Buy It Once

As a musician who has bought thousands and thousands of dollars worth of junk, I can tell you that it's not worth it. If I had it to do over again, I would have saved my money and bought good instruments from the beginning. You may think I'm crazy to suggest that you buy a professional level instrument at this point, but if you think about it you could probably pay it off in a summer by mowing lawns or filling cones at the ice cream stand.

Really great instruments seem out of reach way up on the rack at the guitar store, with their sparkling hardware and price tag to match. But why must they be inaccessible to you?

If you're serious about music, consider adopting the "buy it once" philosophy. This is how it works: find out what instrument you want to play, whether it's guitar, bass or drums (or other), and start shopping as soon as you feel confident in your playing. Until that time, resist the urge to buy your very own spanking new hunk of junk and keep on suffering through the months of renting a less-than-perfect instrument from the place where you take lessons. Or if you're a drummer, buy the key pieces first, resisting the urge to have a 15 piece set of garbage cans.

For guitarists/bassists: rent and save. And save. And save. Then when you can buy your dream instrument (most costing $700 to $1500), BUY IT!!

For drummers: all you need is a snare, hat, kick drum and a couple of cymbals. If you're a beginner, snare fundamentals are key anyway, so why not get your chops on a scaled down version of the real thing? I recommend Tama drums. I'm only an amateur drummer myself, but all the drummers I know swear by them. Go for the high-end models. Every manufacturer offers cheap stuff and professional stuff (or at least so-called professional). Settle for nothing less than the best. I'm dead serious.

Everybody wants to be a rock star, and guitar stores love to sell you "Squier Strat Packs" and "Squier Bass Packs" selling you on the idea that you can pick up box today for $150 and pretend you are stepping out on stage in front of 50, 000 screaming fans.

You're not.

In reality, you're wasting your time and money chasing a dream. You have bit the bait and started down the road of buying and buying and buying and buying until one day, when you're 20 and sick and tired of all the problems with your cheap gear, you finally step up and buy a real instrument. Over time you will discover that you have spent $5 or $6 grand anyway chasing this rockstar fantasy, and your guitar store is laughing it's greedy head off (and why shouldn't they, you've fallen for it.)

So instead of spending multi thousands of dollars as you evolve as a musician, pay the price up front. Wait until you know what you like and what your goals are, then start saving until you can actually buy the real instruments, exactly like your favorite rock stars play. Don't settle for less. Plenty of instruments look like the real thing, but play like sh*t, and sound even worse.

Buy it once.

Comments

[folk_rocknroll]

Great Article!!! Anyone that reads this better really listen to this. I actually teach guitar lessons so I deal with a lot of those new garbage insturments people get and ITS NOT WORTH IT at least get a fender NOT A SQUIRE strat that is the minimum, try workin for a gibson sg or something of some above calibur tho.

GREAT ARTICLE its about time someone said something about this

[ctb]

Great article

[Emrgncyguy7]

this is a good article but what if you end up buying a really nice guitar and amp or whatever and then as you start playing, you find out that guitar is just not for you or you just dont enjoy it as much as you thought you would.

then you are just sh*t out of luck and sh*it out of money

[TheI7ark]

The problem with that is... When you're first starting out you don't know exactly what you want... You have to be experienced to know what you like, so why would you want a noob to buy a 2000 dollar Les Paul only to find out that he really wanted a JEM. Bad article.

[SingingSabre]

He's saying that's why you rent an instrument until you know what you want....

[TheI7ark]

Heh... Guess I shouldn't skim articles then eh?

[joerick]

i do think that it is easy for a professional musician to look back and say 'i should have done this' but for most people on this site guitar may just be a small hobby or a phase they are going through. I dont know whether i will be playing guitar much a year from now.

plus i just wouldnt like the idea of having a $1000 guitar in my hands... scary....

[LeoKhenir]

I'm probably on thin ice here, as I am a music store employee... But many beginner's are kids, often 10-12 years old - thus they CANNOT take jobs - Their parents decide what to buy, and parents tend to think "Hum, if we buy something expensive for him/her and he/she doesn't want to play it later, then we wasted a lot of money. Better buy cheap now, and upgrade later".

That's how most new players start off. That's how I started off - with this cheap PhilPro strat-replica - but I've found my dreampiece - The B.C. Rich Mockingbird... And it didn't cost me shitload of money. And my first wasn't crap. I could write an entire article about my guitars. I won't.

[thejester]

this is an incredible article. i did the same thing. i have been playing for two years and i am o.k. im not mr. shredder or soulful like stevie but i play a lot and love it. i have spent countless dollars on crappy-ass guitars. finally i just saved up enough money and bought my srv signature strat. it is way ahead of my playing ability but hell it makes me happy and it sounds great also i just bought a 65 deluxe reverb which is once again ahead of my level but hey its like clothes...you will grow into them, and if you do sell them you will get a good resale price unlike trying to sell a strat squier

[zsmith]

nice article...if only this would have been written way back when my parents bought me my first guitar, so it would have been more than just me saying "ya know...if we buy that nice one, we won't have to buy a nicer one down the road"

[slash_is_gr8st]

good article.
but one of my guitars is a epi. les paul standard, and it plays very well.

[KENZI]

nice article.
guess i should really start working and buy my dream guitar.

[Unseen_hero]

you don't need a slash les paul to be a good guitarist.

[BarryMcBatt]

Well written, but..

As a few people have already said, what's the point of renting/buying an expensive guitar when the person has no idea what the difference between a Les Paul and an Explorer is.

My first guitar was a very poorly built copy of a Yamaha Pacifica, which I bought when I was more into 'Nu-Metal' (not really a 'Nu-Metal' guitar but anyways..). Then my musical taste changed to 'Rock' (very general) so I saved up and bought a cheap Epiphone Les Paul. Then I discovered Metallica etc, and borrowed £300 of the drummer of my band to buy an ESP LTD EX-102.

I still play my Les Paul a lot as it has a very different sound to my Explorer, if I hadn't bought those two guitars I wouldn't be able to create different sounds!

Simple As!

[BarryMcBatt]

Also, if you can learn to play well with a poor guitar, when you upgrade you'll notice that with your new purchase you sonud better than you were with your old guitar.

This is true with most things... in football/soccer if you learn to play with a tennis ball first, when you move on to the real thing you'll find you'll have more control.

[BarryMcBatt]

Another thing, loads of rich kids at my school got their parents to buy them expensive guitars. When I talked to them a few weeks later about having a jam they said they gave up because it was too tiring/boring/tricky etc. So what's the point of buying an expensive guitar if you don't know whether you'll stick with it?

[The Oceanborn]

hmm, probably none of us here is ever going to play for 50,000 people and if you would be at that point you would need to buy professional equipment anyway
and saving and saving and again saving, doesn't help your guitar dreams at all, what do you need a guitar that you can only afford in five years
not buying squiers, sure, that's just stating the obvious
2 stars

[Ramco]

This is a bad article. While all of the snobs here think it's the greatest article ever it is in reality going to make guitar stores more money and make many beginners lose cash they could use for other things. I personally like Squiers - would I use them for playing live or recording? No, but I'm glad I started out on one. Paying $150 for a Squier cost a hell of a lot less than renting, and it helped me learn things about guitar that I would've been afraid to learn with an expensive one. This article also goes under the (stupid) assumption that if a guitar is less than $1000 then it's crap.

Bottom line: Your guitar should always match your playing ability and wallet size, and nobody should get down on you for either. I don't own a $1500 Les Paul and Marshall JCM800 reissue because frankly I can't afford it. I do, however, play a Fender Toronado and Line 6 Spider (yes, I know, cheapo "crap" gear), and the fact that they're not top of the line makes me better, as I need to learn how to be great with cheaper gear. Paying thousands will not make you a better guitarist (or article writer).

The most important thing I've learned about the guitar in my years of playing is where tone comes from. You can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on exact replicas of Slash's or Clapton's gear and you won't sound like him. Tone is in your fingers. That's how really good salesmen can sell cheap Squiers to kids - because those guys in the music store know how to make good tone with only their fingers and, as you call it, a piece of crap.

[Aioua]

^seconded

Good tone is in your fingers. I started on an $80 squier bullet. Its actually a realistic price. Of course, now I play an Alexander Eagle, but that squier in no way held me back, and the $80 was well spent for a playable guitar.

[Danno13]

I loved the article, man, but I can't support renting. How's a kid gonna know what to try? HE'S NOT. He's gonna rent the the fender strat (or Gibson LP), fall in love with it, and then beg mommy for the Squier (or Epi Special 2), thinking that shape makes quality, and besides, it's "backed by Fender!" (or Gibson). My opinion is that kids should get a crap guitar, THEN save up. Don't be collectors, just have two-a beginner and a badass. And no, Mom reading this at home, a nylon-string acoustic IS NOT A GOOD BEGINNER GUITAR. LITTLE JOHNNY NEEDS STEEL STRINGS OR HE WILL QUIT.

[frigginjerk]

i don't agree. i understand that a 150 dollar squier bullet won't cut the mustard in a real concert situation, but neither of my guitars (epi LP and an epi SG) cost more than 500 US, and they are as sturdy as i could ask. you're completely disregarding brands that are both well-made AND affordable as well. Gibson and Fender are NOT the only companies that make guitars.

but yeah, it's almost a rite of passage for every beginner to start on a crappy beat-up, used, abused, broken guitar. i'm of the mind that if you can't make a horrid guitar sound decent, you'll never make a great guitar sound great.

and the obvious point, as was made, is that not every 10 or 12-year-old kid who wants to start playing guitar has parents who can afford to drop 700 bucks on a nice guitar for their bratty little kid who'll probably quit when his fingers start to hurt, nor do most 12-year-old kids have jobs.

i don't think your ability as a musician can be measured by how much money you spend on your gear, or how much gear you've owned in your life. i think a person should get what they can afford, but learn to work with what they have at the moment.

