• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: ELECTRIC GUITARS IN GENERAL

As we have seen in other threads, I agree 100% with all of you.
- must it be a real GIBSON?
- must it be a real Fender?
THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT GUITARS, YOU ONLY NEED TO FIND THEM ON THE WEB.
- Surfing + searching takes a lot of time, and once you find a guitar you like ( depends of your budget), my following step is: I TRY TO FIND A SITE WERE I CAN HEAR THE GUITAR see youtube.
If you like what you see and like what you hear, you can go to a big store. THE PROBLEM WITH BIG STORES IS: the walls are hanging full with guitars, + all those guitars on the floor.
MY ADVISE IS: go only to a store if you have written on a piece of paper the guitars you're interested in.
DON'T FORGET TO TRY SOME AMPS, you can be very surprised both negative and/or positive.
I played once an Epiphone SG 400 want the sound? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXe_gPud … re=related

I don't know the answer, but I have 2 elementary questions:
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA YOU USE TO CHOOSE AN ELECTRIC GUITAR?
Mine are:
- I adore to surf on the web, googling the brand and serie, if I know the name
- A skilled player can often make or produce a great sound with a cheap guitar: YES or NO?
- In a music store, I choose a guitar and try it UNPLUGGED, so without an amp.
- Ask advise, and try as many "in your budget" guitars.
- One BIG SURPRISE were 2 cheap epiphones: SG 400, LP junior price 100-120$, I played in that music store.
WHAT AMP IS A DECENT, I MEAN GOOD AMP? You can play a 20.000$ Gibson on a cheap amp, I don't think that the sound will be good.
MY CONCLUSION: Am I right or wrong telling that a good amp is even more important then an expensive guitar? My favotite amp is an acoustic amp: MARSHALL AS100D providing you the cleanest sound there is, AND you can play electric without a problem


- I don't like a fat neck, like the neck on my "special" telecaster. It's a reissue 1952 Tele, in a greenish color, and it was produced for EUROPE only. There were 3 different guitars, 2 strats and 1 tele, named California Beach. There she is: http://www.zuitar.com/guitar/102282-52_ … aster.html

My favorite brand is PRS, but almost on the same level a DUESENBERG. In the USA they are expensive, in Europe, not cheap, but still affordable.
WHAT ARE YOUR CRITERIA TO BUY AN ELECTRIC, knowing that even very cheap is not always bas.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: ELECTRIC GUITARS IN GENERAL

Hi Doc,  haven't posted in your direction in awhile but you do come up with good ones....


  You know the first "Les Paul" was built out of a 2"X4" piece of framing timber, with some pickups and a fretboard.... through the magic of electronics an awful lot of cool sound are made.  But I tend to lean towards the acoustic, viewing the electronics as tools to enhance what is already there....

  There are hill people in Cambodia (or whatever it is called this week) that can make beautiful music with two strings and a piece of bamboo lashed to a dried Ox bladder, that beats the pants off anything I can hope to attain with six strings and a custom carved slab of bubinga.  So yeah, in some cases it does come down to the amps and effects.

  For my money, skill and practice wins over everything!

  Choose your guitar by it's sound, unplugged and plugged in... if it sings to your heart, and feels right in your hands, take it home and enjoy a long life together.

Take Care;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • From: Laredo, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-01-24
  • Posts: 38

Re: ELECTRIC GUITARS IN GENERAL

Hi Doc! There is an old cliche that the music comes out of the hands, and not the instrument. I guess you know where this is going. A very expensive instrument can sound like crap if misued, and a very good guitarist can make heavenly music with a broomstick, and one string. Using that as a caveat, I think some guitars are better suited to a certain style of music. Also, don't forget the importance of the types of pickups- for example humbuckers, and single coil etc. Placement of pickups, the  number of pickups. Amplification is of course important, but with rock music, stomp-boxes are as much a part of the sound and tone, as are the number of decibels one can put out. I don't mean to complicate your questions, but there are many variables in the selection of any guitar. Are you playing for yourself, or in a stadium? For fun or professionally? Blues, rock, folk or jazz? I guess the standard answer, is play what feels right, and is within your budget. And yes, I have used all of the above criteria in the selection of electric guitars.

But, here's the secret about the guitar: It's defiant. It will never let you conquer it. The more that you get involved with it, the more you realize how little you know.
                 Les Paul  March 2007

skydivr103's Website

  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 533

Re: ELECTRIC GUITARS IN GENERAL

Chet Atkins was always known for playing hollowbody electrics from Gretsch and Gibson and created a very distinct sound and style...  I saw a video of him playing a Fender Telecaster and he still sounded like Chet Atkins!

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.