What type of Guitar should I get?

[redrum]

i recommend a custom made languedoc with a inlay on the head.

/thread.

[westcider]

at $1300, it's slightly out of your range, but I just got to spend some time with my friend's Taylor Solidbody Classic, and I was absolutely blown away.  you can do just about anything with it. 

when I get around to buying myself an electric, it will definitely be one of those.

[Marmar]

Tele - http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Classic-Player-Telecaster-Thinline-Deluxe-Electric-Guitar-106082472-i1468375.gc

or like mine: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Classic-Series--69-Telecaster-Thinline-Electric-Guitar-102040987-i1146282.gc

If you go with option 2, get a thin bucker or a hot rail bridge.....then add some meat to the neck pickup....

[WhatstheUse?]

Thanks for the help guys.

I went to Guitar Center alone yesterday and made absolutely zero progress.  I f'n hate guitar center.  No one ever knows what they are talking about there -- it seems like every time I go, I am left more disappointed then when I came...

So, I talked to a guitar knowledgable friend and we are going to go to a smaller guitar boutique place this week that he recommended.

? re: # of frets

does more frets mean the spacing is smaller? or is it just a longer neck?

[Multibeast12]

Thanks for the help guys.

I went to Guitar Center alone yesterday and made absolutely zero progress.  I f'n hate guitar center.  No one ever knows what they are talking about there -- it seems like every time I go, I am left more disappointed then when I came...

So, I talked to a guitar knowledgable friend and we are going to go to a smaller guitar boutique place this week that he recommended.

? re: # of frets

does more frets mean the spacing is smaller? or is it just a longer neck?

I couldn't agree more so. I hate that place. I have a Epihone Les Paul, and A Fender Strat. I play my strat a lot more then the Les Paul. and like how it feels a little more. But I love playing really heavy and tuning to Drop C and playing stoner metal and the Les Paul is perfect for that.

Anyway, I played a parker once and really liked how it felt. I recommend checking them out. Might have some shit before you find a good one but the can make some super nice guitars.

Another note, Don't by from Guitar Center if you can. Thy treat there guitars like shit. My Les Paul was from there and the equipment can be super shitty and cuts out. and it pissed me off sometime. But my strat i got from a local place and is perfect.

[Caravan2001]

Thanks for the help guys.

I went to Guitar Center alone yesterday and made absolutely zero progress.  I f'n hate guitar center.  No one ever knows what they are talking about there -- it seems like every time I go, I am left more disappointed then when I came...

So, I talked to a guitar knowledgable friend and we are going to go to a smaller guitar boutique place this week that he recommended.

? re: # of frets

does more frets mean the spacing is smaller? or is it just a longer neck?

It sucks....it's like the Jennifer Dances of music stores....the further you stay away, the better off you are...unfortunately, they are everywhere, so they are convenient....for strings, picks and cables they are OK, for instruments they are a rip....

[westcider]

the number of frets doesn't affect the spacing between the frets.  it is a longer neck, but the nut and the bridge are still the same distance apart, the neck just extends further into the body.

[WhatstheUse?]

the number of frets doesn't affect the spacing between the frets.  it is a longer neck, but the nut and the bridge are still the same distance apart, the neck just extends further into the body.

ahhh.. Got it. thanks.

[DoW]

Thanks for the help guys.

I went to Guitar Center alone yesterday and made absolutely zero progress.  I f'n hate guitar center.  No one ever knows what they are talking about there -- it seems like every time I go, I am left more disappointed then when I came...

So, I talked to a guitar knowledgable friend and we are going to go to a smaller guitar boutique place this week that he recommended.

? re: # of frets

does more frets mean the spacing is smaller? or is it just a longer neck?

faced the exact same thing there when I started taping.  completely useless.
convenient but conveniently useless.
good luck.

[danje]

If I were buying a guitar today, I would get this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Les-Paul-DC-Pro-2006-Flame-Maple-Burstbuckers-/180599952312?pt=Guitar&hash=item2a0c9893b8

[WhatstheUse?]

If I were buying a guitar today, I would get this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Les-Paul-DC-Pro-2006-Flame-Maple-Burstbuckers-/180599952312?pt=Guitar&hash=item2a0c9893b8

that looks like a beauty.

I don't know anything about Les Paul's but a friend said they are better for soloist -- any truth to that? Maybe he just meant they have thicker sounding tone?

[danje]

If I were buying a guitar today, I would get this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Les-Paul-DC-Pro-2006-Flame-Maple-Burstbuckers-/180599952312?pt=Guitar&hash=item2a0c9893b8

that looks like a beauty.

I don't know anything about Les Paul's but a friend said they are better for soloist -- any truth to that? Maybe he just meant they have thicker sounding tone?

I would tend to agree with that, although I wouldn't say it is bad for a rhythm player either.

I also own an Ibanez Artcore, which is a big, hollow bodied, "jazz" guitar. The tone and resonation that thing produces is pure pleasure, even when it's not plugged in.

[twatts]

Its been years since I played...  My advise:

walk into a Guitar Center and play around with all their crap.  Do it several times, so you get different opportunities to play the same guitars...  Once you narrow down you selection, try them out with various pedals, amps, etc.  Totally tweak everything so you can figure out what kind of sounds/tones you can get out of it...  Then once you have it down, go somewhere esle and buy the guitar.   I hate GC, but the fact that they ahve 100s of axes on display for you to play with is a priceless tool to figuring out what you might like.

Personally, I had a Strat.  It is very versatile, easily to modify or upgrade, and the US version hold their value well.  Les Pauls (IMO) have become overpriced since LP died...  A buddy owns a hollow Gretsch and oves it...  Me, the last guitar I woed was a fender acoustic...  Nice guitar, but I never played it...  So I sold if for beer money...

Another suggestion I might make:  take the money and take a class:  http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/schools.htm

It will end up costing you more in the short term, but the fact that you can build your own to your own needs is priceless...

Good luck!!!

Terry

[whyweigh5.0]

wow
lots of guitar center hate around here.  I must just be lucky and have a good one near me.  Every employee I have come in contact with their is a musician and pretty knowledgeable.  And all the stuff I have messed with in there is in tip top shape.  They have this one little guitar room off to the side.  It's usually locked, but sometimes the door will be open and you can walk in... it's where they keep the really nice (expensive) guitars.  Sometimes there'll be a nice classic in there.  I go in there and drool sometimes.

And they also have this glass walled soundproof room that you can go in to test out any instruments you are thinking of buying

[Caravan2001]

wow
lots of guitar center hate around here.  I must just be lucky and have a good one near me.  Every employee I have come in contact with their is a musician and pretty knowledgeable.  And all the stuff I have messed with in there is in tip top shape.  They have this one little guitar room off to the side.  It's usually locked, but sometimes the door will be open and you can walk in... it's where they keep the really nice (expensive) guitars.  Sometimes there'll be a nice classic in there.  I go in there and drool sometimes.

And they also have this glass walled soundproof room that you can go in to test out any instruments you are thinking of buying

you may be lucky to have a good local crew, but for most stuff, it's a rip...for used gear it is really a rip.....Their sales usually produce some good deals though....Living in the NYC metro area for 20 years spoiled me I guess....There are only a couple of places in Portland I think are decent....Also, being in the used guitar business also spoiled me as I know what things are worth versus what they sell....There are some OK guys at the GC's in Portland, but I would NEVER buy or sell used instruments with them.....highway robbery...