Which guitar do i buy? Please help me!

Submitted by Liz7 on Sun, 2004-10-17 01:58

Hey all, i'm wanting to buy a guitar for around $400-$500 (probaly second hand) yet i'm faced with problem of which type to get! My intentions for the guitar is to play a mixed/variety of music excluding heavy metal.

Origionally i was planning to buy an Ibanez (Rg170 or 550 to be presis) yet i've been recently told this type of guitar wouldn't be suitable to forfill my needs. This range (Ibanez) has been recommended by a number of people yet now, through imformation i've been told i'm having my doubts.

Today i've been recommend fender telecastor, stratocaster and also gibson. Apparantly these would suit my requirements.

Can you all please have your say on this issue. I'd like to know what you, experienced or knowlegable guitar playes do and would recommend. I don't want to go buying somthing which wouldn't be suitable. Could you also please tell me where good places to buy second hand guitars are.

Thanks.

(Also no hard feelings to the people who have given me advice and if i have turned it down. Thanks all.)

Comments

Submitted by grim_entropy on Sun, 2004-10-17 04:16.

I bet whoever is was that recomended that stuff, was trying to sell you a more expensive guitar.

Now, a Gibson would be the best way to go, but for $500 you can only buy a really shitty Gibson.

An Ibanez is a good way to go if you want something desent for a cheap price (which seems to be the case in your situation). It is a good choice.

I scored me a BC Rich KKV for around $600, and am really happy with it and would recomend it to anyone.

Keep in mind that your sound depends alot on the amp you use.

Submitted by grusome on Sun, 2004-10-17 05:51.

i'm thinking ibanez are good - if you're playing a range of styles try and score one with both single coil and humbucker pickups, i.e a double and a single pickup.. .. basically everyone plays fender or gibson, so if you want to sound cool and look cool, play something else...if you're buying second hand, make sure you play it first, there's a huge difference between various guitars...also don't get one that feels too heavy or too light.....

Submitted by Liz7 on Sun, 2004-10-17 19:23.

Ok, so again, considering Ibanez for around $400-$500 which models would you recommend? I hear the Rg170 is basically a beginners guitar and that posibly an Rg550 as well as 'Roadstar' are good. Whats your opinion on these?

Submitted by simon_ishtar on Mon, 2004-10-18 22:52.

Don't go below rg450s. 450, 470, 550 and higher are really good. Sabres, also known as S series are good too. Same rule 400 series upwards are great. Ibanez AR series is another possibility if you don't need a tremolo bar. Most artist signature guitars will be way over $500 but the Joe Satriani guitars are very versatile. There was one in cash converters for $350 a few years ago but I left it figuring it had been stolen.

Submitted by gasso on Sun, 2004-10-17 16:24.

fenders, gibsons, ibanez etc all make awesome gats, but if you can, i'd recommend taking someone who knows what a good guitar feels like to any store/private sale you finally decide on for the purchase of your 1st guitar.
ive played some shocking fenders, some so-so gibsons, some crap ibanez - they all looked the shizz, but played like shit. Keep an eye on trademe, the trade and exchange (thurs and sat), look for old ibanez les paul copies (good solid gats) - dont pay more than $200 for any 'squier' made by fender....
and whatever guitar you get, take it to a guitar tech and get it setup professionally, can be all the difference
cheers

Submitted by mking on Sun, 2004-10-17 18:26.

I would recommend that you might want to save up a little bit more cash and buy a really good guitar such as a Gibson or Fender. Epiphone (which are basically Gibson copies but cheaper) might be down your alley. I'm not sure about Ibanez, a guitarist I used to play with had one and his strings would break constantly. Not sure though whether it was him or the guitar.
I am one of those poor unfortunates that has a 'Squier' but got it dirt cheap, it gets out of tune really quickly, the pick ups are fried (makes an awful noise when I face my amp) and don't even think about using the whammy bar. Still it makes it a prime candidate for a smashing on stage.......

