The Songwriter Forum - songwriting reviews, tips and chat
Songwriter Forum => The Bar => Topic started by: CaliaMoko on April 28, 2016, 06:40:05 PM
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I thought I saw a topic on recommendations for buying an electric guitar, but I can't find it, so maybe I'm remembering one on acoustic guitars.
Anyone have recommendations for a first electric guitar for a senior citizen on a modest income? I've only ever had acoustics (some that do plug in and have knobs, though) and I'd like to try to make some of the sounds I've been hearing on these forums. I like to shop at thrift stores and pawn shops, so what details should I be seeking? And does the amp need to be specifically an electric guitar amp?
Vicki
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Vicki,
Think firstly what you're trying to achieve.
What sort of sound you're looking for, but if its for cleaner fender sound I'd go with a Squier Vintage Modified either Telecaster or Stratocaster. Squier are owned by fender and made in the far East. They typical retail over here for £250 to 300 so it will be even cheaper in US.
Try them and see which feels more comfortable to wear and play. So try a few in a guitar shop first.
And remember that half of your sound is the amplifier, so half you budget should go there, if you're going to play live.
if you are going to use it just for recording then you can get away with software based stuff, some of which cane free. I know there's a thread on recording about them fairly recently.
Hope this helps and I'm sure others will chip in.
:)
Neil
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I would completely endorse NEIL's comments
That particular range of Squire are often confuse with the "real deal" in blind tests
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Good stuff from Neil.
It used to be when I was young (500 years ago) a cheap guitar was cheap for a reason..ie,because it was crap. In the brave new world of mass production and cnc machines quality control is better by a mile.
You can buy Chinese/Indonesian/Korean built guitars now which are capable of being used on a paying gig.
Ask me how I know. ;)
You see this boyo in the pic below? You can buy him used for £100ish quid. Some folk are sniffy about the Squier logo and some don't buy for political reasons. There are plenty to choose from. If you are wondering what it sounds like,I used it on this song.
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955/rock-a-hard-placemix-2 (https://soundcloud.com/skub1955/rock-a-hard-placemix-2)
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f399/phastasfuk/IMG_2873.jpg) (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/phastasfuk/media/IMG_2873.jpg.html)
One of the areas that makes the difference between you enjoying playing a guitar and finding it hard work is 'set up'. This includes accurate intonation,action (string height from the fretboard) a correctly cut nut (rare on almost everything regardless of cost) and for sound,pickup height.
All that stuff may seem overkill for the question you asked,but I'd always advise playing a guitar before you buy and if you are unsure,take along a friend in the know.
Amps are a whole other world,but you may get away with going direct into whatever system you use for recording,most have a range of effects,etc. If you have to have an amp,some of the Roland Cube series are good,reasonably priced and plentiful.
Sorry if I've repeated ground covered by Neil.
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Those squier teles are great guitars...I used to own one...the p90 model...same as in the photograph there.
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now i never bought a squier bcos ive never known how to pronounce it & didnt want to look a fool in the guitar shop? is it squire or squeer? so vicki you may want to check that out first :)
what did i buy? i played safe and bought a ibanez thinking i was ok with that & asked to try the
'eye banez' & the guy said yes 'ibb bannay' make great guitars!
total embarressment!! i can play em but i cant pronounce em! ;D
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If you need a guitar AND an amp then walk into a guitar shop and try any combination you can find. If you like playing the guitar, the intonation is good and you like the sound, you´re halfway there. But yes, take someone with you to check it´s all working properly.
I have an Ibanez and budget Washburn electric. I used the Washburn on Ghost Behind Your Smile and that with my amp came in for less than €250. I think the tone is pretty good on that song.
One more thing is I find cheaper guitars tend to have a higher action...not sure why this perception is stuck in my head but it´s not something I like. Each to their own but I prefer my electrics with a low action. Good luck in your search, getting new gear is fab. Make sure you post a pic when you start shredding!
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Neil C, Boydie, Skub, PaulAds, tinam, Martynrich!
Thanks for all the feedback. I am a very mediocre guitar player. Less than mediocre, really, and it's likely overkill even to think about getting an electric guitar. But I listen to all the sounds you people make and I want to try it. Even if I could get that "chunk chunk chunk" sound out of chords, it would be cool. When I'm in the vicinity of a store that has guitars in it, I'll try some out, keeping in mind what you've said.
Thanks!
