Need Electric Guitar Advice - I wanna rock...

[TaylorDee7]

Hey all,

over the last few (4-5) years I've taken big steps toward acoustic music and have spent a lot of time and money "acoustically". Now I'm wanting to get back into the electric guitar side of things (which got me into guitar initially). I just need some advice as to what to look at for a new electric in terms of value and quality. I'm going to be gigging with a band that does some stuff in some pretty good venues (nothing big, mostly bars, clubs, that sorta thing). I am looking to get a new guitar and a new amp.

For the guitar I like humbuckers but also am intrigued by the strat and its tonal potential so I was thinking maybe a fat strat. I love rock so I was also thinking a Gibson SG of some sort. I have an RG series Ibanez that does a good job but it gives me fits sometimes so I want to replace it. Something sturdy, something that can rock, and something with good value. What other guitars and makers should I look at. I've never been a fan of acoustic guitar buying via guitar center but feel pretty comfortable when it comes to electrics. Is that a reasonable opinion on GC?

For the Amp, I want something that will give me enough that I'll never need more power. Don't care about transportation. I want to be able to push it and have it push back. I don't want to be limited tonally. When I was younger I loved the idea of a Peavey 5150. Whats the word on them? I would love as anyone would a Marshall Stack. A stack in general would be cool. I want tube power. Please help me. Direct me where to look and what to look at. Pluses and minuses to stacks, combos, etc.

I really value the opinions I get and read on this board. Please lend a hand and help me in my quest to rediscover "rocking out". Thanks all - Andy

[shane]

check out Godin for guitars and Traynor for tube amps.. i love my Godin (Seymour Duncan pickups rock) and Traynors are very, very versatile. at least the YCV80 is... sigh.. *kicks self*

[g2c]

Gibson SGs are awesome for rocking out, I really really want one of those myself - an SG standard. Very sexy guitars!
As far as tube amps with power, look at the Fender Hotrods (combo amps). Maybe the Hotrod Devilles or the Hotrod Deluxe?? Those are plenty powerful, they're best known for their amazing clean tone.
Hope that helps...

[jim_n_virginia]

If you have the cash (I don't!) I'd get a Les Paul with Marshal stack. I was looking at a Les Paul day before yesterday at G.C in Norfolk, VA they have a Les Paul with bound top, flamed front and back sunburst with custom fretboard inlay MAN! That guitar screamed!

I would have traded my CAR for that guitar and walked home....except that that the guitar was worth MORE than my dumb car! :D

[WoodNut]

The Amp to get is a Fulton Webb Amp. they are Tube powered and the tone and growl is unsurpassed. Very impressive amps. check em out here:

http://www.fultonwebb.com/

As far as the guitar goes you can find many small shop custom makers that would build you something to your spec that would have all the power you could handle. Maybe a Tele with a humbucker and a single coil. that would give you good tonal options. Maybe even two humbuckers, but normally a Tele style guitar the neck pick-up is not really bright and twangy like the bridge pickup so a Humbucker in the bridge and a single coil alnico 5 handwound pick-up would be awesome.

[Rockerbob]

Well, it's about personal taste and budget. It's sounds like you like humbuckers and Marshall stacks, so that's what you should look at. I prefer small amps and Strat type guitars, but that's just me. If you have the budget for it look into some of the smaller guitar builders. They turn out some fine instruments. I love my Tom Anderson Guitarworks guitar, but they are more on the Strat side of the fence and are a little expensive.

Play a few and see what you like. Decide on a budget. Good stuff costs a lot these days.

[meridian]

There is a Forum member with an SG Supreme up for sale at a good price. You might want to inquire.

You can order an SG from several Internet retailers (GuitarTrader, MusiciansFriend, Music123, Sweetwater, etc) and get free shipping and 45 day return policy which will REALLY let you try it out with return shipping as your "risk."

