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Geek Culture / Which Guitar?

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Lemonade
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Posted: 29th Apr 2009 21:44
Hey guys. I've been considering a purchase of an electric guitar for quite some time now, but the problem is I have no idea which one to choose. Can you help me out?

A little bit of background: I have never played an electric guitar before, however, I have several years of experience with the acoustic and bass guitars.

Is it possible to get a decent E-guitar for about $100-$200? I also need assistance in selecting an effects box that can achieve distortion and effects similar to the style, for example, in Carol of the Bells by Gary Hoey (http://www.lala.com/song/4467852348329903245)

Thanks!

Check out my tech blog below!
http://cooltech-sciencelab.blogspot.com/
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 29th Apr 2009 21:46
Yes, it's very possible to get a good guitar for that price range. However, there are a lot of... erm... lemons. The build can be quite inconsistent too at that price band. It's best to find one in a music shop and play it yourself. Keep going until you find something you're satisfied with.

Lemonade
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Posted: 29th Apr 2009 22:21
That's good advice, however I have gift card money that I can only spend online at Amazon.com

Can someone take a quick look at Amazon and see if there are any decent deals? Thanks.

Check out my tech blog below!
http://cooltech-sciencelab.blogspot.com/
Matt Rock
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Posted: 29th Apr 2009 22:53
You won't be able to get those sorts of effects on your budget, and to be honest, you don't want them. Not yet, anyway. Even a decent effects pedal is going to run you $200. There are the cheap-o Boss and DOD pedals, but they're rubbish for any number of reasons. You shouldn't concern yourself with effects until you learn how to play and are certain this is something you'll be willing to stick to.

I recommend picking up an electric guitar beginner's kit. As much as I hate Fender guitars, the only decent package I see on amazon is this one. And another thing: if you later decide that you really enjoy making music and that guitar is a true passion, you're going to end up upgrading your guitar and amp anyway. Music is an extremely expensive hobby, but if you know what you're doing it's money you can make back.

Demon Air 3D
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Posted: 29th Apr 2009 23:06 Edited at: 29th Apr 2009 23:11
Lol i was selling and electric guitar Simular to this one.


Good luck.
bergice
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 01:19 Edited at: 30th Apr 2009 01:20
Depends on what music you like really..
What genre and which artists.

I like the Les Paul's best.
Saul Hudson, Brian Carroll uses it
I have 2 guitars now, both les pauls's.

First guitar: Epiphone Les Paul Jr.
Second (NEW): Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Deluxe 69/79.

It has a really nice sound and everything about it is just perfect.



A normal beginner electric would be the Fender Stratocaster...
Used by Jimi Hendrix
Take a look at that, its a good guitar too!

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Phaelax
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 19:34
Quote: "As much as I hate Fender guitars"


Why's that? I loved my tex mex strat, it had a sweeeet tone.


I would've said go to a pawn shop or used gear store and check out some Ibanez guitars for $200, but since you're stuck with amazon, Matt's suggestion looks pretty good. Personally, I'd go for the Hello Kitty fender squire, black of course not the pink one.

Because you're getting an electric, don't be too concerned about how the action might feel on the guitar you buy online since it's easier to adjust on electric than it would be on your acoustic.

If you really need distortion, just use your bass amp and poke a few holes in the speaker. You can probably find a Zoom 505 pedal for under $50. I know some people hate them, but its a great pedal for beginners that gives you tons of effects.

[url="http://dbcc.zimnox.com"][/url]
Vorg1
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 20:55 Edited at: 30th Apr 2009 20:56
Usually everyone gets a stratocaster as a first guitar. They are really cheap and a good for just jamming and playing some riffs. I personally am not a fender guy. They aren't my style. My suggestion is to go the Guitar Center of the local music store and just jam on the guitar the have out. Ususally they will let you try any of them out. Pics on the internet really don't help you buy a guitar until you know you like the way it plays and feels. Then go to Amazon and buy it.

My guitars:
Ibanez GAX70 $199.99
Ibanez RG2EX1 $299.99
Schecter C1 FR $499.99


Vorg1

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Matt Rock
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 21:00
Quote: "I like the Les Paul's best."

Metal through a Les Paul? That's sacriledge!

Quote: "Why's that? I loved my tex mex strat, it had a sweeeet tone."

I had an American Tele and the pots had all sorts of problems, and it couldn't stay in tune to save it's life regardless of being brand new. Strats are most likely better since they're more popular, but yeah, Tele's are horrible in my experience. I also dislike the twangy sound of Fender amps.

For me, a left-handed Gibson Les Paul Studio and a 100w Marshall head parked on top of a 1960B cab. The muddy, bluesy sound of the Les Paul, and then the treble sound that's slick and mean, to me, that's the sound of rock and roll .

tatts
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 21:54 Edited at: 30th Apr 2009 22:01
It really depends on the style your after.
Frankly yeah, as Phaelax said. I would check the local pawn shops but your using a gift card for amazon so that cuts that out.

