What Kind Of Guitar To Buy

What kind of guitar should I buy?

Okay. Do you prefer quiet, peaceful, beautiful acoustic guitar music or loud, raunchy, rowdy, roof raising, electric guitar? I myself prefer the latter. There's a tip for the guys right there. Get a nice acoustic guitar and the ladies will swoon in appreciation (or so they lead me to believe).

Back to the subject at hand. There are so many, repeat, so many guitars out there to purchase that it's nearly impossible for somebody other than you to pick one out and say, "This guitar is for you." All anybody or I can do is point you in the right direction. I can give some advice and pointers but actually recommending that you purchase a Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, Peavey, or any make or model is beyond the realm of realism.

Guitar Bodies.
Guitar bodies can be made from various woods, which include but are not limited to koa, ash, mahogany, poplar, and alder. Each type of wood gives a certain tone or sound that may be bright and punchy or warm. Some woods weigh more than others causing the guitar to be heavy and become uncomfortable for some. Here is a quick list of some woods used to make bodies.

1. Alder - a lightweight type of wood that produces a warm sound and is fairly inexpensive. Usually painted in solid colors due to the grain pattern.
2. Poplar - also a lightweight wood which has a sound similar to alder but lighter in color. Usually painted.
3. Mahogany - a hard, heavy wood with open grain and reddish in color. Sounds bright and provides good sustain.
4. Ash - medium weight with open grain and light in color. Sounds bright with a bit of punchiness in the bass. Makes a great wood for bass bodies.
5. Maple - generally used as a veneer for bodies due to their "flamed" and/or "quilted" appearance. Not good for a whole body.

Guitar Necks.
Guitar necks can be made from a variety of woods just like bodies. Maple is probably the most common. Rosewood, koa, and others can also be used with varying degrees of sustain, warmth, and brightness characteristics. Fretboards (also referred to as fingerboards) are usually made from rosewood, maple, or ebony. Rosewood is the most common in this category due to the highly accepted sounds it helps produce coupled with the cost. Maple necks with maple fretboards are generally one piece with the fretboard portion being finished in some fashion with a sealer. Rosewood has a more open grain compared to ebony and is more often than not reddish in color while ebony tends to run more of a black in color. I myself prefer ebony fingerboards due to their smoothness.

So what should you look for in a guitar? What should be first and absolute foremost in your mind when looking for a guitar is feel and comfort. If the guitar is not comfortable to play, you won't want to play it. Does that make sense? Hey, I never said the book contained groundbreaking, earth-shattering, revolutionary thoughts out of left field! If the guitar that you fall in love with looks-wise is not comfortable to play, you may be able to push on and persevere and become an amazing player anyway. I just suggest you find a guitar that feels good in your hands and begs you to play. Try to be shallow at first and go with a guitar that looks cool to you. However, don't buy something just because your best friend thinks Johnny Guitarhero's the best so you should get his Wooden Wonder brand guitar with the killer apricot speckle finish. Try not to fall into that trap. The fact is that the company they represent is paying many guitarists and they may not even play the company's guitar but once a night because they aren't fond of it any more than you may be. Just be careful.

I mentioned in the previous paragraph about being shallow in choosing a guitar. What I mean by that is try to find a guitar that you find irresistible. You see the guitar and you want to play that one! Go for looks first. Am I contradicting myself? Not really. My whole point is to find a guitar that you want to play because it looks so good to you that you can't help but pick it up!

One area that is not common knowledge to many beginning guitarists (or even told to them) is the subject of necks. A guitar neck may be the single biggest determining factor in comfort. Guitar necks come in a variety of shapes from a thick, oval shaped neck (known as boatneck or V), to being extremely flat. When I say "shape," I'm referring to the backside portion of the neck. A flat, thin neck is usually preferred by players with smaller hands and thicker necks by people with bigger hands. A thin neck will make a larger hand tired prematurely to the point of pain and smaller hands will have a difficult time wrapping around thick guitar necks. There are necks that are wider (fretboard wise) than others and they are usually preferred by people with larger hands as well.

Lower priced guitars are considered those that cost up to $500 (many guitar magazines have picked that price range and it's become accepted thinking). These will generally have lower priced materials (woods, tuners, bridge) and electronics (pickups, switches, input jacks). Higher priced guitars will usually have a better grade of wood for the fretboard and body, higher quality tuners, stronger pickups in the case of electrics, and possibly just better overall quality control when they were assembled. You can sometimes get a feel for the quality of an instrument just from talking with others that have owned a certain make or model, especially if they bought theirs new. Did they have to make major set up adjustments, if any at all, when they received their pride and joy from the factory? I know of one major company that produces a signature series line (you know, the guitar has the name of the artist) that when they arrive at the store, they require little or no adjustment by the store personnel before hanging it out for sale. That's quality control! Are there other companies that put that kind of effort into their product? I'm sure there are, so just do your research.

Going back for a minute to the lower priced fare that's available, price doesn't always reflect quality. A $200 guitar manufactured and assembled properly can perform quite well. Many people bash guitars made outside the United States when the fact is many quality instruments come from outside the US.

Comments

[Viciousxp]

ESP kicks ass..

[thesmartguy50]

yeha, i gotta tell y'all, whether it's blues or metal (country sux), ESP and/or LTD takes the cake... even most of their lower-priced guitars rock out!

[ILoveGuitar07]

Many people bash guitars made outside the United States when the fact is many quality instruments come from outside the US.---..

yep i agree.....some times you are just paying the extra $400+ just for it to say Gibson instead of Epiphone

and my peavy is an incredible guitar...my beautiful shred guitar!