[mcmanigle]

this is a good article because it actually solves something that happens to a lot of people. I have already fallen into this trap so what you're saying is stating the obvious to me, but if somebody had said this to me when i was 16 it would have been real nice.

[DeadlySIN]

wish i read that 6 years ago, cus its so true. i must have spent thousands on gear.. SG's, explorers, strats, warlocks.. and ive sold every last one of them, all i have now is one ibanez and it suits me just fine.

[Blood_Covered]

this article sucked

[Bubonic Chronic]

Alot of opinions from both sides. That's cool. I have to respond to this, though:

"I'm probably on thin ice here, as I am a music store employee... But many beginner's are kids, often 10-12 years old - thus they CANNOT take jobs - Their parents decide what to buy, and parents tend to think "Hum, if we buy something expensive for him/her and he/she doesn't want to play it later, then we wasted a lot of money. Better buy cheap now, and upgrade later"."

I delivered papers at age 10. I made several thousand dollars every year (not bad for a little guy.)

My stereo system cost me about $600. I bought the right thing up front, and my dad FORCED me to. He said, "don't buy this junk you're looking at now, wait, and save."

I did. Now that I bought my stereo (my current stereo, still very very good at age 26) I have never needed another.

I also bought a nice instrument right away. Granted, my dad lent me the money, but about a year and a half into playing, when I knew I was into rock/metal, I bought a high end Yamaha Pacifica.

Not the best guitar in the world, but I LOVE the feel of it. Still.

I'm not saying everyone should spend $4000 on a guitar. My Yamaha was $550, but in 1990, that was a decent axe.

Later I bought more instruments, but never have I replaced my Yamaha. It's still great. Stereo still works.

I have replaced piece of shit amps, though. I have bought and bought and bought and bought them.

Bad idea. That was very stupid of me.

[blueeleguitar]

Bottom line: Your guitar should always match your playing ability and wallet size, and nobody should get down on you for either

right on, some of us dont have much money to save,

[thedankle]

yeah sure this is a good philosophy. but what if your left-handed like me. it sucks because all the really nice guitars can cost twice as much. theres also a limited selection of guitars to choose from, and once you finally order your guitar it takes a couple months to get. I just ordered a new guitar and I've been waiting 3 months

[lespaulsg09]

this is a well written article. But I don't agree with the whole renting thing. I juse got my first electric (Epi Sg Special) for my birthday, dished out $230 for the Sg starter pack. I had an acoustic as my first and it was terrible. You can buy the worst guitar thats out there and learn to be great on it, then when you can afford a better guitar you will sound even better on it. Like this kid at my school has a gibson LP custom and all he does his brag about his awesome guitar. We jam one day, yes his had a better sound than mine..but who was the better player. Start out with a bad guitar and work your way up. When I get a job I'll be even better than I am now and then I can afford better guitars. Its not the quality if the guitar, its the ability of the player. So renting a guitar will come out more expensive then just buying a bad one.

[Munje]

Good article. I regret buying my shitty roland amp and squier strat. Now i'm saving money for an epiphone les paul and a marshall like an idiot, when i could have just bought that at the start and been much more confident in my playing.

[Bubonic Chronic]

"yeah sure this is a good philosophy. but what if your left-handed like me."

Well, Hendrix strung his up backwards.

[hoobariffer87]

Spent $350 on my Fender Strat and never regretted it. I've played the Americans, and they're great. Better than the Mexican, but not by $700. And Squiers are getting better. I played a friend's Squier Strat (because I didn't have mine with me) and you know what? I played my first gig with it. Sure, it had custom pick-ups and stuff, but it played very well for something that cost around $200. My point is that not ALL inexpensive guitars are crap. Most are, but I've found that the high-end Epiphones and Squiers are pretty good. I'm considering buying the Squier Custom Tele as my secondary guitar. And don't give me any "n00b thinkz he knws evrything" crap. I've been playing for over five years. I don't claim to know everything, but I know quality from crap.

[BrianApocalypse]

nice. When I go off to university I am getting a kickass amp.

[thagovna10]

some people have other obligations in their lives other than playing the guitar. they can't invest all their money in a $1500 guitar. and even if they did they still need an amp, and i am of the opinion that the amp is more important than the guitar anyway. of course we'd all like to own the nicest gear, but you don't need it, and buying beyond your means is never wise. also, as stated before, this article is written under the assumption that you can't find a decent guitar for under $1000. i just found a kickass Ibanez for $300.

[Nelsean]

good thing i got a epi les classic amp sux though should of bought a better 1

[joyful womble]

yeah, i got it right, my first guitar was a custom 24 and my first amp was a dumble.

[lindex]

Good article, I would just like to add one point.
If your local music store (or fav. music store) get pissy about you wanting to play test (a lot) before you buy then they don't desearve your business.
If I'm going to throw down months of saving money (money + effort to save money = worth more) on an instrument I want to make damn sure it is what I want and the only way to do that is to play test the crap out of stuff.

[Bulletbass man]

i disagree i think it is good to buy a cheap guitar to practice then buy something very expensive. An epiphone lespaul junior is less then a hundred dollars and doesn't sound like the real thing and is shorter of course but u can easily learn on it. The cheapest ibanez bass is very very good compared to most 200 doller basses and u could use it for probablly 2 years till you can buy a gibson thunderbird. And you can learn on any amp that has a good distortion and pedals work better anyways.

[Bulletbass man]

yeah sure this is a good philosophy. but what if your left-handed like me. it sucks because all the really nice guitars can cost twice as much. theres also a limited selection of guitars to choose from, and once you finally order your guitar it takes a couple months to get. I just ordered a new guitar and I've been waiting 3 months
if left handed im not by my friend is just switch a right to left and reverse the strings of course it does not sound as good as a left handed version but atleast u can by cheap and practice

[mikeyjoe]

I am very confused, or maybe you are very confused. You say figure out what insturment you like best and then go out and by something top of the line----ok, sounds good. But then you say, don't buy cheap s*** and squier packs are crap and you should never buy them. How the f*** are you supposed to figure out what insturment you want to play if you don't buy the crap first? Maybe I got lucky and had a good experience with the squier pack, but my advice would be to buy the squier pack first and then after awhile if you are still playing, go get the good stuff. When you buy the packages you get your insturment, cord, amp, strap, etc. all in one, It's Great! But steer clear of those wal-mart guitar/bass packs. I've never owned one, but I'm sure they suck.

[mikeyjoe]

And by the way, if there is one way to waste money it's by renting.

[axeslinger01]

nice article

[mikeyjoe]

I wonder what Jimi payed for his first guitar? SURELY it was at least $700.

[mikeyjoe]

crap I spelled paid wrong

[Valterra]

I really don't think this is very dependable. Any kid that has a crappy guitar will think he/she knows all there is to know after they can play a few major chords and some licks. Seriously, I prefer the "pay as you go along and play". This way, you won't be sh*t out of money if you decide to stop playing guitar. Another thing to take into consideration is, some guitars (*cough*gibson*cough*) are ridiculously over-priced. You can find a good guitar that costs $600 and is closer to your sound (and personal preference) than a $2,199 monster from Gibson.

Taking another point into consideration, this is great for lefties too. Being that left handed guitars cost more, it's better to buy a cheaper guitar to see if you really like the instrument or not. Then maybe later on, after you know what sound you're after, you'll get another guitar. It doesn't have to be something that's worth some people's car.

[whitebluesboy]

one thing to consider though is that during that phase you call 'renting and practincing', unless you are renting like a les paul or something it would be cheaper to buy a shitty guitar for like $100 or something than to keep renting because you will save more money toward the nice guitar in the long run

[Super_Sexy_Owen]

only follow his point if your 100% sure your going to play for a long time and stick to it

and you can sell ur old guitar for about 1/2 the price you bought it for, considering good shape and stuff

[whitebluesboy]

Danno13:
a nylon-string acoustic IS NOT A GOOD BEGINNER GUITAR. LITTLE JOHNNY NEEDS STEEL STRINGS OR HE WILL QUIT.

sorry man I gotta disagree. I started on a nylon accoustic, at first I thought like you do and almost quit but then I used it to my advantage and learned to bar chords on a nylon and how to fingerpick. Those crucial skills make my playing now SO much better that it scares me

[doki]

has anyone else thought that maybe it might be a good idea to look at other brands besides fender and gibson? I mean Ibanez make some pretty decent low range axes, Cort are bloody fantastic guitars for their price, as are Ashton. i admit when this guy started playing there were only top range and cheep 'n' nasties, but lets face it, thats just not the case anymore. while there is something to be said about starting with topend gear, it's simply too expensive. I recommend buying one of the brands menioned and you may never need or want another guitar.

[BlueZephyr]

Good article. I do recommend using the "buy it once" method. I didn't, and so I bought a squier strat. What a big mistake.

[)Eric(Draven]

Nice article. I also recommend this, I tend to buy a bunch of cheap bullshit thinking it will get me where I wanna go.

I promise, it's not that great. That's why I'm saving to finally get a nice guitar.

