hi brobborb, I've got a bunch of guitars, and have helped a bunch of friends buy some in the past.
For a beginner I would definitely recommend looking at the Ibanez Artcore series. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/d=tp?q=IBANEZ+ARTCORE Specifically something like: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/519747/ or http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/519452/ I own a model similar to the one in the second link. It's a great guitar, not too expensive. It's the one I leave lying around and noodle away on it in my office and don't care if my 17 month old puts her hands on it. It's a hollow body electric which means you can sit on your couch and noodle away and hear yourself w/o having to be plugged in. Which means sometime down the line if you're still playing the instrument you can get yourself a nice little amp. The packages which Fender and the like put together with the amp combo, are (for the most part) garbage. If you're gonna be serious about it and actually learn, you'll appreciate that you have a somewhat quality instrument in your hands and not a piece of trash. The most important part: Get some lessons immediately. Otherwise you'll just end up quiting. Seen it a billion times. The guitar will not play itself, you'll have to practice and build dexterity and callouses. Stick with it and it's pretty damn cool. I've been playing for over 15 years and it's no longer practice, it's just fun playing and learning (a mindset you'll come to learn). Go to Sam Ash or Guitar Center and tell them your situation (i.e. a newbie) and they should be glad to help you out. If they ain't, screw 'em, go to a different store. The guys at my local GC are awesome, not pushy and always willing to help out. Final recommendation: Don't get an acoustic to start out with (especially in the 300 price range). They're much harder to learn on and you'll be more discourage, thus more prone to quit. I've got a Taylor 510ce L-9 which is an expensive acoustic and it's still pretty hard to play, I much prefer the electrics I own. :) As for an amp, get the guitar the first and make sure you learn it before investing too much $$$ on an amp. Some amps are cheap and you'll get what you pay for ;) Also, so many people start out and just quit and unload their purchases on Ebay and local papers, so you should be able to get a good deal on an amp there too. I would recommend (so much for that final one, ha) buying the guitar at a GC/Sam Ash so you can have it setup, shown how to change the stings, etc... Plus you'll be able to build a relationship with the sales people for any future purchases. NEVER pay what's on the sticker, always ask the sales person "what they can do for you". There's so much wiggle room on musical instruments, I'd be stunned if they don't work with you. I've never paid the sticker price at a guitar shop (on an axe). One last thing: Get some GHS Fast Fret to clean the string when you're done playing, prolongs the string life and make the strings slicker/easier to play. Phew, that was quite an essay, let us know what you end up doing, Brian -- Brian Simmons [EMAIL PROTECTED] The ultimate ColdFusion MX 7.0 Certification testing tool: Check out CFMX Exam Buster 7.0 at: http://centrasoft.com > hey guys i wanna get an electric guitar so i can rock out in my truck. > the problem is I know NOTHING about em. what do i get? do i need > pedals? stuff like that. I KNOW NUFFIN! > > and i'm willin to spend 300 bucks. :-D > thanks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:175088 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
