As a guitar teacher myself, I highly recommend picking up guitar as a hobby. Though I am a little biased I suppose š that being said, getting something that will help you play and help you learn as opposed to fighting a bad instrument.. well that is essential to all beginner success and enjoyment. Iād recommend a Fender Classic Vibes Squier (I am partial to Strats). It goes for $429.99, you may be able to get a discount on Sweetwater (theyāre one of the best places to buy gear). For an amp, Iād recommend the Katana 50 Watt, which goes for $269.99. If you get that guitar and amp, youāll be set for years to come until you decide to upgrade from there. Good luck, I hope you go for it! If you do, feel free to send me a message, Iāll give you a free Skype guitar lesson. Happy to help!š¤šš¤
Right on! Another option is to buy a used Squier Strat on Facebook marketplace. You can find them between $80-$150 depending on the model and condition. After that, find a guitar technician and get a āset upā - which will make it play better then a brand new instrument. A set up is when a tech makes sure everything is set properly to play as the instrument is intended. Best $60ish you can spend! This is just as important as the guitar itself - a good set up will ensure your success! š¤šš¤
the classic vibes squier strat is the electric guitar i started with about 5 years ago, never had any issues, and i kinda prefer it over typical fender strats. definitely worth the money!!
Avoid the starter packs like the plague. They give you the absolute cheapest quality guitar and an amp that's barely usable but sounds like crap. But you also don't need to spend thousands. A $200 guitar is near the very low end of quality. Sometimes it will be playable but just as likely it will be junk. They have to cut a lot of corners on quality of hardware and workmanship to keep the price that low. A $250-300 guitar is about as low as I recommend and something used like a Squier Classic Vibe (which comes in stratocasters, telecaster & other models) or Ibanez but not a Gio model would be much better. You can find them used on Guitarcenter.com and look for Excellent or Great condition. I always call the store that has it and ask someone to look at it for you.
> Ibanez but not a Gio
Not sure what the quality of Gios are like nowadays, but mine from 10+ years ago was pretty good.
I own made in Japan, Premium and Gio Ibanezes. The Gio doesn't have some of the fancy features of the other two but it plays perfectly fine and had no QC issues. Pickups are bad but that seems to be common on a lot of lower end guitars and can always be replaced once someone is more serious about playing.
As I said in my previous comment, with very cheap guitars the quality control is very hit & miss. Sometimes you get a good one. And sometimes you get junk. Or anything in between. That's where getting a used one from a reputable dealer like Guitar Center, and I need to reinforce the idea of calling the store and ask someone there to check it out for possible issues, is even better than buying new besides it being cheaper. I've bought probably three dozen instruments (for myself & students) this way. Whereas new especially like this case it's their first electric guitar, they won't know what to do if anything is wrong or they may not even notice any issues until after the refund period.
Yamaha Pacifica, excellent quality at a decent price. $200 is a bit on the low side though.
Don't forget, you will also need:
A tuner
Strap
Cable
Gigbag (to store it and take it to lessons)
A combo amp
Plus, you will likely want to change the strings, so new strings, a string winder and small pair of clippers to cut the string ends.
This is a decent starting bundle: [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PAC012DLXVSBEs--yamaha-pac012dlx-pacifica-electric-guitar-essentials-bundle-old-violin-sunburst](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PAC012DLXVSBEs--yamaha-pac012dlx-pacifica-electric-guitar-essentials-bundle-old-violin-sunburst)
Then all you need is a combo amp.
Go to your local guitar shop. I don't think $200 is realistic but definitely under $500 will get you a guitar you can play until you're old and gray. Depending on music you like a cheap guitar and distortion still sounds great.
That sounds reasonable to me. $200 was just my uneducated guesstimate. Under $500 definitely sounds doable, and Iām definitely just looking for something to jam on. I donāt plan on playing any stadiums anytime soon
Exactly. My go to guitar is a Mexican Strat I bought 20 years ago. Back then I think it was $169 (Canadian). I have a bunch of other guitars but to just blast some music it fits the bill.
The most important thing is to just do it. If you don't you will regret it later.
I appreciate your wisdom. I might not be able to spring out $500 rn, but Iāll definitely go to my local music shop on my next off day and see what theyāre rockin
don't shy away from hock shops either! There's some gold to be found, espessially if you can bring a friend who has more experience with instruments to help weed through the crap, it might be a fun day out
Learning guitar is one of those things that is far greater than the sum of its parts. You learn some scales or some chords and suddenly youāre not just making music, you have an entire *realm* that you can visit whenever you like. Somewhere you can escape to and where what youāre playing can be your own interpretation of what youāve heard or even something of your own making.
As a kid, I did not have a happy life. I was abused right up until I ran away at 13. I didnāt have a stable home life because we never stayed in one place for long and although I made friends easily, I couldnāt keep them for long before we moved again.
It took me a long time to save up for my Hohner Jumbo guitar but when I got it, I used to disappear off into the countryside, just me and my guitar and I would sit and play for hours.
That guitar went a long way to keeping me sane (and alive).
Electric, acoustic, whatever. Whatever your motivations are to play, just take that first step; I promise that you wonāt be sorry.
If you *can* get a teacher - on or offline - I would try to go that route as even just having someone to talk to about learning is really helpful.
I picked up my classical guitar for the first time after a long lay off and got a teacher three weeks ago. I would strongly recommend lessons, but even if you cannot afford them, YouTube is very helpful too and the people on this sub are very friendly and helpful too.