[EV0L]

You dont need a $1000 guitar to play/learn

[HairierThanPwn]

I saw buy it twice. Buy a cheap guitar, play for a while, THEN buy the big stuff.

[Mental Hop]

I play 6 guitars, all of which are under $350 and altogether I've spent maybe $50 bucks in five years of playing and they're all in tip top shape. So apparently I won't need to buy a million dollar guitar just to not have to pay a shitload of money to fix it every five minutes.

[kelmesjev]

when you start out, you are not going to play well. in fact, you're not going to play much at all. the first three months or so of playing is strictly learning chords, notes, some green day songs, and maybe a scale or two. if you drop an assload of cash on amazing equiptment, your playing will only suffer for it. starting out on a shitty guitar will help build up your hand strength and finger accuracy so that when you finally get to play some $1500 guitar, the instrument only enhances the talent you've cultivated. you get spoiled if you learn on the best, so i would absolutely not reccomend learning on expensive gear.

[atc228]

ya kno i guess this article was ok, ok at best. 2 stars. it makes some good points-like how people generaly do spend thousands on gear in their career as a musician. but as a few have said befor, crappy beginer guitars are a right of passage for an aspiring guitarists.(as all crappy gear for begginers is with any instrument) I mean Slash started playing on a shitty acoustic with 1 string.

i also started on a behringer strat nokc off, which has helped me a lot. when i use it, its hard to fet notes and its really hard to move fast but when i practice on it and then play my brother's ESP or my uncles Fender i'm soo much better. I also wasn't scared to expirement on my cheap guitar. i have done stuff with action and intonation and moved and touched every single part of the instrument(not a good idea) but i have learned a lot. i definetly would have been scared to do that on a couple thousand dollar gibson LP, hell id even be scared to do it on a 5 hundred dollar epi lp...

2 stars

[bassmonkey16]

how true it all is
some people are dumb*** when it comes to buying
three thumbs up

[UseYourBrain]

excellent advice

[thejester]

keep in mind that the author is stating once your ready to upgrade, hes not saying to start off. start off with a piece of shit. basically dont keep upgrading very slightly. dont go from a epiphone les paul standard to a epi lp custom to a epi elitist then to a gibson, play the epi lp standard for a while then update to that gibson, he is trying to save you money

[Stratwizard]

That's exactly how I did. I saved one year for my JEM, then bought it and I'm really pleased to it.

[kenno1979]

I can see the point this is trying to make. I bought an American Hot Rodded Strat trying to get a good quality guitar and never really play it as it is simply not me plus my old Epi Les Paul with SD59's sounded a million times better. I would have saved thousands and thousands buying my PRS first but I would not have appreciated it as much (or known what to look for) compared to what I learnt from playing budget to medium quality guitars I owned before hand. Just because it feels good in a shop does not mean it is the guitar for you (refer back to my Strat scenario).

Brain May and EVH built their own cheap guitars and I bet they dont regret it one bit.

The player makes the guitar not the other way around.

[neocon58]

i dont aggree with the 'don't buy squier packs' statement.

try and find a 10 year old kid who can afford a ***in les paul and 80 watt amp.

what im trying to say is, they have their place.

[damianb]

there is one problem with this, a friend of mine paid thousands for a guitar, his first guitar, only to play for few weeks and sell it on the trading post, i personally bought an ibanez, i love it, and it wasnt an expensive one, im not buying another guitar untill i can afford one of the expensive ones, most people cant afford to buy a 2 grand guitar straight out and then selling it on trading post or ebay for 1 grand if they dont like it

[safe_as_fcuk]

Poor article. Many people cannot save up that kind of money due to other financial commitments.

[The Jin]

good articles but with holes. usually someting like a squire or an ibanez will have good playability. Low action etc. and a les paul for eg. will have high action

[Weybl Himself]

If you can't afford something, and i mean really can't afford it, then you don't get it, plain and simple. The fact of the matter is you should be buying the best gear you CAN afford. Good article. Althoguh it's true than you can find some moderately priced gems if you know exactly what you're looking for.

[Cpt. Vanquisher]

Problem ist that most people think they can play well on expensive gear. A friend a mine owns a crappy guitar and a broken amp. He can't play a thing on his guitar. When we're jamming together, and i tell him to play a G, it takes him 2 minutes before he realises it's a chord he needs to play (btw, this guy is already playing for more than a year). Now he wants to buy a LP double-cut and a decent amp. What's the point??? Learn to play on cheap stuff, and as you get better, let your gear get better to. I started with a squierpack, and 5 months ago, i bought a new amp, than a decent tuner,... I sold the amp to a beginner, and he was very happy to get an amp for 40?.

[IamJonsCranium]

i would actually recommend buying a peice of crap for your first guitar. you need to get used to playing, build experience and know what you want before you spend loads of money. once you know you will be commited to it and know what you want, sell the cheap one and get a real guitar. if you bought junk after junk after junk guitar when you knew you would be playing for a long time, that is your fault.

[MonkeyAteMySoul]

I think this is a good article, Iv'e fallen into this trap but that's because I always have to the gear with the most features, I general know what I should get but I can't resist an item with loads of buttons and dails on it hell you could probable sell me an empty box with loads of dails and sliders glued on

[Resiliance]

Disagreed.

[rpmbass]

I definitely think you need to buy something inexpensive at first to make sure you are into it. There is no way you can decide you want that really nice guitar if you haven't been playin a while. So go buy that strat pack and then when youre ready you can get the a les paul or an american strat, or whatever it is you want.

[sex_revolver]

^agreed

[Awilk0210]

I dont think a 15 yr. old kid who never played should buy a $1000 guitar. Buy a cheap one or even a used one and spend the extra money to get lessons and actually learn to play. If you are like me though and been playing an acoustic for 7 yrs and are about to buy an electric, spend the money, at least you know a little about guitars and can appreciate a nice Guitar for what it is. Most kids and adults who have never played wont understand the value or history of a Les Paul Standard, an American Strat, or any other high end instrument.

[pitiful_lies]

bit of a crappy article. how does a 12 year old kid that cant play a note merit a gibson/fender/etc???
kids should start out with a beginners guitar to learn on and then progress through better guitars until they can play really well.
and also if you keep the old shitty guitar u can smash it up onstage, which is great fun

[Hosscat]

There are a lot of good quality, less expensive guitars that players would be well suited to trying before chunking down the change for a big dog. I have a buddy that swears by his Yamaha Pacifica's (he bought both over e-bay for $140 and $84 each). Washburns and Korean made Hamers seem good also.

That being said, I can afford the more expensive guitars, so that's what I buy!! LP guitar, Musicman Stingray 5 string bass.

[utsapp89]

Bottom line: Your guitar should always match your playing ability

I disagree. If you have the money and know you're going to stick with it, why not pay for a quality instrument?

[JaredF]

The problem with that is... When you're first starting out you don't know exactly what you want... You have to be experienced to know what you like, so why would you want a noob to buy a 2000 dollar Les Paul only to find out that he really wanted a JEM. Bad article.

agreed, this is a terrible article, and i am the person who bought an 80 dollar peice , just when i started to see if id like playing, then upgraded each year, not to the max becasue the guitar i had was dragging me down and i NEEDED to get a new guitar.

is was very one sided and extremly bad becasue hes telling you , you have to do what hes saying, not thinking of different senerioes of different players

[JaredF]

not everyone is made of money and has the TIME to save up for 2 grand , just at the drop of the hat

[Mrmachine628]

i definately disagree on this one. so you are advocating renting a guitar for an extended period of time?(and an amp,if electric is your weapon of choice)i have never rented a guitar because my squire works just fine for what i do, mostly bedroom jam sessions, but i can't believe that what they are renting to you is that much higher quality than a squier after all the year olds who rented it before you abuse the hell out of it. i dunno on that though, maybe i am the only one who was constantly accidentally banging their guitar into walls when the first started playing. but what i do know is that if you rent for any period of time, it will almost definately cost more than a 170 starter pack. a starter pack is most definately playable, at least for a beginner, and it is a one time, pay for it and it's yours, type thing. also say you do rent until you buy your dream guitar, then you don't have a backup. i don't care how expensive it is, if it's manmade it can break, and at that point you will be pissed you don't have a backup. overall i think this is a bad article that is going to mislead people into wasting money on overpriced.

[Tom Martin]

Are you saying that every guitarist in the world should only have one guitar?

[Emergancy Exit]

i would rather just upgrade with my abillity/ budget as it would take me FOREVER to save up the mony for a profesional instrament BUT i can get a intermediate Bass for my birthday and my family will gladly chip in some mony and help me pay for a big porton of it

[azkonceptz]

another wicked comman sense article but seriously, if your a newbie guitarist you are gonna want to buy those squire strat packs or things like that so that you can build a foundation for your skills. Then, after youve built the foundation you need, you can go out and buy a guitar that suits your skill and style. and buy more if you have to so that you can learn from the experiances. sure buy it once is a great theory, but how can you really expect to grow? if you are true to the life of music, it really dosent matter how much money you spend

[thedankle]

alright like i stated earlier i am left handed. everyone is pointing out the fact that jimmi restrung a righty guitar. ITS NOT THAT SIMPLE!!!! I've tried it on a squire i got from a friend. I had to shave down all the frets and cut new notches for the bridge. If you guys even bother to read you'll also know that Hendrix mostly played on cheap guitars that he could afford. he got that nice white fender much later on in his career and blew all his money on it. The point is you dont need a $1,000+ guitar to sound good. Hendrix bought his first guitar for somewhere around 100 bucks.

