500 on Guitar

sinjin_smythe

OK ive decided to learn the guitar this summer and was going to buy an electric guitar. So to all you experienced guitar junkies out there, what would be the best buy in and around the 500 mark.So think about it.

voxpop

how about a nice prs

david

Depends what sort of sound you want... I recommend a Jap strat if you wanna play lighter stuff and maybe an Ibanez SZ520 for heavier things... Both can be got for about €500. Are you willing to buy second hand or online?

voxpop

second hand is a good idea - check out chris guitars . Some good deals to be had and, from what i hear, a stand up guy

0utshined

OP,

Is it €500 just for a guitar or is that your budget for getting everything - Guitar, leads, amp, strap etc.?

oneofakind32

500 is alot to spend on somthing that might very well end up thrown in the corner. I got a G&L Tribute S-500 (strat) for €600 a year ago but you can probebly get cheaper on the net if you shop around. My guitar teacher who has a Jap start which I nearly bought of him seemed pritty impressed with my G&L and admited I got a better deal.

voxpop

oneofakind32 wrote:

500 is alot to spend on somthing that might very well end up thrown in the corner.

A nice guitar makes you want to play it,crap ones stop you from playing - good guitars dont depreciate anyway.

Voodu Child

Peavey Wolfgang quilt top...I got one as a cheap, spare guitar a couple of years back, and actually play it more than some of my much 'better' axes..
Its got a lovely silky neck, and cos theres no upbend on the trem, it'd be a much better introduction to locking trems for a beginner than a full on floyd rose

david

I say get a fixed bridge guitar first. I hate trems...

Karl Hungus

An Ibanez RG321 and Roland Microcube would be a great setup for starting out, with plenty of change left over for cables, strings, straps or whatever else you need.

sinjin_smythe

Well im going to get lessons, this definatly wont be a waste of money cause im really determined. And well 500 might be a bit much for your first guitar, i think im better off getting something thats not a sh** heap.

david

Yeah... I say get a microcube first... It has effects and stuff that you can mess around with and it sounds pretty good until youre able to afford a real amp. That RG321 looks pretty nice too and the price is great... Best of all it has a.... FIXED BRIDGE!

Karl Hungus

Yeah, fixed bridges are indeed something to look for when starting out. I'd hate to have been tackling a floyd rose when I started. The horror!

feylya

Well, what sort of stuff are you looking to play? Get a MicroCube anyway, they're only €120 or so. Get a guitar for about €350 and €30 on a cable and strap. Get a stand too!

Ravelleman

If I were you I wouldn't bother spending that much on a first guitar. Get a micro cube and a nice cheap stratocaster copy. Strat's are a great starting point for electric guitar and are very versatile. Just my two cents.

sinjin_smythe

Ravelleman wrote:

If I were you I wouldn't bother spending that much on a first guitar. Get a micro cube and a nice cheap stratocaster copy. Strat's are a great starting point for electric guitar and are very versatile. Just my two cents.

Well yeah that kinda makes sense, but will this guitar be usefull to play virtually anything? im into Led Zepplin, Queens of The Stone Age, Muse, Radiohead etc.
You know that kinda music .

Karl Hungus

weedhead wrote:

Well yeah that kinda makes sense, but will this guitar be usefull to play virtually anything? im into Led Zepplin, Queens of The Stone Age, Muse, Radiohead etc.
You know that kinda music .

I'd recommend the Ibanez RG321 over a Strat, because there's a huge difference in sound between humbuckers and single-coils, and the bands you mentioned would be leaning more towards humbuckers. You probably wouldn't know the difference at first, but given a few lessons, you'd probably really notice.

Besides, from Thomann the RG321 is €311, and the Microcube is €99, so it is a great setup for beggining.

Ravelleman

A strat is like a clean sheet. It can become almost anything you want. You're a beginner - you don't know what you want in/from a guitar. Some people here might direct you to an Ibanez or a PRS. That might suit them. But will it suit you? Maybe. Maybe not. With a strat you've got all bases covered. Then when you've been playing for a while you might for example grow to dislike the neck and want something with a thicker neck. You can then go shopping for exactly what you want. By the end of it you might hate the strat. So what. At least you won't have paid 500euro for something you might not like at all.

Does it suit your style? It's all in the eye of the beholder. Some people play jazz on telecasters. Others use it for indie rock. It really depends on how you use the guitar.