[bullet theory]

YE im already past begginer so i know all the woods, my preference is gibson or ESP

[cantshreddave]

wat bout pickups etc?

[KENZI]

i like this article, and yes i am a beginner with only 1 year experience (**(

[emg]

Clears up a lot of things,

[blu9999]

the person who wrote this is sitting next to me in class.

Good article

[leavink]

nice

[leavink]

sorry for double post but this is a guide to electric guitars not aooustic.

[Richie Rocks]

The best beginner electric guitar i think is a FENDER SQUIER because its easy to use light weight and has a brilliant neck as all fenders have hope my tip works for you any quetions or comments im me or email me at [e-mail] enjoy

[linebacker796]

i agree w/ Richie. :d :H:

[j.Page]

!!!..WARNING!!!..

ALDER is a bright sounding wood with great sustain... NOT WARM...

MAHOGANY is a warm sounding "mellow" even body with lots of sustain as well... NOT BRIGHT. That's a major mixup if someone is planning on using this 'article' to buy a new guitar.

EBONY is great because it has the lowest amount of dampening of the sound coming off the neck which is why it's found in mostly expensive guitars - also due ot it's hard-to-get cheap status.

I could have written a better article then this. ...

The Squier is a piece of garbage, hence the price points of these guitars. The Epiphone is a much better choice and much more worth the money.

[Thrashmetal92]

\M/ wickked

[Piratechic137]

This was really helpful 2 me Thanks

[Donkey Fly]

electric guitars arent all raunchy and rowdy....

[krplnkinucoffee]

i second Richie Rocks. I bought a fender squier for my first electric, and it works great. I love my guitar to pieces. They look good, play well, yet isn't to complicated for a beginner. In my opinion it's the absolute BEST for a beginner. I'm still in that stage, I've only been playing mine since about January of this year, but buying that squier was a good move. I learned pretty quickly and I ain't half bad for a beginner. good article. I just think someone should put up something about first AMPS cuz mine is ***ing with me. not literally. :/

[Abyssal]

Fender Squiers are cheap, dont waste your money. My friend has one. the pick up selector doesnt even make a difference.. heh it's useless. The amp is waay to shitty, and his cord broke after a week. The input jack fell out a couple dozen times.

My advice to beginners going to buy their first guitar, purchase a Peavey starter kit. The amplifier is just as good as a 30 watt traynor, and the guitar is awesome.

[benwahballs]

i have no idea about anything and i dont know how to know!!!..

[MNEbbeck]

i got a samick, it might not be great but its lasted me 3 years and it still rocking solid! although buying a new 1 soon! might go for a fender strat!

[ionlylookscary]

Go for looks first.

hehe thats what i do kinda lame but i dont know that much about guitars and im always on a bargain hunt

[martini12321]

that was a definate help, im stil a beginner, tryin to find a new guitar after a year of playin with a yamaha erg121, not the best guitar as when playin things like Green Day and Nirvana, it begins to get painful fairly quick, so ill remember the bit about big hands go for boatnecks. thx, much appreciated.

[Kizna]

Great article. I'm gonna order a Takamine EG540ssc, i think it will works good for me.

[Mayhem187]

Iv'e been playing for only 2 months and im doing good, i learned to read music, tab and write my own stuff from scales... but anyways I got a traynor guitar mate 15, how many amps is that? and I got a OX series Oscar shmit by Washburn with fender strings, can any one tell me if its a good or bad guitar and what I can do to upgrade it like a new set of pickups or somthing thanks.

[jimihendrixWee]

to abyssal- ..bull shit.. the squier is good for startes.. my first guitar was one.. the pick up selecter works fine.. infact i even did divebombs with it so i reccon you havnt played one recently enough to know this-- squiers are ok(not good! but ok) my point is that the pick up selecter is fine.. maybe he dropped it or something

[nightprowler]

My first (and present) guitar was a Squier. I'm am going to probably go get a LTD Viper, though. I really don't think the kind of guitar you have matters untill you are actually playing in front of people.

Good article, but I wanted to hear more about pickups and other features of the guitar.

spam deleted

[Whatsisname]

My first electric is great
Bought it 6 months used
She's got her nicks and shit but I love her
A Baracuda
Apparently the previous owner overhauled the pick ups and strings, but I like her
Proves you dont need an actual signature (A real Les Paul), you can have a replica and love it just as much

My dream guitar, will be my first brand new guitar and she's a G&L Legacy, mettalic green
Simple but beautiful

I only need 12 hundred lmao
Oh well, she'll see my hands at least once a month until then, and everyday once she's mine

[azzyb]

pretty gud article but electric guitar doesn't have to be loud.

[rampantraven]

I've played guitar for about 5 years and I still know practically nothing about different models n makes n such. but I gotta agree it doesn't matter what you play so long as you love it and don't care what anyone thinks about your "cheap made in china" guitar as long as you like it. My opinion is that begginers should buy a guitar they like for as cheap as they can coz there's always time to get a serious guitar when you become a serious player later down the road or even put new parts in the retro one you found at the pawn shop!
ps. if everyone had a fender stratacaster it would be too boring. pick something as unique as you, I think it's more fun that way at least...

[nirvana1991]

very good article, but does the wood also matters if you buy an electric guitar?

[Beau W]

^^^..
Yes it does

[playgtr055]

pretty informative on the wood part. i just got a new ESP KH-202 and i must say i am very happy with it. its great for playing metallica and any heavy metal songs for that matter.

[ruberducky]

great artical I want a new bass so i need a recamendation-peace!

[metalmania1990]

you should put in your article not to buy a harmony

[metal_man696]

3 guitar brands you should get B.C. Rich, Gibson or Jackson. i think rosewood works well. consider this shit.

