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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ (possible) Newbie Need Some Answers
Posted by: kirua Jul 12 2007, 01:07 AM
Hello everyone!
I am thinking about learning how to play on an el. guitar (yeah, I paid just to be able to post some question here and look how the lessons look exactly 
).
First of all, I have never played on any instrument, ever -- well, except the computer where I do actually create music (but yeah, that doesn't matter much).
My first question is about what gear to buy. I can't really know if the playing on el. guitar will hook me or not -- obviously as I have no experience on this field. So I am looking for something cheaper like Ibanez grx jumpstart kit or QTX Sky Rockie (stratocaster type guitar) (and this one is cheaper, like half the price of that Ibanez one). Which one (or something else maybe?) would you recommend?
Another question is about what is driving you to play the guitar and why did you start playing on it? I know it's different for everyone but I am interested in what it gives?
Also I am looking for someone who was in a similiar position like me: never played on anything, picked up el. guitar and learned mainly (or just!) from this site -- if there is someone like that? Is it doable this way by the way? Will I learn how to tune up the guitar and take care of it and similiar stuff here?
Well, that's all for now, I bet I had more stuff on my mind to ask, but I will post them later if I remember what it was 
All replies and opinions are very appreciated, so please don't hold back!
Best regards,
kirua
Posted by: AliMo Jul 12 2007, 01:26 AM
First of all welcome to the site!
And second, I was in the same boat as you when I started playing. I never played any instruments, but all the music I liked had guitars in them so obviously I liked them. Another reason was I had friends who were either just beginning or very good at the guitar so they helped with my decision.
Basically what I'm trying to say is you have to try and find your own inspiration to drive you to start playing. Whether it be someone you know personally or just seeing or hearing a famous musician play. Just ask yourself if you really want to be that good and then tell yourself that you can.
Also I haven't learned everything from this site, but about 90% of what I know came from here and I'm sure beginning here will be much more beneficial to you, so don't worry about that, this is a great site.
Oh yea and as for the gear question, thats all up to your budget, how much you think you will play and if your gonna stick with it. If you have some doubt and think you may not enjoy it then go for the cheaper one. If you feel your gonna stick with it for a while then its only a matter of time until you get better and will eventually want even better equipment, so you might as well get the ibanez pack since it will probably give you a longer time before you make that upgrade (if you ever decide to). In my case my first few months of playing was on a friends guitar that I borrowed so by the time I got my first one I knew I was gonna stick with it so I just decided to get a more expensive guitar instead of getting one of those beginner packages.
Hope I helped with your decision, lol sorry for such a long post 
Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Jul 12 2007, 01:57 AM
So your thinking about playing the guitar, Excellent ! The guitar is a whole new world your about to experience but it seems your still thinking about how you want to enter that world so let me try to be of some assistance.
Well there are lots of guitar "packs " can get which contain a guitar , a 10 to 15 watt amp., picks, chords and ever thing youll need to gear wise. The problem is that I need to see how serious you really are about this.
Because the s***** part about getting a " starter pack" is that youll want a better guitar and better amp sooner then you think.
I recomend ( gear wise ) the following things for a starting guitar player.
Amp. http://line6.com/spideriii/15.html - for 100$ this is the best amp imo that you can get.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dean-Vendetta-XM-Electric-Guitar?sku=512150
I believe for 200$ this is the best gear money can buy.
- John
Edited for language - Andrew
Posted by: Ryan Jul 12 2007, 02:21 AM
Ok, first off. This maybe like the other guys posts, but maybe not. Lets see. Well you definitly want to play guitar. Correct? Well if thats correct then this is the best place to start. You get all the basics. Other than tunings, and stuff, but for that. Just ask on the forums. Its really easy to learn. So no worries there. Everything you need to start playing guitar. Is all here. Metrenome Practice (For timing, and speed VERY IMPORTANT, but also it can be boring), Chords, Theory, Lessons to help with Alternate picking, chicken picking, sweep picking, tapping, 2 finger taps, and legato. Also all of them mixed together, and how to use them. You get tons of theory knowledge here. So no worries on that!!
And for the guitar setup. I say do it like this. You can buy the starter pack, but get the cheap one. For sure, or just get a cheap 100$ guitar, and a cheap 100$ amp!! Because you may think you are going to be serious about guitar now, but things change my friend. So to stay on the safe side. Get the cheap stuff. Because really dont know how much your gonna like it until you try it, and how well your actually gonna stick with it!! Tons of serious guitarists lose there motivation, and have to strive to find it again!! I know from experience on that. You will have a great week, or month. Where you will advance greatly, but then the next thing you know. It doesnt all seem that great, and you dont grow in skills at all for a while. That can cause you to lose motivation.
