Attention guitar players....Little help needed on guitar selection. :)

[MentalIlness]

Back in my middle school days, I used to play guitar. I had guitar classes for a few years starting at grade 6 and up till 9th grade. Seemed to get out of it for a long time...until now.

So I am looking to buy a electric guitar....Mind you, I am no beginner...but I would appreciate some opinions on the guitar I chose. I haven't purchased it yet, but will be within the week.

If there are better electric guitars than what I found, please point them out to me. I have always had a thing for Ibanez.

So here is what I am considering....Not expensive, but not too cheap either.

http://www.amazon.com/Ibanez-GRGA42TQA-Electric-Guitar-Transparent/dp/B004MM8ORS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1365165326&sr=8-7&keywords=ibanez+electric+guitar

 

[TwiceOver]

IMO Ibanez makes a great "bang for buck" guitar or bass.

Of course, you should probably try playing and listening to an instrument first.

 

[MentalIlness]

IMO Ibanez makes a great "bang for buck" guitar or bass.

Of course, you should probably try playing and listening to an instrument first.

As I have said, I haven't bought it yet, But my younger brother has the same one I posted above.
I played it, handled it and so on. I do love the sound as well. Or are there any other recommendations ?

Just trying to get a great guitar for a great price. This seemed like a nice one...so yea. But, I am really partial to Ibanez. But isnt set in stone though.

 

[slightlyhuman]

meh, maybe i'm biased but you can't beat a mexican strat for $300-500. throw some USA pots/pickups in it down the road and you have a guitar you can play as long as you want.

GL.

 

[brandonb]

I've always been satisfied with mid range (price) Ibanez. Some guitars still sound like shit or have idiotic low end crap even when you buy the mid range guitar. But Ibanez seems pretty solid.

I generally follow 2 simple rules when looking at a guitar though. If you want the "whammy bar", its a floyd rose. And make sure it has EMG pickups.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMG_HZ#Products

However, avoid EMG HZ pickups. They are passive and don't give you the punch you need. Thats what I have with my current guitar, and I'm not exactly happy with them. (They came with the guitar)

 

[lxskllr]

I like Fender. You should go to a guitar shop and try out a bunch of guitars. Any guitar is the best in the world if it's the only one you've played.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Sounds like you already made your decision, and it seems like a good one anyway. I've never owned an Ibanez, but my Fender HM Strat has a lot of similar features, and it was my go-to axe for many, many years.

A couple of years ago I picked up a LP copy from Rondo Music, and I've been very happy with it. Lately I've been jonesing to pick up a Telecaster.

Is it safe to assume you're going to be playing hard rock or metal with the guitar you seek?

 

[Mitsurux]

While i suck at playing guitar, i would if at all possible recommend going to a store like guitar center (or similar) and actually try out the guitar first (with the amp you intend to use as well), because the differences in tone etc. can be quite different between models (even in the same line/manufacturer)....

just some thoughts

 

[BlitzPuppet]

Fenders are all about the name. I personally don't like them.

Ibanez are great to start off with, you really can't beat the necks of their guitars as they are pretty thin and easy to play. GRG is typically entry grade/not so amazing. If you can afford it try stepping up to an RG.

I actually had a Ibanez G200 model bass as my first bass, and an Ibanez RG3 as my first guitar.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

May I also recommend Sweetwater.com? I got my Gibson through them, their level of service is awesome.

 

[Oyeve]

I started playing 30+ years ago. I started on a fender strat and graduated to a les paul. Starting out on the thin neck strat is great but I wanted a fatter jazzier sound and the les paul has been that for me. I still play my old strat but when I play seriously I play the les paul. 13 guitars and basses now.

 

[soulcougher73]

May I also recommend Sweetwater.com? I got my Gibson through them, their level of service is awesome.

This. They've done a few follow up calls on a subdude i bought like 3 years ago to see if i was still happy with it. Maybe 1 call a year. But still cool they care.

 

[stormkroe]

Ive always been a strat guy, though the quality shifts over the years. In early 2000's the american strats at my local store had the worst quality control ever, yet the mexican ones were fantastic. I love ibanez guitars too (my bass is an ibanez) but you just cant beat a strat for versatility.
I love the 11" fretboard radius of the sg stuff but am so used to the much rounder 9 on my strat that i would probably take forever to get comfortable.
I recommend a mexican standard fat strat.

 

[AFurryReptile]

Know what you're buying. Go test some guitars at your local shop.