Vicki
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Hi Vicki. There are some amazing free vsts that you can apply to tour guitar after recording dry. Try freeamp. There are lots of presets that will give you a wide variety of sounds and effects. My main guitar is a relatively cheap revelation jazzmaster but the vsts allow you to create something really different.
John
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@pompeyjazz...
Can you apply them to an acoustic recording?
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Vicki
The song excerpt that i recently put in the WIP forum was played on an acoustic guitar then fed through the very vst that John mentioned. Rhythm and lead.
I'd still recommend getting an electric though. I would if I wasn't skint.
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Hmmmm, so much to think about. I think I'll take my time. After considering all these thoughts and recommendations, I plan to look into the VST first. Then the next time I'm near a store with guitars in it, I'll check out what they have. I've noticed Pawn USA often has a guitar/amp combo or two available.
@Skub: I'm willing to bet a significant amount I'm tremendously older than you are. ;D
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Late to the party, but I'd recommend Squier, too. I'm a Fender man, through and through, when it comes to electrics and those Squiers are great. That said, I'm also a big fan of the Yamaha Pacifica range. I had a Pacifica Telecaster once and it had the easiest to play neck on it that I've ever come across on any guitar ever to this day.
With all the modern VST and effects and clever stuff that I know nothing about I'm sure you can get an acoustic to sound like an electric - but if you want to get way up high and bend strings - you can't beat the real thing! There's attitude as well - that hidden ingredient. When you need to wail away and pull faces and invoke the souls of the guitar gods then you're going to need an electric.
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@delb0y
Never too late to party! I'm adding your comments to the mix of ideas upon which I will ruminate. Meanwhile, if I ever feel good again (after-effects of surgery will not go away... >:( ) I'll do some practicing with what I have (acoustics and plugins).
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I hope you feel better soon, Vicki. Look on the bright side, you've got a good song title out of it: "If I Ever Feel Good Again" No rush for the song - but the title is worth jotting down!
Have a good weekend!
Derek
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Oh, good idea! I'll have to add that to my fat file of song ideas and melody fragments.
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Hi Vicki, Yes you can use the VST on an acoustic as The Count (Sorry, Chickenfeet) says, but I,m also in agreement that an electric would be better. You can also DI (Direct Input) the guitar into your computer to get a clean sound.
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So its Skub older than Vicki thats the question?
I'd also think about weight, you can get some Squire Thinlines which are really lightweight, and therefore really comfortable.
:)
Neil
PS - Skub I've got the Customer Squier and its awesome machine, I've upgraded the Pups, the standards are ok, to some Bare Knuckles and its a mean rocking guitar. Only think is it weighs an absolute tonne. probably the heaviest one I've got.
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So its Skub older than Vicki thats the question?
I'd also think about weight, you can get some Squire Thinlines which are really lightweight, and therefore really comfortable.
:)
Neil
PS - Skub I've got the Customer Squier and its awesome machine, I've upgraded the Pups, the standards are ok, to some Bare Knuckles and its a mean rocking guitar. Only think is it weighs an absolute tonne. probably the heaviest one I've got.
Ha!
I've become accustomed to being older than everyone Neil. (I'm 60) I wouldn't presume to speculate on the age of a lady, nor should you if you wish to live as long as myself!
My little P90 Squier is around 7 pounds, so I got lucky.
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I will do a proper "new guitar thread" with some pictures soon but I thought I would chip in and say that I have just got my 40th Birthday Present - a gorgeous 2016 Fender Telecaster Elite in Tobacco Sunburst and a rosewood neck
My actual birthday is Monday (2nd May) but I have sneaked it early as I will use it at a gig tomorrow - and the chances are we will be playing through midnight so it will technically be my birthday during the gig (and I am not driving ::))
https://new.andertons.co.uk/p/0114210752/solid-body-electric-guitars/fender-american-elite-telecaster-rw-in-tobacco-sunburst
I was going to go for the butterscotch blonde but this one in the flesh is stunning!!!
The Andertons guys looked after me well again ;D
I've upgraded the Pups, the standards are ok, to some Bare Knuckles and its a mean rocking guitar.
Bare Knuckles are awesome - I put a matching set of aged, zebra, Mules in my Les Paul Standard, which was a bit beaten up so the pups matched perfectly
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Dat's a sweetie Paul. 8) Happy NGD.
I've taken a liking to big fat necks and the only way I can get that is to use an Allparts FAT and build the guitar myself!
