I went through this last year - my 13 year old asked for a guitar for Christmas. Last year I said no thinking it was a passing fad. However, she's stuck with piano (going on five years now) and a year on still talks about playing drums and guitar. We don't have room for drums and in my tiny attached home, I'm guessing my neighbors wouldn't much appreciate the gift. So...
What questions do I ask when I shop for a guitar?
What type should I lean toward?
What type should I stay away from?
What else can you tell me that will help in my search for the just-right ($$$) one?
Thread
Posts in chronological order
I'd go to some music shops and try out a few budget electric and acoustic/electro-acoustic guitars, see what she likes the feel of and if her hands are big enough!
If she wants an electric, then get an electric (best advice my parents had).
The Fender Squire packages are pretty good for starting out on and Yamaha Pacifica's are highly rated.
When you go shopping, always be hesitant to go ahead and buy. See how much you can get thrown in to a deal (practice amp, leads, strap, stand, picks, books etc).
Go to a music store aswell, don't buy from a catalog. That way you can try the guitar and make sure your happy with it.
If she wants an electric, then get an electric (best advice my parents had).
The Fender Squire packages are pretty good for starting out on and Yamaha Pacifica's are highly rated.
When you go shopping, always be hesitant to go ahead and buy. See how much you can get thrown in to a deal (practice amp, leads, strap, stand, picks, books etc).
Go to a music store aswell, don't buy from a catalog. That way you can try the guitar and make sure your happy with it.
Thank you for all of that! I hadn't thought about having her 'fitted' to the guitar. I thought I could buy it then keep it out of sight until Christmas morning. What you said makes sense though. Thanks again.
Wanna get a guitar that's great and COOL as well?
Check out the Avril Lavigne (SP?) Squier Telecaster. The Squier is a great starter guitar and won't break the bank if she decides to play drums next year. Plus it's got that extra Tele bite... you may find yourself tinkering with this from time to time. I do not own a real Telecaster (item #28 on my list), so this is kinda fun for me as well!
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-FEN-301010-506
Check out the Avril Lavigne (SP?) Squier Telecaster. The Squier is a great starter guitar and won't break the bank if she decides to play drums next year. Plus it's got that extra Tele bite... you may find yourself tinkering with this from time to time. I do not own a real Telecaster (item #28 on my list), so this is kinda fun for me as well!
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-FEN-301010-506
I provided that link for reference, I must agree with David Jones... go to a music store if you can find one that can get this guitar. Squiers are all the same size, so you don't have to worry about differences there. You get a cheaper price on line, but much better service at the time of purchase and in the future.
[QUOTE]
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I provided that link for reference, I must agree with David Jones... go to a music store if you can find one that can get this guitar. Squiers are all the same size, so you don't have to worry about differences there. You get a cheaper price on line, but much better service at the time of purchase and in the future.[/QUOTE]
When I read your first post, I wasn't sure if you were being serious or sarcastic. Hmm. Wonder what made me question that. :-)
Thank you for the info. I went to the site you posted and read the two reviews. I don't know what one comment means or if it really matters... maybe you can explain? It reads - "The one, and only one negative about this guitar is that there is no tone knob. It definitely needs one for leads as the humbucker is much more twangy and crisp than you would think."
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I provided that link for reference, I must agree with David Jones... go to a music store if you can find one that can get this guitar. Squiers are all the same size, so you don't have to worry about differences there. You get a cheaper price on line, but much better service at the time of purchase and in the future.[/QUOTE]
When I read your first post, I wasn't sure if you were being serious or sarcastic. Hmm. Wonder what made me question that. :-)
Thank you for the info. I went to the site you posted and read the two reviews. I don't know what one comment means or if it really matters... maybe you can explain? It reads - "The one, and only one negative about this guitar is that there is no tone knob. It definitely needs one for leads as the humbucker is much more twangy and crisp than you would think."
