Thetownend.com

Trying to learn the guitar for about  the millionth time in my life. Up until now I have used a knackered old electric or an equally knacked acoustic with a combined value of about a quid.
Have a birthday coming up and thought maybe I should get something half way decent for learning on.

So any Ideas for an electric for no more than 300 quid

Cheers

The neigbours are gonna love you.

I bought my Washburn acoustic for about £150 a few years back. Sounded quite tinny at first but it's mellowed as the wood has aged. The action's quite high so you get a little fret buzz, but apart from that it's great.

I've also got an Epiphone SG., although I don't play it as much as the acoustic. Nice action on it and easy to play, but probably not as universal as something like a Strat.

The neighbours can fuck off, he was banging on the wall at 3 am yesterday morning, good job I was awake practising my drumming else I would have been well pissed off

You would be able to get something pretty decent for 300 notes. My first electric was a second hand fender telecaster which i got for about £250. Its still a great guitar and id never sell it. Was also really nece to learn on as it has a more rounded neck than a strat, which is easier to shape chords when you are starting out.

Your best  bet is to do a tour of the shops in town, Kempsters and Holmes have a great range, try them out, ask their advice. They are all very helpful, i think kempsters might sell some second hand too, so you might get a bargain.

What he says.....definitley try before you buy, if possible take a mate with you who knows about guitars too...Enjoy.

I mainly play a Rickenbacker 330 for no other reason than Weller used one early on in The Jam , they feel, sound and look great!

NICE!

Was it you that started a thread about what people should buy you for your birthday?

Guess you settled on a guitar then? Nice!

Wasn't me that started that thread but I reckon a guitars a pretty good present, you are only 40 once  8)

Epiphone les Paul is your best bet, had one for well over 10 years now. It's a solid piece of gear, and it's nice to see the words les Paul on a guitar :)

Ive got a crafter 12 string.  Dont reccomend it as it has too many string.  I get bored after tuning 6.

Defo 2nd hand as you can get some real bargains.

Just need to decide what sort of stuff you're going to play (acoustic v heavier) and chose a guitar to suit. Electrics are easier to learn on but obviously need an amp.

Technically not a muso (I'm a gigging bass player  :D ) but know a bit as we went through this when my son started off, feel free to pm if you need help.

If you want new and a strat then a mid range Yamaha Pacifica are in budget and reasonable to play.

Suspect if I were choosing again id get a 2nd hand les Paul style guitar.

What guitars do all you TEF guitarists play then?

Les Paul, marshall Jcm 2000 and boss gt-10

The Les Paul/Marshall pairing is a thing of wonder.

I don't, but if I did it would be a makelele

?

[url width=341 height=296]http://talkingspheres.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/makelele.jpg[/url]

Ha ha, I meant ukulele

Washburn Winpro in sunburst, Peavey Backstage 100 amp.

The Washburn's got great humbuckers, nice fat jazzy sound. The Peavey doesn't really match it but not bothered as I don't play in front of people any more! So I'm on the lookout for a nice practice amp, if anyone can recommend one.

I also have an unbranded mandola, but my fingers are too fat to play it cleanly!

Black Yamaha Pacifica was my first guitar..
It's alright.

Got a Fender Highway One, since then. Much nicer to play on  :)

I really want to learn the guitar, but think i lack the aptitude (and wouldn't know where to start!)

I just bought one of those 'How to play guitar' books from WHSmith and taught myself.

I'm not exactly Steve Vai or Slash, but I can ring a few chords.

Just learn A, C and D and you can basically play every Status Quo song ever written :)

If I can play it, anyone can. Im not brilliant, even after years of playing, but can hold down a tune when required.

The books work? Not sure i could commit to actual tuition right now...

YouTube is also a handy tool these days.

Just putting it out there.

Once you get a bit better, I'd suggest www.ultimateguitar.com for any tabs/chords of those songs you wanted to play!

Worked for me.

It's mostly just a case of learning chords and how to progress between them.

I have been using justinguitar.com

in other news just had a text from a mate who I had forgotten is the manager of a music shop, might be handy  :)

i have an epiphone SG in black. i added an EMG pickup to the bridge and when it works it's lovely. can someone mend it for me please?

The Blackstar Ht-5 range are supposed to be superb for the price. Hoping to get one at some point!

Squier Precision - Matt Freeman signature  (Main Gigging Bass)
Fender USA Precision   (Back up Bass)
Gibson Thunderbird  (When not playing at the dog and duck gigging bass)
Fender Mex Jazz   (home use)

Genz Benz 600w trouser flapping amp

 :D

I'd love to have a Resonator style guitar if someone could give me the money

I have a Squire Strat which I've bolted a better neck to. An entry Yamaha acoustic F310 which I play most and a Japanese made Tokai LS-85 which is a rather good Les Paul copy that lives in a case mostly.

I've got a Squire Telecaster Pro Tone Series F-Hole Thinline which looks like this:

[url width=640 height=480]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5021/5851282049_c07754e8a2_z.jpg[/url]



I have upgraded the tuning heads to American Fender Tele heads, but it needs a little bit of work to make nice again... think there is one of 2 small parts missing. Any one want to buy it?

Vox standard 25 in black and white. I love it.

I got an ESP explorer as I used to be a James Hetfield wannabee

Hopefully getting a telecaster soon though, get a beautiful sound off that

Yamaha Pacifica 412v

[url width=311 height=311]http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/profile_mojo_data/5/4/1/3/541329/pics/_c515047_image_0.jpg[/url]

Yamaha DW-7 acoustic.

[url width=250 height=250]http://www.musikland-online.de/bilder/cache/artikelbilder250px/Yamaha-DW-7.jpg[/url]

Not that I can actually play much!

Justinguitar is great, he doesn't always get the parts quite right in cover songs but he's a good teacher. Well if you ever need any lessons, that's what i do with a lot of my time