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My wife recently got a MIM Strat w/ the flame maple top, maple fretboard, SSS pickups. It plays really nice and got her into learning music, and me learning more too. Actually has been an awesome few weeks since we got it. Maybe I’ll edit to add pics later.
Well first I need to wait for some things in the mail...Quote:
Originally Posted by tgapp
Also a bit of mixed feelings right now... stoke slightly dampened by tweaking my knee while trying to lift my new speaker cab up onto a table. I was looking for a cab for my 20w HDRX amp and saw that a 4X12 isn't really that much more than a 2 or 1X12, it seems like most of the money is in the labor to make the thing, and not the cost of the speakers, and a 4X12 really is hardly any larger than a 2X12, so I'm like why not? Chose an orange cab, figure it 'voice of the world' speakers are at least something different to try out from the china made celstions that are in everything, and is cheap enough it won't hurt to give a shot.
The one spec I forgot to check? Its listed at 85 lbs. I weighed it, its freaking 90, and way to wide and awkward to carry yourself.
So hows learning to play going?
One more tip for beginers or anyone really, but you don't have to buy rocksmith to use it really. You can just follow along to youtube videos of people playing rocksmith. Sure, you lose the ability to measure your accuracy, adjust the speed and riff repeat certain sections, but its still like, live real time tabs that scroll as you play which is a great resource and a lot easier than just learning from straight up tabs.
I’ve been hacking away on my Yamaha acoustic for a few months now. Playing a couple of hours a day, making progress and absolutely loving it. Thinking some of adding an electric into the mix. Recommendations for a decent entry/mid level electric guitar/amp? Yamaha Pacifica’s worthwhile?
I'd just get a spark mini. Battery powered and portable but plenty loud and good sound quality enough for a practice amp, or jamming with friends if theres no drummer.
The spark go is smaller and cheaper, but sound quality and volume are greatly diminished. its still cool for a pocket sized novelty amp but wouldn't recommend as an only amp.
Theres tons of modeling amps out there, if you don't need the battery powered, for the same money that are a bit bigger and louder, but thats just not needed unless you're playing with a drummer. Modeling amps tend to kind of all sound somewhat similar, with the actual effects modeled being whatdiferentiates them the most.
Watch slickdeals for guitar deals. They come up all the time. As to what choice, depends a lot on your personal tastes - like "suggest a pow ski for me" - - and like ksis, it won't be your last one.Quote:
Originally Posted by ripvw
As to amps, I'd suggest a used solid state one, not tube. FB marketplace or Craigslist, $100 will get you something just fine. I picked up a Boss Katana 50 MK2 for $100 off FB.
Yamaha Pacifica is just fine, but there are lots of solid body guitars in similar price range that are also fine.
That Spark mini looks cool as shit. Had no idea battery powered amps were a thing. Having something small and portable that I don’t have to plug into the wall is super appealing.
Yea thats what I figured. and might actually end up making you play more if you can take it more places.Quote:
Originally Posted by ripvw
You will pay a bit more for that though, like was mentioned above $100 will get you a decent solid state modelling amp without the portability. The spark mini is 250ish.
you didn't ask about electric guitars, and obviouisly a lot of that is preference, but I will tell you what I know of the industry dynamics at the moment.
Epiphone is currently undergoing a sort of rebirth becoming Epiphone "inspired by gibson" which just means gibson is turning them into a mid range brand. quality of thenew ones is supposed to be great but they're no longerbudget at all. if you find epiphones for cheap, chances aretheyre the old ones, which honestly, I think are the worst of all the major name brands budget guitars. have an epiphone les paul custom and it kind of sucks. Its justan extra I keep in wierd tunings to play songs on rocksmith, and it works ok for that, but it just is not a nice sounding guitar.
Fender's cheaper brand is squier, and rthere are foreign made axes of each name that aren't bad for the money. I really like the Fender FMT HH Telecasters, gorgeous finishes, some unusual mods for ergonomics (arch top, set neck with scuplted shoulder, belly cut), super lightweight, easy to play and sound great, depending on your music taste. Only gripe is really that they lack in sustain.