Just bear in mind that Stratocasters (and Telecasters for that matter) have a very distinctive sound that not everyone likes. If your daughter is into, for instance, reggae, classic rock, hard rock and the likes, I couldn't recommend a strat (go for the Dean Vendetta instead, if you can get it. It's about the same price as a Fender Squier, and actually much better built (more sustain)).
[QUOTE]
[b]magicalfreddiemercury wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I provided that link for reference, I must agree with David Jones... go to a music store if you can find one that can get this guitar. Squiers are all the same size, so you don't have to worry about differences there. You get a cheaper price on line, but much better service at the time of purchase and in the future.
[/QUOTE]
When I read your first post, I wasn't sure if you were being serious or sarcastic. Hmm. Wonder what made me question that. :-)
Thank you for the info. I went to the site you posted and read the two reviews. I don't know what one comment means or if it really matters... maybe you can explain? It reads - "The one, and only one negative about this guitar is that there is no tone knob. It definitely needs one for leads as the humbucker is much more twangy and crisp than you would think."
[/QUOTE]
The Squier Tele doesn't need a tone knob. It is twangy and crisp... it's a humbucker. If you're getting to the point where you have to adjust your tone, beyond using the selector switch, then you are ready to move onto a pro guitar. I did not find it too twangy for leads, but then I don't have overdrive, distortion, flange, phaser, and fifteen other pedals plugged in at once either.
It is a starter guitar. A great lead player is going to go out there with a Squier.
[b]magicalfreddiemercury wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I provided that link for reference, I must agree with David Jones... go to a music store if you can find one that can get this guitar. Squiers are all the same size, so you don't have to worry about differences there. You get a cheaper price on line, but much better service at the time of purchase and in the future.
[/QUOTE]
When I read your first post, I wasn't sure if you were being serious or sarcastic. Hmm. Wonder what made me question that. :-)
Thank you for the info. I went to the site you posted and read the two reviews. I don't know what one comment means or if it really matters... maybe you can explain? It reads - "The one, and only one negative about this guitar is that there is no tone knob. It definitely needs one for leads as the humbucker is much more twangy and crisp than you would think."
[/QUOTE]
The Squier Tele doesn't need a tone knob. It is twangy and crisp... it's a humbucker. If you're getting to the point where you have to adjust your tone, beyond using the selector switch, then you are ready to move onto a pro guitar. I did not find it too twangy for leads, but then I don't have overdrive, distortion, flange, phaser, and fifteen other pedals plugged in at once either.
It is a starter guitar. A great lead player is going to go out there with a Squier.
[QUOTE]
[b]Micrówave wrote:
[/b]The Squier Tele doesn't need a tone knob. It is twangy and crisp... it's a humbucker. If you're getting to the point where you have to adjust your tone, beyond using the selector switch, then you are ready to move onto a pro guitar. I did not find it too twangy for leads, but then I don't have overdrive, distortion, flange, phaser, and fifteen other pedals plugged in at once either.
It is a starter guitar. A great lead player is going to go out there with a Squier.
[/QUOTE]
Very cool, thanks so much! Now all I have to do is scrape some more pennies together and I'm good to go. [img=/images/smiley/msn/thumbs_up.gif][/img] She's going to be thrilled.
[b]Micrówave wrote:
[/b]The Squier Tele doesn't need a tone knob. It is twangy and crisp... it's a humbucker. If you're getting to the point where you have to adjust your tone, beyond using the selector switch, then you are ready to move onto a pro guitar. I did not find it too twangy for leads, but then I don't have overdrive, distortion, flange, phaser, and fifteen other pedals plugged in at once either.
It is a starter guitar. A great lead player is going to go out there with a Squier.
[/QUOTE]
Very cool, thanks so much! Now all I have to do is scrape some more pennies together and I'm good to go. [img=/images/smiley/msn/thumbs_up.gif][/img] She's going to be thrilled.
[QUOTE]
[b]magicalfreddiemercury wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I provided that link for reference, I must agree with David Jones... go to a music store if you can find one that can get this guitar. Squiers are all the same size, so you don't have to worry about differences there. You get a cheaper price on line, but much better service at the time of purchase and in the future.
