BlackSG91
Ambassador of Anarchy
What would be your choice for a beginner Electric guitar
- Thread starter Session 5
- Start date
I don't understand, I use my Les Paul more because the humbuckers have much more range than any of my Stratocasters or Telecasters. The P90s gives me more room in the range but nothing beats a killer Les Paul. I would love to play my White Strat because it is so light vs my block of Mahogany around my neck.
I was born and raised in Catonsville (in the 50s, had a pet T-Rex) and then moved to Westview Park when I was 10; we had fire, the wheel and hand tools by then.
OP
Session 5
Ambassador of Strings & Wings
That's one of the things why I like my Godin mahogany Core Ct. nice and light at six and a half lbs, plus a well balanced guitar. Well Kev I would put my P90 Godin in the same class as a Les Paul.
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
I still say a Jasckson for 199.00 JS Dinky--- just set mine up properlike with the floating trem.....2 humbuckers great tone adn the fit and finish/build quality is on par with the VM and upper Epi stuff.
its 7/8 sized (hence "dinky") its light contoured comfy and easy playing as the day is long --- can do country blues--rock jjazz....you name it ....
however if this a "beginner" with a friend that can set up a guitar WELL--- then anything---
I got this for 80.00
Dirty socks where thrown in free....... it played like crap----(hence the 80.00 and NOT the 100.00 asking price)
action was a mile high the funky bridge was all crooked and wonky -----
but --- 30 minutes and some tweaks---a tiny shim-- and all is AWESOME ---
its 7/8 sized (hence "dinky") its light contoured comfy and easy playing as the day is long --- can do country blues--rock jjazz....you name it ....
however if this a "beginner" with a friend that can set up a guitar WELL--- then anything---
I got this for 80.00
Dirty socks where thrown in free....... it played like crap----(hence the 80.00 and NOT the 100.00 asking price)
action was a mile high the funky bridge was all crooked and wonky -----
but --- 30 minutes and some tweaks---a tiny shim-- and all is AWESOME ---
Back in the 50's? Isn't that when dinosaurs existed...no?
;>)/
Dinosaurs and UFOs disappeared when the phone turned into a camera.
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
THANKS !!
They are...its bone stock--- to some tweaking but its got killer low action fast neck (very similar to a Jackson dimension) and makes LOVELY Poison and Motley Crue sounds 
Mr Grumpy
Ambassador of Comings and Goings
If you enjoying modding then that's great, buy a $200 Squire, but you are then spending money that would have been better spent on a better guitar in the first place.
Squire VMs are good value for money; a good buy. Squire CVs are really good, but have become pricey. The Bullet and Affinty series for $200 - $300 are poor value when compared to many other brands. eSGEs is right that some poor guitars come out of the Cort facvories - Bullet and Affinity squires! Cort make their guitars much better at the same pricepoint.
Korea has an excellent range of brands made locally, some you would have heard of, some not, but you can pick up a PRS SE for $100 more than an Affinity Squire; spend $100, $200, $300... on that Squire and it still won't be the match of the PRS. I don't know if you just have very limited selections in your local shops, but for every low end Squire/Epis in the shops here there are 5 locally made guitars which are similar prices, but far better in every way.
$300
At the least, it's on a par with the CV, if bot a Mexican Fender. Blows the Affinity and Bullet Squires out of the water. Some reviewers prefer it over an American standard.
Squire VMs are good value for money; a good buy. Squire CVs are really good, but have become pricey. The Bullet and Affinty series for $200 - $300 are poor value when compared to many other brands. eSGEs is right that some poor guitars come out of the Cort facvories - Bullet and Affinity squires! Cort make their guitars much better at the same pricepoint.
Korea has an excellent range of brands made locally, some you would have heard of, some not, but you can pick up a PRS SE for $100 more than an Affinity Squire; spend $100, $200, $300... on that Squire and it still won't be the match of the PRS. I don't know if you just have very limited selections in your local shops, but for every low end Squire/Epis in the shops here there are 5 locally made guitars which are similar prices, but far better in every way.
$300
At the least, it's on a par with the CV, if bot a Mexican Fender. Blows the Affinity and Bullet Squires out of the water. Some reviewers prefer it over an American standard.
I still say a Jasckson for 199.00 JS Dinky--- just set mine up properlike with the floating trem.....2 humbuckers great tone adn the fit and finish/build quality is on par with the VM and upper Epi stuff.
its 7/8 sized (hence "dinky") its light contoured comfy and easy playing as the day is long --- can do country blues--rock jjazz....you name it ....
however if this a "beginner" with a friend that can set up a guitar WELL--- then anything---
I got this for 80.00
View attachment 11889
Dirty socks where thrown in free....... it played like crap----(hence the 80.00 and NOT the 100.00 asking price)
action was a mile high the funky bridge was all crooked and wonky -----
but --- 30 minutes and some tweaks---a tiny shim-- and all is AWESOME ---
Shims....ahhh....many shims in my Floyd Rose I have, mmmm hmmmm.
Wow...36 guitars! You must have built a special warehouse for them.
;>)/
Next up on Hoarders....
RVA
Ambassador
Mr G.! Howdy!!! Corts rock!If you enjoying modding then that's great, buy a $200 Squire, but you are then spending money that would have been better spent on a better guitar in the first place.
