Buying an electric guitar after 15 year hiatus.
January 8, 2022 10:11 PM
So, I haven’t picked up an electric guitar in 15 years and I’m too embarrassed to walk into a music store and pretend I know what I’m looking for nor, “test” guitars out in front of anyone. Would just like some suggestions?
I’ve been messing around with my acoustic for years and now that I have a child (who seems to enjoy me playing), I’d like to get back into my electric. But I have no idea what to buy. I’ve always liked the look of telecasters, but obviously what it looks like is inconsequential. I just need some advice on an all around decent electric guitar for all genres. I will not be playing for anyone but myself and family. Price is not important. HELP!
I’ve been messing around with my acoustic for years and now that I have a child (who seems to enjoy me playing), I’d like to get back into my electric. But I have no idea what to buy. I’ve always liked the look of telecasters, but obviously what it looks like is inconsequential. I just need some advice on an all around decent electric guitar for all genres. I will not be playing for anyone but myself and family. Price is not important. HELP!
Get on Craigslist and buy a $100 tele or strat knock-off. Then, after you play that enough to form some opinions, buy a nicer one.
Walk into some stores, saying you're buying it for your nephew, and they'll maybe demo some for you, and will certainly talk action, tone, etc.
Appearance is really important to some, and unimportant to others. And what's good-looking to me may be hideous to you. As they say, de gustibus...."
I like watching youtube channels such as Rhett Shull, Rick Beato, 5 watt world, Marty Music, Darrell Braun, Mary Spender, Andy Guitar, JustinGuitar, and many others. Too little time.... Here's a video to start at: 5 must have guitars for every player. I've got too many guitars, you can borrow one of mine for a while.
posted by at at 11:07 PM on January 8, 2022
Walk into some stores, saying you're buying it for your nephew, and they'll maybe demo some for you, and will certainly talk action, tone, etc.
Appearance is really important to some, and unimportant to others. And what's good-looking to me may be hideous to you. As they say, de gustibus...."
I like watching youtube channels such as Rhett Shull, Rick Beato, 5 watt world, Marty Music, Darrell Braun, Mary Spender, Andy Guitar, JustinGuitar, and many others. Too little time.... Here's a video to start at: 5 must have guitars for every player. I've got too many guitars, you can borrow one of mine for a while.
posted by at at 11:07 PM on January 8, 2022
Plenty of great players of many different genres love Telecasters. I just saw a clip of PJ Harvey playing a Tele into an AC30. Beautiful. You probably wouldn't go wrong with one, though I find them a bit uncomfortable to play due to the lack of shaping on the body. If you want something a little more comfortable, and versatile, you could get a Strat. There are plenty to choose from - new, used, Mexican, Japanese, and more. Even custom shop, if price really isn't important.
I wouldn't be worried about playing in a music store either. They see/hear plenty of people who can't play, including many who don't realise it. It would be quite counter productive of them to be critical or dismissive of potential customers who are developing their skills and if you aren't sure what you want it gives them an opportunity to be helpful.
posted by mewsic at 11:08 PM on January 8, 2022
I wouldn't be worried about playing in a music store either. They see/hear plenty of people who can't play, including many who don't realise it. It would be quite counter productive of them to be critical or dismissive of potential customers who are developing their skills and if you aren't sure what you want it gives them an opportunity to be helpful.
posted by mewsic at 11:08 PM on January 8, 2022
TL;DR: if you like the look of a Tele, get a Tele!
I've been going through something like this myself this year, and I have so much to write that I got out of bed to type this on my laptop - I hope it's useful.
What I've come around to after buying a playing a whole bunch of guitars (I currently have five electrics) is: the best guitar is the one that feels the best for you. I was shopping for a Tele this year and played a ton - Fender Custom Shops, Fender Made in America (MIA), Fender Made in Mexico (MIM), and boutique brands like Suhr and Nash. I ultimately went with a Nash T-63 because the one I played felt great. I flew up and down the neck and it had this beautiful resonance and I just wanted to keep playing and playing. I liked it WAY more than Fender Custom Shop guitars that cost 3x as much and I don't even like Nash's "relicing" gimmick, but who cares when it's such a joy to play? So my best best advice is get over your embarrassment - no one cares, they just want to help you and sell you a guitar - because playing many guitars will show you the path ahead of you. I did this and to my surprise I did not die of embarrassment. It won't kill you, I promise.
Now, if you don't want to do that, I 100% completely understand. Embarrassment is a hell of a thing. Now we're in the realm of buying guitars based on specs. My observation is that any guitar can play any kind of music - you don't need humbuckers to play metal (Aaron Turner played Teles in the unfortunately-named but legendary Isis, and Gina Gleason plays an AmPro Tele in Baroness today). You can play indie rock and blues with single coils and humbuckers, and on and on. You don't need locking tuners. Most guitars you can buy today have fretboards with 9.5" or 12" radii which are fine. The extra knobs and switches on a Jazzmaster don't get you much extra voicing. Etc. Etc. You could go down a YouTube hole and try to narrow it down to precisely what guitar you want but that is a bad, toxic path to follow and will just lead you to believe you need a 12-16" compound radius fretboard and active pickups and 9-42 strings and a chambered body and and and, stuff that you most certainly don't need until you get to the point where you have played enough that you know what's right for you. That's a lot of words for: specs don't feel good, guitars feel good.
