Topic: Electric Guitar

Evening all, I was wondering of anybody could give me a bit of advice on which electric guitar to buy? I have been playing accoustic and classic guitar for about 3 years now and want to venture into the world of electric guitars. I know as much about electric guitars as I do about quantum physics which ist zero.
What would the starting price and what should I look for if my style of guitar is something like Coldplay nothing heavy?

Any advice would help as I have been mucking about with this idea for nearly 6 months!
Thanks,
Bazzip

Re: Electric Guitar

Fender Stratocaster style is the most versatile. IMHO it should be everyone's first electric guitar

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello

Re: Electric Guitar

or a good strat copy, play them all, and then pick the one for you looking at sound and price, you will buy a fender later
tonyblue

man is the dream of the doliphin

Re: Electric Guitar

I second the strat. Good action and very versatile as geoguitar says. I'm actually looking for a nice Made in Mexico strat at the moment. Great bang for the buck.

Re: Electric Guitar

Hi Bazzip,

  Well see, now you've done it ind opened up that old can of worms again!  Just joking....  Opinions vary, but really it is going to come down to what sound you like.  The Strat is a very good choice for all the reasons given, but it does not emulate that "acoustic sound" that you may be used to hearing.  So keep in mind while you  are shopping (and playing everything you can), that electric guitars (especially solid-bodies) are really just lumber with some electronics attached.  Not the same animal that you have been making music with to this point.... same kingdom, different species.

Take Care, and Good Hunting:
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

Re: Electric Guitar

hello bazzip, I am with everone else on the stratocaster,I do not think you can find a better electric for versitilty. Before you buy go to the store and try one out. You might also look at some other guitars.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: Electric Guitar

Many thanks on all that replyed....I was thinking the same as when I was younger and venturing into music (Keyboard) every guitar was a Fender of some sort and Fender Strat or Gibson Les Paul were household names. That is where I will start....Thanks!

Bazzip

Re: Electric Guitar

Sorry to stir the pot here but, a Telecaster might fit the bill better. Especially if you're not used to the careful balance between springs and strings.

Now available in 5G !

Re: Electric Guitar

tandm3 wrote:

Sorry to stir the pot here but, a Telecaster might fit the bill better. Especially if you're not used to the careful balance between springs and strings.

Good point. I thought about that but sonically I think the strat is a little more versatile but you're right the bridge is less simple. Either is a great choice

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello

10 (edited by christopaul 2010-08-31 22:33:51)

Re: Electric Guitar

I recon, the best thing to do with a strat is to fit an extra spring to pull the bridge real tight and remove the tremlo altogether.

I see friends holdiong hands, saying "How do you do"
They're really saying, "I love you"
Louis Armstrong. Wonderful world.

Re: Electric Guitar

Take some one with you that plays electric, because it's a differant animal then an acoustic IMHO

Re: Electric Guitar

I would recommend going to a shop and playing every guitar you can find in your price range, plus a few above, and below.  Get a feel for them see what you like, what sounds and feels best for you and your style.  Strats and Tele's are both great guitars, but SG's, Les Pauls, and many other brands and styles may also fit the bill.
I do agree that if you haven't played guitars with a tremolo like a Strat, it will complicate things, but don't let that stop you from getting one if that is the guitar you like.

Re: Electric Guitar

mixter102 wrote:

I would recommend going to a shop and playing every guitar you can find in your price range, plus a few above, and below.  Get a feel for them see what you like, what sounds and feels best for you and your style.  Strats and Tele's are both great guitars, but SG's, Les Pauls, and many other brands and styles may also fit the bill.
I do agree that if you haven't played guitars with a tremolo like a Strat, it will complicate things, but don't let that stop you from getting one if that is the guitar you like.

What he said. Good posting.

Jerry

Live the life you love, love the life you live

Re: Electric Guitar

by all means go to the shop and try their whole range out. i own a strat and a telecaster, also a copy. maybe cos i'm heavy handed, the strat loses tone and tune quickly. i'm not a fan of flat necked guitars eg gibson.

fender necks do tend to be narrower and concave. as i've said previously on this forum, i searched for months for a new guitar, resisting fervently a telecaster which was the last one i tried then bought! i was actually looking for an axe with a joy stick (trem) but fate stepped in.

my advice; dont buy until your absolutely certain that the guitar fits you down to the ground.

phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: Electric Guitar

tandm3 wrote:

Sorry to stir the pot here but, a Telecaster might fit the bill better. Especially if you're not used to the careful balance between springs and strings.

I agree.
Not only do strats have that whole wacky whammy-bar thing going on that throws your tuning out-of-whack.
They also have the funky knob setup with 2 volumes and 1 tone or 2 tones and 1 volume.

If you're going to go that complicated route...get a les paul or SG...lol.

I like to keep it simple.
A telecaster/Squire '51 is the only guitar for me.

=]
Dm

"Talent instantly recognizes genius,
but mediocrity knows nothing more than itself."

-Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle

Re: Electric Guitar

What you want to do with the guitar should be the first question you answer. 

What do you want to do with the guitar?

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Electric Guitar

Agree with Jerome.  It's not a question what's more like this or that, but what are you venturing into musically.  Also, important to know that some amps and guitars go together better than others and tube amps will sound much different than digital amps.  Lastly, just for your guitar features to consider I'd avoid locking tuners at the head, just not convenient.  I'd say the tremelo is cool if you want it and mine on a Yamaha Pacifica (strat style) stays in tune very well.  Just my thoughts, good luck!

Re: Electric Guitar

deleted by mod

Re: Electric Guitar

hunter8br wrote:

I like to play guitar so i want to buy the new one can you suggest me which one is the best.It will help me to buy.