Squire VMs are good value for money; a good buy. Squire CVs are really good, but have become pricey. The Bullet and Affinty series for $200 - $300 are poor value when compared to many other brands. eSGEs is right that some poor guitars come out of the Cort facvories - Bullet and Affinity squires! Cort make their guitars much better at the same pricepoint.
Korea has an excellent range of brands made locally, some you would have heard of, some not, but you can pick up a PRS SE for $100 more than an Affinity Squire; spend $100, $200, $300... on that Squire and it still won't be the match of the PRS. I don't know if you just have very limited selections in your local shops, but for every low end Squire/Epis in the shops here there are 5 locally made guitars which are similar prices, but far better in every way.
$300
At the least, it's on a par with the CV, if bot a Mexican Fender. Blows the Affinity and Bullet Squires out of the water. Some reviewers prefer it over an American standard.
RVA
Ambassador
An inexpensive guitar certainty needs work and a bit of an investment, although if you get adept at sourcing parts, less than one might think. While some inexpensive guitars will not play like a guitar 3x the price, if you develop your skill, most can reach that level.
The thing that makes it worth it to mod a less expensive guitar rather than simply buy a more expensive one, other than simply enjoying the process, is customization. If you will appreciate the more expensive guitar the way it is out of the box, other than a set-up of course, then that may be the prudent choice for you. However, many find that here are still things to tweak, whether it be the pups, the switching, the nut, the tuners, or various other aspects.
Also, when it comes to fretwork, I have found that many guitars are substandard until you reach the $2K price range, and even then many brands have their quality control issues.
Essentially, even if you spend the same money on a modded, less expensive guitar, there is the benefit of having a finished product that is highly customized and which served to improve your maintenance skills with your guitars going forward as a result of the process.
The thing that makes it worth it to mod a less expensive guitar rather than simply buy a more expensive one, other than simply enjoying the process, is customization. If you will appreciate the more expensive guitar the way it is out of the box, other than a set-up of course, then that may be the prudent choice for you. However, many find that here are still things to tweak, whether it be the pups, the switching, the nut, the tuners, or various other aspects.
Also, when it comes to fretwork, I have found that many guitars are substandard until you reach the $2K price range, and even then many brands have their quality control issues.
Essentially, even if you spend the same money on a modded, less expensive guitar, there is the benefit of having a finished product that is highly customized and which served to improve your maintenance skills with your guitars going forward as a result of the process.
Last edited:
RVA
Ambassador
I do not recall any of those.makes LOVELY Poison and Motley Crue sounds
And you make valid points herein. I have invested in both new a brand Gibson that needed work - which could be considered an investment - and virtually worthless guitars that the upgrades required to make them playable/reliable, exceeded the guitar's value many times.
In the end, having a playable guitar that you enjoy is paramount.
As RVA has stated about issues even in higher priced guitars, I've seen $1,400 Gibson's with uneven, distorted frets (bulged from the force used to seat them) and a $149 Ibanez with near perfectly level frets off the rack, so a case by case evaluation is needed.
In my case, when I bought my new 2016 Gibson, it had significant issues with fretboard level and fret level - the board literally appeared scalloped in certain areas.
This would have required more $$$$/Time invested than I could justify, so I just returned it.
Now I also have a 1987 Squirecaster which is probably the most reliable, (tuning stability) quiet and playable guitar there is. The three vintage DiMarzio pickups actually exceed the current value of that guitar, but its a nice playing instrument.
On a recording, or in a live performance situation, what name appears on the headstock means nothing to me. Action, intonation, quiet signal and articulation are my only concerns.
So, yes you can mod a cheap guitar, and under the right circumstances, turn it into a good player - or renovate a more expensive guitar - such as I did on my 2016 Gibson SG T Series - and have a more prestigious guitar. If either scenario produces a good playing instrument then it was the correct course of action.
Trouble is, I see huge variations in quality control among all guitar brands, both cheap and expensive, so one can never be sure what he or she will receive until the guitar is in your hands.
Having performed both renovations, and from this point forward, I will always build a custom from high quality parts.
B.Hefner produces great quality parts and custom finishes. I have relied on them - to some degree - on all my custom guitars, except my Ibanez Destroyer II replica which was built for me under contract by WMI in Korea.
Along with B.Hefner, I have used Musikraft and Warmoth for both necks and bodies and the quality is superior to anything I have picked up off a rack at Guitar Sinner or Sam Thrash.
I can order a body and a custom scale, super wide neck, have it finished, frets installed, nut installed, bridge laid-out and drilled and shipped to me door cheaper than you could imagine.
From this platform, I can build a better guitar - dollar for dollar - than I can buy...with premium hardware and electronics.
My goal is not to have many guitars - in fact I practically gave away my 2005 Schecter C1 Hellraiser to rid my village of all 25.5" scale demons - but rather I want one, maybe two incredible guitars that possess every attribute that I desire.
And if my skill set concerned me, there are several guys on TTR that I would send a guitar to without hesitation....
Agreed on LTDs. As I said earlier, I got my son an LTD bass, and it's a really nice bass. Personally, I'd like one of the ESP/LTD Les Paul-type guitars with a Floyd.