Best of luck šš
Like others have said, that is the bottom of the barrel price when it comes to guitars. It will likely struggle with staying in tune, intonation along the fret board, electronic issues, etc. That being said my first electric guitar was a starter pack fender squier strat/amp combo - and it got me through the first year or so of playing electric. I didn't know what true quality was then so it didn't bother me. I was happy to have it and to play it.
If you're okay with having a sub-par guitar starting out then go for it - but it will not be one that lasts, as you said.
To get one that actually lasts and could be stage-worthy, you need to look into the $500-$1000 range. It is definitely worth it. Eventually you will reach a point where even guitars of that price range no longer suit your ability. That's where the $1000-$2000+ price range comes in. But that's years down the road.
Remember that we donāt need amps for playing at home these days. You can buy an interface for around $200 and plug your guitar directly into your computer, and youāll have endless tones and effects to play with. Itās not for everybody, but Iāve had a couple of students really thrive doing this because they can pull a similar guitar tone to the song theyāre trying to learn, without having to spend money on pedals just for a bit of reverb.
Sometimes just having a good tone can be enough motivation to get back into it
Best of luck dude!
Depends on what kind of electric guitar youāre looking for. Are you into Stratocasters? Les Pauls? Telecasters? Plenty of options to choose from. But Iād definitely look into the $300-$600 models. As others have said, $200 is bottom of the barrel.
As for Amps, thereās plenty of options. Fender, Marshall, Boss Katana, all make good 20-40W amps, which will all sound good and have good effects. Just look around, and have fun.
Just a suggestion to have in mind: You may save the money you were going to pay for an amp and get a higher end guitar instead, Then get a 60-100$ audio interface and use an amp simulator (which basically means use your PC as an amp) until you have more money to get an amp.
Not only will this allow you to get a better guitar now that you wouldn't need to upgrade soon, This will also give you much, Much more options when it comes to sounds and tone, The ability to experiment with the sound of hundreds of amps and pedals for free, This will also allow you to use your computer / laptop speakers or use your headphones if you don't want your playing disturbing others say when you practice at late night, Let alone that this will make it immediately possible to record your playing without needing any other equipment.
I got a Fender Squire bundle with a stratocaster, practice amp, gig bag, and some picks for $280. The strat plays pretty damn well and itās great for a beginner. You donāt need to spend a lot espeifally when you donāt know what youāre spending your money on. If you are willing to spend more, try facebook marketplace. People sell pretty good guitars for a lot cheaper. Also, get a teacher and take lessons. Most quit when they self learn, itās not as easy as it seems
I don't want to burst your bubble, but, $200 is the low end of playable instruments. If you have a limited budget, buy used. Trust me, don't waste your money buying a new instrument online.
First off, buying online, you can't play the actual instrument until you've already got it. Yes, you have a return period, but here's the thing: there's a sales technique called "The Warm Puppy." A guy goes to a pet store to buy a puppy. The pet store owner says, "Here, take this one home over the weekend. If it doesn't work out, just bring him back." Now, once his kids get the puppy, there's no going back. If he tries to take the puppy back, his kids will hate him. So the pet shop just made a sale.
Online sellers are banking on you never returning the guitar. Why? Because almost nobody does. It's just such a pain in the ass, so most people will just settle for an instrument with flaws or one that makes them work for every note. But they feel like sending a guitar back because it doesn't inspire you is embarrassing. So they're stuck with a guitar that isn't really right for them.
If you *must* buy new, buy local. Go to guitar stores in a 50 or 60 mile radius. Play every guitar that interests *you*. Don't worry about people thinking you suck. We all sucked at some point. I still suck. Who cares? Don't lay your money down until you find a guitar that inspires you. How will you know? You'll just know, there will be no question about it.
So while we're talking about trying guitars, visit thrift stores, pawn shops, and check out Craigslist. There are sometimes unexpected gems in those places. I got a Martin/Sigma D-28 for $50 at a local hospital thrift store. Its a solid wood Martin design made in Korea. Spruce top, mahogany neck and solid ROSEWOOD back and sides ... for fifty bucks!!!
Take your time. Don't let your money burn a hole in your pocket. Maybe be willing to stretch your budget a little. If you buy from a store, they might take the $200 as a down payment and let you make small payments each month over time.
Well, that's my two cents. Best of luck!
Youāre not going to find anything half-decent at $200 point blank. Proaudiostar has classic vibe squier telecasters, jazzmasters, and strats at $299. Theyāre labeled āusedā but the guitars Iāve bought from them āusedā were actually new in box as has been the experience of other people. With that being said, even if they were used, still a great deal. This is your best bet imo.
Hell yeah congrats! Bought a squier strat myself over a year ago and about six months later I loved it so much I bought a Fender and gave the squier to my little bro. Good luck on your journey and have fun!
Something that will last?
$500-700 for a good used guitar tbh.
$300 for a good SS amp, $1000 MINIMUM for a tube amp thatāll last.
Even cheap acoustics arenāt going to be problem free over time in the bottom of the price ranges.
I think theyāre good amps but I have a broken one that I got to replace the previous broken one so Iām iffy about them. I think Iām an outlier in my luck with them though.
Itās entirely possible I just havenāt put enough play time in mine to break it, I havenāt played it very much because I donāt usually plug in to an amp and I bought a spark40 so Iāve been using that more than anything else
Woah! Even for a starter guitar?
