Need advice from experienced guitar guys

[Lammchop93]

What kind of music are you into playing? I'm just as much a guitar freak as I am a gun freak. I could talk about guitars for days. Never tried playing through a laptop, but I know it can be done. As well as Ipad's.

 

[littletommy]

Rondomusic.com carries Agile guitars. I have an older LesPaul copy that is very close to my 1990 real Les Paul, and I think it was around $250 7 or 8 years ago when I bought it. The thing is a rock, and when I was playing in bands a few years back, I would play it on a nightly basis, never failed me. Agile also makes a sweet Telecaster copy for under $300. By the way, Rondo has excellent customer service.

 

[Double T]

Why not get a fender tele MIM. Has great sound, and can also be played through digital equipment.

Also, you can dampen the string with a handtowel near the bridge and still gwt some decent tonality...BUT, you may have issues with fret buzzing when you try to play without.

I would recommend a MIM strat or Tele.

 

[GBuck]

Get a Mexican or Japanese Fender Telecaster (most country is played on a tele, when electric). You will spend $5-600 and not regret it. They are well made (I prefer the Mexican) but not as expensive (or quite as nice) as their American counterparts. You can play them with garageband on mac or MANY other programs.

Also, what someone said earlier about learning on an accoustic. Yes, if you're looking to be a great guitar player and be very technically sound, this is the best choice. However, if you're looking to tinker, have a hobby and maybe even play out with some buddies, just get the tele and never look back. The electric guitar is MUCH easier to play and therefore will keep your attention in the long run.

 

[Catsfan]

You can go with something like the Yamaha SLG100N Silent Guitar. You play into headphones.

^^^ This is the way to go. I have a good friend that makes a living around Indy with one of these!! They make 2 versions; steal string & nylon string. Plug headphones directly into the guitar and you're good to go.

 

[jetmechG550]

Take a ride over to Six Strings Down in Plainfield and talk to Dave. He has a great selection of used guitars in electric and acoustic along with amps, pedals and other goodies. I have a Mexican Strat with a Seymour Duncan Hot rail that I picked up for under $400. We bought my daughter a new Epi Les Paul a couple years ago and it was under $400 too. It's nice and plays nice. I also have one of the Pods to play through my Mac. I think Line 6 makes it and it's about $50 or so. The software offers all kinds of amps and pedals to play with. There's also the iRig and you can play right on your iPad or Touch if you have one. But I think stopping to see Dave and talking with him will be a great start, he's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to guitars and amps and will not push you into anything. Closed on Wednesday's though

 

[Roscoe38]

As far as acoustics go, classical guitars are somewhat quieter than steel strings. If you want a steel string, go with lighter gauge strings, a soundhole comer and strum with your fingers or a use a thin pick.

Felt picks work too

 

[rotortech]

I would suggest going with acoustic. You don't need much equipment that way and they can play all kinds of music. I would recommend a Yamaha acoustic and the Seagull mentioned earlier would also work very well. I think you can get a good Yamaha new for $300 ish.

Good luck with the music.

 

[amallen1]

I'm a G&L guy...

 

[Hornett]

Luna Guitars.
The company is new and I had not heard of them until last year.
The one I played was awesome.
The guy who owned it was an amazing guitarist and he said he liked it as much as his custom made guitar.

luna guitars - Acoustic Guitars

Guitar Center is a Luna dealer.

 

[netsecurity]

I had a couple of guitars in high school and for a few years after. I tinkered around, played tab and never really made any progress. Eventually I sold them off and moved on to guns. I've had an itch for the past year or so to give it another go. I prefer acoustic but I figure I could play an electric without disturbing the family as much and I'm told there is software out which allows you to use a laptop rather than an amp (I could wear headphones or earbuds).

I'm wondering if any of the experienced guitar players might have some advice for someone looking to start over. I don't have a $1K budget for a guitar but I don't want a piece of crap starter guitar either. I see a lot of Ibanez for sale on CL. They were considered pretty cool when I still had a mullet, are they decent? If not, what would you recommend?

Does playing through a laptop work pretty well? Any particular software you'd recommend? Just trying to get an idea of what it would cost me to try to get back in to it a bit.

SCHECTER

 

[It'sAllFun&Games]

I had a couple of guitars in high school and for a few years after. I tinkered around, played tab and never really made any progress. Eventually I sold them off and moved on to guns. I've had an itch for the past year or so to give it another go. I prefer acoustic but I figure I could play an electric without disturbing the family as much and I'm told there is software out which allows you to use a laptop rather than an amp (I could wear headphones or earbuds).

