I'd go with a quality name, you could always step into the realm of multi effects pedals to get the different guitar sounds (From Strats, to SG's, to LP's, to acousticals).

 

I've found that only two guitars will get you close to being all encompassing, and thats a Les Paul or a T-60. And T-60's aren't bad, about $300-350...whereas the Les Pauls are going anywhere from $800 to well over $5000, depending on the year and shape...

For an amp, I use a Peavy Pro Studio 40, but I think that Crate has a little better sounding amps...

 

Oh Comon...!!

Spend some REAL $$$$$

Buy a 10 pc TAMA Drumset with all Zildjians..
And cases for all!!

...zap!

 

Uhhhh... I;m not going to spend that much money for something that I'm going to with sticks all day

 

I'm leaning towards a Fender or Schecter, mainly 'cause that's what two local music stores have most of in stock...and Gibsons, one store is a big Fender dealer, the other is a big Schecter dealer.

 

Go with the Fender.

 

ahhh--my first love!

i gigged for about 10 years, took a break at the end of grad school, started working long hours and moved away from my last band, found a monster jazz player to study with here in dallas, and lately i've been spending much more time on bass and drums

here's the advice i have for starting out--buy used and buy tube, if you decide it's not your bag, you'll be able to recoup your money if not make a profit


as far as what you might consider, telecasters are a great all-around guitar--you can play anything on a telecaster, or for that matter any guitar really..much of Led Zeppelin I is telecaster even though jimmy page used les pauls more often live

the peavey T-60 is a usa made telecaster clone, good guitar


try out telecasters, stratocasters, les pauls, sgs, and anything else that you like...gibsons have great residual value and are still finished with nitrocellulose lacquer, which is something to consider for a great guitar

tube amps are where it's at, they create a musical saturated sound (distortion) that is based on even-order harmonics

tube amps sound better the louder you play them, in contrast to solid state and modelling amps


a small fender such as a silverface champ is great for practice and can be used for gigging and recording--you've heard this amp on a LOT of recordings by such people as jimmy page, jimi hendrix and billy gibbons--can be had for <$300...

if you don't want to go higher end, mexican telecasters can be set up for good sounds--you need to find a good tech to set up any instrument you buy for you--it's money well spent because playing in tune is good for you and anyone who must listen!

pm me, i love to talk shop and i can talk all day, so i'll spare the forum!

ps, if you have a budget, spend more for a good amp at first, then upgrade the instrument later as you save money

sample plan: $2000 budget, i'd buy a used custom shop tele or les paul for about $1700 and find a silverface champ or even a lower wattage tube combo

i have a late '60s 1.25 watt tube amp, and it's just right for playing at home--tube watts get you a lot more mileage

my main guitar rig includes a gibson '57 reissue les paul, '79 Marshall JMP, and an avatar 4X12 speaker cab--but it will peel the paint off the walls!

 

I've got a six string acoustic Takamine guitar. Been playing on and off for about 7 years. I only play rock, but appreciate good music in any genre. I most recently learned to play Aaron Lewis' rendition of "Black" by Pearl Jam. I'm not any good at playing lead but I like to play the whole song anyway. Good luck on choosing a guitar, and don't buy because its a name brand. There are a lot of quality guitars that are made by smaller companies. Play it before you buy it.

 

Am I really giving up anything if I bought a standard Telecaster over a custom shop version?

 

it's really diminishing returns as you go up the ladder--personally, i'd go with the MIM (made in mexico) standard, about $350 new street price and can be had for around $200-300 used...as you learn and play more, you might find your taste changing

the MIM has the vintage 6-saddle bridge and sounds more like a telecaster in the traditional sense than the more expensive USA standard...and with a good setup (about $50) you can have a fine instrument that will last...teles are rock solid and can sound at home for blues, rock, jazz and just about anything



good luck, music is great fun whether you do it professionally or just as a hobby, and most good musicians are very cool about sharing their knowledge to help you out!

fwiw, you can have an acoustic set up with lighter strings and start on that as well as an electric, but acoustics can be a little more finicky with humidity changes (the wood moves in all guitars to some degree requiring periodic adjustment of the neck)

 

Everybody here has given good advice... I particularly agree with the parts about but the most you can afford because it will retain its value and give you more motivation to practice. I have a couple of guitars and my father has somewhere between 15-18 I can never keep up. But the telecaster is a great guitar, its very versatile and pretty easy to play because the strings are so close to the fret board. So I would go with that.

I dont have any pictures of my baby, but she is a 1973 Gibson Les Paul Custom... Black with gold hardware. I love her.

 

I own several high end Les Paul's........but this entry level Studio is one of my favorites.



Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded Worn Brown $779.00 with free shipping.

 

I have a Taylor Acoustic.

To encourage myself to practice/play as often as possible, I bought a couple of inexpensive floor stands. I put one in my living room and one in some other room. My guitar is always close and ready to play in an instant.

I used to keep it in the case, but just the thought of getting the guitar out of the case could sometimes prevent me from strumming a few chords.

 

Q,

I would start off with a Mexican Telecaster. The reason is that they only run about $369.00 from Musician's Friend, and they are EASY to set up to have a killer guitar with outstanding action. You can always upgrade the pickups later, and you'll never want to trade it off, even if you buy something pricier down the road. They are an outstanding deal for the money.

Whatever you buy, stay away from a guitar with a tremolo. They play hell for a beginner.

I have a Les Paul that I love, and I bought an American Deluxe Fender Strat last year that I love even more. They are both great guitars. But the Telecaster is a little bit of both of those, and it is great to learn on.

Despite the criticism may come from saying this, stay away from lesser name guitars for now. If you get a Fender, or a Gibson, you'll always be able to get parts and service for it. Other brands discontinue models constantly, and there are many knock offs that just plain suck.

If you go acoustic, you can't beat Takamine for the price versus quality. I have three (2 six strings and 1 twelve string) and they are the bomb.

Good luck.

 

'69, like this one?