Guitar advice

[Vic]

Hello /bg/,

After years of wasted time (5 playing ffxi), + 1 more year since I've quit, I've finally accumulated enough motivation to learn to play an instrument, which at this moment happens to be a guitar (want to learn more in the future after guitar). After reading some sites and listening to myself in the mirror I feel an electric guitar would suit me best.

I'm looking for some suggestions and advice on what to look for in buying an electric guitar and accessories such as brands and specs of the guitars.

I've already been looking at some prices and found some startup deals such as an Ibanez electric guitar with all accessories (amp case strap etc.) for $150-300usd. <-- is that good?

Also any suggestions for learning how to play? Like specific websites or manuals. I have a few friends who play and I'll ask them as well.

One last question: what the hell is the difference between a $2500 and a $500 electric guitar?

Thank you.

[Tricen]

I use power tab most of the time. Power Tab .net is their site. The actual tabs themselves are becoming more difficult to find though :/. Learn easy stuff, IE Punk rock

[sephir]

answer to your 1st question. With low end guitars you really get what you pay for. Fact is you will get a shitty sounding amp and likely a bad instrument however for newcomers most quit after 1-2 months so it is a decent deal if you are still somewhat unsure about playing. I personally would spend a little more, closer to $500 because you will get a much much better instrument in terms of playability and hopefully a better amp.

As for tips for learning to play. Get a metronome. it will annoy you to hell but the results are astounding. Also I would suggest Guitar Pro 5 over Power tabs just because Guitar Pro is much more widespread and it can read power tab files (just rename them .gp5 or .gp4) - although most sites should have any song in Guitar pro form over Power Tab.

And final question: whats the difference between a $500 guitar and a $2500 one. Essentially it is the parts, the materials, and the quality of the work done. For exampe I will compare a Gibson Les Paul Standard ($2875) vs. a Epiphone Les Paul ($300-600).

The Gibson will be made in the US and use Mahogany wood and be set up perfectly so that you should have no buzzing on any of the frets. The Epiphone will likely be made in Mexico or Costa Rica and be made from some cheap wood that will not provide a rich full sound. The Epiphone will look almost exactly like the Gibson but it will not sound anything like the Gibson.
As for Parts the $2500 will likely use the top of the line parts in making it while the cheaper version will use whatever parts they can mass produce cheaply. The pickups in the expensive version will be much cleaner and provide a better tone and often a better sound for distortion while the cheaper one will likely sound like a bunch of fuzz when you plug it in and crank the distortion.
My general rule of thumb with guitars is this. Until you get to the $1000 range for instruments you will not be getting what you paid for. For beginners I would encourage buying something cheap because most will quit within the first few months - while after about a year musicians realize they need a step above their initial set up. Brands that usually signal quality are: Gibson, Fender (not any Squire make), Washburn, Ibanez, Jackson, And Martin. Some others that I cannot really vouch for are: Gretsch, Esp, and sometimes Yamaha.

Ive been a guitar teacher for about 4 years now.

[Tricen]

yeah I see a lot of guitar pro tabs out there. But Guitar Pro costs $$ and power tabs = free.

[Plow]

Fender's squire sets, while pretty terrible for anyone that really cares, tend to just be miles and miles ahead of anything else you'll get anywhere near that cheap.


Can usually get a halfass decent strat + amp set for around $350.

[Boyiee]

There are a few Schecters for sub 600$ that you will be VERY happy with.

But do not, DO NOT get a model with a floyd rose.

[epitaphrx]

I recommend getting a guitar teacher and studying theory with tabs as a supplement I have to many friends that think they're the best but have no idea what notes are because they just play by tab lol. At first i mainly used tabs to increase my speed and you can do that with scales as well.

[Konohamaru]

this is like, thread #4 of the same subject in the past 3 weeks

[Zalius]

fender strat (mexican) will probably the best you'll be able to find readily dollar for dollar.

in terms of the best kept secrets, probably Rondo Music Electric Guitars, reviews for the al-3000 are ridiculous for a $400 guitar. dont buy the fretless ones on accident if you do end up buying one though.