So, just buy what looks like a load of fun to you. Sounds like a Tele, so my dude: you deserve a Tele.
What you do want to ensure is some minimum bar of quality. For Fenders, if you have the funds, I'd avoid the Squier line (this is a gross generalization--some are great) and go for a MIM or MIA guitar (or Japan, but those are fairly rare). I have a Squier that is ok but I always reach for another guitar - the Squier has super noisy electronics, the frets aren't great, fit and finish aren't there, and it just feels like an unfinished product compared to its big brothers. You could get lucky with a Squier, but I think you'll be happier starting a bit above that. If playing a super cheap guitar is such a bummer that you don't want to pick it up and play all the time, what's the point? That's why I do not recommend buying the cheapest thing you can just so you can learn what you want. That said, as you progress you'll definitely learn more about what you want and don't want, so this guitar will be one you love but maybe not your forever axe.
Two more things to consider.
First is that you should pay a shop to do a setup either when you get it or after a few months, because it almost certainly won't have a great setup out of the box. Getting the action, neck relief, and intonation set just right will be like getting a new guitar again - doing it after a few months will give you time to figure out what's not quite right.
The other thing is that guitar supplies are trash right now (something something supply chain and also everyone has taken up guitar in the past two years). I was cruising Sweetwater and Chicago Music Exchange today and there are more guitars out of stock than in stock, and lead times are insane - some things were "stock expected in August 2022". So you're going to have a better time finding something if you're flexible, patient, or both.
Rock on, my dude. \m/
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 11:16 PM on January 8, 2022
I've been going through something like this myself this year, and I have so much to write that I got out of bed to type this on my laptop - I hope it's useful.
What I've come around to after buying a playing a whole bunch of guitars (I currently have five electrics) is: the best guitar is the one that feels the best for you. I was shopping for a Tele this year and played a ton - Fender Custom Shops, Fender Made in America (MIA), Fender Made in Mexico (MIM), and boutique brands like Suhr and Nash. I ultimately went with a Nash T-63 because the one I played felt great. I flew up and down the neck and it had this beautiful resonance and I just wanted to keep playing and playing. I liked it WAY more than Fender Custom Shop guitars that cost 3x as much and I don't even like Nash's "relicing" gimmick, but who cares when it's such a joy to play? So my best best advice is get over your embarrassment - no one cares, they just want to help you and sell you a guitar - because playing many guitars will show you the path ahead of you. I did this and to my surprise I did not die of embarrassment. It won't kill you, I promise.
Now, if you don't want to do that, I 100% completely understand. Embarrassment is a hell of a thing. Now we're in the realm of buying guitars based on specs. My observation is that any guitar can play any kind of music - you don't need humbuckers to play metal (Aaron Turner played Teles in the unfortunately-named but legendary Isis, and Gina Gleason plays an AmPro Tele in Baroness today). You can play indie rock and blues with single coils and humbuckers, and on and on. You don't need locking tuners. Most guitars you can buy today have fretboards with 9.5" or 12" radii which are fine. The extra knobs and switches on a Jazzmaster don't get you much extra voicing. Etc. Etc. You could go down a YouTube hole and try to narrow it down to precisely what guitar you want but that is a bad, toxic path to follow and will just lead you to believe you need a 12-16" compound radius fretboard and active pickups and 9-42 strings and a chambered body and and and, stuff that you most certainly don't need until you get to the point where you have played enough that you know what's right for you. That's a lot of words for: specs don't feel good, guitars feel good.
So, just buy what looks like a load of fun to you. Sounds like a Tele, so my dude: you deserve a Tele.
What you do want to ensure is some minimum bar of quality. For Fenders, if you have the funds, I'd avoid the Squier line (this is a gross generalization--some are great) and go for a MIM or MIA guitar (or Japan, but those are fairly rare). I have a Squier that is ok but I always reach for another guitar - the Squier has super noisy electronics, the frets aren't great, fit and finish aren't there, and it just feels like an unfinished product compared to its big brothers. You could get lucky with a Squier, but I think you'll be happier starting a bit above that. If playing a super cheap guitar is such a bummer that you don't want to pick it up and play all the time, what's the point? That's why I do not recommend buying the cheapest thing you can just so you can learn what you want. That said, as you progress you'll definitely learn more about what you want and don't want, so this guitar will be one you love but maybe not your forever axe.
Two more things to consider.
First is that you should pay a shop to do a setup either when you get it or after a few months, because it almost certainly won't have a great setup out of the box. Getting the action, neck relief, and intonation set just right will be like getting a new guitar again - doing it after a few months will give you time to figure out what's not quite right.
The other thing is that guitar supplies are trash right now (something something supply chain and also everyone has taken up guitar in the past two years). I was cruising Sweetwater and Chicago Music Exchange today and there are more guitars out of stock than in stock, and lead times are insane - some things were "stock expected in August 2022". So you're going to have a better time finding something if you're flexible, patient, or both.
Rock on, my dude. \m/
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 11:16 PM on January 8, 2022
Also, Prince played Teles. What else does anyone need?
