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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Thu May 15, 2014 4:39 pm
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I would pickup a used MIM strat, they are everywhere and range from $200 - $325. They can play anything and as you play more and more can be modded and upgraded to suit your sound/style. But as many have pointed out you have a wide range of great choices to start you on your way.


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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 11:32 am
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I'll define "good" as having quality and playability. I started out in 1967 with a $10 Japanese acoustic and then a cheap Japanese electric with two pickups only one of which worked.

My first good guitar was a cherry red Univox ES335 copy. Then came my first Fender, a 1971 Mustang.


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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 7:52 pm
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stratmansteve wrote:
I'll define "good" as having quality and playability. I started out in 1967 with a $10 Japanese acoustic and then a cheap Japanese electric with two pickups only one of which worked. My first good guitar was a cherry red Univox ES335 copy. Then came my first Fender, a 1971 Mustang.

Story sounds familiar. A Harmony acoustic in '58. When I had cultivated some basic chops I fitted the guitar with some bolt on pickups [DeArmond's]and played it through a jerry-rigged table radio amp. Two years later, the real electric was a black '59 Danelectro 3021 twin pickup shorthorn and a Danelectro Centurion amp. Three yers later, a '58 Strat and '61 Concert amp off my bandmate who went to a '62 Jaguar and Dual Showman amp. Baby steps. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:25 pm
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For what it's worth I have not bought anything new in years.

You could get a used MIM (made in Mexico) strat or tele for very reasonable price and they're excellent guitars.

A mustang II (MII) amp is by no means a road warrior but you can find them used for around $100 and they're great for beginners. A Mustang I (MI) can sometimes be found in the $50 to $60 range.

The MI or MII amp would essentially be disposable if it malfunctions, but a MIM guitar could last as long as you want.

I've thought about offering beginner guitar lessons and including a lease of a MIM guitar and Mustang amp in the lessons price. If they stuck with the lessons for one year they could keep the gear. Besides, after a year they'd probably be playing better than me anyway. :P

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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 2:07 pm
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You could probably find a used Mexico Fender Strat or Telecaster for around $300. Save the rest of your dough for a decent amp. You could also probably find a used U.S. Fender with the $600.


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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Mon May 19, 2014 7:09 pm
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I have played a couple of Squier Teles with the "designed by" Duncan pickups and for fairly cheap guitars,they sound just superb.I don't know if they make any Squier Strats with this pickup configuration,but is they do,I'm sure that they will no doubt be real screamers.Squier Strats are great guitars as it is anyway.Jeff Healey swore by Squier Strats exclusively,even after he made it to the big time.Up until he had really made it big he kept his Squier Strats stock but when he became a household name,he had Evans pickups installed in all his Squier Strats.MIM Strats are also great bang for the buck,I have 2 and I wouldn't change a thing about them.

As for an amp,the new Fender Mustang amps are great starter amps with a lot of features that come in handy for new guitarists.The Vox Valvetronix Series of amps are about the best hybrid amps made and they sound convincingly tubelike.The 30 Watt VT-20 has 33 amp models and about 16 great effects such as rotary (Leslie effect),vibe (Univibe effect) tremolo,fuzz,distortion,overdrive,wah wah (that's triggered but can be used like a standard wah wah with an optional expression pedal).These amps also have an amazing reverb/echo/delay section that has to be heard to be believed.

You can also pick up some great used tube amps for pretty fair prices.A while ago I got an incredible Vox AC-4-TV for around $200 and for a 4W amp it kicks out some major tone.You can often pick up used Traynor tube amps for low prices and they can be real tone demons.That's a few suggestions,so all in all you have lots of gear possibilities to check out and most of them are really great gear.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.


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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 4:18 am
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I'm still of the opinion that the encouragement here should be to start out on the light side with an acoustic to begin studies. If the OP would rather take the plunge for some high gear we should be informed as to which attic or basement we might find it in 30 years or so.

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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 4:19 am
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ZZDoc wrote:
I'm still of the opinion that the encouragement here should be to start out on the light side with an acoustic to begin studies. If the OP would rather take the plunge for some high end gear we should at least be informed as to which attic or basement we might find it in 30 years or so should interest wane. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 8:07 am
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Squier Telecaster + Vox Xalvetronics amp = Good tone/Within Budget

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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 8:46 pm
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Hi Doc,I see where you're coming from and I almost always suggest the acoustic guitar first route myself but where OP's stated influences are all electric oriented groups-some noted for heavier,higher volume music-I decided to suggest electric guitars and amps,albeit lower priced models of each one.Cheers.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.


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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 4:43 am
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guitslinger wrote:
Hi Doc,I see where you're coming from and I almost always suggest the acoustic guitar first route myself but where OP's stated influences are all electric oriented groups-some noted for heavier,higher volume music-I decided to suggest electric guitars and amps,albeit lower priced models of each one.Cheers.

Well, since I've already waxed poetic on the evolution of my guitar ownersship, I can only respond by saying that among those who influenced my interest in guitar were Buddy Holly and The Crickets, Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps, Joe Bennett and The Sparkletones, Chuck Berry, Link Wray, Richie Valens, Eddie Cochran, Duane Eddy, Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks [Robbie Robertson and company], The Bell Tones, Santo and Johnny and on, and on, and on.

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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 9:20 pm
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dani27 wrote:
hi! I have always wanted to play the guitar but i've also never known where to start. My musical influence include Red hot chill peppers, The offspring, Green day, Nirvana, Blink - 182. I want to buy a guitar that isn't really expensive as it would be my first and i would also like to create a punk/roc sound. Does anyone know of a good sounding, inexpensive guitar? you would really be helping me a lot! thank you.


We have very similar tastes in music. If you have any money left over check out the Hal Leonard guitar play-along books for RHCP, Offspring, and Nirvana. I have all three and they are great fun and really helped me to improve my playing.

Guitar-wise I'd go made in Mexico Stratocaster and a Fender amp like the Champion 40. I bought a similar setup years ago and it's served me well even during those periods where I lost interest in guitar. It's good enough that you feel like you have something really nice, but not so expensive that you'd feel like you had to sell it if you stopped using it.

John Frusciante usually plays a strat with three single coils. You definitely want one with a tremolo (whammy bar). The end of Dani California is just much more satisfying with one. Offspring and Nirvana sounds are slightly better with a humbucker in my opinion, which if you really want you can look for a strat with a humbucker in the bridge position. If you can't find Fender in your area look for Yamaha Pacificas.


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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 10:42 pm
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ZZDoc wrote:
I'm still of the opinion that the encouragement here should be to start out on the light side with an acoustic to begin studies. If the OP would rather take the plunge for some high gear we should be informed as to which attic or basement we might find it in 30 years or so.

I'm probably in the minority but I think it's better to begin on electric. They're easier to play and the amplified sound is more fun.

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Post subject: Re: a good first guitar?
Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 5:01 am
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mhowell wrote:
I'm probably in the minority but I think it's better to begin on electric. They're easier to play and the amplified sound is more fun.

IMHO, technique, virtuosity, and hand strength, not to mention calluses, are likely to build better on an acoustic. It did so for me, years ago.

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