Anyone Know About Guitars

0849

0849

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I have a relative who has been taking lessons on a guitar (non-electric, think they are referred to as acoustic but not sure). I know nothing about guitars but thinking about getting them an electric guitar for the Holidays. I see many on the big auction and sales sites but have no idea what brands are good.

Would appreciate it if anyone that knows about guitars that can point me in the general direction of a brand name, model, etc, for a modestly priced electric guitar, maybe under $200 or $300 if that is even a possible price range, if not, would appreciate knowing that ?
 
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I played a Fender base in a "rock band" while in high school (1965-68). The guitar was better than I was but our group made a few bucks playing private parties. I think I paid $300-$500 for it back then and sold it for the same. I don't remember losing money on it. I now see that the same guitar today could be worth on the high end of $8,000. I haven't kept up with it since but I seriously doubt your budget would allow for a "name brand" electric guitar. And a guitar is probably the cheapest part. A good amplifier can best the price of a guitar many times over. There are entry level amps, for sure, but you should know that an electric guitar isn't much good without the amplifier. They should be considered a set.

Being so far removed from it now, I suggest you check out a music store and see what's current and what's not. They may have good used ones that someone may have traded or just gave up.

I used to be able to play the violin and read music too. About all I could play now is a radio. :D
 
It really depends on the sound you want....

Fender and Gibson are two of the mainstays.

Fenders have the twangy 'surf' sound but have been used by non-surf artists like Jimi Hendrix.

Gibsons have that deeper driving tone.

I got my son an Ibanez that was set up toward heavy metal. I'm not a heavy metal fan, but that thing made great sound. It had special pickups on it.

Of course the amplifier that they are teamed up with makes a lot of difference, too.

For more of a country sound Gretsch makes some hollow bodies. The 'Country Gentleman' is a classic.

Epiphone makes affordable copies of some expensive guitars.


They make tons of Fender Stratocaster copies, but if you get one of these, make sure it's a good one. I've had a couple that wouldn't stay in tune.

I'm not a big fan of the Fender Squire series, but I think in the price range you are looking in they may have something that you could use.



Everybody may not agree with me on this, but I've found that most electric guitars that are under around the $300 range aren't worth the problems that they have. In the price range that you are talking about, Epiphone and Ibanez make lesser expensive guitars that still have reasonable quality for budget.

Electronics have made some of the cheaper amps really versatile. I have a 'Spider' that coast about $100 some years back that has effects out of the ying-yang and a pretty good sound.
 
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Lots of options in that price range, electric acoustic. Epiphone would be a good choice. Gibsons are pricier. I like anything made by Godin. Even if you buy online I'd suggest stopping at a music store and have them show you a solid top acoustic vs laminate top, once you see it,you'll know the difference. Most acoustics now come wired for electric option. I'm no expert.
 
Many acoustic players don't want an electric.
If you are sure they want to branch out to electric, (many players use both), you then move into so many different types it takes a while to learn them all.

There are the solid-body types like Gibson and Fender, they both have a lesser priced brand. Gibson Epiphone, and Fender Squirer, either of those "lessers" are about your price range, and not bad guitars.
For most of us, when you say "electric guitar" it means "solid body".

Then,still with electrics, as far as types go, you have "thin" hollow body; "jumbo" hollow body, and acoustic or "flat-top" electrics with either on-board electronics, or add-on pickups, either sound hole or bridge.

I am at best a rank amateur in knowing guitars, but feedback from the player is essential.
I have the impression you are more or less planning a surprise gift. Bravo for you, BUT,.....to keep a beginner interested and pushing hard to improve, I think he almost has to have some input into what type of guitar he wants.

Or, at the very least which player he most wants to duplicate, as far as playing style and music.
If his guitar hero is Clapton for instance, then a Stratocaster style, if it is Dickie Betts, then "Les Paul" Gibson. If it is Johnny Cash, well, he just wants to sing, and about three chords will suffice.

I have seen many new $800.00 "Strats" and $1200.00 "Les Pauls" relegated to the hall closet three months after Christmas.

Since you note you never had much interest in learning of guitars, you might be interested to know of the prices of some vintage guitars, that originally sold near the same price you suggest.

1952 Gibson Les Paul "gold-top" about 40 to 50 thousand bucks. A 1954 Fender Stratocaster, slightly less, but still in the same neighborhood.
Even a 1961 Strat, not well kept and no tweed case sells for $20 thousand.

I am a huge guitar fan ! I only wish I could play, up to the level of my admiration, for those who can.
Encourage your relative to play. Helping out with a guitar they want is the perfect way.
 