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 11:23 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 11:23 PM on January 8, 2022
I found a small, local, independent guitar shop was way less intimidating/embarrassing than a big chain like Guitar Center. Some shops are set up with demo rooms or class rooms you can use so you can play around with a guitar without the whole store listening.
posted by rakaidan at 11:26 PM on January 8, 2022
posted by rakaidan at 11:26 PM on January 8, 2022
When I bought my first guitar, I knew only a handful of chords, and couldn't really even stitch them together into a tune. But I wanted to go to a shop, rather than take a gamble buying online. I read a few reviews to find a few guitars in my price range that seemed like a good bet. I went to my local shop, said "I don't really play guitar yet, but I've been looking at these [shows them the list] and wondered if I could a couple them and maybe see how they feel". And the shop owner there totally understood. We chatted about a couple of the guitars, picked out one or two that seemed promising, and the shop owner sat down and played a little on each so I could hear them. I also sat and held the different guitars, and we discussed the width of the neck and the string action, and what would best fit my hands. I played my few chords just to get a feel for how they'd be to play.
It didn't feel awkward. They get a lot of beginners and inexperienced guitarists. They want you to come back, after all! I ended up with a guitar that wasn't on my list, but was probably a better fit than any of them. Still very happy with it, and it's the guitar I pick up and play every day.
posted by pipeski at 3:37 AM on January 9, 2022
It didn't feel awkward. They get a lot of beginners and inexperienced guitarists. They want you to come back, after all! I ended up with a guitar that wasn't on my list, but was probably a better fit than any of them. Still very happy with it, and it's the guitar I pick up and play every day.
posted by pipeski at 3:37 AM on January 9, 2022
I’m too embarrassed to walk into a music store and pretend I know what I’m looking for nor, “test” guitars out in front of anyone
I've worked in a music store, back in the "too cool for school" 90's, believe me, we've heard worse, you're fine. (Just don't play "Stairway to Heaven" or "Enter Sandman".) And the salesperson is almost certainly partially working on commission, they're motivated to help you find a guitar you like rather than snark at you. Seriously, like 95% of a music store's customers are newbies and amateurs and hobbyists, they're not full of pro musicians who can shred every genre at the drop of a hat and are just hanging around mocking everyone who can't.
an all around decent electric guitar for all genres
The default for this tends to be the Stratocaster or one of its many variations, and there are kind of some sounds you can only get on a Strat, due to its tremolo (vibrato) bridge and pickup/switch configuration. But as a home hobbyist new player, I doubt you're going to get that worked up about specific tones (not yet, anyway), so seriously any decent guitar can play any genre (as folks have noted with examples above - heck, Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine plays a Tele.)
I think in some ways the big question is whether you want a trem or not. Obviously if you have one you can do all kinds of warbles and bends and swoops and stuff, but a guitar with a trem feels different than one without, and they can be more . . . finicky to set up and maintain in best playing condition, so for a first electric a guitar without a trem (like a Telecaster) is a fine idea.
I’ve always liked the look of telecasters
Me too, that's why I own two of them.
what it looks like is inconsequential
It absolutely is NOT inconsequential - if you love the way your guitar looks you're going to WANT to pick it up and play it. (Hell, I've refinished one of my Teles twice just to get it to look more awesome, and now it's one of my main guitars.)
Here's the thing; while there are a lot of elements that affect how an electric guitar plays and works and sounds - the tuning machines, the nut, the pickups, the bridge - lots of them can be replaced or upgraded for relatively little cost or effort. It's the neck and the body and how the guitar feels as a whole that are kind of the really important parts that need to be right for you. So that's another argument for going ahead and masking up and hitting the stores and trying them out in person. Like, you think Teles look cool, but maybe once you've got one in your hands you think, "ehhh, it's not really all that comfortable" but the Epiphone SG that catches your eye fits you like a glove. All of which means that what you're "looking for" is when you look at and then hold and play the guitar - however "amateur" your playing may be - do you think, "Man, this is GREAT!" Or do you think, "Eh, it's okay . . . " If it's the first, buy the guitar. If it's the second, try another.
Guitars are personal, like, I dunno, shoes or pants. And "experts" & their opinions aren't necessarily useful. Just because some denim enthusiast can give you chapter and verse on Levi's 501's vs Wrangler whatevers, ultimately it's your personal butt that has to fit in that pair of jeans, not theirs.
I'd avoid the Squier line (this is a gross generalization--some are great
IMO & E, a generalization too gross to be useful. I've bought two Squiers new in the last decade (a J. Mascis Jazzmaster and a Paranormal Cyclone) and they both played great right out of the box. For the last decade or so we've been in a sort of Golden Age of Asian-made guitars - manufacturing capabilities and quality control have improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and seem to be getting better all the time. Even "no-name" guitars can be surprisingly good. The Squier "Classic Vibe" series has been getting rave reviews and high marks from players for years, as has their now-discontinued "Vintage Modified" series. Every time I've picked one of these up myself it's all I can do not to plunk down money right then and there. (Maybe avoid the super cheap "Bullet" line of Squiers, although even those have gotten good reviews as beginner guitars.)
There is absolutely no reason not to try Squiers or Epiphones or other non-US-made relatively inexpensive guitars. If you love it, you love it, it doesn't matter what it costs.