And plus this is very important to remeber. Its not he gear that makes you great. Its "YOU". And last but not least. Practice, Practice, Practice 
!!
Posted by: Roo Jul 12 2007, 02:31 AM
I am thinking about learning how to play on an el. guitar (yeah, I paid just to be able to post some question here and look how the lessons look exactly
).First of all, I have never played on any instrument, ever -- well, except the computer where I do actually create music (but yeah, that doesn't matter much).
My first question is about what gear to buy. I can't really know if the playing on el. guitar will hook me or not -- obviously as I have no experience on this field. So I am looking for something cheaper like Ibanez grx jumpstart kit or QTX Sky Rockie (stratocaster type guitar) (and this one is cheaper, like half the price of that Ibanez one). Which one (or something else maybe?) would you recommend?
Another question is about what is driving you to play the guitar and why did you start playing on it? I know it's different for everyone but I am interested in what it gives?
Also I am looking for someone who was in a similiar position like me: never played on anything, picked up el. guitar and learned mainly (or just!) from this site -- if there is someone like that? Is it doable this way by the way? Will I learn how to tune up the guitar and take care of it and similiar stuff here?
Well, that's all for now, I bet I had more stuff on my mind to ask, but I will post them later if I remember what it was
All replies and opinions are very appreciated, so please don't hold back!
Best regards,
kirua
Hi, welcome.
This is a great site. As an instructor, Im very demanding in matters of quality. I would not publish lessons somewhere instructional material is low level for indecent price.
All I can say, is I trust high quality answers of the members so I let them tell you.
I know they have good advice and knowledge.
Posted by: JVM Jul 12 2007, 02:34 AM
Well there are lots of guitar "packs " can get which contain a guitar , a 10 to 15 watt amp., picks, chords and ever thing youll need to gear wise. The problem is that I need to see how serious you really are about this.
Because the s***** part about getting a " starter pack" is that youll want a better guitar and better amp sooner then you think.
I recomend ( gear wise ) the following things for a starting guitar player.
Amp. http://line6.com/spideriii/15.html - for 100$ this is the best amp imo that you can get.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dean-Vendetta-XM-Electric-Guitar?sku=512150
I believe for 200$ this is the best gear money can buy.
- John
Edited for languag - Andrew
I second that, that would be the way to go. If you decide to get one of the starter packs, get the ibanez one. Also another amp to consider is the cube, you can check that one out:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-Cube-15X-Amp?sku=487030
I've heard a whole lot of people really like this one but I have not tried it myself. I haven't tried the line 6 amp either, but when I was considering buying one of the other versions for myself I heard a lot of mixed reivews, people either seem to love it or hate it. Either way, I'd go with that dean guitar. The majority of the guitars you'll get from the starter packs are absolute crap and that can be an obstacle in getting into guitar. The dean is supposed to be probably the very best for the money. But you will want better eventually
Hope you enjoy GMC, you really can find everything you need to know here from beginner to pro stuff. It's the only site you'll need probably, except if you want some tabs (in which case www.ultimate-guitar.com is probably the place to go, our Kristofer Dahl contributes there a lot).
Good luck!
Posted by: Manny Jul 12 2007, 02:51 AM
if you want to know the complete basics, go to the library and check out a copy of Guitar for Dummies.
it will teach u the extreme basics like tuning, using an amp, changing strings, basic maitenance etc.
once you plug in, turn on, and tune up, check out the beginners videos and practice practice practice
Posted by: ibanezkiller Jul 12 2007, 03:17 AM
Hey AND WELCOME
what drove me to play the guitar was when i first saw satriani play. So find some one that you like and learn some of there stuff.
Posted by: shredmandan Jul 12 2007, 04:23 AM
Welcome,
All i can say if you havent started yet playing guitar is, you get what you put in just like anything else in life.There are alot of very talented instructor's and great lessons.I feel alot of lessons put out right now would be too difficult for someone just picking up the guitar but, there is alot of stuff in the achrives for beginner's and if your serious about playing this could really help you out.Most of the people on here are nice to and will help you along the way.
Posted by: fkalich Jul 12 2007, 04:56 AM
I have always bought the best equipment I could afford, right from the start. Actually more than I could afford. Actually a lot more than I could afford. I believe strongly in that. When I started Triathlon I went out and got a $2,000 bike, day 1. I participated in that 6 or 7 years, still might go back to it. So I recommend that you buy a Gibson Les Paul Standard. Les Pauls are a real man's guitar. If Arnold Schwarzenegger played guitar, I am sure that is what he would play, not a girlie man Ibanez.
If you need the scratch, come up with something creative. Do any Gypsies still hang around in the Czech Republic? You have a younger brother? Maybe you can sell him to the Gypsies to get the cash if you don't have it.
BTW, I am serious, always buy top scale equipment, best you can afford, think big, believe in yourself, right from the start.