First do mean Acoustic Electric or straight Electric?

Acoustic Electric looks like a regular Acoustic, but with concealed electronics, typically a pizeoelectric pickup under the bridge. Used for playing similar styles of music as an acoustic , just able to hook to an amp or sound system for more volume, occasionally very subtle effects. This past Mother's Day , I bought Mrs Biggfoot an Epiphone reissue of a Hummingbird.


In electric- electric there are some styles of guitar assocated with certain genre of music but largely personal preferences of the player. If your friend plays accoustic now, I'll go on a limb and presume he doesn't have aspirations of heavy metal.

The two primary basic families of "traditional" solid body electric guitars are the Les Paul ( Gibson) and Stratocaster aka Strat ( Fender). LP usually assocated more with Rock, Strats versatile for everything from Country to Jimi Hendrix .

In your price range , you're not talking a genuine made in USA Gibson or Fender . Gibson owns Epiphone, and much of the Epi product line is lower cost versions of Gibson counteparts. LP's both Gibson and Epi have wide variety of pickups and wiring configurations. A cpl of versions of Epi LP are frequently on sale for under $100, but at that price have bolt on necks instead of thru neck construction favored by LP purists.

Fender owns Squire as their value priced line. You will hear varied opinions at best about the low end Squires, but the high end Squires are well regarded, and frequently compared to assembled in Mexico Fenders.

If your budget stretches to $399msrp , I would recommend a Squire Classic Vibe ( aka CV) Stratocaster .

If you really mean +/- $250 , you need to go to your local independent guitar store with good reputation. They could advise between a cherrypicked lower end Squire/ Epiphone/ Yamaha/ etc, do necessary set up on one of those, or have an interesting trade in .( In guitars like S&W revolvers) older can be classic, and roadworn is chic.)
 
Check out Guitar Center Guitar Center: Music Instruments, Accessories and Equipment They have stores all over the west, there probably is one close to you. Right now they have Christmas sales going on. You need to find out what direction your nephew wants to go. Acoustics break down into two categories, Classic, which has gut or nylon stings (think Spanish guitar. Then the steel string acoustics, (think Roy Rodgers or Gene Autry). There are lots of price points, from a couple of hundred dollars to the cost of a new car. Electric guitars are a whole different breed, there are acoustic electrics, and solid body electrics. One thing you need to consider in your budget is an amplifier of some sort, electrics don't make much sound without one. Buy the best guitar you can afford. I used to give lessons and parents would buy a K-Mart guitar so they could see if their kid liked it before they put big money into a guitar. I told them "I couldn't play that piece of junk so how do you expect your kid who had never played a guitar to enjoy it"? It's a quick path to discouragement. So the steps I recommend you follow is:
1. Find out what kind of guitar he wants.

2. Check out Guitar Centers ads on their website, if there is a store near you, visit it, the staff can be a big help (and no I have no financial relationship to Guitar Centers)

3. Decide on you budget.

4.When you have found the guitar that "fits the bill" do a google search for that brand and model, you may come up with a cheaper price or even a used one.

Good luck.
 
0849 said:
I have a relative who has been taking lessons on a guitar (non-electric, think they are referred to as acoustic but not sure). I know nothing about guitars but thinking about getting them an electric guitar for the Holidays. I see many on the big auction and sales sites but have no idea what brands are good.

Would appreciate it if anyone that knows about guitars that can point me in the general direction of a brand name, model, etc, for a modestly priced electric guitar, maybe under $200 or $300 if that is even a possible price range, if not, would appreciate knowing that ?
Click to expand...

I started playing guitar in the mid-60's on a $25 guitar my dad bought me from K-Mart. Played that for a year until my god-mother sent me a better "no name" guitar from California, and finally, in 1972 I bought myself a Fender Telecaster, soon followed an acoustic.

It sounds like your relative may be in the *early* stages of learning the guitar. Most start out on an acoustic (non-electric) guitar, and add an electric to their collection later - particularly if they intend to play in a band.

There are many good guitars out there in the price range you mentioned...some even less. Most people take lessons and then abandon the instrument, so my advise would be to get something inexpensive and suitable for a beginner, and then if they abandon it it's no big deal. If they continue to play and learn they will have a much greater appreciation for a "fine" guitar when they acquire it down the road.

Epiphone(SG) and Ibanez make very nice electric guitars for under $250 that are suitable for beginners. That would be my recommendation. Spend another $15 and get them a stand too. ;)

Happy shopping
 
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.( In guitars like S&W revolvers) older can be classic, and roadworn is chic.)[/QUOTE] Biggfoot44

And the "action" is very important, especially in the older ones.
 
