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January 2006
Posts: 175
Location: Eugene, Oregon | I would like to get some feedback on which guitar you would suggest for a starter? I only play acoustic now. I have always wanted to learn some licks and bang my head a little. :D
Thanks, Dee |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | The Vipers are the Tele-like solids and are relatively affordable. Check out what Stephen28 has to offer.
Climb up in price to the Breadwinners and then Deacons.
Enjoy every flavor! |
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October 2005
Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | Vipers for their balance, playablilty and affordabilty. Careful though, your fingers will move faster than they ever were able to on any accoustic. |
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July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I don't know much about Ovation electric guitars, in fact, I never knew Ovation manufacture(d) electrics until I joined the OFC. So far, I've heard lots of positive reviews, comments and opinions about them.
In case you can't get a hold of the electric guitars that OFC members recommend - for a starter guitar - I think you can't go wrong with a Fender Stratocaster. It is by far IMHO the most versatile of all the electric axes I've experienced with, as it has been played by musicians in almost every music genre. It is also one tough guitar that can withstand the abuse from both the player and exposure from the elements.
Just my .02 worth for a starter electric. Later on, you could shoot for something more ambitious depending on your musical needs, tastes and preferences. Good luck. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 234
Location: Phoenix, AZ | Originally posted by ignimbyte:
- for a starter guitar - I think you can't go wrong with a Fender Stratocaster. The one big problem with a Strat, which MAY be a huge problem for an electric beginner is the tremolo. Unless the player absolutely needs it, it usually causes more tuning and intonation headaches than any benefits it can provide. Heck, even Clapton blocks his. But, a beginning electric player usually doesn't know anything about this, and can't figure out why his Strat won't stay in tune whenever he plays it. A beginner also doesn't know about adding springs or blocking it entirely. For a great many people, the trem is the kiss of death for the Strat. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | I've always had two problems with Strats. First, the middle p/u is right where I play, and my pick is always hitting it. Second, the volume control, is too close to my right hand, and again, I'm always hitting it. |
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October 2005
Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | Dmkozak said: For a great many people, the trem is the kiss of death for the Strat. :D
How about a fender squire. They don't have that crap and they are for beginners and are cheap. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 175
Location: Eugene, Oregon | Thankyou for all the tips. Keep em' coming please. I am not looking to buy one right away, but I gawk at them whenever I am at the guitar store. There are so many choices...
I see the starter kits and wonder if they are just junk but I also don't want to buy a beast that won't roar because I can't play it properly. I don't have big hands so I would be looking for a guitar that is not too beefy or hard to play.
Thanks, Dee |
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November 2005
Posts: 111
Location: Southern California | The one big problem with a Strat, which MAY be a huge problem for an electric beginner is the tremolo. Simple solution to this: Don't put the whammy bar on the Strat if you don't want / don't know how to use it. Problem negated. ;)
Of course, the higher end Strat you get, the less of an issue this is to begin with: better parts. I have a '62 re-issue, and have never ever had a problem keeping her in tune whether I used the whammy bar or not. (sorry... don't know why, but to me all guitars are "she's". :p )
But, Strats aren't for everyone. Your best bet would be to head down to your favorite guitar shop, or GC if you must, and play a few guitars (Fenders, Gibsons, and the gazillion others on the market). You have the same issues to work though as if choosing a new Ovation: neck shape, depth, and width... (BTW, the various model Strats have very varying necks) Then, there's weight, feel, and playability. Your choice will also be influenced by the sound you want for the type music you play. (Example: Strats are more clean sounding, Les Pauls are more bluesy, etc.)
When all is said and done, all any of us can offer are our opinions, and we all have our favorites. I'd take my vintage Mockingbird over just about anything available today (especially over what BC Rich currently slaps that name on), and I would take a Strat over a Les Paul, though I admit that a Les Paul would be nice to add to my collection...
Bottom line: Go with what feels and sound good to you! :D |
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January 2006
Posts: 175
Location: Eugene, Oregon | Ok :)
Nobody laugh.. but I would love to learn some Pink Floyd and then on the other end of the spectrum, I can see myself jammin' to old AC/DC tunes. I do love the Blues but I guess my answer would be, something with a clearer sound. |
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November 2005
Posts: 111
Location: Southern California | Then, go with the Strat. Just pick the model that fits your hands (and your budget... the $$$'s range widely), plug her in, and let her rip!
BTW, what amp would you be playing her through?
(Uh, oh. There are almost as many amplifier opinions as guitar opinions...)
Then, there's FX... it never ends!!! |
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January 2006
Posts: 175
Location: Eugene, Oregon | :rolleyes: amp? Oh yeah..
I guess that thread is for another day. I'm pretty sure my little Crate practice amp will not withstand the riffs in Jailbreak... :D |
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July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I'm going through the same thing right now. I had an Epiphone Les Paul and got rid of it because: 1) I wasn't playing it, and 2) I couldn't get the tone I wanted out of it without volume that caused SWMBO to yell "Turn that thing DOWN!!!"(which caused 1).
I'm looking at Strats, and the "right" amp is going to be part of the buy. Looks like it's gotta have "compression/sustain" for an effect, or I'm going to just buy a pedal.
Roger |
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October 2005
Posts: 4075
Location: Utah | Right now I think the Ibanez sz520 (about $500) or the slightly pricier sz720 (about $625) would be a great buy for a great guitar. These are some very nicely made and nice to play electrics. You can get the meaty humbucker sound or the more strat-like single coil sound, making it a versatile sounding instrument. The quality is excellent from what I've seen and read. They are instruments you'll probably play for a lifetime, as opposed to a cheapo guitar that you dislike after a short while.