[AzAlanisfan]

From the "Take-it-or-leave-it" Dept:
Really good article, but I wanted to add two pieces of criteria that, for me, were critical in my final decision. One was the scale of the neck (the length between the bridge and the nut), and more importantly, the radius of the fretboard. My fat little fingers get jammed up more playing a B7 chord on a 12" radius fretboard. I prefer a 7.25" radius fretboard with the rounded edges. I like to lay down a baseline with my thumb on the 4th, 5th, and 6th strings while I pick out a Texas-style R&B song, or something like "December" by Collective Soul. It's easier for me to wrap my thumb around the neck on a 7.25" radius fretboard with the rounded edges. The down-side is that bent strings tend to fret out easier on the 7.25". Just another thing to look at when purchasing. I agree whole-heartedly about one thing: "Play alot of guitar models!" For what it's worth (nothing LOL), my final choice was a Fender Aerodyne Strat($700.00) and a Line 6 amp. The guitar has a basswood body and rosewood fretboard. It has 3 single coil pickups with 5-way switching, 25.5" scale, and 7.25" radius fretboard. It's thin and light. If other guitars are too heavy and bulky, but you want the Strat style body and sound, you may want to take this one for a test spin.

[AzAlanisfan]

Fender Squiers are cheap, dont waste your money. My friend has one. the pick up selector doesnt even make a difference.. heh it's useless. The amp is waay to shitty, and his cord broke after a week. The input jack fell out a couple dozen times.

You need to use BLUE (not RED) Loc-tite on the input jack nut to keep it in. Take off the back cover to get to it. Don't get Loc-tite on your connections or wiring. It'll never come loose again.
My son has a Squier starter Strat kit that his Mom and I bought for him. He has complaints about sound quality, but otherwise finds it perfectly playable. He knows that you get what for pay for, or in this case, his parents. LOL
Guitars resell like cars and computers. Badly. Don't go expensive until you're ready to make a real commitment to your playing. High priced gear gathering dust in your closet will only make you feel worse when you see what you can resell it for.

[clocah]

I ñnow that fender, gibson, or others might seem like they're worth their price, and they are, but if you're just starting to play guitar don't get carried away for the pprice of the instrument.

When I started playing guitar I bought my guitar with five friends of mine that were also begining to play it. Maybe it was just luck but I will say this, my guitar (Acustic) was the cheapest of all and it was also the one with the best sound quality.

So again is not about the price, or the materials, or the brand, is about the guitar. Just go to the store, try it and if you like it buy it.

Anyway although guitar neck and body are important for the sound quality, strings are also important, what I mean is that if you have a low budget you can get good results eith a cheap guitar and expensive strings, and you will not expend as much as if you were buying an expensive guitar.

[imoran21]

i bought a non-brand guitar for 20 bucks on ebay

haha
who cares if its some wood that ive never heard before its all the same to me ha!

[metalhead10691]

go 2 jacksonguitars.com go 2 da custom shop n make yo own but b sure 2 spend $8000+ 2 b sure u get a gud un!!

[EmergencyNate]

yep i agree.....some times you are just paying the extra $400+ just for it to say Gibson instead of Epiphone

That's not really acurate. I started out on an Epiphone Les Paul and my brother had a Gibson Les Paul. There was a noticable difference in the playability, pickups, and durability.

[Ironman325]

I have a jasmine it`s a pretty good guitar.I`m just a begginer though so what do I know.:

[bilytalentwanab]

im a begginer and im switching from a 3/4 size acoustic to an electric any recomendations? ---i have really small hands--- [e-mail]

[blackarrow89]

I would definitely recommend a standard Fender Strat. The neck is much thinner and more comfortable than on any other guitar that I have played.Plus, the guitar itself is pretty light, and it has great tone.

[cryan2]

"Fender Squire's" are a great guitar especially for starters,when i jammed with a friend of mine(owns a yamaha starter kit)in our school he's sound totally sucked!sa i would rather choose the strat among it's price range...then you could just work yourself up and buy a real fender stratocaster..

[kefka]

im a begginer and i fell this is help full

[afilatov]

Great site and article... learning on a Ovation made in the USA. Planning on reading more on this site.

[shadows666]

ESP kicks ass..

True that my friend!!!!

[th3_us3d]

I have a Fender Squier, and as a guitar, it's pretty good, but the amp isn't wonderful and the pickup selector is shytty. As a beginner guitar...it's pretty good though. Also, anyone have advice about effects pedals for a Squier? I want maybe a metal type sounding one. I know nothing about them though.

[_swirky_]

erm... what's the sound difference between steel nd nylon strings? Or is it just personal choice?

[ibanez666]

personal choice.

[ibanez666]

and good article by the way.

[Cru51n]

Great article ....Just wondering , been using my mates guitar for awhile now but looking too buy a new one .. What do ou guyz think about the brand martinez. I've only been playing for about 6 months. had a particular model in mind a FS-10c anyone have one of those . played it a bit i think it sounds great. want a second opinon before i get it. Oh did i mention the article was pretty good .

[slim1210]

nice. i got to say i got a bass ( vintage ) 4 string, and i payed £200 for a 50w amp and a spare set of strings and the getar and i thenk that was a dame good deal the thing plays arwsm all the time. If you look out thre you well find sum real good deals..

[metaldier]

my friend bought a 250 dollar (aussie dollar) el cheapo from the local guitar shop and put a reasonably good floyd rose on it.. it's extremely light but plays AND SQUEALS like a horny woman.. when i say squeal i dont mean the good old pinch harmonic, i mean when you play it, you are dimebag!!!

[Downfault]

Very informal. Cheap guitars rock!!!

[jake1232123]

i just got a fender squier 3 days ago and i agree its worth the money the amp sucks though but still worth it

[jake1232123]

i just bought a fender squier the other day it was worth the cheap price but the amp isnt good

[Serfius]

I have a cheap washburn that I adjusted myself. It's got depth and sounds the best out of most guitars I've heard with distortion.

[Serfius]

I have a cheap Washburn X-Series from years back. It's got depth and plays any style of music nicely-- the only hangup to buying a cheap guitar is that you have to know how to adjust it. Same with drums.

[vines1stones]

Just find a cheap guitar that u like and put on some really nice pick ups, and the guitar will sound like it was $1000 more

[jmodum90]

erm... what's the sound difference between steel nd nylon strings? Or is it just personal choice?

Nylon strings are for nylon string acoustics which are best suited for classical guitar like that which Andres Segovia played. Also, a good beginning guitar is the Ibanez GAX70. It's $150 and of very good quality. It was my first guitar and I strongly recommend it. Squiers are not very good. I'm guessing that all of you praising yours have not had them very long. Just wait.

[thepagesaretorn]

lol u left out soooo many woods (ie agathis and ebony)

[daniel010101]

good article but could have more you seems to have just brushed the surface, Fender Squier are not good guitars, they sound bad and have terrible range but their a 'first guitar' but they are fenders cheap range, fair enought if you get one and play ti a bit to see if guitar playing is for you but after 6 months as you get seriusly into it buy something else Ibanez are good, Yamaha not so good. Epiphone are not quite the same as Gibson to a degre with Gibson you are paying for the reputation of the brand but they are better quality and if you have the money their amazing guitars, epiphone are still brilliant guitars with good sound and some of the best action. The worst guitars to get are of course Steinberger even if you dont agree with me wen i say they are the ugliest guitar you cant despute the fact that they sound soo bad and are so uncomfortable. basicly a good guitarist can make even the worst sounding guitar sound magic (unless its a steinberger)aslong as you have a half decent guitar.

[Emma(solo)]

The article and comments really helped me think about what sort of guitar I'll buy once I've saved up enough. I already have an accoustic I used it to practise. It's really small and its really starting to get on my nerves. I'm teaching myself at the moment (not easy, well at least not for me). I know the basics and at the moe I am learning the different versions of chords like E# = F etc.
Thnx for the advice and comments.

[aaronreinsmith]

you guys are consentrating to much on brand names. ive had fenders that sound like crap and yamerhammers (yamaha's) that sounded great(with someone else playing it). you can play a guitar and it sounds terrible, put it down and pick up the one next to it,same brand-model etc. and have it sound great, settup is key. anything mass produced is going to have lemons and cherries. never sell it,i have never sold a guitar that i idn't regret selling, i wish i had my peavey
t-15 back sold it at 17 when i got my SG. DON'T Look at brand names pick it up and play, or have someone with that can.

[MaAal_MaAan]

ESP anyone?

[kasainrasami_07]

hey, i'm looking into getting myself an electric (already have an acoustic) and i really need some help 'cause my hands are too small for the guitar i have now, and i don't know what to get T__T plus, i'm poor, ne good suggestions?

[hard_as_a__rock]

ok...im hav a lack of understanding about pick-ups, i know they contribute to the sound of the guitar but in detail plz...wat EXACTLY do they do. Oh and wat r the differences between humbuckers and pick-ups?LOL, talk bout lack of intelligence.

[suicideangel_2]

I think you should have talked about what guitar is good for what type of music you play.

[jeremii]

This was extremely helpful, Thanx.

[g1asseye]

hard as a rock in answer to your question:

A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup. It was invented by Seth Lover, a Gibson employee, in the 1950s. Because of this, and because of its use on the Gibson Les Paul guitar, the humbucker is strongly associated with Gibson, although humbuckers have been used in many different guitar designs by many different manufacturers. Humbuckers are also known as dual-coil, double-coil, and hum-canceling pickups.

Magnetic pickups are generally divided into two types: single-coil and humbucking. They are made of copper wire spun around one or more magnetic cores. (For a more complete treatment of how magnetic musical-instrument pickups work, see the article, pickup.)

All magnetic pickups are sensitive to electronic noise, emitted from everything from light bulbs to computer screens. This noise can be quite pronounced, and sounds like a constant hum or buzz.

Humbuckers get their common name because they amplify less of this hum (they "buck the hum"), since they consist of two standard single-coil magnetic pickups, usually side by side, with opposing electric and magnetic polarity. (This wiring is sometimes mistakenly called being wired "out of phase".) Common-mode signals -- that is, signals that radiate into both coils with equal amplitude -- tend to cancel each other out when they travel through both coils.

Using two coils also affects the tone of the guitar. The output to the amplifier is twice as powerful, but because the coils are at slightly different positions along the string some higher-frequency harmonics are diminished or cancelled out. Guitarists often debate the relative merits of this "fat", "dark" tone versus the "bright", "clear" tone of single-coil pickups (more typically used on Fender guitars such as the Stratocaster).

Inventors have tried many other approaches to reducing electrical noise in guitar pickups (from stacking the two pickups of a humbucker vertically in a single-coil size, to radically different pickup technologies altogether), but the humbucker design remains the most successful lower-noise design. Those who prefer the brighter sound of single-coil pickups often simply live with the extra hum and buzz in order to get the tone they prefer (or, as was the case of Jimi Hendrix, use the noise as part of their music).

Some guitars which have humbucker pickups feature coil taps, which allow the humbucker pickups to act as single coils.

[g1asseye]

that wasnt hard to copy lol

[trivial]

cool article. i'm going to look for my first electric guitar this saturday so this helps alot.thanks

[broth3r]

what I think...the electroacustic guiats are the best..! I have on..and it's great.Althought I wish for a electric one I'm very satisfied of my one.Rock on ,dudes!

[BlueTintMonster]

You people suck as.s.

First: SPELLING! You know!? that thing they taught you when you were five?! Use it!

A squier stratocaster (not bloody stratecastor!) is most certainly not the best guitar to start with. It's an ok guitar, but like hell it's the best. It's waaayy to light, once you get something with mahogany you'll regret getting used to it, the heavier you start the easier it will be for you to hold guitars later on. The neck is odd, it's too thin and too wide. It's a crap bolt on and it bends easily. The pickups are so damn useless. And the frets are too thin. I could go on for quite a long time, but to make it short: A squier stratocaster is not a good guitar to start with.

If you want to start playing guitar, start with an acoustic guitar. You'll build finger strenght quickly, look cool and skate all over an electric guitar as soon as to touch it. Plus, acoustics are gangster, no arguments.

Also, b.c rich suck, they're horrible guitars, bad quality and too poky.
Dean is what you should be looking at for spiky guitars, and they have some beautiful models too, like my treasured Hardtail in Flip Pearl.
Don' get a Gibson Les Paul standard if you're still near the begginer stage, stick with a studio, much cheaper and it's the same thing, just lighter and with less eye candy.

And fear the blue tint monster. It comes out at night from the blue tint lake. And crawls up the side of your bed. And you wake up with a blue tint coat suffocating you.

[NikkiSixx440]

What do people think about B.C. Rich? Any good?

[randychua]

B.C Warlock Metal Guitar(black) Wow that rocks, i want to buy one but i don't singapore for sell.

[90anhour]

Don't even play guitar but it all makes sense.A great guide for when I'll buy a guitar.Which should be sooner or later.

[cazthegr8]

has any1 heard of brunswick??

[rfsevilla]

Great information. As a beginner looking for an electric guitar, I was not sure what to look for. Now I know the best thing to do is pick up different guitars while shopping and get a "feel" for each one. And of course, I will find one that looks cool! Thanks for the tips.

[Pakman450]

very good i kinda know what to buy

[xxPEPPAxx]

dont complain , I asked my mom for an electric for Christmas and got one. The onlything wrong with that she go me a Sh*ty ION guitar. Has anyone heard of this brand? I f ing sux! All the strings rattle ! Does any 1 know how to fix that?

[xxPEPPAxx]

I got a Ion electric Guitar and i sux bad!!! My mom got it 4 me and didnt know what to get....all the strings rattle.Does anyone know how to fix that?Im a beginner and trying to learn ,but this sh*ty @$$ guitar isnt helping.

[dreamer_01]

buy LUMANOG guitars.
it's made in the Philippines
hehehe

[b.c. warlock]

just get warlock bronze series if low on cash awesome guitar for 200 bucks!

[timzs]

but dey dun last long...

[preedy]

Hi there! I'm gonna buy an electric guitar but I almost don't know anything about it. So, what I need to play electric guitar? I've heard of having to buy a guitar amp, a guitar cable, and a guitar pick. Is that necessary or can I play electric guitar without these things? Thanks for help!

[preedy]

Hi there! I'm gonna buy an electric guitar but I almost don't know anything about it. So, what I need to play electric guitar? I've heard of having to buy a guitar amp and a guitar cable. Is that necessary or can I play electric guitar without these things? Thanks for help!

[WILL334]

2 BE HONEST I DONT CARE WAT MY GUITARS ARE MADE OUT OF I JUST CARE IF I CAN PLAY IT OR NOT

[mychro]

I got this behringer v-tone pack thing and i dont think its very good. or maybe its justme..the sixth string always makes the ringy sound as if the string is lose but wene i tighten it its way to high pitch and the amp wont stay plugged into the guitar. it just gets lose and wont make a sound. so i think im gonne return it. i got it about a month ago..anyways any sugestions on what i should get..im a begginer

[flipfox_redoubt]

nice one will
my first guitar was just a piece of trash and sounded like shit ..
i got a new one last month and its made out of mahogany and its damn heavy

[soccermom]

what is the difference between a epiphone and a gibson

[waynesworld1]

no difference momm

[talimus]

soccermom:
what is the difference between a epiphone and a gibson

The warranty to start with. Lifetime on a most Gibsons, 10 years or less on Epipies. Other wise, the quality of the electronics, and assembly is better on a Gibson. Epiphone is still very good though.

For the rest of you. I say this: IF you are a true beginer, buy any POS guitar you want. Once you learn, get better and see you want to stay with it, read up, look at articles in Guitar Mags(not ads, and ask people. What you want, depends on what you want to play. Some guitars are better for some things. Remember this too, it's an electric; the sound you hear is based on the guitar and the Amp. Even a $4000 Les Paul will sound bad through a crappy amp. Learn to play, find your style, then buy a good guitar and a good amp. Don't waste your money on a great guitar only to play through a cheap amp.

[troyj01]

preedy wrote:

Hi there! I'm gonna buy an electric guitar but I almost don't know anything about it. So, what I need to play electric guitar? I've heard of having to buy a guitar amp and a guitar cable. Is that necessary or can I play electric guitar without these things? Thanks for help!

I often just play my electric without plugging it into an amp. If all I want to do is play along with songs then I dont need to plug it in. However, if you want the full benefits of an elctric, ie pinch harmonics, trills, tapping etc, then you need to plug into an amp. Hope this helps.

