electric guitar advice

[pigeonmeister]

I suspect FF is still trapped into the whole late 1980s early 90s 'shredding guitarists'- Steve Vai, Satriani, Van Halen, Nuno. True enough, expensive Ibanez, BCR etc are good for that.

However, the idea that most guitarists outside this long dead genre use those guitars is laughable.

But anyway, I can't be bothered to get into a war of words with FF. Especially after he has claimed to have built from scratch about 2 guitars a year for his entire adult life

UFO, I wish you luck. The first 6 months is quite tough but stick with it. You have the advantage of having had a year of acoustic lessons.

Just buy a guitar that feels nice when you move your hands up and down the neck and that doesn't have too big a gap between the strings and the fret board. Make sure the strings don't buzz when you play them open or on any fret and remember that they will all sound better in the shop if you play them through an expensive amp.

I would also recommend playing with other musicians as soon as you feel confident enough.

[I_luv_saber]

I would also recommend playing with other musicians as soon as you feel confident enough.

Another bit of good advice. If you've got friends you can play with (i.e., so it's casual and no one minds if you really aren't that good yet), I'd do it as soon as you know enough chords to strum along as a rhythm guitarist (or just join a country band ). You'll pick up stuff quick and learn to feel the rhythm. Plus it's a fun way to hang out with some friends .

[fatfencer]

I suspect FF is still trapped into the whole late 1980s early 90s 'shredding guitarists'- Steve Vai, Satriani, Van Halen, Nuno. True enough, expensive Ibanez, BCR etc are good for that.

However, the idea that most guitarists outside this long dead genre use those guitars is laughable.

But anyway, I can't be bothered to get into a war of words with FF. Especially after he has claimed to have built from scratch about 2 guitars a year for his entire adult life

UFO, I wish you luck. The first 6 months is quite tough but stick with it. You have the advantage of having had a year of acoustic lessons.

Just buy a guitar that feels nice when you move your hands up and down the neck and that doesn't have too big a gap between the strings and the fret board. Make sure the strings don't buzz when you play them open or on any fret and remember that they will all sound better in the shop if you play them through an expensive amp.

I would also recommend playing with other musicians as soon as you feel confident enough.

Whats so hard to believe? Teak oil finished neck thrus take about 2 weeks.

Some guys who are professional can build 40 in about 6 months. Takes some help from a local cnc shop though.

A simple search on craigslist will yield some great results. I bought 2 guitars for $275 total on CG... a Nuno N1 and a Ibanex RG7 string with floyd. I've since made neck thru models of both. Not hard. Even sold them at $400 for a tidy profit.

Guitarmaking is NOT rocket science. Even YOU could do it.

[fencerwallet]

FF is right on, Squiers are relatively inexpensive, but Fenders in general, until you play your chords clean, will always sound sour. Go out to your guitar shop and play several first. Gibsons (and the epiphone knock off models) are the most forgiving and are easier to finger. The ephiphones are ALOT less expensive but the sound quality is still pretty good. Save the Fender purchase until you learn to play cleaner, otherwise you will be disappointed and frustrated.

[pigeonmeister]

Whats so hard to believe? Teak oil finished neck thrus take about 2 weeks.

Some guys who are professional can build 40 in about 6 months. Takes some help from a local cnc shop though.

A simple search on craigslist will yield some great results. I bought 2 guitars for $275 total on CG... a Nuno N1 and a Ibanex RG7 string with floyd. I've since made neck thru models of both. Not hard. Even sold them at $400 for a tidy profit.

Guitarmaking is NOT rocket science. Even YOU could do it.

OK, whatever, duly retracted. Seems strange to build over 40 guitars and not be a professional but more power to you. I thought you might have been too busy becoming the most deadly martial artist on fencing net.

And I doubt I'd do a very good job- never been very good at that type of thing. I can imagine it's very satisfying though.

Fencerwallet, I don't really agree with your point on fenders. I think that playing chords 'clean' is a basic technique that, if absent, will result in a crap sound on every guitar. It is no more or less exposed on a fender.

But I second your suggestion of an epiphone- though from what I can remember they are no more playable and are more expensive than the squier, I think they have a great sound.

[the ancient one]

Hendrix = Marshall artist.

[fatfencer]

[QUOTE=pigeonmeister;831358]

OK, whatever, duly retracted. Seems strange to build over 40 guitars and not be a professional but more power to you. I thought you might have been too busy becoming the most deadly martial artist on fencing net.

There's no becoming and no doubt. Bet on someone else if you'd like. But I am far and away the most powerful martial artist on f-net.. and in the whole of the USFA. Keep in mind that isn't saying much. It's really like saying I'm the most powerful person in the room and the rest is all babies or something. I guess that's why I enjoy saying it. It's funny. What's REALLY funny is when some of you internet typists try and argue otherwise. Then I have to remind you that martially speaking, none of you are worthy to hold my jock.

And I doubt I'd do a very good job- never been very good at that type of thing. I can imagine it's very satisfying though.

Go easy on yourself. Even an idiot like you can do it. It really is Down's syndrome simple. I order the fretboards pre cut and use kahler tremelos so I don't have to rout into the body like on a Floyd. Now its just a measurement problem and a design(furniture) problem e.g. what do you want the guitar to look like?

