GUITAR HELP NEEDED

[Layne_staley]

Hi guys,

Recently I've decided to take up the task of learning to play a guitar. Originally I thought there to only be two types of guitar; acoustic and electric. However I have since learned of there to be many different types.of course different brands and such make various types of guitar. I am however stuck on which type to get. I am looking to play hard rock similar to GNR, all the way to grunge bands such as nirvana, mudhoney. And also some metal like Alice in chains. Would anyone be able to recommend a guitar good for all of them with a price range of around £150-£200 and tops £250. I have a had a look myself at some such as epiphones les paul special II performer on the dawsons website and also a few fenders here and there. It'd be a great help if you guys couls rerecommend me some guitars!
Cheers!

 

[DarthV]

Only advice I can give, go to as many music stores and try everything. Everyone has different sized hands/fingers, so it's very much a personal choice type of thing. For that budget, the Yamaha Pacificas are pretty solid guitars. Ibanez SA160 would be another.

Does that budget also include an amp?

 

[TedEH]

Originally I thought there to only be two types of guitar; acoustic and electric. However I have since learned of there to be many different types.

Outside of acoustic/electric, the differences from one guitar to another are mostly negligible if you're starting out and don't have any practical use or feel for the differences. If it's got 6(ish) strings, and you can strum it, then it's equally good as a starting point regardless of what music you want to play on it. Sounds like your budget leaves you in sort of "starter pack" territory - I've picked up some of those LP Special IIs before and they were all pretty terrible. The entry level Fender/Squier stuff however was able to hold its own pretty well, so that's not a bad starting place.

DarthV has the right idea though -> Go into a store and try whatever you can get your hands on that's within you budget and go with whatever speaks to you. And consider the amp is going to add to your budget.

 

[angl2k]

When buying your first electric also consider the various body styles (e.g. strat/superstrat, lp, explorer, v) and see what works for you the best. Try to play when sitting down and also try to use it with a strap and standing if you can.

For your musical genres I'd recommend an electric with humbucker pickups. IMO getting your first guitar with a tremolo is not recommended because it's usually a pain to set up and to tune. A fixed bridge is much better for beginners.

 

[RND]

You've really gotta just go to stores and try out different guitars. Your best bet will be whatever guitar fits your body the best.

As for the music you want to play, I'd think a pair of humbuckers would do those genres of music best. You could go for Les Paul, Ibanez, Schecter, some Fenders. It really just comes down to what feels good to you, within your price range.

 

[bostjan]

I'd say that, for hard rock, you should really be looking into a solid body electric. I recommend humbuckers for anything with distortion, because single coil pickups sound noisier.
Something like a Les Paul or "Superstrat" should work just fine. Beyond that, it all comes down to how things feel for you. A lot of people like the feel of a super-thin neck, like what you find on Ibanez RG guitars, but others like a chunkier neck, like a Les Paul.

I like something closer to thin, but not the thinnest they make. I like lightweight guitars. I like brighter tones. Those are my preferences, though. Everyone is a little different.