Real Man's Guitar:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QvI6rtFyqlc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CW09oMknOuA
Posted by: ClifordACDC Jul 12 2007, 05:01 AM
i was somewhat like you when i started but the first thing i did was get a starter kit (which i regret but let me stay on topic) it came with a dvd that showed me the parts of a guitar, how to change strings, tune. i knew nothing when i joined besideds 3 chords that it taught me. if i haddent found this site it eaither had stoped playing or have been playing those same chords. on to the starter kits, they come with the things people have mentiond alredy but know they are of low quality. the amp that came with mine stoped working after 2 weeks of serious practiceing, and after playing 3 guitars at my local guitar shop i could tell how bad mine was. so do what eat sleep and jam said and buy every thing seperately. if you can go to a guitar shop inted of the internet. even though you might not know any thing try messing around with a expensive guitar then try ones in your price range to compare and get the best one. glad i could help
Posted by: SLASH91 Jul 12 2007, 05:02 AM
Yeah right
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Jul 12 2007, 05:08 AM
Also I am looking for someone who was in a similiar position like me: never played on anything, picked up el. guitar and learned mainly (or just!) from this site -- if there is someone like that? Is it doable this way by the way? Will I learn how to tune up the guitar and take care of it and similiar stuff here?
I'll let the gearheads discuss gear.
The two questions that I left in the quote are related to me.
I'm 33. I played alto sax in middle school for a year or so. Didn't really like it. I spent 2006 on and off unsuccessfully trying to teach myself to play keyboards. I won an electric guitar in mid December and that was the first time I really picked one up and thought I should learn to play it. I did some poking around online and in some books for a while on my own.
By mid January I ended up here. So while I do read other stuff and watch videos of other stuff, I do mostly owe what I can do to GMC. I don't practice nearly enough though to consider myself a shining example of a GMC student. I'm doing what I can though.
Gear maintenance isn't really in the scope of the lessons on the site. GMC has more of a playing/technique focus. In the forums, there's a lot of knowledgeable people though that are pretty good about answering questions that are posted.
Posted by: ClifordACDC Jul 12 2007, 05:21 AM
oh and there is also a video when you go to the begginers section on what to do if you are a complete begginer
Posted by: fkalich Jul 12 2007, 05:31 AM
see links I added as proof. including one with your namesake. both have biceps, and one even poses in front of tanks. clear evidence.
here is another Link, more evidence:
Girlie Man Guitar:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=V0PHoL9vYQo
Posted by: Victafor Jul 12 2007, 06:45 AM
i started playin the guitar in january/february and it was my first instrument. what motivated me was my uncle and to get myself off the cpu and video games. I dont think its possible to master the guitar on here but it is a very useful site that will get you far. I have relied on this and my some of my uncle's tips alone to get to where i am. And i am not that bad XD
i recommend the el guitar
Posted by: blindwillie Jul 12 2007, 08:56 AM
If you need the scratch, come up with something creative. Do any Gypsies still hang around in the Czech Republic? You have a younger brother? Maybe you can sell him to the Gypsies to get the cash if you don't have it.
BTW, I am serious, always buy top scale equipment, best you can afford, think big, believe in yourself, right from the start.
Real Man's Guitar:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QvI6rtFyqlc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CW09oMknOuA
I'm just like that. I buy quality stuff from the start but I'm not sure that's the right way, but its my way.
I started just like you about 6 months ago. Always wanted to learn guitar. What keeps me going now is that it's so d*mn fun! And I've learned to play songs I never thought I could play and I keep learning new stuff every day. Not implying that I'm even close to being a guitarist yet. Just know a few songs.
I agree with Ryan. Depending on your economy it might be better to buy a cheaper equipment 'til you know if this is for you.
I'd say don't buy a starter kit. Buy a used guitar and amp for the same price. The store can help you get a good start if they are serious. But if you have the money, go for the good stuff. You'll get a descent price for your gear if you change your mind and want to sell it. If you love playing you will want better gear very soon though. Maybe within 6 months even.
I regret one thing. That I didn't buy the PODXT from the start. As it turned out I never use my amp because I drive my wife nuts with it (I had a tough time here, but I decided I liked being married). I compromised on the amp because I thought it would turn out this way so I just bought a descent amp instead of a good amp, but I could have saved that money if I got the POD right from the start. If I could use the amp today, I would get a way better one. Something with tubes. ENGL maybe. You see? That's what I get for byuing cheap goods. Should have followed my path and bought the real deal.