Don't get too cut up about making the right choice for your starter guitar. As you get better your playing style will develope and then you and only you can decide what you want.

Get a strat copy. I doubt very much that you'd regret it.

sinjin_smythe

Thanks Karl i think ill go for the RG321 and the micro cube sounds like a good starter. Only problem now is i have to find a left handed one. Will probably cost a bit more though

sinjin_smythe

Ravelleman wrote:

A strat is like a clean sheet. It can become almost anything you want. You're a beginner - you don't know what you want in/from a guitar. Some people here might direct you to an Ibanez or a PRS. That might suit them. But will it suit you? Maybe. Maybe not. With a strat you've got all bases covered. Then when you've been playing for a while you might for example grow to dislike the neck and want something with a thicker neck. You can then go shopping for exactly what you want. By the end of it you might hate the strat. So what. At least you won't have paid 500euro for something you might not like at all.

Does it suit your style? It's all in the eye of the beholder. Some people play jazz on telecasters. Others use it for indie rock. It really depends on how you use the guitar.

Don't get too cut up about making the right choice for your starter guitar. As you get better your playing style will develope and then you and only you can decide what you want.

Get a strat copy. I doubt very much that you'd regret it.

Ahh crap now he gives a good argument too

Doctor J

Karl Hungus wrote:

there's a huge difference in sound between humbuckers and single-coils, and the bands you mentioned would be leaning more towards humbuckers. You probably wouldn't know the difference at first, but given a few lessons, you'd probably really notice.

Excellent point.

Going on the bands you've mentioned, a guitar with single coils pickups would be useless and only piss you off after a while. Something with humbuckers definitely, as suggested by Karl H here.

Ravelleman

weedhead wrote:

Thanks Karl i think ill go for the RG321 and the micro cube sounds like a good starter. Only problem now is i have to find a left handed one. Will probably cost a bit more though

Here's some advice lefty to lefty: don't learn on a lefty. You'll regret it. Not only will you have a smaller selection of guitars available to you, you will also have to pay more for them in most cases. You also won't be able to try out your friends guitars. Most stores carry a limited selection of lefties so you will also have difficulty finding and trying a guitar before you buy it.

I'm learning right handed and I'm having absolutely no difficulties. I can't imagine myself playing any other way.

Doctor J

There is no shortage of instruments to a lefty with internet access. If you feel comfortable playing a left handed instrument then do so.

Ravelleman

Doctor J wrote:

Excellent point.

Going on the bands you've mentioned, a guitar with single coils pickups would be useless and only piss you off after a while. Something with humbuckers definitely, as suggested by Karl H here.

I don't mean to be rude here but that is completely rediculous. Maybe this boils down to the wide assumption that only humbuckers can deal with heavy music...

Anyway, to start, the great Jimmy Page was known to use a 52 telecaster (with single coils) as well as his 59 Les Paul.

Jonny Whatshisface from Radiohead uses telecasters. Thom uses jazzmasters.

Have you ever listened to Highway Star by Deep Purple? That's like the original speed metal track and it was played on a strat.

Ever listened to Motorhead with Eddie Clarke on guitar? That's thrash punk played on a strat.

Mick Mars from Motley Crue uses a strat.

Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi uses strats.

Yngwie Malmsteen uses strats.

I hate the way so many people think that humbuckers are the only way to go when playing heavy music. It's not true.

So no, they wouldn't be useless in playing that style of music.

Creamy Goodness

Doctor J wrote:

There is no shortage of instruments to a lefty with internet access. If you feel comfortable playing a left handed instrument then do so.

yes if you're left handed play with that hand if it feels comfortable unless you are an exception like me.

write left handed play guitar right handed

Karl Hungus

Ravelleman wrote:

A strat is like a clean sheet. It can become almost anything you want. You're a beginner - you don't know what you want in/from a guitar. Some people here might direct you to an Ibanez or a PRS. That might suit them. But will it suit you? Maybe. Maybe not. With a strat you've got all bases covered. Then when you've been playing for a while you might for example grow to dislike the neck and want something with a thicker neck. You can then go shopping for exactly what you want. By the end of it you might hate the strat. So what. At least you won't have paid 500euro for something you might not like at all.

Does it suit your style? It's all in the eye of the beholder. Some people play jazz on telecasters. Others use it for indie rock. It really depends on how you use the guitar.

Don't get too cut up about making the right choice for your starter guitar. As you get better your playing style will develope and then you and only you can decide what you want.

