Learn 2 Play Guitar
I’m going to be getting a new Electric Guitar soon, (my first one). And I’m not sure what too look for. So what is a good type? What sort of equipment do I need to look for? And just any other info I need.
Thanks a bunch!
I played a little acoustic but thats about it.
The best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different ones, since each will have its own feel. Since you’ve played acoustic, the width of the neck probably won’t be a big issue for you. Generally speaking, the thinner the neck and the lower the action, the more comfortable a guitar is to play, especially if you’ve got smallish hands. But since acoustics tend to have fatter necks, you’ll have a lot more options.
Ibanez makes fantastic guitars that are built like rocks, sound great, and are often nicer than guitars at twice the price. They tend to have really thin necks and low action, too, which makes them great for fast players. Fender and Squier by Fender guitars are great, too. The pickup configurations are adaptable to just about any style of music and they’re really comfortable for most people to play. Epiphone makes great guitars, as well, though the necks are rather fat and the guitars weigh a lot more than Fender (and Squier) and Ibanez ones.
It’s worth considering a starter pack, since that will contain everything you need to play. Most of them contain the guitar, a small amp, cable, strap and picks. Both Fender and Ibanez offer those, so all you’d need to do when you decide to start a band is get a larger amp.
If you want to do some research before going to a store, Musician’s Friend is a great resource. You can search by brand, price or customer rating. Customers also post reviews that will give you a good idea which guitars are great and which ones have "issues" that make them difficult to play or keep in tune. Here’s a link:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/electric-guitars/solid-body
And here’s a link to the starter packs:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/value-packages/electric-guitar
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that feels really natural in your hands. The reason there are so many brands is that guitars are very personal and no guitar is ideal for everyone. Trust your instincts, since the way you feel about your guitar is more important than anyone else’s opinion. And the more comfortable your guitar is to you, the more you’ll love playing it. Good luck!
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I own a Fernandez electric, and I looked the name up and found out it’s a metal tyep brand. But the one I have doesn’t look like a metal guitar.
Anywhoo, Fender is an excellent brand of electric guitars.
Besides a guitar you’ll need an amp, picks, and don’t forget to buy a guitar case.
References :
Guitar player
Fender makes beginner guitars (Squier) and Gibson makes good ones too called Epiphone
http://www.worldmusicsupply.com/Fender-Squier-Bullet-with-Tremolo-Arctic-White-Rosewood-Fretboard.html
http://www.zzounds.com/item–EPISPII
References :
I hear Ibanez guitars and the Fender Squire are great for beginners, very cheap as well. You’ll also need an amp, picks, and a case.
References :
The best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different ones, since each will have its own feel. Since you’ve played acoustic, the width of the neck probably won’t be a big issue for you. Generally speaking, the thinner the neck and the lower the action, the more comfortable a guitar is to play, especially if you’ve got smallish hands. But since acoustics tend to have fatter necks, you’ll have a lot more options.
Ibanez makes fantastic guitars that are built like rocks, sound great, and are often nicer than guitars at twice the price. They tend to have really thin necks and low action, too, which makes them great for fast players. Fender and Squier by Fender guitars are great, too. The pickup configurations are adaptable to just about any style of music and they’re really comfortable for most people to play. Epiphone makes great guitars, as well, though the necks are rather fat and the guitars weigh a lot more than Fender (and Squier) and Ibanez ones.
It’s worth considering a starter pack, since that will contain everything you need to play. Most of them contain the guitar, a small amp, cable, strap and picks. Both Fender and Ibanez offer those, so all you’d need to do when you decide to start a band is get a larger amp.
If you want to do some research before going to a store, Musician’s Friend is a great resource. You can search by brand, price or customer rating. Customers also post reviews that will give you a good idea which guitars are great and which ones have "issues" that make them difficult to play or keep in tune. Here’s a link:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/electric-guitars/solid-body
And here’s a link to the starter packs:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/value-packages/electric-guitar
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that feels really natural in your hands. The reason there are so many brands is that guitars are very personal and no guitar is ideal for everyone. Trust your instincts, since the way you feel about your guitar is more important than anyone else’s opinion. And the more comfortable your guitar is to you, the more you’ll love playing it. Good luck!
References :
Guitarist for 20+ years with lots of guitars.
Squier Bullet Stratocaster
References :
I dont know if this helps you but when i went to get my first guitar, i knew nothing about them and so ended up with a ‘legato’. never heard of it but it was dirt cheap. And crap, and so was the amp.
Point is if you just want to see if you like playing guitar, get something cheap. But if you know you like it, get something like what the other guy said, a fender squire or epiphone. It may cost more but its worth every penny.
References :
personal experience
Well like everyone has said fender are great and squire is like a cheaper version(just means the guitars are assembled in different countries).For Around 300 Dollars You can get a Squire Stratocaster Starter Pack. Starter Pack includes: Squier® Stratocaster® guitar, gig bag, Squier® SP-10 amplifier with switchable distortion, electronic tuner, strap, cable, guitar picks, and a Fender® instruction book.
I think you can also get an ibanez pack for around 500 dollars and it comes with an amp
References :
My advice would be to get a guitar that’s not too expensive "precious", because if you’re a beginner and you accidentally drop your guitar you would rather drop a $600 Ibanez than a $2000 Gibson. Also, as you get better and more experienced you can always upgrade to a Gibson or other really awesome guitar.
Having said that, you want to get a decent guitar. Fairly cheap, but decent. If you get a crappy guitar that sounds horrible, you won’t have the motivation to play it. Same goes for style. Get a guitar that looks nice, so you’ll really want to play. Some good, but decently priced brands are Godin, Epiphone and Ibanez.
Of course, you’ll need an amp. Shoot for somewhere between $150- $300. Peavey makes good amps- I just bought one for $260 and it sounds good. I’ve also heard Fender and Marshall amps are good. Again, as with the guitar, you can always upgrade to a better amp later.
Now, if you want to play hard rock or metal, you will have to get an amp with a distortion area OR get a distortion pedal. It gives your guitar a really heavy, dirty, awesome sound. You can also get effect pedals, such as Phaser and Wah. Oh, and if you live with people get a set of headphones. Some amps have iPod headphone jacks, but usually you will have to get headphones specially for guitar playing.
And don’t forget picks, a strap and a tuner. But if you play acoustic, you probably already have those.
So the basics that you’ll need are an amp and a guitar. You don’t NEED what I’ve listed above, but they sure are helpful.
Good luck with you’re playing!
References :
Owner of an Ibanez electric guitar, Peavey amp and Godin Acoustic guitar.