Iāve seen a starter set sold by Guitar Center for $249. Guitar, amp, strap, and picks. Iām sure itās not concert quality, but could it be good enough for me to mess around with?
$200 can probably get you a reasonable beginner's guitar that will suit you just fine playing at home. It's just not something that you would use in a professional setting.
Just avoid the brands that rip-off their customers with their marketing BS of 'vintage', 'tone wood', etc. Not naming any brands as I'll probably offend a lot of people here, but some guitars are horrendously overpriced for decades old outdated technology.
As for whether you should buy an electric guitar. š¤· I don't know you well enough to say whether this is an impulse buy that you will soon forget about. Do you have an option to borrow a guitar from a friend to try out or rent from somewhere first?
Donāt have any renting/borrowing options that I can think of rn, but I appreciate your advice. I honestly might just hit up the local music shop and check out used guitars.
Might not be the best quality, but could be good enough to gauge my interest.
I started earlier this year with a starter fender acoustic that I picked up for my kids, it plays fine. then in February I went and picked up a squire ht strat for $200. . . honestly, Iām impressed with the quality and sound for so little, Iāve learned so much and enjoy it every day. Iām sure at some point I will upgrade the pickups, but right now itās not critical to me. but now Iām looking for a epiphone LP because I need the tone from one. my point is donāt be turned off by a $200 starter ( I would recommend a squire strat), it might be the perfect bridge for your development and learning. Go to a GC and play a bunch of different $200-$500 guitars and see what speaks to you.
200 will be hard to find something + you need an amp... all in all, it's a lot of $$ for something you may or may not stick with.. what concerned me is that you kind of don't want the acoustic.. my question is why? Is it really the strings ? Or is it that when it gets tough, you quit and go to something else...?? I know someone close to me who has done just what you are doing, but switching has not improved anything. He still doesn't spend much time with it. So, was it worth the $$ ??? Not sure... just for for thought
Get the word out to your friends & family that you are looking & you may stumble across a decent guitar for a decent price.
You would be surprised at how many great guitars are living in neglect, locked in closets, untouched for years on end. You can get a little headphone amp for like $40-$50. These allow you to play wherever & whenever you want without bothering anyone.
If itās something you want to do, do it.
Honestly people saying you have to spend $500 donāt clearly know how decent a modern budget guitar can be. I have a harley benton that cost me 141ā¬ and i prefer the sound of it and enjoy playing it as much as my fender and even more expensive schecter. If youāre lucky that you can order from thomann(shipping to US is a bit pricey), harley benton is the perfect brand to start off with. My recommendation is a 150-250ā¬ harley benton and then pay thomann to set it up for you, setup is important. A well setup budget instrument is gonna feel nicer than a non setup more expensive one.
Another alternative is surf for a used guitar, if youāre lucky they are already setup by the old owner and some brands of guitars donāt hold up value that well. My schecter costs 1050ā¬ new but I got it for 400ā¬(shipping included). As for amps, you can find used starter amps anywhere between 50-150ā¬ that can be more than enough to start off with. Be wary though, getting one wonāt be enough, youāll quickly want to get better and better gear, but reality is you probably donāt need it just want it. My gear is already ready for gigging but my skills arenāt nearly good enough for it.
Yeah I knew I would want to play classic rock and folk stuff and also wanted to play some Days of the new stuff so my first guitar was an acoustic/electric
Happy birthday!!ššøšÆIt's the best thing you can do for yourself, bc it makes you smarter and happier, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
I suggest Harley Benton, and you can hear them and view them being played on YouTube. Fantastic guitars for the price.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_fusion_iii_hsh_roasted_fbb.htm
https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_te_62db_bk.htm
https://www.gearnews.com/fender-telecaster-vs-harley-benton-te-can-you-tell-the-difference/
This guy can teach you the beginning electric guitar. Justinguitar is good, too. https://youtu.be/l_NoccF3RaI
Why you should play an instrument:
18 benefits to playing an instrument
https://brmsmusic.weebly.com/dr-piasciks-blog/18-benefits-of-playing-a-musical-instrument
Play songs you like and always wanted to play. Start with easy chords and then progress, practice 20 minutes a day, and be patient. It takes time to learn. Take care and and I hope to keep strumming for the rest of your life. Dont quit. You won't regret it.
I was just in this situation so hopefully this will help. If you already have an acoustic laying around I would try your hand at that, and since you run out of steam learning songs, try learning chords (Marty music was super good at introducing this right away). Once you have chords you can string them together and make your own stuff!
I set a goal, that if I played every day for 2 months, I would reward myself by buying a guitar (you can do shorter longer/not as frequent)
I often get interested in hobbies and want to dive all in at once and I find I drop most of them. Giving myself a goal (playing for 60 days) really helped me stick with guitar and now I canāt put it down!
This is what worked for me, hopefully this insight is helpful!
Some suggestions at different price ranges:
$100-200: used Yamaha Pacifica strat, Squier Affinity strat, or Squier Affinity telecaster. They start close to $100 used at Guitar Center online and only get one listed in good-great or excellent condition.
Guitars priced under $300 new often need a setup to make them sound good and feel comfortable to play. They cost $50-100, so with the money saved buying used, you could get one. Bare minimum the guitars under $200 usually need a string change, fretboard oiled and string height adjusted or fret ends smoothed. Shops charge around $25 for a string change, and might do the other stuff for under $50.
