Beginners Electric Guitar?
Discussion
Daughter has decided she want to learn electric guitar.....
Its her birthday soon so I was thinking I may get her something.
Obviously she cant exactly go into shops and play with stuff.
Age 19, can read music (plays violin to basic standard)
I know nothing about them. Presume you need an amp as well...
What does she need to know, how does she decide what she wants?
What is important about an electric? I guess pickups make the biggest difference?
Buy a starter kit?
buy used?
Recommendations? Reading?
Thanks!
Its her birthday soon so I was thinking I may get her something.
Obviously she cant exactly go into shops and play with stuff.
Age 19, can read music (plays violin to basic standard)
I know nothing about them. Presume you need an amp as well...
What does she need to know, how does she decide what she wants?
What is important about an electric? I guess pickups make the biggest difference?
Buy a starter kit?
buy used?
Recommendations? Reading?
Thanks!
Don't worry too. much about pickups and definitely don't buy a kit. She needs something which has a decent low action and feels nice to play
Minimun Squier bullet or affinity in whatever shape she likes best.
In terms of the amp, don't get hung up on loads of effects or complicated modelling amps - I'd go for a budget low watt tube amp, maybe a Vox AV15 or similar.
IMO.
Second hand is fine
Minimun Squier bullet or affinity in whatever shape she likes best.
In terms of the amp, don't get hung up on loads of effects or complicated modelling amps - I'd go for a budget low watt tube amp, maybe a Vox AV15 or similar.
IMO.
Second hand is fine
t no-name Argos or similar oneI agree, don’t buy a starter kit. Ideally buy a second hand Yamaha, Ibanez, fender or Gibson. Be guided by the style of music that interests her and they type of guitar her favourite artists play.
The amplifier is less important at the beginning, a little practice amp is all that’s needed. Also maybe consider a small effects unit.
If you buy a decent used guitar and she doesn’t take up the instrument you’ll always be able to eBay it for basically what you paid, a starter kit will be worthless the moment you’ve bought it.
The amplifier is less important at the beginning, a little practice amp is all that’s needed. Also maybe consider a small effects unit.
If you buy a decent used guitar and she doesn’t take up the instrument you’ll always be able to eBay it for basically what you paid, a starter kit will be worthless the moment you’ve bought it.
Years ago, my first foray into guitar playing saw me with a kit that comprised a Squier (Fender family) Stratocaster, a 10 watt practice amp (with a headphone socket - essential for your own sanity as the captive audience), gig bag (love that description, I mean I was always going “gigging” mainly in the spare room), strap and lead. It was about £150 I think.
The Squier is a perfectly capable and acceptable guitar and easily as good as Yam Pacifica or similar.I still have it and still use it, although now my collection has expanded to include a Gibson SG Standard, Ibanez Prestige and a Marshall 50W Valve Amp...my playing, well that hasn’t evolved so much!
The Squier is a perfectly capable and acceptable guitar and easily as good as Yam Pacifica or similar.I still have it and still use it, although now my collection has expanded to include a Gibson SG Standard, Ibanez Prestige and a Marshall 50W Valve Amp...my playing, well that hasn’t evolved so much!
Something like a Squier Strat is ideal, very popular with beginners.
http://www.dawsons.co.uk/101896/squier-affinity-st...
That and a small practice amp, a tuner and some picks and she’s in business.
http://www.dawsons.co.uk/101896/squier-affinity-st...
That and a small practice amp, a tuner and some picks and she’s in business.
Amp wise, a second hand Yamaha THR5 is about £100, and is the practice amp I wish existed decades ago. Other small modelling amps also exist.
Guitar wise, a Yamaha Pacifica 112 (avoid the 012) ix basically the defacto starter instrument. If you buy a nice used one you'll be able to resell it for what you bought it for.
If you want to spend more, PRS SE's are lovely, and most big brands have cheaper asian sub-brands of good quality, but maybe that's a present for another time. I don't have kids, but if I did I'd love to take them guitar shopping!
Guitar wise, a Yamaha Pacifica 112 (avoid the 012) ix basically the defacto starter instrument. If you buy a nice used one you'll be able to resell it for what you bought it for.
If you want to spend more, PRS SE's are lovely, and most big brands have cheaper asian sub-brands of good quality, but maybe that's a present for another time. I don't have kids, but if I did I'd love to take them guitar shopping!
As the others have said, don't buy the ±100 quid starter bundles. The guitars are crap, the amps are crap and generally it would put anyone off playing.
Have a read through this: https://www.andertons.co.uk/electric-guitar-buyers...
Then have a browse through here: https://www.andertons.co.uk/best-for-beginners/bes...
You'll see that Andertons don't sell the really cheap beginner stuff because it's terrible. Budget 200-250 and you'll have something at least semi-decent. At this budget you're probably going to be buying on general guitar aesthetics over quality as around this range they will all be the same.
Have a read through this: https://www.andertons.co.uk/electric-guitar-buyers...
Then have a browse through here: https://www.andertons.co.uk/best-for-beginners/bes...
You'll see that Andertons don't sell the really cheap beginner stuff because it's terrible. Budget 200-250 and you'll have something at least semi-decent. At this budget you're probably going to be buying on general guitar aesthetics over quality as around this range they will all be the same.
If I were starting all over again, I'd look over this list - https://www.thomann.de/gb/guitar_sets.html
And just pick the one that looks nice.
I'm not sure there's any 'bad' guitars anymore unless you go down the Argos / toyshop route. Even the entry level Harley Benton ones are way better than the stuff I started on.
Edited to add - depending on your home situation the amp will be quite important. Unless she'll be playing in her own wing of the house you'll probably want one with a headphone out socket. Don't be tempted to buy a loud amp (anything over 30w solid state will go louder than you'll ever want to hear. If you're buying a valve based amp even 1w will be more than enough for a bedroom).
I distinctly remember convincing my well intentioned mother that I needed an ampeg vl1002 head and 4x12 Marshall cabinet in order to get that 'tone' I was after. I was about 15 at the time and could barely string two chords together. The overriding memory I have of that thing was my whole family carrying it upstairs while I proudly looked on. And then spending the next year or two trying to coax a sound out if it that wasn't ear crushingly loud, even from outside the house.
And just pick the one that looks nice.
I'm not sure there's any 'bad' guitars anymore unless you go down the Argos / toyshop route. Even the entry level Harley Benton ones are way better than the stuff I started on.
Edited to add - depending on your home situation the amp will be quite important. Unless she'll be playing in her own wing of the house you'll probably want one with a headphone out socket. Don't be tempted to buy a loud amp (anything over 30w solid state will go louder than you'll ever want to hear. If you're buying a valve based amp even 1w will be more than enough for a bedroom).
I distinctly remember convincing my well intentioned mother that I needed an ampeg vl1002 head and 4x12 Marshall cabinet in order to get that 'tone' I was after. I was about 15 at the time and could barely string two chords together. The overriding memory I have of that thing was my whole family carrying it upstairs while I proudly looked on. And then spending the next year or two trying to coax a sound out if it that wasn't ear crushingly loud, even from outside the house.
Edited by drab on Friday 12th February 05:31
TooLateForAName said:
Thanks all. That gives me something to work with.
I suspect that her main criteria will be that it has to be black
Headphones will be a must. Can she just plug headphones into the guitar or does it have to go through an amp?
Do you know what sort of musics/bands she likes? Or what sort of music she is likely to want to play?I suspect that her main criteria will be that it has to be black
Headphones will be a must. Can she just plug headphones into the guitar or does it have to go through an amp?
TBH - I wouldn't worry too much on the guitar itself. The vast majority are likely to be perfectly fine. But the style of it might be more important or the colour. If she has a guitarist idol, maybe look at what they have/play? On this note, if any of the people she likes use a whammy bar, get one that has this, as not all types of bridge/guitar design will support these.
As for amps. There is loads of choice. But different amps produce different types of sound, so this might be good to match with the music tastes. You don't need to go over board on a big amp, unless it is to be used on stage. Small practice amps are fine and quite loud. But once you get into playing, it is nice to have the sound that you are after.
Re: headphones. All Amps usually have headphone jacks on them. But as a guitarist. I'd say there is nothing more off putting than people not letting you play and practice. And using headphones just isn't the same at all.
You'll likely need a strap for the guitar and some leads. Might be worth getting a couple of leads of different lengths/colours or a coil one.
Has she ever played before? Might be a good idea to get her a guitar tablature guide or something. Or even a tab book of a band she likes.
A guitar tuner can be handy too, although you can get them on smartphones these days.
Also get her some plectrums, a choice of different thickness ones. And maybe a pack of spare springs.
glazbagun said:
No, you'll need an amp.
Like I said above, the Yamaha THR range are basically living room practice amps with headphone sockets and an input for you to play music through from your phone or laptop. Vox make a similar type I believe.
Vox also do a range of small battery powered plug-in amps, that have a 3.5mm headphones jack as output. Like I said above, the Yamaha THR range are basically living room practice amps with headphone sockets and an input for you to play music through from your phone or laptop. Vox make a similar type I believe.
https://www.gak.co.uk/en/vox-amplug-2-headphone-am...
I've got one of these, they are really useful for quiet practice, in the respect that you get the amplified electric sound in your headphones, but don't wake the entire house up!
However as the poster above says they should be viewed as supplemental to a proper small practice amp. Your daughter will find a lot of great free tuition online on YouTube etc, so will need her ears open to listen to that.
My pal runs Super Easy Guitar on YouTube, he does some great beginner lessons, all free.
Lots of good advice above (in particular I agree that Yamaha stuff is generally excellent for beginners).
Some useful websites:
Great free introductory lessons: https://www.justinguitar.com
More excellent free lessons, more advanced and theory heavy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRDDHLvQb8HjE2r7_...
Lots of info about guitars (inc. beginner ones): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfeviwU6C7kEjpOK4...