Get on Craigslist and buy a $100 tele or strat knock-off
Having just sung the praises of budget guitars, I'm gonna hard pass on this idea, especially for a noob. Fine idea if you're buying a guitar for your 14-year-old who might lose interest in a month for Teenage Reasons, but cheap used guitars can have all sorts of problems from poor manufacturing or lack of maintenance that you're not going to know how to spot or fix.
guitar supplies are trash right now (something something supply chain and also everyone has taken up guitar in the past two years)
Yup. The CEO of Fender just gave an interview noting that he doesn't think that stock is gonna be back to pre-pandemic levels until 2023 or 24. Which IMO is another reason to try them in person and buy the one you like, because it's very much not guaranteed that another guitar just like it will be in the stores 3 months from now.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:33 AM on January 9, 2022
I've worked in a music store, back in the "too cool for school" 90's, believe me, we've heard worse, you're fine. (Just don't play "Stairway to Heaven" or "Enter Sandman".) And the salesperson is almost certainly partially working on commission, they're motivated to help you find a guitar you like rather than snark at you. Seriously, like 95% of a music store's customers are newbies and amateurs and hobbyists, they're not full of pro musicians who can shred every genre at the drop of a hat and are just hanging around mocking everyone who can't.
an all around decent electric guitar for all genres
The default for this tends to be the Stratocaster or one of its many variations, and there are kind of some sounds you can only get on a Strat, due to its tremolo (vibrato) bridge and pickup/switch configuration. But as a home hobbyist new player, I doubt you're going to get that worked up about specific tones (not yet, anyway), so seriously any decent guitar can play any genre (as folks have noted with examples above - heck, Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine plays a Tele.)
I think in some ways the big question is whether you want a trem or not. Obviously if you have one you can do all kinds of warbles and bends and swoops and stuff, but a guitar with a trem feels different than one without, and they can be more . . . finicky to set up and maintain in best playing condition, so for a first electric a guitar without a trem (like a Telecaster) is a fine idea.
I’ve always liked the look of telecasters
Me too, that's why I own two of them.
what it looks like is inconsequential
It absolutely is NOT inconsequential - if you love the way your guitar looks you're going to WANT to pick it up and play it. (Hell, I've refinished one of my Teles twice just to get it to look more awesome, and now it's one of my main guitars.)
Here's the thing; while there are a lot of elements that affect how an electric guitar plays and works and sounds - the tuning machines, the nut, the pickups, the bridge - lots of them can be replaced or upgraded for relatively little cost or effort. It's the neck and the body and how the guitar feels as a whole that are kind of the really important parts that need to be right for you. So that's another argument for going ahead and masking up and hitting the stores and trying them out in person. Like, you think Teles look cool, but maybe once you've got one in your hands you think, "ehhh, it's not really all that comfortable" but the Epiphone SG that catches your eye fits you like a glove. All of which means that what you're "looking for" is when you look at and then hold and play the guitar - however "amateur" your playing may be - do you think, "Man, this is GREAT!" Or do you think, "Eh, it's okay . . . " If it's the first, buy the guitar. If it's the second, try another.
Guitars are personal, like, I dunno, shoes or pants. And "experts" & their opinions aren't necessarily useful. Just because some denim enthusiast can give you chapter and verse on Levi's 501's vs Wrangler whatevers, ultimately it's your personal butt that has to fit in that pair of jeans, not theirs.
I'd avoid the Squier line (this is a gross generalization--some are great
IMO & E, a generalization too gross to be useful. I've bought two Squiers new in the last decade (a J. Mascis Jazzmaster and a Paranormal Cyclone) and they both played great right out of the box. For the last decade or so we've been in a sort of Golden Age of Asian-made guitars - manufacturing capabilities and quality control have improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, and seem to be getting better all the time. Even "no-name" guitars can be surprisingly good. The Squier "Classic Vibe" series has been getting rave reviews and high marks from players for years, as has their now-discontinued "Vintage Modified" series. Every time I've picked one of these up myself it's all I can do not to plunk down money right then and there. (Maybe avoid the super cheap "Bullet" line of Squiers, although even those have gotten good reviews as beginner guitars.)
There is absolutely no reason not to try Squiers or Epiphones or other non-US-made relatively inexpensive guitars. If you love it, you love it, it doesn't matter what it costs.
Get on Craigslist and buy a $100 tele or strat knock-off
Having just sung the praises of budget guitars, I'm gonna hard pass on this idea, especially for a noob. Fine idea if you're buying a guitar for your 14-year-old who might lose interest in a month for Teenage Reasons, but cheap used guitars can have all sorts of problems from poor manufacturing or lack of maintenance that you're not going to know how to spot or fix.
guitar supplies are trash right now (something something supply chain and also everyone has taken up guitar in the past two years)
Yup. The CEO of Fender just gave an interview noting that he doesn't think that stock is gonna be back to pre-pandemic levels until 2023 or 24. Which IMO is another reason to try them in person and buy the one you like, because it's very much not guaranteed that another guitar just like it will be in the stores 3 months from now.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:33 AM on January 9, 2022
Looks are important (and if your heart wants a tele, get a tele) but feel is equally important to me. My best advice is to go into a guitar store and play as many guitars as they will let you hold. It's fine to play whatever you're comfortable with - strum some chords, play some scales. But just play a bunch of different guitars and find what feels right to you.
Last time I was shopping for basses I played some very high-end models that felt very meh to me (Sadowsky, Lakland) and found a guitar that I loved that wasn't really even on my radar (G&L). Especially if you're the kind of person that's not going to buy a ton of guitars in their lifetime, it's worth it to find the one that just feels like it belongs in your hands.
posted by gnutron at 7:18 AM on January 9, 2022
Last time I was shopping for basses I played some very high-end models that felt very meh to me (Sadowsky, Lakland) and found a guitar that I loved that wasn't really even on my radar (G&L). Especially if you're the kind of person that's not going to buy a ton of guitars in their lifetime, it's worth it to find the one that just feels like it belongs in your hands.
posted by gnutron at 7:18 AM on January 9, 2022
As far as style of guitar... I'm a big believer that for an electric guitar beginner, you can get most sounds that you want out of most guitars: a Tele, a Strat, a Les Paul, whatever - if you've got more than one pickup and more than one knob, you can get the sounds that you're looking for: clean, warm, sharp, or something that will take basic distortion or other effects. Telecasters are the Swiss Army Knife of electric guitars, so you really can't go wrong there.
If there were a particular style that you were looking to emulate, then that might point toward certain guitars (but also certain effects and amps). If you were gigging or particularly sensitive to weight, then you might look for a guitar with a contoured body (some American Teles... Stratocasters, Jazzmasters), or a semi-hollow guitar (ES-335, Thinline Tele, etc).
But that doesn't sound like you. So I wouldn't worry too hard about whether the guitar is suited to your needs. Most electric guitars are suited to most needs; your needs are fairly basic (no insult: mine are too. I play indie rock kinda music on a Tele).
So at that point, you're looking at: how much money do you want to spend? What do you think is comfortable? And what do you think looks cool?
I'd say, pick a style that you like, and then decide how much money you want to spend. If you like Teles, you can expect to spend about $1500 on an American-made tele (Performer or Professional series, I think they're calling them now), $800 on a made in Mexico tele (Player series), and about $500 on a Squier tele (Squiers have come a long way - the Classic Vibe series is really quite good).
Honestly, I recommend a Squier Classic Vibe for about $500. They're good, and inexpensive without huge red flags. In a year or two, after you've played it some, you can decide whether or not you like it, and whether or not you need 'more' guitar (or, hell, whether or not you feel like you need to spend more money on a guitar). Or you can just budget for a professional set-up to refine a few elements of the guitar - get a good setup, fret work, and nut work to make sure that it works and plays well. A bit of expert work can make a $500 guitar feel like a much more expensive guitar.
posted by entropone at 7:41 AM on January 9, 2022
If there were a particular style that you were looking to emulate, then that might point toward certain guitars (but also certain effects and amps). If you were gigging or particularly sensitive to weight, then you might look for a guitar with a contoured body (some American Teles... Stratocasters, Jazzmasters), or a semi-hollow guitar (ES-335, Thinline Tele, etc).
But that doesn't sound like you. So I wouldn't worry too hard about whether the guitar is suited to your needs. Most electric guitars are suited to most needs; your needs are fairly basic (no insult: mine are too. I play indie rock kinda music on a Tele).
So at that point, you're looking at: how much money do you want to spend? What do you think is comfortable? And what do you think looks cool?
I'd say, pick a style that you like, and then decide how much money you want to spend. If you like Teles, you can expect to spend about $1500 on an American-made tele (Performer or Professional series, I think they're calling them now), $800 on a made in Mexico tele (Player series), and about $500 on a Squier tele (Squiers have come a long way - the Classic Vibe series is really quite good).
Honestly, I recommend a Squier Classic Vibe for about $500. They're good, and inexpensive without huge red flags. In a year or two, after you've played it some, you can decide whether or not you like it, and whether or not you need 'more' guitar (or, hell, whether or not you feel like you need to spend more money on a guitar). Or you can just budget for a professional set-up to refine a few elements of the guitar - get a good setup, fret work, and nut work to make sure that it works and plays well. A bit of expert work can make a $500 guitar feel like a much more expensive guitar.
posted by entropone at 7:41 AM on January 9, 2022
Good for you! At this point I think you should either choose the prettiest guitar you can find, that makes you happy every time you see it, or the one that feels exactly right in your arms and is the most comfortable to hold and play. I've got one of each (though basses). Also, remember when you walk into the music store, you don't have to apologize to anyone, not about your playing skill, the length of your hiatus, or the fact that you're not a rich rock star slumming in their store.You're bringing them your business, and you are worthy.
posted by evilDoug at 7:49 AM on January 9, 2022
posted by evilDoug at 7:49 AM on January 9, 2022
Go to a Guitarcenter and play around with what they got. If you like telecasters, then go for one. Fender alone sells them on several price points. And honestly, the price points buys you surprisingly little as you pay more, mostly bragging rights.
I bought an American Standard Strat in 1988 that I still own. A couple years back I bought a Squire Bullet Strat, sight unseen, because I was curious, and due to a confluence of deals, it could be had for less than $100 brand new, delivered. The Bullet line is the absolute bottom of Fender's lineup manufactured in Indonesia. I have to be completely honest... If I'd bought this in 1988 instead of the American Standard, I would have been hard pressed to tell any consequential difference, and the only reason to get the American Std would be to know I bought a made in USA strat.
Not to be dismissed, that's a real reason to buy a US build instrument. Resale value seems to hold up by country of origin, if that country is the USA. But in actual quality and playability and sound, the differences are minuscule.
So when I decided to satisfy the hankering for a Telecaster last year, I saw there was a special run of butterscotch Squire Bullet Teles with maple fingerboards, I decided to jump again. And I'm pretty satisfied. There was a slight flaw, the high E string on the neck pickup sounded a bit weak, for whatever reasons, so I replaced it with a cheap alnico model that cost about $15. It's all good now.
