €200, I've heard very good comments on it...
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_ibanez_valbee_gitarrencombo_prodinfo.html

Guitar : something in the ESP Ltd range like...
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-169736.html

Johnny Storm

SG-Leper wrote:

My suggestions would be

Amp : All valve amp for €200, I've heard very good comments on it...
http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_ibanez_valbee_gitarrencombo_prodinfo.html
...

**** it, now I'm suffering from severe GAS-related cognitive dissonance! :eek:
Should I go for an Epi Valve Junior Combo or an Ibanez ValBee as suggested by SG-Leper? Thanks a bunch, SG-Leper!

Sorry to go off topic :cool:

hotnipples

Thanks for the replies. I have to decide on either the Epiphone SG or a Fender Strat, I'm thinking the SG though as from what I've read the SG has a bit more oomph when it comes to the heavy stuff. I do like my heavy rock but im into other styles aswell and will want to play lighter stuff from time to time aswell so that's why I'm considering a Strat. I'm interested in that Ibanez RG321MHWK that freakonaleash posted too. A good €125 euro more expensive though.


Also, is it recommended to order online? What are delivery times like from places like thomann.de and musiciansfriend.com? Has anyone got something delivered to ireland before? I am going to check out the shops in town and their prices at some stage but I'm just wondering

hotnipples

Been snooping about ESP's line up after Leper's recommendation and came across this one

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ESP-LTD-Viper100FM-Electric-Guitar?sku=516634

What ye think?

It wasn't me!

Delivery's generally pretty decent, and the prices are better online.

Johnny Storm

IMHO your first step should definitely be to go into town and try out the SG, mex Strat, Ibanez etc. Pick the one you like best.
On-line prices will be way cheaper. Many many people on boardie have ordered from Thomann etc. If they have it in stock when you order, delivery is less than 1 week. Email them with any questions you may have first. Familiarize yourself with their return policy. As far as I can remember with Thomann you can send it back for no reason for full refund within 30 days but you pay for return postage. If it is defective they pay for return postage. Keep the box until you are 100% happy. Pay particular attention to the frets.

david

I'd say the ibanez is the most versatile out of that bunch, it'll sound a lot tighter than the SG and definitely has the ability to go heavier than both if you need to. It could probably do lighter stuff also. Look for an RG with a single coil in the middle for maximum versatility

SG-Leper

Johnny Storm wrote:

**** it, now I'm suffering from severe GAS-related cognitive dissonance! :eek:
Should I go for an Epi Valve Junior Combo or an Ibanez ValBee as suggested by SG-Leper? Thanks a bunch, SG-Leper!

Sorry to go off topic :cool:

Errr... sorry to throw a spanner in the decision process... I think

Either the valbee or the valve junior would be a awesome little purchase really :cool: