Electric guitar thoughts please

[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.

 

[hittman]

I think there’s a joke that goes around about “whats the difference between a Fender made in Mexico and one made in the USA” …. The answer is about 100 miles and $500.00.

I think USA plant is Fullerton CA and Mexican plant is across the border in Baja.

The Fender “Player Series” I’m looking at is I think the most expensive one made in Mexico. It’s $850.

I keep saying “I think” a lot ‘cause I’m a long long ways from being an expert on these. Never dreamed there was so much to learn

 

[Cholo]

I recently watched a video about the sounds a Stratocaster, Telecaster and Les Paul made. Same player, same riffs, same amp, yet there are a gadzillion different combos that can make a difference.

For instance: I still like the overplayed song Sweet Home Alabama. Ed King played it on a Strat. When he quit the band Gary Rossington played what Ed wrote on a Les Paul. It just didn't sound right, at all.

The difference was the sound.

 

[RC44Mag]

I wonder if you heard the Rossington version for years first then Kings version later on what you would think? I’m guessing Gary’s would be your pick. I know with me the original is always better just because thats what I’m used to. By the way, two absolutely fantastic musicians, I never did get to see Ed play but did get to see Gary twice. Man he could really play slide. RIP both

 

[Cholo]

I believe I would have said: You shoulda played it on a Strat LOL

 

[RC44Mag]

Fair enough

 

[rbmac52]

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.

In late 2002, Gretsch and the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation reached an agreement giving Fender control over marketing, production, and distribution of guitars, with the Gretsch family retaining ownership of the company.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Hendrix rarely played Gibson and when he did, it was usually a full custom Flying V near the end of his life.

Jimmy Page rarely played anything but a Les Paul ... until late in Led Zeppelin's run when often played half the show with a Stratocaster.

Billy Gibbons is famous for playing one-offs.

We are not them.

 

[Mega Twin]

One of the most under ratted guitars are the USA made peavey.
I played professionally for 25 years and they never let me down and were a lot less expensive than fender and gibson.