BCM Guitar Players

[Smokey1226]

I've been really looking at picking up a nice electric guitar package, but don't really know where to start or what to be looking for. I've heard quite a few commericals on 102.1 about music stores offering deals on complete setups and want to stop down and check them out.

I know it takes lots of practice, i used to play, but never anything electric.

[RanJer]

I know for sure Poncho plays, pretty sure Coop has played a time or two as well. From what I know they'd be your best bet to talk to..

[Myles]

hey to musicgoround to pick up a cheap starter one. or guitar center for a cheap fender setup.

[GRAMPS SS]

^^^^^^ i thought for sure you were going to say GURTAR HERO :rolf:rolf:rolf:rolf:goof

[Myles]

^^^^^^ i thought for sure you were going to say GURTAR HERO :rolf:rolf:rolf:rolf:goof

No i actually own a real guitar now, and play it.

[GRAMPS SS]

guitar center...is that on bluemound...sean wanted to take me to some place on bluemound by UPS to buy him one for christmas....

[Beagle]

Coop rocks at guitar. I play as well.... Go to Music go round being the cheapest. Then there's Guitar center, Casio ( Interstate Music) White house of music those are mainly the most reputable places. guitar center and Interstate always have starter kits but me personally I would go to music go round you can get better quality stuff for cheaper or about the same price as the starter kits. Usually there you will spend less. You could also try musciansfriend.com. Just start surfing the websites and see what you like if you have any questions post up im sure theres alot more guitar players on here that can help.

[Poncho]

Best starter guitar:

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/4/8/7/327487.jpg
Fender Squire or Fender Mexi Stratocaster. (post 2000) They really improved their build quality, and are even now building the cheap Squire's VERY MUCH like the original 1950's strats in terms of hardware on them and how the body is built for the pickups (single cavitys for PUPs instead of a giant "swimming pool" hole).

I used to have a late 90's Mexi strat in sunburst that I still wish I had, but the Squire is a good guitar to buy then "build up" Most people just bitch about how "poorly" the Squire's are setup, but if you spend like 30 minutes on it and look up on the internet how to setup the guitar, you'll know alot more about your guitar, and have it dialed in perfectly. Tuners are a little junky for a floating tremelo guitar, but I don't use the trem, so it's blocked off on mine. I know a thing or two about strats, and like them alot, they are one of the most popular, and easily the most copied design EVER. I just prefer a genuine strat over a knock off.

Only downside about the Squires is the lame "70's" style headstock shape. They have thin necks and are extremely fast to play, though. After a few hours of playing my Epiphone guitar, when I come back to the strat, I find that I can play more easily, and faster on the strat. But, I play it less and less, as the single coil pickups have no substance to them, on the Squire they don't even have that classic "strat" jangle as much as I like. I'll always want a strat in my collection, thats for sure. It can be jangly, bluesy, or scream some rock. Clapton, Hendrix, SRV, Buddy Holly, and


Most versatile guitar I've ever played: newer Epiphone ES-335 Dot
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/2/5/4/275254.jpg

It's another guitar that originally was a jazz guitar, being a semi-hollow archtop. Materials of build blow away a strat. It can be famously looked back at as a guitar "type" that BB King played, clapton (a little while, but he's a strat player 98% of the time) chuck berry, led zeppelin, the beatles, and many more throughout the years. It has it's own distinct tone, but can play anything with it's humbucker pickups. I know in one jam session, Jeremy was randomly putting on music to see if I could jam along with it, and it didn't matter what music type he put before me, I could play it and it sounded "right" It has tons of sustain and some strong non hollow punch. The Epiphones are another major bang for the buck guitar. I really love mine. This is a sub $500 guitar, and worth every cent. Gibson is now making a 1962 ES-335 Reissue, and it costs thousands of dollars. The joke is on them. It's built nearly identical to the Epiphone Dot. So you get 95% of the same guitar, for 1/10th of the price. Pretty much anything you want to play and have it sound close or exact to the original, the Epiphone could do it. It can sound really jazzy, a bit jangly, then play some "hard" distorted/overdriven rock with ease. It can play and sound REALLY CLOSE to a Les Paul solid body. I.E. I'd pick up this guitar before my strat anyday to play some Guns and Roses for example.

I agree w/ Nic, Musician's Friend is usually alot cheaper than stores sometimes. Try out a few rigs. I myself prefer the classic old school styles of guitars, after all they are the basis for all modern music, and after over 50 years of "modern" electric guitars, they can still be found in use, and among the most popular. My next guitar will be a Cherry Sunburst Epiphone Les Paul. Very similar to my Epiphone Dot, but a solid body like the Stratocaster, and also an iconic guitar.