I'd probably suggest a PRS SE. They're probably the best of the name brands budget version, and all dealers are doing a 20% off sale because PRS announced that starting next year all SE guitars will have the same pickups as their nicer guitars but really the current SE pickups are great, and as far as CNC machined asian made guitars, I think they're the best quality manufacturing. Japenese made Fenders being up there as well, but probably a lot more money.
Just found out a new friend has a 1954 Gibson Super 400 that his dad bought direct from the guy from the four tops, who was his drinking buddy supposedly.
I'm going to get to play it tomorrow, through my steel string singer. I'll get pictures.
I've been looking mostly at the Squire Strat and Yamaha Pacifica 112, but I will definitely check out the PRS. Thanks for the recommend!
I have ... let's say ... "quite a few" guitars and amps. And have owned and passed on maybe 3 times what I currently have. Here's what I'd recommend:
Electric guitars that are good deals for their price point:
Mid 2000s Fender Squire Standard. $150-200. Solid guitar at a great price point. Do not buy a squire affinity or that other new one they have.
I've heard good things about yamaha pacificas but havne't played one. Maybe $150?
G&L Legacy or S500 Tribute. Really great guitars. 300-400 Leo Fender's company after he sold Fender to CBS
PRS Custom 22 or 24 or Standard 24. If you really look around you can find one 350-450. I just bought a Custom 22 for $315. This is my favorite inexpensive guitar
Fender MIM Strat or Tele (or mustang) 300-400. Sometimes people sell these cheap. Over the last few years I've bought a handful between 300-350. Great guitars
Epiphone Les Paul Standard Pro 400-450. Nothing bad to say about these. Good guitars if you like humbucker pickups.
Remember that different pickups sound very different. Humbuckers are fatter and nastier, strat pickups (single coil) are cleaner and twangier, then there's a million other kinds like the S500, tele picks, P90s etc.
Amps:
For your first amp I'd almost certainly recommend a modeling amp. Lots of tone choices without much hassle. Here are some good ones for home volumes:
Spark - I have a Go and two 40s. Go's and minis are battery powered which is cool, but since the mini is essentially the same price as the 40 I think the 40 has more flexibility. $150-200 Super user friendly and lots of play along options for beginners.
Yamaha THRII or THR. The II is newer. Look for a 10 or 15 and your good. Maybe 200-250 is a good price. Great tones here.
Katana 50 or 100. 100 has more control and flexibility. $150-200 Classic modeling amp, quite good.
Line 6 Catalyst 60 or 100. I have the 100 to use as a clean speaker for my helix modeler. But it has a lot of the helix software and options built in, which makes it a great modeling amp too, and sets you up to understand modeling boxes like helix and stomp if you use them someday.
For tube amps, they are a bit more money generally, but a great option is a Fender Super Champ X2 combo. 15 watts I think and has a clean tube channel for classic fender tones, then it also has maybe 12 other amp emulations. So not a full modeler but great optionality. Sometimes you can find the combo under $300
If you find a cheap Fender Pro Jr that's an awesome amp. Just got one (and replaced the Super Champ X2 I had with it) and it's very cool. No modeling however.
Feel free to ask any question you might have and I'll answer away. You might have to search around and wait a bit to find good clean options at the prices I've posted, but sometimes you can get screaming deals even cheaper.
Sweet! Thanks for all the info. Time to start shopping.
If you're looking at the various Squier models, there's kind of a hierarchy of quality - - the upper end ones (Classic Vibe, Paranormal) are much nicer than the cheapest ones (Bullet, Affinity).Quote:
Originally Posted by ripvw
Made in México Fenders (you'll see them labeled as MIM) are a step above all Squiers. These are currently the Player series, probably other names too. The Player Plus are Mexican made one that are really close to American made.