Have a good birthday on Monday and don't be doing any mastering the next day! :D
I've missed so many birthdays/anniversaries and the like over the years by always being out playing. This years was the first new years I spent at home with the missus in years upon years!
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That is the beauty of the neck on the elite - it is chunky at the low end and then slims out (both the profile and radius) as you move up the neck - genius idea that just fits the hand perfectly
I've missed so many birthdays/anniversaries and the like over the years by always being out playing. This years was the first new years I spent at home with the missus in years upon years!
I hear ya! We played at this pub on New Years Eve, which is when they booked this gig - I had no recollection of agreeing to it :-[ but will be fun to celebrate the start of my 40s with a new guitar around my neck and a beer in the mic stand!!!!!
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Go for it Boydie. As the old cliche goes......Happy 40th Man :)
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I have a Hohner pro series Strat and 335 and I think amazing value. But as others have said playability is really the most important so best to have the prospective item in your hands and not have sent from somewhere over the web...
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1. Skub, you are older than I expected. BUT, I am still older. Aging is good and bad. Good: retirement provides time to work on music. :D Bad: I didn't realize it would hurt so much AND I've lost maybe half of my vocal range--all the lovely high notes :( :'( >:(
2. All the advice on guitars is awesome! I'm really looking forward to the next time I'm in the vicinity of a store that has some so I can try them out. I had thought one time of getting a bass guitar so I could add my own bass tracks, but my Roland keyboard actually does a pretty good job of sounding like a bass guitar. To my ears, anyway. I do have kind of loud tinnitus and my right ear is more than half deaf, so my discrimination is suspect.
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Vicki, we look forward to hearing how you get on
Boydie,
Guitar thread? - sounds awesome but I have got quite a few, i'll have to restrain myself to avoid hogging the thread through...
Re Pup's the BKP are fab but I'm had some bespoke ones from a guy in manchester http://www.creamery-pickups.co.uk (http://www.creamery-pickups.co.uk). Just had some P90 Gold foils made for my PRS SE Soapbar.https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209660262650126&set=rpd.1436137555&type=3&theater (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209660262650126&set=rpd.1436137555&type=3&theater)
The 40th Tele looks fabulous, have a great gig and birthday.
Skub, you guitars look fantastic too.
:)
Neil
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A fine birthday present! Enjoy the gig this evening :)
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So, I finally made it to a pawn shop that has lots of electric guitars. I was totally overwhelmed. Some of them have more knobs than others. Some have levers. Some have fine-tuning knobs like violins! :o
Some random guy came by while I was looking and started giving me advice. His advice was to get one I had already decided wasn't for me because it was bigger than all the rest. He called it a "blues guitar". It was a Blues Man Oscar Schmidt by Washburn. And he said I would have to have someone fix...um...was it the bridge? I don't remember for sure, now. Maybe it was the nut. He thought the bridge had been replaced. He messed with it enough, I could tell he definitely knew how to play it. But I digress....
The guitars ranged in price from about $70 to $500 (about £50 to £350). There were several Squiers and several Washburns, and a variety of others. My husband was encouraging me to try lots of different ones and he thought I should get one with a lever. :)
Anyway, like I said, I was overwhelmed, so I didn't get any of them. I decided I would learn to play what I have better first, so that's that for now. I chickened out. I admit it. Maybe some other day. At least now I know there is a thread with advice it it, so I know where to look when (if) the time comes.
Thanks to everyone who offered information!
Vicki
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I think you probably did the right thing. Sounds like an Aladdin's cave but if things need fixing then it's so hard to judge how they feel let alone how they sound.
If you know the exact model then this place is quite helpful:
http://www.harmonycentral.com/reviews/category/guitars
But I think you'll have to play a few before deciding (if ever)... (And if I'd spent the time I spent ogling guitars on actually practicing then I'd be Paco de Lucia by now)
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Sound advice from Adam, too
Another thing you could try is to copy the acoustic guitar track, paste it into a new track and add an amp simulator effect to that and then blend the two...I've don't that before to add some "meat" and sustain to a solo acoustic guitar sound...
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Re. "levers" or "whammy bars" or "tremolo arms". I love the sound when such a thing is used well - whether it's a subtle tremolo added by Hank Marvin on the long clean notes of Shadows' songs, whether it's Eddie Cochrane adding some low sweeping lead-ins to rock'n'roll bass lines, Brian Setzer having massive fun with rockabiily chords, Eddie Van Halen taking a string so low that it looks like a piece of coiled rope, or Jimi Hendrix creating sonic mayhem by bending every note including feedback into shapes and places that even HP Lovecraft didn't know existed.
