Guitar Advice

[DarrellW]

I’m going to throw another into the pot for you to look at:
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/gretsch-g5230t-electromatic-jet-ft-with-bigsby-aleutian-blue
How can you not like it 😂

[AlexH149]

I’m going to throw another into the pot for you to look at:
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/gretsch-g5230t-electromatic-jet-ft-with-bigsby-aleutian-blue
How can you not like it

Ooooh that's nice!

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[DarrellW]

Ooooh that's nice!

Just an idea of what it’s capable of:

[AlexH149]

Niiiiiice! Seems kind of similar to the prs with a deeper tone

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[close2u]

The 'sound' of a compressed youtube video/audio is going to be deceptive and you can only glean so much.

Holding and hearing them in the flesh is key.

A few pointers.

Each guitar recommended will feel different against your body as they vary in physucal size and depth and carved contour.

There are also ranges of scale length (measure between bridge and nut). The Strat / Tele style are longer, the Epiphone / PRS / Gretsch will be shorter. This is not good / bad. This is a feel thing when you hold and play chords, notes etc. Some folk are happy either way - some people have a definite preference for one over the other.

There are differences in the pickups ... Strat / Tele styles mainly have single coil, the PRS / Epiphone have humbucker, Gretsch are slightly different again.

Single coils are described as being crisper, clearer, more chimey. Humbuckers as being warmer, richer. What humbuckers do is buck the hum - prevent the electrical noise that can happen with single coils where there is a lot of electrical inteference, especially if distortion is up high. Some Strat / Tele style do have a humbucker (you may read HSS for a Strat style say). Humbucker, single, single.
Again, different strokes for different folks.

WHen you go in the store ask for one STrat style, one Tele style, one ES style (the ES339 and eS335 are brother / sister with the 335 being the more famous big brother - literally it is a bigger body) and one Gretsch (or hollow style).


There are also other Gretsch in your price range too and worth considering. For example, these without a tremolo are well regarded at the price if you want that style.

[AlexH149]

The 'sound' of a compressed youtube video/audio is going to be deceptive and you can only glean so much.

Holding and hearing them in the flesh is key.

A few pointers.

Each guitar recommended will feel different against your body as they vary in physucal size and depth and carved contour.

There are also ranges of scale length (measure between bridge and nut). The Strat / Tele style are longer, the Epiphone / PRS / Gretsch will be shorter. This is not good / bad. This is a feel thing when you hold and play chords, notes etc. Some folk are happy either way - some people have a definite preference for one over the other.

There are differences in the pickups ... Strat / Tele styles mainly have single coil, the PRS / Epiphone have humbucker, Gretsch are slightly different again.

Single coils are described as being crisper, clearer, more chimey. Humbuckers as being warmer, richer. What humbuckers do is buck the hum - prevent the electrical noise that can happen with single coils where there is a lot of electrical inteference, especially if distortion is up high. Some Strat / Tele style do have a humbucker (you may read HSS for a Strat style say). Humbucker, single, single.
Again, different strokes for different folks.

WHen you go in the store ask for one STrat style, one Tele style, one ES style (the ES339 and eS335 are brother / sister with the 335 being the more famous big brother - literally it is a bigger body) and one Gretsch (or hollow style).


There are also other Gretsch in your price range too and worth considering. For example, these without a tremolo are well regarded at the price if you want that style.

Lots of things to consider. Completely agree about not hearing the true sound through YouTube videos. I've done a little research into the different pickup types. I take it split coil pickups can function as either single coil or humbucker is that correct?

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[close2u]

...I take it split coil pickups can function as either single coil or humbucker is that correct?

The short answer is yes.


A longer answer involves lots of detail you don't need to know ahead of time and a short summary basically saying a split humbucker approximates a single coil. It definitely gives an additional set of tones to a dual humbucker guitar.

