Buying an electric guitar

anupmathur · 16th February 2009, 12:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torqy

Thats why i mentioned he still needs to play MUSIC.

Electrics with those easy to play fretboard and sensitive pickups can make guitar playing easier compared to an acoustic.

Torqy, I fully agree that FIRST it has to be musical, otherwise, electric or acoustic, it will sound painful!

The difference between the two is small. You can find good acoustic guitars with slim necks and lovely frets.
If a guitar is going out of tune too often, the problem is usually that it is warping! This will also make it much tougher to play, as the distance between the strings and the fretboard increases.
Good guitars always have a steel truss rod inside their necks. Often this is also user adjustable from a little 'door' that needs to be opened. Mild warping can be corrected.
There is no substitute for good strings. Bad strings might keep on getting elongated and the guitar goes out of tune!

BTW, one of the first things to learn is the tuning. Get pitch pipes to help you in the beginning. Soon, you'll not need them.
It is most frustrating if you cannot tune your own guitar!

All the best!
Remember, it is finally you and you alone who decides whether you learn or not. Schools and teachers are very secondary.

penpavan · 16th February 2009, 17:49

I bought one from Bajaao, Kramer Focus 211.

It is a good one - in the budget range.
Sounds good too!

The service of Bajaao is good.

pranavt · 16th February 2009, 18:38

Yup, know one of the guys who runs bajaao.com apart from his own shop. Lovely guy and truly an enthusiast/hobbyist rather than a pure businessman.

jassi · 16th February 2009, 18:49

Also another point I forgot to mention in my original post is that I had a torn ligaments in both my wrists a 9 years ago. They were partially torn and couldn't be operated (as not complete torn) and it took me years to get back and getting used to writing, typing and then gymming without pain. Quite contrary to these simple movements, playing a guitar involves a lot more complicated movements and so my wrists never get used to it and after a few days my wrists start paining and I get less and less motivated.

I was told by a few people (and atleast one instructor) that in an electric, although the movements remain the same, the strength needed to play is much lesser (due to lighter strings and easier action or something on those lines). Once i get used to the movements, I can graduate to occasional acoustic to develop strength

anupmathur · 16th February 2009, 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by jassi

I was told by a few people (and atleast one instructor) that in an electric, although the movements remain the same, the strength needed to play is much lesser (due to lighter strings and easier action or something on those lines).

Jassi, that is not wholly true. You better check out your guitar before buying, to ensure it meets the comfort level you are looking for. A bad electric can be worse than a good acoustic! It depends on how well the piece has been made.
The more important thing to make initial learning easier is to tune the guitar a bit on the low side, and not to band pitch. This will keep the tension in the strings low so that they don't need much force to push against the fret.
Cheers!

jassi · 16th February 2009, 20:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Jassi, that is not wholly true. You better check out your guitar before buying, to ensure it meets the comfort level you are looking for. A bad electric can be worse than a good acoustic! It depends on how well the piece has been made.
The more important thing to make initial learning easier is to tune the guitar a bit on the low side, and not to band pitch. This will keep the tension in the strings low so that they don't need much force to push against the fret.
Cheers!

got your point - I think my acoustic is bad then, given that this point was not considered when buying it. Will try and ensure I don't do that when buying the new one (will keep it electric as I am interested in one

) However given that I am a newbie, what do i need to do at the store to ensure that it is comfortable for me. it would be great if you could explain in non-technical terms - its easy to get overwhelmed at the guitar store with all the sales talk (this happened last time i bought the giVson acoustic). I am good at gadgets and cars, but not yet good at buying guitars, so knowing questions I need to ask and things I need to try (without looking like a complete newbie) will be good

anupmathur · 16th February 2009, 20:39

Jassi, if you're buying an electric, then one big problem of the sound quality is saved! In this case the quality will depend entirely on the pickups!
Look for a slender neck and the strings should be very close to the frets so that they don't need to be pushed down much to press against the frets.
A truss rod which is adjustable and preferably a bridge which is height adjustable.

Check that good quality and sturdy machine heads have been used.
Number of pickups and their placement matters. Spread out pickups will allow more range of pitch, though these are things that the guitar amp can also adjust to some extent.

Check the placement of the tremolo lever and the volume control knobs that they do not sit in a position likely to be hit with hard strumming!

Heck, it's best to take along a friend who plays, to help you select!

Cheers!

jassi · 16th February 2009, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Heck, it's best to take along a friend who plays, to help you select!

Cheers!

thanks for the excellent advice !! I am going to use this Anatomy of a Guitar to decipher all that you said

but I am glad you did, now I am going to be more comfortable with some research!!

I knew the friend part was coming - but I dunno any guitar players in bangy, so its just me

anupmathur · 16th February 2009, 21:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by jassi

- but I dunno any guitar players in bangy, so its just me

Jassi, Bangalore used to be THE hub of bands in India! Some of the best came from there in the seventies and eighties!
Where have all the guitarists gone?

jassi · 16th February 2009, 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Jassi, Bangalore used to be THE hub of bands in India! Some of the best came from there in the seventies and eighties!
Where have all the guitarists gone?

haha i wasn't born till 1980 and then came to bangy only 4 years back - so i guess either they all left to some other music friendly state or they all joined the bpo/ITeS companies as VPs, given that they are all way older than me to have bands in the 1970s

Torqy · 16th February 2009, 21:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Jassi, Bangalore used to be THE hub of bands in India! Some of the best came from there in the seventies and eighties!
Where have all the guitarists gone?