And fkalich is right in another thing. Get a manly guitar, not a girlie Ibanez. He's wrong about the Gibsons though. They are severly overpriced. You'd get much more guitar for the money with some other brand
Fkalich gave some good advice too. Sell your brother if you have one. H*ll, sell ALL your relatives and buy great stuff. You won't regret it. HAHA!
here is another Link, more evidence:
Girlie Man Guitar:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=V0PHoL9vYQo
I usually dont "Laugh Out Loud", but this time I really did! Excellent!
Posted by: MickeM Jul 12 2007, 12:07 PM
You can go for used gear and if you decide to put the guitar down you'd be able to get your money back, more or less. So even if you're going for more expensive gear, and make fair deals of course, you could end up even if you sell them one day.
Ask youself a couple of questions.
* What guitar sound are you looking for? Maybe a guitar with both single coils and humbuckers would make a good start so you'll have both.
* What amp do you want. One which can make all the sound effects in the world or one with a couple of channels (eg. clean and distortion OR clean, crunch and lead) where you're the one tweaking the sound?
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Jul 12 2007, 03:48 PM
You could always tie a couple of bricks to an Ibanez body to get that Les Paul feel.
Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Jul 12 2007, 04:02 PM
Posted by: mattacuk Jul 12 2007, 04:12 PM
Hey, nothing wrong with a nice heavy les paul!
Posted by: jammer91 Jul 12 2007, 08:30 PM
Heres the deal, you havent yet told me your budget or your preffered genre.
Firstly, i dont know how you could recommend heavy les paul and toneless dist line 6 spider amp to a beginner? (this should be his future equipment)....
Heres an awesome all in one kit:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Stop-Dreaming-Start-Playing-Affinity-Strat-HSS-Pack-With-Fender-Frontman-15G-Amp?sku=513288
Heres some guitars i would reccomend to any beginner (choose according to genre):
Guitar1: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-GRX20-Electric-Guitar?sku=519417
Guitar2: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dean-MLX-Electric-Guitar?sku=512913
Guitar3: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Standard-Telecaster-Electric-Guitar?sku=510470
These are some really versatile amps you can trust:
Amp1: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-Cube-30X-Amp-with-COSM?sku=487032
Amp2: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-FM-25-DSP-Frontman-Combo-Amp?sku=481136
Amp3: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Marshall-MG30DFX-Combo-?sku=483188
Id suggest you choose one guitar and an amp from above instead of the kit..... You wont regret cause it will last longer and has probably everything you need. Comprimise a bit on the budget to get the right sound according to your style.
Posted by: Eat-Sleep-andJam Jul 12 2007, 09:23 PM
Rofl
- John
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Jul 12 2007, 09:28 PM
I kid because I love. You're not knocking your Marshall stack over with a smack from an S Prestige. Some things require a Les Paul.
If someone gave me one for free or cheap, I wouldn't turn it down...not sure if I'd buy one at full retail though. I'm not really at the point where I'm sure I know what I like in how a guitar feels while playing. The Explorer seems heavier though.
Posted by: stratman33 Jul 12 2007, 09:40 PM
I am thinking about learning how to play on an el. guitar (yeah, I paid just to be able to post some question here and look how the lessons look exactly
).First of all, I have never played on any instrument, ever -- well, except the computer where I do actually create music (but yeah, that doesn't matter much).
My first question is about what gear to buy. I can't really know if the playing on el. guitar will hook me or not -- obviously as I have no experience on this field. So I am looking for something cheaper like Ibanez grx jumpstart kit or QTX Sky Rockie (stratocaster type guitar) (and this one is cheaper, like half the price of that Ibanez one). Which one (or something else maybe?) would you recommend?
Another question is about what is driving you to play the guitar and why did you start playing on it? I know it's different for everyone but I am interested in what it gives?
Also I am looking for someone who was in a similiar position like me: never played on anything, picked up el. guitar and learned mainly (or just!) from this site -- if there is someone like that? Is it doable this way by the way? Will I learn how to tune up the guitar and take care of it and similiar stuff here?
Well, that's all for now, I bet I had more stuff on my mind to ask, but I will post them later if I remember what it was
All replies and opinions are very appreciated, so please don't hold back!
Best regards,
kirua
I was alot like you when i was a beginner.I had never played an instrument before the guitar. I basically just wanted to play the guitar because i saw what great guitarists could do and i wanted to be able to do that.I also learned most from this site. I joined this site about a year into my playing. That year before i joined was basically getting the feel for the guitar, toughening up my fingers,scales, etc. But when i joined this i've learned every technique i know from here.All my styles have gotten better, and overall as a guitarist I've improved tons and tons. I still have lots to learn, but I think I'm capable of many things on guitar.
