#1
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Beginner Electric with Amp? What do you recommend?
Hi, I have a friend just starting up and he wants to learn on electric. Anything to watch out for? Looks like it's really cheap to get up and running with a Strat and a cheap amp.
Not looking for an acoustic. Strat seems like a good place to start but open to recommendations. Amps? Thanks so much! |
#2
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Avoid Squier Bullet series. affinity series is solid, but pickups are less than brilliant. The Classic Vibe series are good, period, but $399.
For the money, The Yamaha Pacifica 112v is a fantastic buy. Good hardware, durable and Alnico pickups. If I were starting over, I would get one of these two or a Classic Vibe Tele. Amps? Big bag 'o worms here. I would recommend a small tube amp. Bugera V5 Blackstar HT1R Supro Bluies King 8 I can also highly recomend the Orange Micro Terror paired with a 10' or 12" inch cab. If they buy a decent guitar, but cheap out on the amp, they will regret it and vice versa. For $600-700 you can get a great sounding, high quality rig. For 3 bills + they can go with a Fender Champion 20 and an Affinity Strat or Tele. Several steps below, but still good, solid gear to learn on.
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Roy Ibanez, Recording King, Gretsch, Martin G&L, Squier, Orange (x 2), Bugera, JBL, Soundcraft Our duo website - UPDATED 7/26/19 |
#3
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I would suggest a Fender Champion 40 for the amp. It's a solid state amp, 12 inch speaker 40 watts. Have a small amount of built in effects , and 2 channel with channel switching via an optional footswitch. So I think it will satisfy a new guitarist for awhile. New they are $200, might see a used one at $125-$150.It's
You could drop down to a Fender Champion 20 and pay less. 8 inch speaker single channel, but effects are the same between the two. |
#4
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#5
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Of course we have no real budget or stylistic parameters in this question yet. You mentioned Strats are cheap, and that can be so depending on one's appreciation of inexpensive.
A few very general observations: Inexpensive electric guitars are often pretty good these days. In constant dollars they are extraordinarily cheap. I think the classic Fender designs clone best at the lowest price ranges compared to the classic Gibson or some other popular designs. They also are also easier to setup, mod, and maintain (electronics easy to get to, bolt on necks). Whatever the person gets should be setup if you want the best experience. I like the sound of the Strat "Tremelo" myself, but when that setup is done, if the player isn't interested in the up-bend capability, have it setup "decked". This is easily reversed with another setup if they change their mind and still allows down-pitch vibrato. If they have no interest in vibrato via the bridge, have it blocked ala the "Eric Clapton" setup. This makes the Strat a fixed bridge guitar, and is also reversible. Amps are even more controversial and more tied to stylistic preferences. There are two ways to go when learning, and I think both are valid. I believe it depends on the person which is the "right choice." One is the keep it simple and uncolored so that the person is learning how to operate the electric guitar in a straightforward context. There should be posts soon on inexpensive tube amps (and lots of other threads here on that subject). The other route is an inexpensive modeling amp which is more suited for the player whose interest is in the expansive timbral capabilities of electric guitar playing. Modern examples allow one emulate various kinds of amps if one doesn't yet have a favorite amp sound, include a good basic set of effects that would cost way more than the amp itself to buy and start to explore, and can produce various "loud guitar" like textures and lower volumes (or even over headphones). Hope any of this helps. I see that you have a lot of posts, so I ask for forgiveness if these are things that you already know. If that's the case, consider this a FAQ for others that might read the thread.
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----------------------------------- Creator of The Parlando Project Guitars: 20th Century Seagull S6-12, S6 Folk, Seagull M6; '00 Guild JF30-12, '01 Martin 00-15, '16 Martin 000-17, '07 Parkwood PW510, Epiphone Biscuit resonator, Merlin Dulcimer, and various electric guitars, basses.... |
#6
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As to SS modelers vs tube or tube hybrid amps here are my thoughts. A modeling amp will expose the player to a variety of sounds, but many players get extremely distracted and wrapped up in tinkering when they should spend that time learning guitar skills. A good (especially 2 channel) tube amp will give a newbie more than enough to explore without being a distraction - hence my tube amp recommendations. My .02 FWIW
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Roy Ibanez, Recording King, Gretsch, Martin G&L, Squier, Orange (x 2), Bugera, JBL, Soundcraft Our duo website - UPDATED 7/26/19 |
#7
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IIRC the "Strat Pack" from Fender comes with guitar and amp and it's the Affinity series Squier in there along with a cable, strap and picks. All for about $250 - $300.