I don't know if you have a preference right now on what sort of sound you generally want out of the electric. That might push you one way or another, particularly in the pickups.
I'll also put in a plug for Gretsch. I've never seen a bad one (of current production), no matter how inexpensive the price. Fender owns Gretsch now, but IMHO entry level Gretsch (Streamliner line) is nicer than any Squier, and usually can be found on a good sale.
I'm a total guitar JONG, especially when it comes to electrics. Pretty easy to get lost in the weeds with the different pickups/body styles. I think a lot of the subtley would be lost on me. Not going to play metal or punk. Into classic and modern rock and would love to learn some blues. Just want a nice sounding, reliable guitar I can fuck around on. Like to keep the all in cost (guitar and amp) under $500 if I can. Totally open to buying used.
If you have a Guitar Center near you, probably worth just going in and holding a bunch of different styles, see what feels comfortable. Weights vary quite a bit. Shapes too - - some have "belly cut" shaping or arm slope shapes that can be more comfortable (think Stratocaster). Necks vary, but that may or may not be too noticeable - - to me, the biggest difference is if the neck feels smooth (satin) or has a gloss finish, which can be a little sticky feeling - - maybe you have a preference one way or another.
Also, the spacing between the frets varies ("scale") - most commonly 24.75" (Gibson) or 25.5" (Fender). Spacing between the strings varies a little too (nut width). You can Google what your acoustic has, and then see what feels comfortable to you at the store.
I got rid of a Epiphone Les Paul a little while ago, because I just didn't like the sounds from it (guess I'm not really a humbucker fan) and it weighed a lot. I originally bought it when I had no idea what I was really looking for - and gold top Les Pauls look great. It weighed a fuck ton though.
Your price ballpark of $500 for guitar plus amp is easily doable and for decent stuff.
I'll toss this one out for you:
https://www.adorama.com/gr2806700593...ce=rflaid62905
I have that guitar, and I like it. Build quality is fine - no sharp frets, no electronics issues. I like the P90 sound a *lot*. The bridge pickup (the filtertron type pickup) has a totally different sound. For $200 shipped, you're just not gonna lose money on that if you want to sell it later... and won't be at all worried about devaluing it if you decide to change out the pickups.
New MIM Player Plus maple top
Heres what you gotta think about for pickups. Single Coils, or Humbuckers, or perhaps P90s/grestch gold foils/a few other things that are basically mini humbuckers.Quote:
Originally Posted by ripvw
then, you gotta think what kind of pickup setup you want. SSS, SS, SSH, etc.
Then, if you really want to get into it, think neck shape, try a few and find your favorites.
You do NOT need to think about, well this squier has the 56 pickups and this one has the 57 and bla bla bla. With gibsons, some of their pickups are WAY hotter (higher output) than others, but for most guitars, especially fender/squier, they are built for versatility, and they put decent shit into all of them. Combined with the 5way switching, you can play anything, on a strat.
My previous advice about which models to look for is a bit out of the $500 price range, especially if including amp. Go Mexican Strat. its the best starter guitar for someone who doesn't want to think about gear endlessly, and isn't obsessed with recreating a certain musicians sound, like jimmie paige's les paul (actually recorded with a telecaster). I think grestch is up there in quality, but not quite as good of versatility. They'vemore got their sound.
Elixir polyweb 9s are my suggestion for best strings for a beginner.
These are kind of 'honorable mentions' for my quiver, and not permanent residents. The 80s Martin Mahogany Dreadnaught is a loner from a friend, more cus it doesn't get played enough than because he thought I need more guitars. The beautiful one peice rosewood necked, American Pro two special run with custom shop pickups is a very sweet axe that I got a way too good to be true price on. Its mint, except for the fact some yahoo wailed way too hard on the trem arm and bent the bridge to the point it just needs to be replaced. So probably returning that unless they want to send me another bridge because that detail was omitted from the ad and reverbs got me covered. But I thought I'd share before these return to whence they came.