I'm a lefty-player so I can't just march into any music store and find a lefty guitar to jam on, so I haven't had the luxury of playing a million different guitars and then finding that "perfect" guitar. My favorite guitar I've had of the five I've had (two squire strats, one fender strat, a epi les paul, and a epi dot) is definately the Epi Dot. Also the epi can be played just fine w/out an amp and you can actually hear yourself play -- since it has a pair of sound chambers.

[Smokey1226]

awesome stuff!!! I Think im going to have to give that Epi a try, as im the type that likes to be different and the top one, although im sure its a great guitar, looks like the "typical" guitar. The bottom one doesn't, so in my eyes its a better pick for me!

[Poncho]

I own both. The top literally is the most copied guitar EVER.

the bottom less common but if you go on you tube you'll find a million hits

look up strat or stratocaster or es335 or epiphone dot. The cheapest epi is alot more espensive than the cheapest strat, but, it's a hell of a bang for the buck.

[animal]

yay for strat owners :) I have a 89 american-made strat and a peavey predator (my first guitar). The peavey is basically a copy of my strat, same color, shape etc and was decent for me to learn on. I'd sell that but I kinda want to keep it. Definately a difference between the two though in sound. If you're starting out, I'm sure you'll be happy with either of the choices dan illustrated... just don't buy the $99 target special :) You can find good deals on some used guitars right now too, check CL obviously and even most guitar shops have used ones or ads hanging up on the bulletin board for people trying to sell used ones.

[Crawlin]

that's some awesome advice Dan

I picked up a bass guitar when we weretrying to get out of that rockband obsession, haha. but i just don't have the time/patience right now to try and learn it, haha

[Nick]

Cascio Interstate has starter electrics and amps for 399 or something.

Go there. best bet.

[Poncho]

yay for strat owners :) I have a 89 american-made strat and a peavey predator (my first guitar). The peavey is basically a copy of my strat, same color, shape etc and was decent for me to learn on. I'd sell that but I kinda want to keep it. Definately a difference between the two though in sound. If you're starting out, I'm sure you'll be happy with either of the choices dan illustrated... just don't buy the $99 target special :) You can find good deals on some used guitars right now too, check CL obviously and even most guitar shops have used ones or ads hanging up on the bulletin board for people trying to sell used ones.

sound difference is that the strat uses a trio of single coil pickups Bridge Middle Neck and can switch to each individually or the middle and one of the ends, while the predator uses a pair of humbucker (dual coil) pickups, Bridge and a Neck, and can switch to each or both at the same time. . Theres also going to be tonality differences in the wood and the fact that predators (at least current ones) have binding on their bodies. They are going to sound completely different. Similar body shape, but the similarities end right there. Completely different beasts for different musicial tastes.

Honestly your two guitars couldn't be any different. It's like an inline 6 w/ a turbo v.s. a all motor v8.

when you guitar heroes forget about your axes you bought, let me know, I'd like to get a righty guitar eventually and play it upside down like Jimi and Kurt did (Kurt had an upside down headstock though, I'd imagine setting up intonation would be a bitch on both)

[lordairgtar]

Just a question. I like guitars but can't play at all, hence the Airgtar name. Believe me I tried. Was/is Gibson related to Epiphone? I seem to recall years back the ES335 was a Gibson (1970s)

[79SS]

Just a question. I like guitars but can't play at all, hence the Airgtar name. Believe me I tried. Was/is Gibson related to Epiphone? I seem to recall years back the ES335 was a Gibson (1970s)

Yes,Epiphone is owned by Gibson. They are their less expensive versions made over seas, the sound just as good in my opinion.

[Poncho]

Originally Epiphone was an archtop guitar maker, and Gibson bought them out, and kept them alive to continue their existing Epiphone guitar line, and branded Gibson models that Epiphone didn't have as Gibsons to sell at a lower price point, as Gibson guitars are stupid expensive.

It makes for Epiphone Guitars being 90% the same as Gibson for 1/4 or less of the price, as Gibson, like Harley is a name that people are drawn too no matter what.

The ES-335 is still a Gibson.
The Epiphone Sheraton II is like identical to a ES-335.
Epiphone makes a model called the Dot (also known as the ES-335 Dot), which basically is a ES335/Sheraton II but made overseas being the only difference, and supposedly "cheaper"
Humbucker pickups are deemed "different" again due to where they're made, but the body is the same exact solid one piece built of laminated maple. The biggest visual is that the inlays on the fretboard instead of trapazoids are "dots" Therefore Dot inlays.

