[JLuser]

hey guys,
im new to the board and new to the world of guitars. this is yet another "which guitar for me." please dont go too hard on me, i appreciate all advice.

simply put, im a student with little money, but with a passion for the music. ive been playing around with my friend's acoustic for a while, but im ready to get my own electric.

my budget is limited, looking around $300 for both a guitar and an amp. ive looked for used online, havent checked in pawnshops yet, though, as i have little time to do so. ive been looking around on lamusic.ca for simple price quotes, and have a few configurations in my mind.

the setup that im very attracted to is the epiphone sg special player pack;
http://lamusic.ca/default.asp?szNav=Product&PID=252
from harmony central reviews, it seems the sg special is a good starter, and it comes with a 10w amp, which i believe will be fine for me to learn on. i dont intend to do any gigs or performances.

thanks for all the help.

JLuser

 

[Coustfan'01]

Get a guitar with good tuners , and no double locking tremolo . Try before you buy , because in this price range there is more to chances for quality control issues . And you should look for a used guitar , because you could get a better guitar for your money .

 

[Accept2]

Buy the best guitar you can afford first, skip the amp until later. Use a Zoom 505 as your amp. You can get one for about $25-40 and run the guitar thru headphones. Starter packs blow chunks.................

 

[danbo]

Go for it, bro! You can upgrade l8r when ya got more $$$.
The Guitar Shop across from LA has some good deals too.
The Jackson Dinky hardtail is fair. If you can play through your computer & headphones you won't need an amp right away.
Spend the $$ on a good used guitar first..then get the amp later.
I love the Epiphone Faded SG for a first guitar!

 

[danbo]

http://www.jacksonguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=2900090503

 

[danbo]

A good used guitar is the best buy for now.
Money is tight, so don't be afraid to just offer a cash deal/no tax.
Paul at the Guitar Shop is easy to deal with.

http://www.theguitarshop.ca/

 

[Cross]

+1 on getting an upgrade later. While I wouldn't go so far as to say Starter Packs being extremely crappy, you will outgrow the guitar relatively quickly once you start developing a better ear for what sort of tone you're looking for, acquiring a better appreciation for various brands or types of guitars, etc. You shouldn't even be worrying about the quality control of a guitar as a beginning guitar player. As long as you have an axe and an amp, you're set to rock out, learn, and just have fun.

 

[Stratin2traynor]

I agree with buying the best used guitar you can find. Buy something that stays in tune or else you'll never know what your playing. Take a look on Ebay as well. Sometimes you can get lucky and get a relatively good guitar for pretty cheap. Good luck

:rockon:

 

[Xanadu]

I had an epiphone SG special. for about 3 days...
Total Crap. Buy the best used guitar you can find... If you like the SG look, you may be able to find a used Epiphone G-400 in the price range.

 

[scottomy]

If you happen to run across any Godin models, try them out. I recently bought an SD model (Strat style with single-single-humbucker) used for 100. A great player!!

Check out your local Kijiji and craigslist classified sites for alot of possibilities! They have been great for me.

Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Jeremy]

Yamaha Pacificas are regarged as some of the best starter guitars. I'd check them out. For an amp, I'd go with a Roland Micro Cube.

 

[JLuser]

thanks for the advice, guys.

scottomy, you found an SD for $100? that's a crazy find. im constantly checking craigslist and kijiji. thankfully, im in no real rush, and wont have to settle on anything subpar.

 

[JLuser]

how do you guys feel about SX guitars? im checking out rondo music, adn they have a bunch of strat copies for ~$100 USD

 

[washburned]

Do some leg work (shopping can be lotssa fun)

get a friend/relative who knows guitars and shop until you find:
1. a guitar you like
2. that you can afford
3. that your friend/relative approves of
getting all three will take a while, but worth it in the long run.

 

[Bevo]

Take a trip down to Ring music in T.O. and check out the Vintage line specificly the Les Paul copies they are sweet and cheap. They have a web site if you want to look at prices.

Checked them out today and they are VERY underated, worth a trip down fore sure!!
Bev

 

[GuitarsCanada]

how do you guys feel about SX guitars? im checking out rondo music, adn they have a bunch of strat copies for ~$100 USD

There have been some decent reviews on these guitars. I would still try to find a used guitar that will fill your needs. The Yamaha's are nice and there are some reasonable Ibanez deals out there as well.

 

[elindso]

Used is the way to go.

I've got a micro cube I play it all the time. great little amp.

There are good deals to be had on Godin guitars.

As mentioned above go with a friend that plays half well and find something pawn shopish