Getting a guitar...

dazftw

Right so ive been thinking about a getting a guitar for awhile now and was looking at this one

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Standard-Stratocaster-LeftHanded-Electric-Guitar?sku=510469&src=3SOSWXXA

Is this one anygood? Like for basically a complete beginner?

Oh and I am left handed that means its going cost more!?

Ive been talking to friends (ones whos in a band) and two others who have been playing for over 5 years said it would be alright for starting with!

Is there any good online stores in europe I can buy it from?

Thanks.

Voodu Child

No its rubbish, dont touch it. Get a pacifica instead -
http://www.thomann.de/ie/yamaha_pacifica_112l_yns_left_hand.htm

And dont forget youre not left handed until you start to play left handed IMO

dazftw

Yea is there actually a problem with playing left handed?

Like the first time I picked up a guitar a couple months ago I used my left hand to play and right to hold the neck of it!

Also yea I wouldnt mind getting like a kit guitar/amp etc

Also I didnt mention how much I wanted to spend.. at the very most 350..

Parsley

http://www.thomann.de/ie/prod_cbundle_194.html?gk=gieglh&cbcid=1152&art=31634

feylya

http://www.thomann.de/ie/roland_micro_cube.htm

Now you have your amp and your guitar sorted out. All you need now is a strap, a lead, some picks and some strings.

dazftw

Parsley wrote:

http://www.thomann.de/ie/prod_cbundle_194.html?gk=gieglh&cbcid=1152&art=31634

lol.. I had that picked out just a minute ago.. hmm do all guitars come with straps?

It doesnt say anything about one here

Voodu Child

Nothing wrong with playing lefthanded at all. It limits your choice of instrument and makes things more expensive though.

If youve already started that way, then no bother. There is zero reason why a lefthanded person couldnt play right handed (or a right handed person couldnt play left handed) provided they had NEVER played before. But thats a whole other kettle of fish.

The yamaha i pointed out is lefthanded anyway. Nothing special about it, just a better alternative to a squire strat.

EDIT - Pacifica and microcube. Thats you sorted. And in under an hour. Thats service

dazftw

Yea k cool, emm has anybody bought from this site?

and do they come with straps?

feylya

Yeah, I think we've all bought from Thomann. And you'll have to buy everything in my list seperately.

dazftw

So I have to buy the strings and lead for the amp seperate?

Sorry if that sounded dumb.. lol I just figured you got strings with the guitar and a lead with the amp...?

EDIT:I think some people who know alot more than me will have to reccomend me some leads and strings and stuf!

feylya

They're spare strings... You don't generally get a cable with an amp.

dazftw

Any reccomendations for strings and cables so?

SirLemonhead

Dunno, get a packet or bundle of 9 guage strings.

I use GHS myself. http://www.thomann.de/ie/ghs_gbxlnp_boomers.htm

Those should go straight onto the guitar without any problems.

As for cables, All the instrument cables on thomann look pretty decent. Think the Cordial ones are meant to be good but i've never used them. Just make sure it's instrument cable you get.
Something like this http://www.thomann.de/ie/cordial_cti6pp_sw.htm

dazftw

This anygood?

http://www.thomann.de/ie/prod_cbundle_194.html?gk=gieglh&cbcid=1152&art=24959

feylya

That only shows the guitar and the amp... Seriously, don't get that Harley Benton amp when you can get the MicroCube.

dazftw

Right.. heres the link to the basket.. If that doesnt work I have posted the original pages..

https://www.thomann.de/ie/basket_change.html

Guitar: Yamaha Pacifica

http://www.thomann.de/ie/yamaha_pacifica_112l_left_hand.htm

Amp: Roland Micro Cube

http://www.thomann.de/ie/roland_micro_cube.htm

Strings: The GHS ones.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/ghs_gbxlnp_boomers.htm

Lead: THE SSSNAKE

http://www.thomann.de/ie/the_sssnake_sk3613_kabel.htm

Strap: A Thomann one

http://www.thomann.de/ie/thomann_gurt_nylon.htm

Picks: Dunlop standard(just because they say standard and there green )

http://www.thomann.de/ie/dunlop_tortex_standard.htm

Now is this setup any good...? Or do you guys have any recommendations for changing stuf?

feylya

Looks damn good to me.

dazftw

haha cool!