[Tahitijack]

After playin acoustics for five years I added electrics to my tool chest. It was a challenge and it took me about five months to decide where to start. Depending on your budget I'd look at a Fender Strat (American Delux). It will take you from classic rock to blues to jazz and almost everything in between. If your taste runs to high end gear check out Paul Reed Smith guitars my favorite all-in-one is the Custom 22. As for amps my ears like the vibe of Fender and for small gigs the Blues Jr. or for larger gigs the Hot Rod Deluxe are my choices. If you want to step it up the Mesa Boogie Nomad would be good choice.

[D4ve]

To me there are only two types of electric guitars...Gibson and Fender.
Maybe I'm just old fashion. Amps? Fender or Peavy.
My 2¢
Dave

[RedRoom]

I was stuck on the Les Pauls until I spent some quality time with some Strats. In comparison, the Les Paul was uncomfortable to me, and weighed a ton. The strats were far more ergonomic and responsive, and to me opened up a larger array of tonal possibilities. The American Deluxe with the S-1 is the best of both worlds…classic strat single coil tones with humbuckers added in the mix. Plus, it is significantly less expensive than a good Les Paul or a PRS. If cost is a problem, then don’t overlook the highway 1. It is a stripped down American Stratocaster with classic single coils.

[Steve314]

The Amp to get is a Fulton Webb Amp. they are Tube powered and the tone and growl is unsurpassed. Very impressive amps.

For the price, they oughta' be...

Steve

[TaylorDee7]

So here are some things I felt the need to add. I don't want to "break the bank" with a purchase. What I'm thinking here is a guitar, amp, possibly a Line 6 POD, some other effects maybe for a total of around $2K. If anyone has the motivation and time, could you email me a good idea of what would be a good %-off list price to take away from things like fender guitars and amps, gibson guitars, and other makers that fall in the budget above? Or if not %-off how about what would be a good ballpark price for an SG, american strat (s-1 with the humbucker and a regular) and some of the amps mentioned. I'm trying not to break rules here so remember I'm asking for help on prices via emailing. Thanks again guys. I really do value the input and opinions of the good citizens of this forum.

Thanks again for the help. Email here - Rocdee7@aol.com

-Andy

[meridian]

With $2K you've got just enough of room to work out a pretty rockin' guitar/amp combo.

I've never tried the Line 6 Amps, but there are several that have lots of Pod-type FX already built-in.

You're best bet on pricing is to check out a number of online retailers. Aside from the big ones mentioned in my previous post, look at smaller non-chain shops like Elderly, FQMS, Buffalo Bros. etc. But they won't have the liberal return policy of MF or Sam Ash.

[Randal_S]

I'm a Telecaster guy myself, but you might also want to check out Hamer, G&L, or PRS unless your hung up on "Gotta be a Fender or Gibson." All of the afore-mentioned brands have great guitars for right around the Fender/ Gibson ballpark... maybe cheaper in some cases as well.

Plenty of good cheap Fenders out there as well if you might want to go that route and upgrade later. The best electric I ever had was a Japanese '72 Reissue Thinline Telecaster, which I upgraded with Seymour Duncan Humbuckers. I had about $650.00 in it total and it was an outstanding guitar. I've owned high-end Teles, Strats, and Les Pauls, but that Jap Tele beat them all.

[aggie182]

fender guitars are awesome. strats are the way to go imo. i like the cyclones, jaguars and mustangs too.

[Steve314]

With two grand, there's no reason in the world not to go with a tube amp and an American-made electric (that said, I agree with Randall; there are some GREAT Japanese, and even Korean, guitars out there right now).

I recently got two Hamer Artists, and they're outstanding. They ain't cheap, but they're sweet. A used one would probably be in the $800.00-$1,000.00 range. They compliment my Strats rather well, being that the one of the Hamers has P-90's, the other has humbuckers.