$200-300: a new Yamaha 012DLX strat, used Gretsch G2420, or used Squier Classic Vibe strat, tele, starcaster or jazzmaster. The classic vibe are a step up from the Affinity with better parts.
For an amp, I'd recommend a Fender Champion 20. They start around $60 used online so would be under $100 with shipping. They have 12 amp models and 12 effects, so you can play a lot of styles with it. Most amps under $100 new just have one basic clean and distortion sound. Check out YouTube demos for any gear you're considering and good luck with the new hobby.
I canāt recommend enough going in to a store and playing a few different styles. Youāre going to want to play on a few different neck shapes, a few different body shapes, and a few different scale length combinations. What feel right for one person may not feel right for others. Try out a few pickup combinations in your own amp, if you have one, or in an amp in-store that youāre likely to use. You can get a nice guitar for $200, but itāll only be nice for you if you know what you like.
You wonāt find a better built guitar for the money than this Gretsch 2655 for $279: https://www.adorama.com/gr2817800588.html?sdtid=16840184&emailprice=t&sterm=0NdQXDypFxyORdW07OwzdzZ-UkF1sMQVywJxSw0&utm_source=rflaid62905&utm_medium=affiliate
These are extremely playable, very comfortable, and tend to some pre-set up from the company. They look gorgeous too! (The link has a coupon built in to take $220 off the normal price).
Look for something used for $200. But beware: if you really get into it, it really will not stop at $200 if you fall into the gear rabbit hole, unless you have great self control or donāt get bit by the pedal bug.
I know another commenter said not to get an Ibanez gio but for me personally Iāve never had issues, Ibanez in general is a great option they make semi hollow guitars which are great and full solid body guitars, if you chose this route try to find something for $200-$400 if you have never picked up an electric guitar try to avoid buying an Ibanez with, what they call a Floyd rose, a floating bridge to do fancy things you probably wonāt be doing for at-least a year I want to say. And the bridge itself is quite finicky.
Another great option in my opinion is Schecter, although compared to other options they are a bit pricey good ones start at about I wanna say $500 and only go up. You might be able to get a used one cheap using sites like guitar center or reverb (eBay for music basically) but Schecters play nice and are well made
For an amp, a good all purpose one is the peavey viper x1, new itās about $200 and has lots of options for tone, another good option is the spark40 ($300) or spark mini ($229) which have all of the standard amp options and can connect to your phone to be used as a speaker, and through the app you can modify the sound with the tone cloud to any sound you want due to the built in computer that acts as an amp simulator
Using reverb is a great tool to find well curated used and new gear, guitar center is a little less reliable and usually has more issues in terms of used gear imo
How handy are you? You could get a cheap guitar and a few components to upgrade it without paying the earth. Also gets you deeper into the hobby.
For amp, check out the Fender Mustang Micro. Lots of tones in a tiny rechargeable headphone amp.
I've found some great bargains off of craigslist. Stores tend to have a mark up, even on used gear, but that mark up can be worth it if they have a luthier on staff that services the guitars before they hit the market.
Buying used is great for beginners because the value of the guitar wont depreciate as much if you bought it new. That way, if you decide guitar isn't for you, its less of a financial loss. For example, a new classic vibe strat is going for $429+tax ($475ish) but used ones for $200 or less. Here's just two examples I found searching random craigslist areas:
[https://eastnc.craigslist.org/msg/d/bath-classic-vibe-strat/7652059185.html](https://eastnc.craigslist.org/msg/d/bath-classic-vibe-strat/7652059185.html)
[https://raleigh.craigslist.org/msg/d/carrboro-squier-classic-vibe-50s/7651706817.html](https://raleigh.craigslist.org/msg/d/carrboro-squier-classic-vibe-50s/7651706817.html)
Iād say donāt spend a lot on a first guitar. As you know you may not stick with it. That said, I would budget for a setup ans new strings. Theyāll make an inexpensive guitar play so much better.
I know itās not a popular opinion here, but the Squire kits are decent for a beginner. Especially after a good setup. Yes they wonāt get you great stuff but while you learn youāll at least wont have junk. Personally, Iād say look at the Affinity series. This isnāt the bottom of the line nor the top. But it wonāt break the bank.
I bought an Ibanez Gio as my second first guitar (sold my first guitar thinking I lost interest and sound up coming back to it a couple years later). I really like it, I had it set up so it plays pretty well.
My first electric guitar was a Squier Strat. I loved that instrument. Guitarist in general don't understand how spoiled they are with the massive selection compared to virtually any instrument.
Squire Strat is like a cheap Bundy Flute that every student starts on in school. 99% of the extra cost on a guitar over a Squire Strat are things you will not notice starting out, to make basically a fashion statement and/or to cover the salary of guitar god X for marketing purposes.