I personally like ibanez guitars. they are great frontman guitars and work very well with high end notes (Usually because of the type of wood used). the type of wood makes a big difference in your sound as well. Bass wood is light and is good for lead guitars as it brings out the higher end notes better. Maple wood is great for rythm guitars because it is a heavy wood and has a very long sustain. Really I would go to a music store and try out a few different guitars to get a feel of it and decide what suits you from there, then you will have a better idea what to look for when you shop around.

As far a guitar FX, One thing that you could try, is guitar fx box 2.7. it is a low latency program for your computer that works very well with no delay in processing the sounds from you guitar.

you can find it here for a rather cheap price, But I would download the demo first to be sure it works for you.

http://www.guitar-fxbox.com/

I can't stand les pauls, they sound nice but are very uncomfortable to play as the base of the guitar is to heavy and just sit uncomfortably on your lap as your playing. Not to mention the couple I have tried went out of tune awful fast. Not sure what the problem was as it was buddy's guitar and not mine ( could be that his hardware was just loose or he was just playing with some garbage strings.
Lemonade
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 22:01 Edited at: 30th Apr 2009 22:04
Quote: "Quote: "As much as I hate Fender guitars""


Quote: "Why's that? I loved my tex mex strat, it had a sweeeet tone."


I have a Fender Ibanez bass guitar and I love it.

Quote: "You won't be able to get those sorts of effects on your budget, and to be honest, you don't want them. Not yet, anyway. Even a decent effects pedal is going to run you $200. There are the cheap-o Boss and DOD pedals, but they're rubbish for any number of reasons. You shouldn't concern yourself with effects until you learn how to play and are certain this is something you'll be willing to stick to."


But won't an electric guitar without effects sound almost like an acoustic? I already play the acoustic guitar, so not having any effects would be almost pointless.

Quote: "Personally, I'd go for the Hello Kitty fender squire, black of course not the pink one."


Guitars and kitties don't mix very well, IMO.

Quote: "
If you really need distortion, just use your bass amp and poke a few holes in the speaker. You can probably find a Zoom 505 pedal for under $50. I know some people hate them, but its a great pedal for beginners that gives you tons of effects."


lol, nooo way I am touching my $250 bass amp. I can actually get this for about $60 after shipping: http://www.amazon.com/Zoom-G1-Guitar-Multi-Effects/dp/B000P3YF4Y/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1241117694&sr=8-2

Quote: "My suggestion is to go the Guitar Center of the local music store and just jam on the guitar the have out. Ususally they will let you try any of them out. Pics on the internet really don't help you buy a guitar until you know you like the way it plays and feels. Then go to Amazon and buy it."


Good idea! There is one right down the road where I purchased by bass guitar.

Is this the guitar you showed me Matt? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udL2NFpUC3k The amp in that vid looks pretty sweet too.

EDIT:

Just saw your post tatts. I already have something called Hardcore for FL Studio. I use it with my acoustic to imitate an electric for when I record, lol.

Check out my tech blog below!
http://cooltech-sciencelab.blogspot.com/
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 22:01
No, don't use computer based distortion. Good God, no. I have tried several packages and it sounds awful. A good tube amp if you're into amps, a distortion pedal or Pocket POD if you want to use PC speakers but never use a computer for distortion. I don't know what it is but nobody seems to have cracked it yet beyond Line 6.

tatts
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 23:04
Quote: "No, don't use computer based distortion. Good God, no"


?? Have you actually tried this program? I have it and I will tell you that the distortion is not garbage. I too have tried out a few different programs. And I definitely agree that most do sound like garbage. But this program with a good set of speakers and proper setup sounds damn good for a PC based amp. in fact it sounds a hell of a lot better than most cheaper amps I've ever tried. The thing is, you have to have a good set of speakers for it. I have surround sound with a good subwoofer connected to my pc for this. And for the price it is a steal.
Matt Rock
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 23:17
I'm siding with Nex here, I've yet to hear computer effects that sound even half as good as a decent pedal. And let's see you haul your computer up on stage for a gig .

Quote: "But won't an electric guitar without effects sound almost like an acoustic? I already play the acoustic guitar, so not having any effects would be almost pointless."

Oh, I thought you meant you were just learning how to play. Yeah, get a pedal then, but for anyone thinking about getting into guitar, don't start out with effects, you'll just make a bunch of noise and not really learn how to play. Of course, power chords did make Nirvana famous .

NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 30th Apr 2009 23:53 Edited at: 30th Apr 2009 23:54
Yes, Tatts, I have tried it, and frankly it's... eh... tatt.