[saggyass]

The guitarshops are going to hunt me down and kill me for this, but when looking for a decent guitar (ie a second or third one, and you have some years playing exp) a very usefull place to look is e-bay. No joke. Very classy 2nd hand guitars are readily available, and some people just let you contact them (like with ads). Take someone proffesional along, check the girl for quality, feel, weight, sound etc, and buy! (or leave it). This can easily save you 50% on the same guitar in a shop.

[guitar98765432]

I got a Squier Strat starter kit and the guitar is AWSOME
everything else is crap, especially the amp, but the guitar rocks
my next guitar is definetly a fender

[wattaf_ck]

i got a ibanez gax70 from the gio series. they are cheap but i gotta say that they re really a good choice for starting players. i`ve played it for 3 years, i got other guitars now, and i`m not the kind that treat them like a jewel (at least not a $200 guitar). this guitar has never let me down! you should give it a try before choosing a squier strat or epi sg.

[Striketalonx]

Good article.
You should include pine as a wood.
as many cheap guitars are made from pine, and not
alder or mahagony.
But I have to say, for beginners, Epiphones are the best deal.
For multiple reasons.
but mostly because of the fact that I am not the most fond of the three single coil setup.
i prefer 2 Humbuckers (emg's preferably)
or 1 humbucker 2 singles (again, emg's)

[soadownsyou]

I'm new to the guitar and know nothing about wich guitar is better than another. I got a Lyon by Washburn it seems really nice, on the body close to the begging of the fret board, there is a built in electric tuner. Please tell me if this guitar is any good, i just want to know out of curisosisty.

[soadownsyou]

I think if I pu the guitar it would help more, It's a Lyon D10SCE by washburn, it's around 500.00.

[Ibanezownsu]

i have the same problem as xxxpeepaxxx, my strings rattle. I know its because i got a crappy guitar but is there a way to fix it. and are ibanez really worth the money because my friend thinx the pickups sux

[darkfall_13]

I played acoustic off and on for 2 years and decided to go electric in October and fell in love with a Schecter Damien EX. I picked it up for $320. I thought it played beautifully compared to the twice as pricey Jacksons at a different shop.

[shibby j]

LTD viper 50 rocks!!! \m/-.-\m/

[xX Maverick Xx]

What I did was go to a guitarshop, went looking around and playing guitars until I found the right one. Usually guitars under $500 dont sound very good and dont last. And btw epiphone guitars dont sound as well as they used to.

My guitar? LTD H-250 with a Spider 2 amp.

[Liam]

half on the fings you have put are irrelevant for beginners, they need basic tution on what guitar to buy! -they dont need 2hear bout what type of wood the neck and body is! -they dont care! they wanna jam out!

[clx]

my guitar doesn't even has a goddamn brand but it's better than the one liam uses!?!

[pommegrenade]

Ibanez, LTD and BC rich r used mostly for heavy metal

[Rocking-Eddie]

Ok look, i COULD buy an ION guitar kit for 230$, but im not sure if its a good deal ((good guitar or not))
Should i take it??
if not what guitar ((and where in jonquiere)) could i get a good one ((for starter))
PLEASE HELP ME

[LoonLeader]

Thanks, this is helpful. I've been wanting to buy an electric guitar, but due to my age (11) I have a low price range and can't get anything of good quality. But this is helpful, as I said.

[fenux]

hey eddie im sry bt i dont knw bout that guitar bt u cud buy an
ACOUSTIC- gibson venus special

[soadownsyou]

How good is a Wahsburn, it's a acousitc and cost around 500.

http://washburn.com/products/acoustics/dreadnoughts/d10s.aspx#

I have the D010SCE

[Bloody Mary]

Ibanez Gax70's are good beginner guitars. It's what I started out on. I have since upgraded to an Epi Sg which is better but I still love my Ibanez. Hope that helps.

[LoonLeader]

Also, isn't Hohner supposed to be good? That's what I have for acoustic... Do they make electric?

[the_captn_flint]

thank you! i hear so much crap from people about non-american guitars. so shut up all you freakin workers-union freaks. besides, the Beatles wern't american, and thats only ONE group

*HEy guys, if u have a question about which guitar to buy, take it to the Electric Guitar Section. this section is for user comments on the above article ~thanks.

[vxxjesusxxv]

Squire Strat (by Fender) Is the Best Beginning Guitar.

depends on the strat model. the type of wood used, ect.

[182thelivingend]

what do people think of the fender frontman amp? is it any good n wat is so good about reverb?

[newbe guitarist]

you guys are lucky, u live in the US: a strat there costs like 350 dollars, while in spain it costs 1330 Euros!! I had to get a mexican stratocaster instead :S

182thelivingend
wrote:

what do people think of the fender frontman amp? is it any good n wat is so good about reverb?

the smaller frontman amps arent any good. the 25W is better for cleans then wt gain. for specific questions take it to the gear and accessories forum. ~UG Staff

[fingersofflame]

i have one recommendation and that is that squier guitars are pieces of shit...if you want a better guitar for slightly less, you should get the ibanez grx-10...or something like that...i despise squiers...that was my first guitar that my grandfather had bought me for christmas...i HATED that guitar so much...same with the electric that someone else bought me...which was also a squier...but my ibanez(which i ended up buying myself) was only fifty bucks more and was SOOOO much better...i love that guitar...so for intensely better quality, i would shell out the extra fifty buck...but that is just my opinion...stay away from squiers and epiphones, but go for one of the cheaper ibanez's...the only thing is though that they can get expensive extremely fast...as far as acoustics go, i would try to tell you to stay away from the newer martins because they are making them so much cheaper...if you want a martin, and have five grand, go onto ebay and get one...i don't have five grand though...these new martins are pretty cruddy compared the ones from the fifties to mid/late nineties...so i would tell you to try and stay away from those...that is just my opinion...

