Suggestions for First Electric?
I have a couple of nice acoustics, including higher end Gibsons and Martins. Thinking about first electric. A few considerations:
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I think a Yamaha Pacifica is at least worth a look OP. It's a great entry level Price guitar that punches above its price.
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Imported Strat or Strat copy. Lots of tonal options with different pickup combinations, very comfortable (much more than a Les Paul style IMO), and they're popular so if you don't like it or want to upgrade, you can re-sell it easily. They run the spectrum, from Buddy Holly to Gilmour and Knopfler to the heaviest metal.
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Play a few before you decide, but in the $500 and under range there are a ton of new and used guitars that are really quite excellent. Gibsons and the Gibson clones have a warmer, mid-rangier tone, and a shorter scale, on the whole, while fenders and all their clones tend to have a brighter tone and a longer scale, with a narrower nut width. I would personally go to a store and play a bunch, then scope out your local craig's list or a Facebook page for selling musical instruments in your area. You'll pick up a nice used instrument for around half price pretty easily. I personally have both fender and gibson clones (Godin and a Epiphone) and a real old Gibson Melody Maker.
I would submit that a good Squier Jazzmaster would be an excellent choice - but decide if you want a whammy bar or a stop tailpiece first. |
A Telecaster answers a lot of questions. They are simple, sturdy with only one design shortcoming (the jack cup, which can be remedied with 3rd party replacements), woody sounding in neck and both pickup positions, usually not particularly heavy, amenable to most acoustic guitar techniques, and versatile.
When you mention players you like, only the Knopfler Strat "quack" isn't in the cards from a standard Tele. Three pickup (sometimes called "Nashville") Teles will quack nicely however. I have a J Macis Jazzmaster. A very nice guitar and reasonably priced. I love Jaguars and Jazzmasters, but the standard bridge on them can be finicky to setup to work, particularly without heavier strings. The J Macis Jazzmaster uses a standard TuneOMatic type bridge and that avoids those problems. The Jazzmaster can cover a lot of territory sound wise, but again, that Stratocaster "quack" sound from pickup positions 2 and 4 is not there. Mine is also fairly lightweight. Strats are probably the most popular electric guitar design of all time. They can sound just great. Guitars with "tremolo" bridges can take a little more time to get setup right, but of course are sounds that such bridges make too. I slightly prefer the Jazzmaster "tremolo" bridge design once the bridge issues is addressed (and the J Macis Jazzmaster addresses this out of the box) but a great many users of the "whammy bar" demonstrate that the Strat design works for them. Two of your target artists are identified with the Strat. And of course there are many other choices. The usual suggestion to "play a few and see what you like" comes to mind. |
Teles get my vote as well. Next to my acoustics, my Tele gets the most playing time. I just bought a second one because I like my first so much (both of them are custom shops that I bought used). I never play my Strat or my Les Pauls.
I think the versatility of a semi-hollow is nice too, that should be high on the list especially given you are looking to play more melodic stuff. My next guitar will be definitely be a Gibson ES-335, super fun to play. Play a few and see what you like. I think buying used is almost always the best way to go. |
Definitely used. Like the other poster a good tele covers 80% of sounds out there. Even Jimmie Page used one for the first couple of Zepp albums. You can get some nice used American Std teles at about $800 and some Mexicalis for $400ish. Also check G&L teles...some great prices in their import line- Tribute, I think, is the name.
Big fan of the semi hollow like a Gibson 335 or Heritage 535. If price is a hurdle I have tried some Guild semis that are really nice for $700 or so used. Also Eastman makes a nice semi, the T386, that is very nice and can be had used for $600 ish. Finally the PRS SE imports are great. They are nicely made and very versatile. There is one guitar that has a tone that other guitars struggle to match. THE STRAT. But I would try all and would tell you to lean Tele used American Std. If you buy it right you will lose little to nothing on sale..it is a keeper if you decide to expand and Teles just are so friendly. They are nice to others in the barnyard. |
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 50s' Telecaster or Fender Squier Classic Vibe 50s' Stratocaster, depending on whether you like strats or teles. Done.
Just be aware that while the Classic Vibe line offers an incredible amount of guitar for not much money (under $400 new), there are some compromises, particularly on the hardware. For instance, on the strat, the trem is pretty much decoration. If you lay into it hard, you will massively pull the guitar out of tune. Really, the trem on a strat isn't particularly usable until you get up to the Fender American Std/Pro level. But that is OK, because most people don't use it anyway. |
Thanks, this is all very helpful.
Also, with respect to used, without knowing much about electrics, should I just look at relatively new guitars in VG+ condition, or also consider 30+ year old guitars and educate myself and get some help from someone that knows electrics, or is that likely to fall into requiring too much maintenance? |
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As far as sound goes, that is a personal choice. I like the warmer sounds of my Ibanez Blazer. Pickups can be changed if you don't like what you hear. As far as playability is concerned, try a few and see what you are comfortable with. I like the Strat style body, but could never warm to a Strat for playability. Always wanted a Les Paul but having tried to play (albeit a clone) one I found that I could not cope with the weight of the body. I do play Bass so overall weight is not my problem, I just could not cope with the balance. Don't lock yourself into a particular Brand as you may find that a cheaper Squire Strat might serve you as well as the equivalent Fender (e.g.)
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Fender Stratocaster for mine. (Classic guitar with a five way pickup switch, tremolo arm and contoured body together with options on fingerboard type and colours).
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