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Good advice above, and keep an eye on Craigslist for names like Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Ibanez, etc. There are Fender guitars made in Mexico that rival the California models. We bought one recently and love it.
 
They made pickups.....

They make pickups that snap into the sound hole of acoustic guitars, too.

There are variables in guitars, length of neck, wideness of neck, how the curve on the back to the neck is made, number of frets.
 
The main things with an electric are tuning (who wants to fuss with tuning when inspiration hits? My players stay in tune.) and playability or action. (no one wants to play for long with a guitar that the strings are next to imposable to fret.) (fret == press down enough to make a clear note.)

Most are adjustable but in your price range it would be best to take someone who can play well, Maybe the teacher? Doubtful.

Guitars are kinda a personal and individual thing. I'd take the aspiring musician along too.

You still haven't told us what style he or she is going for. Plus age and size.

Solid bodies like a Les Paul can be quite heavy but with mass comes sustain. Wood choices can effect tone. I could go on for hours about all of this.

I just saw a Guitar Center commercial and there's some cool starter packages on sale. Yes they're not made in the USA but the quality coming from the Pacific Rim is decent.

They also have gift cards. ;)
 
Rustyt1953 said:
I had a long, entertaining talk with the OP. He now has the matter firmly in hand and I made a friend.
Lord, I love this forum.
Click to expand...

Good of you to take a personal hand in the matter Rusty !

While this may not be the proper podium for such non-gun matters, it wouldn't surprise me to learn of a very wide-spread interest among many of us, to share in your advice.

I know MY methodology for learning to play, even though quite costly does NOT work for me.

I began many years ago, with a $39 dollar Silvertone Arch-top acoustic, mail ordered, that I just couldn't seem to play. No problem. I saw the solution right off. I needed a better guitar.

Upped my guitar quality,(to a new Harmony) ...no change to guitar playing skill.

Solution well in hand !.. One-hundred dollars to my least favorite cousin for his Gibson J-45......3 Weeks later, mean, hateful, ugly cousin says, "there weren't no return guarantee involved in the deal, you bought it, you keep it".

Shoulda known right off, those Gibson J-45s have a hard set of frets to ever get real good on.

Finally realized my instrument just might be a twelve string acoustic. Look out now, Glen Campbell and Dick Rosmini.
Pawn shop 12 string Epiphone lay-a-way,... plus two weeks overtime at cotton mill,... finally found my guitar niche.

Let me get this straight now: the top string in each key is tuned "standard" and the second smaller string is tuned a full "octave" higher ??? How on earth can you possible tune the high "G" string with out breaking it ?

Who knew ! You can't buy just one guitar string, ("high G"), but only in sets. Another week of overtime at cotton mill for new 12 string sets...."Epi" musta left the factory broke, high G can't be tuned.

Watched Robert Cray in a concert with Eric Clapton. A thunder-clap and a light bulb of knowledge hit me at the same time.

I AM A STRAT MAN. I mean look at those dudes; what could be easier; don't know why I didn't see it before.

Man at music store says, "not much call for a used 12 string, I can't allow you anything on a trade for a Fender Stratocaster, they are hard to come by".......somehow, music store man reminds me greatly of my favorite gun shop owner ! )

"Strat" not my "guitar fit". Maybe a Fender Telecaster ? Nope !

Gibson "Les Paul". Too heavy, makes me tired.
A Fender gut string classical ? Naw, neck too wide. Fender, Red Label FG 360,.... not there yet.

Finally, a Gibson "Hummingbird", in cherry sunburst.
Can I play it any better than the first one I bought ? Nope, but man, it is the prettiest guitar I ever had !!....yet.
 
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if new to music...

My granddaughters went through a guitar phase before finding favorite instruments. Target has a good selection of inexpensive acoustic & electric guitars for beginners.

The Lyon acoustic came with a built-in tuner, a big help. Many electronic instruments can be played through a computer, saving $$ on amps. The < $100 electric came with adaptors & software for mixing, recording, & playing instructions.

When your relative starts playing for others, then consider Fenders, Gibsons, etc.; both brands I've owned & played. Oh Yeah, one granddaughter inherited my old Ovation acoustic while the other plays tenor sax in her school's band.
 
I have two electric guitars here a Epiphone SG which is their version of the Gibson SG double cutaway solid and a Squire Telecaster which is their version of the Fender Telecaster. Both are nice, budget priced guitars that have a fine sound. One thing that might be a consideration with the SG is that the neck speed, scale length or whatever you want to call it, the length between the frets is more comfortable if you have smaller hands and fingers like I do.
 
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