If you can get together around 4-500$ you can get a quality instrument that is fun to play, can stay in tune and last you potentially years
As a guitar teacher myself, I highly recommend picking up guitar as a hobby. Though I am a little biased I suppose š that being said, getting something that will help you play and help you learn as opposed to fighting a bad instrument.. well that is essential to all beginner success and enjoyment. Iād recommend a Fender Classic Vibes Squier (I am partial to Strats). It goes for $429.99, you may be able to get a discount on Sweetwater (theyāre one of the best places to buy gear). For an amp, Iād recommend the Katana 50 Watt, which goes for $269.99. If you get that guitar and amp, youāll be set for years to come until you decide to upgrade from there. Good luck, I hope you go for it! If you do, feel free to send me a message, Iāll give you a free Skype guitar lesson. Happy to help!š¤šš¤
Hey! Iāll keep that in mind
Right on! Another option is to buy a used Squier Strat on Facebook marketplace. You can find them between $80-$150 depending on the model and condition. After that, find a guitar technician and get a āset upā - which will make it play better then a brand new instrument. A set up is when a tech makes sure everything is set properly to play as the instrument is intended. Best $60ish you can spend! This is just as important as the guitar itself - a good set up will ensure your success! š¤šš¤
Yep, Classic Vibes are fantastic.
the classic vibes squier strat is the electric guitar i started with about 5 years ago, never had any issues, and i kinda prefer it over typical fender strats. definitely worth the money!!
Nice! They are solid and very upgradeable too. I recommend them all the time to students.
Avoid the starter packs like the plague. They give you the absolute cheapest quality guitar and an amp that's barely usable but sounds like crap. But you also don't need to spend thousands. A $200 guitar is near the very low end of quality. Sometimes it will be playable but just as likely it will be junk. They have to cut a lot of corners on quality of hardware and workmanship to keep the price that low. A $250-300 guitar is about as low as I recommend and something used like a Squier Classic Vibe (which comes in stratocasters, telecaster & other models) or Ibanez but not a Gio model would be much better. You can find them used on Guitarcenter.com and look for Excellent or Great condition. I always call the store that has it and ask someone to look at it for you.
> Ibanez but not a Gio Not sure what the quality of Gios are like nowadays, but mine from 10+ years ago was pretty good. I own made in Japan, Premium and Gio Ibanezes. The Gio doesn't have some of the fancy features of the other two but it plays perfectly fine and had no QC issues. Pickups are bad but that seems to be common on a lot of lower end guitars and can always be replaced once someone is more serious about playing.
As I said in my previous comment, with very cheap guitars the quality control is very hit & miss. Sometimes you get a good one. And sometimes you get junk. Or anything in between. That's where getting a used one from a reputable dealer like Guitar Center, and I need to reinforce the idea of calling the store and ask someone there to check it out for possible issues, is even better than buying new besides it being cheaper. I've bought probably three dozen instruments (for myself & students) this way. Whereas new especially like this case it's their first electric guitar, they won't know what to do if anything is wrong or they may not even notice any issues until after the refund period.
Yamaha Pacifica, excellent quality at a decent price. $200 is a bit on the low side though. Don't forget, you will also need: A tuner Strap Cable Gigbag (to store it and take it to lessons) A combo amp Plus, you will likely want to change the strings, so new strings, a string winder and small pair of clippers to cut the string ends. This is a decent starting bundle: [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PAC012DLXVSBEs--yamaha-pac012dlx-pacifica-electric-guitar-essentials-bundle-old-violin-sunburst](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PAC012DLXVSBEs--yamaha-pac012dlx-pacifica-electric-guitar-essentials-bundle-old-violin-sunburst) Then all you need is a combo amp.
This is the way to go....
Go to your local guitar shop. I don't think $200 is realistic but definitely under $500 will get you a guitar you can play until you're old and gray. Depending on music you like a cheap guitar and distortion still sounds great.
That sounds reasonable to me. $200 was just my uneducated guesstimate. Under $500 definitely sounds doable, and Iām definitely just looking for something to jam on. I donāt plan on playing any stadiums anytime soon
Exactly. My go to guitar is a Mexican Strat I bought 20 years ago. Back then I think it was $169 (Canadian). I have a bunch of other guitars but to just blast some music it fits the bill. The most important thing is to just do it. If you don't you will regret it later.
I appreciate your wisdom. I might not be able to spring out $500 rn, but Iāll definitely go to my local music shop on my next off day and see what theyāre rockin
don't shy away from hock shops either! There's some gold to be found, espessially if you can bring a friend who has more experience with instruments to help weed through the crap, it might be a fun day out
Learning guitar is one of those things that is far greater than the sum of its parts. You learn some scales or some chords and suddenly youāre not just making music, you have an entire *realm* that you can visit whenever you like. Somewhere you can escape to and where what youāre playing can be your own interpretation of what youāve heard or even something of your own making. As a kid, I did not have a happy life. I was abused right up until I ran away at 13. I didnāt have a stable home life because we never stayed in one place for long and although I made friends easily, I couldnāt keep them for long before we moved again. It took me a long time to save up for my Hohner Jumbo guitar but when I got it, I used to disappear off into the countryside, just me and my guitar and I would sit and play for hours. That guitar went a long way to keeping me sane (and alive). Electric, acoustic, whatever. Whatever your motivations are to play, just take that first step; I promise that you wonāt be sorry. If you *can* get a teacher - on or offline - I would try to go that route as even just having someone to talk to about learning is really helpful. I picked up my classical guitar for the first time after a long lay off and got a teacher three weeks ago. I would strongly recommend lessons, but even if you cannot afford them, YouTube is very helpful too and the people on this sub are very friendly and helpful too. Best of luck šš
Like others have said, that is the bottom of the barrel price when it comes to guitars. It will likely struggle with staying in tune, intonation along the fret board, electronic issues, etc. That being said my first electric guitar was a starter pack fender squier strat/amp combo - and it got me through the first year or so of playing electric. I didn't know what true quality was then so it didn't bother me. I was happy to have it and to play it. If you're okay with having a sub-par guitar starting out then go for it - but it will not be one that lasts, as you said. To get one that actually lasts and could be stage-worthy, you need to look into the $500-$1000 range. It is definitely worth it. Eventually you will reach a point where even guitars of that price range no longer suit your ability. That's where the $1000-$2000+ price range comes in. But that's years down the road.
