Which beginner electric guitar pack to get?

[BrokenVisage]

I'm thinking of getting into playing an electric so will ask for one of these 2 packs as a graduation gift. I'm pretty sure the Epiphone one is better, but what do you guys think about these 2 packs? I'm deadset on not going acoustic to start off so that's out of the question. If any of you can come up with another pack that doesn't exceed $400-$500 I'm all ears. Thanks in advance!

Epiphone SG Special Players Pack
Ibanez ISJ20 Jumpstart Pack

 

[slightlyhuman]

i would just pick up a nice acoustic and start from there or a strat and a small amp.

the guitars that come in kits are generally pretty blah. a buddy of mine bought a red mexican strat(300ish) in 6th grade and he's in his 3rd year of college. he is simply a god at playing the thing and still uses the same one.

oops, didn't read it all, scratch acoustic.

 

[TUKIN18S]

Well, for a beginner, I would say go with the Ibanez since that was what I started on. I would be leary of those Jumpstart paks all together no matter what the brand. They come with low quality components. The amp isn't good, the tuner isn't good, and they put cheap ass strings on them. I'm in no way knocking on the paks for beginners. I thought I would just point out some of the bad qualities in them.

 

[kyzen]

Originally posted by: TUKIN18S
Well, for a beginner, I would say go with the Ibanez since that was what I started on. I would be leary of those Jumpstart paks all together no matter what the brand. They come with low quality components. The amp isn't good, the tuner isn't good, and they put cheap ass strings on them. I'm in no way knocking on the paks for beginners. I thought I would just point out some of the bad qualities in them.

Yeah, plan on buying new strings when you get it.

 

[scarpent]

Forget combos if you have that much money to work with.
I'd go with a standard Strat

Strat

and a quality amp

Amp

 

[TUKIN18S]

Yeah, I didn't realize that you wanted to spend 4-500. I would definitely NOT get a starter pak then. You can get a decent guitar, case, tuner, amp, etc for that kind of money.

 

[Jpark]

Buy a guitar from there. Pick up a 25 watt amp, picks, tuner, strap and a 10' instrument cable from musciansfriend and you'll be set.


I've been a guitar/bass player for 10 years now and have owned lots of electrics. I've never seen anything of decent quality come from the starter packs. Rondo sells some of the best guitars i've seen or played for the price and by getting what comes in the starter pack seperately you'll be sure to get better quality stuff that won't break after 2 months of playing.

edit: read user reviews of amps and guitars here

 

[BrokenVisage]

Originally posted by: scarpent
Forget combos if you have that much money to work with.
I'd go with a standard Strat

Strat

and a quality amp

Amp

Looks good and all but is a guitar like that OK to learn on? I don't wish to go all out on a amp right now either, I never really played a guitar before and figured go for the pack because they would have a guitar I could follow easily.

 

[Jpark]

Originally posted by: BrokenVisage

Originally posted by: scarpent
Forget combos if you have that much money to work with.
I'd go with a standard Strat

Strat

and a quality amp

Amp

Looks good and all but is a guitar like that OK to learn on? I don't wish to go all out on a amp right now either, I never really played a guitar before and figured go for the pack because they would have a guitar I could follow easily.

Strats are very easy to play and learn on. Any electric is easy to play, just stay away from guitars with a floyd rose bridge. they'll say in the description of the guitar if it has one.

 

[slightlyhuman]

Originally posted by: BrokenVisage

Originally posted by: scarpent
Forget combos if you have that much money to work with.
I'd go with a standard Strat

Strat

and a quality amp

Amp

Looks good and all but is a guitar like that OK to learn on? I don't wish to go all out on a amp right now either, I never really played a guitar before and figured go for the pack because they would have a guitar I could follow easily.

I assure you, that strat will be a guitar you keep around as long as you play. They are awesome guitars to learn on and even after you get skill you can still play on it without it ever getting old.

 

[pontifex]

i'm biased towards ibanez. i just like the way they look and feel.
plus awesome guitarists like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai play them.

 

[Rudee]

Forget combo packs. Get a decent Ibanez RG and a small Line 6 amp.

 

[SludgeFactory]

Starter packs are usually a collection of the cheapest bottom of the barrel crap that a company has to offer, all wrapped up in a nice package just in time for the holidays. Some good stuff already suggested for you, here's another take:

Agile AL-2000 CSB Flame $149+$20shipping

some budget amp modeler like this V-Amp 2 $99

+picks+cable+gig bag+guitar stand ~$40

+computer speakers to play the modeler through


This guitar will blow the doors off anything in a starter pack. I recommended this because it's really good for the price, but a Strat would be fine too. Les Pauls and Strats are both classic designs, but they're also very different. Even though you won't know what you're doing, you might try the basic models out at a store or friends' house to get a feel for what you're getting, seeing if you're much more comfortable with anything in particular.

An amp modeler will give you a lot of tones to play around with. It'll be a lot more fun than the worthless POS amp they give you in all those beginner packs. If you need an actual amp for portability reasons, you'll be better off researching and buying your own practice amp than using the crappy starter pack amp.

Shop around, and BTW chubbywallet has 12% cashback at musiciansfriend.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: Jpark
Buy a guitar from there. Pick up a 25 watt amp, picks, tuner, strap and a 10' instrument cable from musciansfriend and you'll be set.


I've been a guitar/bass player for 10 years now and have owned lots of electrics. I've never seen anything of decent quality come from the starter packs. Rondo sells some of the best guitars i've seen or played for the price and by getting what comes in the starter pack seperately you'll be sure to get better quality stuff that won't break after 2 months of playing.

edit: read user reviews of amps and guitars here

Getting this one meself. al3000.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Originally posted by: DP

Originally posted by: BrokenVisage

Originally posted by: scarpent
Forget combos if you have that much money to work with.
I'd go with a standard Strat

Strat

and a quality amp

Amp

Looks good and all but is a guitar like that OK to learn on? I don't wish to go all out on a amp right now either, I never really played a guitar before and figured go for the pack because they would have a guitar I could follow easily.

I assure you, that strat will be a guitar you keep around as long as you play. They are awesome guitars to learn on and even after you get skill you can still play on it without it ever getting old.

Well, I ended up getting the standard strat and this little Epiphone amp. Like I said before I wanted to focus on getting a good guitar and a satisfactory amp so I can get use to playing it and if I find the amp sounding too weak down the line I'll just buy a bigger one. I still live at home anyway so no way do I need something to blow off the doors.