The issue is that if you compare the wave shapes, it would seem that most computer distortion either just clips the wave or uses a sine table to clip it a touch smoothly, and it's not as simple as that. The signals my POD give out also have different wave duties and some sounds cause the wave to almost bounce off the top of the readout.

Computer distortion is good enough for sitting there with a pair of £5 earphones and playing about. When I tried GuitarFXBox itself, I found that it sounded quite dull. Pinch harmonics, especially. They didn't sound like pinch harmonics should, just like high pitched notes instead.

If it sounds better through a really nice sound system the sound system might be smoothing the wave slightly, which tube amps do accidentally to produce their iconic "warmth".

tatts
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Posted: 1st May 2009 00:38
Well I have played with guitar fx box for a couple yrs and have always been satisfied with it. rhythm wise I find it a great little program though I do agree with you that pinch harmonics suck with it. And maybe it is my sound system that is making it sound so good for me, but it does.

the point is, he has very little money to spend at the moment and your not going to get a guitar and amp and pedal for that little bit.

And Matt, Your not going to bring a little 10 or 20 watt amp on stage either. At least I'd hope not. 200 dollars will not get you a stack. And I hate to say it, but it seems that most rock today is built upon power chords as sad as it is. It also made Metallica famous, all they have ever played is nothing but power chords.
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 1st May 2009 02:06 Edited at: 1st May 2009 02:06
I don't know much Metallica but I know BS when I hear it. Even a Guitar Hero level of Metallica knowledge (i.e. One) gives you a six minute masterpiece opening with acousticish stuff and ending with a rapid solo with little actual power chords.

200 dollars will not get you a stack, but it will get you a kick ass distortion pedal/POD and some decent speakers.

tatts
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Posted: 1st May 2009 03:05 Edited at: 1st May 2009 03:07
Quote: "I don't know much Metallica but I know BS when I hear it. Even a Guitar Hero level of Metallica knowledge (i.e. One) gives you a six minute masterpiece opening with acousticish stuff and ending with a rapid solo with little actual power chords."


LMFAO HARD, YOUR RIGHT, YOU don't know Metallica. Since when are solos built up from power chords?
And those stupid little acoustic parts..... I play using TWO fingers in a power chord form. I could send you the sheet music if you'd like.
I think when people speak of power chords, they usually are referring to the rhythm guitar parts and NOT the solos. How long have you played?
Maybe you should'nt have answered this one lol.
I have been a huge metallica fan for years, I've always loved their music and I have almost all their sheet music amongst many other metal bands. HHHmmmm let's see, What makes classic rock, Metal, Grunge, alternative and just plain newer bands so popular amongst beginner guitarist to play? How about the fact that rock was built upon power chords and it was always so much easier to play then music such a jazz, blues, bluegrass, country and so on. It was'nt only Nerdvana that played power chords.

Quote: "200 dollars will not get you a stack, but it will get you a kick ass distortion pedal/POD and some decent speakers."


Yeah and no guitar to go with it which he was also looking for.

And Guitar hero? Is that the kind of guitar you play?
again LMFAO
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 1st May 2009 09:16 Edited at: 1st May 2009 12:53
Have you ever even read the tab? Here.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/m/metallica/one_ver2_tab.htm

I'd say 15-20% of that is power chords. All powerchords is Hoobastank or Simple Plan. Not Metallica. Sigh, why am I defending a band I don't like?

If it's so easy, so simple and just power chords, stick it up on Youtube.

I also think you misinterpreted my sentence. I wasn't referring to the solo when I said few power chords, I was referring to the whole song.

tatts
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Posted: 1st May 2009 16:21 Edited at: 1st May 2009 16:24
Sorry but you can't base an opinion on just one song, and that tab is a bad example. I would hardly consider that to be sheet music.

Here, go here and d/l the Power Tab editor if you don't already have it and look at these sheets.

http://www.power-tab.net/guitar.php


And your not going to find to many rock bands that play all chords and no solos, Playing power chords just simply means that the player plays two and three fingered chords rather than complexed structure chords. Which you will find in most rock/metal music.

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Lemonade
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Posted: 1st May 2009 19:38
OK guys, what does this have to do with the original subject?

So Matt, is the guitar in this vid the same one you showed me? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udL2NFpUC3k

Check out my tech blog below!
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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 1st May 2009 19:40
Tatts, I do know, I played acoustic for a year before I got an electric best part of six months ago.

Pus In Boots
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Posted: 1st May 2009 20:17
I'm thinking of getting the squier affinity strat. (the lefty version.) That seems to float around £100-120. From what I can gather, it's a respectable "cheap" guitar with a fairly solid feature set and decent build quality. Many beginners seem to have used it and were relatively satisfied with it. I base this on reviews I've read and the general response that I've seen. I'm not necessarily recommending it, but it's just what I've been looking at.

