Decent starter guitar?

The perfect gift for any beginner who wants to look and play like a total cunt.

ESTEBAN!!!

Wow, I can't believe no one mentioned the Squier 51. The best looking/playing guitar in the budget range I've seen in a long time. Nice tele-ish neck, and versatile pickup compliment. Also check out http://www.rondomusic.net. Not sure how shipping is to the UK, but Essex/Agile guitars are super bang-for-buck deals. The Yamaha Pacificas are also super quality.

As far as practice amps go, I love my Tech21 Trademark 10. It's maybe a little more money than you want to spend (around $250 here). If you're dead set on a lower budget, the Vox Pathfinder and Orange Crush series are decent.

Hey-look it is not the guitar I would buy at all-the guy said he wanted to play metal and if you look across the board at budget models there are only two packages which are going to be geared more for heavy metal-this one and the DEAN---both the amps have a higher gain and crunch ratio and both these models have pick ups which will produce more gain....by the way that is the Kerry King model...you know--the guy from SLAYER....I guess he is total cunt and knows nothing about metal aye....

Oof...I dunno...I think Squires are great. I really do. A student-quality instrument at a good rpice....but the '51 is grotesque. It looks like a Tele fucked a Strat...and ended up with an extra Tele chromosome.

Hey I'm just say ing that it's maybe a bit 'look at me' for a begginer ? and I dont think kerry plays that exact model... I could be wrong but I doubt it.






[Edited on Dec 11, 2005 by TheNonStopDancer]

[Edited on Dec 11, 2005 by coldenginelogic]

As others have mentioned, getting something used might work out pretty well. When I got my first electric after playing an acoustic for a few years I was just kind of looking around halfassedly. Then one time I saw one that I really liked, looked in pretty good condition, etc. I don't remember exactly what I paid for the amp and guitar, maybe $120 for the amp (Marshall G30RCD) and $80 for the guitar (Epiphone Special II), both used. I'm usually really cheap and anally nitpick purchases over $40, but for some reason felt like getting these right away when I saw them. I think they worked pretty well for the price.


(edited to include amp make and model)

[Edited on Dec 11, 2005 by crackedhead]

More often than not...beginners want a guitar that they think looks cool.

You are correct on one thing though, Kerry King plays a modified Flying V...not a Warlock

You're probably right. I wonder how many of those guitars are rocking out three blind mice as we speak.

click the link above -he plays a Flying V body style as made by BC RICH

Try avoid the real cheap shit. Ideal is Squire, Epiphone or the BC Rich guitar/amp combos.
My first guitar was a squire. I've still got it only I stripped it down, re-wired it and modified the body& frets. Now it sounds as warm as a les paul with a full bodied tone. No one knows the difference.

His pickups are upgraded EMG's though and probably cost more than the guitar package itself. The ones on that guitar are just standard EMG's. I'd assume he has a few other tweaks on the models he actually plays. Stuff that sounds too good to be true usually is unfortunately.

None of those package deals are gonna be the real thing. One of the guys I jam with has one & for a first guitar it's pretty good except for the appearence.
The guitar is lower quality which includes materials, structure & components.
Kerry uses EMG81's just like everyone else in the metal world. I've got one in one of my guitars & they fuckin' kick ass only they cost bout AU$286. The pickups in the copy aren't even EMG's they're just whatever BC Rich use.
That's the whole idea of making an affordable copy for the beginner or slayer fan.

[Edited on Dec 12, 2005 by swanny]

I did click the link. He plays a modified Flying V body...not the Warlock body in the picture. I thought what I posted was fairly clear.

Your right the EMG Ez's are actualy on the nj signature. My mistake. But goes to show that your still not up to spec with kerry's at $1000.

True enough...but the whole point of this thread was about budget packages with an amp...for someone wanting to play music in a metal vein...which is why I posted it in the first place...his budget is small....I was just trying to present a cheap, but fairly well built alternative for a starter "metal" guitar....my choice was also based on the included amp since it included a higher gain and crunch ratio effects wise...

I don't know how Canadian prices compare to English prices, but I suspect that anything by Fender or Gibons (even their cheap foreign subsidiaries) may be a little out of your price range. Maybe something by Yamaha (actually, is Westone still around?) There are some low end Ibanez's maybe in that range but I've heard nothing good about them.

My first electric was a Profile. The action was a little high but otherwise I found it quite serviceable until I bought something a little nicer some years later.

But the reason most people buy really cheap guitars is because they aren't sure they will take to it. You, on the other hand, say that you've already played an acoustic, so you probably won't give it up. Why not shell out for something a little better, even if you have to get it on credit. If you end up playing it for a while, it will be worth it.

Actually, you're both right. He plays a Flying V at the moment, but his signature used to be the Warlock.

That being said, who wants to play guitar like Kerry King? I mean, I love Slayer as much as the next guy, but Kerry King is really run 'o the mill, as far as metal guitarists go.