Submitted by grusome on Sun, 2004-10-17 20:54.

// guitarist I used to play with had one and his strings would break constantly.

perhaps he was using crap strings....

Submitted by simon_ishtar on Mon, 2004-10-18 22:46.

Was the string breaking at the bridge or nut? Both are easy to fix. How often did your friend change strings? Bad technique could also be a possibility.

Submitted by danthetto on Sun, 2004-10-17 22:10.

fender make squier
gibson make epiphones
gretsch make cheaper models cant remember the name
look for second hand
accompanied by someone who knows about guitars
sometimes youll find an old mustang or l6s for under $400
danelectro are amazing for the price

Submitted by Escy on Sun, 2004-10-17 22:30.

Some infomation about pickups and a little bit about Ibanez.

http://www.nzmusic.com/topic.cfm?show=all&i=5109

Neat guide to guitar shopping for beginners.

[ external link ]

Submitted by pissmefish on Mon, 2004-10-18 18:26.

If you can find an RG550 for $400 I would buy it. They were a $1500 guitar when they came out and are a bloody nice guitar. Pretty versatile with the single coil in neck and middle position and a humbucker. The floyd rose system is a bit shit I never used to lock the strings at the neck, but with a few nice pedals and amp you'll get it to sound like whatever you like.

Submitted by Liz7 on Mon, 2004-10-18 18:29.

Any ideas of where i can find one of these (second hand)? I've been trying on trademe, trade-exchange but any other suggestions?
Thanks for your comment.

Submitted by pissmefish on Mon, 2004-10-18 19:25.

cash converters? put an ad in the trade & exchange musical equipment WANTED section? (it's free) Not sure where else but good luck.

Submitted by simon_ishtar on Mon, 2004-10-18 22:43.

Go West music had a 550, Korean circa 95, hod rodded with an evolution in the bridge and a replacement white pickguard the other week. They wanted $450 for it and I would have bought it myself but for lack of funds at moment. They don't come around that often so I imagine it may be gone.
I picked up a 550, Japanese ca 1991, for $600 there about 5 years ago and a 470S with HS3s in the middle and neck positions (and a hipshot in the back) for $650 about 3 years ago so Go West does have some cool Ibanez deals come through sometimes.

Submitted by szamo on Mon, 2004-10-18 20:10.

Squire Strats are good for money, replace the pickups and you'll have a good little guitar. Same with the epiphone les pauls... If your looking for a good first guitar I'd recomend either of those.

Submitted by simon_ishtar on Mon, 2004-10-18 22:35.

*The guitar that feels most confortable when you play it is probably right for you.

*Half of your sound will be in your fingers and the difference between an rg550 and fender strat will be noticable but probably not as noticable as what your hands do anyway.

*You probably listen to other guitarists and have favourites. What do they play? Why does it sound good? Even if you can't afford a top signature model have a play on a few guitars and see if you can find what it is you like about their tones on similar instruments.

*What kind of rig are you running? There's no point going into a music shop and plugging a les paul straight into a 5150, falling in love with it and then expecting it to do the same thing through a 15 watt Samick. Take your own rig in when buying.

* Do you need a whammy bar? I've got floyd rose (or equivalent licensed) tremolos on all of mine cause I do a lot of divebombs but if I was one of those major league Jazz cats I might go for something that just gives me a vibrato effect at most, if any whammy at all.

*Do you want an image attached to your axe. I always think punk when I see someone on stage with an old mosrite, expect Nu Metal whenever I see a seven string, teles make me think of singer/songwriter types and country rock, a BC Rich warlock or mockingbird used to make me think of Motley crue but now I'd think Metal. Connotations can be very wrong but could a certain style accociated instrument be something you may want to reinforce an onstage image?