Right so I want all this stuf for christmas.. Would it be alot better to try get it now(not use it lol)just so I avoid dissapointment when it gets closer to christmas there might be delays and what not!?

feylya

The MicroCube does tend to sell out over Christmas alright. You could leave it a while and get it middle of next month I suppose.

dazftw

Yea k.. so now.. any good websites for me that can just teach me all the basics on playing/caring/setting it up with strings and stuf im guessing ill have to put the strings on myself?

Im looking through one now.. http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ and it seems pretty good so far

Paladin

Get a guitar tuner!!!!

NB!!!!

Very important for a beginner!
I didnt have any tuner when I started out and it drove me insane. You will learn to tune yourself in the future, but you wont be able to tune the guitar on your own for a start.
You will have a guitar thats not capable of playing a note unless its in tune, so get a tuner

Here is a dirt cheap one on thomann:
http://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_gt6.htm

Lucifer31

Just a further note on the whole left handed/right handed thing. I'm left handed, but play the guitar right handed, I sat down at my first guitar lesson about 20 years ago, and proceeded to hold a reight handed guitar left handed abd was told this was the 'wrong' way to play, and so from that day, not knowing any different, I've played right handed. I've thought since that had I been let play it the way I naturally would have, I could be a better guitar player today. Just a thought, but I say to you learn left handed it that's what's natural to you. Rock N Roll.

dazftw

Any more good advice for me?

Eoin Madsen

Maybe start with 10 or 11 gauge strings. 9s are a little light for a beginner - you can switch up or down after you've been playing for a while longer.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/ghs_gblnp.htm

Johnny Storm

Eoin Madsen wrote:

Maybe start with 10 or 11 gauge strings. 9s are a little light for a beginner - you can switch up or down after you've been playing for a while longer.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/ghs_gblnp.htm

What's the reasoning there, Eoin? I would have thought lighter strings would be easier for a beginner?

Creamy Goodness

Johnny Storm wrote:

What's the reasoning there, Eoin? I would have thought lighter strings would be easier for a beginner?

but with most guitars you try in a shop having 10's keeping the consistancy there would help the OP in learner. once he gets a bit more of a feel for the guitar he can then decide whether to lower or higher the string gauge.

Eoin Madsen

Johnny Storm wrote:

What's the reasoning there, Eoin? I would have thought lighter strings would be easier for a beginner?

Why would you want it easier? It forces you to get the technique right.
And to a degree, higher tension (without going too far) will build up muscles faster, being better in the long term.

david

Eoin Madsen wrote:

Why would you want it easier? It forces you to get the technique right.
And to a degree, higher tension (without going too far) will build up muscles faster, being better in the long term.

It also forces you to press to hard on strings bringing it out of tune, i had that problem a while ago, its very important to use just the right amount of string pressure to sound a note, acoustic players going to electric have this problem

Eoin Madsen

freakonaleashx wrote:

It also forces you to press to hard on strings bringing it out of tune

If you learn correct technique this is not an issue. It's easier to train with a higher gauge and then switch to playing lighter than it is to do the reverse.

Johnny Storm

IMHO training with a higher gauge is one thing but struggling to learn to play the very basics is a completely different thing.

Eoin Madsen

Johnny Storm wrote:

IMHO training with a higher gauge is one thing but struggling to learn to play the very basics is a completely different thing.

We're not talking about putting 13s on here. 9s are a bad choice. That's like learning drums with 7As.

dazftw

My friend just said get 10 guage ones? This sound right for a beginner?

Im slowly learning more and more :rolleyes:

Eoin Madsen

DeafVision wrote:

My friend just said get 10 guage ones? This sound right for a beginner?

Yep.

