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[Yoda]

Hiya all
not knowing a single thing about guitars
and my daughter (14) has asked for an electric guitar for xmas
does anyone know if this is a good starter Guitar???
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47074&item=3756757868&rd=1

if not can anyone recommend one that is the samish price?? (£100 ish)


Yoda

[Tim1400]

As a starter most of these cheap guitars are much the same and for a 14 yr old they would probably do.Trade up when they have learnt to play.another of the cheap brands are Encore which you can pick up for £85 to £95.they all fuzz and distort when played loudly so it looks like you will be having fun on chistmas day :D

[slug]

Speaking from expirence (this is slugs son BTW), id splash out a bit more for a bit of a better one (mabye a BC rich, Epiphone or Squier), theyre easier to play than cheap models and itll stop her nagging later on for a better one lol. However, a cheap one like that could be ideal to get started on, find out wether you like playing and will stick with it etc. Theres also some good lessons at www.cyberfret.com to help get her started. There are also reviews of most (if not all) guitars etc at www.harmony-central.com . If youre really stuck though, id try to get to your local guitar shop lol

Also, squier guitars are alright, a decent pack is about £150-200 at www.academyofsound.com , i also woulndnt trust EBay for a guitar, if anything goes wrong, there aint many people to turn to.....

EDIT: like above, encore is somewhat heard of, so if you really cant go above £100, id go to them instead to be honest

EDIT(AGAIN!): And please, if you get one, dont keep telling her to turn it down, the neighburs wont mind, i hope. It's rather annoying when youre in a middle of learning a song and you get this TURN IT DOWN!!! coming from downlsairs lol. Also, with that package, getting a stand is pretty worthwile, if you keep the guitar out and plugged in, its a real incentive to play it, there are really times when you cant be bothered getting it out, plugging everything in etc..... It also keeps it from damage.

i must not edit this post again, i must not edit this post again........

[Bassman]

Hi Yoda, The crafter guitars are a reasonable starting point, but there are far, far better to be had for not a lot more...By the time you pay for delivery on this one it will cost you £114.00....
You can get a complete Fender Squier setup for £139.00 complete and delivered.
At least with the Squier you get a recognised name and a guitar that plays as it should... there is a link below it's the one at the top on the left in the black and white box...... hope this helps..
http://www.steelcityguitars.com/shop/ELECTRIC1990.htm

[STEViE]

Yoda. Personally I'd steer clear of the crafter. I got a Crafter mandolin as a back-up an' I hate to use the bloody thing. It's tunin' goes all over the place with the slightest temperature change. Just my opinion from my own experience.

[Rogue Monkey]

That looks an ok package for £100 mate! You waste yer money on anything more expensive cos yer daughter might get fed up with it anyway! if she carrys on you can always upgrade as she improves bit by bit. But...with the amp and everything £100 for that looks a decent price! If ya want any books to start you off give us a shout! I`ve got a helboy dvd ready for postin to ya so I could stuff in a few books with it if ya want! :D

[Yoda]

That looks an ok package for £100 mate! You waste yer money on anything more expensive cos yer daughter might get fed up with it anyway! if she carrys on you can always upgrade as she improves bit by bit. But...with the amp and everything £100 for that looks a decent price! If ya want any books to start you off give us a shout! I`ve got a helboy dvd ready for postin to ya so I could stuff in a few books with it if ya want! :D
ohh if you have some books i would be gratefull
anything you need mate i got lots of software and loads of music?

Yoda

[Rogue Monkey]

I`ll have a root through the back room! Full of three house moves worth of mixed up boxes and bags containing the stuff 1 monkey has acrude over the course of 43 years! I`ll dig somthing appropriate to your needs out and stick it in da post! I got yer address mate! :D

[Trikerbiker]

Yoda...

Get yourself down to Musical Exchanges at Snow Hill. The guys in there are all 100% sound and will keep you right. If Gary still works in the guitar shop (tall guy - long dark hair) have a chat with him - he's a real nice guy and always has time for you. If you can get hold of Steve Makin (he used to have a room in the back where he gave lessons) he is THE BEST guitarist I've ever heard - we used to be mates when I lived in Brum. Steve's a dude and will always give sound advice.

Best Value for lessons - your local FE College (or Comp. school)will usually have these in the evenings - subsidised by the Council and usually cost about £30 for a 12 week course. My lad used to go to these at Bordseley Green.

Regards

Mick

[TaxiDave]

Yoda, Argos start at £79.99 for the Encore outfit, and then the price creeps up from there. £150.00 for the Yamaha outfit and then I started recently with a Squier from there for £179.99.

