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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 6:14 am
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+1 on the amp!

Yes there are some basic construction/spec criteria that separates the cheap junk from the quality instruments.
The cheap junk will usually reveal its true self rather early.

The "perfect" (if there really IS one) guitar will feel, sound, and play like one only in YOUR hands! 8)
Test-drive as many as you possibly can.

I have four somewhat comparably-equipped strats.
One is an absolute godess.
One is an absolute little brat that I just can't seem to get along with.
Two are "good".

I have a friend who swears by his inexpensive Jacksons and ESPs and G&Ls.
He's a "wall of sound" kinda of player, and his guitars are perfect for what he does.
So high-end equipment of perfection would just be wasted on him.

When you play it, you'll know it.


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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 8:03 am
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hi again milcs

So first, don't worry about having the "perfect" guitar right?

as you can see from these replies, there's really no such thing.

What you are looking for is a good guitar that is perfect for you.

I've got about 15 electrics.. Gibsons, Fenders, a few Epiphones..

Each one does something a little different, and for what I may be doing at the time, they fit the niche. I only have one or two that I consider about as close to "perfection" as it's going to get. (they happen to be my two les paul standards... I'm a humbucker kind a gy

you've got a good handle on your setup specs. I don't set my action via metric,

I typically like my low E to be around 3/64s @ the 12th fret, (measure this while pressing down the string at the first fret.

The High E I'll set around 2/64s (I think that's around .80 mm?)

Then the radius and the scale I'll use to adjust the inside 4 stings to make them consistent.

Do I get some buzz especially if I whack away? yep!

Do the notes fret out? no

Does the buzz effect the tone when amplified? no!

I also have a very light touch, and use 10 guage strings on my solid bodies
You may also remove some of your relief and take out some of the front bow. Just be mindful that if you go too far in the other direction, the lower registers may start to fret out, as you could have introduced some back bow.

If you still have not had a setup done, I would certainly advise this.

I do think as you gain more experience you'll find your touch, and you'll figure out the setups specs that work for you. Good luck !


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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2014 11:37 am
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I would like to thank everyone of you that replied to this post (and everyone it this forum really).

I still have no clue how to choose the best guitar (I realize that only true experience will help me get there) but one thing I know for sure, this forum taught me lots of little things, hardware and technique related, that I would not have paid any attention to (well, at least not so fast). So... thank you all for having such a rich source of knowledge here (and also, nice fellow fender players)!

As far as I am concerned, I just resent not having a pro friend around me to play with and help me with my rookie questions! :) I have my teacher, but he is a G&L fan and keeps telling me Fender is not good! :) So, I can't really share my doubts with him... He just tells me "I told you not to buy Fender!"! :D

At least I have the lot of you! :D


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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2014 12:51 pm
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milcs wrote:
I would like to thank everyone of you that replied to this post (and everyone it this forum really).

I still have no clue how to choose the best guitar (I realize that only true experience will help me get there) but one thing I know for sure, this forum taught me lots of little things, hardware and technique related, that I would not have paid any attention to (well, at least not so fast). So... thank you all for having such a rich source of knowledge here (and also, nice fellow fender players)!

As far as I am concerned, I just resent not having a pro friend around me to play with and help me with my rookie questions! :) I have my teacher, but he is a G&L fan and keeps telling me Fender is not good! :) So, I can't really share my doubts with him... He just tells me "I told you not to buy Fender!"! :D

At least I have the lot of you! :D


Why does he think Fender is bad? Yes, it is true that not every Fender is good, and there are plenty of bad years, but overall, I've had some pretty good luck with Fender.

You're going to find good and bad product in with all companies. For instance, I have owned more Gibson guitar than I can remember. Yet I have sold every one of them. To my mind, they just don't stay in-tune.

My biggest gripe with Fender guitars has to do with poor nuts and fret work. I also feel that Guitar Center and all order-by-mail don't do a good job at setting up guitars or taking care of them once they are in their possession.


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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 6:47 am
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I have my teacher, but he is a G&L fan and keeps telling me Fender is not good!

That's a pretty general statement. Every maker produces their share of dudes, but it's really a smaller percentage. for the larger part, Fender is putting out great guitars and has been for some time now.

I have three fenders, two of them are almost 20 years old. the third one I picked up in March of this year (USA Standard)

They're solid, great guitars. With the new one, setup out of the box was pretty darned good. A few tweaks and it was "there" for me.

just have patience, and take it one day at a time. All this stuff doesn't happen over night but it does happen. Stick with it!


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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 1:17 pm
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Why he doesn't like Fender!? I have no clue... Apart from thinking he doesn't like the more "mainstream" guitars? He owns several G&L, a Gibson Les Paul but, he pretty much builds all his guitars himself (from G&L parts)! In any case, even if he keeps telling me "You should have listened to me and not buy Fender!!!", I am already thinking of my next Fender! :) I think it will be a red EJ! :D I think I might be starting to develop a bit of GAS!!!! Dammit... :)

Nevertheless, one thing I know for sure... It will be a long way until I can grab a guitar and tell you whether that is the guitar for me or not! :) For the time being, my am std will be the perfect guitar for me! Until the next... :D


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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:50 am
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milcs wrote:
Why he doesn't like Fender!? I have no clue... Apart from thinking he doesn't like the more "mainstream" guitars? He owns several G&L, a Gibson Les Paul but, he pretty much builds all his guitars himself (from G&L parts)! In any case, even if he keeps telling me "You should have listened to me and not buy Fender!!!", I am already thinking of my next Fender! :) I think it will be a red EJ! :D I think I might be starting to develop a bit of GAS!!!! Dammit... :)

Nevertheless, one thing I know for sure... It will be a long way until I can grab a guitar and tell you whether that is the guitar for me or not! :) For the time being, my am std will be the perfect guitar for me! Until the next... :D


I could be wrong, but It may be that his problem is with the company and not the product. I have met people who make general negative statements, and when you really press them for a reason you usually find out that it is something to do with politics or they way the company is run, not the product itself.

8)

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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:39 am
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pretto84 wrote:
She currently sits in her case in favour of an 80s made in Japan strat and a Mexican made Baja Tele....
When I pick it up I realize it's overall a better sounding guitar but still I play it less than the others... Go figure!

Yes I know what you mean. Many factors, it's the whole bowl of soup! And every person's soup tastes are as diverse as a Chinese menu.
The neck is one of my main factors, and if the rest tickles my taste, it's a winner.

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Post subject: Re: For a rookie player...How do you judge how good a guitar
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:06 am
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As a rookie player I'm not sure you're going to know what is a "good" guitar for you. As some have mentioned here, a guitar is judged on it's personal fit to you. There are clearly some mechanical aspects as far as how the guitar was constructed and setup that come into play, but for the most part when I choose a guitar it's about how it feels and sounds to me....specific to the way I play.

As a rookie you're still developing your technique, so pretty much any decent guitar will be a good starting point that feels good in your hands and responds well. As time goes on and you develop more skills, you'll be more aware of what's important for matching up to your style. For example, when I shop for a guitar I typically run through a range of music styles and techniques to see how this guitar responds to the way I do palm muting, bends/slides/alternate picking, chicken pickin', power chording, jazz comping, etc.

With a limited number of techniques in your toolbox pretty much any decent guitar will give you what you need. Eventually, you'll look for more specific things. Just relax, be happy with what you've got, and learn. This isn't the last guitar you'll ever own.

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Gibson 335
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Fender American Strat
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