Attachment 495291
Attachment 495292
You can also see my amp setup. I've got 9 12" speakers and 142W of power for about 100ft of floor space. And yes, my bed is just a mattress on the floor.
Kiddo just came home with a fretless bass, FKNA. Bold choice at 16!
Everything about this post makes me happy. Totally awesome. Right down to the bed on the floor next to the jumble of pedals. This is rock and roll right here.Quote:
Originally Posted by leroy jenkins
Post of list of those amps.
I actually glossed over my amp setup a couple pages back, although the pedals are still a work in progress, trying different things. I've always been fairly minimalist, or really, used that to justify just having too many hobbies and not that much money to spend on music, but also, not much mental energy to spend geeking out on tones and stuff, but its been fun recently to take a deep dive into that.Quote:
Originally Posted by leroy jenkins
I've got a honey badger and blues disorder pedals in the mail I'm hoping will mix well with things, probably replace the electro harmonix big fuzz to ratt distortion chain, which I run into the fender amp. Oh and I've added a univibe to the both the hdrx and fender chains.
I really love this sound. Super sensitive low lag responsive clean cleans that cut through anything, no matter how heavy your playing via the SSS. Then obviously I'm cloning hendrix, the HDRX stands for hendrix, and I've got basically his same effects chain without the octave. I do have the settings a lot different though and end up creating a fairly different sound. Its crunchier I guess, and a little darker, its got this big heavy backing sound, but it doesn't overwhelm things too much, getting pretty clear with decent sustain when playing softly, but still not overwhelming things when driving it harder despite having a good heavy punch. I wouldn't say it lacks sustain, but it doens't loiter and clutter things up either. Then the fender has it's internal reverb cranked way up, with distortion on almost always but fairly low and low fuzz sometimes, which gives a much longer lasting sustain for a sort of vintage stoner doom metal blues that hangs out sticks around and does its thing in the background but also doesn't overwhelm.
I can basically just alter my play style, and fuck with the setting on the guitar itself, and not have to change anything amp or effects wise, and just play almost anything I want, strumming open chords with clarity to chugging heavy riffs to cutting lead sounds, usually just with technique and maybe hitting a coil tap. Of course some songs just sound better with some of the pedals off or reverb and delay on the SSS, it has its limits but typically anything that sounds at all heavy while playing single notes sounds cacophonous and unpleasant for chords so its really nice to have one sound that can seamlessly switch back and forth if you finesse it a little.
Theres also a fender rumble studio 40 bass amp on the floor under the HDRX head.
The cabs are 2X12 prs, not the hdrx, something cheaper thats discontinued I can't remember, and a 4X12 both on the HDRX and am amplified nation 2X12 to match the SSS. I don't really need a full stack on the HDRX, but I got both cheap to try them both and now have both so. Oh I and I think the fender deluxe reverb is actually 22w, I had said 20. I really never thought I'd own a 100W amp, but the thing is, i really love the cleans out of the SSS, like people talk about an amps sweet spot in terms of speaker breakup at a certain volume, and its cool to have that option if I really crank it, but I actually like I can get plenty loud and just stay basically crystalline clean. Plus it was a demo on sweetwater for about what a new 20w SSS costs so fuck it.
Oh, and happy news is it turns out I'm not a luthier and don't actually know shit about guitars, and the bridge on the rosewood necked strat is just fine. A friend helped me set it up right, turns out it was just completely decked, but done so with a couple trem springs removed so it was super low tension, meaning the screws had to be turned in even further to deck it, which is just a weird combo. Theres no reason to have springs removed if its decked and you aren't using the trem. So I assumed the springs were removed in an attempt to undeck a bent bridge. Maybe someone wanted it decked but still loose enough they could grab it and trem it with their fingers. I don't know. I just play here. But its happy now. And its found its home.
You're able to use 2x12 and 4x12 cabinets in an apartment?
