FUQ (eff -yu - cue) - FAQ's with an EDGE

Tagged As: Beginning Blues Guitar

Question:
I am a beginning guitarist, and I an deciding between a Fender Stratocaster Standard (~$400-500), a Fender Strat Squire ($300-$400) a Epiphone Les Paul ($300-$400) and a Gibson Les Paul ($800). These prices are what are at my local dealer. What do you guys recommend I get? Furthermore, I know nothing about amps, what brand of amps do you recommend. I just want the most basic, cheapest amp available, I figure I best learn to play before I start messing with effects.

Answer:
You should tell what kind of music you want to play, and what are your favourite players, it helps ! But as I have about all kinds of guitars (17, including 3 Les Pauls and 4 other Gibsons, 4 Fenders, and a lot of other stuff), I'll tell you what I think : Les Paul is my favourite, as it's the best guitar, in my humble opinion, if you want to have both bluesy type sounds and heavy distorted sound. But I think it's not that much an easy guitar for a beginner. Stratocaster is really a better guitar for a beginner : 1) not that expensive, even a model made in U.S.A. 2) many very different sounds available with pickup switches 3) light weight, good playing position even if you play in a sitting position. 4) easy access to volume control, even while you play, and the volume and tonality controls are very efficient. But it has problems too : 1) does not stay in tune, even if you don't use the whammy bar 2) much noise from the pickups, specially if your power installation is not perfectly grounded. That noise is usually more amplified than your guitar sound, so it gets worse all the time. 3) easy to repair but easy to break too, so I wouldn't buy a second hand Fender. 4) difficult to set up, and the controls (neck bending etc...) are way too easy to access to for a beginner, and you'll try to improve it but will end ruining it (everybody does...) ! 5) cheap resell value, specially if you buy a squier (real cheap) or a Mexican made (no resell value at all). If you have the $$$, go for a signature series (Eric Clapton's is the best choice for a beginner IMO, except the upper neck (1st to 7th fret) has a weird triangular shape, SRV is good too but much Blues-style). At least, take an American Standard Get a two channel (clear/distorted) amp, not too powerful, so you can play it LOUD. Don't take any amp that can be battery powered.