What should I expect to spend on an intermediate electric rig

[rokdog49]

$500-$1000 will get you a list so long you won’t be able to choose.
Good luck.

[1neeto]

$1500 you’re going well past good giggable gear that will spend most of the time in the room. Especially if you go used.

$500 will do if you shop the right used gear. And used low-mid grade practice gear like MIM Fenders and solid state/modeling amps or even some tube amps, are plentiful. And you’ll have minimal investment loss when you resell. You could buy a $350 Squier Classic Vibe strat, and sell it for $300 5 years later. Used modeling amps with 12” speakers are plentiful in the less than $200 range. You won’t keep your staring gear unless you go premium. Buy used.

[GCWaters]

MIM Strat or Tele, used, and a Yamaha THR-10...you're in under $1000. If you decide you want to play out later, you can then pick an amp that will work in the venues you anticipate playing...

[Dru Edwards]

Is there any way you can borrow one of your brother-in-law's guitars? Or play his guitars at his house? I think a couple of the biggest things you want to determine is whether you prefer the Gibson Les Paul/SG tone and playability vs the Strat/Tele. I'm generalizing here because there's more than that.

Also, the amp will give you ~50% of your tone.

[SecondCity]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Is there any way you can borrow one of your brother-in-law's guitars? Or play his guitars at his house? I think a couple of the biggest things you want to determine is whether you prefer the Gibson Les Paul/SG tone and playability vs the Strat/Tele. I'm generalizing here because there's more than that.

Also, the amp will give you ~50% of your tone.

This might be the way to go. He’s moving right now, so out of pocket for a few weeks, but would be down to jam. He’s a good dude. It’s my wife’s sister (who, obviously, happens to live with him) that’s the problem, lol.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by SecondCity

This might be the way to go. He’s moving right now, so out of pocket for a few weeks, but would be down to jam. He’s a good dude. It’s my wife’s sister (who, obviously, happens to live with him) that’s the problem, lol.

I find that my preferences for electrics regarding scale length/nut width are completely different than what I like on acoustics so don't assume that what you like on acoustic carries forward on electric. It's exciting to get into the world of electrics and like already mentioned used is an excellent way to start.

[SecondCity]

It does seem fun. I’m starting to think I should have titled this thread “how can I open an enormous can of worms.” Very cool stuff, but lots to figure out.

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by SecondCity

Thanks all. This is helpful. To help clarify:

1. I’m totally fine with used. I also have a brother in law who plays, who can likely help me assess whether something used is broken.

2. For now, I’m thinking a home practice rig. If I need to play out, I can get a new amp then, but this would be for playing at home will the kids sleep, and practicing.

3. I’d like a range of sonic options. I don’t listen to metal, but would like to play a range of 70s rock and more modern 90s stuff. Like The Band, maybe some Pink Floyd, but also Green Day. Stuff my parents played me, and stuff I listened to in high school, basically.

Used MIM Tele or Strat (can usually be had in the $350-450 range). The Squier Classic Vibe series is also incredibly good. Orange Crush 20rt or 35rt or a Blackstar HT-1R. The Roland Blues Cube Hot is a good choice too and sounds good from speaking volume to shaking walls when cranked more money, but more amp and gig worthy.

The Crush stuff has great cleans and can do Green Day, AC/DC and Nirvana dirt all day long. Pair it with a decent OD pedal and you effectively would have a 3 channel amp.

FWIW, I generally prefer tube and hybrid amps, but they need to be pushed a bit (even one 1/2 watt 1/3rd the way up would wake your entire household.

SS amps sound the same at low volume as they do louder and the 35rt is also gig worthy and affordable - not to mention light weight.

Modelers like the Katana and Mustang just don't appeal to me - too many options can lead to more fidgeting than playing, but they also have a ton of variety of tones. Not my bag, but may be yours.

Simple with great tone is always my first choice. For a first guitar and wanting to get to Green Day without humbuckers? The Tele would be my choice over a Strat.

You can easily put together a practice/gigging setup for 1K or less. The biggest chore is figuring out what you prefer - this takes a while IMO.

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

$500-$1000 will get you a list so long you won’t be able to choose.
Good luck.

This is very, very true.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by SecondCity

I've been toying with getting an electric rig. I've put in a few years on acoustic, and thought it might be fun to have a different "sound"...

I was thinking something like a MIM Strat or maybe a PRS SE 24, for the guitar. Amps, I know nothing about. How much will an amp good enough to justify such a guitar run me? Used is fine. I know an expensive guitar run through a cheap amp sounds like...a cheap amp. So I'd rather avoid that, and the upgrade cycle.

Just trying to get a sense of what this project would likely cost, so I can assess how badly I'd really like to try this.

Working backwards, plan on spending $1000-1500 depending on what guitar/amp floats your boat tonally; with a little wise shopping you could match a $600 guitar with a $400 (tube) amp (both new), a $1300 (new) guitar with a $200 (used SS) amp, an $800 guitar with a $600 amp (both new), with no compromises in either QC or tone - I think you get the idea...

Building on the above, you're absolutely right when you recognize the importance of a good amp to your tone; by the same token, if you're just getting your feet wet I'd recommend a straight-ahead analog amp (tube or SS) with a minimum of bells-&-whistles. At this stage of the game keep the learning curve shallow, until you get a handle on the basics of tone - since you have several years experience you already know when it sounds good (or not), and speaking as a summa cum loudly graduate of the Hard Knocks School of Electric Guitar Tone (Class of 1966) who got his in-the-trenches experience at church-basement/legion-hall dances in the days before stompboxes, IME you'll find it more rewarding in both the short and long run to learn how twisting a dial or two will alter your tone, rather than the "instant gratification" mentality of a modeling rig...

