Electric guitar thoughts please

[hittman]

If a newbie player like myself wanted to add an electric guitar to the mix …. What do you recommend?

Remember, I’m LEFT handed so, selection of used stuff is slim to none.
There’s ONE dedicated music store in about 75 miles radius. Nothing in stock there.
And I really hate that cause I try hard to buy locally.
Most likely have to order something on line.
Here’s one that caught my eye but I admit to knowing very little about guitars.

https://www.fender.com/en-US/electr...player-telecaster-left-handed/0145222500.html
Like to stay under $1,000.00 ( I think ).

 

[Cholo]

About 20 years or so ago I bought a Fender Jazz Bass online that was made in Mexico. It was less than 1/2 the price of an American made Jazz. For how I used it it was fine. Back then the Mexico Fenders had a pretty good rep. for someone who doesn't play professionally.

I'd check them out, and check out their current reputation.

EDIT: I see your link is to a Mexico Telecaster.

 

[Lt Choate]

Was in a band back about 30 years ago and had a nice selection to choose from for different sounds but my favorite was an old '69 Fender Stratocaster.

 

[hittman]

My 2 friends who play professionally both said Strat or Tele.

 

[Taterman]

Check online sellers like Marketplace or Craigslist too. You can find some good deals, a lot of people just need the cash these days.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Strat or Telecaster, let the sound you desire guide you. The Mexican ones are GTG, don't get an Asian one.

 

[DerekR]

Hard to beat a Fender. I have a Tele. I'll never be without one.

 

[Watchman]

Learn to play in the mirror. You'll look right handed!

 

[Gopher]

Check online sellers like Marketplace or Craigslist too. You can find some good deals, a lot of people just need the cash these days.

Local chick threw her boyfriend out of the house and she sold all of his musical equipment. I missed an Epiphone SG for $50 and a bunch of other stuff by 15 minutes.

 

[hittman]

Learn to play in the mirror. You'll look right handed!

Honestly ….. it works great that my instructor is right handed. He says he’s taught many lefty’s and it’s never a problem for him or the student.

 

[hittman]

I’ve found a pretty nice Fender Super Champ X2 amp I may pick up.
They have a Fender Yale Reverb too but research so far leans toward the Super Champ.

 

[freakindawgen]

Few years back I think Guitar Center had this Epiphone '56 Les Paul Gold Top. Used for $200. Couldn't pass it up and I don't play. Looks brand new.

 

[rbmac52]

All of these are worth checking out:

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/gui...l58611000001000?rNtt=squier left hand&index=2
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...0s-telecaster-left-handed-butterscotch-blonde
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EILPTVNHL--epiphone-les-paul-special-left-handed
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...er-centerblock-doublecut-left-handed-gunmetal
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...sg-standard-left-handed-electric-guitar-ebony

 

[WendyZXZ]

My husband plays both accoustic and electric and has 1961 models of the Fender Telecaster and the Gibson SG. He loves both but the Telecaster is his favorite.

 

[hittman]

What’s he want for the Tele?

Figured I’d go ahead and post the LOL emoji ……. Most folks don’t turn loose of them.

 

[WendyZXZ]

What’s he want for the Tele?

Figured I’d go ahead and post the LOL emoji ……. Most folks don’t turn loose of them.

That is true. And with his they are 1961 vintage so they can be quite sought after. The SG has the early style PAF pickups that were used from the mid 50s until 62 or 63 when the manufacturing process was changed and those original pickups are prized.

 

[hittman]

Well, my chances of finding a vintage Tele in LEFT hand are slim to none anyway. We lefty’s are pretty used to limited selection though.

 

[caryc]

I never could figure out that lefty problem. I'm left handed but do everything like a right handed person does except hand writing. I guess I just learned as a child that it was a right handed world and I'd better go along with it. I have two guitars, both right hand. Hope you get what you need.

 

[Kevin]

I’m also left handed. It only is the selection limited, but when I can find something, it usually costs more too!

Good luck on your guitar search! At least you didn’t take up the concertina. Those are pretty difficult to find also. (Don’t play but did find one and had to buy it.)

 

[ole442]

I had this one for years. Gave it to my son. I'm a musician wanna be! It isn't ever going to happen. Ibanez IC350 in black with graphics I added!

 

[Prescut]

When selecting between several new amps, have a buddy plugin and turn the knobs with you facing the other direction. Your eyes should not count, only your ears.
Select the amp you picked in multiple blind listening tests. If you don't select the same amp each time, buy the cheap one; You can't hear the difference.