Mexican/Indonesian Fender guitars like Squiers are just complete ****. The wiring is crappy, the pickups are crappy, the fret wire is crap. It's all crap. It's cheaper for me to start from scratch and build one than it is to fix all the above.

[pigeonmeister]

[QUOTE=fatfencer;831427]

There's no becoming and no doubt. Bet on someone else if you'd like. But I am far and away the most powerful martial artist on f-net.. and in the whole of the USFA. Keep in mind that isn't saying much. It's really like saying I'm the most powerful person in the room and the rest is all babies or something. I guess that's why I enjoy saying it. It's funny. What's REALLY funny is when some of you internet typists try and argue otherwise. Then I have to remind you that martially speaking, none of you are worthy to hold my jock.

Excellent, you didn't disappoint.

It's cheaper for me to start from scratch and build one than it is to fix all the above.

That's as maybe, but doesn't really explain why you would then build another 40+! I imagine that for all the parts you could have just purchased one of the finest instruments available. Unless your skills are able to replicate or better the very best the industry has to offer. Where do you keep all of them?

That's unless you have your own cottage industry!

[fatfencer]

[QUOTE=pigeonmeister;831442][QUOTE=fatfencer;831427]

Excellent, you didn't disappoint.

What is it with Caucasians and wanting to get abused? Why do you ask for it knowing that it will happen? Do you get some sick sub-fetish orgasm? I hope not. I'm not into the whole gay sub-dom thing. Gav might be able to help you there. He's sick.

That's as maybe, but doesn't really explain why you would then build another 40+! I imagine that for all the parts you could have just purchased one of the finest instruments available. Unless your skills are able to replicate or better the very best the industry has to offer. Where do you keep all of them?

I build them because I enjoy the process of working with wood. Also different woods sound different. Add to that the complexities of archtops and no-f-hole hollowbodies and the swapping of pickups and you get a neverending amount of tonal excitement.
Custom guitars are always better than store bought ones, btw.

And finally theres cost. I build some really high end instruments. Compared to buying them from another luthier I save TONS of money.

I've sold them over the years but I've kept most of them.

My other fave wood turning thing is bat-making. Boning the wood so it doesn't chip, lacquering the bats with epoxy coating. I learned it from my Jr High shop teacher. I use a hickory one for home defense.

I would love to make a bat out of bahi root. Indestructable.

[telkanuru]

Oh look. It's back.

[pigeonmeister]

Anyone looking for a sick sub-fetish orgasm would probably love your talk of working with wood, boning, and experimenting with your no-f-hole to achieve tonal excitment.

Thankfully that's not me.

[Hauptman]

Oh look. It's back.

Yeah, back on my ignore list.

[UnidentifiedFencerOnline]

um i think i'll just go to my nearest guitar retailer (well not NEAREST cos they sell really crap ones their tuning knobs are WAY too tight and one had a bit of rust as well) and just check them out. I have a friend who plays the drums so since i know the basic chords, she and i plan to just start some jam out sessions maybe next year.
what sort of things should i look out for (other than the other helpful stuff already mentioned)?

[fatfencer]

Other than some of these idiots hijacking this thread with their lack of guitar knowledge this thread should have been pretty useful to you imho.

Ultimately you need to go and play as many guitars as you can. You will find that they are all more similar than not.

3 major complaints with guitars.

1) neck too thick... too much wood between the fingerboard and the back of the neck. This might cramp your hand some. If you can play for 1/2 hr to 45 mins without cramping it 'feels good'.

2) neck finish: gloss finishes tend to bind your hand as it gets sweaty. If I love everything but this I sand it off with some sand paper. Go for a satin finish so it looks AND feels good

3) sound: guitars generally should sound full and sustain naturally, without effects for a long time. if the note dies away almost immediately it means the guitar was not built with tight tolerances and sonorous woods. More over it may mean that the guitar has too much finish on it. it's too thick and thus it doesnt resonate well.

Most of these problems are solved by buying a used Ibanez RG for about $150-250.00 USD. Sound is a very goofy thing. What sounds good to one may not sound good to another. Play as many guitars as you can. Do lots of things like string bending, sweep picking, travis picking, slide playing and whatever else you like to hear. if it looks good and sounds good BUY IT.

One of the easiest ways to make any guitar sound better is to put a new bridge pickup in. For general rock I highly recommend

Humbuckers: Dimarzio Paf Joe, Evolution, Tone Zone, X2N

Single Coils: Dimarzio HS3, Area 57 or 63

As far as picks I highly recommend for general rock or metal to use the stiffest pick you can find. Usually a jazz pick. Brian May uses a sixpence. You can even use the edge to get a raspy chainsaw sound like in Keep Yourself Alive and many other Queen staples.

Finally you will want to get a tone pedal of some kind. I suggest some kind overdrive pedal. It will give you a powerful, smooth lead sound but allow you just enough gain to distort into heavy metal destruction!

or you can play Indigo Girls and Bonnie Raitt if that floats your boat.

Either way, the above is what you need to be a guitar player.

[I_luv_saber]

Well if this thread isn't worthy of F.net, I don't know what is