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Posted By: PapaMikie Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/01/09 10:58 AM
I am considering getting an electric Guitar and Amp. My goals is to get something that I can use to practice late at night or early in the a.m. and listen to on headphone, perhaps through the computer audio in to practice with BIAB. I assume there is typically a way to get the sound out to the computer (perhaps headphones out to audio in)

I have never used an electic guitar, I am trying to keep the budget down, just wonder what other user have or suggest.

Any feedback on what to get, how to set it up for uses with computer and BIAB would be appreciated.
I've heard that the Fender Squire Strat package is pretty good.
Posted By: Ryszard Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/01/09 12:51 PM
Quote:

I am considering getting an electric Guitar and Amp. My goals is to get something that I can use to practice late at night or early in the a.m. and listen to on headphone, perhaps through the computer audio in to practice with BIAB. I assume there is typically a way to get the sound out to the computer (perhaps headphones out to audio in)

I have never used an electic guitar, I am trying to keep the budget down, just wonder what other user have or suggest.

Any feedback on what to get, how to set it up for uses with computer and BIAB would be appreciated.




My advice would be to buy the guitar and amp separately, as you can get your hands on the guitar and evaluate it by itself.

I got my son a $150 Squier Strat for Christmas several years ago. It was superb; he still has it, and I have used it for some projects myself. My son wanted a low-end B.C. Rich, which was a piece of crap, at the same price for the looks, but even he could tell the difference once he had it in his hands. Take a friend who knows guitars shopping with you and he or she will help you make a good decision.

If I were doing it now, I would take a look at any of these Behringer USB guitar packages. The guitar will plug straight into your PC and the packages include software. I haven't used them myself, but I am a Behry freak and consider them worth at least a look.

As far as the amp, you just want something with, at a minimum, distortion, reverb, a headphone out and CD in. 'Everbody' makes one of these in the 10-15 watt range for not much money. Spend a little more and you'll get more effects. (Power, in watts, is unimportant; if you need more volume, plug it into a PA.) They all have a headphone out; some will have a dedicated line out. Anything in this price range will be noisy, though, perhaps a consideration if you're thinking of recording with it. OTOH, that's almost a given and can be considered to add to the character of the sound.

If you can spend a little more, consider an emulator such as the Behringer V-Amp or Line 6 Pod. These don't have speakers, but reproduce the sounds of many effects, amplifiers and speaker combinations--a LOT of bang for the buck. I have had my hands on versions of all three and recommend any of the lot. In fact, you might think about the Bass V-Amp. Despite the name, it is highly suited for guitar as well, and if you get a bass later on, you'll be ready for that, too.

HTH,
R.
Do you play guitar at all? (acoustic?)

There are a number of solutions.

My solution was an Epiphone Casino, because it is an acoustic guitar as well an electric guitar, so I can practice without an amp if I want.

Pure electric choices range from Fender Squier, various Epiphones, some Ibanez models, to the low-end guitars with decent reputations like Agile at Rondo Music http://www.rondomusic.com/ and Xavieres at Guitar Fetish http://store.guitarfetish.com/xaviereguitars.html

I had a low-end Kramer/Focus/Faux-Strat guitar that was decent. The build was good but the pickups were a little weak - but it was very inexpensive and pup upgrades are reasonable.

But nothing beats going to a music store and putting your hands on the guitar, plugging it in to an amp, turning off all FX except for a little reverb, and listening.

Here is a picture of my Epiphone Casino (about $400 used) and my Gibson ES-330 (about $5,000 used). They are very similar looking and sounding. If $400 isn't too steep for your budget, I'd recommend that you go to a music store and try one out.


Notes
Posted By: toucher Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/01/09 02:20 PM
As a decent starter guitar, the Behringer usb guitar is not a bad choice for interfacing with the computer.