Get a strat copy. I doubt very much that you'd regret it.

I can't disagree enough. Getting a decent enough guitar to begin with can really make a difference. I had to flog my god-awful Legend piece of crap very quickly, because as I learned, my ear for music grew very quickly and on my guitar teachers advice I got a guitar with humbuckers instead, and that guitar is still with me today.

I think guitar playing is almost like growing from an infant to an adult in a matter of weeks, and you can easily outgrow an instrument in that time. I think a starter guitar is very important, and the wrong kind of one can be very offputting.

It's also great that Weedhead mentioned what kind of bands he likes, because that can definetly help narrow things to to what kind of guitar would suit, and there's nearly no parallel in guitars with the difference single coils or humbuckers can make. Think about the sheer amount of rock or metal guitars out there that are basically strats with humbuckers, and you can see just how much of a difference there is.

I'd agree that after a while someone might want a different neck profile, but that's absolutely no comparison to the difference in singles/hums whatsoever. And going by the bands Weedhead mentioned, I can safely say a guitar with humbuckers would be far more suitable. It's not like you can say "Hmm... I doubt that neck profile would suit that kind of music" so there really isn't any kind of comparison.

Karl Hungus

Ravelleman wrote:

I don't mean to be rude here but that is completely rediculous. Maybe this boils down to the wide assumption that only humbuckers can deal with heavy music...

I never said anything of the sort, and I've even seen Karl Sanders (From DEATH METAL band Nile) play a strat and still get a fierce sound.

The thing is that all the players you mention have some serious amp setups that can push a far hotter sound out. You can't say that a cheap strat copy is going to be able to sound like Malmsteen straight out of the box, so to speak.

Voodu Child

If you've never played any guitar at all, then it doesnt really make a difference if you're right handed or left handed does it? Both hands have to learn new skills, so I dont see how it makes a difference which you use to pick, and which you use to fret....if anything, playing right handed is better for a lefty as your fretting hand will naturally be stronger, which can only be a good thing..

So, id have to agree that your better off buying a right handed guitar, better selection, cheaper etc.

Obviously, if youve already started learning left handed, what ive just said isnt relevant..

Johnny Storm

I see that Weedhead's location is in Dublin so I would recommend he get himself into town and try out a few guitars (then buy them online, of course).
I have a Microcube and I think you wouldn't regret buying that. I have never played the Ibanez 321 that Karl Hungus mentioned but on the face of it it does seem like an excellent starter guitar. Generally Ibanez's have very easy to play (ie thin flat and wide) necks.
I would also recommend to buy an inexpensive tuner and dont forget the second hand stuff if you are on a tight budget.

Doctor J

Ravelleman wrote:

I don't mean to be rude here but that is completely rediculous. Maybe this boils down to the wide assumption that only humbuckers can deal with heavy music...

Anyway, to start, the great Jimmy Page was known to use a 52 telecaster (with single coils) as well as his 59 Les Paul.

Jonny Whatshisface from Radiohead uses telecasters. Thom uses jazzmasters.

Have you ever listened to Highway Star by Deep Purple? That's like the original speed metal track and it was played on a strat.

Ever listened to Motorhead with Eddie Clarke on guitar? That's thrash punk played on a strat.

Mick Mars from Motley Crue uses a strat.

Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi uses strats.

Yngwie Malmsteen uses strats.

I hate the way so many people think that humbuckers are the only way to go when playing heavy music. It's not true.

So no, they wouldn't be useless in playing that style of music.

Most of the people you've mentioned there use strats equipped with humbuckers. All of the bands mentioned mentioned by Weedhead play predominately humbuckers. Single coils don't do heavy tones as well as humbuckers, that's just the way of the universe my friend.

Ravelleman

Karl Hungus wrote:

I can't disagree enough. Getting a decent enough guitar to begin with can really make a difference. I had to flog my god-awful Legend piece of crap very quickly, because as I learned, my ear for music grew very quickly and on my guitar teachers advice I got a guitar with humbuckers instead, and that guitar is still with me today.

I think guitar playing is almost like growing from an infant to an adult in a matter of weeks, and you can easily outgrow an instrument in that time. I think a starter guitar is very important, and the wrong kind of one can be very offputting.

It's also great that Weedhead mentioned what kind of bands he likes, because that can definetly help narrow things to to what kind of guitar would suit, and there's nearly no parallel in guitars with the difference single coils or humbuckers can make. Think about the sheer amount of rock or metal guitars out there that are basically strats with humbuckers, and you can see just how much of a difference there is.