Nah, i play through a 4x12, 2 2x12s and a 1x12 together.Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
The hdrx has a master volume, and a separate volume for the treble and bass tubes. So you can crank till you get natural gain, at a low volume. it takes some fucking with to get the levels all right, but the whole thing isn't ridiculously loud.
I'm also in a top floor corner unit, and we have outdoor stairwells, so that just means i really just have a next door and downstairs neighbors. Next door is a ski buddy, and downstairs has been empty, but recently became occupied. No one has complained yet. Neighbors all agree this place is pretty well insulted from sound but I think you can probably hear me in the parking lot a little. Meh.
The baritones do kind of shake the earth a bit.
Suona!
A friend gave me this Ampeg BA115 bass amp yesterday. A little crackly, a lot of hiss from the tweeter. Price was right though.
My dirt cheap bass rig now consists of a $10 Samick bass, $12 in new pots from Amazon, and a free amp. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e5c42bc8c7.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...586bb8d993.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d68e99642e.jpg
Haha awesome
These Player telecaster are $499 right now. I'm tempted. Convince me I don't need one.
Or that I do.
https://www.adorama.com/fe0144571002.html
so many interesting guitars you can buy for $500. Do some shopping. Have some fun wit ur quiver.
I think they just came out with the Player 2. Maybe that's why the older ones are cheaper?
Anyway, yes, great guitars. Also check our PRS SE Custom 22 or 24. Those are great mid range instruments.
These Telecasters come on sale at Adorama occasionally at this price. They must have a giant back stock of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by EWG
I'm just trying to justify a Tele in addition to a nice Strat that I have...
I have no idea how you will make it through another day without a tele. It's a moral imperative. You NEED one, obviously...Quote:
Originally Posted by El Chupacabra
Everyone needs:
Strat
Les Paul
Tele
6120
This.Quote:
Originally Posted by heckacali
Better listen to him, Flounder. He's in Pre-Med.
I'm sorta going through them -Quote:
Originally Posted by heckacali
Had a Les Paul (Epiphone, but a decently nice one) - - sold it, I think I just don't care for humbuckers, and it weighed a lot.
Have a Gretsch 5420T (large hollowbody, filter tron, made in Korea) - sounds great.
Have a Fender Strat, American Pro II. It's really much nicer than anything I need. I like the single coil sound.
So... guess I need that Tele, huh?
^find a used one with some soul in it.
Any of you have a Fender Aerodyne tele? Eying one...
I bought and returned the MIM Tele. Finish was pretty bad - frets so sharp they'd cut your hand if you let the neck slide through your hand.
The made in Japan Fenders are supposed to be really nice. Never played one.
The feel of a Tele is going to vary a lot, mostly by strap weight and neck shape, but also fret size, which all make huge impacts.
Read up on the Tele timeline, and why Telecaster players in different genres regard different year models as "peak". It should help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hujntf1cvMI
My old man has a MIJ tele that’s very nice. He’s a lefty, I’m not, so I haven’t played it much.
My wife got a MIM strat recently that is a really nice guitar. Other than being heavy, it came out of the box with a great finish and setup. But we rolled the dice buying it as it seems some MIM are better than others.
But people say the same about US made Fenders too, and the MIJ ones.
MIJ Fenders are real nice, but I thought a 90’s MIJ is as almost much as a new US made Fender these days?
The one I was watching on Reverb just came on a sale for even less than the last offer - - $551+tax, free shipping. Couldn't resist.
From what I've read online, these are brand new, just being sold as used to be lower than Fender minimum pricing.
https://reverb.com/item/75362571-fen...-hot-rod-burst
Dunno about the new ones except for hearing that people rally like them. I have an 84 MIJ Strat that I love, FWIW.
There's a pretty big variation from guitar to guitar even among the same models, so trying before you buy is pretty helpful. Or buy used and cheap so you can pass it on without losing money if you don't bond with it.
This one is in the "relatively cheap" category for a MIJ Tele, so should be reasonably easy to move it if I don't like it.