***The Official Guitar Thread***
- Thread starter Nitefly
- Start date
I love this guitar, amp and speaker combo.
In the past I've had a simple Marshall Lead 12, and with all due respect, this has more tonal control and is far clearer. In the past after all the knob twiddling on the old pedal and amp, it had either full on or sterile clean. Granted the's a big difference between the old single coils on the old strat and the Seymour Duncan pickups, the amp and the speakers but the differences in sounds you can get out just seem to be more dynamic if that make sense.
And I know.. I'm going to have to learn some Hendrix... see if I can dial in that tone (I know Hendrix had some caps in the tone stack)..
In the past I've had a simple Marshall Lead 12, and with all due respect, this has more tonal control and is far clearer. In the past after all the knob twiddling on the old pedal and amp, it had either full on or sterile clean. Granted the's a big difference between the old single coils on the old strat and the Seymour Duncan pickups, the amp and the speakers but the differences in sounds you can get out just seem to be more dynamic if that make sense.
And I know.. I'm going to have to learn some Hendrix... see if I can dial in that tone (I know Hendrix had some caps in the tone stack)..
Soldato
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I keep thinking about trying to learn guitar. I've probably asked about it here in the past. I go through this phase every now and then.
I did make efforts in my late teens/early 20s maybe but just let it go after a while.
I'm thinking now I may give it more time but not really sure what end result I'm after. Pretty much just to play some tunes I like for myself. I'd prefer acoustic, I think, but is that the best method for a beginner?
I don't have dedicated space at home to learn away from the family etc so I imagine it set time aside in the evenings once the kids are in bed. But if that's the case, would electric/headphones be the better approach?
There's so many online resources that I imagine it's definitely possible to self teach, it's just the discipline to keep going and practice often that I could end up struggling with maybe.
I was looking at a Fender CD-60S as a entry level option
I did make efforts in my late teens/early 20s maybe but just let it go after a while.
I'm thinking now I may give it more time but not really sure what end result I'm after. Pretty much just to play some tunes I like for myself. I'd prefer acoustic, I think, but is that the best method for a beginner?
I don't have dedicated space at home to learn away from the family etc so I imagine it set time aside in the evenings once the kids are in bed. But if that's the case, would electric/headphones be the better approach?
There's so many online resources that I imagine it's definitely possible to self teach, it's just the discipline to keep going and practice often that I could end up struggling with maybe.
I was looking at a Fender CD-60S as a entry level option
Caporegime
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If you are planning to play wen the kids are in bed then electric + headphones is a better option. Get the Fender Mustang micro and put that into the input jack and can play as silent as can be. You are probably looking at double the price of that Fender CD-60S when guitar+micro amp together though. like £130 for a Squier Strat and then £80 for the Mustang.
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Soldato
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Thanks for the detailed response, I shall look into the items above!
I guess there's no "Wrong" choice between electric and acoustic in terms of learning?
Is there a specific Squier Strat to go for? I had a quick look and I see there's multiple variations?
A bundle with extra gubbins would be good
Caporegime
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Electric is easier to learn (as a rule). Pick a Squier that you like the look of, if you can try it first in a store then that is even better.
I would avoid bundles, they are normally not great, you don't even need anything more than the guitar and Fender Mustang. Besides a pair of headphones which I am guessing you already have. Don't waste money on these bundles because all it comes with are a really cheap bag, a guitar cable that you don't need and an amp that is a bit rubbish that you don't need.
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Soldato
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Appreciate the advice, thanks! Will give the whole Electric over Acoustic some good thought. But yeah I think for my use case, and not disrupting the family, then the electric may be the way to go for messing about in the evenings
Would personally recommend a boss katana can pick them up relatively cheap and can sell it on if you lose interest.
Also recommend the following site to kickstart your playing, helped me in the beginning to have some structure to my learning.
https://www.justinguitar.com/
Soldato
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Thanks! Funnily enough I downloaded this sites app yesterday and had a watch of a few of the basic clips and it seems well done/easy to follow.
How long have you been playing since starting with them yourself? Stuck with it?
