Elec Guitar for beginner...

brianon

Guys,

I'm sure this gets asked plenty of times and i've searched around other similar threads. But I guess the advice given will be of a natuire suiting the OP needs...so here is another thread

I've got a cheap acoustic and a cheap elec. Both been sitting in the attic for...a couple of years. I have no interest in learning the acoustic right now.

I had tried before to learn to play and foudn the acoustic tough to play .. high action (?) (strings hard to press down?).

The elec is a very cheap guitar and OLD (maybe 6 years old) at this stage. I have an amp but again...cheap if not as old.

So what I am looking for is a good value for money electric guitar suitable for a beginner looking to play rock/metal (ac/dc etc...).

Say a budget of €300 for now. Not looking right now for any extras as I've tried and failed too many times to learn to play guitar.

I've signed up to jamplay.com and hope to commit 30/40min a night (at least).

I love music, love guitars ... and really want to be able to play.

I've looked around online and come down to two guitars that I think will make me 'want' to pick up and play...based on sound and looks.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/epiphone_sg_g_310_pb.htm
http://www.thomann.de/ie/epiphone_gothic_g400.htm

Any thoughts ? Liking this also ... http://www.thomann.de/ie/roland_micro_cube_ltd_white.htm

All help appreciated

Cheers.

Zangetsu

The SG isn't a bad guitar too start, had one myself at one stage.

brianon

Zangetsu wrote: »

The SG isn't a bad guitar too start, had one myself at one stage.

Into loads of different music but would love a guitar reasonably suited to rock/metal. Lots of bands but I love. Like AC/DC, metallica, zeppelin, iron maiden etc...

Knowing its not going to be easy I would like to get a guitar that will be ... easier to play than most or at least not harder than average. So low action i guess.

NoQuarter

Get a cheap les paul and you cant go wrong, in your position i would buy one from a shop so i could try it first!

And yes acoustics actions can make them tougher to play!

brianon

Cheap les paul ? How much is cheap ?

Try it out ... not sure there is any point really. Not much I could do with it right now

Alanstrainor

Check out prices in the UK before buying from germany. The weak sterling makes life a lot cheaper buying from the UK.

brianon

Cheers again guys.

Got any links to uk based online stores ?

Links to any of the recommended guitars for beginners ?

Alanstrainor

http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/
Have bought off both and found them to be great. Others on here have used them too. And they are significantly cheaper than thomann 99% of the time as thomann charge the Irish VAT rate and charge in euro. Where as the above charge in sterling almost 1 - 1 at this stage, and charge 15% uk VAT

bigbadcon

www.guitarmasterclass.net is really good for learning or improving on the guitar. I got so much better when I started using it.Its cheap enough too

brianon

Cheers for the help guys.

I bought guitar Esp Ltd Ec-50 and amp Roland Micro Tube online from EAK.

Cheers again.

GazPat

I recently bought an ESP viper 400, all I can say is im glad.
Cost me €300 second hand with €50 delivery.

I found that guitar to be excellent it plays like a dream I hope your esp is every bit as nice as mine, hope you keep up the guitar also look on youtube for guitar lessons aswell as Jamplay, i think it will help.:D

fguihen

you sure you need a new guitar and not just a setup to fix the issues with your current electric?

A new guitar would be great, and could help bring on some motivation, but, if you already have a guitar that is ok, and you still dont wana play, a new guitar wont rectify that.

no point having two electrics in the attic in a years time. try get your current electric cleaned and set up correctly.

also, dont worry about the amp, again, a new one would be nice but it wont make you play more, or better than the one you currently have.

i play happily on a tiny crappy 10w practice amp, and have done for the last 5 years. a new one would be nice, but is not necessary just yet.

new gear is great, but if the motivation isnt there in the first place, your new gear will end up in the attic when the novelty wears off and it becomes a chore to practice, just to justify the cost of the gear, and not because you actually want to.

brianon

Ok the ESP transaction didn't go through (wrong addres). Anyway, thinking about it ... Is there any Irish shop that sells ESP guitars so I could try it and others before I buy ? And support our own Eco ... If the price is reasonable

wandatowell

I started learning the guitar myself at christmas, decided to jump in at the deep(ish) end and picked myself up a 1993 Strat for 500 squid.

I am pretty sure I paid over the odds but I just love the worn look of the guitar. Its Artic White so the white has faded over the years and I wouldn't change it for the world. It feels "right" when I am playing, the weight, the action. I JUST LOVE IT.

Best of luck with your choice and I hope your as happy with it as I am with mine

GazPat

Brianon, the best place to try is x-music out near the red cow.
They "supposedly" are as cheap as thomann and music store.

Not sure if they stock ESP's, i think they will. Go out there and try some out, try out some other models aswel so you can feel the difference.

Hope this helps!:)

brianon

Cheers. I will be around Dublin on Friday so will check them out.

Ok so I've not bought a guitar/amp as yet...so still open to recomendations.

At the moment I am thinkig along the lines of ESP Ltd ec-50, Epiphone SG G-310.

brianon

Ok. Now looking at the "Epiphone Les Paul Custom Guitar Black Beauty". Flippin lovely looking guitar.

Anybody anything negative to say about them ? There are a few new/mint ones on ebay at very reasonable prices.

If I am buying from ebay...how do I know its not a knock off ?

GazPat

Check out www.guitarampkeyboard.com , The sterling is good now and you will get a good deal.

I don't particularly like ebay. But you are the buyer. Also bear in mind you should really play these guitars before you go ahead and buy just as when you do buy it on the net without playing it can be risky as the guitar is a physical instrument if it doesn't feel comfortable you have wasted your money.

My advice would be to go to x-music check what they have for your budget play them all, find the one you like and shop around for the cheapest price. X-music should also have ESP's as they were formally Musician Inc. and as far as I am aware they stocked ESP.

Gary

brianon

GazPat wrote: »

Check out www.guitarampkeyboard.com , The sterling is good now and you will get a good deal.

I don't particularly like ebay. But you are the buyer. Also bear in mind you should really play these guitars before you go ahead and buy just as when you do buy it on the net without playing it can be risky as the guitar is a physical instrument if it doesn't feel comfortable you have wasted your money.

My advice would be to go to x-music check what they have for your budget play them all, find the one you like and shop around for the cheapest price. X-music should also have ESP's as they were formally Musician Inc. and as far as I am aware they stocked ESP.

Gary

Just rang tehm there. They don't stock ESP guitars. They have the Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty but its a good bit more expendsive than ebay. But pretty comparable to other online stores.

CianRyan

As far as i know, the only irish store that stock ESPs and LTDs, is Instrumental.
Its along the queys just off O'connell street, down towards they ha' Penny bridge.

Big camouflage building, hard to miss. (:P)

Their website: http://www.instrumental.ie/

brianon

Guys. The guitar arrived (eBay purchase)and all is good except for one string (low e-the thickest one) that has some serious buzzing ! Do I need to higher the action ? Should I get a pro to have a look ? Anyone know somewhere in limerick I could get the guitar looked at/setup ?
I played around with it myself but I'm a noob.