Yep, levers are great and I love them.
Except they're horrible and awful. I've never had a guitar where one could use the lever and everything was still as in tune the moment after as it was the moment before. Even when professionally set-up there was always something different after a wild bit of whammying. I used to have the deaden the strings on my strat with the left hand and yank the tremolo arm up briefly to get everything back in place.
In the end I sold the Gretsch and the Hohner and had a guitar gech set my Strat up with a block of wood in the spring compartment so the bridge (and consequently lever) couldn't move. Bliss! Tuneful bliss.
If I was just starting out with an electric guitar and wasn't worried about replicating anyone whose style depending on such things I'd stay well away from levers!
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Vicki,
Sound advice from Del re levers - too complicated
I completely understand the point about being intimidated in a guitar shop. There is always someone could wailing away and i think I'm not worthy and don't bother. But do just try a few, see how the feel when you wear them, standing and sitting down. See if you can feel how the neck feels and the depth of the body compared to an acoustic. And how does it sound?
I suggest you try a few and keep it to one amp. And let him know you're just trying them out, do not suggest you're buying and I wouldn't but on the first time if you're still finding out about them.
if its a decent shop you can say i'd like to try a few in this price bracket and try the vintage squires, and any others that you or they suggest. spend some time, go between them and the go home and reflect.
And keep practicing too
:)
Neil
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Couldn't agree more with DELBOY regarding tremolos - I have also "blocked them off" in my Strats, which also means if a string breaks mid song I can finish the song without the guitar going out of tune immediately
I am on a "pro guitar tech" course next week to learn all about set ups etc.
I will post a thread after the course but after 30 years of playing I thought I had better learn how to do the "set up" thing - I have always subscribed to the "pay a pro to do it properly" school of thought but as my guitar collection has grown I can't afford to get each one done regularly!
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Boydie,
I've thought of blocking on my strats as i seldom use the thing too.
Interesting course - could you post the details as well?
:)
Neil
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i didnt agree with the advice given to vicki from the start but i kept quiet bcos i was sure you boys knew vicki better than me
i got the impression she wanted to try a electric to see what she could do with it bcos she was interested in getting different sounds & diffrent styles to her acoustic..in other words to experiment..
my advice wouldve been to buy a cheap one..just check the electrics work & theres no fret buzzes & its got a nice low action...& if she then likes what she finds she can do with it she can take it back to the pawn shop & get something better & she will know more by then about what she wants & how to choose it
of course if she doesnt get on with the guitar shes not wasted much money
but now shes got scared off by all the choice & the cost & may never get the chance to try one
the electric i learnt on was very cheap but it was enough to persuade me this thing is the instrument for me
omg i cant have all these terrible things said about tremolo arms either! :)
if it wasnt for whammy bars i wouldve given up guitar as boring years ago ...they are a one way ticket to all sorts of fabulous out of control sounds..i dont play live so the tuning troubles isnt a problem
& i just get my 2 guitars setup once a year
i keep a 3rd guitar for strictly rhythym & thats got a 'tremolo no' i had fitted in it to lock the bridge
neil you need a tremolo no
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Well! Interesting!
Tina...I'm not so scared I would never try again, never fear! I've decided not to get an electric yet because I can barely play guitar and I think I need to be better first. I can probably list the chords I can play on two hands. I can't bar (barre?) My biggest fear at this point is...I would get an electric and then it would just sit there not getting played because I'm comfortable with the acoustics but not the electric.
I really like the idea of trying one of the cheap ones for awhile and then taking it back and trading up. I don't know if I ever would have thought of that on my own, so thank you, Tina!
I know a couple guys in the area who are great guitar players, so I think I might try to connect with them for a little coaching and have them show me a few things on their electrics and let me try them out. I never thought of that idea before, either.
So this thread has actually been more useful to me than I thought last night, when I was feeling like I had asked for a bunch of advice for nothing. Nope, it's all good, and I thank you all very much. I especially liked getting the variety of opinions, because then I can see the topic from different points of view.
These forums are awesome! (What's the correct way to refer to this community? A forum? A group of forums? Something else?)
Vicki
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I am on a "pro guitar tech" course next week to learn all about set ups etc.