Posted by: fkalich Jul 12 2007, 09:50 PM
If someone gave me one for free or cheap, I wouldn't turn it down...not sure if I'd buy one at full retail though. I'm not really at the point where I'm sure I know what I like in how a guitar feels while playing. The Explorer seems heavier though.
thought I would **** off some people. glad to see you all have a sense of humor. like a lot of other things, a number of alternatives. play the one that feels right to you. Like in the Tour De France, a lot off different teams, different bike brands. Best guy on best team is going to win (either that or the guy with the best dope). But it won't be the bike that matters, they are all good bikes.
I tell you another guitar that I really like. Fender Telecaster. It really has nice sustain, I like it a lot more than a Strat. I got one with a humbucker at the neck, always felt that was a good idea. They have mexican teles like that that are not too expensive, and very nice I think.
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Jul 12 2007, 11:18 PM
Seeing what John5 gets out of a Tele intrigues me. And generally, they're not 'cool' if you're not playing country. I like 'not cool' guitars. Big fat Gretsch hollowbodies. The Rickenbacker 3-series. Fender's Jaguar, Mustang and Jag-stang (probably a little cool because of the Nirvana connection but I don't think Guitar Guys like them because of the goofy problems they tend to have).
Posted by: MickeM Jul 12 2007, 11:23 PM
Mmmm... I'd like a Telecaster as soon as I "grow up", could be any decade now. Takes some effort to make em sound good and the few times I've tried my friends casters I didn't exactly fall in love.
But the obstacle was raher me, not the guitar, so I SHOULD some day work on mastering one. Rather have a tele than a strat.
And Telecasters are extremely cool just because they are so un-cool to the masses
Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Jul 12 2007, 11:40 PM
I think they are ugly - they just don;t have a wow factor for me ... guess that means I am one of the masses
Posted by: fkalich Jul 12 2007, 11:43 PM
But the obstacle was raher me, not the guitar, so I SHOULD some day work on mastering one. Rather have a tele than a strat.
And Telecasters are extremely cool just because they are so un-cool to the masses
i am aware of the not cool factor. this also means you can find a good deal at a shop that has has had a not cool tel for 2 or 3 years and wants to unload it.
the humbucker at the neck makes a difference. really a good idea, it makes the guitar do a lot more, and as i said, the sustain on a tele is quite good. they have that heavier body, and less cut out than a strat. I like the sustain, because while I like to play fast, I just as much like to play slow. a strat just does not have enough sustain for me, particularly on that 3rd string, trying to hold a note. a tele does not have as much as a lp, but not bad. definitely more than an sg or firebird.
Posted by: MickeM Jul 12 2007, 11:51 PM
the humbucker at the neck makes a difference. really a good idea, it makes the guitar do a lot more, and as i said, the sustain on a tele is quite good. they have that heavier body, and less cut out than a strat. I like the sustain, because while I like to play fast, I just as much like to play slow. a strat just does not have enough sustain for me, particularly on that 3rd string, trying to hold a note. a tele does not have as much as a lp, but not bad. definitely more than an sg or firebird.
Does the Tele with a humbucker have a model name?
Posted by: fkalich Jul 13 2007, 12:28 AM
here is the one I have. now discontinued. I bet a person could find a deal on one of these if they looked, as it has the uncool factor (most don't want the humbucker). But I really like mine.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-American-Telecaster-HS-Electric-Guitar?sku=511593
this is the one they still have now, mexican i believe.
http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0137502306
not sure which makes more sense, some people say the mexican are just as good, some say not. i would still get the one I got if I had it all over to do again personally. better case for one thing. I would look for a shop trying to unload that uncool guitar that has been hanging on the wall. I think mine was like that. Ordered it from this shop in West Virginia at a good price, it was about 3 years old, I think they get rid of old stock that way. But it was a nice guitar in perfect shape.
Posted by: kirua Jul 13 2007, 12:31 AM
Whooa! I didn't expect so many replies, thanks a lot everyone, I really appreciate it!
I should have said my budget (or better, what I am willing to spend on it right now). It's hard to tell because I am gonna buy it from the shop that's here so the pure calculation to USD it would be around $325 (more or less; not fixed, can be readjusted if it would make *that* much difference). I know that's not much but at the moment I can't be sure if it will be so much fun for me how it looks to me right now so I'll rather stay on the safe side. Also I don't want to buy a used gear, even though it would be a better deal and could be sold easily, but that would put me in even more confusion than I am right now -- you know, checking the guitar out (quite impossible for me since I know nothing about it and I know noone that plays on el. guitar :-/) and all the stuff around it.
I checked out some guitars you guys posted and I am unable to find some of them in the shop here so I had to rule them out right away. I am taking a better look at Ibanez GRX kit (the Ibanez GRX 40 guitar can't be bought separetly as it seems) and SQUIER BY FENDER Affinity Strat.
As I said earlier, Ibanez GRX 40 can't be buyed separately and it's a pitty because according to review the amp really sucks in that kit. But then again, I would have it on headphones most of the time -- does it matter, should I look for something else...?
