View Full Version : First electric guitar for a 11 Y/O
My kid has been taking acoustic guitar classes for a few months now and has made quite a progress for a beginner. He has been buggin us for an electric guitar for quite some time and I think this could be a very cool Xmas gift for him. Now, for obvious reasons, we are not looking for a loud thing with huge amps and stuff. Perhaps something that he could use with Garage Band and/or headphones so he could practice without annoying his siblings (or myself). But we also want it to be as close as possible to the real thing, meaning real strings, life sized, output to an amp (future).
The only thing I could find that probably meets this criteria is a Behringer Metalien USB Guitar for under $200 sans amp (which is good). Anyone here has tried it? Maybe other brands?
Ideas welcome.
psmith2.0
2008-11-29, 21:48
I get Musicians Friend catalogs (I order from them every now and then), and their most recent issue has a section of "guitar gift-giving"...I'm wondering if their website has a similar type of section this time of year?
You have Squier and Epiphone (overseas branches of Fender and Gibson, respectively) offering nice instruments at lower prices, and then some other names I may not recognize as much. But Musicians Friend does have user ratings, so that might help?
EDIT: Ah, here you go, some things to look at. (http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/electric-guitar-value-packages?N=100001+306243+8) I keyed it to the $100-200 range, but those include amps, straps, various accessories, etc.. If you can track down the guitar by itself, without the package...
And here are guitars only, for less than $200. (http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/electric-guitars?N=100001+304275+8) Four pages worth, with user reviews/comments and star ratings. Maybe this will get you in the ballpark?
11 years old? Hmm... I remember seeing a Hannah Montana electric guitar at Walmart a week ago. :lol:
edit: It's on Amazon for $99! (http://www.amazon.com/Washburn-Hannah-Montana-Electric-Guitar/dp/B000WZL7RS/)
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/6d/9a/e0b653a09da0e0b0d5095110.L.jpg
My parents got me a Mexican Fender Strat when I was around that age - nice instrument - and a mini Marshal Stack (probably around $30-$50 for the latter). No idea what they go for now, but I'd go with what pscates said. I eventually forced them to get me a bigger amp :D .
He can plug any electric guitar into a Mac with a 1/4 inch to 1/8 adapter and use Garageband, and plug into an amp too. I wouldn't bother with a USB equipped guitar (if such a thing exists - I've never looked).
It would be a very cool gift indeed - you couldn't part me from mine that year!
Like scates said, check out Musicians Friend, or there's the Guitar Center (www.guitarcenter.com) website as well. Same prices as MF, but sometimes they have some different things going on.
Squires are good for beginners, but you get what you pay for with those. They're definitely not built for long term. I owned one awhile ago, my first guitar actually, and the wiring was shoddy among other things. Though, they have had some nice basses out that I saw but that's not what you're looking for.
Epiphones aren't bad. I have an Epiphone Les Paul SG. It's a nice guitar though I haven't played it in a long time. I'm thinking about using it as a project guitar and messing with the pickups.
Something I would personally recommend is checking out either Ultimate Guitar (www.ultimate-guitar.com) or Harmony Central (www.harmony-central.com) and check in their forums. I've bought things through those places before and you can get a real nice Fender Telecaster or Strat for around $250. I actually had my eye on a couple Strats that were on there right now. They are great sound guitars and he won't have to upgrade it ever frankly if he doesn't want too because it's not a "cheap" guitar.
All of this depends on your price range and how serious you think his guitar playing will be in the future. If you think it may tail off, then maybe a starter pack isn't a bad way to go, but if you think he's serious with this and going to be playing for awhile, I would go ahead and get him some decent equipment that will last him a long time.