The sz is extremely easy to play. I can't imagine you wouldn't like the feel.
Personally, I don't recommend the Strat. The sound is a bit thin with the single coil pickups. It's more of a country type sound rather than a meaty rock and roll sound. Some guitars, like the Ibanez SZ520/720, let you switch between humbucker and single coil.
The sz720 is on my wish list. Maybe next Xmas? |
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July 2005
Posts: 3410
Location: GA USA | I've had 2 Squier Strats and an American Standard Strat. A GOOD Squier Strat is a great guitar for a beginner. The cheapest model (Affinity) is no good, but the better ones (I think it would be the Squier Standard Strat) may actually be a better playing guitar than a Mexican Fender. And with the better ones, you can get sunbursts and maple fretboards. But the whammy, as previously stated, is useless.
But you may be able to get a Viper with minor cosmetic issues for the same... $300 or less. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I own a variety and play them all. What matters more to me is the set-up. Like an earlier post, I, too, have had no problem with the whammy causing my Strats to go out of tune. I have more problems with the Gretsch CG. In addition, a lot of string-bending does the same thing to me. However, I don't have the option of swapping and retuning my guitars after every other song like Clapton does. We get good at retuning on the fly. Personally, I would recommend starting with a Mexican Strat or an Epiphone LP, either of which can be purchased on eBay for a few hundred dollars. Play either for a while and if you really like one, move up. Unless the seller was somebody I knew and trusted, I would not recommend an Ovation solid-body as a first electric simply because you never know what you're going to get. Great for us collectors who don't mind fiddling, but better to start with something newer and cheaper and work your way up. Just IMHO. |
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September 2004
Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | Personally, I would go on ebay and buy a used Carvin. You can pick them up in the $300 range depending on year model and features. I saw a DC400 go for about $400 recently which up until the last couple of years was a flagship instrument.
Took my personal DC400 to the local PRS, Fender, Gibson shop to check the set-up. Several customers were checking it out while I was perusing the other goodies. The "guitar-god" in the shop told one guy... "you can't get a better guitar for the money as long as you are okay with buying mail-order".
He said the set-up was flawless (this is on a 7 year old instrument that has not been touched) and did nothing. Check out carvin.com. |
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November 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Peoria, Illinois | I am not much of an electric player either, but just got the new for 2006 Fender Standard Telecaster. I believe the colors changed some, and the pickups were upgraded. I paid $399.00 for it.
These are Mexican made. It came with a decent set-up and the intonation was good. Sounds great through a small Roland Cube amp. I agree, stay away from a whammy bar for now. I am having some fun with it. Did not spend a fortune, and have an idea what it is like to play electric. If you go with a Strat, see if you can find a hardtail model. Electric is a whole new world......... |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 6
Location: Upper Holland, PA | Originally posted by Captain_Lovehandles:
The cheapest model (Affinity) is no good, but the better ones (I think it would be the Squier Standard Strat) may actually be a better playing guitar than a Mexican Fender. And with the better ones, you can get sunbursts and maple fretboards. But the whammy, as previously stated, is useless.
The Squier Standard telecastrs are also very good and have no tremelo to contend with. They are good guitars for $200. Another good choice is the Squier 51 for $149.
Jim |
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December 2005
Posts: 58
Location: china | could anybody attach a picture of Viper??? |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | frank!
MEMBER ACCESS, CLICK TO CONTINUE,Photo Gallery and type in "Viper" then hit Search.
They are everywhere! |
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January 2006
Posts: 175
Location: Eugene, Oregon | I think this is a pretty guitar. :)
It got some really nice reviews even though it is the lower line of Gibson. It seems that a lot of folks bought it, just to collect, but ended up playing it instead because it sounded too good. |
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July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I'm about to buy a solid-body electric.....that is where I started 2 1/2 years ago when I got back into playing guitar, but quickly found my style suited acoustic better. I've found, though, that I am gravitating back to doing both.
I had an Epiphone Casino and Epi Les Paul Standard back then and had disposed of both of them since. This time I'm thinking Strat.....and tube amp.....(the crummy cheap solid-state amp was most of my problem before and I was too inexperienced to realize it)
I wouldn't touch an Ovation solid-body, either, it is best left to those that love them and want to do the proper care and feeding.....I never even knew they existed until I joined this BB.
Roger |
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November 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Braman, OK | My first was a Fender Jaguar, which I traded to a friend for my very first Ovation acoustic... |
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October 2002
Posts: 181
Location: Queens, NY | FYI, Fender makes a hard tail American Strat, which has a string through body fixed bridge instead of a tremolo. It may be ideal for those who want a Strat but don't want the tuning headaches associated with a trem. For some reason, most stores don't even stock the hardtail strats, but you can order them.
http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0117432706 |
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July 2003
Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | I see the hardtail Strats at my local GC....they usually get the Americans as hardtails, the Mexicans with trems.
I forgot to answer the original question. My first guitar, and my first electric guitar, was a Sears Silvertone DanElectro-built 6-string. It had a lipstick pickup, plus the amp built into the case. If that amp was 5 watts, I'd drop over dead. It was all I could do to coax a hint of feedback out of it.
Roger |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Then there is the Hamer line. I'd go there before anything from old Hank. |
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November 2005
Posts: 49
Location: Madison, WI | I'm sure I'm way late on this . . . but I second all the recommendations for a MIM Fender Strat or Tele. It's an inexpensive enough guitar for a beginner, yet quality enough to still use if you get serious about it. My first electric was a MIM Strat years ago and I still play it on the road as a professional. |
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First electric guitar?