^some squiers are made of alder.
some ibanez are agathis.

u cant go by brand. u need to look at the specific guitar.

[DRoboWHOids06]

what kind do ebanez usally use? i got one and its me baby.kicks ass better than a damn squier.

[Swinger]

I am a begginer I would prefer an eletric guitar over ann acoustic anyday. This article was helpfu.
WAY COOL!!!!!

[Swinger]

Swinger wrote:

I am a begginer I would prefer an eletric guitar over an acoustic anyday. This article was helpful.
WAY COOL!!!!!

[Peter_Klim]

BlueTintMonster wrote:

You people suck as.s.

First: SPELLING! You know!? that thing they taught you when you were five?! Use it!

Use proper case ("That", not "that")

[Peter_Klim]

A 2 month old beginner, I have the Fender Statocaster. I think my hands are too big because I can never fret an A chord using 3 finger so I use just 2 and overlap my fingers. Also, like other people who've complained, the output jack always loosens (tightning it with a wrench so be easly cure that). But hey, it's my 1st guitar. And for $250, I know it's not the best. What do I know at this point of time what I want???

[fendergibson]

I think Fenders are some real good chunks of wood, but for a beginner, I think that a proper Strat is a bit too expensive, and they're better off with a Samick Strat Copy.

[cross101]

I have no money

[cross101]

who are Filipinos Here???? Im going to buy my guitar right now here at bicol. Cummon where will i BUY?????
Tell me Plzz. And also who has Gunz Online Hacks. Plzz refer to me the site where u got it ok. Thank You... Reply at my email at [e-mail] plzz do tell me even here in comments ok. BB

[GuItArMaN64]

i am not an expert but i would take an epiphone over a squier without even thinking

[ellusive1]

my first guitar was a Gibson SG knock-off, played the crap out of it...2 months ago i bought a BC Rich Beast, mostly for the wicked look, but i'm happy with it. it sounds good to me(although i'm in the process of changing out the factory pickups in favor of a pair of Seymour Duncans)...i can't seem to put it down lol

[DemonCleaner]

I plan on buying a Gould "Eagle" les Paul replica. I've tried it out it seems ok and sounds pretty good, in my opinion. Just wondering wot u guys think of it before I part with my money.
It's lime paintjob and is about £100 I think.

PS My previous guitar was an old knocked up fender copy of some sort.... I hated it..

[Swinger]

I give u a big compliment on this article.Yeah Whooohooo!!

[Eclypse001]

ESP!!!!!

[bobbieloe]

Great men now i know what guitar i gotta buy!

[THEunknown1]

Ibanez is the way to go for a good begginers guitar!
I'm not a big fan of gibson or fender manly because so many ppl have them, and so many ppl tell you that they are good and bad. Now I'm not saying to go buy a damn 1,ooo RG series, mabye an AX7221 or GAX70. They are cheap enough so if you decide you dont wanna play you wouldn't put out 300 somthin bucks. plus, if your REALLY desperate and i mean REALLY desperate you can go down to Walmart and buy a first act guitar and amp for like 150 bucks!AND IF YOUR THINKING WTF!!!! Fender and Gibson sell guitars to walmart. Then walmart either replaces the neck or headstock so that it says FIRST ACT. I am not lying. If a friend has a strat ask him then go buy one and tell me if they are not the same guitar... AnyWay im done bitchin. Oh good article a few mistakes on wood and sound that they produce.

[iggy pop]

This was a good article and i think Ibanez is a good place to start.
p.s acoustics do get the ladies goin

[Wazini]

The squire strat sucks, and the amp that comes with it sucks even more. If your going to spend $300.00 on the strat pack you might as well spend a little more and get something worth getting. You can get a mexican strat and a small Marshall for about $500.00 and then you will have quality and tone that you won't be bored with in 6 months. Oh yah, and also epiphone is not the same as gibson, a squire is not a real fender, a mexican strat is good but its not an american strat and there is a reason so many people play gibson and fender you just have too listen.

[Wazini]

THEunkown1 doesn't know

[xrtromarine]

That was a very interesting and helpful.Thanx.....,but can you give me ur personal preference or choice of which guitar I could buy if you'll consider $250 budjet,an asian market,A fairly decent brand & is open to modifications...I would appreciate it very much if u could send me a reply.

[xrtromarine]

I have already canvassed a cheap brand called Behringer V-tone II,but they say it was not good for expectations.Comments anyone please....!

[xrtromarine]

I think this article is still cool,never mind the bad comments,everyone is entitled for their own opinion but it would help me alot if you could also provide guitar brands pros & cons so that a beginner like me could actually know the difference'''Peace Bro!

[ka0tix]

Schecter. Period. If you want an awesome guitar, go for a Schecter. They're the cheapest guitars I've found, and hell, I'd compare my guitar (A Schecter C1 Plus) to my brother's friend's Les Paul. That's saying something. 500 bucks compared to a 1600 dollar guitar. And if you look, you can find guitars from Schecter about 200 dollars, so there's also some guitars for those looking for something that won't fall apart but plays. (Schecter guitars play well from my experience, even in their lowest ranges, so I doubt you'd be disappointed.) That's all I've got to say.

[earl_j13]

I've been thinking about starting off with an Epiphone SG -Special and i might get one within a month. Can someone advise me with this decision?

[fender_cro]

my guitar is 1064 kn what is about 129 it is an copy of fender.....and it makes a good sound

[Carvinplayer]

Hmm, There are different Squire guitars !! The affinety series is indeed crap,but the standard series is much better. But in the end you need to LISTEN before you buy.If you want a good second or third guitar be sure to check out Carvin !