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tatts
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Posted: 1st May 2009 22:25
So NeX, You have played for a year and a half then?

Quote: "OK guys, what does this have to do with the original subject?"


Nothing at all. Sorry

Quote: "is the guitar in this vid the same one you showed me? "

That's a fender spuire, the cheaper brand of the stratocastor
the Squire is actually not a bad sounding guitar. My niece has one.

Epiphones ar'nt to bad sounding either and both are relatively cheap.
bergice
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Posted: 1st May 2009 22:58 Edited at: 1st May 2009 22:59
I want to do one of these jam sessions again soon

Last time it was only me and Nex and i didnt get to play so much, but me has improved drastically skill in last few month >:- )

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tatts
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Posted: 1st May 2009 23:26
How long have you played bergice? And I take it buckethead is your favourite group? or is that just the only music avatar you liked?

And what jam session?
bergice
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Posted: 1st May 2009 23:31 Edited at: 1st May 2009 23:31
Quote: "And what jam session?"


Finally... Now its my turn to be able to say this!!!! Wow, i am soo excited!!! Ok, here we go:

USE THE SEARCH BUTTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DUUUUUUHHHHHH!!


LOL XD

And buckethead is my second favorite, Guns N Roses is nr 1.

I also like AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozzy Osbourne.



And i have played since right after august 2008, so its about 8 months i guess.

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Phaelax
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Posted: 1st May 2009 23:44
I'm happy I'm old enough I don't have to settle for $100 guitars anymore. Bought my Carvin about 8 years ago (after a 6mo build wait) and got a Larrivee acoustic last spring, so I'm satisfied with my current equipment.

My fender head lets me switch between tube distortion and solid state, and tube sounds way better hands down! I don't know about any software based distortion but I couldn't see it comparing against real tubes.

Buckethead is the man! I saw him play on stage with Primus, sweeeeeetness!

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bergice
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Posted: 1st May 2009 23:46
Fun about buckethead is he looks so relaxed and bored when he plays XD

So his fingers are flying across the neck while he just looks around and stuff XD

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tatts
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Posted: 2nd May 2009 00:01
Quote: "Finally... Now its my turn to be able to say this!!!! Wow, i am soo excited!!! Ok, here we go:

USE THE SEARCH BUTTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DUUUUUUHHHHHH!!"


Listen here, If I had been on a music site where that would make sense, I would have done that without the need of some little puke telling me to do a search. Did I come in here and POST A THREAD ASKING ABOUT A JAM SESSION? NO I DID'NT DID I
I'll tell you what can do with your search button.
And i'll tell you the same thing I told someone else in another thread "GROW UP"

However, other than the guns N posers, I like the rest of those bands too. Ozzy being my favourite.

And I have played since 1991, so its about 18 years I guess.
NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 2nd May 2009 00:02
I say, you come across as being much younger than old enough to have played for eighteen years.

tatts
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Posted: 2nd May 2009 00:11
Quote: "I say, you come across as being much younger than old enough to have played for eighteen years."


Why would you think that?
AndrewT
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Posted: 2nd May 2009 00:37
Quote: "Why would you think that?"


Probably because of this:

Quote: "Listen here, If I had been on a music site where that would make sense, I would have done that without the need of some little puke telling me to do a search. Did I come in here and POST A THREAD ASKING ABOUT A JAM SESSION? NO I DID'NT DID I
I'll tell you what can do with your search button.
And i'll tell you the same thing I told someone else in another thread "GROW UP""


And more specifically this:

Quote: "Did I come in here and POST A THREAD ASKING ABOUT A JAM SESSION? NO I DID'NT DID I"


i like orange
tatts
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Posted: 2nd May 2009 00:46
Stop telling people to do a search. I'm hardly a person that needs to be told such a thing as I probably do more of that than most of you'se.

His statement.

Quote: "I want to do one of these jam sessions again soon"


my reply

Quote: "And what jam session?"


His Answer

Quote: "Finally... Now its my turn to be able to say this!!!! Wow, i am soo excited!!! Ok, here we go:

USE THE SEARCH BUTTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DUUUUUUHHHHHH!! "


I reply to a statement that was made, and suddenly i'm stupid and need to do a search?

Did I get rude with him when I responded to his first statement?

As I said "Grow up"
Vorg1
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Posted: 2nd May 2009 00:53
What happened to helping Lemonade choose a guitar?
This has gotten even further off topic

Check out Urban Soldier:Requiem
bergice
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Posted: 2nd May 2009 01:15
It wasnt ment to be offensive, just fun
People are too serious these days...

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aliensong
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Posted: 5th May 2009 07:01
Hi, you can choose Fendi or Yamaha brands for considering, the quality is guaranteed. I have ever purchased one Yamaha electronic guitar, it's very smart and well-use. You can try it.

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