Guitarist Thread

[CALDERON]

Also check out www.thomann.de 

Got a Les Paul copy for £170 that's their own brand and it's now my main gigging guitar. The far east have vastly upped their game and you can get some really nice guitars for not much money. 

[Al B]

Each to their own, but when someone is initially learning I'd highly recommend staying away from buying online. At that stage the actual guitar doesn't matter, it's just finding one that feels comfortable and therefore conducive to learning, and you're not going to know that from a website. That's a definite try-before-you-buy stage for me.

As I say though, everyone is different. Guitar is a very tactile instrument though, especially when learning the basics.

[WeAreElgin]

Each to their own, but when someone is initially learning I'd highly recommend staying away from buying online. At that stage the actual guitar doesn't matter, it's just finding one that feels comfortable and therefore conducive to learning, and you're not going to know that from a website. That's a definite try-before-you-buy stage for me.
As I say though, everyone is different. Guitar is a very tactile instrument though, especially when learning the basics.

If you've got a decent budget then it's definitely worth going in and trying them out - unless you're a lefty [emoji849]

[JamieT1314]

Epiphone sg would be my selection and you would have 300 quid change. Need to step up to about 8/900 quid before you would notice much difference i reckon.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

YouTube review video comparing cheapest Gibson Led Paul with most expensive Epiphone Les Paul (both are about the same money)

[Highland Capital]

Definitely try first. You can get lucky ordering one online, but if you’re a beginner you’re better trying first. Until you’ve got the thing in your hands you don’t *really* know if it’s for you. It depends on your own shape as well - some guitars fit people better than others.
I remember once looking at buying an Epiphone SG. Tried it in the shop and it just didn’t feel right. Nothing wrong with those types of guitars and they do look cool, but it just wasn’t the one for me.

[PRS]

On 07/08/2018 at 04:02, Highland Capital said:

Definitely try first. You can get lucky ordering one online, but if you’re a beginner you’re better trying first. Until you’ve got the thing in your hands you don’t *really* know if it’s for you. It depends on your own shape as well - some guitars fit people better than others.
I remember once looking at buying an Epiphone SG. Tried it in the shop and it just didn’t feel right. Nothing wrong with those types of guitars and they do look cool, but it just wasn’t the one for me.

Buying a guitar unseen is risky for any level of player.  At entry level, there is more lilley to be variable quality control and buying unseen could end up with a dog. As you progress, you become more aware of what is important to you in a guitar and equally important that you "try before you buy" to make sure it is actually what you want.  Even at the high end, quality control can be variable, particulalry true of Gibson; I have always found PRS quality to be consistently high.  Hence I have 5 US core models, one off which, the Starla, I bought "blind" because (a) I knew PRS quality and (b) got a fantastic deal on it. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by PRS
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[Al B]

Gibson will be out of business in the next 10/15 years if they don't make some manufacturing changes. Their quality control has absolutely gone through the floor recently, churning out guitars that would be deemed unusable at any price point, let alone theirs.

[PRS]

17 hours ago, Al B said:

Gibson will be out of business in the next 10/15 years if they don't make some manufacturing changes. Their quality control has absolutely gone through the floor recently, churning out guitars that would be deemed unusable at any price point, let alone theirs.

Agree.  In my teens, I wanted a Les Paul Custom, by the time I could afford one, I realised that finding a good one was a bit like a needle in a haystack.  At the other end of the quality scale is PRS whose quality control is superb.  Levinson Blade is another with very high production values and quality control.  There’s no excuse for Gibson, especially when a Les Paul Custom is now over £4K new

[Al B]

For anyone learning (or even just looking for a decent guitar) then in terms of price Vs quality, for me it's hard to beat a Jackson. Sure they are geared mostly towards metal players but they have plenty models which are capable of handling a broad spectrum of tones, and even their circa-£200 models feel and play well above their price-point. Quite often my go-to recommendation for new players who are looking for quality without spending beyond beginner-level prices.

It's actually quite astonishing how they manage to produce guitars like they do at those prices.

Edited August 15, 2018 by Al B

[dundeefc1783]

So been learning about 3/4 months now and really enjoying it. This is my two guitars. An Epiphone Dove and a Epiphone Les Paul Special.

Bought the Dove brand new a few weeks ago and absolutely love it. The Les Paul was bought second hand for £60 but in next few months looking to change that to a some form of Strat. Going to upgrade my amp at that point as well.

[JamieT1314]

Cant go wrong with yamaha at the low end of the price range either. I have an fg411s and it sounds amazing, recorded it alongside martins and sounds every bit as good, did have a bit of work done to it when i bought it to set it up perfectly.

[Rugster]

14 minutes ago, JamieT1314 said:

Cant go wrong with yamaha at the low end of the price range either. I have an fg411s and it sounds amazing, recorded it alongside martins and sounds every bit as good, did have a bit of work done to it when i bought it to set it up perfectly.

Seconded on Yamaha. My first electric was a Pacifica. Great for a beginner. 

[50/50 Winner]

I've wanted a 12 string guitar for a while and as it's been five years since I last bought a new guitar (Gretsch hollow body) I have treated myself to this one.

I got an Ibanez acoustic as a graduation present in 2004 and it's my go to guitar, this one is a 12 string version so it'll be nice to have them both. I can't wait to play it on Monday, my only concern is that I ordered it online and haven't had the opportunity to try it out.

Mrs 50/50 Winner was surprisingly accepting of yet another guitar cluttering up the house.