[Ass_Goblin]

nice man. i am getting my first guitar later this week, and this guide was so awesome for me. thanks a lot!

[tobiasosir]

Also looking for my first electric, this definately helped. Thanks!

[zep_hed449]

squire is junk, if youu want to buy a nice guitar for less money, schecter, Epiphone, Ibanez are all good brands relatively cheap. For someone beginning I would recommend something with a static bridge, not floyd rose or the junk they put on the squire. Reason being youll spend more time trying to keep your guitar in tune than actually practicing

[Blut.und.Ehre]

I bought a fender squier for my first electric and it seems fine sounds great aswell dad loves the sound he likes it better then his ibanez its basiclky what you yourself like no ones opinion matters and my dad hates epiphones

[Blut.und.Ehre]

wait not epiphones

[Blut.und.Ehre]

for my first guitar i got the obey graphic series telecaster love the look and sound could care less what aneyone hase to say

[Strate2zeepoint]

You can read all the opinions you want, but it still comes down to your personal preference. And it's true whether you're buying accoustic or electric. Everybody's body (you) is different. Some will like a narrow neck, some a wide neck. Some a thick neck, some a thin. Hell, even the guitar strap makes a difference. For example, a slippery strap with an electric guitar that has a heavier neck and a light body will ALWAYS slip...the neck will always want to point to the floor. The absolute best thing to do is go to a well-stocked guitar store if you have access to one and spend a couple of hours playing all different kinds. Try NOT to focus on how the guitar looks first but rather how comfortable it is in your hands when you play it. For all those that bash the Squires, it only means a Squire was not right for them. For my kids, I bought a Squire mini-Strat. AND IT SOUNDS GREAT! I play it through a Fender Frontman 25. I also got the kids a mini-Martin accoustic. It also has a very nice tone to it, though it think it's a little over priced, but it sounds better than the mini-Taylor that sells for the same price. My first guitar I bought used. It's an Epiphone accoustic. I researched the serial number and found that it was made by Gibson in 1963. I only paid $75 for it and it has a very full, rich sound to it. My first electric guitar was an Ibanez GAX70, only $200 and has a fast action to it, a neck that is comfortable to MY hand and it fits into any Les Paul case. My second electric is an Epiphone Dot Archtop hollow body. Got it on sale for a little over $300. Plays well, sounds great. I play through a Fender Ultimate Chorus amp. I have a friend that's been playing guitar for MANY years and has a small collection of about 15 guitars. He's got a Les Paul, an SG, an ES-335, a Tele, a Strat, a PRS, and a bunch of othes. But the one he takes to jam is a very inexpensive Schecter. And he likes it a lot! So, play a bunch and see what feels comfortable to you and what fits into your price range. And don't think you have to spend a lot either. Same the real dough for when you know how to play well (at least better) and have developed a taste for a particular kind of music. That will help steer you when it comes time for a more serious investment.

[skatesnow12]

I got a fender squier and it plays well for beginners....u can go for better quality and all that but also a higher price....i think u should go with a cheap guitar if youre a beginner because it could turn out u dont like guitar or something....

[Lentel]

Hello i'm from Belgium and I want to learn bassguitar
and I don't know what to do. I really wanna learn it. You guys wanna help me?Please?

[Lentel]

I know my English isn't very well but I try to do it right.
Bye x x x

[dcookie87]

no mention of ESP...

[che_bench]

choice is in good quality.'

[timo1]

im a real beginner and im starting with acoustic and getting an electric sooon.Thanks for telling me the woods and that.

[xj3ewok]

epiphone is the best to buy. dont bother with fender unless you hit up the high end models. my epiphone was purchased 2 years ago for 200 dollars new and i have had no need of switching pickups or anything and im a rough bastard on my stuff. marshall amps are the gods of amps. if u look at esp its good for u metal heads. ibanez is not a personal favorite i think the neck is to damn thick for playing but it is to u. just play every kind of music on the guitar before you buy, i do it and all my guitars sound awesome no matter what i play. oh and only boss pedals and rubber cables not the threaded fabric ones they tangle easily.

[makko_abreu]

good in a way

[pagan_bloodlust]

i would have to say the best guitar i have ever played is an esp ltd ex, the cheapest one, its neck was just so fluid and slick

Checked/Deleted.

[E7thchord]

Ok, Wait a minute - hold the phone. The article is really good information but it seems that the track here is too focused on how "the guitar" sounds. I've been playing guitar for 41 years and have a collection going back to 1967 and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that a beginner can't possible know what a good guitar really is. I've read this entire thread and there are a lot of great comments but no one has addressed style and technique. A great guitar player will make any guitar sound great just as a beginner will make any guitar sound, well, rough. My first guitar was a Montgomery Wards Airline guitar. I hated it because "I" couldn't get it to sound good. I was positive that it was the fault of the guitar but I learned different when a good guitar player in the neighborhood stopped by and played it. He sounded great! Of course, he didn't like the guitar at all because - the neck was too thick, the strings were too high, and the frets were too high. The point for the beginner here is (as many on this thread have stated) to go to the guitar shop and pick up and play a bunch of guitars until you find one that feels good to you. Forget about the brand. It's no where near as important as the next several years you spend practicing. Practice develops your style and technique. THAT"S what makes you sound good. Steve Vi would sound great on the cheapest squire. Once you have some mileage under your belt, you will start to realize the shortcomings of the guitar you've been playing. As you practice and develop, keep going to the guitar shop and playing - a couple of hours a month. You'll start finding the guitar that's ri