Good electric guitar for a beginner?

[IVIario]

I've always wanted to learn how to play the guitar, so I'm thinking of buying one now. I'm looking for a good electric guitar for a beginner, like I'm a complete noob. Ill probably get lessons and my friends will help me out but, I dont want a cheap guitar that sucks like the kind at target. My budget is like $200- maybe $300. Anyone got any advice?

[Uben. Sonned]

You can get a Squire for that price, which is a sub-comapany of Fender...Just a "cheap" version of their Tele-and- Stratacaster.

My first was an Ibanez and I paid 600 for it...sleek neck and everything. Simply beautiful instrument.

[spokenoh]

For around 300, you can probably get a decent Squire Classic Vibe strat/tele. They feel easy to play. You might also be able to find something decent online if you're lucky, like a MIM Fender, for that price.

[Soule]

Check out my thread in the for sell forum. I'll sell you mine for fifty to eighty.

[Extinctor Draconis]

For around 300, you can probably get a decent Squire Classic Vibe strat/tele. They feel easy to play. You might also be able to find something decent online if you're lucky, like a MIM Fender, for that price.

this

you can get cheap squire strat for 300

[Toobs]

Paper Jamz...

[Mr_Microvave]

a black Fender Strat is usually everyone's beginner guitar.

[ShaDoWLesS]

Ibanez 7 string, best guitar ever (comic book guy)

[IVIario]

Alright thanks guys I'll look at those.

[Blackflags]

If you're going to spend 300 bucks on a guitar, you may as well spend 500 and get a Mexican made Fender Strat. Honestly, I wouldn't sink that much money into a guitar at first. I learned on a cheap acoustic at first, and when I switched to electric, it was SO easy. It was like slicing through butter with a hot knife. The transition is smooth as hell. I would recommend getting a Squier, but for less than 300 you can get the whole kit. Comes with amp, DVD, strings, picks, care book. Also, you can get the same kit for an Epiphone. Epiphones IMO are a better knock off to Gibson that a Squire is to Fender. I have a Les Paul and a Strat, and I enjoy playing them equally.

[IVIario]

Well people have told me the epiphone g400 is a good guitar to start on, but its $350 so I'll just have to save more. But I'm liking that one so probably gonna get it.

[Opie M.]

With that budget, you're better off buying used. You'll get a way better bang for your buck. In fact, it's generally a good idea to look for used guitars first no matter what your price range is. On a low end budget, you can save a couple hundred dollars. On the high end, you could save a thousand. Check all your local music stores, craigslist, eBay, pawn shops, and used sections in online stores like musiciansfriend.

Also, consider an acoustic. You can get a better guitar for less money and you don't need an amp too. You can get a beautiful sounding acoustic with nice action for $300 even new. Check out the Yamaha FG730S. It's a beautiful guitar. I have $2000-$3000 guitars and I still use this. It has a pretty, bright sound. If you want more of a muted, dull type of sound then check out the Martin LX1 or LXM. Martin makes great guitars, and even their low end models are well-made.

If you just HAVE to have an electric then you'd be a fool to not get a used one. Do NOT buy a Squire. The simple fact is that in your price range, any new guitar is going to be shitty. The pickups will sound like crap and it'll have horrible action. They're also very cheaply made. Cheap guitars constantly go out of tune, they're more difficult to play, and they sound horrible. I suggest looking for a guitar that retails in the $500-$600 range at a minimum. The pickups still won't be all that fantastic, but they can be replaced later with great pickups. What's important is to have a guitar that has a better quality build where things won't break and knobs won't fall off. And the most important thing is better action. Action will dictate how easy the guitr is to play and in-turn how well you play.

Also, you need to decide what style you prefer. Each type of guitar has it's own sound. Here are my recommendations:

PRS SE: This has the most well-rounded sound that will cater to a lot of different styles. PRS leans toward bluesy, but can be hard and crunchy as well. It can have nice dark low end, but also have a pretty high end. It's the entry level to the PRS custom 24 which is one of the sexiest guitars I ever heard. I have 2 of them in my studio. On the SE model, you won't get the super expensive pickups that you find on their pro level guitars, but they're not bad. You will get a well designed and built guitar with a very decent action. It won't be handmade like the custom 24, but all the guitars in your price range will be made on an assembly line. This is my top pick because of the build quality and the versatile sound that PRS has.

Ibanez: If you like dark, crunchy sound then Ibanez is a good brand to look at. Their guitars in the $500 range have great action and nice grungy pickups. I recommend something like an S420 or RG5SP1. I had the RG5 and loved the sound. BTW... Their 7-strings really are the shit.

Gibson Les Paul Melody Maker: The Les Paul is the hard rock guitar. This isn't the big boy Les Paul, but it has the same kind of sound. Great for rock riffs, solos, and power chords.