[CT]

Your first electric? Get a tele clone, they are cheap as chips and you can play any type of music. Get thee to youtube and look for something that catches your eye. I'm on the US West coast and can highly recommend the guitars at monoprice.com. Check for regional favorites near you. I wouldn't drop $600 US on a first electric, because you don't really need to. Affordable guitars are highly playable these days, unlike in the days of yore. The purchases don't just end with the guitar, you'll want an amp, cables, pedals and liquid refreshment. Go for value early and often.

[AlexH149]

The short answer is yes.


A longer answer involves lots of detail you don't need to know ahead of time and a short summary basically saying a split humbucker approximates a single coil. It definitely gives an additional set of tones to a dual humbucker guitar.

Brilliant. You've been a massive help. Thanks for all your advice mate

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[AlexH149]

Your first electric? Get a tele clone, they are cheap as chips and you can play any type of music. Get thee to youtube and look for something that catches your eye. I'm on the US West coast and can highly recommend the guitars at monoprice.com. Check for regional favorites near you. I wouldn't drop $600 US on a first electric, because you don't really need to. Affordable guitars are highly playable these days, unlike in the days of yore. The purchases don't just end with the guitar, you'll want an amp, cables, pedals and liquid refreshment. Go for value early and often.

I've looked at some of the tele /Strat clones like Epiphone, Ibanez etc. They look great value for money. I'm thinking I might as well invest in something I want to keep long term though

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[CT]

I've looked at some of the tele /Strat clones like Epiphone, Ibanez etc. They look great value for money. I'm thinking I might as well invest in something I want to keep long term though

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What do you suppose is going to happen to high-value guitars that won't happen to guitars at $600 and above? Suddenly stop working? Epi and Ibanez are still mid-level manufacturers. Much of the price of a $600 guitar cannot be seen in the instrument itself. You are paying for advertising, distribution and other costs of maintaining a top name brand. Many of the high-value guitars are made in the same factories with the same parts as the name brands. For some players there is prestige in playing a higher end name brand instrument. It's your call.

[Ex-Calif]

@Ex-Calif

Fender have / had Chinese factories. So talking of knock-offs may be misleading here.
It's great that you like your bullet.
Most recommendations (depending on max budget constraints) suggest people shoot higher than the bullet range but if you're happy that is all that matters.

Hey - just wanted to close the loop on the Chinese thing - Totally get what you are saying and I "was" specifically referring to Chinese companies making total knock-offs not Fender and I presume others who are manufacturing there.

Pretty simple how I ended up with the Bullet (not my first choice) - I had actually picked a different squier and was gonna buy it for Christmas. Happened to be in a pawn shop and the bullet was there at like US$70 cheaper than new.  The owner of the shop was a "guitar guy" and even showed me the 1st owners original receipt. It's less than a year old.

I really wanted Cherry Sunburst(?) but I can live with black - LOL...

I wouldn't drop $600 US on a first electric, because you don't really need to. Affordable guitars are highly playable these days, unlike in the days of yore. The purchases don't just end with the guitar, you'll want an amp, cables, pedals and liquid refreshment. Go for value early and often.

This is kinda how I thought about it. I had never owned a "branded" electric so my thinking went like this.

1 - "cheapest branded entry level electric"
2 - best reviews and feedback on them
3 - Is the guitar in a "style" I like
4 - Are there a number of guys in my "favorite" genre playing a similar design guitar
5 - Do I like the feel of the guitar
6 - Do I like the color and does the guitar "turn me on"

Some of the more experienced guys may forget how overwhelming it is to go to a guitar shop and try out a guitar for a complete newbie.  Most of us can't hardly make a sound out of a guitar and then the sales guy starts talking about a lot of specs and stuff that I honestly don't really understand and then there is the risk of being upsold into something unsuitable and too expensive.

I short listed the Squier and Ibanez and only "fondled" those two in the guitar shop. I decided on the Squier.

The bottom line for me is I am totally happy with the guitar, it is the "best" electric guitar I have ever owned and I literally can't put the damn thing down.

If your guitar makes you wanna play 3 hours every day - you picked the right guitar.

