What Kind of Guitar

[FreqFlyerJD]

Anyone out there play the electric guitar? My son wants to learn how to play the electric guitar and I want to get him one for Christmas. Funds are a little short since I'm furloughed. Does anyone know of a fairly decent guitar brand for a beginner? Also, what kind of equipment should I also get for him?

 

[banned username 2]

My brother just bought his kid a Yamaha Electric Guitar with the Amp and a computerized guitar tuner at Sam's Club for like $180... Looks like a pretty nice guitar (for the money)... Hope this helps...

 

[Timebuilder]

First, buy him a guitar lesson. Do it before you buy the guitar.

When I was 10 or 11, I recall how easy it looked when people played on Hootenany! and Ed Sullivan. It was more difficult than I imagined, but I stuck with it because my dad was willing to pay for the lessons, and because, well, you'd have to know my dad.

Have him take a lesson with a bona fide instructor in guitar, as opposed to the average teen that works at a guitar store. Have the lesson use the kind of guitar that you are willing to buy, as this will determine the quality and the action of the neck to a large degree. You don't want him to fall in love with the smooth action of a Les Paul Special that costs several thousand dollars when the guitar you will buy will be no where near that nice to play.

If he shows the kind of interest that is necessary, the instructor should be able to tell if he is a good candidate for continued lessons, and a good candidate for this particular gift.

Good luck.

 

[skyking1976]

Some stores such as Guitar Center have fairly inexpesive guitars and amps. I'd check there or try consignment stores such as Music-Go-Round. Hope this helps...

SK

 

[pavelump]

You can probably find an inexpensive guitar at Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc., but don't buy a CHEAP guitar.

A poorly made guitar can be more frustrating than the lack of musical knowledge that a beginner is already having to deal with.

I'd second the lesson idea. You can also ask the teacher if he has any ideas or maybe he has a used one.

Dave

 

[flx757]

I endorse one brand and one brand only....Carvin. Go to www.carvin.com Their technical sales people can advise you on any of their equipment, and will answer your questions and help you decide what is right for you, and not just try and sell you something, or something just because it is the most expensive. They make excellent guitars as well as pro audio equipment, and since you buy directly from the manufacturer, you get a quality that is unmatched by anyone for the price you pay.

I have two of their guitars and one of their amps, and would never consider anything else. You simply cannot find this quality at this price anywhere else. Plus, it is all made in USA...right in their Custom Shop in San Diego.

Now, I will admit that since their guitars are custom made to YOUR specitications, not theirs, they are somewhat more expensive than what you would pay at Guitar Center for a "starter kit". However, the quality is unmatched for what you pay. So, if you want a first quality instrument, made with top quality materials and flawless construction, at an exceptional value, they can't be beat. Check them out.

 

[flynearful]

Buy him a acoustic guitar first, Even if he wants an electric one.
Starting with an acousitc will make him a better player. After awile with the acoustic moving to an electric will be simple. Electric guitar are much easier to play..ie smoother etc...frets smaller and closer together. I have an IBANEZ electric and WASHBURN acoustic. Check out a used music store. One can find that used guitars are good quality.

Then again with an electric if he is just starting just add distortion and any thing he plays will sound alright.

 

[Super 80]

I'm not a guitar player. I am self-taught on a Yamaha 12 string I bought in Okinawa. I can play what I hear and what you show me.

I bought my son a Squire six string electric guitar with the Fender small practice amp last year when he was 12. He's completed a year of lessons so far with an instructor and he's coming along at his own pace.

If nothing else, I enjoy playing music I can't do on the twelve string, and I enjoy listening to my son play what he's learning.

Still trying to get him to do a ditty I know in G-C-D with an E thrown in for relief from YES. He has learned an appreciation for the classical rock guitar licks from the CD library I have.

I'm still trying to teach him Hesitation Blues from Hot Tuna.

 

[VNugget]

Don't discount the possibility of a used guitar. (Just make sure the frets aren't worn to the point that they are less round than a pane of glass.)

 

[Swass]

I play Fender's and have a Parker Fly. The Fly is a little on the high end but it is sweet sounding and the piezo pickup rules.

 

[FreqFlyerJD]

Thanks for the Info

Thanks everyone for the info. I feel like I am buying a new or used car! I guess I need to do some research about what all the terms mean before buying him one.

 

[Singlecoil]

I learned on a old electric and would recommend that as a starting point. Acoustics are much harder to play than a decent electric. Ibanez and Squire are brands that come to mind. A decent one should be had for $200-300.
Squeezing a tennis ball with the left hand (for right-handed players) is a good way to build arm strength as well.

 

[Timebuilder]

Still trying to get him to do a ditty I know in G-C-D with an E thrown in for relief from YES. He has learned an appreciation for the classical rock guitar licks from the CD library I have.

Playing Hesitation Blues after a year of lessons? He's better than I was if he is a candidate for that one!

I'll bet you can't wait to hear him play Howe's Mood for a Day. Always one of my favorites.

Find the tablature for McCartney's Blackbird. It's a simple progression without a lot of finger gymnastics. He can hear it on the White Album.

If he wants to be able to play a wide variety of stuff, it might be worth looking into the finger style of Lindsey Buckingham. Not only is it good for all of the Mac stuff, but it goes well for blues, folk, country, and classical.