I tried to search on youtube.com to hear how it sounds and it sounds quite ok (well, only if I knew if the ppl made some modifications to it or not).
On the other hand Squier is more expensive (I mean overall, because I would have to buy everything else separately). I checked the youtube also and I was quite dissapointed, it sounds... weird. But then again, the records there aren't that good either (or i was just searching for bad words...). The reviews doesn't look that bad though...
So I would like to know your input on these two guitars and/or some tips for other el. guitars in the same price range. I listen to a lot of styles so it's quite hard to pick just one, so here we go: L'Arc~en~Ciel, Mogwai, M83, YUI, Linkin Park, Nightwish, Stratovarius, Kipelov, ... ugh, I better stop, I can enjoy almost everything, but let's say three of them: L'Arc~en~Ciel, Mogwai, LP -- and how I could forget Top Gun Anthem (Steve Stevens right?).
Also I'd rather prefer buying something cheaper (hence my "budget") and after a while (I don't know, 1/2 or 1 year later) to upgrade something. By the way, what's better, putting more money into guitar than amp (with keeping in mind that the amp would be replaced later on) or vice versa or 50:50? I need an amp with the headphones-out but I believe most of the amps on the market have it?
Ugh, I'd rather stop, it's quite long again.
Thank you again for your awesome replies, I really appreciate it and keep 'em coming please!
PS: I was looking at the first two baginner lessons and at the point I got to this picture: http://www2.guitarmasterclass.net/Skalor/E_aeolian_12.gif -- I got lost and I didn't really get it, that doesn't make much sense to me 
Can someone please point me to a right direction where to look for more detailed description about scales and so?
Best regards,
kirua
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Jul 13 2007, 12:49 AM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QvI6rtFyqlc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CW09oMknOuA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AJpCZpysf94
Real Man's hangover prelude?
Posted by: fkalich Jul 13 2007, 03:29 AM
Real Man's hangover prelude?
If I saw someone who looked like him in a bar, and I started having problems with him, I would take the Lynyrd Skynyrd approach. He has looks like a guy who might say "ahhh, prison ain't so bad!".
Posted by: JVM Jul 13 2007, 04:01 AM
Are you sure you can't get shipping to you from a site like musiciansfriend or something? If you can then one of the suggestions above is probably the best bet for you, mostly I am just curious why you're ruling out anything you can't find at your local shop.
Personally, if you ask me, the ibanez and the squier are the best two starter packages, I wouldn't even really consider anything else. I don't know what you mean by the squier sounding "weird', they're not the greatest guitars for sure, but I have a couple friends who have them and they sound normal to me.
For your kind of music I'd probably go for the ibanez kit.
Posted by: ClifordACDC Jul 13 2007, 04:01 AM
I should have said my budget (or better, what I am willing to spend on it right now). It's hard to tell because I am gonna buy it from the shop that's here so the pure calculation to USD it would be around $325 (more or less; not fixed, can be readjusted if it would make *that* much difference). I know that's not much but at the moment I can't be sure if it will be so much fun for me how it looks to me right now so I'll rather stay on the safe side. Also I don't want to buy a used gear, even though it would be a better deal and could be sold easily, but that would put me in even more confusion than I am right now -- you know, checking the guitar out (quite impossible for me since I know nothing about it and I know noone that plays on el. guitar :-/) and all the stuff around it.
I checked out some guitars you guys posted and I am unable to find some of them in the shop here so I had to rule them out right away. I am taking a better look at Ibanez GRX kit (the Ibanez GRX 40 guitar can't be bought separetly as it seems) and SQUIER BY FENDER Affinity Strat.
As I said earlier, Ibanez GRX 40 can't be buyed separately and it's a pitty because according to review the amp really sucks in that kit. But then again, I would have it on headphones most of the time -- does it matter, should I look for something else...?
I tried to search on youtube.com to hear how it sounds and it sounds quite ok (well, only if I knew if the ppl made some modifications to it or not).
On the other hand Squier is more expensive (I mean overall, because I would have to buy everything else separately). I checked the youtube also and I was quite dissapointed, it sounds... weird. But then again, the records there aren't that good either (or i was just searching for bad words...). The reviews doesn't look that bad though...
So I would like to know your input on these two guitars and/or some tips for other el. guitars in the same price range. I listen to a lot of styles so it's quite hard to pick just one, so here we go: L'Arc~en~Ciel, Mogwai, M83, YUI, Linkin Park, Nightwish, Stratovarius, Kipelov, ... ugh, I better stop, I can enjoy almost everything, but let's say three of them: L'Arc~en~Ciel, Mogwai, LP -- and how I could forget Top Gun Anthem (Steve Stevens right?).