Everyone that I have talked to that owns a few guitars, seem to agree that the SX or agile guitars from Rondo beat the low end big brands for quality build etc. I pretty much play nothing but copies now when I buy electrics. I have a great Jay Turser Neck Thru Bass, (used on eabay), I have a Jay Turser 335 copy purchased new on ebay. Both are great guitars. I also have an old set neck LP copy by Memphis which is one of my favorites. The only big name I have now is a Peavey 5 string Grind Bass, and my Larrivee accoustic.

If I were to buy an amp on a budget, I'd probably look at a small Behriinger, because they seem to be less noisy. The other would be a Line 6 Spider probably at least a 10 or 12" speaker.

I also have a Korean fender squire pro tone, which is not made any longer, but is a great guitar although more money.

I'd seriously look at the jay tursers and the SX.
Posted By: KeithS Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/01/09 03:09 PM
A great little practice amp is the Roland Mini Cube. http://www.zzounds.com/item--ROLMICROCUBE

It has 7 amplifier models, reverb, delay, tremelo, chours, phazer, and flanging. It has headphones out that cuts off the main speaker so that you can practice without disturbing others. Street price in the neighborhood of 115 US dollars. Can be plugged into a PA system or the audio interface on your computer.

As far as an electric guitar I would take a look at something like the epiphone dot. Its about 400 dollars and has characteritics of both a solid body guitar and a hollow body. I have one and its a nice guitar. I also have an ephiphone Lucille that I like even better which retails for around 700 dollars. Its got a switch on it that can take you from the fatter gibson sound to the thinner telecastor/strat sound.

I wouldn't buy any instrument without sitting down and looking it over carefully and playing it. I found that Epiphone in particular has a lot of variation in the quality between instruments of the same model. When I went to the local Guitar Center to buy my Dot, I played 10 representatives of the Dot line, and didn't find 2 that were the same. The one that I ended up buying actually had the adujustable parts of the bridge installed backwards, something I didn't notice in the store but discovered when I got it home and started trying to fine tune the intonation.
Papa Mikie,

You are a Canadian - buy a Godin.
Go used to keep the price low, if you want, but even new they are a serious bargain. They sound good, play like a dream, are well built, and the quality control is good. The same company makes Seagull, La Patrie, Norman, and Art and Lutherie guitars.
The LG model is a fabulous Gibson-style guitar, and the Freeway model has the classic Fender feel and sound. The components are made in a small factory in Quebec and assembled across the border in New Hampshire.

Have a look here: lower-priced Godin electric guitars

Why buy something from Korea, China, or Japan when you could own a real working man's guitar, made in your own back yard?

I play the Godin "Freeway 4", and it is the equal of any bass I've ever played (and I have owned a lot of basses ).
I have owned, and recorded with, two Godin LG's, and actually prefer them to the Gibson SG or Les Paul.

Am I making any sense, yet?.....
Well,I am biased towards Fender because I have played them for nearly 50 years.

Squier Strat Package comes with a little practise amp,but as always,please,please go to
a store and try it,or get the salesman to demo it for you,it's the only way to see if it
comes anywhere what you need.

Depending what sort of stuff you want to play,an Epiphone Les Paul is not a bad buy,but
it is a bit more expensive,and doesn't come with an amp.

You could always consider a used instrument but to be honest,for the price, a Squier Package
is hard to beat.

Go to the store and have a look,you don't have to buy anything you don't like.

Good hunting

Alan
I do play guitar. Used to play a lot, and over the last year or two have been getting back at it. One issue is my music area is right central in the house, and playing acoustic in the middle of the night does not make other too happy. For some strange reason they think they should be able to sleep rather than listen to me practice scale, riffs, etc.

I am looking to pactice and figure the sound of an electric un applified will not be too disturbing to their sleep.