Yes, it is a little like buying a car. By your second store visit you will have an idea about what is important to know.

 

[Tripower455]

IMHO, if he wants an electric, get him an electric! If the type of music that inspires him uses them, he will be more inclined to stick with it.

When I decided to start teaching myself how to wield the axe last year, many folks told me to get a decent accoustic first, then go into electric. I didn't listen, since what inspired me to play bwas the Classic Rock of the '60's to '80's, and got an Epiphone Les Paul, Crate GX-30M and a Pandora PX-4 for my first setup. I don't regret it ONE bit! Being an inveterate tinkerer, I've even learned how to do basic setups, and upgraded the pots, caps and switch on the epi. I recently got a Gibson Pete Townshend Signature SG Special, that I am in love with, to compliment my LP.

The nice thing about electrics are that they are easier to play well than accoustic, so it could keep the frustration level down.

Unless the kid has classical guitar career goals, IMHO, get him what he wants.

I bought my 10 year old a Squier mini Strat (scaled down, youth sized), and gave her my Crate amp to learn on (I bought a small Traynor tube combo). I am teaching her and she's doing well. The Squier is pretty decent, especially for the money (<$100). I did replace the machine heads ($20 from ebay) though, as they were next to useless, and had to do some minor setup (string height and intonation)adjustments. Now it plays well and definitely has that Strat "snarl" with a surprisingly accurate range of strat tones. She's got most of the "cowboy" chords down, and I'm slowly going through the scale book with her.

Sharing a love of music is a great way to inspire, as well as spend time with your kids! Nothing quite like listening to my 6 and 10 year old sing Won't Get Fooled Again in unison!

HTH!

 

[Northern Lights]

When I was 15 I also wanted to learn the guitar. My folks set me up with a program at the local music store. They let you have 8 weeks of lessons and use a electric guitar and amp for that time. After the 8 weeks you decide if you want to turn it all in, or buy somehting. For me, it was just a fad, and I gave it up until about three years ago when I bought a nice used acoustic at Music Go Round.

 

[Snakum]

A plug for Music-Go-Round and Samick ...

Over the years I've bought, sold, and traded alot of stuff at M-G-R. This past weekend I bought a Samick Strat copy there for my son's first electric. I've looked at the Squiers, both the older (and better) ones and the new Affinity series, but the Samick was a much better buy. It was just a little bit higher priced than used Squiers, but as I said, the quality was pretty awesome. For a first guitar, it really isn't bad for $140. I've been playing it all weekend and I'd like to have one, too. You could take a basic Samick Strat and change the p'ups, bridge saddles, pots, and nut and have a killer backup axe.

In amps, the older Fender solid-state amps aren't bad for a starter amp. They're inexpensive and reliable. But in my experience Peavey has everyone beat for reliability. Any of the newer model solid-state Peavey amps (the older ones are reliable but don't sound as well, imho) are great starters and many can be had for around $100. I still use Peavey tube amps (Mace and Heritage) from the 70s and 80s. I love that specific tone (like an AC30 on steroids) and they're built like a freaking tank.

Minh

 

[ChinaClipper]

Save your cash...

and sell your house, but a'59 Strat....sunburst finish, rail road size frets and the biggest strings you can find........and then I woke up........

 

[EDUC8-or]

You can get a new Squier (sp?) Strat for a good price. It's a decent starter guitar, and often you can find them online with a strap and gig bag for less than 100 bucks. You would need an amp, but any practice amp would be okay. I would steer away from used amps because you never know who has been playing it and at what volume.

I started with a classical acoustic guitar when I was your son's age. It has nylon strings that are MUCH easier on the fingers. Plus the strings are further apart, which makes it easier to learn how to play and then move on to something else. Here's a link for some classical accoustics from samash.com.

Good luck in your search.

 

[Immelman]

If you get him an electric, do yourself a favor and make sure you invest in an amp setup where you can plug in headphones. This way he can practice without driving everyone nuts!

Also, if you decide to get him an electric, figure out what kind of music he's into and make your decision accordingly. There are several options for electrics that produce inherently different sounds/tones that are suited to different playing styles. For example, if he's into learning how to play melodious classic rock (think Allman Bros), something like an Epiphone Les Paul would be a great guitar (Epiphone is the 'cheapo' division of Gibson Guitar). On the other hand, if he is more of a rocker than a good inexpensive choice might be the base model of the Fender Stratocaster.

Note: I play acoustic (have a low-end Taylor.. they make schweet acoustics!), and am basing the above on just playing with my friends' electrics.. haven't purchased one just yet.

Above all, I second the idea of getting him a lesson (or a bunch of lessons) before laying down cash for something that might be stuck in the closet. My parents got me a keyboard when I was 13 and it wound up under the bed... on the other hand, my dad has always played ukulele (I grew up in the islands) and I kind of followed along, taught myself some more, and then when I had the cash, bought my own guitar after playing roomates' guitars for a while.... it was super easy (although a step up in challenge) to learn basic guitar playing after knowing how to play the 'uke.. by that time I knew that I would be into the guitar as well.

Now I'm trying to get my ex-orchestra-playing fiancee to teach my something about her clarinet......

Happy flying.

 

[Northern Lights]

Bump...

Anyone know anything about Johnson electric guitars? What about New York Pro?

I'm searching eBay for a somewhat cheap electric to fool around with and these seem to have what I'm looking for.