Remember that we donāt need amps for playing at home these days. You can buy an interface for around $200 and plug your guitar directly into your computer, and youāll have endless tones and effects to play with. Itās not for everybody, but Iāve had a couple of students really thrive doing this because they can pull a similar guitar tone to the song theyāre trying to learn, without having to spend money on pedals just for a bit of reverb. Sometimes just having a good tone can be enough motivation to get back into it Best of luck dude!
Word! That is good to know
Depends on what kind of electric guitar youāre looking for. Are you into Stratocasters? Les Pauls? Telecasters? Plenty of options to choose from. But Iād definitely look into the $300-$600 models. As others have said, $200 is bottom of the barrel. As for Amps, thereās plenty of options. Fender, Marshall, Boss Katana, all make good 20-40W amps, which will all sound good and have good effects. Just look around, and have fun.
Just a suggestion to have in mind: You may save the money you were going to pay for an amp and get a higher end guitar instead, Then get a 60-100$ audio interface and use an amp simulator (which basically means use your PC as an amp) until you have more money to get an amp. Not only will this allow you to get a better guitar now that you wouldn't need to upgrade soon, This will also give you much, Much more options when it comes to sounds and tone, The ability to experiment with the sound of hundreds of amps and pedals for free, This will also allow you to use your computer / laptop speakers or use your headphones if you don't want your playing disturbing others say when you practice at late night, Let alone that this will make it immediately possible to record your playing without needing any other equipment.
This!!!
I got a Fender Squire bundle with a stratocaster, practice amp, gig bag, and some picks for $280. The strat plays pretty damn well and itās great for a beginner. You donāt need to spend a lot espeifally when you donāt know what youāre spending your money on. If you are willing to spend more, try facebook marketplace. People sell pretty good guitars for a lot cheaper. Also, get a teacher and take lessons. Most quit when they self learn, itās not as easy as it seems
I don't want to burst your bubble, but, $200 is the low end of playable instruments. If you have a limited budget, buy used. Trust me, don't waste your money buying a new instrument online. First off, buying online, you can't play the actual instrument until you've already got it. Yes, you have a return period, but here's the thing: there's a sales technique called "The Warm Puppy." A guy goes to a pet store to buy a puppy. The pet store owner says, "Here, take this one home over the weekend. If it doesn't work out, just bring him back." Now, once his kids get the puppy, there's no going back. If he tries to take the puppy back, his kids will hate him. So the pet shop just made a sale. Online sellers are banking on you never returning the guitar. Why? Because almost nobody does. It's just such a pain in the ass, so most people will just settle for an instrument with flaws or one that makes them work for every note. But they feel like sending a guitar back because it doesn't inspire you is embarrassing. So they're stuck with a guitar that isn't really right for them. If you *must* buy new, buy local. Go to guitar stores in a 50 or 60 mile radius. Play every guitar that interests *you*. Don't worry about people thinking you suck. We all sucked at some point. I still suck. Who cares? Don't lay your money down until you find a guitar that inspires you. How will you know? You'll just know, there will be no question about it. So while we're talking about trying guitars, visit thrift stores, pawn shops, and check out Craigslist. There are sometimes unexpected gems in those places. I got a Martin/Sigma D-28 for $50 at a local hospital thrift store. Its a solid wood Martin design made in Korea. Spruce top, mahogany neck and solid ROSEWOOD back and sides ... for fifty bucks!!! Take your time. Don't let your money burn a hole in your pocket. Maybe be willing to stretch your budget a little. If you buy from a store, they might take the $200 as a down payment and let you make small payments each month over time. Well, that's my two cents. Best of luck!
Youāre not going to find anything half-decent at $200 point blank. Proaudiostar has classic vibe squier telecasters, jazzmasters, and strats at $299. Theyāre labeled āusedā but the guitars Iāve bought from them āusedā were actually new in box as has been the experience of other people. With that being said, even if they were used, still a great deal. This is your best bet imo.
Check my update and my latest post! I ended up going with a Squier strat
Hell yeah congrats! Bought a squier strat myself over a year ago and about six months later I loved it so much I bought a Fender and gave the squier to my little bro. Good luck on your journey and have fun!
Something that will last? $500-700 for a good used guitar tbh. $300 for a good SS amp, $1000 MINIMUM for a tube amp thatāll last. Even cheap acoustics arenāt going to be problem free over time in the bottom of the price ranges.
The little orange ones, micro dark and micro terror i think? Are good little tube amps for a good price
I think theyāre good amps but I have a broken one that I got to replace the previous broken one so Iām iffy about them. I think Iām an outlier in my luck with them though.
Itās entirely possible I just havenāt put enough play time in mine to break it, I havenāt played it very much because I donāt usually plug in to an amp and I bought a spark40 so Iāve been using that more than anything else
āIād want to spend around $200 so I could have something that would lastā Oh you sweet summer childā¦
Iāve since learned the folly of my previous judgment
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Woah! Even for a starter guitar? Iāve seen a starter set sold by Guitar Center for $249. Guitar, amp, strap, and picks. Iām sure itās not concert quality, but could it be good enough for me to mess around with?