* Can you live with the 60 cycle hum that comes off a single coil?The payoff is a clear upper midrangey tone. Do you want the more lower midrangey, fatter, cleaner humbucking sound. If you were looking for something versatile you could go for both (hence Ibanez being good for versatility)

* What kind of neck feels most confortable? Wide and flat (ie rg550s, sabres, most ibanez signature models), something rounder, a little narrower and easy to bend notes on (ie strat), something more triangular such as a tele often has? Do you want to go for the classic 25.5 inch scale length or the gibson 24.75 inch?

*If you find an old axe you love the feel of and you still have money left over how could you hot rod it? A pickup change can be expensive but is one way of getting new life out of an old beast. Wood matures and as it gets older, theoretically, the tone should get bigger and warmer. Sometimes a rodded old axe can be surprising. Also don't worry too much bout selector switches and pots they are easily replacable. Just make sure you get the right parts.

*Play with the pickup positions and find uses for each sound. Play the guitar clean as well as dirty. Try rolling the volume back to 7 and see how it sounds compared to being on 10. Play the thing unplugged and ask yourself how the wood sounds.

* Do you like the feel of small or big frets? If you don't know find out. play different guitars.

In short try out lots of guitars and let your hands and ears be the judge. Take a friend along and get them to play. It'll give you a chance to walk out front and listen closer.
Also be realistic. A good guitar owes most of us only a few good tones.

Submitted by HEDjoel on Mon, 2004-10-18 23:31.

Yea the best thing to do is head down to your local shop(s) and try out all the ones that appeal to you (that you can afford) if it makes you smile when you play it then go for it

and never ever ever buy a sonic guitar. those things have NOTHING going for them... except maybe the cheap price

Submitted by Liz7 on Tue, 2004-10-19 18:28.

Well t hanks everyone for your advice/suggestions! Im still pretty keen to buy an Ibanez, mearly because of the fact of being different! Everyone tends to have Fenders! And haven't been recomended that much else (apart from gibson - which i'm not that keen on the looks!)
Looking at Ibanez (plus any other suggestions) which model numbers to people recommend for spending $400 - $500 ish (second hand probaly getting the best deal for money!)
As i've said earlier, the RG550 has been recommended, any further comments/suggestions? Thanks all.

Submitted by simon_ishtar on Wed, 2004-10-20 00:07.

there are a few other good little deals to look out for (usually second hand but...) The Yamaha Pasifica series are not too bad, neither is the Yamaha Blues Saraceno model (There was one in Go West a few years ago but cause of its plaid paintwork it didn't sell for a long time). Jackson/ Charvel guitars have a distinctive sound and play very nicely but you tend to either love or hate them. The lower end BC Rich guitars aren't too bad and still affordable but look totally metal. Washburn make some nice guitars in your price range too.

Submitted by grim_entropy on Sun, 2004-10-24 02:47.

//apart from gibson - which i'm not that keen on the looks!

Are you serious?

Submitted by Miss Conduct on Wed, 2004-10-20 14:02.

the goods to go for?

Jackson, Gibson, Washburn, B.C.Riche. and hate to admit it Cort. Ibanez guitars are now all made in China and Mass Produced (like shitty new zealand beer) Cort are professionally made. but if i we're you id get a Jackson.

Submitted by fuckwit on Wed, 2004-10-20 14:39.

i too am thinking of getting a new guitar and am not sure what to buy. i have been thinking of just getting a fender strat as i know that i like them but i would like something that looked and sounded a bit more unique. my mate has a mint coloured ibanez talman and i played it the other day and came to the conclusion that it looks amazing and sounds great. the only trouble is that he said that they have stopped making them now. does anyone have any recommendations for kinda grungy looking guitars along the lines of the talman?

Submitted by HEDjoel on Wed, 2004-10-20 23:10.

Hmmm i think the Fender Jaguar looks a bit like that... (as used by Kurt Cobain)

Submitted by simon_ishtar on Wed, 2004-10-20 23:52.

Charvel surfcaster though I can't ever remember seeing one in nz. Same as Talman no longer in production. If you want grungy how bout the danelectros?