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#8
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I sit firmly on the side of a solid state modelling amp like a Roland Cube or better still Fender Mustang for home players starting out. (Cheaper and more versatile than a tube amp and will allow you to experiment to find your sound preferences if/when you decide to purchase a tube amp and a whole bunch of pedals).
Good luck! |
#9
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I would recommend a Yamaha Pacifica 112v with alnico pickups and a Fender Champion 20 amp. $300 for the guitar and $130 for the amp.
I'm totally happy with that set-up. Often amazed at the amp and the playability of the Yamaha solid body electric. I desire a nice tube amp but there certainly is no need for it.
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Play it Pretty |
#10
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Thanks so much for all the replies! To the budget question I’m just guessing, but he’s in his 40s and fairly well off. But assume he’d not want to spend a lot as a beginner. Sub $500 would be a guess.
Stylistically no idea, as he’s a total beginner. My advice to him was not to spend too much as he’ll figure out what he likes as he progresses. He doesn’t know what he wants to play yet, but mentioned some Indian lyric versions of western songs. Appreciate the answers. |
#11
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Yamaha Pacifica 112v - $300 Fender Champion 20 - $130 Clip-on tuner - $20 Decent Gig bag - $40 Cable - $15 Picks - $5 Strap - $10 Cheap stand - $15 3 pack strings - $15 Total - $550 + tax Good luck to your friend!!
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Roy Ibanez, Recording King, Gretsch, Martin G&L, Squier, Orange (x 2), Bugera, JBL, Soundcraft Our duo website - UPDATED 7/26/19 |
#12
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My local music store has just the thing in their used section.
If used is an option, there are usually strats galore from people trading up. A used Roland Cube or Peavey Vyper amp is a good starter. |
#13
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buy used, everything i have was used and saved a bundle
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Fender GDC 200 S Telecaster-(build) Squier 51 Fender Strat Partscaster Ibanez SR400 EQM bass |
#14
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When I was teaching the standard advice to my students (and their parents) was always "buy the best you can afford"; while I'm not suggesting a $2K USA Strat and $2500 hand-wired '64 Deluxe Reverb reissue the Mexi-Fenders offer an excellent combination of tone and quality per dollar spent - and IME would be a better investment than any of the recent Squiers I've handled...
I'm also firmly on the side of a simple WYSIWYG low-/mid-power analog amp - tube or solid-state - as a first purchase: since he's just getting his feet wet it's an easy introduction to the building blocks of electric-guitar tone/technique, if he stays with it he'll always have a use for an amp of this type (home practice, small gigs, etc.), and he won't have a cornucopia of bells and whistles driving him into sensory overload... Unless you're going with him to personally vet his choices, he'd be better off buying new rather than used - IME that factory warranty can be worth its weight in gold (even with far more expensive gear than what he's considering)... Here's a setup that can be had for well under $1K, that'll provide a combination of playability, quality, and tone that won't either have him looking to upgrade in three months or drive him away in frustration: https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guit...lectric-guitar https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...ic-guitar-case (FYI the black version will cost about as much as a decent gig bag with the current 25% off sale) https://www.musiciansfriend.com/ampl...itar-combo-amp
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) Last edited by Steve DeRosa; 01-29-2020 at 01:21 PM. |
#15
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Keep it simple, keep it good.
Fender Player Telecaster. Your friend will change amps over the course of time but this is a lifetime guitar. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guit...caster&index=1 One of these Orange amps will be just fine to start with. https://www.guitarcenter.com/Orange-...14265089390.gc
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stai scherzando? |