Also, check on CraigsList. You can find some good buys on there and you can do local transactions as well.
psmith2.0
2008-11-29, 23:21
11 years old? Hmm... I remember seeing a Hannah Montana electric guitar at Walmart a week ago. :lol:
edit: It's on Amazon for $99! (http://www.amazon.com/Washburn-Hannah-Montana-Electric-Guitar/dp/B000WZL7RS/)
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/6d/9a/e0b653a09da0e0b0d5095110.L.jpg
Oh man, that's mine! :p
It's pretty much a Telecaster layout (the pickups, bridge and controls), on a funky body and 3+3 peghead. I'm sure it's a rocker!
:cool:
My parents got me a Mexican Fender Strat when I was around that age - nice instrument.
If you look around, you can get a good used American Strat for the price of a new Mexican Strat. I bought a one month old MIA Strat in March for $495 that was in perfect shape. I would go MIA over MIM if you can afford it.
Also, check on CraigsList. You can find some good buys on there and you can do local transactions as well.
If you do not play, be careful of CraigsList since you cannot tell if the frets are worn, or neck is warped, etc.
psmith2.0
2008-11-29, 23:43
The Mexican Fender stuff is really good. I'd buy one of those "50's classic" Esquires (http://www.thekingofstring.net/fenderesquire_files/100_1502.jpg) in a heartbeat! Yeah, it's no Hannahcaster, but it'll do...
;)
If you look around, you can get a good used American Strat for the price of a new Mexican Strat. I bought a one month old MIA Strat in March for $495 that was in perfect shape. I would go MIA over MIM if you can afford it.
Damn, The MIM stuff I typically look at is around $350-400 new. Still though, that's a solid deal on a MIA. I'm looking at a MIA Strat right now actually.
Thanks all, very good points, now I have a better idea on what to get for my son. I didn't know you could just plug an electric guitar to a Mac and start playing with Garage Band without a digital/analog adapter. So scratch the usb guitar thing, although they do indeed exist:
JamMate UG1 (http://www.usbband.com/UG1_jm400.htm)
Behringer iAxe629 (http://www.behringer.com/IAXE629-BKLS/)
Brad, I googled the guitar "brand" you mentioned, I didn't know you were a Disney channel fan! :p
Just a few minutes ago my kid showed me a video of an amazing couple of guitarists, Rodrigo and Gabriela (youtube that along diablo rojo), mentioning he wants to practice a lot in order to learn to play like them. And I am sure we should expect him to form a band with his buddies at school sometime soon.
So given all the dozens of offerings out there, what would be the better brand and style to look for in just the guitar for around $200? Fender? Ibanez? Squier? Epiphone? Well, too many brands and I am really not familiar with what to look for and the comparisons between them. I say no amp now, because I think I should invest in a good guitar now for that money, instead of a package with an amp that might soon get discarded.
All I could add here is that I think my son is really into his guitar lessons, he has a fantastic musical ear and I am sure he will enjoy playing for years to come.
I will be eagerly awaiting your comments.
The only electrics I have experience with are Fenders and Godins. I prefer the latter, but I'm not sure if they make guitars in the price range you're looking at.
I've been looking over guitars all night and I was checking out Squire because I know you were talking about them and it appears they have gotten better in the guitar department too, not just bass.
They still have the shitty $100, so stay away from those, but it looks like they have some decent ones for $250-300. I would definitely look into those. Especially the vintage series.
psmith2.0
2008-11-30, 11:32
This might seem weird, but I believe it factors in: what type of music does your kid like, and play (or want to play)? I ask because if he leans toward the rootsy, traditional side of things, he's not going to want something from the Ibanez/Jackson side of spectrum, with high output humbuckers, locking tremolo, funky body design, pointy, rhino-killing peghead, all black body/hardware, etc. (a "metal machine", in other words).
Keep it in the Tele/Strat/SG/Les Paul type of range...a traditional look and style that all the greats and legends have played and used for 3-5 decades.
Conversely, if he is a budding metal head or into folks like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert, he's not going to want some single-coil, wood grain Tele or Strat with its "plink-plink" sound and lack of dive-bombing tremolo system.