Hunter, you're asking a question that is purely subjective. A guitar isn't like an F1 car, there isn't a "best" or a "one size fits all" solution. The best guitar is the one that's best for you. In terms of quality there are loads of "boutique" luthiers that will build you a superb guitar that will be at least the equal of anything Fender or Gibson will sell you and you can specify your own requirements but it'll cost you. An example of is Matt Bellamy of Muse who uses guitars built by a small luthier in Devon, England.

Fender and Gibson both build great guitars and you can buy them almost anywhere but equally there are plenty of good guitars coming out of the Far East these days that have great build quality. Prices vary hugely from a few dollars to a mortgage for a vintage guitar. With the big manufacturers back up should be good and spares will be plentiful, not so much the case with the smaller manufacturers.

Play a few and see what you like and don't get hung up on a name, it's the only way to decide.

Jerry

Live the life you love, love the life you live

Re: Electric Guitar

christopaul wrote:

I recon, the best thing to do with a strat is to fit an extra spring to pull the bridge real tight and remove the tremlo altogether.

sorry to chang the subject but I have a strat (deluxe model, USA) and if I try to tune to open E the bridge lifts up, out of posision. Do you think an extra spring or two would take care of this problem (it came with 3 springs)Also I would like to say that I have owned 3 different strats over the years (I have allways loved them) I find that the quality has gone down with the one I purchaced about a year ago. The 5 position swich is not operating properly and the holes on the back cover did not aline with the holes too restring, so I removed the back cover plate

what a long strange trip it's been

Re: Electric Guitar

Patrick,  This is exactly what I was talking about. Open E tuning is a little stressful on normal guitars, but on a Strat, its a disaster.  Does your Strat have the six screw bridge or is it a newer "two post pivot" variety?  If you have the six screw "vintage" variety, put on another spring or two.  If its a two post pivot type, you may need a device that I have on my Strat, it's made by Hipshot and its called a Tremsetter.  This device solved all of my tuning/ bridge position problems.  On the other hand, I never take my Strat out of standard tuning.  Nor do I ever change string gages or string Manufacturer.  Tremelo bridges are touchy and you shouldn't mess with them a whole lot.  If you're going to be changing tunings a lot, you might want to consider getting a fixed bridge guitar.

Now available in 5G !

22 (edited by Buzzwagon 2010-11-21 10:34:08)

Re: Electric Guitar

patrickjacques wrote:
christopaul wrote:

I recon, the best thing to do with a strat is to fit an extra spring to pull the bridge real tight and remove the tremlo altogether.

sorry to chang the subject but I have a strat (deluxe model, USA) and if I try to tune to open E the bridge lifts up, out of posision. Do you think an extra spring or two would take care of this problem (it came with 3 springs)Also I would like to say that I have owned 3 different strats over the years (I have allways loved them) I find that the quality has gone down with the one I purchaced about a year ago. The 5 position swich is not operating properly and the holes on the back cover did not aline with the holes too restring, so I removed the back cover plate

Without meaning to upset anybody, contrary to what many people have said Fender Strats don't just drop out of tune, (I can't vouch for any copies). The problem most people have is set up and setting up any guitar properly isn't a 5 minute job for the untrained. No, your bridge shouldn't lift out of position, it should lie flat on the body of the guitar, you'll also find that if you hit for example, the bottom E string and the B string and bend the B string the note coming from the E string will also go up. This is down to set up, nothing else. I've added an additional spring to mine, (now 4 springs), this keeps the bridge secure while still allowing for the use of the trem, and no, it doesn't just drop out of tune. Doing this may mean that you'll also have to adjust your saddles. Your other option would be to hardtail it, if it's good enough for Eric Clapton......

I'd suggest taking your guitar to somebody who knows what they are doing with regards set up, don't just go by the fact that they call themselves a luthier, anybody can set up as a luthier as it's a completely unregulated industry, ask around to see who other people use as a their techy. The cost of a good set up, in the UK anyway, is about £25, will take a good techy about half an hour and you'll find it'll be like playing a new guitar if its done right.

The thing with Strats, and Tele's for that matter, is that most problems are down to set up and almost any problem can be solved quickly and cheaply if you know what you're doing.

Jerry

Live the life you love, love the life you live

23 (edited by patrickjacques 2010-11-21 13:55:29)

Re: Electric Guitar

thanks tandm and buzzwagon for the info. I never intended to make any ajustment or changes myself. I never thought to think about checking a luthiers credentials and that makes good sence. as far as the bridge posts I have the newer version which seems to me to be a cheeper vesion and thats part of what I was talking about when speaking of the quality going down. I notice the price has not gone down. I have tuned to open E on other strats that I have owned in the past with no problems at all. (making sure the guitar had light guage strings) Duane Allman almost always played slide in open E although I realize he did not use a strat, but there are a lot of slide players that do. Bonnie Raitt and Sonny Landrith just to mention a few. it will be a while before I can take it to a profesional due to money being a little tight at this time. I will let you all know what happens when I do. so for the meantime I wonder if I should just keep light guage strings on it and remain in standard tuning. I have recently come to prefer medium guage for playing in standard tuning. again I guess I will see what happens with that. it just sucks having to deal with such issues with a guitar only a little over a year old when the price is in the $1200.00 (US) range

what a long strange trip it's been

Re: Electric Guitar

This one is  favorite because I play it, and I love the Replacements.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTdDzGzpY0WIWfwbwZXEr5IVAG5HfIJhsVrAwOnTcY-VmpW95TN7atppXXQ
**spam link removed**RH

Re: Electric Guitar

Give me a hard tail any day!

I see friends holdiong hands, saying "How do you do"
They're really saying, "I love you"
Louis Armstrong. Wonderful world.