More guitar review stuff, inc. entry level guitars: https://www.youtube.com/c/DarrellBraunGuitar/video...
Some useful websites:
Great free introductory lessons: https://www.justinguitar.com
More excellent free lessons, more advanced and theory heavy: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRDDHLvQb8HjE2r7_...
Lots of info about guitars (inc. beginner ones): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfeviwU6C7kEjpOK4...
More guitar review stuff, inc. entry level guitars: https://www.youtube.com/c/DarrellBraunGuitar/video...
I've had my Pacifica 112 for 20 odd years, and it still gets used from time to time, but as others have said, Fender Squier stuff is great, as is the Thomann HB range these days.
Might be worth considering some sort of modelling amp or multi effects pedal. A cheap guitar amp is going to give her a clean sound, a dirty sound, and may have some onboard reverb/delay/chorus perhaps.
But if she wants to be able to make all sorts of different sounds, some sort of digital multi effect unit is a lot cheaper than buying lots of individual pedals.
I've had cheapy Zoom units in the past, and there's currently a Fender Mustang floor effects in my music room that i picked up used for £100.
Gives you hundreds of different sounds at the tip of your toe, and having access to them all pre-programmed helps figure out what you like, and how to tweak them easier than trying to build a sound from scratch IMO.
Might be worth considering some sort of modelling amp or multi effects pedal. A cheap guitar amp is going to give her a clean sound, a dirty sound, and may have some onboard reverb/delay/chorus perhaps.
But if she wants to be able to make all sorts of different sounds, some sort of digital multi effect unit is a lot cheaper than buying lots of individual pedals.
I've had cheapy Zoom units in the past, and there's currently a Fender Mustang floor effects in my music room that i picked up used for £100.
Gives you hundreds of different sounds at the tip of your toe, and having access to them all pre-programmed helps figure out what you like, and how to tweak them easier than trying to build a sound from scratch IMO.
Amp-wise, something between 5-15 watts is plenty. And either one distortion pedal or an amp with a little push-button will give her a nice choice between clean and rockin' out. That's all she needs at the start.
Headphones and a tuner should be mandatory!
Somewhere in her room like a desk to put a laptop will be useful, as will learning chords and just playing along to songs she knows.
Or you could get her a little smokey amp like I have
https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-g...
That's assuming smoking is still cool amongst the yoof
Headphones and a tuner should be mandatory!
Somewhere in her room like a desk to put a laptop will be useful, as will learning chords and just playing along to songs she knows.
Or you could get her a little smokey amp like I have
https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-g...
That's assuming smoking is still cool amongst the yoof
Lots of great advice here already.
For guitars the bullet Strats are supposed to be very good value, loads of reviews on line and my brother has one too. There is the bullet Tele too. Maybe wait a few weeks for lockdown to end any then maybe take your daughter to a music store to try a few out. Strats, Teles, LP's, ES 339's they all feel different, some are more comfortable than others. Another bit of advice I had was to choose the guitar you love, make sure she gets a style and colour she likes, more likely to play it.
Also a guitar stand or hanger is a really good idea, means it's easier to pick up and play when the mood hits.
As for amps, I've read great things about the Yamaha practice amps mentioned above. I got my son a Boss Katana 50, which has been great, it's got a 0.5watt mode so can be quiet, it has master volume so it can get some cool distortion at any volume and also has a number of amp models built in. Best of all it has loads of effects pedals baked into it, so when learning Jimi stuff you can have your octave, fuzz and Wah Wah going, or add some chorus while learning Bryan Adams
There is a Fender equivelant also I think, Champion 40? The Katana can be had from little over £100 on Facebook, although new ones are great value.
Only think I've found with low power tube (valve) amps is they (well thge few I've tried) tend to be very loud watt for watt when compared with solid state amps and don't sound great at lower volumes.
For guitars the bullet Strats are supposed to be very good value, loads of reviews on line and my brother has one too. There is the bullet Tele too. Maybe wait a few weeks for lockdown to end any then maybe take your daughter to a music store to try a few out. Strats, Teles, LP's, ES 339's they all feel different, some are more comfortable than others. Another bit of advice I had was to choose the guitar you love, make sure she gets a style and colour she likes, more likely to play it.
Also a guitar stand or hanger is a really good idea, means it's easier to pick up and play when the mood hits.
As for amps, I've read great things about the Yamaha practice amps mentioned above. I got my son a Boss Katana 50, which has been great, it's got a 0.5watt mode so can be quiet, it has master volume so it can get some cool distortion at any volume and also has a number of amp models built in. Best of all it has loads of effects pedals baked into it, so when learning Jimi stuff you can have your octave, fuzz and Wah Wah going, or add some chorus while learning Bryan Adams
There is a Fender equivelant also I think, Champion 40? The Katana can be had from little over £100 on Facebook, although new ones are great value.
Only think I've found with low power tube (valve) amps is they (well thge few I've tried) tend to be very loud watt for watt when compared with solid state amps and don't sound great at lower volumes.
Edited by Mr_Yogi on Friday 12th February 16:50
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