I am just looking for suggestions on a starting point.
A friend bought a Bass From Rondo http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html , and i am very impressed, for the money it was very well made. I have my eye on one of there Tele clone as we speak. Also i would go with a POD2 amp modeler http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-Pod-2.0-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Processor?sku=150448 for an amp, cause it interfaces with your compurer easily, and sound great, shop ebay for a good used one. This combo will make for some great recordings and a super practice team
Posted By: toucher Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/01/09 10:30 PM
Suffice it to say there are as many opinions as there are guitars and amps. Since you do play, you probably have an idea of what you like. Couple of buddies have fender custom shop teles, neck thru, b-bender set ups etc.. They are a complete overkill for me considering how well I play. about $6000.00 or so each.

Its all about what you want, need and or can afford. I have a kick around accoustic that isn't worth $100.00, but a good setup, and some fret dressing, makes a world of difference. Doesn't sound as good as my larrivee, but if it gets banged up it's no great loss.
Quote:

A friend bought a Bass From Rondo http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html , and i am very impressed, for the money it was very well made.






Quite correct.
The SX model guitars from Rondo are excellent values.
I own three of them (he said sheepishly).
And Kurt is an easy guy to deal with if necessary.
You really can't go wrong with guitars and basses from Rondo music. I have a bass from them (copy of a 62 custom Precision bass) and a solid cedar top classical guitar from them.

Aim for either the SX or Agile brand.

Regarding the amp/interface/etc. I'll second the Behringer V-Amp - but I recommend the Bass V-Amp, even for guitar players. It has both good guitar amp and bass guitar amp simulation.
Quote:



I am looking to pactice and figure the sound of an electric un applified will not be too disturbing to their sleep.

I am just looking for suggestions on a starting point.




If you're looking to practice un-amplified, you'll want a hollow-body of some sort. Notes was right on suggesting a Casino, or you could go with the popular (and really quite nice) Ibanez Artcore line.

This may sound obvious, but it bears repeating: Get the best you can afford. If I've learned one thing over the years of futzing around buying and selling guitars, it's this. People love to say that cheapies are as good as higher end guitars, but in the vast majority of cases this is incorrect. I'm not suggesting you go and get a custom shop Gibson (though they are wonderful ), but I _am_ suggesting that you don't just get a Behringer USB guitar and be done with it. Get something that you will be proud to own five years down the line.

The flip-side of getting something that's good is that you can actually use it to perform live or record in the future, if you like.

As for amplifiers, it really depends on your needs. If you're looking for a little practice solution with headphones, you might not even need an amp - the purist in me hates to say it, but you may want to go for a POD or something of the sort... Or if you'd like to go _really_ simple, VOX makes a line of headphone amps that literally plug into your guitar (they are tiny palm sized units) which might be just right for practice.

If you have any other guitar questions, let me know Good luck!
Well, a lot of good suggestions here. I do recommend Rondo Music, as they have a high value-per-buck on their products, pretty quick shipping and good customer service. I would also like to mention Guitarfetish as another oufit that sells extremely nice products at a very reasonable price and has great customer service. I've never had to wait more than 24 hours for an email reply to any questions from Guitarfetish. I do a lot of business with them because I have a sideline building and customizing electric guitars, and they have some top quality parts at great prices.

The Behringer adapter is a neat item for playing through your computer. If you need an amp, decide on what tone you want and how much power. Remember that tone and power are related, so don't expect a lot of gutsy tone from a six inch speaker. Also, tube amps are kinda expensive, but a lot of us guitar guys really like the warmth and smooth overdrive that a tube amp offers. Just go play some guitars and plug them into some amps at your local music store. Then order online...LOL

Notes Norton...sweet axes! How I love those big,nasty dog ear P-90's!! I like to see someone that appreciates fine instruments and takes care of them. I do a lot of custom changes and repairs, and it breaks my heart sometimes when I see a fine instrument that is in neglected, dispicable condition. Good for you!
Quote:

Well, a lot of good suggestions here. I do recommend Rondo Music, as they have a high value-per-buck on their products, pretty quick shipping and good customer service. I would also like to mention Guitarfetish as another oufit that sells extremely nice products at a very reasonable price and has great customer service. I've never had to wait more than 24 hours for an email reply to any questions from Guitarfetish. I do a lot of business with them because I have a sideline building and customizing electric guitars, and they have some top quality parts at great prices.




This is great info too - everyone loves Rondo. The only downside is that you can't actually try the guitar out first. It's vital that you do so if you don't have other electrics around to help you approximate what you're buying. As well, you really shouldn't underestimate your ability to buy used guitars locally and get smashing deals. Craigslist is your friend.
OK, once you've selected your new (or used) Godin , think Digitech.
My RP12 was made in Utah with software developed right here in Victoria BC, but their lower priced models are now made in China. If you you don't want to shell out the 600 clams for a North American made Digitech, you can consider their RP150.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=megFiVykScA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKCz1YH3YcQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQUcEAszJdY&feature=related
http://www.digitech.com/products/Multi-Effects/RP150.php

It's an effects processor, a headphone amp, a pre-amp for recording, and has drums on board to help you practice. And it sounds very good. Plug it into a small stereo or boombox, and you have yourself premium stereo sound at a very low volume.

Given your situation, may I suggest a solid body instrument? This will be whisper quiet when practicing acoustically, and you can reinforce the sound with headphones or a small amp according to your volume requirements of the moment.
Solid body guitars, particularly the ones modeled after the Fender Strat, are the most comfortable to play, and take less space to store.
Posted By: rharv Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/07/09 09:50 PM
I second the RP150 for a budget minded guitarist looking for a large variety of good sound.
Having compared it to a LOT of other units I am still happy with it.. and I compared to some higher priced units before deciding..
I have the old RP 200 and have never found more than a few useable sounds. But i hear the newer units are a bit better.
Quote:

<...>Notes Norton...sweet axes! How I love those big,nasty dog ear P-90's!! I like to see someone that appreciates fine instruments and takes care of them. I do a lot of custom changes and repairs, and it breaks my heart sometimes when I see a fine instrument that is in neglected, dispicable condition. Good for you!



Thanks.

IMHO the P90 pickup is the best sounding pickup ever made. I have an ESP with humbuckers and I used to have a Kramer/Focus/Faux-Strat and to me the P90 sounds better than either. Of course, that is a matter of personal taste.

I use the Casino on stage and play the Gibson at home. Since I play sax, guitar, wind synth, flute, percussion controller, vocals and sometimes keyboards on stage, and I sometimes have to switch instruments quickly, I don't want to take a chance on putting a major ding in the Gibson, it's become a collector's item.

And besides for having beautiful amplified tone, I can practice them without an amp, and without disturbing anyone. My wife, Leilani understands and also uses the Gibson to practice at home, when we practice together, we'll bring out both of them rather than plug in her Parker.

BTW, I have tried out an Artcore. They are nice guitars, noticeably heavier than the Casino, the neck is a little bigger, and the ones I tried had humbuckers - - again whether you want hubuckers or single-coils is a matter of taste. IMHO the trade off for humbuckers is to eliminate the slight hum you distort the tone. I can distort the tone of my P90s with FX, but there is nothing you can do to clean up the tone of the humbucker.

Back on topic.

I too have heard nothing but good things about the Rondo Music guitars - Agile and SX. I've never owned one though. But in all the guitar forums I visit, I've never heard anything bad about them. You will probably need to bring almost any mail-order guitar to a luthier or guitar tech to have them check the neck, action and other things that can go wrong in the UPS or FedEx truck unless you are experienced at that yourself. A good setup can make a world of difference in how the guitar plays.

I have a Zoom G1X, FX/Direct Box/Amp Simulator pedal. It does a decent emulation of a Twin Reverb and other amps. If you have a home entertainment system with an aux input, you should be able to use it as your amp with the pedal and save the expense of a practice amp. Also, my partner Leilani bought a little earbud that works on a battery that allows you to hear the guitar amplified in the earbud. However, since I got the Casino and we now have 2 acoustic/electric guitars, she hasn't used it. Sorry, I don't know the name or brand, there are no markings on the device.

