| Best beginner electric guitar | | | | A long time ago I had a Morris Stratocaster, the body |
| Is there really a "best beginner electric guitar"?. There | | | | was made of plywood. |
| are a lot of guitars on the market being promoted as | | | | I only found this out when I went mad and stripped the |
| beginner guitars, many of which are just an excuse for | | | | beautiful sunburst paint off. |
| poor quality. | | | | The reason I pay attention to which kind of wood is |
| Seeing as I like to focus on the positive, I'm not going to | | | | used on the guitar, is because the sound of the guitar |
| start giving names of bad guitars, but rather, let's look | | | | is very much a result of the kind of wood used. |
| at some well known makes with a good reputation. | | | | The second thing I look at, is which pickups are used |
| For starters, how about some of the guitars I currently | | | | (Pickups are what convert the sound of the guitar into |
| own, and am very fond of. | | | | an electrical signal, so that an amplifier can be used). |
| I have an Ibanez SA series guitar that sounds great | | | | On most guitars in the cheaper range (notice I said |
| and plays very well, a Phil guitar (a less known brand | | | | cheaper, and not cheap), the pickups will be standard |
| name), a Fender Stratocaster, and a Marathone copy | | | | company manufacture. |
| of a Paul Reed Smith. | | | | Some companies, like Ibanez, have realised the |
| Previous electric guitars I have owned that were also | | | | importance of name brands, so they will say |
| decent quality instruments where a Washburn Chicago | | | | something like "Duncan designed" or "DiMarzio |
| series, a Yamaha, an Epiphone Les Paul, and some | | | | designed" etc. This is generally a good thing, but not |
| others that don't suit the purpose of this discussion. | | | | that important. |
| My criteria for choosing an electric guitar | | | | The reason I say "Not that important" is because the |
| The first thing I look for in a guitar, be it an electric | | | | most easily customizable feature of an electric guitar is |
| guitar or an acoustic guitar, is a decent quality wood. | | | | the pickups. Let me just add as well that buying new |
| Mahogany, maple and alder are my three main choices | | | | pickups doesn't have to be an expensive operation |
| for good quality tone in an electric guitar, but Ash can | | | | either, and is mostly unnecessary if you choose the |
| also give a good sound. I have also heard that Korina | | | | right guitar. |
| is an excellent choice, but hard to come by. | | | | The tone comes from the wood, then the pickups |
| Most guitar necks are made out of Rock or Canadian | | | | interpret it. |
| maple. Now I know, when one looks at an electric | | | | What you need then is good quality wood and good |
| guitar, the body is usually painted, so it's not so easy to | | | | quality construction. |
| tell which wood they've used. | | | | That's why I have mostly cheaper guitars. I have a |
| This is why I would either go for a popular trusted | | | | hard time buying the hype and a good time playing the |
| brand, or buy a guitar with a natural finish. | | | | guitar. |