LundiMardi

I hate to be the only musician here to suggest this. But i would stick with an acoustic for your first guitar.

Walk before you can run so to speak.

Every guitarist starts off with playing basic chords playing basic songs. And if you're going to play basic chords and basic songs then you're gonna want to do it on an acoustic guitar. The transition from learning on electric to then playing an acoustic would be very difficult, but it would not be difficult if the situation were reversed.

My opinion of course.

Voodu Child

I didnt start playing basic chords or songs (still dont know any chords really). I had no interest in strumming along to Oasis or whatever so figured why bother? I took up acoustic years after getting my first electric and had no problem.

I say play whatever you want.

Paladin

Its a bigger danger to start learning to play on acoustic and giving up cause you think acoustic sucks monkey bollocks and would have had fun and stuck at it playing rock. In principle you may be right but in practice too many people give up cause they are not having fun, and thats what really spurs you on to learn.

LundiMardi

Well if you really want to play guitar, then you'll play guitar.

Too many people play guitar nowadays anyway, i say let them quit!!!

dazftw

Yea I duno acoustic just seems very depressing to me.. and I like all punk/rock music...

jimi_t

Great setup - as good as you could possibly wish for. You'll find it very hard to outgrow it for a longtime to come Make sure you get an electronic tuner, gigbag and a Chordbook with pictures.

Fingers Mcginty

voodoo_child wrote:

No its rubbish, dont touch it. Get a pacifica instead -
http://www.thomann.de/ie/yamaha_pacifica_112l_yns_left_hand.htm

And dont forget youre not left handed until you start to play left handed IMO

Agreed...i've 3 pacificas. The necks are superb and the quality second to none.

Rustar

DeafVision wrote:

Yea I duno acoustic just seems very depressing to me.. and I like all punk/rock music...

Get the electric package. You're not going to run out and get a spot in a rock band carrying an acoustic around. Sorted.

Didn't Ancient1 elect me Minister of Practical Advice long ago?

dazftw

Rustar wrote:

Get the electric package. You're not going to run out and get a spot in a rock band carrying an acoustic around. Sorted.

Didn't Ancient1 elect me Minister of Practical Advice long ago?

I dont plan on starting a band or even getting into one but yea... I wana get an electric one! lol

Johnny Storm

DeafVision wrote:

I dont plan on starting a band or even getting into one but yea... I wana get an electric one! lol

"That's the spirit!"

dazftw

Johnny Storm wrote:

"That's the spirit!"

Why do I dectect a little bit of sarcasm in that? :rolleyes:

Johnny Storm

Quite the opposite, in fact.:D

Thats Roy Batty, from Blade Runner, he has just stuck his head through a solid wall, then been walloped by iron bar and he's so full of beans all he can say is....

Rustar

Probably my favorite movie of all time. Taken from Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and has a score by Vangelis.

Johnny Storm

PKD rules.
Rustar, you are obviously a man of taste and distinction.

Rustar

......'cause I got cat class and I got cat style.....

Eoin Madsen

Johnny Storm wrote:

PKD rules.

He was okay - he had a few good ideas but the implementation was always weak tbh. The fact that his estate are clearly prepared to sell film rights to practically anyone that will take them doesn't say much. And the fact that Blade Runner was the closest film to stay even remotely to the original plot yet still deviated completely and absolutely in it's fundamental message says even less. :rolleyes:

Having said that, almost all of the stories were better than the films. Minority Report the film was incredibly unintelligent if you compare it to the story (which was very clever if a little poorly written). Woah... this is ready to turn into a Philip K Dick rant... I better go to bed instead.

I haven't read A Scanner Darkly so I'll exclude it from my profoundly opinionated judgements. But, in summary, he was no Asimov by a long shot!

Eoin Madsen

Eh, I better add something about guitars... that was an awfully incendiary remark to make on an off topic subject. So, eh, Philip K Dick... I never really liked his tone tbh. Trying too hard to sound like Hendrix.

Johnny Storm

Actually, PKD was the Jimi Hendrix of science fiction writers. :cool: