Knox and anyone who knows anything bout Electric Guitars!!

[Dakaras]

Eldest Dakette wants an Electric guitar set up for Xmas. 2 problems

1. Im as musical as a brick my area of expertise revolves round air guitars tbh
2. Im on a dead tight budget and atm she is learning from mates so very much beginner.

Ive seen a few Yamaha deals round in the £100 to £125 range from sohosounds.com returned catalogue stuff or Ive found these on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=WD1V

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...ayphotohosting

Advice please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is 15 btw and is busy with Greenday covers with her band atm

So in summary

Budget £125 tops and I need the lot for that. If thats not possible then I need to know

1. What guitar
2. What Amp
3. What else

So I can spread cost round Grandparents etc (O and she wants a pink 1 )

[Theo]

Pink is probably a nono, unless you can find yourself a second hand bargain dude

However, if you shop around you can probably find yourself a Squier strat/telecaster kit inlcuding guitar, strings, strap, cable, amp, couple of plectrums and a cheesey How to Play Guitar video for around £100-£130.

Saying that, I'll bet they've gone upto £200 now... paid £125 for mine when I made the electric transfer many years ago.

-edit

That leaves plenty of headroom for her grandparents to get her some decent cds! Pfsch Greenday!

[RVF500]

Buy the best guitar and amp you can afford. A cheap guitar will sound crap even if a good player is playing it. That said if you can get hold of a second hand Fender (stratocaster or telecaster) you won't go far wrong. The same theory holds up for amps. A cheap practice amp (around £50 new) will sound just what it is, cheap, but it may get you by until you can afford a decent fender or marshall amp. As she is playing with a band does she have access to a decent amp? Having said that I have even hooked mine up to my laptop while travelling just to make it sound. Tinny but it worked.

You may be struggling on your budget though. Sorry . Spread the load as much as possible around the family if possible to get the best you can. I just sold my telecaster for £250 for example. Mind you it was in mint condition.

Theo has outlined the rest nicely. A small electric tuner would be good especially if she can't tune by ear. A few lessons would be priceless. At around £20 an hour even one a month would help a great deal.

[Knoxville]

wouldn't reccomend either of the 2 you've got off ebay there, the first ones a no-name and probably made out of korean driftwood and shines are definatly made of korean driftwood.

For a greenday kinda sound you'll ideally need something with a decent bridge humbucker, if you'd got a bit more i'd recomend a les paul copy by vintage - http://www.guitars.co.uk/acatalog/Les_Paul_style.html, especially since they've just started using wilkinson hardware.

I've seen the yamaha deal and for a beginner its not a bad deal at all especially as you can add a case, strings, tuner and strap for an extra £20. The only other decent options for under £130 are -

http://www.guitarstrings.co.uk/searc...ils.asp?ID=106

http://www.theflyingpiguk.com/electr..._starters.html (second one down)

of course if you can scrape some extra cash together then this (the only decent pink guitar that i can find for under £300) -



And an amp, lead, tuner etc would come to about £200

[Dakaras]

What can I say you guys are the best thanks Ill give it some thought and see what occurs. Im thinking if Mrs D and I throw in £125 then I can russel up another £175 from Aunts Uncles etc etc we could do ok

[CrapshoT]

I got a set up from ARGOS last chrimbo for £190.Squire strat fender amp with built in distortion, leads,cd tutorials etc etc.Good deal but theyre £200 this year.They do have this little beaut for £135 tho.http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...clickfrom=name

[Knoxville]

if you can rustle up £300 the worlds your oyster for a starter/intermediate set-up tbh

[RVF500]

Hey Dak, if any of your relatives/friends are visiting the US for holidays then get them to pick one up. I paid £400 for a Gibson SG brand new (and I'm in love with it, the divorce is imminent ) the nearest I saw in a special over here was £600 odd and full price you are looking at around £1000 so they basically pay in dollars what we pay in pounds and then discount it. £300 would buy something very nice if you could do that. My Fender telecaster cost me US$300 and I just sold it 2 years later for £250 (That smells like a profit to me) which demonstrates the price differences. So If you know anyone heading out there then look at that. Get the guitar shop to box it up if you don't want to spend extra cash on a hard case to travel back with. Or phone the airline to see if they can take it into the cabin.

I realise it's a long shot but I thought you should know.

[Knoxville]

America is indeed the place, i'm poping over there next year hopefully to get an esp kh2 and a B.C Rich NJ KKV.

[Skii]

Squier strat beginners package

http://www.theflyingpiguk.com/acatal..._starters.html

and i wanna go when she gets it

[RVF500]

Where abouts are you going Knox? I know of a couple of big discount stores in Orlando and Miami. Also a pretty good store in Red Banks NJ. Unless of course you already have your itinery sorted.

[Zak33]

Would she be ok with a second hand one?

Cos she MIGHT give up and it'll all be wasted.

[Mrs Dak]

Would she be ok with a second hand one?

Cos she MIGHT give up and it'll all be wasted.

What would the chances be of finding a nice pink one (as youngest Dakette would also learn on it)

[itsanobscureid]

tbh pinks is not that popular a colour for cheaper electrics - which normally come in white, black or red .... one idea tho if you get a strat type is to try and pick up a pink scratch plate and put it on a black or white guitar - that would probably look pretty cool

[RVF500]

The chances of finding a nice pink one aren't great. Though knox did post something higher in the thread. Personally you'll get more mileage out of getting something that sounds good. Ultimately if it looks pretty but sounds like a cat hooked up to the mains she won't want to play it.

Try going to a decent music store and get her to pick a few up and get the feel for them. I bought my first Fender because it felt 'right'. I couldn't play a note so I had to go on something else. The guy at the shop told me to do this and just to strum it to see how it sounded, just open strings. If dakette knows a few chords even better. Something as simple as playing an open chord or two will give her (and you) an idea of the sound. Get her to run her hand up and down the fret board to see if she likes the way that feels. Some people love maple wood but hate rosewood and vice versa. I still have that Fender and many sets of strings later it sounds as brilliant as it did then (pity I can't do it justice ). I bought the Gibson because I wanted dual pickups but couldn't bear the thought of modding the Strat, soppy huh?... Guitars aren't cheap so you want something that will last and something dakette 2 will want to use as well.

You don't have to buy anything at the time but at least you will have a better idea of where to start. Most guitar shops are run by musicians who will be able to give you help. They may also have a used section or ads from people looking to sell.

Just a few ideas. I started playing late and wish I had done it when I was a kid. One of the best times I've ever had was playing lead while my son played a bass having been taught a few line by the only real musician amongst us who played drums (and just about anything else). 2 hours of solid playing. My daughter has just started drums and we are trying to find a way to fund an electronic drum kit so I empathise with the dak household. She's working to save up half and we are going to supply the other half.

If it doesn't work out then there is always another eager household on a budget who will buy it from you. But I hope it doesn't come to that.

[Zak33]

they clearly dont grasp that a Pink Axe is just not happnin'

A black one...now they'd be talking.

Tell them Black is the New Pink