Minimum
* guitar
* plectrum
* tuning app on phone (fender do a free one that’s decent)
* small micro amp to amplify the guitar to headphones + possibly small cable to connect (check)
* two sets of strings. An 8 or even 7 string gauge (thinnest string) is nice - i have 7 on my strat and play lightly.
An acoustic is designed to be loud, an electric is far better for late night playing.
Which guitar? This will be a never ending journey
* fender telecaster - cheap and common. Has a twangy single coil sound. Good all arounder, with blues, rock etc
* fender stratocaster - the more expensive fender. Has the chimey single coils. Good all arounder.
* les paul - bigger and bulkier with a less chimey thicker sound. Good for most stuff.. can be louder acoustically.
For a starter you can’t go wrong with any of those - a tele or strat is the iconic. Be it stones, etc
The “scale” length of a strat/tele neck is usually 25.5” vs 24.5” for a Les paul. With most guitars being 25.5” so for your first a strat is good. It means that it will feel almost the same between guitars.
Note that the shape/profile of the neck varies between guitars - you may like one but hate another profile. It’s very personal.
I would pay for your new strat to be setup. It will sound better correctly intonated, with the correct neck setup etc.
After that it’s up to you, your fingers and your brain - so play what you like..
* guitar
* plectrum
* tuning app on phone (fender do a free one that’s decent)
* small micro amp to amplify the guitar to headphones + possibly small cable to connect (check)
* two sets of strings. An 8 or even 7 string gauge (thinnest string) is nice - i have 7 on my strat and play lightly.
An acoustic is designed to be loud, an electric is far better for late night playing.
Which guitar? This will be a never ending journey
* fender telecaster - cheap and common. Has a twangy single coil sound. Good all arounder, with blues, rock etc
* fender stratocaster - the more expensive fender. Has the chimey single coils. Good all arounder.
* les paul - bigger and bulkier with a less chimey thicker sound. Good for most stuff.. can be louder acoustically.
For a starter you can’t go wrong with any of those - a tele or strat is the iconic. Be it stones, etc
The “scale” length of a strat/tele neck is usually 25.5” vs 24.5” for a Les paul. With most guitars being 25.5” so for your first a strat is good. It means that it will feel almost the same between guitars.
Note that the shape/profile of the neck varies between guitars - you may like one but hate another profile. It’s very personal.
I would pay for your new strat to be setup. It will sound better correctly intonated, with the correct neck setup etc.
After that it’s up to you, your fingers and your brain - so play what you like..
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I like yourself started when I was around 18 but soon gave up due to lack of time and commitment.
Picked it up again late 20s so been playing on off for around 7 years.
No longer play it everyday but there's always a guitar in reach when I get the itch.
Soldato
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Sounds like my experience too, life took over in the early 20s.
Just want to be sure I'd be commited to it. But to be honest, the guitars we have been discussing aren't exactly breaking the bank so I'm sure it's worth having a shot at it, see if it fits in with life now. And if all fails I could move it on to get something back perhaps.
Still think I'd "prefer" an acoustic but feel electric is more sensible for how and when I can actually use it
Soldato
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Still looking into the Squier series and think I'll go for one. However getting confused about the different pick ups etc that they have and am not 100% clear on which would be the best for starting out.
I like the look of the affinity range like this one
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-a...dkJ3ItuNklUUHzUnYr-efCmcXjCViL1kaAmJXEALw_wcB
I noticed it has LRL and HH in the name. I'm guessing this refers to material and the pickups?
I like the look of the affinity range like this one
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-a...dkJ3ItuNklUUHzUnYr-efCmcXjCViL1kaAmJXEALw_wcB
I noticed it has LRL and HH in the name. I'm guessing this refers to material and the pickups?
Soldato
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The HH is easy, that's a Humbucker pickup in the neck and bridge. The LRL, I'm less sure of. I know that IL stands for Indian Laurel, the wood type for the fingerboard, so maybe LRL is a variation on that?
In my opinion on pickup combinations, I would choose an S-S-HB, Single coil (neck), Single coil (middle) and a Humbucker for the bridge. This combination would offer you the widest range of tones, although it depends on what type of music you want to play.
S-S-HB Squire
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