[thedankle]

mikeyjoe:
I wonder what Jimi payed for his first guitar? SURELY it was at least $700.

jimi got his first guitar from his father's friend. He brought his guitar over when hendrix's dad played poker, and jimi got to play it. One night he got drunk and told Jimi he could keep it. he did play it upside though.

[thedankle]

sorry i messed my facts up

[darkstar9814]

good article

[stratomaster 17]

well ive been playin for 5 years and i started when i was 10! i could afford to buy it i sold my video games and toys for a epi. sg ive bought many more guitars and ive loved allof them. cmon i know kids can afford this stuff!

[toha33]

Ramco:
This is a bad article. While all of the snobs here think it's the greatest article ever it is in reality going to make guitar stores more money and make many beginners lose cash they could use for other things. I personally like Squiers - would I use them for playing live or recording? No, but I'm glad I started out on one. Paying $150 for a Squier cost a hell of a lot less than renting, and it helped me learn things about guitar that I would've been afraid to learn with an expensive one. This article also goes under the (stupid) assumption that if a guitar is less than $1000 then it's crap.

Bottom line: Your guitar should always match your playing ability and wallet size, and nobody should get down on you for either. I don't own a $1500 Les Paul and Marshall JCM800 reissue because frankly I can't afford it. I do, however, play a Fender Toronado and Line 6 Spider (yes, I know, cheapo "crap" gear), and the fact that they're not top of the line makes me better, as I need to learn how to be great with cheaper gear. Paying thousands will not make you a better guitarist (or article writer).

The most important thing I've learned about the guitar in my years of playing is where tone comes from. You can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on exact replicas of Slash's or Clapton's gear and you won't sound like him. Tone is in your fingers. That's how really good salesmen can sell cheap Squiers to kids - because those guys in the music store know how to make good tone with only their fingers and, as you call it, a piece of crap.

You're right man! I'm starting out with an Epiphone SG and I like this guitar very much, I can't afford higher.

[DaveGilmour1189]

LeoKhenir:
I'm probably on thin ice here, as I am a music store employee... But many beginner's are kids, often 10-12 years old - thus they CANNOT take jobs - Their parents decide what to buy, and parents tend to think "Hum, if we buy something expensive for him/her and he/she doesn't want to play it later, then we wasted a lot of money. Better buy cheap now, and upgrade later".

Well said. I was in this boat before. Personally, i think getting a reallycheap acoustic is the way to go. After about a year when you've proved to your parents that you are actually interested, get a mid-level electric and a good quality practice amp. There are a ton of amps about $75 that are well made. Frankly, if your just a beginer, your not going to need that 100 watt marshall that sets off car alarms. I still have my 1st practice amp. Its great for when i'm by myself in my room.

[sloehand]

You dont have to spend thousands of dollars for as good guitar. I bought a Godin LG for $500.00 and it plays as well as guitars costing 3 times as much. If you dont believe me , try one out next time your at your music store.

[Pedro Sanchez]

poo

[CLOWNDEACAN]

ahahah i have a strat pack. its total crap.
but next guitar i get is gonna be kickass, and this article has enforced my plan.

[Guitarholic]

Funny, a $500 Epi Les Paul(which I own) sounds just as good as the $2,000 Gibson equivalent. Basing a guitar by its price tag is just stupid. The only way you should base buying a guitar is by the way it plays and the way it sounds. The guitar should be comfortable and sound the way you want it to sound. A Japanese Jackson can be had pretty cheap, but it still plays nice and sounds good, and I didn't go broke buying it. Bottom line: if you like it, double check it and if it still seems right, buy it. Who cares what its value is?

[tiger3281]

hum....very interesting....

[tiger3281]

hum....very interesting....

[ndat]

ebay :P got my starter guitar on it for 200 when it was a 500 + dollar guitar... Bit of a fixer upper but I'm still using it 1 year later and I have just begun to realize its potential.

[Slashfan#1]

I agree my first guitar was a 250$ strat and it sucked my next guitar was a 2,200$ Gibson Les Paul LE, I will never have to buy another guitar again for the rest of my life.

[Martyrion]

I don't agree. Of course one shouldnt buy 5-6 instruments by buying a new one every time you feel progression. But putting to much money in it up front isn't good either. OK article. Not my thing though.

[firdaus125]

This article sucks. The author probably sucks so bad he cant make a cheaper guitar sound good. Guys like him will make Gibson and Fender justify their overpriced products. Good show.

[rusted embrace]

thousands of dollars as a paperboy, eh?

[Atreideslegend]

you dont need a good guitar to sound good.....end

[irongoat666]

i love my epiphone SG and behringer gx110 30W amp withthe sticky tape on the front to keep the treble knob in place

[soclax15]

I started with a Squier Strat through a Peavy 15 watt combo. Learned to play some stuff, upgraded to an Epi Les Paul Custom w/ a Crate 30 watt. Then I bought some pedals and an effects processor. Then I upgraded to a Marshall 65 watt combo. Each time I upgraded, I sold my previous geat to pay for the new stuff. This year, I decided it was time for a top level guitar. I tried out all brands and types, and settled on a PRS singlecut. However, I ran into some legal bills, and the $2,000 I was gonna shell out was no longer feasible. So I bought a PRS Tremonti SE upgraded with PRS Dragon Pickups. Cost me $600 on ebay. Best choice I possibly could have made. Plays just as good as the high end PRS, and sounds better than some that I played. The two points I'm making are 1) there's nothing wrong with upgrading. You learn to play with what you got, and you let your gear upgrade as your playing evolves. Second, you can DEFINATELY get an extremely nice sounding and playing guitar for under a grand.

[norwegian_moose]

Only problem is that most people who can be bothered to read this artice already play their instrument.

[Fyreguy]

I know a guy who plays an Aria Pro II....Major piece of crap (he even forgot to bring a strap the first time we got together to jam). I play pretty decent gear, and let me tell you...NEVER did I expect to hear what came from his fingers....yes FINGERS. Absolutely incredible, I hear first hand how amazing the guy sounded!!! Yes Nice gear is great, but talent is tone.

[Tired Starling9]

i agree with ^ that guy. but one other thing. i did wexactly what yoy said not to and bought three shitty guitars, and now i'm trying to save to get a nice one finally, but i have these three pieces of shit that i put hundreds of dollars into making nice, that i could have used to put towards my new one. ui think i might sell mty shit to a newb... thats a good idea. haha but i love my pieces of shit and for a couple years i've been making decent busic with two under 200$ guitars.

[boothy]

I disagree with the article. I think you should buy a cheap (acoustic in my case) guitar, and while your learning to play half decent you save up for that Gibson, then when your good enough to be considered for gigs etc. you go out and buy it.

If you save up then buy the Gibson to learn on, it's gonna take you longer till you can actually play.

[creepingdeth05]

i disagree with this article, what if you buy an expensive guitar and just dont like it anymore.....if you try to sell it you wont get near what you paid for it.

[guitardude98]

an ok article, but i think most beginning guitarists don't have money or the ambition to get a really expensive guitar. I think beginner guitars are a good way to start as long as they're made by a good brand. This article didn't talk about amps either, and i think you should definately start small with those.

[Zero528]

I think it's better to get something like an ESP 50 series so you don't have to keep paying a rental fee and then get something like a Les Paul or whatever.

[SocietyZer0]

good article, though i sort of went down that path. i went from a 15 watt crate bass amp to an ampeg 8x10 fullstack, it was great for the first couple of months, but you lose the enjoyment of reaching that goal. i've only been playing bass for about 2 1/2 years. i've been playing guitar for 3 years. i went from a 10 watt crate to a marshall halfstack. you lose all the fun out of dreaming of one day having pro gear. but yes, it may save money in the long run. for guitars, i just suggest buying a semi-decent guitar, like an epiphone les paul standard are something. those are great guitars for the price. yeah.

[Metalology]

Man, I knew I should have bought that Jem 1 1/2 years ago.

[bigredbeast]

im going down that path right now! I've only been playing for about a year and a half, im pretty good, or so ive been told, for how long i have been playing. The problem is i am obssesed with buying guitars. I have a old crazy epiphone (not gibson copy) flying v, a squier strat and an ESP 50. I decided no more guitar until i can buy one that is gonna stay.

[kirk-h-forever]

ibanezzzz!!!

[rapeme]

bah the guitar doesnt effect anything. u play the guitar not the other way around... wow that doesnt make sense. does anyone think this makes sense?? it doesnt to me. but than again i said... im talking to myself again?? is anyone else out there?? someone help me.. welll yah dont waste ur money if urnt serious about the guitar!!

[FortunateSon]

There's not a whole lot of truth to this article. Sure, you have to spend a few hundred bux to get something that doesnt fall apart, but I play my Fender mexican strat twice as often as my gibson sg and my epi Skynyrd goldtop, both cost twice as much.