I'm wondering if any of the experienced guitar players might have some advice for someone looking to start over. I don't have a $1K budget for a guitar but I don't want a piece of crap starter guitar either. I see a lot of Ibanez for sale on CL. They were considered pretty cool when I still had a mullet, are they decent? If not, what would you recommend?

Does playing through a laptop work pretty well? Any particular software you'd recommend? Just trying to get an idea of what it would cost me to try to get back in to it a bit.

Yep, the Ibanez are still great guitars. My mullet is gone, but my love for heavy metal remains...

You definitely don't need to spend a lot of money for what you're looking to do. I have 6 guitars, ranging from $200-$2000, and I can tell you that you can definitely get a quality used electric for less than $300 if you know what you're looking for.

I've got an awesome old 1980's Charvel model 3 that I picked up used at Guitar Center in Castleton for $200. Excellent quality, made in Japan. WAY nicer than what you could get nowadays.

If I wanted to play quietly, I'd buy myself a Fender Mustang amp for $99. It does all kinds of modeling and effects, and more importantly has a headphone jack. No, it doesn't sound as good as a real tube amp, but you should check one out, I think you'd be surprised at how good it sounds for $99.

You can also plug into your iPhone or laptop or whatever and use software modeling, but it's not very good. There's an annoying delay between when you play and when you hear it, so I'd stay away from that and go with a practice amp that has a headphone jack.

But if you're really more into acoustic, that's what you should get. Some are more quiet than others, depending on wood, shape, etc.
Your best bet is to head to the local music store and try some out.
Used is the way to go.

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[churchmouse]

Ain't happenin. Have you been outside this month? My garage isn't air conditioned, I wouldn't hand around out there if there was a fully furnished stripper pole let alone to play guitar.

Yeah, I work in this wonderful heat on commercial and industrial HVAC and process chillers. My shop is conditioned, lost my head for a moment. Thought every man cave had A/C..............


The stripper poll might be a nice addition...............HHHmmmmmmm

 

[atvdave]

almost all amps have a headphone jack installed in them now day's so you can go that way to save some money if you wish..

I play through a old PODxt with headphones and like it a lot. You can choose from many different types of amp modes, and they even have a few acoustic mod on their as well.

For TAB music I like using Guitar Pro 6. There are ton's of available songs already programed all over the internet free. I also think it will let you play through your computer/laptop if you wish. I've never tried it though..

BTW.. I got some Kramer's FS in the classifieds..

 

[PaulF]

Any way to tone an acoustic down a bit so everyone in the house wouldn't have to listen to me make insulting noises with it?

Any "Dreadnaught" or "Concert" acoustic guitar will be, when played indoors, loud enough to wake the dead.

Try one of these: (link follows)
Feedback Buster

A "Feedback Buster" is a pliable rubber insert for the soundboard (surface of the guitar with the "hole") of an acoustic guitar. It is intended to break the feedback loop that commonly occurs when an Electric/Acoustic guitar (acoustic guitar with a built-in, usually piezo-electric pickup installed) is used onstage with a public-address system. A nice side-effect if that the Feedback Buster also nicely muffles the volume of the sound without changing the tone of the guitar.

In my earlier "rock-star wannabe" years:

I used a Feedback Buster to quiet my Martin D-28 (Dreadnaught-Bodied Acoustic Guitar) enough to be able to play it in my apartment without having the police visit...and it worked. The noise complaints from my neighbors just about stopped after I started using the 'Feedback Buster'...until I got a new girlfriend.

So, take-away message: Buy a $10 "Feedback Buster" and enjoy any acoustic guitar you choose!

I hope this helps!

-Paul

Edit: Additionally, Seagull makes some of the best Acoustic Guitars for the money (IMHO), They are built in Canada (Even Most Martins are built in Asia or Mexico anymore), they feature all the "bells and whistles" of much more expensive guitars (My martin cost over $2000, my seagull cost $450 and sounds almost as rich).

 

[gunsisgood]

Depends on what you want to do, If u like Les Pauls the Epiphones
around 5 to $600 are great buys.

^This
Plays well, stays in tune I have replaced the stock pickups with vintage gibsons but the stock ones are good. When in stealth mode I play it through a Digitron tube powerd effects unit and plug in some headphones, my wife says she can still hear it though.
The Digitron has a tuner, wich is mandatory imo. Guitar, effects, headphones, cord and a strap wayyy less than a grand new and very affordable if you find used.