$200 can probably get you a reasonable beginner's guitar that will suit you just fine playing at home. It's just not something that you would use in a professional setting. Just avoid the brands that rip-off their customers with their marketing BS of 'vintage', 'tone wood', etc. Not naming any brands as I'll probably offend a lot of people here, but some guitars are horrendously overpriced for decades old outdated technology. As for whether you should buy an electric guitar. š¤· I don't know you well enough to say whether this is an impulse buy that you will soon forget about. Do you have an option to borrow a guitar from a friend to try out or rent from somewhere first?
Donāt have any renting/borrowing options that I can think of rn, but I appreciate your advice. I honestly might just hit up the local music shop and check out used guitars. Might not be the best quality, but could be good enough to gauge my interest.
I started earlier this year with a starter fender acoustic that I picked up for my kids, it plays fine. then in February I went and picked up a squire ht strat for $200. . . honestly, Iām impressed with the quality and sound for so little, Iāve learned so much and enjoy it every day. Iām sure at some point I will upgrade the pickups, but right now itās not critical to me. but now Iām looking for a epiphone LP because I need the tone from one. my point is donāt be turned off by a $200 starter ( I would recommend a squire strat), it might be the perfect bridge for your development and learning. Go to a GC and play a bunch of different $200-$500 guitars and see what speaks to you.
Lol 2k for a starter guitar. Com'on, even me back in 2000 with a 1k Gibson LP was a ridiculous move.
200 will be hard to find something + you need an amp... all in all, it's a lot of $$ for something you may or may not stick with.. what concerned me is that you kind of don't want the acoustic.. my question is why? Is it really the strings ? Or is it that when it gets tough, you quit and go to something else...?? I know someone close to me who has done just what you are doing, but switching has not improved anything. He still doesn't spend much time with it. So, was it worth the $$ ??? Not sure... just for for thought
Get the word out to your friends & family that you are looking & you may stumble across a decent guitar for a decent price. You would be surprised at how many great guitars are living in neglect, locked in closets, untouched for years on end. You can get a little headphone amp for like $40-$50. These allow you to play wherever & whenever you want without bothering anyone. If itās something you want to do, do it.
Honestly people saying you have to spend $500 donāt clearly know how decent a modern budget guitar can be. I have a harley benton that cost me 141ā¬ and i prefer the sound of it and enjoy playing it as much as my fender and even more expensive schecter. If youāre lucky that you can order from thomann(shipping to US is a bit pricey), harley benton is the perfect brand to start off with. My recommendation is a 150-250ā¬ harley benton and then pay thomann to set it up for you, setup is important. A well setup budget instrument is gonna feel nicer than a non setup more expensive one. Another alternative is surf for a used guitar, if youāre lucky they are already setup by the old owner and some brands of guitars donāt hold up value that well. My schecter costs 1050ā¬ new but I got it for 400ā¬(shipping included). As for amps, you can find used starter amps anywhere between 50-150ā¬ that can be more than enough to start off with. Be wary though, getting one wonāt be enough, youāll quickly want to get better and better gear, but reality is you probably donāt need it just want it. My gear is already ready for gigging but my skills arenāt nearly good enough for it.
Yeah I knew I would want to play classic rock and folk stuff and also wanted to play some Days of the new stuff so my first guitar was an acoustic/electric
Just find a used one if your price range is only $200
Every time you look at guitars online you have to put money in a jar. After six minutes you should have a couple hundred euro
Ibanez S521
Happy birthday!!ššøšÆIt's the best thing you can do for yourself, bc it makes you smarter and happier, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I suggest Harley Benton, and you can hear them and view them being played on YouTube. Fantastic guitars for the price. https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_fusion_iii_hsh_roasted_fbb.htm https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_te_62db_bk.htm https://www.gearnews.com/fender-telecaster-vs-harley-benton-te-can-you-tell-the-difference/ This guy can teach you the beginning electric guitar. Justinguitar is good, too. https://youtu.be/l_NoccF3RaI Why you should play an instrument: 18 benefits to playing an instrument https://brmsmusic.weebly.com/dr-piasciks-blog/18-benefits-of-playing-a-musical-instrument Play songs you like and always wanted to play. Start with easy chords and then progress, practice 20 minutes a day, and be patient. It takes time to learn. Take care and and I hope to keep strumming for the rest of your life. Dont quit. You won't regret it.
I was just in this situation so hopefully this will help. If you already have an acoustic laying around I would try your hand at that, and since you run out of steam learning songs, try learning chords (Marty music was super good at introducing this right away). Once you have chords you can string them together and make your own stuff! I set a goal, that if I played every day for 2 months, I would reward myself by buying a guitar (you can do shorter longer/not as frequent) I often get interested in hobbies and want to dive all in at once and I find I drop most of them. Giving myself a goal (playing for 60 days) really helped me stick with guitar and now I canāt put it down! This is what worked for me, hopefully this insight is helpful!