I'd agree that after a while someone might want a different neck profile, but that's absolutely no comparison to the difference in singles/hums whatsoever. And going by the bands Weedhead mentioned, I can safely say a guitar with humbuckers would be far more suitable. It's not like you can say "Hmm... I doubt that neck profile would suit that kind of music" so there really isn't any kind of comparison.

You seem to have missed my point. Maybe I didn't make it clear enough?

As I said it's all in the eye of the beholder. Very few guitar's suit a certain kind of music. It's what the player prefers. Not what Karl Hungus says is good for it. You could play jazz on a Jem vwh and think it sounds great. Good for you. If that's what you like then that's great.

My point about the neck profile was just an example of 1 thing that one might come dislike on a starter guitar. Yes, guitar do have pickups. They are very important but so are many other features such as the neck, for example. If you have small hands, for example, a thick neck might make playing very difficult. Having good pickups is worth nothing if you struggle to play the guitar!

Thanks for making the point about growing out of a starter guitar quickly for me though. That's a great reason not to spend 500euro on it. If you're going to grow out of it so quickly and discover what really suits you then why waste hundreds of euros on it. Buy a nice cheap strat copy and then you won't lose out if you don't like it. They are nice and well rounded. There are no extremes with strats.

Although, I will make one change to my suggestion. Try to get a strat copy with a humbucker in the bridge. That would be even better.

To conclude: remember Karl, not everyone plays metal.

Doctor J

Ravelleman, tell me where Karl H suggests everyone plays metal.

The point is the bands Weedhead has mentioned and the type of tone they have. Suggesting a bog standard strat for that type of tone is, in my opinion, bad advice. Humbuckers are widley accepted as the pickup of choice for distorted tones and don't forget the noise one can expect by running a single coil pickup in high gain through a standard environment (ie same electrical supply as the fridge, TV, etc).

Ravelleman

Just before we go on, I don't mean to offend anyone here or anything. By using the internet I loose the benefit of tone of voice and body langauge. I view this discussion a friendly debate not an arguement. The point about Karl and metal was more of a friendly jest than anything.

I've made points. I'm not going to go on, repeating myself, at the risk of creating bad feeling. Ultimately it comes down to weedheads decision not mine. I've given my advice.

Karl Hungus

Ravelleman wrote:

Thanks for making the point about growing out of a starter guitar quickly for me though. That's a great reason not to spend 500euro on it. If you're going to grow out of it so quickly and discover what really suits you then why waste hundreds of euros on it. Buy a nice cheap strat copy and then you won't lose out if you don't like it. They are nice and well rounded. There are no extremes with strats.

At the risk of sounding pedantic, the RG321 isn't €500.

Ravelleman

Karl Hungus wrote:

At the risk of sounding pedantic, the RG321 isn't €500.

Point taken. Although it seems like I'm forever plugging them here, you could get an Sx strat copy from Germany for 139euro though.

Karl Hungus

Ravelleman wrote:

Point taken. Although it seems like I'm forever plugging them here, you could get an Sx strat copy from Germany for 139euro though.

I dunno, I wouldn't recommend that anyone should get a guitar that would only be usefull as firewood and garotte wire after a few weeks learning.
Pardon the sarcasm.

Creamy Goodness

do not get an sx, jesus, if you're going to suggest that you might as well get a router and some MDF and build your own although MDF might to high a quality.

sinjin_smythe

Right well after listening to all opinions i have decided to keep to my decision and go for the RG321, it seems that most of you would have preferred the Humbucker when you got your first guitar and now that you seem to know your stuff youve all got them at this stage.So cheers for the avice

sinjin_smythe

O yeah and you all seem to agree with the Microcube so ill definatly get that

Karl Hungus

Oh, one more thing weedhead... About learning right handed, you might want to ask around, because I know one leftie fellow who tried learning right handed and then tried learning left handed, he said that playing right handed really held him back altogether.

Karl Hungus

weedhead wrote:

O yeah and you all seem to agree with the Microcube so ill definatly get that

The microcube is definetly one serious piece of kit, you cannot go wrong with it in my honest opinion. I personally use that as my practice amp, and it is nothing short of exceptional. Even John Petrucci from Dream Theater uses one.