For an amp, check out some of the Marshall combos. The DSL 401 or 601 could be a nice way to go. A buddy of mine in Texas has the 401, and he swears by it. I'd recommend a Bluesbreaker (also by Marshall), but they just jacked the list price to well over two grand, so it likely wouldn't fit the amp+guitar budget.

Mesa Boogie makes some nice stuff, too. Their Lone Star is sweet. One thing to remember about Boogie, though, is that they have "pro-net" pricing. Essentially, the list price is what you pay; Boogie's position is that their products are discounted from the factory. Boogie isn't discounted at the retail end, nor are their authorized dealers permitted to ship their products.

For me, an amplifier has to have a great clean sound as its' base. Overdrive and distortion can be added with any one of a bajillion quality stomp boxes out there. A good, true clean sound, though, is something that just can't be replicated with a stomp box.

It's like when my Aunt Gloria used to make lasagna. "Steven", she'd say, "You gotta' start with the right sauce."

If I could make only one recommendation, it would be to play as many combinations of amps and guitars as you can get your hands on...

Steve

[Heliman]

Just a couple things to consider:

Have you ever played an SG for any period of time? They are great looking guitars and sound fantastic, but are very neck heavy. I would definitely try one standing up for a while before you decide. I have one and love it, but that "neck thing" is a pain! If you are not suffering from "headstock envy" you might take a look at the Epiphone Elitist Series. They are made in Japan from the same hardware and materials that the USA Gibsons are made from. They are significantly less expensive, however. For example, if you shop around, you can get a new Elitist Les Paul Custom in the $800 range. A Gibson LP Custom will run you almost $3000!!! Again, ... same materials!

Regarding tube amps: Some people are not all that familiar with tube amps. They respond entirely different from solid state for different volume situations. You really need to match the power to the venue. To get creamy, usable overdrive, you need to be able to crank them up. If you have never played through a 15 or 20 watt tube amp, I think you will be amazed at the output. For example, I have a 40 watt Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, and unless you are in a pretty large room, it does not sound very good. To get "that sound" from a 100 watt Marshall setup will require cranking it. Marshall makes a device call a Power Brake Inductive Speaker Attenuator, which loads the amp so you can "crank it" at low volume outputs. There as several amps on the market that allow you to vary the output wattage. Vox comes to mind.

Best of luck with your choice!

Respectfully yours,

Heliman

P.S. I did not read Steve's post before I responded. He has some great advice, particularly the part about having a good, clean sound available, first and foremost!

[WoodNut]

For the price, they oughta' be...

Steve

The cliche is true in this case. You do get what you pay for. I had the pleasure of playing through one this weekend and I've NEVER heard a better sounding amp. It was loud and clean, and it was down and dirty and everything in between. The price, however, is high, but in line with the quality.

[Steve314]

The cliche is true in this case. You do get what you pay for. I had the pleasure of playing through one this weekend and I've NEVER heard a better sounding amp. It was loud and clean, and it was down and dirty and everything in between. The price, however, is high, but in line with the quality.

The best sounding amp I've ever played (and I've played just about all of 'em, from Fender to Dumble and Matchless; talk about an over-priced amp!) was a Speedster. The thing looks like a Buggati roadster. Unbelievable sounding amp. Again, not cheap, but an incredible sound...

Steve

[meridian]

The best sounding amp I've ever played (and I've played just about all of 'em, from Fender to Dumble and Matchless; talk about an over-priced amp!) was a Speedster. The thing looks like a Buggati roadster. Unbelievable sounding amp. Again, not cheap, but an incredible sound...

Steve

I think Dennis used to have a very cool pic of his Speedster amp (and a K22!) on the Forum. Lemme see if I can find it. I love the "Bugatti Roadster" thing. How many of the 20 sumptin's have a clue as to what that is? hehehe

Are those TGF pics still up somewhere???