We changed it from THE HUB to THE PUB.

pranavt · 16th February 2009, 23:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Quote:

Originally Posted by jassi

I was told by a few people (and atleast one instructor) that in an electric, although the movements remain the same, the strength needed to play is much lesser (due to lighter strings and easier action or something on those lines). Once i get used to the movements, I can graduate to occasional acoustic to develop strength

Jassi, that is not wholly true. You better check out your guitar before buying, to ensure it meets the comfort level you are looking for. A bad electric can be worse than a good acoustic! It depends on how well the piece has been made.
The more important thing to make initial learning easier is to tune the guitar a bit on the low side, and not to band pitch. This will keep the tension in the strings low so that they don't need much force to push against the fret.
Cheers!

Umm it is true. With acoustic guitars, the action is much more, so you have to press down a lot harder than with an electric guitar. Those calluses, bleeding fingers and paining wrists are a turn-off for so many newbies.

penpavan · 17th February 2009, 09:08

To learn first up - nothing is better than Acoustic.

Acoustic frets will be usually hard to play. However, you can find smooth ones too. Try finding the F cuts. But dont bother if it is hard. It is good to learn. Your movements will be precise.

It is like this - learning car using a Willy's jeep Vs using a Merc.
Learn from the tough one. Easier ones will be butter.

And with precise movements and tough chords on acoustic, anything else will only sound better!

anupmathur · 17th February 2009, 09:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by penpavan

And with precise movements and tough chords on acoustic,

Err... are the movements and chords different on an electric?

alpha1 · 17th February 2009, 11:45

^ Nah.
I guess what he means is that due to low action on electric guitar, and usually lesser gauge strings - it is pretty easy to play chords, and so it the string bending and the vibratos.

And ofcourse, since the electric guitar is amplified, you dont have to use your stumming hand to really make huge efforts to sound loud.

but then, nothing beats the tone of a sweet sounding acoustic like Takamine ... heaven!

16th February 2009, 17:49	#62
penpavan BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Blore Posts: 452 Thanked: 234 Times	I bought one from Bajaao, Kramer Focus 211. It is a good one - in the budget range. Sounds good too! The service of Bajaao is good.
	() Thanks

16th February 2009, 18:38	#63
pranavt BANNED Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,704 Thanked: 853 Times View My Garage	Yup, know one of the guys who runs bajaao.com apart from his own shop. Lovely guy and truly an enthusiast/hobbyist rather than a pure businessman.
	() Thanks

16th February 2009, 18:49	#64
jassi BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 980 Thanked: 12 Times View My Garage	Also another point I forgot to mention in my original post is that I had a torn ligaments in both my wrists a 9 years ago. They were partially torn and couldn't be operated (as not complete torn) and it took me years to get back and getting used to writing, typing and then gymming without pain. Quite contrary to these simple movements, playing a guitar involves a lot more complicated movements and so my wrists never get used to it and after a few days my wrists start paining and I get less and less motivated. I was told by a few people (and atleast one instructor) that in an electric, although the movements remain the same, the strength needed to play is much lesser (due to lighter strings and easier action or something on those lines). Once i get used to the movements, I can graduate to occasional acoustic to develop strength
	() Thanks

16th February 2009, 20:39	#67
anupmathur Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 3,095 Thanked: 311 Times	Jassi, if you're buying an electric, then one big problem of the sound quality is saved! In this case the quality will depend entirely on the pickups! Look for a slender neck and the strings should be very close to the frets so that they don't need to be pushed down much to press against the frets. A truss rod which is adjustable and preferably a bridge which is height adjustable. Check that good quality and sturdy machine heads have been used. Number of pickups and their placement matters. Spread out pickups will allow more range of pitch, though these are things that the guitar amp can also adjust to some extent. Check the placement of the tremolo lever and the volume control knobs that they do not sit in a position likely to be hit with hard strumming! Heck, it's best to take along a friend who plays, to help you select! Cheers!
	() Thanks

17th February 2009, 09:08	#73
penpavan BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Blore Posts: 452 Thanked: 234 Times	To learn first up - nothing is better than Acoustic. Acoustic frets will be usually hard to play. However, you can find smooth ones too. Try finding the F cuts. But dont bother if it is hard. It is good to learn. Your movements will be precise. It is like this - learning car using a Willy's jeep Vs using a Merc. Learn from the tough one. Easier ones will be butter. And with precise movements and tough chords on acoustic, anything else will only sound better!
	() Thanks

17th February 2009, 11:45	#75
alpha1 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: LandOfNoWinters Posts: 2,184 Thanked: 3,013 Times	^ Nah. I guess what he means is that due to low action on electric guitar, and usually lesser gauge strings - it is pretty easy to play chords, and so it the string bending and the vibratos. And ofcourse, since the electric guitar is amplified, you dont have to use your stumming hand to really make huge efforts to sound loud. but then, nothing beats the tone of a sweet sounding acoustic like Takamine ... heaven!
	() Thanks