:)
I believe musical tastes (and, to a degree, appearances) factor in as well. If your kid is a big Stevie Ray/Eric Clapton or Phish fan, he's probably not going to want a jet black, Maltese cross-shaped guitar with a "blood splatter", burning skull or demon spider-web paint job.
:p
There's quite a difference (in sound, attitude, vibe, etc.) between:
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/0/5/5/272055.jpg
and
http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/3/2/9/421329.jpg
And I believe its worth factoring in. I worked at a guitar store from 1989 to 1993 and sold plenty of stuff, especially this time of year. But too many times I'd see the parents come in alone, not really knowing (or caring) much about this side of things. They just "want a cheap electric guitar", and then a while later the kid would come in for lessons or an adjustment and you could tell right away that the player and the guitar just didn't seem to match each other. The kid would be a Megadeth nut and have a sunburst Strat or whatever.
I realize at this point they're still learning and all, but comfort and looks do factor in, oddly enough. It's been my experience that owning a guitar that's somewhat like the one their heroes play (and used in the genre you like) goes a long way. I've always been a Telecaster guy myself (with a detour into Gretsch), just because that's the stuff I like (country, roots, rockabilly, Clarence White, Brian Setzer, James Burton, etc.), and if my parents had ever "surprised" me a neon green, pointy C.C. DeVille type of guitar, I would've been crushed.
:p
ironlung
2008-11-30, 14:21
Buy a Dean. Dean makes better 'strats' than the cheaper versions by Fender. Frontman 10G by Fender is a good starting amp.
Yontsey, we set $200 since it will be his first guitar and we don't want to over do it. But, if you think that going to $300 will mean a guitar that he won't outgrow (performance and build wise) in at least a couple of years, we can do that.
Paul, I am sure he is not into heavy metal stuff. He seems to like my Latin-Jazz music. This morning, I was listening to an old Eumir Deodato recording and he seemed to dig the rhythm and bass lines. And right now, he is trying to follow a song on his iPod, called "Reptilia - Room on fire". I hope this helps pointing me in the right direction on what style and brand would be better for him.
And I agree with you, we could probably make the mistake of getting him a guitar just on looks/price, while being totally wrong for his needs.
Paul, I am sure he is not into heavy metal stuff. He seems to like my Latin-Jazz music. This morning, I was listening to an old Eumir Deodato recording and he seemed to dig the rhythm and bass lines.
THEN GET HIM A BASS! I was 11 when I first picked up the bass.
THEN GET HIM A BASS! I was 11 when I first picked up the bass.
Oh god, don't condemn him to bass!!! The only worse fate is being a drummer!!! :D :lol: ;)
Actually, after years of piano and keyboards, I would like to learn to play bass... so I might eventually pick one for me :p
We took into consideration all of your comments here and made our selection. It's a nice Squier Vintage Modified Stratocaster (http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0301210574) for $299.
We really think he is going to enjoy it for a long time. I will post a pic here when it arrives later this week.
One last minute addition before Xmas here... wife and I keep scratching our heads while debating not having purchased an small amp to go along the guitar. Perhaps having him use the family computer for sound is not such a good idea after all.
So, I found the following at a local store: an open box -new- Fender Bullet 150 guitar amp. It has some effects built in - for $119. The other 3 units are pretty basic 10 watts Marshall MG10CD, Peavey Solo and Roland Cube - in the $79 - $99 range.
What we like about the Bullet 150 is that it has built-in digital effects - although not really sure if they are any good. The Roland Cube is really small and light weight. The Peavey Solo is the cheapest and the Marshall was being played by a random kid who - coincidentally - told us he will get it after Xmas (if enough funds from relatives under his tree).
What do you think? Any comments on the Bullet 150? or should we stick to the other basic units?
I looked up reviews for the Fender and the Marshall and the Marshall had much better reviews.
Head over to www.Harmony-Central.com and check out their reviews there for products. It's a great site that I frequent daily.
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