[Grav]

Yoda, I would get the Fender Squier set up that Bassman mentioned. It is an excellent starter Guitar and if your young 'un should get fed up and lose interest, learn to play it yourself. :D

It is better to get the best you can afford when learning to play an instrument, a cheap guitar will never stay in tune long enough to keep it interesting. As Stevie rightly points out, temperature fluctuations play havoc with instruments and the better the quality, the better they are at handling it.

Let us know what you decide mate.

[Huw Beer Monster]

Yoda, I would get the Fender Squier set up that Bassman mentioned. It is an excellent starter Guitar and if your young 'un should get fed up and lose interest, learn to play it yourself. :D

It is better to get the best you can afford when learning to play an instrument, a cheap guitar will never stay in tune long enough to keep it interesting. As Stevie rightly points out, temperature fluctuations play havoc with instruments and the better the quality, the better they are at handling it.

Let us know what you decide mate.

I'm with this bunch. Get a decent guitar and get agreement from the store that they'll give it a free set up after 6 months.

Even if it'll cost you slightly more, don't be tempted to buy mail order. Guitars are a "feel" thing. You could line up 6 Strats, all made on the same day in the same workshop with the same parts and one will feel better than the others. Go to a shop. Musical Exchanges is a good bet.

Also, find out what gauge strings are on the one you buy, as if you replace them with a different gauge, that'll affect the neck/tension and any tuning problems may reappear.

[Gypsy]

if you can afford it for about £190 ge the yamaha pacifica 112, the ratings it got int he guitar mags were amazing, reckoned it played like a £600 fender (they also reckoned the build was better lol) 2 single coil and a great double humbucker pick ups

[Yoda]

2 single coil and a great double humbucker pick ups
????????
I Think i have just been Whoooooooshed :) :)

Yoda

[slug]

im with all the people above, GET A SQUIER OR ELSE!!! just kidding :)

good thing about guitar is youve just covered yourself for chrimbos and birthdays to come, FX pedals, new amps, new guitars etc :)

[Mitch]

Just wait until they come home from university with a Marshall 4x12 head and amp, plus two stonking Jackson guitars (like Mrs R's Sprogg!) - then, you can say turn it down, otherwise you'll have no house left! :D

[slug]

yea lol. Or a mesa head and 2 cabs (theyll need 3 grand though...)

whats every1 here got then?

BC Rich Platinum Virgin
Encore KC-3 (my starter guitar :( )
Marshall MG50DFX
Rocket 10 (my starter amp lol)
Boss MT-2 Metal Zone (nice distortion :) )
Zoom 707II

[Doro]

make sure you get an amp with an earphone socket




easy see....no more noise :D

[Persephone]

Hiya all
not knowing a single thing about guitars
and my daughter (14) has asked for an electric guitar for xmas
does anyone know if this is a good starter Guitar???
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47074&item=3756757868&rd=1


I would look for "Fender Squire" starter kits. You should be able to pick one up for a similar sort of price.

[slug]

make sure you get an amp with an earphone socket




easy see....no more noise :D

just because it has one, doesnt mean you use it. You need a decent pair of headphones though (wireless ones are a bonus, you dont rip them off accidently while jumping around the room :) )
most amps have headphone sockets as standard now though, its sometimes used as a line-out for recording though. Also, if you get an amp, you need to turn the gain up and the volume (like on my marshall lol). Took me about 20 minutes to realise why no sound was coming out, yet the volume was halfway, the clean gain wasnt turned up :( . Nearly blew neighburs out when i realised though (didnt turn volume back down lol)

[Grav]

whats every1 here got then?



i have an Epiphone EP1 acoustic and a Yamaha RBX260 Bass which I play through a Park 25 watt lead amp with lots of distortion. :D

[Gypsy]

a crappy honer
yamaha pacifica 122
dean chromeg steel elecro-acoustic (doro's)
yamaha RBX300 bass
and a yamaha drum machine :D

[Doro]

don't forget I have two treble recorders and maybe soon one day (who knows) a set of northumbrian pipes


oooooo and a dansette - don't forget that - tis what I call a musical instrument anyway :)

[Huw Beer Monster]

yea lol. Or a mesa head and 2 cabs (theyll need 3 grand though...)

whats every1 here got then?

BC Rich Platinum Virgin
Encore KC-3 (my starter guitar :( )
Marshall MG50DFX
Rocket 10 (my starter amp lol)
Boss MT-2 Metal Zone (nice distortion :) )
Zoom 707II

Now you've started it...