[WoodNut]

The best sounding amp I've ever played (and I've played just about all of 'em, from Fender to Dumble and Matchless; talk about an over-priced amp!) was a Speedster. The thing looks like a Buggati roadster. Unbelievable sounding amp. Again, not cheap, but an incredible sound...

Steve

I think Matchless amps are a little over hyped, and priced, as well. I'm not familar with the speedster though...

[Chicago Sandy]

If you're going with a Pod, why not look into a Parker Fly (or if you don't mind the weight, the cheaper Nitefly)? You will have a very easy-playing guitar that will sound like your choice of dozens of electrics with the tap of a toe and the flip of a switch--even acoustic for those "power ballad" intros.

[LarryH in Texas]

If you want a Gibson-type guitar without the Gibson price, look at Heritage. The company was started by Gibson employees who wanted to stay in Kalamazoo, rather than move to Nashville.

Epiphones can be good, but quality control can be spotty. More than a few people buy an Epi and upgrade the pickups, pots and pickup selector switches to get a near-Gibson for much less than a Gibson.

Gibson also makes electric guitars that aren't Les Pauls or SG's. Look at the semi-hollow models, such as the ES330 and ES335 (and their Epiphone equivalents, the Casino and the Riviera). The Epiphone Sheraton II also deserves a look.

[Heliman]

Epiphones can be good, but quality control can be spotty. More than a few people buy an Epi and upgrade the pickups, pots and pickup selector switches to get a near-Gibson for much less than a Gibson.

The new Epi Elitist are made with Gibson Made In USA parts. The pickups are even made a Gibson's facility in the US out of the same wiring and materials used in their other pickups. Also, from what I have seen, the Elitists are almost shoulder to shoulder with Gibson, Nashville quality and are a notch or two above Gibson, Memphis quality control.

Now if you are talking about the made in China version Epiphones, that's a WHOLE different animal!!!

Respectfully yours,

Heliman

[LarryH in Texas]

Thanks, chopperguy.

The Epi's from the Samick factory are the only ones I've seen. Wonder if the Elitist lines make the Joe Pass model; wouldn't mind having a jazzbox.

[meridian]

Thanks, chopperguy.

The Epi's from the Samick factory are the only ones I've seen. Wonder if the Elitist lines make the Joe Pass model; wouldn't mind having a jazzbox.

Here's the website . . .

Epiphone Elitist (http://www.epiphone.com/elitist/)

[LarryH in Texas]

Thanks, Joe.

No Joe Pass model, but they do list the Broadway and the Byrdland.

Have to doubt the claim of 24K gold (even if it is plating) on the hardware. Pure gold is too darn soft and will probably wear away all too quickly.

[aggie182]

The best sounding amp I've ever played (and I've played just about all of 'em, from Fender to Dumble and Matchless; talk about an over-priced amp!) was a Speedster. The thing looks like a Buggati roadster. Unbelievable sounding amp. Again, not cheap, but an incredible sound...

Steve

ive heard a dumble amp is the best amp ever made by far. is that true steve?

[Steve314]

ive heard a dumble amp is the best amp ever made by far. is that true steve?

Well, that's subjective, really. I do believe they're just about the most expensive. I think there's a 100 watt head that sells for about $12,000.00. But is it "the best"? I dunno'. I'd have a hard time giving up my Bluesbreaker for one; I like the sound of the Marshall that much. And, even at the price, the Dumble wasn't the best sounding amp, to my ears anyway, that I've ever played. That distinction goes to Speedster. Here's a link to a Guitar Player article on one of their amps: Speedster (http://archive.guitarplayer.com/archive/gear/speedstr.shtml).

No, both the Dumble and the Speedster are hand-built; hand-wired, yadayadayada, and you can only do so much hand-wiring on an amp before it's completely handwired. The variable then becomes the proficiency of the person doing the wiring, and the components they use.

Is a Dumble worth it? Well, they were worth it for Stevie Ray, but he had a bit more of a robust checking account than I do...

Steve