Also I'd rather prefer buying something cheaper (hence my "budget") and after a while (I don't know, 1/2 or 1 year later) to upgrade something. By the way, what's better, putting more money into guitar than amp (with keeping in mind that the amp would be replaced later on) or vice versa or 50:50? I need an amp with the headphones-out but I believe most of the amps on the market have it?
Ugh, I'd rather stop, it's quite long again.
Thank you again for your awesome replies, I really appreciate it and keep 'em coming please!
PS: I was looking at the first two baginner lessons and at the point I got to this picture: http://www2.guitarmasterclass.net/Skalor/E_aeolian_12.gif -- I got lost and I didn't really get it, that doesn't make much sense to me
Can someone please point me to a right direction where to look for more detailed description about scales and so?Best regards,
kirua
when you have a guitar with you it will make more sence. basicly its showing you the position of the scale. the blue notes are the root note which is e in this scales case. watching the video would be the best thing to do because kris shows you how to do it. as for not know ing what to do if you were to try out a guitar, ask someone who works there to show you something that you would be able to do to try them, like a couple of chords or something
Posted by: fkalich Jul 13 2007, 04:07 AM
repeat, forget starter guitar. if it gets down to that, get a used guitar, if it does not work out, you can sell it on ebay with little or no loss. get the best guitar you can afford. No problem playing your first chord on $2,000 guitar. I did.
If nothing else, it motivates you, you figure, i got this, now i have no choice but to learn to play it, or I will look like a total fool.
edit: let me rephrase, get the best guitar you can, even if you can't afford it, by whatever legal means available. plastic works.
Posted by: kirua Jul 13 2007, 10:12 AM
Hello,
thanks for the replies.
The problem for me with the musiciansfriend is that it's an US shop and the package from a shop coming from USA (and any other non-EU country) can be easily picked up by our customs officers and they would impose custom duty on the package which wouldn't be cheap at all. However I did check my favorite music shop in Germany and I was quite surprised that the prices are better at my local music shop (I guess one of the biggest around here). They have a lot of guitars, it's just they don't have as many as musiciansfriend...
Ok, so the weird sound was probably because of the bad video recording, because on some vids I saw it in action and the sound was... rich-less -- I can't really describe it better, it's just like it's missing something in the "bottom" of the sound it creates (uhm, I don't think anyone can understand that now... well, just scrap that, it was probably bad recording, it has a lot of good reviews afterall).
Thanks, I watched the video but I was still quite confused. I think I will not worry about that for now, let's see what will happen when I will be able to try it
edit: let me rephrase, get the best guitar you can, even if you can't afford it, by whatever legal means available. plastic works.
I understand your point of view on this but I would feel bad to spend so much many on it
Also I'll rather have motivation from the pure will of learning how to play than must-do because of the expensive gear that I woudn't be able to fully use. And some ppl around me say that I don't have what it takes to do that, so yeah, that's adding a little bit to the motivation too... However it's one way to go and thanks for pointing that out to me.-kirua
Posted by: MickeM Jul 13 2007, 12:57 PM
If you can't order from US can you order from Germany? I don't know what proces you have in Czech Republic you can always comare http://www.musicstore.de
The are more like music-schmidt and thomann f ex and even more shops in Germany with descent prices.
Otherwise, buy a used guitar and a used amp, you'd get your money back later on.
No not all do but with a solid state amp you'd most likely get both CD-in and headphones.
Posted by: Asphyxia Feeling Jul 13 2007, 01:31 PM
there are numerous inexpensive guitars, and i'm sure several people have already listed their person favorites... but as far as amps go.
Roland Micro Cube / bigger cube / Vox Valvetronix / Line 6 spider III amp one of those would be your best bet as far as a QUALITY starter amp goes.
the starter packages are great if you just want everything quickly... however. the accesories that come with the packs (cords, tuner, strap, etc) often have poor quality, forcing you to spend more money buying better stuff after you improve a bit. starter amps are, in my opinion, also very limited in the tones they can produce. with a modeling amp (ones i listed) you can get pretty good sounds, varying distortion and clean tones, probably more like whatever song you like hearing etc. all of those amps are priced between 100 and 200 USD.
you picked an awesome website, i'm sure you won't regret it. even after one or two lessons, you will FEEL the improvment. 99 percent of my teaching has been from this website, or http://www.ultimate-guitar.com (a good source for guitar TABS, basically extremely easy to read sheet music for thosands of songs)
hope this helps. good luck!