Fender Strat: This has a bluesy sound. It's the classic blues guitar. Very good for rock. It has a very clean sound that you can do a lot with. This is the most common guitar out there, which is why I listed it last. Guitarists usually have a constant pursuit to capture their own original sound. Why start with a guitar that sounds like everyone else's? I avoid Fenders for this reason, but they are well made guitars with a nice sound.

My last piece of advice, which is probably most important... Do NOT buy a guitar without at least strumming it first or getting someone else to at the very least. Go to music stores and play the models that you're interested in buying. Decide which ones sound best TO YOU. Then you can bargain hunt wherever you can find it the cheapest. Do NOT buy a guitar just because people recommend it. Most people recommend what they have. They think it's great because that's what they know. They also like the sound that THEY like. Find a guitar that YOU like. You'll have a better shot of keeping that guitar around even if you buy others. Don't waste your money on other people's opinions. Trust me.

Good luck.

[Rule.]

Check out my thread in the for sell forum. I'll sell you mine for fifty to eighty.

isnt that forum gone?

[IVIario]

With that budget, you're better off buying used. You'll get a way better bang for your buck. In fact, it's generally a good idea to look for used guitars first no matter what your price range is. On a low end budget, you can save a couple hundred dollars. On the high end, you could save a thousand. Check all your local music stores, craigslist, eBay, pawn shops, and used sections in online stores like musiciansfriend.

Also, consider an acoustic. You can get a better guitar for less money and you don't need an amp too. You can get a beautiful sounding acoustic with nice action for $300 even new. Check out the Yamaha FG730S. It's a beautiful guitar. I have $2000-$3000 guitars and I still use this. It has a pretty, bright sound. If you want more of a muted, dull type of sound then check out the Martin LX1 or LXM. Martin makes great guitars, and even their low end models are well-made.

If you just HAVE to have an electric then you'd be a fool to not get a used one. Do NOT buy a Squire. The simple fact is that in your price range, any new guitar is going to be shitty. The pickups will sound like crap and it'll have horrible action. They're also very cheaply made. Cheap guitars constantly go out of tune, they're more difficult to play, and they sound horrible. I suggest looking for a guitar that retails in the $500-$600 range at a minimum. The pickups still won't be all that fantastic, but they can be replaced later with great pickups. What's important is to have a guitar that has a better quality build where things won't break and knobs won't fall off. And the most important thing is better action. Action will dictate how easy the guitr is to play and in-turn how well you play.

Also, you need to decide what style you prefer. Each type of guitar has it's own sound. Here are my recommendations:

PRS SE: This has the most well-rounded sound that will cater to a lot of different styles. PRS leans toward bluesy, but can be hard and crunchy as well. It can have nice dark low end, but also have a pretty high end. It's the entry level to the PRS custom 24 which is one of the sexiest guitars I ever heard. I have 2 of them in my studio. On the SE model, you won't get the super expensive pickups that you find on their pro level guitars, but they're not bad. You will get a well designed and built guitar with a very decent action. It won't be handmade like the custom 24, but all the guitars in your price range will be made on an assembly line. This is my top pick because of the build quality and the versatile sound that PRS has.

Ibanez: If you like dark, crunchy sound then Ibanez is a good brand to look at. Their guitars in the $500 range have great action and nice grungy pickups. I recommend something like an S420 or RG5SP1. I had the RG5 and loved the sound. BTW... Their 7-strings really are the shit.

Gibson Les Paul Melody Maker: The Les Paul is the hard rock guitar. This isn't the big boy Les Paul, but it has the same kind of sound. Great for rock riffs, solos, and power chords.

Fender Strat: This has a bluesy sound. It's the classic blues guitar. Very good for rock. It has a very clean sound that you can do a lot with. This is the most common guitar out there, which is why I listed it last. Guitarists usually have a constant pursuit to capture their own original sound. Why start with a guitar that sounds like everyone else's? I avoid Fenders for this reason, but they are well made guitars with a nice sound.

My last piece of advice, which is probably most important... Do NOT buy a guitar without at least strumming it first or getting someone else to at the very least. Go to music stores and play the models that you're interested in buying. Decide which ones sound best TO YOU. Then you can bargain hunt wherever you can find it the cheapest. Do NOT buy a guitar just because people recommend it. Most people recommend what they have. They think it's great because that's what they know. They also like the sound that THEY like. Find a guitar that YOU like. You'll have a better shot of keeping that guitar around even if you buy others. Don't waste your money on other people's opinions. Trust me.

Good luck.

Damn. Real talk.

I'll keep it all in mind. atm my friend has borrowed me one of his guitars so I can learn a little bit before I actually purchase one. Depending on how long he lets me keep it, I'll save longer and get a nicer guitar ($500-$600). Thanks for the advice man.