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[tyguy20204]

Any recommendations? I've been playing acoustic for a while now, and want to get an electric.

I'm not sure how much I'm looking to spend as of yet, so if you could please throw out a couple of options in different price ranges that would be great.

 

[SD-Ness]

I made a thread about this a couple of weeks ago. I haven't gotten my electric yet, but I am planning on getting a Fender Stratocaster American. I'm not sure about what amplifier though, I need some recommendations.

 

[Lemurnator]

Firstly, what style of music do you play?

Secondly, don't spring over $800-1000 on an electric unless you plan on buying an amp that will do it justice.

 

[mattx5]

We'll need to know what style you play before we make any suggestions...

 

[tyguy20204]

It would be pretty much for Rock/Blues.

Zeppelin, Allman Brothers, Clapton, the Dead, some of Neil Young's electric stuff, as well as Dylan's, Stones, the Who, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Roses, the Doors, the Jayhawks.

That's some of the stuff I'm into, as far as musical taste with regards to electric guitar.

I really like jamming out on the blues scale with others.

 

[WHOAguitarninja]

I'll say the same thing to you that I say to everyone, because it's the ONLY correct answer.

Go to a guitar store and try several out. Electrics, like acoustics, can have WIDELY varying feels to them, and what feels great to ones person's hands may be near unplayable to another. Once you get some ideas of what feels good to you, THEN ask questions about quality, durability, how well they're made, etc.

Buying a guitar isn't just "oh he said he liked such and such a guitar so it must mean it'll be a good guitar for me".

When you don't know what you're looking for, opinions are nearly worthless.

 

[fugimax]

By what you said you want/like to play, a Fender Strat sounds like a good match.

Personally, I have an ESP Mirage II Deluxe w/an EMG-81 and EMG-85. Hook it to a Digitech RP-12 pedal to a 60w Crate amp. I play a lot of Metallica, thus the guitar/pickup choice.

 

[Lemurnator]

I agree with the last poster. Go to your local guitar shop and try everything and see what feels good to you. When I first started out it took a while for me to find out the difference between different styles and necks.

I don't have a lot of money so I had to settle with a Yamaha FGX04LTD. It's a great acoustic with a fast neck. Wider fretboard but thinner overall neck. One of my teachers has a Robin, which went out of business in the 80's, but it's got a great neck with 22 frets and it feels the same on the 12th fret as it does on the second.

Is your style of playing more lead or rythem?

 

[Lemurnator]

By what you said you want/like to play, a Fender Strat sounds like a good match.

Personally, I have an ESP Mirage II Deluxe w/an EMG-81 and EMG-85. Hook it to a Digitech RP-12 pedal to a 60w Crate amp. I play a lot of Metallica, thus the guitar/pickup choice.

ESP is great, more metal oriented guitar. If I had money for a electric, I would spring for either an Ibanez, ESP, or an SG.

 

[mattx5]

Les Paul
SG
Stratocaster
Telecaster

Any of those could be good, but you'll definitely have to try them out yourself.

 

[tyguy20204]

Oh, I'll definitely be trying them out. I just want to have an idea of what I'm looking for when I head to the local music store.

I generally prefer playing lead to rhythm.

 

[Teknopathetic]

I also agree with Morbid, Lemur, etc.

 

[WHOAguitarninja]

Oh, I'll definitely be trying them out. I just want to have an idea of what I'm looking for when I head to the local music store.

I generally prefer playing lead to rhythm.

I'm not kidding when I say try out EVERYTHING. Don't go in with pre-conceived ideas of what is good or not. Find a few things you like, then come back and ask about quality and whatnot.

 

[ballhog]

Definitely try everything out, that is the best advice you are going to get. You might find a mex strat you like better than any of the americans, it happens alot. Not knowing how much you are looking to spend I can't really point you in any specific direction, but you can get great guitars for $500-$1000. Don't shy away from used gear either.

For the range of styles you are looking to cover you might want to look at some thing with two single coils and a humbucker in the bridge, just for the sake of versatility.

Lemur makes a good point about the amp as well. A $1000 guitar is going to sound bad through a cheap amp. You don't need a big amp, 30-50 watts is plenty for jamming with drums. Like the guitar, just try a bunch of amps. I recomend paying the extra for something tube.