Buying an electric..

*tOpLaSs

I only started guitar this month but I really love it and know I'm not going to give it up.. I'd like to get an electric for Christmas..
Preferably a Les Paul..
Any reccomendations?
I love the new Epiphone Goth series Les Paul.. But is this too much to spend or w/ever? I want a good one, not some crappy sounding one..
Help

Voodu Child

That's the one that's about e360 on thomann yes?

Well, that is probably more than most people spend on their first electric, but i wouldnt say its too much to spend, if you can afford it and know you stay playing etc.

However, i reckon the lads here could find you a better quality guitar for that kind of money. Epiphones are fine, but if you narrow down exactly what you need in a guitar, i reckon there might be something higher-quality for the same money.

Is used an option?

-=al=-

do you wanna bet the word "yamaha" will be mentioned within the next few posts?

demanufactured

Good Ole Pacifica

*tOpLaSs

Hmmmm ok specific..
I'd prefer a Les Paul style guitar to others.. I'm not MAD about the Pacifica TBH..

Used, hmmm well I'd prefer new, because it's my first and all..

I like the Epiphone one, but if ye think there's a better/similar one for the same money or cheaper then, yeah, suggestions!
Thanks:D

BostonB

Probably the ESPs would be ok. The quality of the Epiphone's seems to vary a lot. Some are ok, some not so good. people seem to rate the Edwards and Tokai ones highly. Though getting on in Ireland is hard. Via net is the way to go.

Johnny Storm

-=al=- wrote: »

do you wanna bet the word "yamaha" will be mentioned within the next few posts?

Now (well, soonish) available from Lidl's

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20071108.p.YamahaElectricGuitarSet

BostonB

Johnny Storm wrote: »

Now (well, soonish) available from Lidl's

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20071108.p.YamahaElectricGuitarSet

I didn't realise that was a Yamaha until I saw the link.

Johnny Storm

Probably not a bad deal for a beginner (esp as it includes an amplifier with a "chicken head knob" )

Voodu Child

The guitars in most of those yamaha beginner packs are very mediocre sub-Pacifica 112 models.

They used to do one with the Pacifica 012 and some other guitars - they're not good at all. Made in a different factory/country etc to a different quality level.

The 112 is as low as i'd go Yamaha-wise.

Johnny Storm

Aldi have one for 129!

http://www.aldi.ie/special_buys2/product_4522.html

(no mention of chicken head knobs though)

Davao8000

The Lidl site suggests that guitar has an alder body which the Pacifica 112 has. While the Pacifica 102 has an agathis body (according to the yamaha Europe website). So who knows, it may be a Pacifica 112...

darrenw5094

Check some of the Mexican Fender Strats on Dolphinmusic.co.uk

Retail at €750...but Dolphin have some for £270 + postage. Fairly cheap....although someone will disagree....theres always one....

Creamy Goodness

if you're going to suggest mexican fenders, then japanese fenders should be mentioned before them too.

BostonB

Do Fenders vary much in quality? Ibanez, ESP, Yamaha etc seem to be far more consistent.

darrenw5094

Please....no more flippin' arguments.

This member is starting to play the guitar.......ESP is out of her price range...i think, unless they are a millionaire.

Jap fenders are not that cheap. Toplass wants a decent guitar at a not too expensive price. Ibanez are pretty decent for beginners.

Everybody make some suggestions.....and some advice.

One good deal i saw was on Dolphinmusic.co.uk where they are selling Fender Strats for £270 + P&P.

BostonB

millionaire?
http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/70035

darrenw5094

BostonB wrote: »

millionaire?
http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/70035

I see......an ESP LTD...that would explain it.

murphaph

Johnny Storm wrote: »

Now (well, soonish) available from Lidl's

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20071108.p.YamahaElectricGuitarSet

I'm getting one of these. It's called an "Eterna by Yamaha" but it's got a Alder body-something only the real Pacifica has, as opposed to the Basswood body of the guitar Yamaha sell directly as simply "Eterna". I think the only difference between this guitar and a real Pacifica 112 is (possibly) the pickups not being made by SD. That means it'll be ok for learning and upgradeable to 'full pacifica' or better later on IMO.

I think this guitar is put together on contract for Lidl and is not actually available in this format anywhere else. Lidl do have 7,500 stores so it's a huge market for Yamaha to get their instruments into homes that otherwise wouldn't have them.

Even the amp is the 15W version, not the usual 10W sold in the 'genuine' Yamaha Eterna starter package. Definitely worth a closer look.