[doofy_man]

just borrow from someone for a few months-year and soon enough youll be good enough to make your own decisions and deserve a great instrument, no matter what instrument it is...that goes out to the people who didnt like the article and that it was unrealistic


good article, nice job...good message to get across

[Gutch220]

I like how you said buying and buying and buying and buying untill years and years go by and your 20. now i feel old (23)

[xxgenocide98xx]

To tell you the truth about two and a half years ago I got my first guitar, It was a cheeze-dick'd ibanez satch model with a triple-coil pickup that didn't work (or play) for shit. It was $150, it never let me down. Now, however, I just bought an ENGL powerball that I've been waiting to buy.. I've wanted a new amp since about a year ago and I tried many, looked abroad (internationally) and finally decided to buy this one. It was worth the wait. Get something that you can deal with for temporary and then save up for the big bucks.

a 10 or 12 year old can save enough money over time. If they get $200 for their birthday, they make $10/week allowance or something, thats an easy 40 bucks a month PLUS anything extra. I used to bet, play cards, buy/sell things to make money when I was younger. I traded baseball cards (and trading cards like pokemon and MTG) and I bought and sold bikes, skates, boards, or whatever else I could. I made money by mowing lawns and by raking leaves. It pays off, thats all I can say. Its alot easier now that I'm 17 and I work 32 hours a week, making around 320ish a week, but it wasnt so bad making 50-75/week after school with a bit of labor. If you add allowances and bday money (which I didn't get) you can easily get over 150/month PLUS a big deposit (200 or more if your family/friends circle is large) so you can easily save up for a year and buy your dream guitar, amplifier, effects set, keyboard, bass, or drum set... or at least get a damn good start on it.

[LeoKhenir]

More words of wisdom (ah, the sarcasm) from the music store tech:

Quality does NOT equal expensive. Since I have this job that I have, I get to try and experience differend brands of guitars and amps. I'm gonna throw this at you:

Nice looking and not-to-expencive Telecaster-style:
Jay Turser JT-LT Custom (about 250 $)

AWESOME practise amp, it's almost completely silent even with distortion on, and the distortion is great (or as another one remarked "Hey, with that distortion, you don't NEED no FX board or FX pedals or whatever"):
Hughes & Kettner Edition Blue 30W. You could go for the 15W, but the 30W doesn't cost THAT much more, and the 60W isn't necessary for a rehearsal amp. Price?
15W: about 190 $
30W: about 275 $
60W: about 350 $

These sound like WOW, and the guitar, it's just NICE. A lightbody Telecaster with gold hardware, it is such a nice guitar. With this combo, you get a nice guitar and a killer amp for about 500$ (unless you go for the 60W amp), and you'd be blown away. I've had experienced players coming into the shop asking for Fender USA Teles, and I say to them "Why don't you try this Jay Turser instead? It's cheaper, and it sounds better". They do just that, and they go like "Wow! This guitar sounds great" and then they see the price tag and they go "Wow" again.

Also, Jay Turser's QMT 300 strats are similar to the Tele, except they are strats. But same nice finish and gold hardware. So not always will you get off by being a "manufactorer whore" (You know the type, those who wouldn't TOUCH an electric hooked to amp if it's not a USA Fender into a Marshall Amp), sometimes being nice to your wallet actually helps you! Actually, among others, our dearly beloved SLASH plays Hughes & Kettner... So do as I will: Get a H&K amp. If you need a cabinet/amp stack, try the Vortex. 100W amp hooked to a 200W cabinet with 4x12 speakers. This one is EVEN MORE silent than the Blue Ed., even with distortion on.

[Ozzman_Cometh]

Emrgncyguy7:
this is a good article but what if you end up buying a really nice guitar and amp or whatever and then as you start playing, you find out that guitar is just not for you or you just dont enjoy it as much as you thought you would.

then you are just sh*t out of luck and sh*it out of money

Thats why you go to a store.. Look at the pricy range guitars (about 700-5000$) and you ask them if you can just try it. They will let you, and most of the expensive guitars are not in a box.. They are usually hanging from a rack.. When I went shopping for my guitar, I looked at a cheap Epiphone Les Paul Special pak. Or wait one more month and get the Gibson Les Paul Double cut. I asked the guy to try it and he said fine. I tried it and I was amazed! So I waited for a month. Got the Gibson Les Paul Double Cut.(Which is usually around the 4000 dollar range) And I love my guitar and always love my guitar

[Ozzman_Cometh]

Awilk0210:
I dont think a 15 yr. old kid who never played should buy a $1000 guitar. Buy a cheap one or even a used one and spend the extra money to get lessons and actually learn to play. If you are like me though and been playing an acoustic for 7 yrs and are about to buy an electric, spend the money, at least you know a little about guitars and can appreciate a nice Guitar for what it is. Most kids and adults who have never played wont understand the value or history of a Les Paul Standard, an American Strat, or any other high end instrument.

Dude, I'm 15. I bought an expensive guitar.. And I will play with it forever. So don't judge a Guitar Kid by its age. I thought of the same reason when a nine year old kid came in the store and started showing up 22 year olds. But for beginner levels, they should consider if they're going to be a serious musician or just a guy/girl thats going to have a guitar in his/hers room collecting dust.

[eastern_riffs]

Well I think this article makes sense till an extent.Some couple of years ago I bought an amp,a strat copy and a pedal,all for $400.But I still play those things even today.The basis of that is you dont need a grand or something just for a guitar,another grand for an amp and a couple of hundred greens for a pedal.

Since I've played,I bought 4 electrics (Total value $1650),2 amps (Value $730) and 4 pedals ($450) and 3 acoustics (Value $700).Thats almost 4 grand.But I play every of those things.And I prefer having a whole good sized gear rather than 2 costly guitars and an amp.

[PjX71]

if you want to buy a freakin awesome guitar get a Gibson 76 Explorer

[Emrgncyguy7]

Thats why you go to a store.. Look at the pricy range guitars (about 700-5000$) and you ask them if you can just try it. They will let you, and most of the expensive guitars are not in a box.. They are usually hanging from a rack.. When I went shopping for my guitar, I looked at a cheap Epiphone Les Paul Special pak. Or wait one more month and get the Gibson Les Paul Double cut. I asked the guy to try it and he said fine. I tried it and I was amazed! So I waited for a month. Got the Gibson Les Paul Double Cut.(Which is usually around the 4000 dollar range) And I love my guitar and always love my guitar

what i mean was that playing if playing guitar in general in not for you or you just end up not enjoying playing guitar as much as you would in general

then you would be sh*t out of luck and sh*t out of money

[firdaus125]

My friend plays a Korean copy guitar and he played Master of puppets like a guitar god. The thing is not what you play, but how you play it. Guys like Friedman, Petrucci and Vai didnt start with great guitars. I see Pop punk blinking 186 fans use Gibson les pauls and play 3 chords and it just pisses me off.

[thedankle]

I think the comments are ten times better than the article was.

[GuerillaCharlie]

I know what hes saying and agree, Im picking up my Les Paul Standard (Lefty so jack it up 400 canadian) real soon. Im not settling for less

[VelvetÆnema33]

Guitars only go up in value, buying anything can only be better. And musicians don't know what they want. Let alone if they will stick with guitar. Why bother spends 2 grand and play it once?

[Iruleeverything]

This article is stupid because what about people like me who would have to wait years and years to get an awesome guitar. Lets say I wanted a gibson sg standard, which cost about 1200 dollars, if I worked at my normal salary which is 6.25 an hour for the normal hours a week I worked which is usually 4 hours since I got to school also it would take me a year to save up for the guitar and that is assuming that I didn't spend a dollar. That is a little outrageous, so instead I bought a Epiphone Sg which is about 200 dollars which takes a lot less time to save up for.
..Also part of playing guitar is making crappy guitars sound good. It's not the guitar that makes the guitarist.

[MidEvilDeath]

I like spending thousands. The more the better, in my eyes.

[cold_static544]

stupid article, how would you know if say, a rickenbacker, strat, LP, SG or superstrat would suit you?

[GNRobsessed013]

Its a good article id say.

It makes me want a Les Paul even more.

[dan123]

i disagree with this article totally bcoz of experience i hav recently had, there is a girl at my school who is playing with this $1900 marshall amp and a 1100 guitar (not sure on brand) and i have jammed with her on my cheapo guitar and i outplayed her every time point is ppl with gd gear and rich parents arent always betta players sure some might be but not this one

[dan123]

and she was a snob to always going on how gr8 her gear was and how shit mine was

[catempire]

I think that if you are a crap guitarist you feel far more comfortable with a guitar at your level, rather than buying the best guitar and looking like a spoiled asshole when you can't play very well.

[jcthomasva]

How is this a bad article? Its opinion, and it makes some valid points. You might not entirely agree with it. There is something to be said about not pissing away hard earned $ on low-quality instruments. Take my saga strat for example. I bought it trying to get into electric guitar. Sure it only cost me $100, but I can't stand to play it, so it gathers dust and I still really haven't got into electric guitar. And I'm out $100. The money would have been better spent towards a better name brand guitar that would have held my attention.

[jcthomasva]

And you know, there is nothing keeping anyone from walking into Guitar Center or some other shop and playing the instruments before you buy them.
One more thing - if it wasn't the instrument that makes the guitarist sound good, then Clapton would use Washburn acoustics and Johnson electrics, rather than Martins and Fenders. A good instrument makes you sound like a better player (I'm not saying that Clapton is anything short of a guitar diety).

[guitare_kid13]

someone tell me where can i get ipods for cheap

[Scourge441]

Buyong a cheap guitar pack is definetly cheaper than renting. If you rent for a long time, it will cost a lot more. I'm fine with my $200 Washburn XB100 bass and 40 Watt Randall amp.

[davis_2k8]

my epiphone suits me just fine.

[Hendrix4ever]

this whole article is just bullshit. some second-brand guitars are better than the real thing. My epiphone les paul is better than my friend's gibson les paul! Just because its cheap doesnt mean that it's neccesarily bad.