It'll be interesting to hear what you think of the course,Paul. Aside from playing the things,working on them is very rewarding. The only advice I would offer is to get yourself kitted out with a few decent tools,they'll make the job so much easier. A good set of nut files,don't bother with any of those welder nozzle cleaners you see on the bay. I went through all that,making my own out of feeler gauges and the like,just spend the money and get the right thing.
A tool for fret leveling and a crowning file will also be good things. Lots of good stuff on http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/ (http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/) but beware it can be a spendy rabbit hole. :D
It's not rocket science,btw,if you have a set of hands at all and take your time you'll get there.
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Thanks SKUB
I completely forgot you were a builder! Doh!!!
This is the course:
http://www.guitartechcourses.com/guitar-courses/professional-guitar-setup-course/
James sounds like a great guy and I can't wait to get learning - not sure if I will get the bug enough to want to get properly in to it - or even build one - but Inagree 100% about getting the right tools for the job so will check them out
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Hi Vicki. My recommendations. 1. Take somebody who knows about guitars with you. 2. Set a budget. 3. Buy the best guitar you can for the money you have
4. Try it out at home. 5. If you like it then either keep it or trade it up. If you don't like it then hang it on the wall as a decoration.
Cheers John
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...If you don't like it then hang it on the wall as a decoration.
;D
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Changed my mind again...I bought an electric guitar at a pawn shop. Cheap one. It's a Squier Bullet by Fender. I considered all the input I got here, and I talked to a former professional friend (formerly a professional musician, still a friend) of mine who gave me additional useful advice. I didn't meet all the suggestions, but I did play the guitars and choose one with action I like. And it's a cheap one.
I'll go through, and follow, instructions for "setting up" (never knew about that before) and ask questions if I have any. Since I haven't spent any time improving my guitar playing first, I'll just have to do that with this guitar.
Now I have to put another guitar hanger on my wall...err...my honey has to put another guitar hanger on the wall. I would do it, but he likes to do that stuff, so I'll let him. Maybe. We'll see.
By the way, in the setting up instructions I skipped over the nonsense (to me) phrase "feeler gauge" and was trying to measure with a good drafting scale. When I explained to my sweetie the sizes I was trying to measure, he said I needed a feeler gauge and he went to the garage and got a couple of them. So now I know what that is. :D
So, thanks for all the input and good advice. :)
Vicki
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Happy NGD.*
*new guitar day!
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Look forward to hearing the results in a few days. No pressure.
:)
Neil
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vocki i have no idea what this feeler gauge thing is....but i do know that set up is something you dont do yourself unless you know a lot about guitars ...even i dont do that ...you get a pro to do that bcos you can easily mess up your guitar ..dont alter anything on the guitar!
anyway i am realy delighted youve got yourself a electric guitar (http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h400/brightlightstonight/emoticons/dancegirl2_zps8gnl2fhq.gif) (http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/brightlightstonight/media/emoticons/dancegirl2_zps8gnl2fhq.gif.html)
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Drat! I'm late to the party with this one. Going electric can mean never having enough gear! I went acoustic for the best part of 25 years after playing electric rhythm in a gigging, local band. but now, I've gone back to electrics and the acoustics are sulking in the corner. The techniques are quite different and it felt like coming home to me. I haven't read all that has been said but;
Squire Guitars: Well, I try out Fenders in shops whenever I get the chance and haven't yet found one I'd prefer to my Squire. Mind you, it is a bit like Trigger's Broom because it's had a lot of new parts. I replaced all the electrics, including the pickups because they were poor.
Tremolo bars: I read too much here about 'blocking them off' and I need to stand up for them. I have my Strat set up as the standard 'floating' bridge where the normal tension of the strings pulls the bridge up so that your trem bar can increase and decrease the pitch. David Gilmore is my guitar God and I suggest you look at how he uses the trem bar before you 'block' it off. If your guitar goes out of tune when you use a tremolo bar then you're either using it like a whammy bar (differnet thing IMO) or there's something else wrong with your guitar. I don't like the Strat/bullet type trem bar though because the thread wears and then you get a 'slack' spot which affects the sound and feel. I overcome this by wrapping PTFE tape around the thread but this has to be refreshed regularly.
