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[Jan Deal]

I assume most people on here started with a fairly atrocious guitar on which they learned to play guitar. Usually as gift from parents, or because you didn't know what to buy (ooh it says stratocaster on the headstock!), they are monumentally terrible. My first electric guitar was a Hohner Rockwood, which came with an amplifier, and my God was it awful. Of course I only found this out when I played a nice guitar and went back to my piece of crap.

So, with a budget of £150, what would you buy for a beginner?

I would probably recommend an Epiphone SG like this one:



It will be nice to play and sound quite good. I would imagine the only problem with this guitar (for a beginner) would that be it will go out of tune all the time, like most Epiphones I've ever played. Plus, it is £129.

[HateEvent]

I'd stretch the little bit extra and get a Pacifica 112. They seem to be a step up in quality of contruction and materials used. They, to me, just feel alot more solid than a Squire Affinity Strat for example.

My first guitar was a Washburn WG500 as I got one very cheap. It was quite nice for what it was and unfortunately it got me addicted to Floyds (it had a licensed one on it).

Can't complain about that though

[Chris]

I'd go with the Pacifica as well. I started on a Squire Strat which was decent enough, but compared to the quality of my mate's Pacifica which only cost about £40 more it was rubbish.

I would always advise people to start on an acoustic, but if they have to have an electric I would go for Pacifica or Squier, I've had a few over the years and they've been good, to be be fair mine were before they started this Chinese made "Affinity" stuff. I've got a Japanese Squier bass from 93 which is fantastic.

[scottyboy]

i started on a stagg les paul copy. i'd agree with a pacifica or a squire strat.

edit: my 1st guitar was £160 new...

[HairyScaryMark]

I would advise bidding on Ibanez RG5xx (the first number should be 5 or higher) on ebay for £150 until you get one. Replace the average stock pickups with good pickups of your choice in a year's time (or whenever you have £100 to spair) and you will have a guitar on par withthose costing many times as much (at least as far as tone and playability goes).

[Old Gold]

Originally Posted by HairyScaryMark

I would advise bidding on Ibanez RG5xx (the first number should be 5 or higher) on ebay for £150 until you get one. Replace the average stock pickups with good pickups of your choice in a year's time (or whenever you have £100 to spair) and you will have a guitar on par withthose costing many times as much (at least as far as tone and playability goes).

Pickups weren't realy my biggest issue when I started out. I was more into nailing the mystical F major and looking shit hot in front of a mirror.

Started out learning on my old man's Yamaha acoustic (was pretty fortunate he plays too), and then I got an Aria Pro II second hand for my first electric guitar. For a first axe, it was absolutely amazing: humbucker so I could play grrr metal (which split) and a really nice neck. Only let downs were the dodgy bridge (to this day I've not been a fan of floyd roses), and some slight electronics issue, but you can expect those second hand.

And I've still got it! Can't bring myself to sell it for the measly sum I could expect to gain. Really needs a new bridge and that p90 I keep promising it, but the neck pickup still throws out some sweet blues.



So my final advice to beginner guitar buyers... find somebody who knows their stuff to help you, buy second hand, and go for a guitar that can compensate for different styles of music (Telecaster, Strat, HSS Superstrat). Finally, don't give BC Rich a second look.

[HateEvent]

Originally Posted by SpanishArmada

Finally, don't give BC Rich a second look.

Unless it's a USA model - they are insanely fantastic!

But you wouldn't be looking at one of these as a first guitar. So in this instance, ignore.

[Old Gold]

Well, of course those are a bit more specialised. I the eastern ones are alright pieces of wood, they're just really limited in genre for a person who's just starting learning (and probably even properly appreciating) music. Also, learning is a lot easier sitting down if you're an awkward teenager, so you don't want a spikey Warlock digging into your leg

A strat shaped body is a safe bet for comfort and the all important cool factor

[HateEvent]

Originally Posted by SpanishArmada

Well, of course those are a bit more specialised. I the eastern ones are alright pieces of wood, they're just really limited in genre for a person who's just starting learning (and probably even properly appreciating) music. Also, learning is a lot easier sitting down if you're an awkward teenager, so you don't want a spikey Warlock digging into your leg

A strat shaped body is a safe bet for comfort and the all important cool factor

Can't go wrong with superstrats IMO.

I find Warlocks pretty comfortable to be honest. The mid-priced models aren't bad.

The cheap ones which I'd consider 'starter' guitars aren't worth it atall. Nothing to do with versatility or anything: they are just terrible instruments and something far superior can be had instead for equal price or even less!