The "floating tremolo" on those Ibanez guitars make it a pain in the ass to tune properly. And any change to a single string throws off all the other's tunings.

 

[ZOOYUKA]

I agree on the Mexican Strats. For a versatile budget instrument instrument I don't think you can do any better. Make sure you buy a decent amp. That can make a world of difference too.

 

[silverpig]

I'd suggest a nice semi-hollow. Epiphone dot or something like that.

 

[Jesusthewererabbit]

I've always been satisfied with mid range (price) Ibanez. Some guitars still sound like shit or have idiotic low end crap even when you buy the mid range guitar. But Ibanez seems pretty solid.

I generally follow 2 simple rules when looking at a guitar though. If you want the "whammy bar", its a floyd rose. And make sure it has EMG pickups.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMG_HZ#Products

However, avoid EMG HZ pickups. They are passive and don't give you the punch you need. Thats what I have with my current guitar, and I'm not exactly happy with them. (They came with the guitar)

EMG's are great, if you like EMG's. It doesn't matter what you throw them in, it's still gonna sound like a guitar with EMG's. Have a bunch of guitars that you want to sound similar? Throw EMG's in them.

That's not a criticism. They are what they are, and they sound good, especially for high gain sounds. However, passive pickups can have just as much "punch" (whatever your definition of that is, everyone's is different). And it isn't the punch he needs, it's the punch you need.

My advice? Get what you want. Your Ibanez, Schecter, Epiphone, Squier, MIM Fender, etc., are all going to be pretty similar quality wise.

 

[GobBluth]

Dominus Guitars. Get them made your way, specifically how you like it. All the way down to the hardware and wiring.

www.dominusguitars.com

If you don't want custom, I recommend PRS.

 

[GobBluth]

EMG's are great, if you like EMG's. It doesn't matter what you throw them in, it's still gonna sound like a guitar with EMG's. Have a bunch of guitars that you want to sound similar? Throw EMG's in them.

That's not a criticism. They are what they are, and they sound good, especially for high gain sounds. However, passive pickups can have just as much "punch" (whatever your definition of that is, everyone's is different). And it isn't the punch he needs, it's the punch you need.

My advice? Get what you want. Your Ibanez, Schecter, Epiphone, Squier, MIM Fender, etc., are all going to be pretty similar quality wise.

Wait... what the... did.. did you just compare a Schecter to a Squier in regards to quality? Do you play guitar or just post on internet forums about them?

 

[slightlyhuman]

Fenders are all about the name. I personally don't like them.

Ibanez are great to start off with, you really can't beat the necks of their guitars as they are pretty thin and easy to play. GRG is typically entry grade/not so amazing. If you can afford it try stepping up to an RG.

I actually had a Ibanez G200 model bass as my first bass, and an Ibanez RG3 as my first guitar.

all about the name? what the hell does that mean?

 

[BlitzPuppet]

all about the name? what the hell does that mean?

It means that they are so popular because of just that...the name. I feel they aren't valuable at their pricepoint unless you get the American made versions.

Then again this is how I felt (and haven't played them since) when the Americans were $999, not sure how much they go for now but I'd assume it's much more.

 

[Oyeve]

It means that they are so popular because of just that...the name. I feel they aren't valuable at their pricepoint unless you get the American made versions.

Then again this is how I felt (and haven't played them since) when the Americans were $999, not sure how much they go for now but I'd assume it's much more.

American made has nothing to do with it. My best guitars are MIJ from the late 70s and very early 80s. Blows away most top line American guitars made today.

 

[Mixolydian]

im not a guitar player (i just can't) but if i was i would get one of these:

 

[lxskllr]

im not a guitar player (i just can't) but if i was i would get one of these:

I used to have the Epiphone variation of that in tobacco sunburst. Thick sound, and terrible to stand up and play. The neck has a love affair with the floor, and wants to be with it every second :^D

It was a nice guitar for what it was. I got it because I wanted something as far from Fender as I could get, and it did the trick; smelled nice too. It got stolen at some point, and I never replaced it.

 

[Mixolydian]

I used to have the Epiphone variation of that in tobacco sunburst. Thick sound, and terrible to stand up and play. The neck has a love affair with the floor, and wants to be with it every second :^D

It was a nice guitar for what it was. I got it because I wanted something as far from Fender as I could get, and it did the trick; smelled nice too. It got stolen at some point, and I never replaced it.

es-335 is my favorite sounding guitar.