Additional gear: Well, you may be lucky and get a killer sound straight into an amp but the probability is that you're gonna try a pedal or two, or three ... or four .... But don't fret. There are some really good, cheap pedals out there now. if you don't want an amp you don't need one. Try a Behringer Tube Amp modeler TM300 pedal $25 and go direct into your hi-fi speakers or DAW or whatever. That's mostly what I do and my bass playing friend was blown away by the sound I get in my kitchen through Hi-Fi speakers! You can crank up the drive if you want a dirty sound just like a normal amp. If you want a dedicated distortion I can recommend the NUX HG-6. $25 - $43 on Amazon. I've got an fairly costly BOSS DS-1 which is no better than the 'cheap-as-chips' NUX.
Best of luck with it
And Tinam, that Tremol-No thing looks briliant! I had no idea these things existed and now I wants one!
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Congratz VICKI
I must echo what TINAM has said - do not try to sort out the action or "set up" the guitar yourself
Having recently done the tech course and having set up a few (really expensive!!) guitars now I would say that around 80% of the change in setup is down to adjusting the truss rod
You will read online etc. that you should do a "quarter turn" here and a "quarter turn" after checking whether the neck is straight or bowed by "eyeballing" it - IE looking down it
IMHO this is madness as without measuring accurately you may be doing more harm than good. It is unlikely that you will break a neck BUT you could break the truss rod and the repair cost would "write off" a top price guitar, let alone a cheaper one
You can measure the "action" and "neck relief" using feeler gauges by fretting the string at the first (or use a capo) and last fret and then use the feeler gauges to measure the distance between the top of the 7th fret and bottom of the string (for neck relief) and do the same at the 12th fret (for action) as you are using the fretted string as your "straight edge"
HOWEVER, this is assuming that the frets are at the right height and it is also really easy for the feeler gauge to move the string so the measurement may not be accurate enough
I use a notched straight edge and feeler gauges to measure neck relief to take the frets and string movement out of the equation
It would likely cost less than $100 for someone to do a proper setup for you that has all the right tools so they would get the truss rod adjusted, set the saddles to follow the radius of the fretboard, sort the nut out, address any fret issues and set the intonation
Even if you paid less than the setup cost for the guitar it is still well worth it - a budget guitar with a good setup will always play better than an expensive guitar with a poor setup!!!!
I don't like the Strat/bullet type trem bar though because the thread wears and then you get a 'slack' spot which affects the sound and feel. I overcome this by wrapping PTFE tape around the thread but this has to be refreshed regularly.
I have a great little tip for you...
You can get a very small spring that is short and stubby, very strong and is small enough to drop in the hole where the tremolo arm goes
As you tighten the tremolo arm it compresses the spring
The pressure of the spring against the bottom of the tremolo arm is enough to hold the tremolo in place (so it doesn't spin around whilst you play) enabling you to leave it where you want it and avoid the "flat spots"
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Okay! Thanks to TinaM and Boydie, I've decided not to try to do the setup myself. Actually, the guitar sounds pretty good as it is at the moment. I think I must have found one someone brought for their kid who begged and begged for a guitar and then never played once s/he found out it was work. Everything looks clean and shiny and new, including the strings. I tuned it last night and it's still in tune this morning. So, I'll play with it for awhile, then check into professional setup services. I wouldn't be surprised if it's already been done once.
There's no tremolo bar, so I don't need to worry about that at all. I looked up the guitar. This model apparently comes with or without a tremolo bar and mine is without.
I haven't tried plugging it in yet. I don't have a guitar amp, but I do have small powered speakers I used to use for monitors. They have two inputs, one has a button to push if a guitar is plugged into it. They have a button for phantom power, which I assume I don't need or want for a guitar? I'll be trying it out today.
And, ShinyThang, thanks for all the info on pedals. I saw some in one of the pawn shops, but knowing nothing at all about them, I didn't check them out at all. I'm going to mess with the guitar awhile before I do or buy anything else. There are three dials and a switch I need to experiment with for starters. :) Anyone know why there's two tone dials that don't say anything but "Tone"? Is one treble and one bass? And if yes, why don't they say which is which? I'm pretty clear on what "Volume" means.
And a tip of the hat to Neil and Skub, as well. And to everyone who provided input from the beginning. It's so great to have a resource like this. I was so overwhelmed after my first shopping trip, I don't know that I would have gone back without forum support. :D
Vicki
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Great news! Without wishing to send you (and everyone else) off down another rabbit hole, I think an amp is important - not for recording because there are so many plugin sounds available but for enjoying playing and getting the potential out of your purchase. If you got even a small one with a clean and distorted channel, turn it up, enjoy making loud and different sounds, experiment, be inspired...
