1st guitar

[suicidalmoose]

My price limit is about 120 pounds, and i need a guitar and amp.

I quite like the Behringer V-Tone package that's going for 80 pounds including everything from a strap to picks, the guitar (strat look alike, S/S/S configuration) and a kick ass amp (which is worth 50 pounds alone). However reviews were really mixed on it - some said it was a great guitar for beginning but wouldn't last the long haul, some people said it was horrible.

The other guitar is the Yamaha Pacifica 012 - which everyone has said is an amazing guitar (is in a S/S/H configuration). Howver this is a much more expensive guitar.

Is it worth it to get the Yamaha Pacifica 012 and a really dodgy second hand amp (i'll be playing with mostly headphones). Or is the Behringer a safe bet? I'm really not in the know - i like the fact that the behringer is in my price range and allows me to buy a tuner, whereas the yamaha i'll have to use my computer software to tune it.

I don't know, i don't know. I have a really strict price limit. I bet you're all going to say go with the Yamaha, but reassure me anyway.

[Akira]

I wouldn't worry about things in the long run, as if you stick with playing guitar chances are you'll be wanting to upgrade after 6 months anyway. So go with the Behringer if you wish. It means that if you decide that playing guitar isn't for you, you haven't lost all that much in terms of money.

[PonyOne]

I can tell you that Behringer makes pretty nice amps for the cost, so the amp may be okay to start with. Not sure about the guitar... it's probably a generic Korean strat knockoff, which you can at least learn on, but yes, quality will be somewhat spotty on it.

I'd suggest that you go to the shop and ask to play the EXACT guitar, i.e. the one in the pack that you are going to take home with you. They may be made on the same factory lines, but when they're churning out 1,000 guitars a day, the quality can vary wildly. If you're not 100% sure about how a good guitar will sound, you can always either bring along someone who does and have them play it, or ask the shop guy/girl which one they think is the best.

Akira speaks the truth though. Give it a few months, and if you've stuck with it, you'll want to upgrade.

And now I have to ask... your profile name... is that taken from the comic in the Bad Art Collection by Jhonen Vasquez? Where the moose is on the loose and wants to kill everyone for cancelling bullwinkle, but gets depressed and commits suicide instead?

[asylumskater5]

I have that exact guitar and the amp is great ive been playing for 6 months and in a month or 2 im gonna get a gibson sg but its a great guitar to start w/

[suicidalmoose]

thanks guys you've been quite a help. And nah my name isn't something taken from a comic :) - was just something i put together :P, but now when people say "where does that name come from" i'll know what to say.

Well either or. What people seem to also say is go in to a shop and a get a feel for a guitar before you buy it like PonyOne said. I suppose try before you buy is essential even if i'm a total beginner (I can play like 6 riffs, yay!).

Thanks for your help again, and i think i'll end up on this forum a lot when i get my guitar, lot of good tips and tricks here.

WAIT ... i've got one more question...

What about the fact that the Yamaha has a humbucker? Isn't a SSH configuration better then an SSS. I mean i'm playing just standard rock and metal kinda music - not very fast though - but i played on my girlfriends lespaul yesterday which had a humbucker and it was quite clear (yes i know its a les paul which is like a million times more money).

What are your thoughts on the value of a Humbucker?

[6strngs_2hmbkrs]

first of all... you are a lucky duck to be dating a chick that plays guitar... lol.

and, if you can, get the Ibanez IJS40 Jumpstart Pack (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=guitar/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/519658/?c_tid=topseller)... I don't know how much it'll cost, but I have the guitar (not the amp or the other stuff) from that package... and I like it, I got mine for $140 as a blem guitar from a shop that overprices everything (which I didn't know at the time) but it is a VERY good guitar for the price!

but if you can't get that, I would say go for the behringer, except that a humbucker would be better for rock/metal.

if you go into a shop, and get a guitar and amp seperately (and let them know it's your first!) they will probably throw in a some picks, and possibly a cheap cable! and if you can do that with enough left over for a tuner, then that's probably a better bet... those are pretty much the only things you'll need at first... a strap can wait a while, you won't need a gig bag unless you are going to need to bring it to guitar lessons... and I do highly recommend you get a stand.

if that sounds like too much for you, then just go with behringer and upgrade to a better guitar in 6 months or so if you still want to stick with it.

[suicidalmoose]

thanks, that's given me another guitar to look at. It's definately my max price at 150 pounds - but it includes an amp and all so i suppose that's good.

People don't seem to like the yamaha on this forum, but i've read reviews that say how amazing it is and stuff. Does anybody want to share good/bad experiences with Yamaha guitars, or is it that nobody owns one?

[6strngs_2hmbkrs]

thanks, that's given me another guitar to look at. It's definately my max price at 150 pounds - but it includes an amp and all so i suppose that's good.

People don't seem to like the yamaha on this forum, but i've read reviews that say how amazing it is and stuff. Does anybody want to share good/bad experiences with Yamaha guitars, or is it that nobody owns one?
you really want to get lordathastrings going on his yamaha SGB1000s? lol. he loves those guitar! but those are high-end yamaha's, so, I don't know about their starter guitars.