Notes
One thing to understand about buying a guitar from an internet source: obviously you cannot hold and play the instrument. Rondo has fantastic bargains, but on occasion I have had to do some serious work on their guitars. I had a nut shatter into pieces on a Tele clone during the tuning process and had to replace it. This required digging out the pieces of the old nut, cleaning out the nut channel, and replacing the nut. I used a graftech black nut for this. If you aren't up to this stuff, it might be better to go locally and buy an instrument there. Another Rondo violin bass had the tail piece installed about a 1/4" off center! Wacky. I had to remove the tailpiece and drill a hole in the right spot, then re-install the tailpiece and re-adjust the floating bridge and brass saddles.

Point here is: I doubt that Rondo does any examination of the product before they ship it out. It may arrive in fine condition, or it may require work. I'm willing to do the work, as I do this stuff all the time, and the bargains are so good, but if you don't have the skill or patience or tools, you might be wary. Guitarfetish items are very nice and way cool, but their tuning machines are not very good in my opinion. I count on changing them out as a matter of course. The overall quality and price make this a very viable option for me, but not for everyone.

In any event, count on some set-up time with neck adjustment and intonation settings as well as the action, and pehaps a change-out of strings. This stuff can and should be done by a local retailer, but you're on your own if you buy from an internet source.
Posted By: swanman Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/10/09 04:10 PM
I like that Strat mentioned above but it might be a tad bit limiting in the sound department, in my humble view. There are so many good guitars for cheap nowadays that the best bet would to simply go out and start playing the ones in your price range. Got to hear it before you buy it. As far as an amp goes, you can pick up a" Kustom 16R" for about $175 American. As my Marshall blew up for good a couple months ago, this is the amp I'm using now. I'm astonished at how good it sounds for its size ( stands about 15" high and is about 18" wide) and price. Sounds amazing at low volumes. Click on my signature and hear how it sounds if you like. Good luck, man.
Posted By: abaudio Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/10/09 05:15 PM
LOL. It seems a bit a question like what fish should I eat. As many as different tastes, so many different advices.

Amps, simulators, hardware, software, or the in-ear pocket devices. It is all in the end a choice only you can make, your ears to be the judge of it's sound, your eyes for it's looks, your brain for all features offered, your neighbours for their complains if you don't- or their worshipping if you do it all well, and your mouth to examine how all those flavours blend, mix and taste to make a feastmeal for your senses.

So I zip my mouth with only this: Go to a shop and try out as many as you can, compare them like you are buying a dangerous Japanese Ball-fish-dish, and make sure you don't get sick after you are eating it, since you will be eating it every day after.
Posted By: Mac Re: Suggestions for Electric Guitar and Amp - 04/10/09 09:13 PM
No Marshall I've ever seen ever blew up for good.

Old Marshalls are like old Chevy smallblocks, they get rebuilt.

Especially if'n they got 4-bolt mains...


--Mac
A bit late, but here goes;

I spent most of the winter researching, pretty much for what you want. I settled on a Hagstrom Super Swede Vintage Style guitar, and a Peavy Vypyr 30W. I live in Canada, and I couldn't find a Hagstrom dealer here, so I got one from Strings and Things on the internet. The demand for the amp was such that I would have to wait for a 30W here in Calgary, so I bought the 75W. I don't play it without going through the computer, and it sounds great with the subwoofer and all. It just needs a cable from line out to line in on the PC, which I got at Radio Shack, or whatever they call themselves. The 30w and 75 are very similar with 24 simulated amp models, stompbox effects and post amp (loop) effects, global echo and reverb. You can save a bunch of your own presets also. There were problems early on with the processor in the amp, but they've fixed it. I haven't had a hitch with mine in the 3 months I've had it.

If you're into Jazz and/or blues, Hagstrom have an excellent line of 335 emulators. Hags have always been known for the neck, fastest in the business.
Colin James has a Swede and a 335 copy.

HTH,
Dennis1945
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