Johnny Storm

Ravelleman wrote:

Just before we go on, I don't mean to offend anyone here or anything. By using the internet I loose the benefit of tone of voice and body langauge. I view this discussion a friendly debate not an arguement. The point about Karl and metal was more of a friendly jest than anything.

I've made points. I'm not going to go on, repeating myself, at the risk of creating bad feeling. Ultimately it comes down to weedheads decision not mine. I've given my advice.

Way to go, maaan.

...and remember Buck Dharma never used a single coil.

11811

Would have to agree with Ravalleman,a strat copy would be the way to go!they are cheap enough to pick up,and great to learn on,i you want to get a heavier sound outta it later on you could always change the pickups,easy to do on a strat!

skregs

i'd say go with either a strat or a les paul if you're only starting out.

i'm left handed myself and from the left handed guitar, a restrung right handed one (never, EVER do this) and right handed guitar available to me, i think its much, much easier to play left-handed

the only limitation is that Waltons and the rest only ever have basic guitars for leftys, but you can still order them or get them off the net

Voodu Child

Its getting a bit off-topic, but just about the left/right handed thing, there is no logical reason to say it is 'harder' for leftys to play right handed guitar. Provided you have never played before, then it should make no differerence which hand you use to pick/fret. Both hands are learning new skills, you will find it equally easy/difficult either way.

What makes the 'dominant' hand is more suited to picking?

It isnt, such a suggestion is stupid, its just the way the guitar (and some similar instruments) have ended up over the course of time.

So, the point that was made, is that for complete beginners, it would make life much easier to start playing right handed, in terms of choice price etc..

skregs

well as a complete beginner, i found it easier to play left handed, but then thats just me

BizzyC

I'd say go with the guitar you'd be more excited to play.

It may only be superficial, but both guitars have their benefits, the ibanez gives a better sound, the telecaster will be cheaper, and more diverse. But, when you look at them, which one makes you want to play it.

I know a lot of people will think this point is complete bs, but getting the guitar you think is cooler will actually give you more motivation to practice.

sinjin_smythe

Well on appearance it has to be the ibanez

david

Good choice, Ibanez are surprisingly versatile and great to play... Very well balanced, nice sound and they feel great.

BossArky

Weedhead, have you already bought the new guitar? If not then I would suggest that you take a look at the Yamaha Pacifica:

http://www.wholenote.com/resources/revmain.asp?i=1690

I got one 7 years ago after finishing the leaving cert. It was my second electric guitar, (after a Samick).

On Sunday I traded in the Pacifica for a new Jackson KV2 (as you can see in the other thread on these music boards). I didn't change guitars because there was anything wrong with the Pacifica... it served me well for the past 7 years, never fell apart, got through many gigs and much knocking about, etc. It has a humbuckerer on the bridge, plus 2 single coils in the middle and neck. Great sound and great feel in the neck.

I would recommend that you take a look at a Pacifica before making up your mind. Mine was 200 Irish pounds 7 years ago... so I persume it must be less than 200 euros now. As a pretty experienced guitarist I never felt like I was playing an inferior instrument ... just had to move to the flying V eventually Myself and two other friends owned Pacifica's. Only problem I saw with it was that the bridge got a bit rusty after all those years of sweaty palm muting (apparently this happened to the other 2 guitars also).

It would be the ideal electric guitar for someone starting off.... however why not just start on an acoustic guitar altogether? This will mean that your hand will get stronger alot quicker, as the strings on the acoutic provide more resistance.... plus you can always bring an acoustic to parties, etc, ... very mobile... and people love sing alongs.

From my experience, people who started off on acoustic guitars learnt the basics well and then could progress more quickly once they get an electric. However, if you start on an electric and then try and move onto an acoustic, you will feel as if you are trying to sprint in the sand.

Good luck whatever you choose. Guitar is an excellent instrument to play!

James Hunt

Just as an aside to the left-handed/right-handed thing....I've been playing on and off (quite a bit of off!) for about 10 years, and I'm left-handed. The thing I would say to a guy who may be left-handed but hasn't developed a particular persuasion yet, is to at least try to go right-handed and see how you get on. I did the upside down right-handed guitar style for about a year, but with my mediocre talent, that was never going to work. I bet right-handers see a guitar in a shop, or a friends, and just pick it up and play it if they want....imagine going into a shop in town knowing that at the very most you'll only be able to play two or three of those guitars....they'll be **** ones, and they'll cost a bit. It's heartbreaking.

Fair play to the Martin company though...and the net, kind of.