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Excellent news! Well done, Vicki ;D Can't wait to hear a song featuring the Bullet. As regards set-up... what's that then? ;D I've been playing electric guitars in bands for 40 years and I just plug them in and play. Not that I'm advocating not doing/getting a set-up, just that the world doesn't stop spinning if you don't. I'm sure a decent set-up could make a guitar easier to play, but if it feels good to you then just dive in and start playing and having fun. Worry about the other stuff later - that's what I'm doing.
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@delb0y - you should DEFINITELY consider getting your guitars set up, especially an acoustic if you are investing so much time improving your finger picking and solo performances
A guitar tech would be able to set the guitar up to compliment your playing by adjusting the neck, shaping the saddle to get the string height & intonation right and sort out any frets
Most guitars, even the expensive ones, come out the factory with a bad set up so that the player can have it tailored to their playing
You may have "lucked out" and got a good one but the last 3 guitars (and 1 bass) have been completely transformed into beautiful players since I have set them up properly (a Gibson 335, a Martin acoustic, a Fender US Deluxe and a Fender Standard Jazz Bass)
I just tweaked my bass and laid down the best bass line I have ever played so I would go as far as to say a good set up will improve your playing
If you ever fancy a trip to Kent I would gladly set up your guitars for you free of charge!
Failing that I would suggest finding a local luthier and get your favourite one set up so you can see if you get any difference
As for amp - if I am honest I would only get an amp if you are "playing out" - either gigging or with friends (or if you have a lot of space at home)
If you are recording / practicing I would say the "virtual" options are plenty good enough
Check out Amplitube and Guitar Rig as really good plugins and there are even iPhone / iPad options!
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I do intend to one day, Boydie. I had a refret done on a Strat by a very good luthier up in Coventry who had worked on Brian May's and Tony Iommi's guitars and it did play very nicely when it came back - I guess it had been setup as part of the refret. But several string changes later it now feels like it ever did - except with frets that aren't worn flat -)
My Martin could do with a little work - acoustically it's great and it's by far the easiest acoustic I've ever played. But plugged in there are a few buzzes that become apparent. The Furch on the other hand just sounds gorgeous, but is a little harder to play. I think the neck is a little deeper. Weirdly, I kind of like that - I have this fear that if I stick to playing an "easy" guitar then I won't be able to do half the things I can do if ever I pick up another guitar. So I like to practice on harder guitars and every now and again give myself the pleasure of playing all this finger-picking on the Martin.
I wear sack cloth and whip myself with studded belts too (*)
Derek
(*) Not really
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I do (kinda) understand your logic for practicing but as you are moving to performing surely you want every advantage you can get to improve the performance!?!?!
If the guitar is easier to play not only will your playing improve but you will need to concentrate less on your playing so your singing / crowd interaction will also improve
A complete win/win imho - and you will still be able to play other guitars
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...I think an amp is important...for enjoying playing and getting the potential out of your purchase. If you got even a small one with a clean and distorted channel, turn it up, enjoy making loud and different sounds, experiment, be inspired...
If I get into it as I hope to, I expect I will get an amp eventually. Since I do have something that will work, I'll play around with that for now.
Excellent news! Well done, Vicki ;D Can't wait to hear a song featuring the Bullet....
Okay, but don't hold your breath. All I can do is strum. If I "feature" the Bullet, it'll most likely be a very short bit or something I do in very short bursts. I'm no good with a pick, never liked them, but I suspect I'll have to try to get used to one now. I actually have a few, and I was even able to find them. :)
If you ever fancy a trip to Kent I would gladly set up your guitars for you free of charge!
That would be fun....
Failing that I would suggest finding a local luthier and get your favourite one set up so you can see if you get any difference
I think there might be one within 50 miles (80 km) of me. I'm contacting them to see if they do guitar setups.
Check out Amplitube and Guitar Rig as really good plugins and there are even iPhone / iPad options!
They look expensive.... I don't have a smart phone of any kind. I use Reaper and Audacity on a laptop. I'm sure I can find something, though. I might already have something.
As always, thank you to everyone for all the feedback, advice, and recommendations. Makes the whole process a lot more fun!
Vicki
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I use this with Reaper:
http://www.voxengo.com/product/boogex/
Free and good. I am sure you will get a million other suggestions!