What type of Guitar should I get?

[kellerb]

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...

Got any suggestions about selling a (like-new) used lap-steel?

[shamwow]

I went thru this a few years back here's what I learned. Exploit Guitarmart supercenter play it all then goolge the ones you like. Tone and feel are the most imporntant. For a first time guitar save some money look at paul reed smith SE line, they make a semi-hollow that you might like. If you are spending a lot look at Heritage guitars or the Talyor Electric someone mentioned. Point is there is a lot out there you won't really see untill your playing for a while, so maby buy something on the lower end of the scale and save some money for some effect pedletoysthat will keep you interested in learning. Then when you doe you will know what you like and then drop some cash on an Ocelot of your own.
     Now Unless you are pluging direct to a computer all the time you'll need an amp. Amp shopping almost sent the wife and I to counseling, I had trouble choosing there's a lot out there save your cash and buy a small tube amp NOT a modleling amp a bugera or something then when that dies you will have no problem finding a nice point to point, or vintage amp that sings the way you want.
  Chances are you may keep your first guitar. These days prob not your first amp, and fact is you'll prob own a lot of music stuff in your life if you get into it so don't stress have fun, and trust your ear.

[willsteele]

Just seeing this thread.....

1.  Guitar Center blows.
2.  Sam Ash blows but not as hard.
3.  Can't go wrong with a Fender...  or a Strat...  early 70's if possible.

I'm also a Fender guy....  been playing the same 1965 Jaguar all my life (though my skills don't seem to go along with the length of time I've been playing ;P)   But if I ever get another guitar my two choices are now and have always been either a Gibson Les Paul and Gibson SG.  Have never been able to decide.

[Caravan2001]

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...

Got any suggestions about selling a (like-new) used lap-steel?

Is it a Fender?  Just wondering.....Really depends on the quality of it....I would think there would be a fairly reputable used instrument store where you are....My recommendation, if you don't know the best store in town, is to go on Yelp and read the reviews of guitar stores in your town.

Even when buying your first instrument, if you buy wisely and are able to afford a quality instrument, you can always get most of your money back out of it.  Say you buy a $1000 Fender, you will always be able to get $850 or $900 for it....If you buy a $400 git, you'll only get $200 out of it if you're lucky...maybe more, but with the good guitar, you've been able to play that versus the cheapo one for however many years....I've "rented" great guitars for maybe $100 for a number of years.....sometimes you warm up to axes, and sometimes, you need a change....or you find ones that you'll NEVER sell...I have 3 of those.....I am still looking for a 50's/60's Strat, but I could get a Languedoc for half the price so it is a tough call.....

[Marmar]

just a correction about scale length and neck size....

Baritone guitars have larger bodies than standard guitars, especially in the case of acoustic instruments, and have longer scale lengths which allow the strings to be tuned lower while remaining close to or at normal tension. On a standard, steel-string, acoustic guitar, the scale length (the distance from the nut or string guide to the saddle on the bridge) is typically 24.9" to 25.7", and the strings range in diameter from .012" to .054". The scale lengths of various baritone designs range from 27" to 30.5", and the string gauges range from the normal .012 - .054" set to sets as thick as .017 - .095". Shorter-scale baritone guitars are more like long-scale guitars, having more midrange volume, whereas the longer scale lengths and heavier string sets give more bass to the instrument's timbre. Shorter scale baritones tend to be tuned C-C or B-B whereas longer ones are typically tuned A-A.

and more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scale_length#History

[phil]

I don't know a damn thing about guitars, but the obvious answer is this:

[rowjimmy]

I think my next electric guitar will be a Gibson SG.

[Buffalo Budd]

I think my next electric guitar will be a Gibson SG.

Nice choice.  Have had the opportunity to play one a couple of times.  Love them, wish I could afford one.

[WhatstheUse?]

Leaning towards a Gibson Les Paul @ this point.

Been checking out a lot of guitars lately, but am going to wait until I'm back in Boston next week to get one.

The Fenders seem so thin sounding to me...

[Caravan2001]

Leaning towards a Gibson Les Paul @ this point.

Been checking out a lot of guitars lately, but am going to wait until I'm back in Boston next week to get one.

The Fenders seem so thin sounding to me...

Depends on the sound your after, and what you're playing them through...You won't ever get the classic country or blues sound out of the Les Paul, but it's hard to get the crunch out of the Strat...I have a Strat with a humbucker, which is an option, but I have a Les Paul too....really hard to say one is better than the other...I am partial to Fender, but I love Gibsons too, I have owned a bunch of them.  I am now just down to my #1 Strat, my #1 Les and a Martin....plus my P-Bass....Les Paul's are great, but Gibson has really overpriced them....I think a new Standard (which is the model to get) is over 2K now, which is kind of redic.....Deluxes are OK and some Customs, but Standards are the joint.....either way, if you buy any American built Gibson or Fender, it is going to play and sound  great....

[kellerb]

Leaning towards a Gibson Les Paul @ this point.

Been checking out a lot of guitars lately, but am going to wait until I'm back in Boston next week to get one.

The Fenders seem so thin sounding to me...

Depends on the sound your after, and what you're playing them through...You won't ever get the classic country or blues sound out of the Les Paul, but it's hard to get the crunch out of the Strat...I have a Strat with a humbucker, which is an option, but I have a Les Paul too....really hard to say one is better than the other...I am partial to Fender, but I love Gibsons too, I have owned a bunch of them.  I am now just down to my #1 Strat, my #1 Les and a Martin....plus my P-Bass....Les Paul's are great, but Gibson has really overpriced them....I think a new Standard (which is the model to get) is over 2K now, which is kind of redic.....Deluxes are OK and some Customs, but Standards are the joint.....either way, if you buy any American built Gibson or Fender, it is going to play and sound  great....

Caravan's definitely got a point on humbuckers vs single coils.  If you're really into a Les Paul, your price range is tricky.  I'd look into the epiphone Les Pauls, especially if this is sort of a "learner" guitar.  There are a few guitar features that you can't really decide on until you've been playing a while.  Specifically, fixed bridge vs whammy bar, and scale length.  those two are probably the biggest factors on how the guitar "feels" to play.  The other big factors are Humbuckers vs single coil, set-neck vs bolt-on, and overall weight.  Maybe I'm just cheap, but I would not spend the money for a Les Paul until I'd determined (by playing guitar) that I wanted those specific features

[aphineday]

I used to feel the same way about Les Pauls and Fenders. As I've really gotten into music and playing, I've always  go back to the Tele/Strats now so I've competely flipped my viewpoint. They just play great. A lot of my buddies swear by the Pauls, and that's cool, I dig the tones for sure.

If I'm going to spend that kind of money however, I'm more inclined to buy a  Gretsch or such. I currently play my Gretsch Nashville more than anything. Hollow or semi hollow tones are a different world of their own.

[phil]

I used to feel the same way about Les Pauls and Fenders. As I've really gotten into music and playing, I've always  go back to the Tele/Strats now so I've competely flipped my viewpoint. They just play great. A lot of my buddies swear by the Pauls, and that's cool, I dig the tones for sure.

If I'm going to spend that kind of money however, I'm more inclined to buy a  Gretsch or such. I currently play my Gretsch Nashville more than anything. Hollow or semi hollow tones are a different world of their own.

I have a semi-hollow epiphone bass (short scale).

It is a joy to play, even unplugged.

[whyweigh5.0]

scott
If we hit any of the same shows this next tour and I drive and not fly, I will bring along my LP for you to try out

[danje]

I have a Gibson Les Paul. The thing is a monster. I would go for it Scott.