Guitars
1 x Kramer Baretta
1 x Squier Strat
1 x Ibanez EX270
1 x Tanglewood Aviator (signed by Terry Pratchett and Jim Marshall)
1 x Landola Colorado Jumbo 12 String (1960's)
1 x (Can't remember the brand) 6 String Electro-Acoustic

Basses
1 x Yamaha RBX270 4 String
1 x Ibanez BTBQ405 5 String
1 x Bolin NS/5 5 String
1 x Manhattan (AOS Own brand) 4 String Electro Acoustic

Guitar Amps
1 x Marshall VS100 Valvestate
1 x Marshall 1 x 12 Extension cab for the above
1 x One of those little Marshall 5 watt jobbies
1 x Yamaha 10W practice amp

Bass Amps
1 x Ashdown EVOII 500RC racked bass amp (575W)
1 x Ashdown 410H 4 x 10 Cab, ported, with horn

Drums
1 x Pearl Export 5 piece rock kit in mirrored chrome with Zildjians

Effects
1 x Boss HM2 (cant beat the classics!)
1 x Yamaha DDS20 Digital Delay/Sampler
1 x Zoom 505 Guitar multi-effects with separate expression pedal
1 x Korg Pandora PX4B bass multi-effects

Plus 1k of lighting rig, 2 Peavey Power monitors and a box full of bits...

[Yoda]

thanks for all the replies all
i have bought the fender squire kit (in black) £139.99

now to buy some earplugs :) :)

Yoda

ps i need her to become famous an rich so she can buy me a massive house and lots of trikes

[slug]

rofl, remember, its when you become a rock star, not if.

good on ya mate, im typing this while playing my guitar :) . Hope she does well and sticks at it, just remember, it aint easy, just keep going.....
and if youre the DIY sort, dont touch the truss rod if you dont know what youre doing ;)

[Jonnyfp]

Yamaha 1212s thru neck in metalic black with 2 sets of seymour duncan defenders on. i got that for a straight swap against a Kramer.

love it.

Good luck to her. :D

[slugonamission]

nice gear u lot. Anyways, this is slugs son, he wont let me use his account anymore :(

[TaxiDave]

nice gear u lot. Anyways, this is slugs son, he wont let me use his account anymore :(


Just don't let on you've been using his bank account, cheque book and credit cards and your life will be long and happy ....................... just guilty :D

[bill?]

the two guitars I (try) and play are, a steel strung acoustic (says Lorenzo on the head) and the other is a Epiphone / Gibson special

sound city practice amp
wah wah peddle (maplins kit.......crap)
arion sterio chorus
boss distortion
and there should be a boss fuzz box but I seem to have mislaid it


also got a strat copy and a nylon strung classical guitar

[Crofty]

Hi Yoda, The crafter guitars are a reasonable starting point, but there are far, far better to be had for not a lot more...By the time you pay for delivery on this one it will cost you £114.00....
You can get a complete Fender Squier setup for £139.00 complete and delivered.
At least with the Squier you get a recognised name and a guitar that plays as it should... there is a link below it's the one at the top on the left in the black and white box...... hope this helps..
http://www.steelcityguitars.com/shop/ELECTRIC1990.htm

Seconded by me. for £100 that lot seems ok, but you'll be getting a MUCH better guitar with the squier. mine's about 8 years old and still plays pretty good (it's chipped from abuse and needs a new set of strings, but still plats fine) I've got a Tanglewood Tomkat and a telecaster i made but i still love that old girl. Squier is owned by fender, so your getting a budget version of a REAL stratocaster, not a ****ty copy -their bodies are usually made of chipboard -i **** you not. I'd definetly go for the fender, especially if you can get the whole kit for £140 and the sunburst looks really good, coz you can see the real wood underneath.
My, 2p's worth anyway, that said for 6 months-a year or so she probably won't be able to tell the difference between a buget guitar and a bad guitar while she's learning, but then you'll be having to buy a better one after that!
bloody hell that was long. I'm supposed to be doing coursework.

[Crofty]

I got the three guitars i mentioned in the other post (the tele needs a good seeing to, i just wanted to see if i could build a guitar, but it does play) a digitech RP5 pedal that i got for crimbo once, a zoom606 a mate gave me (and worth every penny. OK it's not that bad) and I play through my uncles carlsbro 45W 1x12 amp, it's about 30 but sounds really good.

[Yoda]

Am i the only person in this forum that knows fuck all about guitars,
****,

i did play a recorder and blow a harmonica once..

Yoda

[defarter]

Am i the only person in this forum that knows fuck all about guitars,
****,

i did play a recorder and blow a harmonica once..

Yoda


Looks like it mate, better go back to the shop and make another purchase :D :D

Epiphone L/Paul. Fender tele accu, Fender 5 string banjo, i only started 3/4 years ago give it a try you might like it. :D ;)