[/QUOTE]
When I read your first post, I wasn't sure if you were being serious or sarcastic. Hmm. Wonder what made me question that. :-)
Thank you for the info. I went to the site you posted and read the two reviews. I don't know what one comment means or if it really matters... maybe you can explain? It reads - "The one, and only one negative about this guitar is that there is no tone knob. It definitely needs one for leads as the humbucker is much more twangy and crisp than you would think."
[/QUOTE]
Hi hope this helps. The tone knob alters the pitch, and a humbucker is essentially two pick ups joined together, info provided by my son, he plays lead guitar in a band, so knows his stuff! He would also recommend as a starter guitar the Peavey Raptor package. This is the instrument he started out on, and is as good as anything. Priced at around £120 - £160, you get, a guitar, guitar case, practice amp, stand and an instruction manual.
Good luck
[b]magicalfreddiemercury wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I provided that link for reference, I must agree with David Jones... go to a music store if you can find one that can get this guitar. Squiers are all the same size, so you don't have to worry about differences there. You get a cheaper price on line, but much better service at the time of purchase and in the future.
[/QUOTE]
When I read your first post, I wasn't sure if you were being serious or sarcastic. Hmm. Wonder what made me question that. :-)
Thank you for the info. I went to the site you posted and read the two reviews. I don't know what one comment means or if it really matters... maybe you can explain? It reads - "The one, and only one negative about this guitar is that there is no tone knob. It definitely needs one for leads as the humbucker is much more twangy and crisp than you would think."
[/QUOTE]
Hi hope this helps. The tone knob alters the pitch, and a humbucker is essentially two pick ups joined together, info provided by my son, he plays lead guitar in a band, so knows his stuff! He would also recommend as a starter guitar the Peavey Raptor package. This is the instrument he started out on, and is as good as anything. Priced at around £120 - £160, you get, a guitar, guitar case, practice amp, stand and an instruction manual.
Good luck
I had a (K)Raptor. Made in vietnam. Not attacking the above poster^, just warning anybody who thinks about buying the Raptor model guitar.
[QUOTE]Review from Harmony-Central.
Looks a bit Stratty but that as near as you get. The ply wood body is totaly dead. volume and tone control make more noise than the strings If you can get one for #40.00 then the price is about right
otherwise put a few more on a Squire Strat there better value.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] Another Review from Harmony-Central.
It is the first guitar I owned and will be the first one to be smashed on stage. Stay in tune...ha thats funny. Dont think about using the whammy bar, big mistake. Can not keep this guitar in tune for an entire song. Sounds good for blues anything else dont think about it. [/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Review from Harmony-Central.
Looks a bit Stratty but that as near as you get. The ply wood body is totaly dead. volume and tone control make more noise than the strings If you can get one for #40.00 then the price is about right
otherwise put a few more on a Squire Strat there better value.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] Another Review from Harmony-Central.
It is the first guitar I owned and will be the first one to be smashed on stage. Stay in tune...ha thats funny. Dont think about using the whammy bar, big mistake. Can not keep this guitar in tune for an entire song. Sounds good for blues anything else dont think about it. [/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I had a (K)Raptor. Made in vietnam. Not attacking the above poster^, just warning anybody who thinks about buying the Raptor model guitar.
[QUOTE]Review from Harmony-Central.
Looks a bit Stratty but that as near as you get. The ply wood body is totaly dead. volume and tone control make more noise than the strings If you can get one for #40.00 then the price is about right
otherwise put a few more on a Squire Strat there better value.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] Another Review from Harmony-Central.
It is the first guitar I owned and will be the first one to be smashed on stage. Stay in tune...ha thats funny. Dont think about using the whammy bar, big mistake. Can not keep this guitar in tune for an entire song. Sounds good for blues anything else dont think about it. [/QUOTE] [/QUOTE]
Hi, showed your comments to my son, and he would not disagree, IF it was his principal or main instrument, as its failings in this regard come to the fore, however as a first guitar, it did everything it needed, to get him on his way as he was learning. As his guitar tutor once told him, until he was competent, commited and playing lead solos or the like, the Raptor was excellent value, and an ideal first instrument.