While MIM Fenders and the PRS SE line both come by their reputation honestly - I've played both and worked with a studio guy who used a MIM Nashville Tele as his main guitar - if you're accustomed to a larger guitar you might want to consider a full-size hollowbody or semi-hollow, for both its tonal and handling qualities; while semis can be heavy - often in the same 8-9 lb. range as a typical solidbody - many hollows scale in from the low-sixes to the mid-sevens, more familiar territory to a converted acoustic guitarist and IME an asset if you also sing when you play (ever notice that both John Lennon and Paul McCartney - the Beatles' principal vocalists - used lightweight hollowbody instruments during their touring days?)...

Just by way of example here's an under-$1500 practice/performing rig that'll give you all the tone you could want and, in spite of its modest price and "intermediate" status, will IME provide full professional-quality tone and playability - and while GAS is always a factor, you may never need anything else:

From the Sweetwater website:

• Guitar: Gretsch G5422TDC double-cut hollowbody ($849) https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...y-orange-stain
• Case: Gator Jouneyman semi-hollow tweed case ($129) https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...dy-guitar-case
• Performing/practice amp: Bugera V22 1x12" tube combo ($399) https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...tube-combo-amp
• Low-volume/headphone amp: Bugera V5 1x8" tube combo ($229) https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...tube-combo-amp

Total: $1606
Less 15%: -241 (ask for it when you order - they'll usually honor your request IME, especially around holidays)
Net cost: $1365

There are other such combinations to be had, with a little bit of research: search the manufacturers'/dealers' websites, get a better handle on what might best suit your musical tastes/needs, then get out there and do a little hands-on testing - IME half the fun of the whole experience...

[perttime]

There's so many guitars and amps out there that you might love - or not.
$1,500 has been mentioned as a ball park figure, and it should be enough.

Guitars:
Scale length: Stratocaster and Telecaster style guitars have the longest scale length of common electrics, at 25.5". "Gibson style" necks have 24.75". PRS splits the difference.

Nut width: Fender style guitars tend towards narrow nuts and Gibson style are generally a little wider.

Fingerboard radius: Fender style guitars tend towards smaller radius and Gibson style are generally more flat.

Pickups: single coil pickups are brighter, humbuckers can give more deep and powerful sounds. Many humbuckers can be "split" to give single-coil-like sounds.

Amps:
There are many ways to go nowadays. Tube amps, analog solid state amps, and "modelers" have been mentioned.

Now, I tend to favor preamps with cabinet emulation, plugged into full frequency powered speakers (monitor speakers or acoustic amps, for example). There are lots of options, now, for such preamps, with and without tubes.

For guitars, I am now GASing for an Ibanez AR520H: a semi-hollow take on the 1980s Les Paul killer guitar. Great looks (IMO), great humbucking pickups with switching options for different tones. (Looks like Sweetwater does not have them in stock at the moment) https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...c-guitar-black

[phcorrigan]

Here's what I did:

Gretsch Electromatic G5420TG, with case, used for $640.
Bugera V22 Infinium tube amp, new, $400

Now add the strap ($30-40), a stand ($45), cables, pedals, etc, and there's a couple hundred more.

I've always liked the Gretsch sound, especially in the hands of musicians like Chet Atkins, so this was really the only electric I looked at. BTW, the Korean-built Gretsch Electromatics are excellent!

[Nama Ensou]

Spend as much or as little as you like and you can still come up with a pro-giggable rig as long as you put some effort into making your choices.

Most important (if you'd prefer to make your dollar stretch) is don't buy anything new, and don't buy anything without some research into what you're getting.

Bottom line is, depending on your tastes and choices, you could spend as little as a few hundred, and up to a few thousand to come up with a good intermediate level rig worthy of playing for a living.

[joebloggs]

Gibson are making excellent guitars these days. I would get a Les Paul. Amp wise...why not tubes...a Princeton or a Deluxe Reverb...SS you can go with the Tone Master series.

[nightchef]

Agree that MIM Fender is probably the best value in a thoroughly gig-worthy electric guitar. The HSS Strats get a lot of praise for their versatility, because you can get classic Strat sounds but also Gibson-esque classic rock crunch from the bridge humbucker.

Alternatively, you could go for an Epiphone Les Paul or Sheraton, or a Gretsch Electromatic.

Any of the above will run you in the $700-$900 range new. Right now is a bad time to buy used, though that may improve as we emerge from the COVID shadow. But probably you could get a guitar like the above with no major problems for about $500 used, maybe even a bit less if you’re patient.

For an amp, you might be better off with a non-tube option to start with, if only because of the additional flexibility it will offer about volume levels in a home practice situation. I’d look at the new Quilter Aviator Cub — $600 new with some tonal flexibility, very lightweight and by all accounts, can get as loud as you need it to be—as well as the Fender Tone Master amps and Roland Blues Cube.

However, if you’re really sure this is just for home practice, and you’d get a bigger/better amp for gigging anyway, you could go smaller/cheaper than that, and go for a boombox-sized modeling amp. I bought one of these a few years back, and have been extremely happy with it for bedroom practicing/noodling:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ling-combo-amp

Yes, it looks ridiculous, but if it’s never seeing a stage, who cares? It sounds great, and can get surprisingly loud. (It’s fabulous for house party jams.)