[Jakson]

yeah I see a lot of guitar pro tabs out there. But Guitar Pro costs $$ and power tabs = free.

Did you ever hang out at the Power tabs forum?

[Tricen]

Did you ever hang out at the Power tabs forum?

They have forums?

[Tokitoki]

Gretsch are nice. My roommate has a nice old one (I think he said '67?) that sounds beautiful.

As for tabs, there's a program all my roommates used called Tab-it. There are a lot of tabs and it seems the majority of the ones they find are correct or close enough that you cna figure it out from there. I believe the prgram is $20 but theres also a cracked version that they all have.

[Blabj]

The difference between a $2500 and a $500 guitar is about 5 years. The amount of time it takes to be able to appreciate a quality guitar.

If you can afford it, get lessons with a guitar tutor. Having someone whose already amazing at guitar teaching you there in person is brilliant, and definately worth the money. Otherwise, my advice for anyone learning to play is don't just learn songs. Songs are all well and good if you wanna impress the girls or look like an asshat in a guitar shop, but a good strong knowlege of theory, backed with scales from muscle memory, a good picking technique and a solid regime of practice will do you well.

But, guitar can be what you make it. If you wanna be able to just pick one up, strum a few chords and play a few songs, it shouldn't take you long to pick up. But if you really wanna progress and look down your nose at anyone who plays Guitar Hero with authority, it's going to be many hours per week practicing scales and chords and all manner of not-as-exciting things.

[Vic]

Thank you everyone who has left a response. I understand the requirements in learning how to properly learn to play the guitar, or any instrument. Many hours per week of arduous and exhausting practice are not foreign to me, so I should be able to endure. My fall semester courses have already been decided, but spring next year I'll see if its possible to squeeze in music theory (might even fulfill a GE requirement). If not I'm only a sophomore so I have plenty of time; possibly even take it at the CC 10 minutes away. I also have intentions to learn how to play the piano afterwards, so at the moment in time the benefits of having taken music theory will be enhanced.

I had already read the previous thread on guitars, however the questions I asked were not fully answered so I appreciate the advice. Now to pray I do not succumb to the enticement of ffxiv when its released or I'll revert to being a recluse exactly like when ffxi was released and absorb all of my spare time.

[Jakson]

They have forums?

Guess not then. Powertabs.net (the PTA was the biggest ptab archive around until the RIAA shut it down) had a forum that a lot of the regular contributors hung out at.

[Diamicles]

I have an epiphone SG-310 and a 15W amp I'll sell ya

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

Stop wasting your time, jazz flute gets all the pussy mufuckaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa


http://x2f.xanga.com/c3be55060223277.../z15959016.jpg

[Zalius]

Thank you everyone who has left a response. I understand the requirements in learning how to properly learn to play the guitar, or any instrument. Many hours per week of arduous and exhausting practice are not foreign to me, so I should be able to endure. My fall semester courses have already been decided, but spring next year I'll see if its possible to squeeze in music theory (might even fulfill a GE requirement). If not I'm only a sophomore so I have plenty of time; possibly even take it at the CC 10 minutes away. I also have intentions to learn how to play the piano afterwards, so at the moment in time the benefits of having taken music theory will be enhanced.

I had already read the previous thread on guitars, however the questions I asked were not fully answered so I appreciate the advice. Now to pray I do not succumb to the enticement of ffxiv when its released or I'll revert to being a recluse exactly like when ffxi was released and absorb all of my spare time.

dont get negative about it. every day that you dont buy it is a day that you could have spent learning to get better and being introduced to a community of hundreds of thousands of people that you would have never known before, and gaining skills that transfer from person to person that will be good to have in the event that you ever have kids. you know you want your son to get mad pussy in high school.

when its phrased like that, why would you choose an mmo over a guitar?