[guitare_kid13]

Hendrix4ever:
this whole article is just bullshit. some second-brand guitars are better than the real thing. My epiphone les paul is better than my friend's gibson les paul! Just because its cheap doesnt mean that it's neccesarily bad.

ok im not trying to pick a fight but an epiphone les paul is not better than a gibson les paul. maybe your friend just had a crappy amp compare to yours or yours have upgraded pickups or his has cheap pickups also its not only about sound its also about how good the guitar was build.Anyways here's a little advice Schecter guitars have cheap prices and they are almost as good as a les paul or good as a les paul or in some cases better than them, i wrote an article on schecter guitars on this website but they never post it. thanks

[jamis8891]

i dont mean to gloat, but i started on a garage sale guitar and waited 2 years and baught a Fender Deluxe American Fat Strat. Amazing guitar. Then i went to acustic and baught a Tayor. you dont need a dozen guitars, just 2 great ones....great article

[voodoochild175]

I understand your point but I bought a 200 euro (200 dollars) les paul replica wen i started out and it did the job of bein my first guitar fine and still is great to play. Wen buyin it i didnt wanna spend thousands on somthing i wasnt sure i wud wana play for more than a year so i think it was a good choice. (Gd article however)

[MCR Atreyu A7x]

i dont really agree with this article. when i first started playing i didnt know if i was going to continue playing so i bout a nice squier strat which i still use today. but after i realized this was something i was going to be doing for as long as i could i bout myself a Gibson Les Paul. and i feel if i hadnt of started of with that Strat then i might not have wanted to keep going because it is such an awesome guitar for beginers.

[StuartR]

Just because you buy a Squrie at first doesnt mean you are going to buy 8 grand worth of crap, how many people would actually do that?

[nirvana666]

stupid article

[starfox72]

For those who give the "learn-on-the-crappy-stuff-to-become-awesome-on-t
he-good-stuff-later" excuse, they should tell their kids not to take the bus to school but run instead. Ye

[starfox72]

years later they'll become awesome runners and thank their parents for it. Stupid.

The author doesnt say buy a $1500 guitar, he says buy a quality instrument. He's right. I personally wouldnt be afraid to learn on a $1000 guitar. I had several $1500+ PCs and never was afraid to open them while they were running to check for causes of noises or stuff. My rent is almost $1000 where I live (in Paris) so what is another $1000 in your life?

I just bought an instrument on ebay. Since I'm on welfare, I decided to buy a top guitar of a small company. It's a Keiper. Manufactured in china and sold by the german company. It's worth $350 and I got it for $90, brand new, 3 years warranty. Better to buy the top quality of an unknown brand than the lowest of a famous one I believe.

So be reasonable, dont sell your car for a first intrument but dont be cheap either. Buy something you wouldnt be ashamed of showing to friends, and something that make you happy. Because if it sounds crappy you'll have to be twice motivated to keep playing instead of giving up. So what is better? To keep playing, enjoying a nice sound and become an average guitarist or every day resisting the urge to give up the pain and maybe maybe become a good guitarist?

[firdaus125]

^ i have no idea what this post is saying.

[ilovepixies]

guitare_kid13 your a twat.

[Maggot4]

Hey, I have a Epiphone, I got the whole Goth pack, was that dumb?

[will102387]

I'd say get a cheaper model just to start off playing. And if you actually get serious, then buy an expensive instrument. I see kids pick up guitar and they aren't really serious about it. They just play to be "cool". I recently sold my Squier Strat that I owned to one of these kids thinking he was gonna get a good guitar. Totally jipped him and got $100 for it in crap condition. Anyways, cheaper instruments aren't always bad since some people find they don't have the patience to pursue playing.

[LeoKhenir]

(Go buy a Gibson Jimmy Page Aged Signature Les Paul right now. That's the proper guitar to start with, seeing as it is only made in 150 copies, and is only sold in USA, England, Japan and Scandinavia. In Scandinavia it costs about 120 000 NOK = ca 19 000 USD)

[Jarrott]

I was lucky when buying my guitar. I was dating a girl who's Dad owned a Hock Shop and a guy came in one day to sell this guitar his friend gave him and he had no idea what it was worth or anything. He offered him $500 and he took it. I took one look at the guitar and I had to have it and I bought it for $350 with the original case and all original pieces.

It's a standard early 90's Gibson SG

[BenitoBandito]

This article is stupid. For a start most people start playing young, and can't afford to spend hundreds or thousands on instruments. Or they are given as gifts. Besides, I would find it really obnoxious to see a 12 year old kid playing a beautiful '58 Les Paul or a 0018 Martin. It's also a real waste to see beginners struggling to finger a simple C chord on an instrument that could be put to much better use by someone else. Also, you really don't know exactly what guitar (or any instrument) you want until you've been playing a good long while. I've been playing about 12 years and still don't. All I know is whatever I do want is way beyond my budget.....

[LeoKhenir]

I know what I want if I'm gonna continue with guitar:
An ESP Custom Shop guitar, based on my own specs (It's basically gonna look a replica of my BC rich, but with a scorpion with a devil head at the back as inlays. I have the same thing as a necklace)

If I'm gonna focuse on drums (yes, I know this is not Ultimate Drummer) it's gonna be a Tama Starclassic Maple 11-piece kit with 30 Meinl cymbals and a 40" gong.

I've come to the conclusion that if you're starting out either get something decent ($500ish) so you can play it for a while or just get the strat pack things that are usually cheap enough so it doesnt really matter if you buy something better in a year or so (and then you can sell it, give it too someone else, set it too use as a "Sonic Youth" guitar with wierd tunings and pickups....).

[will_clip]

Look... just buy a shitty squier/strat pack, learn to play on it for years until you think you're pretty decent and then go get a kickass guitar/bass. Learning to play on shiz (like it was said before) really helps to make you better. And all you ppl saying 'i cant afford the expensive stuff'. Yeah you can. Get a job, pay your bills, and with whats left save it instead of going to eat out or ordering pizza sometimes. Ive been living on hotdogs and cereal for a year now, and ive maybe eaten out three times cause ive been saving up for a digi002 to record.

[Donkey Fly]

im 14 , ive been laying about a month or 2.....i got a 100 quid package.....it's a good guitar for a starter...there's no point spending 50 quid ona guitar if you don't know how to play it from the start....im palnning to get a better guitar this christmas/ birthday....but for now im really happy with what i bought...it sounds great.....

PS.....A big tip is to buy an acoustic guitar first then learn.....after a couple of months buy an electric , you'll find it alot easier

[Donkey Fly]

oops sorry , not 50 quid.....500

[OminousX]

hahaha, I love the "Your Wrong!" part in the middle! That made my day.

[ak50324]

I think that the best thing for a begginer is to buy a cheap guitar but not some clone guitar(i actually play bass but what ever )I think that i would rather buy a squier strat with better pickups than a actual start if i was starting...

[thrashing moles]

i like the idea of buying it once because if you get good equipment to start with then you will be more apt to practice a lot and get good.

[tHeAxEmAn]

im 13 and ive been playn for a year. ok and when your lookin at it from our point of view, kids my age have no money unless your a spoiled lil shit. Most of our parents think its just a phase we're goin through.
This is what im doin and id reccomend it to begginers too: Get a cheap but decent guitar and a decent amp for around 500 bux. Get really good and then go buy a les paul and shred like hell.

[gemstone_matrix]

ok article i'm 13 and i'm in a band i've got a less than perfect guitar that keeps fretting up on the strings i really need a new one but where in the hell do you think a 13 year old is gonna get $1000 for a Les Paul or an SG??

[GuitarFreak664]

dude, you can make WAY more money mowing lawns than scooping ice cream

[shadows666]

Good article. This will definitely save me $ down the road. Also... never, ever, ever sell your first guitar . The curse of the Dark Lord shall be upon you and you will have a sh*tty life. trust me. one of my friends did and his life sux now.

[whitehouseffect]

Or get good and teach an instrument. You get alot of money from that, so you can start your instrument. I can't see a problem here.

[p0m182]

Can I just say that I own a £180 Jay Turser(I think) SG copy, my mate has the real deal (£800), and you can't tell the difference between them in terms of sound. I also have a £180 Aria guitar, and none of the two have ever let me down in a gig situation. You don't necessarily need a good guitar to be a good guitarist.

[LeDzEp_roxx]

I don't agree with that, I'm sure people who don't have plenty of money can still be great guitar players. Beside, if you go often to your local music store, you can get great deals for good guitars. I personally bought a perfect shape Ibanez 600$ instead of the original 1500$ for the same guitar.

[LeDzEp_roxx]

*I think that beginning with a cheap guitar's a good thing because it's cheaper than renting one and you can check if you really like playing.

[NilsNiiils]

Dude, my first guitar was crap, and I nearly stopped playing cus I sucked like hell.. Now that I've got myself an ESP Viper-400, my skills are like doubled

[tearjerkerrhcp]

good article but i really dont agree if say you are playing a show with your 3000 dollar guitar and u get to much into the show and u destroy it that ur ****ed what then...

[hckfrk38]

This is not all true, you should always start with a cheap guitar and see if you like to play guitars first, if you do, go ahead and buy the nice ones. But if you keep buying the cheap ones, your bank will run dry.

[tallica1708]

if you cant play to save your life and you start by spending 2000$ on a les paul, Ten it will get scratched and scewed up by the time you can actually play. When you become good, it will end up a worthless piece of junk

[gmsje]

Doesn't tell you how to weed out the overpriced and overhyped stuff. Makes it seem that the more expensive the better. If you read a lot of equipment reviews or try a lot of stuff in stores and pawnshops you know that isn't true a lot of the time. Searching for sound is more important than closing off your sound universe. Just be a smart shopper, that's all.