Johnny Storm

Good for you;). Let us know how it works out please.

murphaph

Will do JS, not that I know diddly-squat about electrics having never even played one!

I am happy however with my only other guitar-a Yamaha acoustic which has served me well since I started on this guitar lark earlier this year. I think Yamaha are a little boring, but quite solid with consistent quality control as one might expect of a japanese company, even if the guitar is made outside Japan as is likely with this one.

I did a lot of searching about this guitar and there was very similar confusion amongst german guitarists this time last year when it ran in Germany. They couldn't figure out if it was a Pacifica or not but the concensus was that it was not available in that exact format anywhere else.

BostonB

murphaph wrote: »

....
I did a lot of searching about this guitar and there was very similar confusion amongst german guitarists this time last year when it ran in Germany. They couldn't figure out if it was a Pacifica or not but the concensus was that it was not available in that exact format anywhere else.

Did they think it was any good?

murphaph

I could only find one post by someone who went and bought it and he was pleased but (like me) was a virgin to electrics so probably didn't have much to gauge it against.

It's weird. The Lidl advertising says it's an Eterna. Yamaha says this is an Eterna (Basswood body and Maple neck):



But the Lidl guitar does not look like that. it looks exactly like this and it is described as having the Alder body as the Pacifica has and includes the trem (apart from the colour which is black and the headstock machining which looks like the Eterna) which is a Pacifica:



No guitar can be found on Yamaha websites which is called an Eterna but which looks like the pacifica. That's why I (and those germans) believe this is a special order which takes the body of the Pacifica and mates it to (possibly) inferior non-SD pickups. It's a complex business this!

Voodu Child

While I remember it;

The OP was looking for a singlecut guitar - they have a couple of the PRS SE singlecuts in Musicmaker for e520 for a short time.

Those things are quality instruments, and that's 250 cheaper than the thomann price. If the OP is reading this, i'd jump on one asap. It's more expensive than the Epiphone you were looking at, but at that kind of price the PRS will hold it's value nearly 100% if you ever decide to sell it.

rambler924

If you are looking in the second hand market take a look at a Satellite Les Paul. They were available during the late 70's early 80's and were produced in Japan (Some of the later ones early Korean) They were no name guitars branded as Satellite by the English importer. A good one can be got for anything between 100 to 180 Euro and without doubt one of the best value for money Japanese guitars of that era.

BostonB

Never heard of them or seen one. Must be very rare.

Rustar

Bahhh! Toplass, just ignore all this malarky and bruhahah, and go get the Epi Goth.

Take a friend with skills in, make sure it plays well, and slap the cash down. The Goth will be playable and is a fine-looking instrument.

With all this timewasting and meandering, you could have just gone and gotten it and been Eddie Van Satriani by now.

rambler924

Never heard of them or seen one. Must be very rare.

For those of you who have never heard of the Satellite brand, they were only for sale in the UK. The most common ones to be found are a strat (earlier 3/4 size not up to much), a Les Paul (Black or Sunburst are the only 2 colours I have come across) and a bass. They can be found regularly on Ebay UK and the price range I quoted includes the Royal Mail ROBBERY to Ireland.

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Satellite/Les+Paul+Copy/10/1

This one was in average condition and was picked up 2 years ago on Ebay for 82 Euro delivered.

BostonB

Not exactly easy for beginner to go try one is it.

rambler924

BostonB wrote: »

Probably the ESPs would be ok. The quality of the Epiphone's seems to vary a lot. Some are ok, some not so good. people seem to rate the Edwards and Tokai ones highly. Though getting on in Ireland is hard. Via net is the way to go.

No harder than your suggestion?

BostonB

rambler924 wrote: »

No harder than your suggestion?

I just feel you're more likely to walk into Dublin shops and find every other brand mentioned in this thread except the one you've mentioned. If you say they're great I believe you. I've never seen or even heard of them before.

I'll agree you'll probably squeeze more out of a budget buying on the web, then in the local shops. Though it seems to me the prices are very close on a lot of items. I guess the shops are price matching on popular items to stay in business.

murphaph

Well I'm dead pleased with the Yamaha. The teacher was very surprised to hear how little it cost and it was great to hear it through their (better, valve) amp. Teacher reckons it has a very sweet tone.

rambler924

I take your point on being able to try before you buy and buying off the web is indeed taking a risk, 2nd hand web buys even riskier. All I am trying to point out is that if you want a Les Paul and haven't a lot to splash out, a good Satellite in value for money terms is worth the risk.
Best of Luck