Ciaran_Deighton

Hey I'm new to UG forums so if this is in the wrong place I am very sorry.

I want to buy a new guitar for my 17th birthday, I have been playing for almost a year and want a guitar I wont have to replace for a while, thinking of spending up too $900 on a guitar and $350 for a new amp. At the moment I really like the Esp LTD ec 1000
I know its LTD, is there anything else I should be considering? Keep in mind I live in a small town with no music shop so I have no way of playing before buying. Sorry forgot to add I play metal, alt rock, and some classic rock.

Any help would great, thanks.

Grawgos

Welcome aboard. You would be better off spending more on an amp. Did you have an amp in mind and what guitar are playing now?

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Ciaran_Deighton

I think I'm going to get either a peavey Vypyr 30 watt, or a Line 6 spider IV, can I improve on this much? My guitar is a no-name brand, and just feels wrong, So any suggestions to either amp, or guitar would help a lot. By the way, thanking you so much for replying.

losing battle

Get the 600 dollar eclipse, the diffrences are really just cosmetic. In the 100s of eclipses I played they are very consistant in terms of playibility, sound and feel. Because you like playing clasic rock I recomened buying a used gibson faded sg or explorer, $400 of pure win it may not be as good as the ltd for metal due to pick ups but you can throw a dimarzio on the bridge and you should be able to do anything you want better than the ltd ec100. Which leaves $650/850 for an amp I'm going against convention and recomending a used marshall jcm800 that's $450 max plus shipping, buy two decent cables and an od of your choosing.

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losing battle

That was assuming your in the states for the gibsons. TS what is your location and what will you be using your amp for?

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EncoreBlade

Hey man check out online used sections, like Guitar Center's used section, for some cool amps for a great price. If you've got the money spend, I'd spend most of it on a good amp cause a good amp will take you a long way, and it'll keep you happy. So avoid those low budget ones and look up some good quality tube amps. I recommend going for maybe a Peavey Vypyr Tube 60 or any of Peavey's other tube amps. Look up some Oranges too if you can.

Here, take a look for yourself : http://www.guitarcenter.com/Combo-G....gc?ipp=100&o=1

If you wanna gig someday, then these kinds of amps will definitely help you out in the long run. Your guitar is important too, but the amp matters more so look for a guitar similar to one you're looking at but maybe at a lower price to compensate for the money you'll be spending on the amp. Maybe with any leftover money, you could invest in some pedals like an overdrive to push your tube amp's distortion or what not.

Maybe it'd help if you answered this : http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/foru...d.php?t=1387138

We could probably help you out on what your best purchase option would be.

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Dave_Mc

if you're only playing at home, a little modeller like that would be fine. The best ones seem to be either the roland cube (make sure you get at least the 30 or 40 watt versions as they have more amp models and features, the smaller ones aren't much to write home about), vox valvetronix and peavey vypyr. I haven't tried the vypyr, but out of the other two, the cube tends to be better for heavier tones and the vox better for more vintage tones.

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Ciaran_Deighton

Thanks for all them help, I live in Australia, moved about a year ago, to a tiny ass town thats has nothing, most exciting thing is KFC. Question about tube amps, how often do you have to change tubes? is it hard to do? I have just started a band in the last 2 weeks, nothing special just jamming, drummer plays so hard and loud, I need a good amp.

JKHC

Tubes don't have to be changed often at all, 2-4 years.

If you're in a band, the modelers Dave_Mc mentioned won't be ideal. IMO, you should reconsider the budget for your amp. Get a good tube amp and you'll be set for awhile.

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Ciaran_Deighton

I can go up too $500 for an amp, any tube amps for that price range that I could get, sorry this is my fist time buying any gear, so I am completely useless.

joshthepilot

So you have $1250 total? My god screw the guitar for now and snag yourself a used Mesa. You'll have it for the rest of your life. Your grand kids will inherit it. Guitars come and go (for me anyway) but amps are forever. Lol.

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Gibson Les Paul Standard
American Standard Stratocaster
Martin HD-28
Gibson J-200
Mesa Lonestar Special 1x12 Combo (Reeder Mod)
Mesa TransatlanticTA-30 1x12 Combo
Vox AC-30 2x12 Combo
Korg Pitch Black
Fulltone OCD Version 4
EH POG 2

Ciaran_Deighton

Found one for $750, 90 watt, http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-MESA...#ht_3672wt_1139

Hope that will be good enough, might still try to buy a new guitar aswell, but don't want to get a sub-par guitar I will have to replace in a year to a few months.

You are all so helpful, thank you very much, nice welcoming.

NakedInTheRain

no no no, that's just a cab with speakers in it. you have to connect an amplifier head to it.

whoever suggested a mesa - in aus, they go for at least 2k used. and 4k new.

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Pedalboard Thread Native: The Fuzzy Little Man Peach

Ciaran_Deighton

Ah, thanks, It did seem really strange. still no choice made on an amp, are line 6 spiders really that bad?

NakedInTheRain

yes. you'd be better off with a used tube amp combo.

go to this thread http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/foru...d.php?t=1387138

and fill it out, and post your answers here.

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Pedalboard Thread Native: The Fuzzy Little Man Peach

Volcz

Yes.

Two modellers you'll want to avoid: Marshall's MG Series and Line 6's Spiders.

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Ciaran_Deighton

Budget: 350-700 If I go 350-400 ish I can get an EC 1000 which is really important too me because my guitar is no-name and not utter crap but not too good.

Genres: metal, death metal, alt-rock, punk (hardcore, original (NO POP PUNK), classic rock.

New/used: prefer new, but give both, its hard for me to get used.

Home/gig: I jam with a drummer, so needs to be quite loud

Closest city: Perth WA Australia, any where in Australia is all good.

Current gear: roland micro cube (2-5 watts)

Thank you all so much, seriously most helpful people of the internets
Any guitar advice is welcomed and encouraged,

Dave_Mc

oh right, i didn't realise you'd joined a band

depends on the amp, really- adjustable fixed bias amps (i didn't name them ) have to be biased (which is best done by a tech if you don't know what you're doing as you can, er, die). Cathode-biased amps are plug and play and tube swaps can be done easily without a tech.

Most bigger high gain amps are fixed bias, though (not always adjustable, so they'd be plug and play too).

normally you'd be looking at a couple of years out of tubes, but it depends on how often and how loud you play, and also they're a bit like lightbulbs, you can just get unlucky and one can blow at any time.



agreed.

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Volcz

Vypyr or Valvetronix?

I can't really think of anything else.. unless a Marshall DSL401 can go that heavy (I'm not sure, can someone clarify).

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