Recommend me a cheap electric guitar! - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

wooohooo · 05-25-2011, 04:00 PM

So I'm in the market for an electric guitar... not sure if I'll like it or not so I would like to buy a cheap one probably around $200-300.

Not really into heavy metal, but I enjoy metal... rock... some john mayer stuff. What would you guys suggest?

troutman · 05-25-2011, 04:02 PM

Don't play John Mayer on a good guitar.

Yamaha makes cheap entry level guitars.

MarchHare · 05-25-2011, 04:13 PM

I would highly suggest saving up a bit longer and buying a better quality instrument. The problem with buying a cheap guitar is that they're usually harder to play (as in literally more difficult to properly fret notes and chords) which will cause you to become discouraged and give up easier. You'll be more inclined to stick with it if you pay a little bit extra for a better guitar that both looks and feels great. I'd suggest a Godin, Mexican-made Fender, or Ibanez around the $500-600 range. If you don't like it, they will all have fairly decent resale value (much moreso than the cheapo $200 Squire or anything else in that price range).

The key is to go to a music store and try as many different guitars as you can until you find one that feels right. The store will be happy to hook you up with an amp, pick, cables, and everything else you need and let you play as long as you want. If you're serious about learning, I'd also suggest taking a few lessons before you go shopping so you'll know how to play a bit and have a better understanding of what goes into a good instrument. Any decent guitar teacher should let you borrow an instrument during lessons until you buy your own.

I know you wanted an electric guitar, but if you're really budget conscious, you can get a perfectly decent acoustic guitar in the $300 range. Remember with an electric you'll need an amp too.

Also, whether you go the electric or the acoustic route, make absolutely sure you buy a stand and a tuner. The stand is especially important as you'll be MUCH more likely to play and practice if your guitar is out and visible rather than kept hidden away in your closet.

Traditional_Ale · 05-25-2011, 04:24 PM

Call Neil Gunhold at Guitarworks (Macleod Trail). Ask him, and tell him Traddy sent ya!

the-rasta-masta · 05-25-2011, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

Don't play John Mayer on a good guitar.

John Mayer is an amazing blues guitarist.

Are you basing this on his songs that play on the radio, or have you listened further into his catalogue? There is a reason the guy was invited by Clapton to both Crossroads Music festivals.

Yasa · 05-25-2011, 04:30 PM

March Hare pretty much hit the nail on the head. I'd also go with an acoustic over electric. I find them to be more fun to play, and you'll build up calluses faster.

sclitheroe · 05-25-2011, 04:38 PM

This is what I'd do:

Long & McQuade rents guitars.

Why not drop say $65-90 on a high end rental (eg. an American Strat or a Gibson Les Paul Standard), and another $25 on a G-DEC modelling amp, plus a few bucks on a tuner. I'm suggesting the modelling amp since most beginners want to at least experiment and experience the reverb, echo, distortion, etc. Everyone wants to rip that first power chord.

Spend a month with this setup, and then decide if its for you or not. If it isn't, you still saved a couple hundred bucks over your intial budget of $300. If after 30 days you're excited, take the gear back to Long & McQuade, and take your Visa so you can buy your own gear same day. If you're really enthused at that point, spending more than your stated budget won't be as big a deal.

wooohooo · 05-25-2011, 04:45 PM

I should add that I do have an acoustic. I'm not great at it by any means, but I can get by. I just felt like trying out the electric.

Yeah I might just go the renting route. I'm just not that into guitars to spend $500-1000 on a guitar to justify it. Is the difference that big?

troutman · 05-25-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

There is a reason the guy was invited by Clapton to both Crossroads Music festivals.

Sure, they are both white guys with no soul.

MarchHare · 05-25-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Is the difference that big?

Yes, it really is.

bc-chris · 05-25-2011, 05:48 PM

i saw a story about these on the news a week or so ago... weird!

http://www.electricguitarplanet.com/...ectric-guitar/

...and on a non sarcastic note.... i agree with marchhare, pay a little more to get something better - you will thank yourself. when i first started playing bass i got an entry level peavey - it was fine, nothing special. about 5 or 6 years later i bought my fender 5 string jazz bass (u.s.) .... ohhhhh.... it's still soooooooooooo nice. i just love it and to look back now i wish i never wasted my $$ on the peavey

MonsieurFish · 05-25-2011, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

This is what I'd do:

Long & McQuade rents guitars.

