A strummer who wants to go electric

[rcase1957]

Hi,

I am a strummer (a good one, but still) that wants to start playing electric. Any suggestion on what guitar(s) would be a starting place? Let me know.

RC

[Doubleneck]

I think guitar playing is in your head and your heroes. I wanted to be Neil Young so after playing acoustic all my life at age 40 I saw a 1974 Les Paul Custom in the paper and bought it. Its not old blackie but its close. All my other friends buy Fenders but to me the Les Paul is the classic electric guitar. I really don't play it that much now but it is a pleasure just to own and look at a times.
Steve

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by rcase1957

Hi,

I am a strummer (a good one, but still) that wants to start playing electric. Any suggestion on what guitar(s) would be a starting place? Let me know.

RC

Start by playing classics (guitars and amps). Test them with the same amp as you shop.

I came from 25 years of acoustic before an electric and sometimes wonder if that's why I love my Telecaster most (shape and bridge). I also have Strat and humbucker (PRS).

The TDPRI site is a very good one to learn about electrics and it's great in general. It's _the_ Tele site but full of knowledgeable people who love far more than Telecasters. Think of it as a good community before being just a Telecaster place.

I mostly love clean tones and neck pickup playing if that helps explain any bias I might have.

Classics that I describe would be Telecaster, Stratocaster, Les Paul, ES-335 and similar. Classic amps to try first would be "tweed" and "blackface" Fender style.

My favorite amps are "Princetons" whether tweed or blackface and the amp known as Blues Junior is one you'll probably find at most stores. Tube amps are more responsive and can make you sound both better and worse. Battery powered practice amps don't have the best tone but are very nice to have.

Be careful about stereotypes too. I think of how people may say a Less Paul is a rock guitar or Telecaster country etc...

Have fun shopping.

[GmanJeff]

Too many variables here: budget, neck shape preference, type of sound desired, whether weight or body shape/headstock design are considerations, etc. I suggest your try some of the "classic" electric guitars in your price range, such as a Gibson Les Paul (or the Epiphone equivalent), Stratocaster (Fender or less expensive Squier version), Telecaster, ES-335, and SG. If you plan to play a specific type of music, like rockabilly or metal, you might want to look at brands most associated with those genres (arguably Gretsch and ESP or Jackson, in this example). Your choice of amplifier and speaker configuration will also have a tremendous impact on the sound you get from any guitar, so be sure to try guitars with the same amps that you're considering.

[mr. beaumont]

I always felt that a good old fat necked small fretted telecaster would really appeal to cats who've previously only played acoustic. The simplicity would probably also be a big part of the appeal.

there's always archtops too...you can get one with a pickup routed in that's very much an electric guitar, but will still respond and feel more like an acoustic.

[ForcesUndivided]

You go with the Les Paul Standard or Standard Premium Plus. Why...it will always have a place in your collection. Not like an American Strat that can be one upped by a G&L or vice versa depending on taste, the Les Paul Standard has no substitute; it really doesn't. People will put there own two cents on this, but really, I mean really, it's just one of those guitars you will eventually own so just get it now and learn on a workhorse. That's all I got...

[mchalebk]

As a guy who plays mostly rhythm guitar when I'm playing electric, I really prefer the Tele. If you're going to only play rhythm, the more important question might be: what strings should you use? I would suggest at least using a wound G-string.

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by mchalebk

As a guy who plays mostly rhythm guitar when I'm playing electric, I really prefer the Tele. If you're going to only play rhythm, the more important question might be: what strings should you use? I would suggest at least using a wound G-string.

And I just happen to have a Like New MINT Tele that I am looking to part with.

[ELK]

There are good reasons to try several types - the neck scales are different (Fender's is longer than Gibson's/Epiphone's, PRS's is in between the other two); the thickness and shape of the necks vary; and even the angles of the neck to the body are different (A fender neck is straight in line with the body, a Gibson or Epiphone Les Paul neck is at a slight angle to the body, which has an arched top). You will probably find that one type feels better to you than another, even if you haven't been an electric player.

[JimLin]

I own several electrics including Les Paul, Strats, Teles, G&L, etc. I like them all but if I had to choose one it would be a Strat. If you feel the need for a humbucker sound, get a strat (or strat clone) with a humbucker in the bridge. IMO I have found that a strat covers more sounds than other designs. Strats are very easy to mod/hotrod and have great versatility and great tone stock.

[HudsDad]

I primarily play electric and have a dozen Strats, Teles and Les Pauls in my guitar room. All of them handle strumming just fine and I don't think that any of them are any better than the other for that purpose.

However, the best electric I ever played from a "pure strumming" perspective was probably an ES-335. Something about the shape, weight and balance of that guitar just makes you want to stand in front of your amp and strum all day long. Every couple of years I buy one, keep it for a while and trade it away for some reason. Guess it's about time I picked up another one...

[backliner]

Originally Posted by rcase1957

Hi,

I am a strummer (a good one, but still) that wants to start playing electric. Any suggestion on what guitar(s) would be a starting place? Let me know.

RC

Solidbody electrics generally have a lot more sustain, and generally much lighter strings than acoustics, so adjustments will come in time.
For a first electric you may like something like a Godin Kingpin, which is still fairly "acoustic" feeling, but has a magnetic pickup built in, but you could get close to that sound with a magnetic soundhole pickup on a Flat-top guitar.

Semi-acoustic (AKA semi-hollowbodies) by Ibanez, et al, in the shape of Gibson ES-335 type guitars are mostly electric.

Fender started the solidbody craze with the Telecaster. Gibson followed suit with the Les Paul. There are also designs by Rickenbacker. Imports can be less expensive.

It's as endless as acoustic guitars.

[vbf]

With respect to the strat and tele fans fans here I'm partial to a Gibson Les Paul. You can get a studio faded for a reasonable price and have all the glorious Les Paul warmth, sustain, and versatility.

[schooner]

As the saying goes: "A Tele covers everything."

Your note doesn't say what you want to play or what your preferences are with the guitars you have. I say play everything you can get your hands on. Find the guitar that sounds and feels right for you and go for it.

I have owned a humbucking Strat, a Les Paul, a 335 and a T5, but was not in love with any of them. Now, as I am making a serious commitment to electrics, an American Standard Strat is calling to me as a versatile, easy playing instrument that does a great job on the type of music that I play (mostly blues).

Do this for you and forget about other people's prejudices that from your standpoint are less rational than your own! Buy a quality guitar that sounds and feels right to you.

[sachi]

I'm about to get an Epiphone Casino myself. Not sure which of the different versions I'll pop for yet, though - I'd prefer inexpensive but it depends on the quality.

(I had a '65 Casino, new. Wish I still had it now!)