Decided to pick up the electric guitar

[Jstrew]

Use to be my dad's when he played years ago. I never thought twice about wanting to do this until, well, I first saw the band live. My main goal in doing this is to be able to play some of the songs that they do.

[David]

Dude, that is totally AWESOME!!!!!

I've been playing for about 7 years now and I have way to much fun with it. What kind of guitar is it??? What kind of amp are you running it through??
If it's been sitting around for a couple years you should totally restring it...strings are only 5-6 dollars a set and if you don't know how to change them (it took a couple years for me to be able to string an axe w/o screwing it up), any decent guitar shop will string it for you for free if you buy the strings there, and teach you how to do it, others might want to charge you 5 bucks....but it's worth it because if you mess up one string you have to buy a whole new set.


If you ever want to chat about guitar or the learning process feel free to PM me. Learn how to play power chords and rock out to some Nirvana/Green Day/Offspring or any 90's grunge to start off with. Learning to play is a pain, keep it fun so you can stay motivated.

[officialjlox]

very cool dude! i've played bass and guitar for about 12 years, and now i'm exclusively a bass player.

David has the right idea. if the axe has been hangin around a while I would definitely get new strings, but on top of that I'd find a reputable guitar tech and get a setup. If you're not familiar, a setup is kind of like a tune up for the guitar. It'll make sure the neck angle is correct, the pickups are balanced, the intonation is on point, and that the strings are nice and low to the neck to make for easier playing. Most shops will charge you around 30-50$ for the setup, but it's worth the money to do every few months, or if you notice your guitar isn't playing/sounding it's best. Think of it like getting an oil change for your car. it may suck paying for it, but it'll suck worse if you don't.

A few essentials I'd suggest picking up-
-2 quality sets of strings- one to put on right away, the other as a backup (i used to use DR, dean markley or ernie ball)
- an electronic tuner- staying in tune is crucial especially when you're learning new songs
- a set of picks. experiment with different gauges until you find what's comfortable for you, then pick up at least 10-20. You'll be shocked how easily these things get lost lol. Keep one in your wallet in case of emergency!



There are plenty of great resources online to teach yourself, but if you've got the cash and time, there really is no substitute for a good teacher. Check around if your local music store gives lessons, and take a few if you can. Even if you don't go regularly, having a one-on-one guide through the beginning processes of learning guitar is a HUGE help.

Get ready for your fingers to hurt for a while though lol you'll eventually build up calouses on your finger tips but in the beginning grinding your fingers on metal wires for hours on end can get a little sore!

best tip- don't give up! if you want to learn the instrument, take the time to learn it right no matter what your aspirations are. take your time and most of all HAVE FUN!

[Jstrew]

Ok, to make a long story short, I tried out his guitar. but it didnt have the right feel and tone. The amp he had for it is so old that Im affraid that if I plug it in, itll fry. Any suggestions for a good starter guitar? I dont want to pay alot, but I want one that will work for what Im wanting to do.

[officialjlox]

[David]

I totally have to second that recemondation. The Squier Strat pack was my first guitar. It's a great ax for the money. I also bought one for my brother when he was talking about wanting to learn. I believe there are 3 different levels on the prices, same guitar....just better quality amps. I think the one I bought was around 250 new.

Epiphone (Gibsons sub company) Sells starter packs also, I'm sure those are just as good if your more interested in getting a guitar that looks like a Les Paul or SG instead of a strat. There is also a difference in sounds....the strat has split coil pickups giving a cleaner sound, the epiphone guitars have humbuckers, better for crunchy rock. If anything it might be best just to listen to both. Even in you can't play now, I've never been to a guitar store where the sales people weren't happy to demo it for it.....

wa
Also, don't forget craigslist and other classifieds if you want to try to save some cash....these are entry level guitars, and people ether buy them and give up on learning and sell them....or they sell them to upgrade to something better.

I'm assuming your wanting to stick with electric?? They are easier to play than acoustics.....I guess thats just my opinion. I'd have to do some thinking about an acoustic suggestion.

[David]

On a side note, I see your from North Platte, I was up there for two weeks last month working in the rail yard.

[DropC]

Hate to disagree, but I never found the Squires to be very good guitars. It's essentially possible to learn on any guitar as good as the last, so it never made sense to me to buy a beginner's guitar that would only limit you later. The Epiphone Les Paul is a better buy IMO, as are any Schecter guitars. The Line 6 Spider III amps are $115, and come with a plethora of awesome features, including an amazing built in distortion tone.

[David]

Thats a fair enough opinion Chris.

If you don't mind me asking, it might help to know your price range.

One thing that I've learned about buying guitars, it sounds a little cheesy, but I find that when I'm guitar hunting, I find I don't really choose what guitar I want....the guitar chooses me. I'm David....and I'm cheesy, it's what I do lol.

I've bought a few guitars....here is a link to a pic of my collection....
http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad14 ... 0_1123.jpg

[Jstrew]

Im just looking for one that Ill be satified with, doesnt cost an arm and a leg for a starter, and will produce the same tone as Shim's. Truth be told, part of me wanted to choose a bass, but I dont think I would have been satisfied. That wouldnt mean that I wouldnt want to play some of the parts of the songs that Emma just does so well, ie. Master of the Universe, which I have seen done live.

[officialjlox]

[ChewieRamone]

my first guitar was a fender strat, and i still love it.. i agree with what the above people have been posting. buying a guitar seems expensive, but its a great investment cause you're gonna get years of enjoyment out of it.

[DropC]

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/prod ... D=26044243

Shim has played on these live before, instead of his normal Gibson! It's essentially the Epiphone version of the Gibson instrument. Yeah, you need a hollow-body to get the sound just right.

[David]

I think my final recommendation would be an Epiphone starter pack, either an SG or Les Paul model, they will sound about the same and have the right pickups to emulate Shim. just depends on which look you like better.

EDIT: I would also recommend picking up a multi effects pedal like this one
http://www.guitarcenter.com/DigiTech-RP ... 1445916.gc

I have one similar that I started with that has 40 different effects. A good single effect pedal can cost you a hundred bones, but these multi pedals are great for beginners, I have an Digitech RP-80, it even has a drum machine built into it with 30 different beats,,,,I've had a lot of fun with that over the years. I found it made learning a lot more fun to have different sounds, they have everything from several different types of distortion to choruses and delays.

[officialjlox]