[rainbow_rising]

Hello
I'm a "rookie" classical guitarist.I play for almost 2 years now and i want to buy my-self a good electric guitar.I must say that i agree very much with the "buy-it-once" point of view.I listen to 2 bands:led zep and rainbow .Their styles are different a bit but im kind of stuck on which guitar to buy.I like les pauls and i belive there is only one "les" that's worth of purchasing:a gibson!!So i went and looked for some great guitars and i kind of stoped on the epiphone-gibson les paul.This guitar costs about 550-660 $.It's kind of expensive.That's why i also found another cool guitar that was a epiphone-gibson SG that costs about 330 $.I'm so confused and my parents are about to by me one of them plus an amp.I must say i'm very serious with my music and at my few months of guitar experience i can play and solo some great zep an rainbow songs....Well if anyone is willing to help,please help.

[tyler 417 714]

In reality, you're wasting your time and money chasing a dream. You have bit the bait and started down the road of buying and buying and buying and buying until one day, when you're 20 and sick and tired of all the problems with your cheap gear, you finally step up and buy a real instrument. Over time you will discover that you have spent $5 or $6 grand anyway chasing this rockstar fantasy, and your guitar store is laughing it's greedy head off (and why shouldn't they, you've fallen for it.) THIS PARAGRAPH IS BS IF EVERYONE THOUGHT THIS THERE WOULD BE NO ROCKSTARS DONT TELL PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE TRUE TALLENT THIS

[kurt_was_killed]

personally, i hated this article. i dont know why, i just do.

[crazyriggs]

i'd bet everyone plays crap guitars 1st. I did. It's all about how you play the guitar not how good the guitar looks on you. what is this a fashion show?? the best guitarists in the business could shred on a squire why can't you. When u've learned and stuck with it that is when you save and save to get the gear that is needed. And the key word is "needed".
Of course I have to say I disagreed with the article. Each their own!!

[trey-col89]

The thing I don't like about this article is that you talk as if money is no option. I started guitar when I was 9 years old, I've been playing for 8 years. I know back when I was 9, my parents would have laughed if I said get me a 2000 les paul, not that I actually knew what a les paul was back when I was 9. Most parents aren't too keen on the idea of spending ridiculous sums of money on a professional level instrument when their 12 to 15 year old kid is just starting and can barely play shit. Now that I've been playing 8 years and have developed tremendously in my playing, my parents had no problem getting me a 900 dollar American Fender Strat, which I love dearly. The main thing is, for a lot of guitarists, this is just a hobby, something they don't really take too seriously, and stop playing after a few months. Buying a kid a 1500 dollar guitar only to have him play it for a few months is nothing but a waste of money, this is why Squier packs are made. Parents have something to get their kids, and the kid never knows the difference between that and a real deal Fender Strat. Once the kid sticks with it and really takes it serious, then a bell rings in the parent's mind, "ok, he's really into this and he's not going to give it up, once he gets good he's going to need real equipment."

[Guitaroooo_Man]

as much as I'd like to agree. I don't

Yes, buying shit cheap stuff to start off with and then getting great and buying an awsome quality guitar is basically the biggest waste of money ever.

But, If you lose interest, at some point on the way, you wouldnt of spent over $1000 on a guitar and then $500 on a great amp plus another $100/$200 on accessories, capos, slides, stomp boxes, straps, etc.

You would only of spent about a quater of that amount.

Basically, Why spend ALOT of money on something you may lose intrest in? I am still a novice in the sence i've only been playing a year or so and I've spent around $1000 so far. $180 Ibanez GRX70,$500 Fender Tornado, $60 practice amp, $400 Amp, big one and money on accessories.

Long term, yes, it is a huge waste but its a passion. I didnt get into playing guitar because I wanna be in the next big rock band, I got into it because I love music. Music is my all and I'm willing to spend money and work my way to the top.

Thats my 2 cents anyway.

[Dogwillhunt]

Ok, first of all, I've been playing guitar since I was 13 and I just turned 30 and I'm playing some pretty decent paying gigs, so I'm making money while doing what I enjoy doing, so I am a professional musician. I just want to say that just because you think you get what you pay for... you need to wake up and smell the roses. I've owned several different guitars from an Alvarez acoustic to a Schecter 5 string guitar to an Ibanez SG 5 string fretless bass. Currently I own a Yamaha acoustic, a Squire Strat, a Samick, a Washburn, a Drive, a FirstAct from Wallyworld and I still have the Ibanez bass. I have NEVER paid more than $200 for any of my guitars, with the exception of the bass (it was a whopping $350). The Yamaha sounds as sweet as some of the Martins or Taylors. The Samick is a sweet looking feeling and sounding guitar (it's a plexiglass body with gold hardware). The Squire is black with a chrome finish pickguard and it plays just as nice as a high dollar Fender Strat. The Ibanez bass is one of a kind. The Washburn and Drive guitars are cheap, but they are good if I need a spare guitar when I play live. The FirstAct... a buddy of mine gave it to me... I still don't know what to do with it. If you are a novice, DO NOT go out and buy the most expensive guitar/bass/drumkit/whatever you can buy. Don't save up for it. The $200 price range is perfect for a beginner... it's also decent enough for experienced players. I don't need to go out and blow my life savings on a guitar that I don't want to do anything with but put in a glass case. If you have an urge to spend hundreds or thousands on your first guitar, by all means go ahead, but don't say I didn't warn you.

[Dogwillhunt]

My best advice to anyone just starting out... buy an Alvarez acoustic guitar. Don't start off thinking you're gonna make a guitar scream like Joe Satriani, it takes time... lots of it. If you want to start electric, buy the Squire package with the amp and everything... it's cheap, but it will get you by for a long time. As Randy Rhoads once said, "When you practice, play your guitar with a clean sound (no distortion) even if you are playing metal riffs. As you get better, then throw in the distortion". If you don't know who Randy Rhoads is, I recommend listening to some classic Ozzy. If you don't know who Ozzy is... what rock are you living under? I know every guitarist dreams of aquiring that PRS with a dragon inlay on the neck, but you gotta start somewhere. I think it was a bunch of b.s. for the author of this article to tell beginners to give up their dreams of becoming rock stars. If you can dream it you can do it. That doesn't mean spending a fortune on gear, it means start small. If you go acoustic first and later want to upgrade to electric/acoustic... Radio Shack sells the best-bang-for-your-buck piezo pickup and the best part is... they don't know it. Grab a piezo pc buzzer from Radio Shack for a little over a dollar. They have instructions on certain websites on how to make your own piezo pickups for acoustic instruments... and yeah... it only costs about $1.50 and sounds pretty clean. Don't be a moron and waste a ton of money on the next best thing, because there will always be a next best thing even if you have the next best thing... and you can quote me.

[Dogwillhunt]

I would also like to point out that the bass player that I gig with owns a Chinese built guitar that he paid $50 at a pawn shop. He rewound the pickups, put new electronics in it, filed the frets down a bit, and it plays and sounds just as good, if not better than his Fender Strat. Expensive does not = better.

[olp07]

Pesonally, I started on a 250$ Ibanez, and Im glad of it. Not only did i get a great guitar at a nice price, but it gave me a chance to decide if guitar was right for me before bying a 500+ guitar. My advice: by or borrow a decent guitar to decide if the interest is there, if it is buy a nice guitar.

[Dogwillhunt]

That's what I'm talking about... and Ibanez for $250. Excellent guitar to start with but don't feel like you have to go higher than that on your first guitar. My first guitar was a 1960's era Silvertone. Horrible action, horrible sound, horrible on the fingers... but I borrowed it from my Grandfather and I learned how to play chords until my father loaned me his Ventura 12-string acoustic. Horrible action, horribly warped bridge, horrible to learn guitar on. My best advice is to start acoustic SIX STRING only. Takamine sells moderately decent acoustics for real cheap with their Jasmine guitar line. Alvarez is another good one. The more well known the name is the more you're gonna spend. Another piece of advice, take someone with you to scope out guitars that knows something about guitars.

[lookie here]

you make it sound soo dramatic but overall great article 5 stars.

[crazygluedmybut]

AAARRGHHHH!!! you should have written this when i first started playing guitar!!!!!

[pytolk]

my friend buoght a squier Str a while ago and he is jus now figuring out that his GUITAR is the reason why it doesn't sound like the Eric Johnson Signature model. Not his playing.

[pytolk]

strat mot Str sorry

[hungryhamster]

all of us are fed up with our crappy guitars that cost £200 but i saved for months to buy a fender strat only 2 find the £200 guitar plays better than the £600 one.

[CodyJuice]

im not saying anything...but who would have taken this article's advise when you started to play? A squier strat sounds the same as a gibson when you start out- we all remember when it did

[m3cadet]

This is wrong. Yeah you could save your money for a fender strat or a gibson LP but your missing a simple fact. When you are starting guitar, it doesn't matter if u have a les paul or a squier because you don't know any technique yet. I say buy something cheap to build speed and technique and then when you are proficient then you can get something good. A pro would sound better on a squier than a beginner on a stratocaster. Guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Slash started on 1 or 2 string guitars. Now look at them!

[Cal&Chris_Co.]

[b]HairierThanPwn[
/b] wrote:

I saw buy it twice. Buy a cheap guitar, play for a while, THEN buy the big stuff.

i agree, thats what i did

[Cal&Chris_Co.]

i hate it when quotes dont work...

