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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.

"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."