If you do buy cheap, the only thing I'd absolutely do is replace the output jack. The cheap ones they stick in every budget guitar will fall apart, so just spend a few bucks on a Switchcraft jack, and it'll last a lifetime.
Point is, play all you can get your hands on, and choose what you like. It may be top of the line, or not.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:19 AM on January 9, 2022
I bought an American Standard Strat in 1988 that I still own. A couple years back I bought a Squire Bullet Strat, sight unseen, because I was curious, and due to a confluence of deals, it could be had for less than $100 brand new, delivered. The Bullet line is the absolute bottom of Fender's lineup manufactured in Indonesia. I have to be completely honest... If I'd bought this in 1988 instead of the American Standard, I would have been hard pressed to tell any consequential difference, and the only reason to get the American Std would be to know I bought a made in USA strat.
Not to be dismissed, that's a real reason to buy a US build instrument. Resale value seems to hold up by country of origin, if that country is the USA. But in actual quality and playability and sound, the differences are minuscule.
So when I decided to satisfy the hankering for a Telecaster last year, I saw there was a special run of butterscotch Squire Bullet Teles with maple fingerboards, I decided to jump again. And I'm pretty satisfied. There was a slight flaw, the high E string on the neck pickup sounded a bit weak, for whatever reasons, so I replaced it with a cheap alnico model that cost about $15. It's all good now.
If you do buy cheap, the only thing I'd absolutely do is replace the output jack. The cheap ones they stick in every budget guitar will fall apart, so just spend a few bucks on a Switchcraft jack, and it'll last a lifetime.
Point is, play all you can get your hands on, and choose what you like. It may be top of the line, or not.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:19 AM on January 9, 2022
You've gotten plenty of answers already but I'll just throw in my own experience. I recently bought an electric after maybe a 20 year hiatus. I went to Guitar Center, picked out an amp, turned it on low but with distortion, and then worked my way though every guitar that looked cool. No one bothered me, no one paid any attention at all except for an occasional salesperson asking if all was well. For each one I just played a few power chords, no one else could probably even hear what I was doing. Eventually, after maybe an hour, I found the one I liked the best.
It was super comfortable, no one paid any attention until the end when I had a really great conversation with the guy who rang me up.
As for which one you buy, others have said it all above. My understanding (and I am no expert) is that you can get any sound you want out of any guitar. The pickups and body, as well as the amplifier you use, do play a role in tone but nowadays you can either buy pedals to change that sound completely, or you just pipe the guitar directly into a laptop and process the sound there, to make it whatever you want. So for the first one I'd just get the one that you like the looks of, that feels good to play.
posted by natteringnabob at 9:42 AM on January 9, 2022
It was super comfortable, no one paid any attention until the end when I had a really great conversation with the guy who rang me up.
As for which one you buy, others have said it all above. My understanding (and I am no expert) is that you can get any sound you want out of any guitar. The pickups and body, as well as the amplifier you use, do play a role in tone but nowadays you can either buy pedals to change that sound completely, or you just pipe the guitar directly into a laptop and process the sound there, to make it whatever you want. So for the first one I'd just get the one that you like the looks of, that feels good to play.
posted by natteringnabob at 9:42 AM on January 9, 2022
The key to getting better is practice and one key to practice is having a guitar that is comfortable to play. Neck width and profile is the most important, followed by ergonomics (body size, forearm cut, etc) followed by weight. Go to a music store with a number of guitars and play them all. Which sit well in your playing position? Which are comfortable to fret. I like a wider neck (> 1 11/16” at the nut) and a thicker neck (> 0.85”). YMMV.
Don’t buy an expensive guitar. Mexican or Indonesian Fenders, G&Ls, etc. are of very high quality now days.
posted by sudogeek at 10:23 AM on January 9, 2022
Don’t buy an expensive guitar. Mexican or Indonesian Fenders, G&Ls, etc. are of very high quality now days.
posted by sudogeek at 10:23 AM on January 9, 2022
Similar boat but instead of heading into a store, I bought a decent cheap guitar from Monoprice. Tiny investment, way more comfortable than my last acoustic guitar, and sounds great for what I’m doing. The low-to-me price ($80) made it a no-brainer.
posted by hijinx at 12:20 PM on January 9, 2022
posted by hijinx at 12:20 PM on January 9, 2022
I’m gonna buck the trend (lifelong bass player but sometimes guitar player.)
I say get on Reverb, look at used American Teles in Excellent-ish condition, find one that calls to you, and take the leap. There aren’t many Teles that will feel bad and unplayable, I promise. If you get an Excellent Tele and it turns out it’s unplayable someone will buy it off you (maybe me, I’m on the market for one.)
I loathe the music store experience (combo of judgment, sales desperation, misogyny, dorkiness, can’t relax and actually “get a feel” and not many quality guitars are gonna be too shitty or unusually balanced for the average human to play.)
posted by kapers at 2:24 PM on January 9, 2022
I say get on Reverb, look at used American Teles in Excellent-ish condition, find one that calls to you, and take the leap. There aren’t many Teles that will feel bad and unplayable, I promise. If you get an Excellent Tele and it turns out it’s unplayable someone will buy it off you (maybe me, I’m on the market for one.)
