Recommend a first guitar

Status
Not open for further replies.
What's your musical taste?

There's not much point in getting an acoustic if you want to play distorted tunes!

I have a Japanese Fender Strat (not a squier) which must be about 20 years old now (blimey), boss pedals and a marshall amp. This worked for my early Iron Maiden, GnR, Megadeth but also allowed stuff like Police etc.
However now I mainly play on an Art & Luther full acoustic without any form of pickup. The stuff I play is now finger picked and I'm attempting to get some flamenco going. The A&L has a good weight and warmth but does lack a little clarity and neutrality of the more expensive acoustics do.

The feel between them is completely different. The strat has light strings, the A&L has heavier brass wound strings. Now I play the acoustic, I find the strat strings are so light that I may change them for heavier if I go back.

All I will say is get something cheap to start with - you will then instantly find out what you want from a guitar (second hand will pay dividends). Then plan to make the next purchase count - this one you must play in the shop in person.
My first guitar was basically £35 piece of junk (about 6th+ hand!) but it got me past learning the basic chords. The strat then was the next purchase for a birthday present and has lasted me all this time (IIRC it was about £300 for the guitar itself).
My A&L acoustic was £280 by itself.

I hope that helps :)
 
The thing about Squiers is that they tend to either be really good (just like actual Fenders) or really really rubbish, so make sure you try one/get a friend to help.

The Yamaha Pacifica 112 (or something like that number) is really good for the money. I'd buy this if I was starting out now. There was a poll a while back and the Pacifica came out on top :)
 
The pacifica 112 was my first and I still have it. Excellent for a beginner and has a lot of versatility to play a wide variety of styles. If I were you I'd go for one of those and a small practice amp then get a few lessons in to start you off. I mistakenly decided I was going to teach myself and it took me a few years of banging my head against a musical wall to get anywhere approaching half decent. At least with those initial lessons, you'll know if you want to carry on with it and if you've got the aptitude and you'll have the building blocks to develop your technique.
 
Tried&Tested said:
So, it's the Yamaha Pacifica 112 for electric.
Click to expand...
Good man. I have played guitars around the £400 budget I thought were only as good or worse than pacifica. I wish I had one as my first guitar.

As for the acoustic, I believe another Yamaha one around £100 is supposed to be very good. Sadly, I am unaware of the model. I'm sure someone else will point you the right way :)
 
Nitefly said:
Good man. I have played guitars around the £400 budget I thought were only as good or worse than pacifica. I wish I had one as my first guitar.

As for the acoustic, I believe another Yamaha one around £100 is supposed to be very good. Sadly, I am unaware of the model. I'm sure someone else will point you the right way :)
Click to expand...

Cheers mate, i'll await the accousitc Yamaham recommendation.

Will try both at the shop if i can, and decide from there.

I'm learning towards accoustic first though as there are more songs to my taste 'there'.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom