Germanrookie

After years of deciding to play or not, I'm ready to buy my first guitar. I don't want a starterkit, but a guitar that will still be good, as I progress. My budget is €500 (+/- $650). But I come from Germany, so the prices of guitars are not exactly the same as the conversion. For this money I think I will be able to get a decent guitar + amp. Music I would like to play (eventually) are Kings of Leon, Pearl Jam, Lenny Kravitz and old rock like Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. I know that it isn't exactly the same, but I want to get as close as possible within my budget.

Of course I have looked around myself too before asking this question. Most of those players use a Gibson Les Paul. Therefore an Epiphone Les Paul Standard (€350,-) would be good I think. That said, I still don't really understand the difference between P90's and humbuckers. Would either of those make a big difference in my music taste? And with that guitar that also leaves €150,- to be spend on an amp. I would like to be able to use a foot-switch, so the Fender Mustang 1, Line6 Spider IV 15, Fender Frontman 25R, Vox VT20+ and the Marshall MG15CFX would be in my budget.

I'm sorry that I don't have that much knowledge, so if I made a bad choice please say so. I just didn't want to be the 100th guy to ask this question, without even thinking about it himself.

<3beat

Stay away from Spider and MG amps.

Germanrookie

Can you elaborate why? They both seem to get good reviews.

jeleopard

They sound, to be blunt, shitty.

Very fuzzy and very digital sounding. You might not notice it at first, but when your ear grow to tone, your ears will hate you.

Also, I don't know much about Epiphones but I think the Epi LP Standard is a bad one as well, shoddy quality.

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Germanrookie

Oh I certainly do not want that, I would like my guitar and amp to last for years. That's the reason I don't want to buy a starter kit! What do you recommend then, keeping my preferred bands in mind?

halfj06

Id suggest the vox vt+ and a fender or squire strat with a bridge humbucker

jeleopard

I know nothing of European prices, unfortunately, nor am I an Epiphone expert, but http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guit...electric-guitar looks okay. I think it'd be pushing your budget, though. Personally, I'd look at other brands, seeing as Epiphone/Gibsons can be hit or miss, such as Fender.



As for amps, the Fender Mustang is okay.

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Original 1969 Fender Jazzmaster
Jackson JS32R Dinky with EMG-ALX "Curry"
Ibanez RGD7421 "Stella"
Ibanez S470 "Haley"
MiM Fender Jazz Bass "Pancho"
Schecter Stiletto Elite "Kimmy"
Peavey 6505+ 112
Line 6 POD HD500

oneblackened

Epiphone LP standards don't just fall apart. I had one for years as my main guitar, it held up fine. Sold it for a nicer guitar, but it's not bad by any means especially for a beginner.

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Dave_Mc

p90s are single coils, but they're pretty fat-sounding single coils (rather than fender-style single coils). i'd probably go with humbuckers for your first guitar, they're probably more useful...

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WholeLottaIzzy

P90s are very versatile pickups if you know how to use the volume controls on your amp. They'd be better with a valve amp though.

Epi les Paul will sort you out for a number of years. As far as amps go, try a Roland Cube. I'm not too knowledgeable about starter amps though.

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Dave_Mc

^ oh i like p90s, i was just working on the basis that being noiseless and arguably slightly better for heavier tones, while no worse for lighter tones, not to mention way more popular (in terms of recorded tones) humbuckers were the way to go for a first guitar.

those japanese fender pawn shops might well be worth considering- granted, they're not gibsony, but having something which is made in japan for your budget is not to be sniffed at. I should point out i haven't tried them, though.

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Wisthekiller

The Epiphone Les Paul Standard and the VT or Mustang or Vypyr or or Vox Lil Night Train (you may need to go used on one of those) would be a a great start.

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JustRooster

+1




As said before, I vote for the Les Paul. For amp ideas, I'd look at the Vox VT series amplifiers. You can find them used on a really good budget, and they're probably my favorite series of solid state amps. They're a step above beginner and emulate most valve amp styles.

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WholeLottaIzzy

I wouldn't dismiss P90s so easily. They were on the very first les Paul, which was a jazz guitar, they are pretty much the punk pickup and can do both cleans and distorted sounds very well. But finding an Epi lp with them in in your price range might be a bit difficult so just go with humbuckers

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Perverockstar69

The Pawn Shops from Fender are really great guitars!

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StrykVladzimsky

If you're in Germany you have Thomann.de! Great website, and they offer tone samples and everything. Definitely check 'em out.

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The_rylan

Haven't played any of the Chinese or Indonesian models, Epiphone that is, but my 1988 Korean LP Custom is badass. My tech has worked on literally thousands of LPs and he says mine is up there with the best of them, had to change out some hardware, all the same though. It plays as good as every LP I've ever played.


To be honest your plan for starter gear sounds pretty good. Get what you like, play and listen to a lot of guitars and amps. Get what makes you happy, that's what it's all about isn't it??

Woffelz

Epiphone Les Paul Standard [http://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_l...tandard_rc.htm] and Vox VT20+ and you should have more than enough left for shipping.

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Germanrookie

I will go for a guitar with humbuckers instead of P90's then. This guitar is only a few euros more expensive, and the humbuckers can be split. It is a step up from the guitar I mentioned previously, and with that feature it will be more versitile right?

http://www.thomann.de/gb/epiphone_l...ry_sunburst.htm

And the amp will be either a Mustang or the Vox VT20+ then. Will I be able to get the right tone out of both amps?