Why not drop say $65-90 on a high end rental (eg. an American Strat or a Gibson Les Paul Standard), and another $25 on a G-DEC modelling amp, plus a few bucks on a tuner. I'm suggesting the modelling amp since most beginners want to at least experiment and experience the reverb, echo, distortion, etc. Everyone wants to rip that first power chord.

Spend a month with this setup, and then decide if its for you or not. If it isn't, you still saved a couple hundred bucks over your intial budget of $300. If after 30 days you're excited, take the gear back to Long & McQuade, and take your Visa so you can buy your own gear same day. If you're really enthused at that point, spending more than your stated budget won't be as big a deal.

Also worth noting.... June 4 only is half price rental day at Long and Mcquade. So if you're renting... do it that day.

boogerz · 05-25-2011, 06:58 PM

Everything cheap will be awful until you put some work into it and/or swap the hardware, nor would a beginner have any sense of preference when it comes guitar and guitar related things. Disregard the people saying spend more on a "higher quality" instrument. Starting guitar is like going to university. Most people think they know what they want until they start it, and majority switch after the first year(in this case that refers to guitar preferences)

Play a bunch of cheap guitars and find something that you like and find comfortable to play. The more you like your guitar, the more you might be inclined to continue playing until you become alright at it.

As for suggestions, take a look at SX, Agile, and Xaviere electric guitars. Very cheap, are generally playable out of the box, and after some work(once you're more knowledgeable) become very serviceable guitars. They have the seal of approval from many reputable forums(e.g. TGP, HC, RT, and others)

http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html - SX and Agile guitars
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Xaviere-...ars_c_116.html - Xaviere

sclitheroe · 05-25-2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wooohooo

Is the difference that big?

At the $200 price point it definitely is. At that price, you're not even getting real wood necessarily (I have a Samick made of what's either MDF or ply, not sure which, to prove it), and the pickups, which also play a big role in tone, are bad. Throw in all the other nuisances like poor intonation (which may or may not be correctable at the saddle), cheap tuners, etc, and it's a pain.

The most telling thing, I think, is how they sound unplugged. A good electric, even unplugged, has a nice open sound, projects a bit, and the guitar resonates. Bad electrics unplugged just sound dead and tinny. All the amp does is make that fundamental sound louder, at the end of the day.

fanman · 05-25-2011, 08:54 PM

Try out a Fender Telecaster. You can usually find a used one for cheap, at a store or online place like kijiji. They're good little guitars for learning and playing around on. The renting ideas are great depending on how serious you are, and obviously you have to pay for higher quality. As others have said try a few cheapies out and take one that you feel most comfortable with, but won't break the bank.

Nage Waza · 05-25-2011, 09:32 PM

Go to Axe and pick up an ESP. Worth the money!

Delthefunky · 05-25-2011, 10:15 PM

I like the rental idea. I did that to decide on a Strat or a Tele.

rd_aaron · 05-26-2011, 08:55 AM

I had a cheap Squire electric guitar as my first guitar and I thought I just sucked cause whatever I played didn't sound great. Had it for a few years and played it less and less. I ended up buying an acoustic guitar from St. John's music for about $500 one summer and then realized how big of a difference quality of guitar makes. The songs actually sounded like what they were supposed to!

I definitely recommend paying a little bit more for the guitar. I don't know for sure, but I think you could get away with a cheap amp.. not sure how big of a difference a higher quality amp makes.

kermitology · 05-26-2011, 08:58 AM

I've wanted to pick up an Agile Les Paul copy for a while.

http://undergroundguitarist.com/agil...-guitar-prices

sclitheroe · 05-26-2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rd_aaron

I had a cheap Squire electric guitar as my first guitar and I thought I just sucked cause whatever I played didn't sound great. Had it for a few years and played it less and less. I ended up buying an acoustic guitar from St. John's music for about $500 one summer and then realized how big of a difference quality of guitar makes. The songs actually sounded like what they were supposed to!

I definitely recommend paying a little bit more for the guitar. I don't know for sure, but I think you could get away with a cheap amp.. not sure how big of a difference a higher quality amp makes.

Higher quality amp, as I have found out, makes another huge difference. Those cheap practice amps sound awful, and sound even worse when you add a pedal in front of them.

However, you can offset by using say a PocketPOD to do modelling through a clean practice amp, or a smaller modelling amp from any of the big manufacturers, until you decide what you actually want in your amp.

Who knew, for example, that I'd be completely in love with my JC-120, which is pretty much the cleanest amp in the world.