TBH - I can afford pretty much anything I want but it would be stupid of me to drop US$2,000+ on a guitar right now. Who knows if I pick the squier up after I pass out of intermediate?  I do know I can play it all the way through intermediate.

@Alex - I am totally amazed how many smart guys are on here willing to help out - Listen to them, not me - LOL. I think it's the whole Justin vibe thing.  I am sure you'll end up with a good axe...

[AlexH149]

What do you suppose is going to happen to high-value guitars that won't happen to guitars at $600 and above? Suddenly stop working? Epi and Ibanez are still mid-level manufacturers. Much of the price of a $600 guitar cannot be seen in the instrument itself. You are paying for advertising, distribution and other costs of maintaining a top name brand. Many of the high-value guitars are made in the same factories with the same parts as the name brands. For some players there is prestige in playing a higher end name brand instrument. It's your call.

Thanks for your reply. I've heard a lot of these bands are made in the same factories. I think I'll try a few out at different price levels so I can make an informed decision.

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[DarrellW]

Thanks for your reply. I've heard a lot of these bands are made in the same factories. I think I'll try a few out at different price levels so I can make an informed decision.

Cort are an excellent example of this, they make quite a lot of guitars for the well known brands, they’re well worth looking at in their own right. You definitely would not go far wrong with anything made by them.

[AlexH149]

Cort are an excellent example of this, they make quite a lot of guitars for the well known brands, they’re well worth looking at in their own right. You definitely would not go far wrong with anything made by them.

I've heard of Cort. I'll check them out

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[AlexH149]

Hey - just wanted to close the loop on the Chinese thing - Totally get what you are saying and I "was" specifically referring to Chinese companies making total knock-offs not Fender and I presume others who are manufacturing there.

Pretty simple how I ended up with the Bullet (not my first choice) - I had actually picked a different squier and was gonna buy it for Christmas. Happened to be in a pawn shop and the bullet was there at like US$70 cheaper than new.  The owner of the shop was a "guitar guy" and even showed me the 1st owners original receipt. It's less than a year old.

I really wanted Cherry Sunburst(?) but I can live with black - LOL...


This is kinda how I thought about it. I had never owned a "branded" electric so my thinking went like this.

1 - "cheapest branded entry level electric"
2 - best reviews and feedback on them
3 - Is the guitar in a "style" I like
4 - Are there a number of guys in my "favorite" genre playing a similar design guitar
5 - Do I like the feel of the guitar
6 - Do I like the color and does the guitar "turn me on"

Some of the more experienced guys may forget how overwhelming it is to go to a guitar shop and try out a guitar for a complete newbie.  Most of us can't hardly make a sound out of a guitar and then the sales guy starts talking about a lot of specs and stuff that I honestly don't really understand and then there is the risk of being upsold into something unsuitable and too expensive.

I short listed the Squier and Ibanez and only "fondled" those two in the guitar shop. I decided on the Squier.

The bottom line for me is I am totally happy with the guitar, it is the "best" electric guitar I have ever owned and I literally can't put the damn thing down.

If your guitar makes you wanna play 3 hours every day - you picked the right guitar.

TBH - I can afford pretty much anything I want but it would be stupid of me to drop US$2,000+ on a guitar right now. Who knows if I pick the squier up after I pass out of intermediate?  I do know I can play it all the way through intermediate.

@Alex - I am totally amazed how many smart guys are on here willing to help out - Listen to them, not me - LOL. I think it's the whole Justin vibe thing.  I am sure you'll end up with a good axe...

Always good to hear people's stories of their purchases. Which Squire do you have? Also totally agree that a guitar should make you want to play it. That's the whole point!

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[CT]

Almost every guitar Youtuber (even Justin) has at least a few videos of affordable guitars that they have bought online sight unseen, reviewed, and they usually rate from very playable to actually very good. Donner, Glarry, Guitar Fetish, Grote, Monoprice, and others are well represented. Many of these guitars are fine instruments, and well priced for reasons previously mentioned.