verc

iTrader: (12)

It seems from the Suby people I meet at meets there must be some musicians. Was wondering if anyone could direct me to a good starting guitar. Nothing too fancy - I'm stuck in North Carolina for a few months for work and if you can recommend a good sub $100 one I might just order and ditch it when I go home.

And what about getting the guitar tuned? Is that important when you first buy one?

And what of accessories?

Thanks!
Ambert

verc

iTrader: (12)

No music stores near my location (Research Triangle Park) so amazon's my first line w/ stuff like
http://www.amazon.com/Rogue-Starter-...al-instruments
http://www.amazon.com/Rogue-RA-100D-...al-instruments

dSpec

iTrader: (10)

I'd recommend this one: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ar-?sku=518569

I just got it last month and its great. You might and should switch out the strings though (not that expensive), but that's just me.

tanz1983

iTrader: (3)

I don't know of any decent guitar for under $100. Tuning one is simple as long as you have a tuner. If you have questions, pm me. I am selling an intermediate electric guitar for $200 if you are interested.

evsoul

iTrader: (1)

epiphones are pieces of trash.

there really are no "good" guitars for under 1500 dollars.. but for starting out i would suggest a taylor. i know its a lot more. but if you don't get something decent.. you won't ever be happy... get a guitar you can play 10 years from now.. no off the shelf fender, gibson, ibanez, shector or anything like that will be good in 10 years i promise you that.



and when i say no guitars are good under 1500 bucks. i mean for mainstream brands. there are custom ones you can get for 500-1000 bucks that are nice..

a big problem you will see with cheapo guitars is that they go out of tune FAST and mean after playing it for a few minutes, always retuning the damn thing. and also cheap guitars that don't go out of tune, usually will not hold their notes higher on the fretboard.. meaning if you hit a D octave for example that is passed the 12th fret it probably will not be close to the same as hitting a D note before the 12th fret.

VRT MBasile

iTrader: (17)

Target has acoustic guitars

mgb04

iTrader: (28)

i'm not so sure i agree with that. while epiphones aren't exactly up there with the gibson as far as build materials and resale value, they're still good guitars for the money that you pay.

I think the key word here is "STARTER" guitar. to recommend a taylor or a martin acoustic to start on would be like recommending someone buy an expensive sport or luxury car to learn how to drive on. Ovation makes good starter acoustic guitars that are quite versatile, especially if you plan on playing through an amp, and don't cost an arm or a leg.

To the OP: you may want to temper your budget a LITTLE bit. Say look to spend maybe 300 instead of 150 or under, just to ensure that you get something that you won't outgrow too quickly.

And there are LOTS of guitars that are good under $1500 dollars. Depending on the type of music that you play, most manufacturers will make guitars that will fit your needs. I own a bunch of guitars (electric and acoustic) around the $900-$1200 range that sound awesome, and some less expensive than that that don't sound bad at all. In my opinion, cut your teeth on your first "cheap-o," see if playing guitar is something that you'll like, then start ponying up the bigger bucks for better equipment. don't go blowing your wad on something you may not end up taking a liking to.

whatever you choose to do, enjoy yourself. the guitar is an awesome instrument.

psoper

I agree that evsoul is being a bit over the top, but I agree in principle with what he's saying, a guitar that sounds like crap, has bad action or buzzing strings just isn't any fun, especially for a beginner- you want something that plays nice enough that you'll want to pick it up and practice, if you get a crappy cheap-o target special, I can almost guarantee you won't be playing guitar anymore in about 6 months.

I don't think you need to spend a grand though, there are a lot of decent guitars that can be picked up new in the 300-700 range, but if your just starting out, I'd suggets you look at the used market, classifieds, craigs list, e-bay and stuff, lots of good axes are out there for pennies on the dollar compared to new- and don't overlook the deals that can be had in pawn shops.
Nice thing about pawn shops or used guitar stores is you can play it a bit before you buy, which you don't get shopping on-line.

Then again, there is always Esteban's informercial special!

evsoul

iTrader: (1)

i am not saying the good guitars don't exist for under 1500 im saying i have never in my 10 years played a guitar/bass under 1500 bucks by a major brand that has been a good guitar. IMO a good guitar is no buzz, perfect action, octaves flawless down the neck, amazing sound, amazing wood... and what is the one thing you will not find in a guitar by a major brand anymore no matter how much you pay unless its custom? good wood. they flash bake wet wood so it dries faster giving the wood a harsh tone because it didnt naturally dry.
after you've worked with http://www.ribbecke.com you learn a lot....

evsoul

iTrader: (1)

not to mention a lot of my opinions are from when i first started... there is nothing more frustrated then trying to tune a guitar when you barely know how and having the guitar sound bad, and just simply trying to play a bad guitar and learn on it.. its the worst.

if you're serious about picking up guitar i suggest learning piano first(makes learning music easier IMO). but if you're serious about learning guitar and buying one get one you will enjoy playing.... seriously.

psoper

Sure if you're a pro looking for a guitar that will be an investment, you can't beat a custom guitar, unless you spend the REALLY big bucks on a vintage collectable.

But for a student or beginner looking for an acoustic guitar, I wouldn't be so quick to dis the production units out of Gibson, Taylor or Martin. (Gibsons are actually more "hand made" than Martins are these days).

Ribbecke, jeez, sure- a perfect beginner guitar, so long as you don't need to play it for a couple of years.......

"Depending upon design difficulties, delivery is currently one to two years. A minimum deposit of one thousand dollars will hold a slot open in my production line and fifty percent up front will guarantee start of production."

medicSTi

iTrader: (22)

+1 for a sweet guitar and a cool guy

mgb04

iTrader: (28)

+1 totally agree with you there. nothing more frustrating (to player AND audience) than to learn on a guitar that will not stay tuned, has excessive fret buzz, crappy sustain and intonation, etc etc etc.

and it'll be a whole whole lot easier to learn basic musical notation and scales on the piano then apply it to guitar. I learned the other way around, and while learning guitar did help in learning piano, I would have done it the other way around if I could do it again.

evsoul

iTrader: (1)

i have a 2200 dollar taylor i bought when i was 17 working at walmart. i barely play guitar anymore (i play bass a lot more) but im still very happy to have that hanging in my room anytime i want to play it (about twice a month)

aboothman

iTrader: (8)

I have several no-name guitars found off ebay that RIP. They all cost less than $500 and they play and sound better than many $1500+ Les Paul, Strat, PRS or whatever. Honestly, most new big name instruments don/t impress me. But as long as the guitar is made with quality parts and assembled well, it can be setup well. My friend who has been playing and working on guitars for 40+ years is an Ebay madman, and the guitars he gets and sets up are incredible.

As for acoustic guitars, you CAN find a good one fairly cheap. It may not have the best sound, or the greatest quality, but as long as it plays fairly easy and stays in tune you can learn.

I recommend you talk to a good guitar tech in your area. Ask him what cheaper guitars he has setup that played well, stayed in tune, and don't have any warping issues down the road.

Oh, and having your Octaves stay consistant up and down the neck is a matter of intonation, and has very little to do with the guitars quality. Fret buzz can be fixed within reason, as long as there is plenty of fret left and a good, straight neck that adjusts easy. Much of a guitars playability is in the setup.