Dominion Strategy Forum

Miscellaneous => General Discussion => Topic started by: KingZog3 on June 26, 2015, 01:05:59 am

Title: Electric Guitars
Post by: KingZog3 on June 26, 2015, 01:05:59 am
I was wondering if anyone knows anything about electric guitars. I'm looking to buy one. I've just started learning on an acoustic someone lent me, and I have no idea what is a good price or model of electric to buy. I'd be playing mostly rock stuff I imagine, just regular stuff.
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: Awaclus on June 26, 2015, 02:28:14 am
I don't know a lot about electric guitars, I only have one. I'll say this though: consider not buying an amp. If you have an external audio interface for your computer, you can just plug in your guitar and use free VST amp simulation plugins to get an amazing tone*. If you don't have an external audio interface, they cost a fraction of what a good amp does* and they're generally pretty useful too.

Just something you might want to think about. The obvious downside is that then you need your computer and some speakers (or headphones) wherever you want to play the guitar.

*: Plugging your guitar into an audio interface and using a free amp sim will surely sound better than anything you could get from physical amps and cabs for less than $2000. The cheapest audio interfaces (i.e. 1/4" jack to USB cables) are cheaper than the cheapest combos; and a 1/4" jack to USB cable will probably do the job just fine (although not as well as a proper external audio interface) while the cheapest combos are completely awful.
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: KingZog3 on June 26, 2015, 10:13:13 am
I thought I could just plug some headphones into it or something until I get an amp. At least for practicing. I have access sometimes to an amp that's not mine, but I could practice with headphones no?
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: pingpongsam on June 26, 2015, 10:39:20 am
I thought I could just plug some headphones into it or something until I get an amp. At least for practicing. I have access sometimes to an amp that's not mine, but I could practice with headphones no?

Not really. There are guitars with active electronics on board that you feed with a battery but the large majority are passive and require external amplification of some sort. You can get little practice amps with headphone jacks on them for $20 or less. That said, for an electric guitar you should expect to spend at least as much on the amp as you do the guitar.

I have several guitars of varying types and to a noob I would probably recommend something by Epiphone because the price to performance ratio is so high and they have good resale.

It is important to try different guitars to see what fits you best. The best way is to have friends with guitars otherwise you have to go to guitar stores. If you know as little as it sounds like you do find a buddy who knows a good deal more to go shopping with you. The best deals are online or if you are savvy enough used on Craigslist.

The most pertinent question right now is what kind of budget you have in mind. Also, why not acoustic?
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: Awaclus on June 26, 2015, 01:47:06 pm
I thought I could just plug some headphones into it or something until I get an amp. At least for practicing. I have access sometimes to an amp that's not mine, but I could practice with headphones no?

Well, it's perfectly possible to practice without headphones. The headphones don't really help though.
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: Seprix on June 26, 2015, 06:17:13 pm
I'd like to learn how to play guitar so I can be a one man band. I can play piano and I'm good at constructing songs already, I just need guitars and, well vocals.
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: KingZog3 on June 26, 2015, 07:42:47 pm
I'd like to learn how to play guitar so I can be a one man band. I can play piano and I'm good at constructing songs already, I just need guitars and, well vocals.

I'm already an intermediate drummer. Been playing for almost 5 years now. I just want to be able to play the various parts in music I listen to, since I really enjoy all the instruments.

It is important to try different guitars to see what fits you best. The best way is to have friends with guitars otherwise you have to go to guitar stores. If you know as little as it sounds like you do find a buddy who knows a good deal more to go shopping with you. The best deals are online or if you are savvy enough used on Craigslist.
I have a friend, but he's on tour across the states. Otherwise I'd have to go myself. He did mention Epiphone though. Are the practice amps bad?

The most pertinent question right now is what kind of budget you have in mind. Also, why not acoustic?

My budget is a couple hundred. Not sure exactly. Maybe $500 maximum, but I do a little more if it'll get me stuff that I'll use a lot. Acoustic is fine, but man, 90% of what I listen to is electric and some of my favorite stuff is done with effects, or taps that from what I understand don't really work on and acoustic. I want to play the stuff I listen to, and ideally write some music too. My guess is at some point I will also get an acoustic guitar.
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: pingpongsam on June 29, 2015, 09:51:25 am
Practice amps are just that. They don't tend to ave much character which is what amps are actually about. This is why I mention acoustic. Acoustics are better for learning fundamentals and developing dexterity that will translate to enhanced electric playing (that is, if you can do it on acoustic you can do it even better on electric). Financially, one can do very well for cheap on acoustics whereas one must be very careful to do so well with cheap electrics.

I have carried my electric and used my iPad as a headphone interface and apps to do effect processing and it works quite well so if that is really your thing then look into that (if you have an iOS device that is). The only reason I would carry my electric though is because I expect significant environmental changes that I'd rather not subject my acoustics to. Generally, speaking, acoustics are far better travel guitars because all you need are it and a pick (and even that is optional).

So, yeah, ultimately I would push someone towards getting an acoustic and an electric, lol.

One option to consider would be getting a multi-effects pedal like say a Zoom pedal that has headphone out on board. As Awaclus alluded to, I've found very little utility with headphone playing.

$300 can land you a solid electric or acoustic if you choose wisely. $500 widens the quality margin a whole lot. Once you break the $700-$800 mark you are generally not having to worry so much about quality and are going for specific features you desire which generally means you know what you want and what rigs are going to offer that.

A decent amp, depending on your desires is going to often run in the $300-$500 range. Now, I bought my favorite amp in 1995 for $60 at a pawn shop. It's an early 70's Fender Vibrochamp. I've since swapped out the tubes and replaced the speaker to the tune of maybe $100 but it's worth in the neighborhood of $700-$800 and sounds amazing. It was a steal even then in 1995. Moral of the story is, if you have access to the knowledge or the knowledge itself you can with some hunting in the right geography land some amazing gear for really cheap.

One suggestion I might offer is to see if a buddy can loan or give you a beater to play around with. Then you can better equip yourself to make informed buying decisions.
Title: Re: Electric Guitars
Post by: KingZog3 on June 29, 2015, 12:08:10 pm
This is so much harder than just going and getting a decent guitar. :P I feel like I know less than I did before. I will try to get my buddy to lend me a guitar, or to come shopping with me.