 

 

[Hillonearth]

On 8/15/2018 at 06:22, PRS said:

Agree.  In my teens, I wanted a Les Paul Custom, by the time I could afford one, I realised that finding a good one was a bit like a needle in a haystack.  At the other end of the quality scale is PRS whose quality control is superb.  Levinson Blade is another with very high production values and quality control.  There’s no excuse for Gibson, especially when a Les Paul Custom is now over £4K new

A lot of the Gibson build quality is atrocious, even at the top end - a guitar player I played with a while back had ordered a white LP Custom from the States - couple of grand's worth. He'd picked it up from the shop and come straight to a rehearsal, and when he took it out the case at first glance it looked stunning - gold-plated hardware and so on - but the fretboard had been attached to the neck about 1/16 of an inch off centre, rendering the thing totally unplayable - I'm amazed it was even allowed to leave the factory.

With the more mass-produced Epiphone stuff you'll never get a truly great one, but equally you're unlikely to get a complete shiter - I picked up a decent cherry sunburst LP-100 for about £85 in a junk shop a while back.

Fender had the same issue a while back - late 90s? - when for a few years a lot of the Korean Squier strats pissed all over what was coming out of the USA.

[PRS]

4 hours ago, Hillonearth said:

A lot of the Gibson build quality is atrocious, even at the top end - a guitar player I played with a while back had ordered a white LP Custom from the States - couple of grand's worth. He'd picked it up from the shop and come straight to a rehearsal, and when he took it out the case at first glance it looked stunning - gold-plated hardware and so on - but the fretboard had been attached to the neck about 1/16 of an inch off centre, rendering the thing totally unplayable - I'm amazed it was even allowed to leave the factory.

With the more mass-produced Epiphone stuff you'll never get a truly great one, but equally you're unlikely to get a complete shiter - I picked up a decent cherry sunburst LP-100 for about £85 in a junk shop a while back.

Fender had the same issue a while back - late 90s? - when for a few years a lot of the Korean Squier strats pissed all over what was coming out of the USA.

Fenders bleakest period was from the mid 70s to late 80's.  When squier was introduced in 1982, their early models were superior to anything US Fender were producing. These guitars were much hyped and I bought one late 82.they were no better than ok which lets you know how bad US Fenders were at that time.  Gave up looking for a good Gibson when I discovered PRS and it's been addictive as I now have 6 of them.  

Edited September 21, 2018 by PRS
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[PRS]

On 20 August 2018 at 20:55, Rugster said:

Seconded on Yamaha. My first electric was a Pacifica. Great for a beginner. 

Yamaha are good at all price points. I'd an SG2000 for 12 years and much preferred to any Les Paul, only sold it as it was a heavy brute.  For years I wanted a Gibson 335/345 because I'm a Bill Nelson fan.  Never found one that I liked or could justify the money being asked.  Finally settled on a Yamaha SA 2200 about a year ago that is a fantastic guitar in every aspect and way better than any Gibson I've played

[Hillonearth]

8 hours ago, PRS said:

Fenders bleakest period was from the mid 70s to late 80's.  When squier was introduced in 1982, their early models were superior to anything US Fender were producing. These guitars were much hyped and I bought one late 82.they were no better than ok which lets you know how bad US Fenders were at that time.  Gave up looking for a good Gibson when I discovered PRS and it's been addictive as I now have 6 of them.  

I come more from a hard rock spiky superstrat background - Charvels, Kramers and so on - cos that's the kind of stuff I was playing back then, although at that time I tended to be more the singer that strapped on a guitar for a few songs during the set rather than a "proper" guitar player!

I can remember going along to a music fair at the SECC with a guitar player I was playing with at the time and seeing a PRS demo...they were fairly new to the market and think it was Phil Hilborne that was doing it. The guitar he was using was an utterly stunning red bookmatched maple job, and after it we were pretty much wading out through the slabbers of every guitar player that had seen and heard it.

It was then I knew PRS would do well

[Qos91]

Think I've only ever played one or two PRS guitars in shops. I would love to buy one but nowhere near good enough to justify spending thousands on one. I recently bought a worn bourbon Les Paul for about £600 and can't fault it really.

[PRS]

4 hours ago, Hillonearth said:

I come more from a hard rock spiky superstrat background - Charvels, Kramers and so on - cos that's the kind of stuff I was playing back then, although at that time I tended to be more the singer that strapped on a guitar for a few songs during the set rather than a "proper" guitar player!

I can remember going along to a music fair at the SECC with a guitar player I was playing with at the time and seeing a PRS demo...they were fairly new to the market and think it was Phil Hilborne that was doing it. The guitar he was using was an utterly stunning red bookmatched maple job, and after it we were pretty much wading out through the slabbers of every guitar player that had seen and heard it.

It was then I knew PRS would do well

I got my first PRS in 2001, it was a Custom 22 and although a great guitar, I felt that my Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro (an outstanding early example from 1992) did the same job only better. I swapped it for a McCarty and that was the beginning of my PRS haul.  I have three McCartys (regular model, soap bar and hollowbody i) and combined with my SE One take the place of Gibsons. I’ve a core model Starla which is close to a Gretch, and a Swamp Ash Special which is very Fendery.  The build quality in all cases including the SE One, is superb.  Second hand, they can be a bargain and I’ve seen CE 22/24 as low as £700. 

Edited September 22, 2018 by PRS
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