[bradmatznick]

Great input from all! I have a Fender Acoustasonic Jr, Jamman looper, and I'm expecting my Zoom A2.1U to show up on Thursday or Friday. What I didn't say is that I'm 54 yrs old and have only been playing for a year.. but very consistantly playing. I'm not new to music and also play the harmonica.

I think all this input has convinced me to start by looking at the Strat and maybe Tele.. they seem straight forward and well respected. Fortunately I work in Lansing, Mi, home of Elderly Instruments and Marshall Music. Between the two there is a great selection of guitars at the stores. Once I figure out what I'm looking for I can then look at purchasing options; new/used.

[jefcon1]

Originally Posted by bradmatznick

Great input from all! I have a Fender Acoustasonic Jr, Jamman looper, and I'm expecting my Zoom A2.1U to show up on Thursday or Friday. What I didn't say is that I'm 54 yrs old and have only been playing for a year.. but very consistantly playing. I'm not new to music and also play the harmonica.

I think all this input has convinced me to start by looking at the Strat and maybe Tele.. they seem straight forward and well respected. Fortunately I work in Lansing, Mi, home of Elderly Instruments and Marshall Music. Between the two there is a great selection of guitars at the stores. Once I figure out what I'm looking for I can then look at purchasing options; new/used.

Rule #1 - Have fun!

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by bradmatznick

Great input from all! I have a Fender Acoustasonic Jr, Jamman looper, and I'm expecting my Zoom A2.1U to show up on Thursday or Friday. What I didn't say is that I'm 54 yrs old and have only been playing for a year.. but very consistantly playing. I'm not new to music and also play the harmonica.

I think all this input has convinced me to start by looking at the Strat and maybe Tele.. they seem straight forward and well respected. Fortunately I work in Lansing, Mi, home of Elderly Instruments and Marshall Music. Between the two there is a great selection of guitars at the stores. Once I figure out what I'm looking for I can then look at purchasing options; new/used.

I still strongly recommend trying the other main types. You may not be a strat or tele guy. For one thing, they sound rather different. Another is the necks are quite different and the ergonomics are also quite different.

[Bushman]

Im going to agree with BSP in that you might not want to settle with a Fender Or LesPaul without maybe trying a couple. to see what they're about. There's alot to like like with the different types, but each has their flaws too.
Personally I like LP's over Strats for a few reasons like, trem bridges have a tendency to go out of tune, I don't like tall fretwires, single coil hum drives me nuts, they tend to sound a little thin with single coil pickups.
I'm 50 and have been playing on the worship team for about 16 years and really like what a LP adds, and find them very versatile. They clean up really nice and sound smooth, kicking up some dirt is where they excel, in my opinion.
But I digress... definitely try a couple different types to see what feels good to you and your ears.

Terry...

[Ben Colder]

I still strongly recommend trying the other main types. You may not be a strat or tele guy. For one thing, they sound rather different. Another is the necks are quite different and the ergonomics are also quite different.

Right on! Consider this. Guitarists are built differently. Consider finger length, wrist size, and arm dimensions.

Some hold the instrument differently, play in different styles, some like standing, others sitting. Some finger pick a lot, others don't. Then there is the way the guitar hugs your body. If you are thin you may not prefer a guitar a more portly person likes. Do you cross your legs when you play (left over right or right over left?), or keep them flat on the ground? Different contours can spell comfort or difficulty.

Keep in mind that you may find a guitar with the desired sound, but if it the feel is wrong it could reduce the pleasure of playing.

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by Ben Colder

Right on! Consider this. Guitarists are built differently. Consider finger length, wrist size, and arm dimensions.

Some hold the instrument differently, play in different styles, some like standing, others sitting. Some finger pick a lot, others don't. Then there is the way the guitar hugs your body. If you are thin you may not prefer a guitar a more portly person likes. Do you cross your legs when you play (left over right or right over left?), or keep them flat on the ground? Different contours can spell comfort or difficulty.

Keep in mind that you may find a guitar with the desired sound, but if it the feel is wrong it could reduce the pleasure of playing.

ANd to a degree, tone is more adjustable than feel. I can tune a guitar to a different sound within the parameters of the wood, but if you hate the neck profile...

[ABPOS]

Mosrite. hehehehe

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by ABPOS

Mosrite. hehehehe

Godin makes a decent mosrite inspired guitar...

[DropKick74]

If you live in lansing you also have the option of going to the best buy in Oakland. It has a music center you can try out even more guitars. The reason I say this is because Elderly specializes in the high priced vintage instruments that carry a vintage price tag. Also, they don't deal in new gibson guitars. They only have used ones. (I live a half hour from lansing) Marshall music is good to but if I remember their electric selection is kind of lacking. Best Buy's is too but you will at least be able to get an idea of what is popular right now because that is what they deal in. They pretty much carry everything guitar center carries in store.

Elderly can sometimes get guitars in that price range (especially used ones) but usually unless I'm willing to spend more 1500 on a guitar I don't look there. I will give elderly this though... in my experience if you went into elderly telling them everrything you've told CGR their sales staff could set give some good suggestions. They don't get commission and are world's more helpful than the idiots at guitar center.

[bradmatznick]

DropKick;

You are right about Elderly for sure. Marshal Music has expanded their electric display and have many to choose from, but not nearly as many as Elderly has acoustics. BestBuy in Okemos has a music dept but can't remember what's there.

[DropKick74]

Like I said the best buy carries basically the same guitar center carries (which there is one of those on 28th street in GR with a Best Buy music center basically a cross the street. I pitted them against each other once to get a pod x3live for like 350 new. I drove back in forth 3times) Best buy pick and choose models from the major brands (from what I remember you basically get Ibanez, Schecter, Fender, and Gibson.) They don't get any of the exotic stuff in nor do they delve to far into any one brand of guitar. You basically get the few key guitars from each brand so like MIM strats and teles, Some ibanez artcores and some solid bodies, epiphone les pauls, dots, casinos, and SG's and some gibson versions. And a couple schecter Hell raisers. For the most part it is all medium range newly manufactured guitars.

Also I didn't realize Marshall got more electrics in. I will have to go and check them out. I haven't been there for a while Elderly is just a tich closer so I usually don't go there unless elderly doesn't have what I'm looking for. I also liked marshall's repair dept. better. They are a bit cheaper then elderly on the basic stuff like setups and things of that nature. Also too, at marshall you can usually talk them into setting up your guitar for free if you purchase it from them. I know you said you do it yourself but if its free it saves you some time and then you can tweak it to your final liking.

[bradmatznick]

Not to just drag this on... but Marshall dickers on pricing.

[DropKick74]

yeah... that is what i was saying. Marshall is definetly the place to go if they have upped their supply. Like I was saying you can dicker and deal and I always tried to work in a free setup. Elderly in my experience has never dickered and dealed with me. But then again i've never actually bought one of their vintage instruments all i was buying was a used pedal.

[ABPOS]

I'll give you a little input other than my silly post.

I'm 38 right now and getting back into playing guitar more passionately and am looking for an electric guitar.

I used to play in bands when I was in my 20's and I had an idea of what I liked back then. I started playing Epiphone Les Pauls and liked them fairly well. In the end though, because of my style and other factors I used Teles. Well, sometimes I feel like a Tele sounds a little thin, depending on the model. So this time around I felt like I needed something different. So I played quite a few guitars. How many I don't know. Probably not 100, but probably over 50. Know what I found out? I like teles. And that's what I'm planning on buying when I find the right one for the right price.

Now, I didn't say this to promote teles. You probably already can see my point, but it is that, play guitars. Play them how you would play them when you're by yourself. Because when you get one home and start playing how you play, if you bought one that you didn't really try fully out, there may be something you don't like about it. And I'm referring more to playability. Like I'm just not crazy about guitars with switches that are any where near my strumming pattern. Which can be very LONG sometimes. That's why eventually I got rid of the LP's. I would hit that pup switch often. Therefore I don't like them when they're down low more towards the front. Like a Jaguar, or Jazzmaster. Or Duo sonic. You see what I mean? You're style could be totally different and you want the switches close to the strings so you can get to them easier. Some poeple are like that. So, go and play some, and play em like you'd play at home. That's my advice.

And I would look for the playability of the platform first, then comes tone. I think LP's are kind of "heavy" sounding. And I think a lot of Fenders can be kind of "thin" sounding. But wise men like Bill have helped me understand that you can overcome those different tones with your amp set up and maybe using your tone and volume switch more. And I've also played some Fenders that I like their sound right off. iAs well as Gibbys too. I especially like the sound of an SG. But I hate the way they look and I'm just more fond of a Tele.

I know, long answer. Hopefully you can make some sense out of it.

[Worshipping]

Anything less than a private stock PRS is not a real guitar.



Great advice by ABPOS. A good guitar is one you enjoy playing.