[dimebag7]

very good arctle! i liked it very true he knows what hes talking about. i plan to save up for my ritchie blackmore signutare fender! or a les paul!

[Profound]

bah you guys dont realize that half of the kids who start....nevermind probably more than half of kids who start guitar quit....plain and simple they just quit....now i agree with the person who said that parents are gonna say oh lets buy crap now so that if he quits we dont lose money....i totally agree with this....thinking about if your son/daughter quits isn't a weird way to think....i can see myself playing guitar forever....(playing guitar now learning then might switch to bass)I got a Squier Strat (i believe its called a fat strat....affinity series....((with the humbucker))) and i love it....i didn't get it because i prefer it (even though i like fender/squier) i just got it because....well what the hell else am i gonna get, paying 200 dollars (Canadian) ain't half bad, and it's a decent sounding guitar, and what i might do soon is get a Squier P Bass for 250....now that ain't a bad deal and im gonna stick by my saying that....what am i gonna do everynight? come home to a 700 dollar guitar and a 500 dollar amp sit down and try to learn how to play ironman and fail miserably....no....i have a 10 year old yamaha amp and ive seen pairs of shoes that cost more than my guitar? but am i complaining, no because im learning and im loving it.

[Super_Sexy_Owen]

joerick wrote:
plus i just wouldnt like the idea of having a $1000 guitar in my hands... scary....

lmao, thats the same as me, i play better on a crap thing because im not scared to break it

[metallicaman33]

I think some of you guys need to read more. If you do more than skim through you can tell that it is a logical article. Some people have talent and some not so much so I can see wanting to move up and not wait to save but for most, the time spent waiting to buy that awesome instrument will lead to better play on a crappier instrument or frustration/boredom for the person who is not going to continue to play.

I would venture a guess that many of you who post your comments with OMG F***ing shut up /disagree, have already spent enough money on mid range gear or crappy gear and are defending your decisions to do so. Just because you made the choice doesn't mean it's the right one or the wrong one... but logic > profanity and opinions any day, anywhere.

Nice Article!

[The BlackDog666]

personally, i started on a fender American strat and now have a tele, LP, and a Danelectro pro 56
they are fab i dont want anymore guitars. i made my money through gigging and playing as a session guitarist. 4 stars dude, this is the way to go, if u start on sHit then you just get bored of it pretty quickly.

[martin racer]

way back in the early sixties we would have just died to get our hands on a Squier Strat.Most of us only saw Fenders on The Ventures or Shadows LP covers.We used Hofners which were 'orrible with tree trunks for necks .My first guitar was a cricket bat ,my next a nameless nylon with a bent neck.I then got a Hofner club something which despite warm nostalgia trips by some . was rubbish.I then got a Hofner solid but did see my first strat and a Gretsch White Falcon stereo which I actually played .We payed in school bands playing and siging everly brothers ,early Beetles and of course Shadows .I then went accoustic and got a Harmony Soverign ,which I still have >I finally got an early Jap Squier Strat with American pickups ,which was just fantastic compared to anything I have played to date .Contemplating another Squier but I know one thing .I wish I was a kid with a cheap crap old Squier .It must be better than a cricket bat !!

[Kizna]

Well, You're right, but I began with a cheap guitar. At the end it's obvious that you've been spending more money , it's good to buy your dream guitar at once, cause then you know you won't lose more money

[RadioMuse]

I'm rather lucky I guess. After my innitial "cheap run" which cost my only about $130 I played for over 6 months before upgrading anything. I've since changed out my primary electric guitar from a Harmony with a warped neck to a good fat strat immitation (imo better than most Mexican units from Fender) then moved up to a customized Tele with double humbuckers (bridge and mid) and a single coil for a neck pickup. I upgraded my amplifier form 15 watts of junky tone to 120 watts of fat warm Crate RFX. I also have a nice solid top Art & Lutherie acoustic. Sadly the Tele is only half mine because I couldn't afford the whole thing, but I'm in on it with a good friend of mine and we both love the thing to death, so no tears. But generally I sorta tested the waters a bit first but it didn't take me long (right about a year) to revitalize my whole set up. I still remember that feeling on the day I plugged my strat into that amp after bringing it home for the first time and playing Zeppelin riffs out in the garage... Twas wonderful...

[neefitsaysbang]

i agree mostly, but alot changes in a persons life, if i got exactly what i wanted when i started i would have a fender american strat sitting around, because i wanted to be a blink 182 poser.
luckly i got an epiphone g-400 (gibson 61' sg basically) and it sucks, but nowhere near as bad as a strat would be, especially since i ended up devoting my musical influence to metal. and i'd be screwed if i had a single coil guitar
i say
get a guitar with humbuckers so if you want to play rock you can actually do it
and then
after A LOT of playing, and researching. decide what you really want.
and with your second guitar and second or third amp. get your dream gear.

by the way
fenders with humbuckers suck, fender CANT make guitars without single coils.
just trust me
haha
i hate my fat strat..

[rockergurl09]

awesome article and good thing I knew to get at least the next step up: a mexican strat with lots of upgrades plays fine after 3 years...I'm good...hopefully...

[firespirit]

OK, if anyone ever reads this much to get to my post, or gets angry and wants to post, and sees this post by accident, here is what i have to say:

This article is very wise. But nobody seem to read it properly.
Its not that you have to buy 1 guitar ONLY for all your life. NO! Thats reidiculous! Of cource you need something to start off, and a Squire or Apollo can be perfect.
In reality you DO need some sort of stick sharpen your fingers. And the best thing to do that, as from my experience, is an accoustic guitar with Bronze strings on. (Yes its Folk'ish, but it will do magic to your hands, and live that pick for time being. You should first make your fingers gold-worth, then get into picking/licking techniques.)
So, you play your `stick` (pardon me, but my guitar for starting (accoustic, Russian) costed me 30Litas, thats about 10 US bucks. And it sounded like a stick.) It was awfull, but it did it's job- harden my fingers, let me learn the basics, simple stuff. But then something wonderful happened. I found I can make it sound as i like, controll all it can do. And i need to go on.
Now i could buy a 50$ used guitar, or a 99$ new. For now im interested in accoustics-its Russian school:learn accoustics, learn it well, try to do even better, and then! buy electric one. WHY? 'Cuz its hadred to really play accousitics, and after you master it, Electics are simplier and easyer. PLus you have good expirience behind your shoulder.
So, now i feel i need something better than that `stick`. and if this would happen to most of my frineds- they would buy a nex guitar in the price list. But this articl calls us to do it wiser! So I won't buy a guitar a bit better than the last one, and then again, something a notch better that previous one. I will look for a great accoustic that I likein looks, sound, style, and one in good shape.I know i will switch to Electrics this year, but i will need a good accoustic guitar too. This is exactly what this article is all about. When you feel you need a better guitar, cuz you exxeded the possibily of your current rig, and need something of another level, buy `a piece of art`! Not another stick you'll ditch a few months later.

Yes it's pricy to pay for good guitars, but if you don't invest into your activity, is it serious? Someone said once :"All the parts do is make the rider who is running feel good. Even if you use good parts, trash is trash." Somehow what gear you play really sets some sort of margin. Just like racing sports-cars. There are things you are allowed to do by your gear, and somethimes the gear starts to hinder your freedom. That's exactly why you woul start switching from one guotar to another. The trick is, save your nervesd, time and efforts, learn what you can do with your starter' rig, and then get one that will do both make you feel better, feel awesomly good, and wouldn't hinder your development in the nearest few years as the least.
Don't approach `owing the real instrument` from your wallet size. Make `wallet size` depend from what gear you really need. Other wise, maybe you should just stick to your under-300$ rig-amp set you started/ended up(currently) with... Or even quit at all.

This article is not for every single person looking into guitars and thinking `wow, that would be so cool if i could throu a couple of riffs to impress my buddies` but people really interested in having long, life time long playing experience, that is bringing satisfaction to them, and the listeners. and it doesn't matter if it will be rocking 50,000 fans gigs with your band, or playing solo-jazz or blues in your neighbour's café every saturday for folowing 15-20 years. What matters is that you can be wise, and make it enjoyable, or delay the pure satisfaction until you try out every `stick` you can afford from what 's left in your pocket after filling your truck full of gas, and after months or even years of misery quit trying out and choose a piece that will be worth playing and will finally make you feel like a man you wanted to be right from the start.

[nomadh]

I rated this a 3 because it just isn't very accurate in many ways. Its not totally wrong either. I had a friend as a kid who got such a bad guitar he never progressed and eventually quit. I had an old used scratched guitar but just happened to play very well. If we had switched guitars maybe he'd be the one onstage now. So it is certainly true you should not saddle a beginner with a junk guitar but on the other hand I still have one of my earliest guitars and it still plays well. Any problems with it were caused by my tinkering. Cheap guitars today can have outstanding build quality. I have a vintage gibson V but I went onstage last week with a $120 retail Dean. My main Guitar is a 1/2 fender strat that was so modified it might as well be any old clone. I cost me $200 years ago when entry level guitars actually were worse quality and cost more. I guess my point here is "right sizing" the guitar. I've wanted a gibson firebird for years but the last one I played was a horror show of bad quality and for $2000 to boot. The Deans were being blown out for $89 that day. All 10 I tried played perfectly. No kid should need to spend over $200 to get started. Many times the only thing you pay for after $4 or $500 is just fancy wood and inlay or finish. It can actually play worse. But if you want to spend $1200or more to have your kid flake out on you then go ahead. I'll just buy it off you from craigslist for $400 when you dump it.