Prescut

 

[rupert]

Best to handle several different makes and models,I got a MIM strat and fell in love with it,then locally I found a epiphone les Paul at a price I couldn’t pass up,and fell in love with it,got a MIM tele and don’t like it,point is get what YOU like and what feels right to you

 

[Mega Twin]

A young man I knew that played right handed taught himself to play left handed so he could teach his left handed little brother to play.
If you haven't played before you could probably learn to play right handed pretty easily and have a larger selection of instruments to choose from.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Squires are fine for someone but a MIM is 1000% better than an Asian Squire.

 

[Teflon97116]

Do you know anyone who plays who can "test-drive" a potential purchase for you? I've bought/sold/traded 100+ guitars over the decades, mostly electric. My rotating collection of "keepers" has always hovered somewhere around 10-12.

You'll want someone knowledgeable in your corner who can spot damage, bad set-ups, quality control issues, inferior parts, etc.

The most frequent problem I found with low-end instruments was inferior tuning machines - often on brand new guitars! Especially those with a floating tremelo. Trying to learn to play on a guitar that won't stay in tune is like trying to learn math on a calculator that makes random mistakes. Show this to a guitar player, and they will know what I mean.

Way too much to fully explain here. Just suffice it to say you want a friend who knows guitars with you when you decide to buy.

 

[pogomo]

About 20 years or so ago I bought a Fender Jazz Bass online that was made in Mexico. It was less than 1/2 the price of an American made Jazz. For how I used it it was fine. Back then the Mexico Fenders had a pretty good rep. for someone who doesn't play professionally.

I'd check them out, and check out their current reputation.

EDIT: I see your link is to a Mexico Telecaster.

OK a question here. I was always a Gibson guy. Cut my teeth on an ES 335 cherry sunburst. How do you know this Fender is made in Mexico? Are all fenders made in Mexico. As a player how does the telecaster stack up to a stratocaster?

 

[pogomo]

About 20 years or so ago I bought a Fender Jazz Bass online that was made in Mexico. It was less than 1/2 the price of an American made Jazz. For how I used it it was fine. Back then the Mexico Fenders had a pretty good rep. for someone who doesn't play professionally.

I'd check them out, and check out their current reputation.

EDIT: I see your link is to a Mexico Telecaster.

Have you looked for an Ibanez? I had one 17 Years ago. It was a les Paul copy. I got the big head and sold it and bought a Gibson. I don't play much anymore at my age. I should have kept it. I also had a Gibson SG which I didn't really care for. I played thru a Fender super reverb. Bought it new in 1965. My brother still has it. He's 73 and still plays. He also buys and sells guitars as a hobby. More of a money pit I say.
Good luck

 

[Daryl Licht]

Being a southpaw does narrow things quite a bit. A big consideration that I haven't seen much on in this thread is what sound you are looking for. Do you want a brighter single coil sound or a more mellow humbucker sound? The Mexican Telecasters and Stratocasters are a good choice, I have both. But even between those two each has its own distinctive sound that you can almost always tell which it is just by listening. If you're more interested in a Les Paul type tone Epiphone would be a good place to look but I'm not sure what they offer for a lefty.

 

[Cholo]

How do you know this Fender is made in Mexico? Are all fenders made in Mexico.

Mine has Made in Mexico right under Fender on the headstock. Hittman's linked Telecaster has it written on the back of the headstock.

Fender makes guitars in the USA, Mexico, and some have said Asia.

 

[hittman]

OK a question here. I was always a Gibson guy. Cut my teeth on an ES 335 cherry sunburst. How do you know this Fender is made in Mexico? Are all fenders made in Mexico. As a player how does the telecaster stack up to a stratocaster?

Fender readily states where their guitars are made. Squire ( bottom end of the line ) in Indonesia, the middle range items in Mexico and the most expensive items in the USA. Fender now owns different brands like Gretsch.

I rely on 3 local sources as well as you folks. My 3 locals are my instructor, the music store owner ( who also plays ) and a friend who’s been playing professionally for 30 years or more. All 3 asked me many of the same questions and gave mostly the exact same advice.

I don’t know enough about this yet to determine which electric is best for me. I didn’t know the difference between Strat and Tele and Gibson 335 and on and on. I want to learn the CORRECT way to play. I’ll practice or learn any genre if it allows me to progress and build the skills. Once I’ve become more skilled and confident then I can move on to the genre ( blues and jazz ) I like the most.

All 3 of my locals suggested Strat or Tele and then after quizzing me on which genre I like …. suggested Tele.