I loathe the music store experience (combo of judgment, sales desperation, misogyny, dorkiness, can’t relax and actually “get a feel” and not many quality guitars are gonna be too shitty or unusually balanced for the average human to play.)
posted by kapers at 2:24 PM on January 9, 2022
I was recently in need of a new bow for my viola after a long time away from it and I, too, was intimidated by the prospect of wandering into a music store and trying a bunch of them and sounding so, so much worse than I used to when I played much more regularly. But I’m so happy that I did it - even if you haven’t played in 15 years, you will have opinions about what feels right in your hands and what matches the sound that’s in your mind. No one else can do that for you.
Go to the store, if it helps you can go at an off hour like 11 am on a Tuesday or call ahead and see if you can make an appointment so that you’re sure someone is on the floor who can help you, and find the instrument of your dreams. If you chose a friendly shop, there should be someone who can play your favorite 2 or 3 instruments for you so you can get an idea of what they sound like in the hands of a better musician and get an opinion from them on the comparative action, how suitable they are for what you plan to play, and anything else you might want to ask about.
There’s no way you’re going to sound worse than when I wandered into a Guitar Center 7 years ago to buy my first acoustic guitar having never played guitar before.
posted by A Blue Moon at 3:38 PM on January 9, 2022
Go to the store, if it helps you can go at an off hour like 11 am on a Tuesday or call ahead and see if you can make an appointment so that you’re sure someone is on the floor who can help you, and find the instrument of your dreams. If you chose a friendly shop, there should be someone who can play your favorite 2 or 3 instruments for you so you can get an idea of what they sound like in the hands of a better musician and get an opinion from them on the comparative action, how suitable they are for what you plan to play, and anything else you might want to ask about.
There’s no way you’re going to sound worse than when I wandered into a Guitar Center 7 years ago to buy my first acoustic guitar having never played guitar before.
posted by A Blue Moon at 3:38 PM on January 9, 2022
"I lived my entire life without owning a Telecaster" is not a sentence you want to say on your deathbed. Come to think of it, it's probably a good idea to keep it on your person. You never know if Steve Vai will show up.
The big question is, what amp are you going to use? Or are you going to use it with a headphone amp? IMHO the amp choice and speaker setup makes a big difference, and it's a hard thing to audition. You might pick a popular modeling amp to cover all the bases, and inevitably tune in on your preferred attributes for the upgrade.
Also browsing Sweetwater now, I see they make sub-$1000 PRS guitars now? BRB going to be entirely predictable
posted by credulous at 4:33 PM on January 9, 2022
The big question is, what amp are you going to use? Or are you going to use it with a headphone amp? IMHO the amp choice and speaker setup makes a big difference, and it's a hard thing to audition. You might pick a popular modeling amp to cover all the bases, and inevitably tune in on your preferred attributes for the upgrade.
Also browsing Sweetwater now, I see they make sub-$1000 PRS guitars now? BRB going to be entirely predictable
posted by credulous at 4:33 PM on January 9, 2022
Telecaster a fine choice for many styles, there are even some jazz guys who play them.
There are a lot of good guitars in the $200-$500 range, now, you are spoiled for choice if you want to get something reasonable to get back in the guitar playing world. The Squiers are pretty darn good, for example, and I hear good stuff about recent Epiphones. Yamaha and Ibanez have good entry level guitars, a lot of others too I am sure.
posted by thelonius at 4:41 PM on January 9, 2022
There are a lot of good guitars in the $200-$500 range, now, you are spoiled for choice if you want to get something reasonable to get back in the guitar playing world. The Squiers are pretty darn good, for example, and I hear good stuff about recent Epiphones. Yamaha and Ibanez have good entry level guitars, a lot of others too I am sure.
posted by thelonius at 4:41 PM on January 9, 2022
As others have said, there's incredible value at the lower end these days: Squier Affinity at the beginner's budget, Classic Vibe around $500. And you can also get all of the effects (well, enough of them) from a relatively cheap amp.
(The thing about Teles, if that's where your interest lies, is that they're big ol' lumps of wood, and some models may feel too light or too heavy for your tastes depending on the type of wood that's used for the body.)
posted by holgate at 6:10 PM on January 9, 2022
(The thing about Teles, if that's where your interest lies, is that they're big ol' lumps of wood, and some models may feel too light or too heavy for your tastes depending on the type of wood that's used for the body.)
posted by holgate at 6:10 PM on January 9, 2022
The key to getting better is practice and one key to practice is having a guitar that is comfortable to play.
This, a thousand times. In my early twenties I went to a guitar shop to buy an electric after having noodled on an old acoustic for three or four years. I had read about guitars, I had some ideas of what I thought I'd like to try but on the day itself I was so intimidated I pretty much bought the first one the assistent recommended that I liked the look of (Aria Pro II). Twenty years later I can can count on two hands the amount of times I've actually played anything through on that hulking thing. It was incredibly heavy, uncomfortably shaped for my bod and even after some major attention by my guitar-tech in-law has a fret action that never worked for my fingers. At the time I just thought that's how electric guitars are and that I would get used to it. I did not.
Last year I joined a band and decided that I would finally crack this electric thing. I was still intimidated but girded my loins and told the assistant why I was there. He brought me lots to try, some I'd asked about and others I'd never heard of. I just played them (badly - who cares) and eventually went home with a PRS Tremonti SE. It is so comfortable I pick it up it almost every day and am astonished at how much more confident I feel. It is light and nimble, stylish in an understated way and it sounds - to me at least - beautiful.
Moral of the story: I am supersad that I wasted so much time with a bad fit. Don't be intimated, just give something a try. It's such a personal thing, recommendations mean so much less than actual feel.
posted by freya_lamb at 3:47 AM on January 10, 2022
This, a thousand times. In my early twenties I went to a guitar shop to buy an electric after having noodled on an old acoustic for three or four years. I had read about guitars, I had some ideas of what I thought I'd like to try but on the day itself I was so intimidated I pretty much bought the first one the assistent recommended that I liked the look of (Aria Pro II). Twenty years later I can can count on two hands the amount of times I've actually played anything through on that hulking thing. It was incredibly heavy, uncomfortably shaped for my bod and even after some major attention by my guitar-tech in-law has a fret action that never worked for my fingers. At the time I just thought that's how electric guitars are and that I would get used to it. I did not.
Last year I joined a band and decided that I would finally crack this electric thing. I was still intimidated but girded my loins and told the assistant why I was there. He brought me lots to try, some I'd asked about and others I'd never heard of. I just played them (badly - who cares) and eventually went home with a PRS Tremonti SE. It is so comfortable I pick it up it almost every day and am astonished at how much more confident I feel. It is light and nimble, stylish in an understated way and it sounds - to me at least - beautiful.
Moral of the story: I am supersad that I wasted so much time with a bad fit. Don't be intimated, just give something a try. It's such a personal thing, recommendations mean so much less than actual feel.
posted by freya_lamb at 3:47 AM on January 10, 2022
I'm all for teles--I've had the same one since 1987. But the one thing I'd like to learn more about is what you mean when you say "all genres."
I'll go out on a limb and claim that no one likes all genres.
What are the main kinds of bands whose songs you're going to work on? If you are doing originals, who are your inspirations? What kind of guitars to those musicians play? Those can be important leads.
Good luck! I've gotten back into playing guitar every day after 20 years of only playing occasionally, and it has made pandemic living much more tolerable. After two years of playing every day, I'm definitely better now than I was when I was 20 and it was the main activity I cared about.
posted by umbú at 6:30 AM on January 10, 2022
I'll go out on a limb and claim that no one likes all genres.
What are the main kinds of bands whose songs you're going to work on? If you are doing originals, who are your inspirations? What kind of guitars to those musicians play? Those can be important leads.
Good luck! I've gotten back into playing guitar every day after 20 years of only playing occasionally, and it has made pandemic living much more tolerable. After two years of playing every day, I'm definitely better now than I was when I was 20 and it was the main activity I cared about.
posted by umbú at 6:30 AM on January 10, 2022
I have a Squier Standard Strat, so unless they have gotten a lot better, I find it insanely tinny and the tone knobs do not fix it. It looks great though so I still play it occasionally.
I also have an Epiphone SG400 and a Mexican Fender Telecaster - those are both exceptional.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:30 AM on January 10, 2022
I also have an Epiphone SG400 and a Mexican Fender Telecaster - those are both exceptional.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:30 AM on January 10, 2022
If price is really not important, I'd go to a store with a good selection/range of manufacturers and plug each of these into the same combo amp (probably a Fender if you lean toward less distorted/overdriven sounds, a Marshall for heavy rocking, somewhere north of $400):
- Fender American Standard Telecaster
- Fender American Standard Stratocaster
- Gibson Les Paul Standard
- PRS SE Custom 24
- Ibanez 6-string (too many models that I'm not familiar with, but maybe something around $1,000 sticker price to keep it apples-to-apples)
- Gretsch 5422
Ideally, one of these jumps out at you as a better fit than the others. Then I'd maybe tell a salesman that that model was your favorite, and ask which other guitars might be similar and worth trying. E.g., if you like the Gretsch, it's worth trying a few other semi-hollows -- a Gibson ES-335, Epiphone Casino, one of the Ibanezes in that style, a semi-hollow Tele. And once you feel like you have a winner, ask the salesman whether another amp might pair better with it than the one you've been using, as there are so many good brands of amps too.
posted by troywestfield at 10:24 AM on January 13, 2022
- Fender American Standard Telecaster
- Fender American Standard Stratocaster
- Gibson Les Paul Standard
- PRS SE Custom 24
- Ibanez 6-string (too many models that I'm not familiar with, but maybe something around $1,000 sticker price to keep it apples-to-apples)
- Gretsch 5422
Ideally, one of these jumps out at you as a better fit than the others. Then I'd maybe tell a salesman that that model was your favorite, and ask which other guitars might be similar and worth trying. E.g., if you like the Gretsch, it's worth trying a few other semi-hollows -- a Gibson ES-335, Epiphone Casino, one of the Ibanezes in that style, a semi-hollow Tele. And once you feel like you have a winner, ask the salesman whether another amp might pair better with it than the one you've been using, as there are so many good brands of amps too.
posted by troywestfield at 10:24 AM on January 13, 2022
The Squier Classic Vibes get rave reviews. Your budget would help with answers.
posted by backwards guitar at 3:39 PM on January 16, 2022
posted by backwards guitar at 3:39 PM on January 16, 2022
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Wander into a shop, don’t be embarrassed- music shops see lots of people who know much less than you! Pull down a couple guitars that look beautiful, play bits of your fave songs on them and notice how they feel and sound. Look in the mirror and see which one looks good on you.
Pick the one that feels rightest and get a hook too, then hang it proudly on your wall as a piece of functional art that brings you joy to play it AND see it.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 10:52 PM on January 8, 2022