#16
|
||||
|
||||
For $500 you're really gonna be limited in either the guitar or amp. Stretch to $600-$700 and you can a Classic Vibe tele or strat (as others have recommended - I strongly endorse one of these, probably a tele for a beginner since it's a simpler guitar, fewer ways to get into trouble) or an Epiphone SG or Les Paul, which are also great values in that $400 neighborhood. But I wouldn't settle for a Blackstar Fly. It's a good little practice amp but any teenage kid worth his hormones is gonna want more kick that that amp has in it. For around $200-$250 you can get a used Katana 50 or a new Bugera V5 or some kind of Fencer Mustang, or a host of other pretty decent little amps that will pack a LOT more punch than the Fly. You may get lucky and come in around $600, it may be closer to $700, depending on what you find. But at that price you'll find good enough gear that it won't discourage him from playing and it'll be a while before he outgrows it. At $500, you're either gonna get a crap guitar or amp or both. You can do a LOT better for a little more $$.
-Ray
__________________
"It's just honest human stuff that hadn't been near a dang metronome in its life" - Benmont Tench |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
Is it really true that you can't get a decent amp for under $200 for a beginner to play at home? The Orange crush 20 and Fender Champ 20 are both around $140 new (can be found for less on facebook/craiglist). That still leave $300-$400 for a guitar to keep it under $500 total.
For those recommending 50W amps, isn't that a bit of overkill? I'm not trying to argue but genuinely curious, mostly because I'm a beginner with a Fender Champ 20 and it's been great for me.
__________________
2021 Fender Telecaster (Player Series) 2014 Yamaha FS700 2020 Rouge RD80 - sold 2014 Epiphone Les Paul Junior - sold |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
For indie rock, another thing to consider would be a Squier Affinity Jazzmaster -- it has a little more of that "pawnshop vibe" than most guitars in this price range. (I've never played one, FWIW.)
__________________
Martin HD-28 Eastman E10OM Guild D50 Martin D12X1AE LaPatrie CW Concert |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
MusiciansFriend has a small solid state amp for $99 as today's Stupid Deal of the Day.
Nothing earth shattering but good to start on. I have the earlier version, nice stereo chorus. |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
I have both of these and endorse this recommendation. You could actually gig with this outfit.
__________________
2002 SCGC OM/PW 2002 Takamine EF341-SC 2008 Collings MT2 2014 Republic Resolian 800 1985 Al Rice Cedar/Braz archtop dreadnought 1964 Framus Dreadnought 3 Telecasters MIM/Squier/Partscaster 1980 Gibson SG 2005 Ibanez AS83 1974 Princeton Reverb 1990 DRRI |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Another vote for a Squier Classic Vibe Strat or Tele.
For a Gibson style, Epiphone does it nicely, although I am not at all familiar with the models at the bottom of the line. The mid and upper level models are decent. I haven't played any amps in the price range lately, so I'll refrain from trying to answer that! |
#23
|
||||
|
||||
Does he have a guitar hero? Favorite genre? Id let that guide me to any of the great, affordable suggestions above.
__________________
Dave F ************* Martins Guilds Gibsons A few others 2020 macbook pro i5 8GB Scarlett 18i20 Reaper 7 |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
My suggestion is above budget but would be a heck of a kit...
Adorama often sells the Fender MIM strats and teles in Pacific Blue at $519. Add the new Fender Mustang Micro amp for $100.
__________________
Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s, Gibson Les Paul Junior, Martin 000-15m |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Check Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, etc for a used one as new is pretty much going to blow the $500 budget. FWIW, I saw a gen 1 Fender Mustang amp today on Craigslist for $80. It’s a decent amp that will be plenty loud to make his parents miserable and it has a headphone jack for silent practice. It also has an aux input to practice with an iPhone/iPad/etc. Check the Mustang carefully if you find one as the input jack breaks away from the PCB if you aren’t careful.
__________________
Coupla Martins, coupla Gibsons, a few Taylors, and an Alvarez. "Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind." Twelfth Doctor |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
squier are great.
I've always loved Encore strats...... I have had one for 30 years which has had a LOT of butchering (sorry, modification) and another that I got a year ago and routed out, topped with maple and fitted an acoustic bridge and preamp to.... SOUNDS like an acoustic, plays like a strat....... as to amp..... any cheap 15w practice amp and a multi FX unit to allow him to experiment. Zoom on ebay for £20. I have 2 POD Live XT multiFX units that I absolutely love.
__________________
Quote:
|
#27
|
|||
|
|||
__________________
Breedlove, Landola, a couple of electrics, and a guitar-shaped-object |