Now take all this and realize that when the ES-335 first came out in 1957 it was essentially the same as it is today except for the inlays originally were dots. Therefore the nickname ES-335 Dot on the Epi Dot.

Gibson years later made a 1957 era reissue (they still sell it)
Same exact construction as the Epiphone Dot, same wood, same everything.
Cost? $4,463. Price of Epiphone (ES-335) Dot? $600

This is the spec sheet for the Reissue

* Classic semi-hollowbody design
* Dual '57 Gibson humbuckers
* Thin tapered '60s neck
* Rosewood fingerboard
* Nickel hardware
* Grover tuners
* ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
* Separate volume and tone controls with 3-way switch

it would also be the same exact spec sheet for the Epiphone except for the pickups and how it's worded. In fact though the spec sheet should be identical (other than the pickups) You can see they specifically word it differently:

* Semi-hollowbody
* Laminated maple body
* Set maple neck
* 22-fret rosewood fretboard
* 24-3/4" scale
* Dual humbuckers
* 3-way pickup selector
* 2 volume and 2 tone controls
* Tune-O-Matic bridge
* Stopbar tailpiece

Which would cost you $150 tops to change them out for the same thing in the $4400 guitar.

I can do similar comparisons of the Fender Guitars, but really if you want to save coin and get 90% of the guitar at 1/3 the price, for a Fender, you'll want the Mexican Standard. again, you can change out tuners and pickups easily, and have a better guitar for less.

I'm no guru, but nobody else is chiming in. :goof

[Reverend Cooper]

I personally love Jim Laabs music in stevens point it is by far the largest used and new inventory I have ever seen. All their stuff is new or in grade A shape. They are always willing to wheel and deal to make you happy,when I played out they even gave me a credit line to work with. I know its along ways away but believe me it's worth the trip or if you know what your looking for it can be done online or over the phone.http://www.jimlaabsmusic.com/
Personaly I feel some of the best starter guitars are the Fender Squire's and anything in the Ibanez arsenal in the RG550 or higher range,try to stick with a Floyd Rose locking tremelo If you want a Whammy bar,a bit tricky to tune but she she is in shes in. I would also stay away from active pick up guitars,Its just another pain in the ass fuck story to deal with (you need a batter for the pickup to wrk in the guitar.)

[Reverend Cooper]

http://www.jimlaabsmusic.com/guitars/electric-guitars/cat_254.html
check this link for some packages they have availible for sale.

[Poncho]

he's got alot, but jack shit for lefties :-(

I really like Cream City. It's across from the UPS place on bluemound Thats where i got my epi. I think they have a sale on Gretsch guitars right now (think Brian Setzer)

I personally hate floating trems of any kind. fuck it, learn to bend some strings!

[Smokey1226]

Dan, i found a video of kinda what you were talking about....about how you can play all the different genre's of music....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d40_KQBOYzE

Pretty neat stuff!

and you can go true rock if you wanted...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3eopowmxaA


I'm likeing what im hearing!

[Cryptic]

^ both of those links are the same

[Smokey1226]

good call, fixed

[Poncho]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2DcarQcxXE&feature=related&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je5hs82eM9k&feature=related

not as low end thick as a les paul, but thats the charm of a semi-hollow archtop
I just love their sound.

While I'm at here, here are some strat demos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GwFbVFdbU4&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvkXUCEO8OY&fmt=18

[Silver86]

whoa... guitar players on BCM.... cool :thumbsup

been playing bass for 15 years.

[Reverend Cooper]

I can bend strings danno,its even better to bend and pull up or dive something everyone must enjoy. i have been playing for about 20 years now and i still have way to much fun with it

[Got Boost]

I like the Fender Trems , I have a John Pertucci Music Man , way eaiser to string and keep in tune ,,, You dont realy need a trem for a starter Axe

[Smokey1226]

After doing some more research, i think the Strat is more in my "type/sytle" of music. Although i really love the different style look of the DOT.

[Reverend Cooper]

I agree you dont need a trem for a starter,but it gets a guy a chance to grow woth out
going threw replacing another guitar. My weapon of choice is a EVH Ernie Ball Music Man.

[Got Boost]

I agree you dont need a trem for a starter,but it gets a guy a chance to grow woth out
going threw replacing another guitar. My weapon of choice is a EVH Ernie Ball Music Man.Nice Axe Ernie Ball makes an excellent guitar I have the Pertucci with the piezo PU

[Reverend Cooper]

I used to have a parker nightfly,that piezo pickup is cool,and the carbon fiber neck was cool but it was a fast playing guitar,I have a line 6 2-12 amp that can simulate amillion different set ups and many sound just like the piezo set ups so i gave that up and got my music man which is a extremely fast playing neck