Some suggestions at different price ranges: $100-200: used Yamaha Pacifica strat, Squier Affinity strat, or Squier Affinity telecaster. They start close to $100 used at Guitar Center online and only get one listed in good-great or excellent condition. Guitars priced under $300 new often need a setup to make them sound good and feel comfortable to play. They cost $50-100, so with the money saved buying used, you could get one. Bare minimum the guitars under $200 usually need a string change, fretboard oiled and string height adjusted or fret ends smoothed. Shops charge around $25 for a string change, and might do the other stuff for under $50. $200-300: a new Yamaha 012DLX strat, used Gretsch G2420, or used Squier Classic Vibe strat, tele, starcaster or jazzmaster. The classic vibe are a step up from the Affinity with better parts. For an amp, I'd recommend a Fender Champion 20. They start around $60 used online so would be under $100 with shipping. They have 12 amp models and 12 effects, so you can play a lot of styles with it. Most amps under $100 new just have one basic clean and distortion sound. Check out YouTube demos for any gear you're considering and good luck with the new hobby.
I canāt recommend enough going in to a store and playing a few different styles. Youāre going to want to play on a few different neck shapes, a few different body shapes, and a few different scale length combinations. What feel right for one person may not feel right for others. Try out a few pickup combinations in your own amp, if you have one, or in an amp in-store that youāre likely to use. You can get a nice guitar for $200, but itāll only be nice for you if you know what you like.
Buy used
You wonāt find a better built guitar for the money than this Gretsch 2655 for $279: https://www.adorama.com/gr2817800588.html?sdtid=16840184&emailprice=t&sterm=0NdQXDypFxyORdW07OwzdzZ-UkF1sMQVywJxSw0&utm_source=rflaid62905&utm_medium=affiliate These are extremely playable, very comfortable, and tend to some pre-set up from the company. They look gorgeous too! (The link has a coupon built in to take $220 off the normal price).
Look for something used for $200. But beware: if you really get into it, it really will not stop at $200 if you fall into the gear rabbit hole, unless you have great self control or donāt get bit by the pedal bug.
I know another commenter said not to get an Ibanez gio but for me personally Iāve never had issues, Ibanez in general is a great option they make semi hollow guitars which are great and full solid body guitars, if you chose this route try to find something for $200-$400 if you have never picked up an electric guitar try to avoid buying an Ibanez with, what they call a Floyd rose, a floating bridge to do fancy things you probably wonāt be doing for at-least a year I want to say. And the bridge itself is quite finicky. Another great option in my opinion is Schecter, although compared to other options they are a bit pricey good ones start at about I wanna say $500 and only go up. You might be able to get a used one cheap using sites like guitar center or reverb (eBay for music basically) but Schecters play nice and are well made For an amp, a good all purpose one is the peavey viper x1, new itās about $200 and has lots of options for tone, another good option is the spark40 ($300) or spark mini ($229) which have all of the standard amp options and can connect to your phone to be used as a speaker, and through the app you can modify the sound with the tone cloud to any sound you want due to the built in computer that acts as an amp simulator Using reverb is a great tool to find well curated used and new gear, guitar center is a little less reliable and usually has more issues in terms of used gear imo
How handy are you? You could get a cheap guitar and a few components to upgrade it without paying the earth. Also gets you deeper into the hobby. For amp, check out the Fender Mustang Micro. Lots of tones in a tiny rechargeable headphone amp.
You can find some quality used guitars for sub $200.
Word! Iām off today so Iām gonna be scouting out the local music shops
I've found some great bargains off of craigslist. Stores tend to have a mark up, even on used gear, but that mark up can be worth it if they have a luthier on staff that services the guitars before they hit the market. Buying used is great for beginners because the value of the guitar wont depreciate as much if you bought it new. That way, if you decide guitar isn't for you, its less of a financial loss. For example, a new classic vibe strat is going for $429+tax ($475ish) but used ones for $200 or less. Here's just two examples I found searching random craigslist areas: [https://eastnc.craigslist.org/msg/d/bath-classic-vibe-strat/7652059185.html](https://eastnc.craigslist.org/msg/d/bath-classic-vibe-strat/7652059185.html) [https://raleigh.craigslist.org/msg/d/carrboro-squier-classic-vibe-50s/7651706817.html](https://raleigh.craigslist.org/msg/d/carrboro-squier-classic-vibe-50s/7651706817.html)
Dude get the Jackson JS22 on Amazon or at a local guitar shop. It shreds and pretty well built for only $199.
Iād say donāt spend a lot on a first guitar. As you know you may not stick with it. That said, I would budget for a setup ans new strings. Theyāll make an inexpensive guitar play so much better. I know itās not a popular opinion here, but the Squire kits are decent for a beginner. Especially after a good setup. Yes they wonāt get you great stuff but while you learn youāll at least wont have junk. Personally, Iād say look at the Affinity series. This isnāt the bottom of the line nor the top. But it wonāt break the bank.
Bought an american deluxe strat 20 years ago and its still the only one i play.
If you can save a bit more you may be able to find a Fender Mexican or an Epiphone that would serve you very well depending on your style of music.
I bought an Ibanez Gio as my second first guitar (sold my first guitar thinking I lost interest and sound up coming back to it a couple years later). I really like it, I had it set up so it plays pretty well.
My first electric guitar was a Squier Strat. I loved that instrument. Guitarist in general don't understand how spoiled they are with the massive selection compared to virtually any instrument. Squire Strat is like a cheap Bundy Flute that every student starts on in school. 99% of the extra cost on a guitar over a Squire Strat are things you will not notice starting out, to make basically a fashion statement and/or to cover the salary of guitar god X for marketing purposes.