Beginner Electric Guitar..Kit?

[Kodiak]

I am a beginner at the electric guitar (i casually mess w/ my friends) and I am really interested in purchasing my first. Being 15, I can't spend 1000s of dollars, so it needs to be cheap. I saw a kit that had a guitar, headphones, an amp, strap, bag, etc @ Ibanez, but I have no clue what to buy really. The IJS40 seemed like a good one for a newbie like me.
So, can I get some recommendations, $325 max, need at the least, a guitar and an amp, and headphones is a nice addition.
Thanks.

 

[deftron]

Don't get a kit.


Just get a decent beginner cheap guitar for about $100
(Squier, Epiphone)

Get a small Vox amp for $60

Get headphones at WalMart or Target for $10

 

[Kodiak]

Are there any good chains to go to, or is local the way?

 

[stars]

If you plan to buy new gear. A decent low range guitar would be something like the ESP M50. Then pickup a small amp like the Crate GTX15. It will give you a good start with a little money to spare.

 

[KokomoGSTmp]

After you learn basic chords, go back to the store and play on the expensive guitars and marvel at how crappy your current equipment is.

I learned the hard way that crappy equipment can easily hold back your growth in skill. You may think you're playing sucks, but it just might be your guitar sounding/playing like $h1t. That's why people buy those guitars worth 1000s, there is no comparison.

 

[Kodiak]

I understand basic tabs

Edit, how about the Ibanez GRX20Z?

 

[stars]

KokomoGSTmp, that is true to some degree but take someone like Yngwie for example they could burn on a Harmony if they chose to.

 

[deftron]

Originally posted by: KokomoGSTmp
After you learn basic chords, go back to the store and play on the expensive guitars and marvel at how crappy your current equipment is.

I learned the hard way that crappy equipment can easily hold back your growth in skill. You may think you're playing sucks, but it just might be your guitar sounding/playing like $h1t. That's why people buy those guitars worth 1000s, there is no comparison.

Every great guitarist started on a piece of sh!t.


In the 50's and 60's ... beginner guitar realy crappy
(read autobiographies by The Rolling stones and The Clash)

Beginner guitars today are on par with decent guitars of that era

 

[deftron]

Originally posted by: stars
KokomoGSTmp, that is true to some degree but take someone like Yngwie for example they could burn on a Harmony if they chose to.

Exactly....

People that bitch about the quality of their guitar are just making excuses

Learn on a POS and if you do get something nice.. you'll totally shred.


A good guitarist can make a crappy guitar sound awsome
but a crappy guitarist will never make a good guitar sound sweet.

 

[Kodiak]

Ibanez GRX20Z I really like this Guitar in blue...

 

[Kodiak]

bump

 

[KokomoGSTmp]

Yes, I probably overgeneralized... but I didn't blame my equipment for sounding bad. When I was learning, my ear is good enough that I constantly heard imperfections in the tonal quality of the guitar and tried my best to correct it with technique... until I picked up a better guitar and realized it wasn't my technique.

I'm just saying don't let an ubercrappy guitar discourage you like it did me. I almost quit playing because I thought I was the problem to find out it wasn't. The Ibanez looks Ok... but always, ALWAYS play it compared to other guitars and even the pricey ones too. I gave my crappy Tele replica to some of my friends and they had the same friggin problems playing on it as me.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Get a beginner guitar. I am still a beginner and I am currently using a Squier Bullet with a Fender 38w amp and a Digitech Metal Master distortion pedal. It's only a $100 guitar, but it's good for now. I am going along just fine for being self taught. Later on, I am purchasing a Gibson, though I haven't picked one out yet.

 

[Kodiak]

My friends recommend the Squire PAK, so I think I'm gonna go with that for now.

 

[Rock Hydra]

Originally posted by: Kodiak
My friends recommend the Squire PAK, so I think I'm gonna go with that for now.

Yeah. That's what I got. I was quite happy with my squier.

 

[charles555]

As a guitar player of over 10 years, as well as being a gear slut and repair tech, I am extremely certain that this is what a beginner should start out with, because of it's cost to performance ratio. You can't really go wrong buying one of these Epiphone Les Paul Jr. Specials from Guitar Center for under $100.

 

[Kodiak]

whoa...guitar center ISN'T a local store...lol

 

[Mickey Eye]

I liked the Peavey Rage 158 for cheap practice amps, but I'll second the Epiphone Les Paul Jr. Special as a good first guitar (Mine was a Fenix Telecaster)

 

I would really consider a SX or Agile from Rondo. Don't worry about the cheesy site this guy is 100% credible. Over at Harmony Central just about everyone has an Agile. For $200 you can get a guitar of way better quality than a Squire.

Squire suck. I mean for the cash you can get a much better guitar.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: deftron

Originally posted by: stars
KokomoGSTmp, that is true to some degree but take someone like Yngwie for example they could burn on a Harmony if they chose to.

Exactly....

People that bitch about the quality of their guitar are just making excuses

Learn on a POS and if you do get something nice.. you'll totally shred.


A good guitarist can make a crappy guitar sound awsome
but a crappy guitarist will never make a good guitar sound sweet.

That's not totally true. If you get something that has terrible string action, or poor tuner machines so it won't stay in tune, you're going to have a more difficult time learning. I've seen this a zillion times:

"I quit trying to learn---it's just too hard!"

Then I pick up their guitar and the stings are 1" from the fretboard, then it goes flat after strumming three chords.

This is probably one of the best deals on a beginner guitar right now. For what you get, it's hard to beat that price!

 

[stars]

Thats why you have any guitar you purchase properly setup. Most music stores will do this for free with purchase. The majority of lower priced guitars will go out of tune after a few agressive bends anyway. Any of the guitars suggested in this thread would be fine for his needs except the Squire.

 

Originally posted by: stars
Thats why you have any guitar you purchase properly setup. Most music stores will do this for free with purchase. The majority of lower priced guitars will go out of tune after a few agressive bends anyway. Any of the guitars suggested in this thread would be fine for his needs except the Squire.

I got to agree with Fritzo. This Christmas someone in the family got a kit and asked me to tune it. Every fret buzzed and there was no action on any of the strings. That thing would be impossible to learn on. Granted, it was probably a $99 pack but still, no way to teach a kid guitar.

OT: Four years ago, someone here told me to play your beginners guitar until you realize you need a new one. Four years later, I now know need a new one :beer: to the ATOT guitar squad!

 

[stars]

Roaming pawn shops is another good way to get decent guitars fairly cheap. A few months ago I picked up a 73 strat for 400 bucks with all original hardware. It was just dirty and needed cleaning. After cleaning it I resold it for 1800 dollars. I've also found many good playing guitars in the past for less than 200 dollars. All of them better than the new lower priced guitars.