-update-
i wrote a bunch more stuff after reading your first reply... but it didn't save for some reason 
VERY IRRITATED; i hate when that happens.
in short.
if you're really thinking of the Ibanez starter, go for it! my friend has one of those... the guitar is quite good for the price, and while the amp is pretty lackluster, i'm sure it will get you through fine. the only thing really lacking in it is decent hi gain tone (distortion). the same thing is the case for most cheaper amps. this is easily fixed a distortion pedal (the BOSS DS-1, for example is 40 USD, and is used by several famous guitarists), or by buying a better amp.
a good AMP is more important then a good GUITAR. as long as the guitar is ok (stays in tune alright, pickups work, etc) i'd say invest in a better amp first. i've seen people use stuff like the "squier affinity" strat (which isn't THAT bad, more a matter of wanting single coils over humbuckers) on a good amp and make amazing sounds.
after you get your guitar, don't be afraid to ask any questions you have in the forum! i (or any other member) will be happy to help you, even with the silliest of questions! even if you don't know how to tune your guitar! GMC has a wonderful community, which is pretty rare in internet forums. (Ultimate-guitar's community, half good, half MEAN)
Posted by: kirua Jul 14 2007, 05:37 AM
Yeah I checked the musicstore earlier (I used them a while back for some cables and midi device) and it seems that the prices for guitars there are not that cool = it's cheaper without shipping cost, but with it (in my case 20€) it's more expensive than here. So I think it would be just waste of money (since the product itself is quite cheap).
if you're really thinking of the Ibanez starter, go for it! my friend has one of those... the guitar is quite good for the price, and while the amp is pretty lackluster, i'm sure it will get you through fine. the only thing really lacking in it is decent hi gain tone (distortion). the same thing is the case for most cheaper amps. this is easily fixed a distortion pedal (the BOSS DS-1, for example is 40 USD, and is used by several famous guitarists), or by buying a better amp.
<snip>
This was really helpful, thanks.
I was digging deeper on some information on that Ibanez starter kit that is available here and I must say that I was quite dissapointed when I found out that the guitar in that kit is not a GRX 40 but something else and on top of that I couldn't even find any info about it at all. There is a forum at the shop's webpage where users are talking about this kit and it looks like that it would be a really big mistake to buy it as there isn't a single user that would say anything nice about it.
So with that in mind I picked up different guitars and started looking for something that should meet my requirements. I had to increase my "budget" a little (~$370) but right now I am seriously thinking about SQUIER BY FENDER Affinity Fat Strat HSS (I found out that 2x single and 1x humbucker would be best for me; and btw. anyone knows what kind of strings it comes with? -- so I can buy a backup strings for it?) with FENDER Frontman F15G. I am still looking around if I can push the price down, but this is a serious candidate for me now.
btw. I wish it would be just $40 for BOSS DS-1. The cheapest I found here is getting for $70 and on musicstore.de it's for 54€. Add 20€ because of the shipping cost and you are around $98 (I did a conversion from EURO to CZK to USD as it fits the real price (=what I would pay for it) the best).
And if anyone is curious, I checked info about customs duty and stuff around it. They basicly put 19% tax + 3% customs duty on the package and even the shipping cost is included in this formula (with one exception and that's that it would have to be send through regular mail = no USPS and similiar companies).
I'll post here what my final decision will be. Thanks everyone for your wonderful help and of course, more input is always welcome
-kirua
Posted by: ClifordACDC Jul 14 2007, 06:22 AM
I think squire and fender come with 9- 42 guage srings on them
Posted by: Asphyxia Feeling Jul 14 2007, 12:04 PM
yea, pretty sure it comes with 9-42). you can really use any string type... most people like lighter gauges (like the 9-42) for the sake of their uncallused (spelled wrong, i know) fingers.
funny you should talk about the HSS set, i just played one of those at friends house today! (it was really the Target ((big store chain in the US)) squier set, called "starcaster" but it was HSS and the amp was a fender frontman)
they've had it sitting around for like a year, and i was bored so i picked it up to mess around.
cleans sounded good, especially on the neck single coil. distortion sounded pretty dirty/trebley, but it's not bad. i'm sure it will get you by until you're ready to buy a new amp.
that's a shame about all the tariffs / taxes on imported goods. maybe you'll get to visit the US / UK / ? one day and buy some cool stuff for a cheaper price 
Posted by: kirua Jul 17 2007, 09:14 PM
So just to give this thread some happy-end (hopefully ).
I bought all the stuff today, I am practicing first lesson in beginners group (power chords) right now and man it's hard At first I was quiet worried if I ever will be able to put the fingers in the right position but now I can find the positions quite easily
See you all around and thank you all for your wonderful help!
-kirua
Posted by: FretDancer69 Jul 17 2007, 09:19 PM
).I bought all the stuff today, I am practicing first lesson in beginners group (power chords) right now and man it's hard
At first I was quiet worried if I ever will be able to put the fingers in the right position but now I can find the positions quite easily See you all around and thank you all for your wonderful help!
-kirua
, thats good man, keep practicing and most important: have fun while doing it!
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