[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]
I had a (K)Raptor. Made in vietnam. Not attacking the above poster^, just warning anybody who thinks about buying the Raptor model guitar.
[QUOTE]Review from Harmony-Central.
Looks a bit Stratty but that as near as you get. The ply wood body is totaly dead. volume and tone control make more noise than the strings If you can get one for #40.00 then the price is about right
otherwise put a few more on a Squire Strat there better value.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] Another Review from Harmony-Central.
It is the first guitar I owned and will be the first one to be smashed on stage. Stay in tune...ha thats funny. Dont think about using the whammy bar, big mistake. Can not keep this guitar in tune for an entire song. Sounds good for blues anything else dont think about it. [/QUOTE] [/QUOTE]
Hi, showed your comments to my son, and he would not disagree, IF it was his principal or main instrument, as its failings in this regard come to the fore, however as a first guitar, it did everything it needed, to get him on his way as he was learning. As his guitar tutor once told him, until he was competent, commited and playing lead solos or the like, the Raptor was excellent value, and an ideal first instrument.
I also started on, and still have, a Peavey Raptor. The one shaped like a Strat, not the later slightly sqaushed one which came part of a deal.
I didn't think that Peavey still made guitars, I thought they stopped and focused just on amps.
Never played it live but around the house its been a great guitar. No problems with tuning to report.
I didn't think that Peavey still made guitars, I thought they stopped and focused just on amps.
Never played it live but around the house its been a great guitar. No problems with tuning to report.
There is,ofcourse,another side to this problem.
There has been a lot of really good sound advice being passed around about electric guitars.But what if she wants an acoustic guitar.Also,the thing about learning to play the guitar is that it is not like learning to play the piano.That sounds like a stupid thing to say,but what i mean is that unlike when you're learning to play the piano,you get blisters from playing the guitar.This often puts a lot of people off learning the guitar.This problem can be sorted.You see,the reason why you get blisters is because you have to press the strings down in order to get the notes.The higher the "action",the more painful it will be.Now the action is the space between the top of the fretboard and the bottom of the string.If the action is high then the more you have to press down to get the note.This is the case on all guitars.
Now on acoustic guitars,i find that Yamaha make decent acoustic guitars which are cheap but certainly not nasty.In general i find them to be good guitars for a beginner to be learning on as they have quite a low action on them.Therefore encouraging the learner to take up the guitar.
There has been a lot of really good sound advice being passed around about electric guitars.But what if she wants an acoustic guitar.Also,the thing about learning to play the guitar is that it is not like learning to play the piano.That sounds like a stupid thing to say,but what i mean is that unlike when you're learning to play the piano,you get blisters from playing the guitar.This often puts a lot of people off learning the guitar.This problem can be sorted.You see,the reason why you get blisters is because you have to press the strings down in order to get the notes.The higher the "action",the more painful it will be.Now the action is the space between the top of the fretboard and the bottom of the string.If the action is high then the more you have to press down to get the note.This is the case on all guitars.
Now on acoustic guitars,i find that Yamaha make decent acoustic guitars which are cheap but certainly not nasty.In general i find them to be good guitars for a beginner to be learning on as they have quite a low action on them.Therefore encouraging the learner to take up the guitar.
Bo Rhap wrote:
Now on acoustic guitars,i find that Yamaha make decent acoustic guitars which are cheap but certainly not nasty.In general i find them to be good guitars for a beginner to be learning on as they have quite a low action on them.Therefore encouraging the learner to take up the guitar.
===
I know this is excellent information and advice, and I appreciate it very much. But now I'm way beyond confused. :-(
Now on acoustic guitars,i find that Yamaha make decent acoustic guitars which are cheap but certainly not nasty.In general i find them to be good guitars for a beginner to be learning on as they have quite a low action on them.Therefore encouraging the learner to take up the guitar.
===
I know this is excellent information and advice, and I appreciate it very much. But now I'm way beyond confused. :-(