I'm 64, been playing since I was 10, but only in the last few years have I realized that the only person I have to impress with my playing is myself! It was so cathartic to realize I wasn't ever going to be as good as Clapton or Page....that freed me to play just what I want to play for myself. I have a PRS CE, a Taylor 414-ce, a Fender Strat and a upper end Godin Summit so I have the "nice" guitars but all were bought used! But I also have an Ibanez acoustic, a G&L ASAT Classic and a couple of other guitars that I'm not afraid for my grandkids to touch and play! My normal audience are my two dogs (the wife isn't interested normally!). Yes, I have a lot of guitars and gear but it's been acquired over 40+ years and I don't have any more invested total than a fisherman with a nice boat or a golfer who is sure that a new $500+ driver will make him the next Tiger. You guys are right....get what makes you happy because most of the time no one else is listening! Enjoy the videos!
Jung said, “There is only one way and that is your way. There is only one salvation and that is your salvation. Why are you looking for help? Do you believe help will come from outside? What is to come will be created in you and from you. Hence look into yourself. Do not compare, do not measure. No other way is like yours. All other ways deceive and tempt you. You must fulfill the way that is in you.”
Somebodyelseuk….do you have a wife? After 41 years of marriage, I can tell you that I have to justify my purchases…..maybe just not the exact amount if I can get away with it! 🙄🤣
I taught my daughter (single parent, raised her all myself. Couldn't be a happier Father) ofcourse I started teaching her at a young age. She learned the basics, then got interested in boys, and school. So she stopped playing. She is married now, has a killer job. She calls me to tell me she is going to stop by. I hear her pull up and I see her pulling out a guitar. I'm thinking, cool she going to get back into it. Now I've been playing for forty some odd years, so this almost put a tear in my eye. She comes in and the case says Gibson on it. I about fainted. A standard Les Paul. Needless to say, she's back with a vengeance. Proud Father. Great show guys.
What a great story! Obviously you understand what's really valuable! I got my 9 year old grandson started playing and it's a hoot! Thanks for sharing your story!
@@gregmiller7123 Mr. Miller, When I was teaching my daughter the basics, she was only 7. She would really get frustrated at me, you know because I was her dad. Then she became a teenager and would hear a song which I taught her. That's cool. But like I said she had other things, school, boys ect and stop playing. When I saw her bring in that Les Paul I knew we are going to have quality time together. Family is everything, and now she is begging me to show her new stuff. That's awesome in my book. The only problem is she works way to much. Between 60 and 70 hours a week. Nothing is better then teaching something that takes real time and effort. It's a great thing, I'm glad for you doing the same. And I don't mind that she works alot of hours. That how you get ahead in life. But I do wish we had more time to play and practice. And I'm glad you understand what I'm talking about. Have a great day and stay safe...
I bought a new Gibson sg standard in 1984. I was still a 17yr old beginner, but that damn guitar made me a better player. I was extremely motivated to practice and improve. A few months later I was able to buy a Marshall combo and my motivation continued. Within a year and a half or so, I was a guitarist playing in bands. I was so happy with my gear and tone that my whole world revolved around learning and playing.
I’m saving now for a two rock. If it takes me three years to save enough dough for one, well that’s how long it takes. That video from Baxter really got me. I’m already pretty excited for it.
You are so right to say we live in a golden age of guitars. My firsr "real" guitar was a new Fender Duo-Sonic II in 1966 (yes, I'm an old man). It was $200 with the case. That would be $2K in today's money. So when I look at $2K guitars today, like an American Strat, I figure they're a bargain. If I could have bought a Squier Classic Vibe back in "66 for $50 that would have blown my mind. So buy what you like, don't apologize and have fun playing.
From Leo: I am right there with you. The cheaper guitars in 1966 were crap, no wonder so many people gave up. I still have my cheap, made in Taiwan, Harmony from then, it is still awful. I also agree with you, play guitar and have fun!
I am a bedroom player currently own 9 guitars 4 Strats ranging from Mexican RI to Custom built to my spec from Fender Mod Shop, 3 Gibson Les Pauls a Gibson 335 and a Gibson J-45, I still want a Gibson R9 and a Fender CS 60's. If someone is a beginner and wants a $10K Murphy Lab I say go for it especially if it encourages you to pick it up and play more.
The hardest thing in the world is to tune out the imaginary voices in your head telling you that you don't deserve that guitar. They're the same voices that tell you that you'll never be good enough. And if you listen to that voice, you will not be good enough. There are only two voices you should listen to... Yours and your wife's. Signed, A practicing blues lawyer.
I partially agree with you. Of course listening to "she who must be obeyed" is a given (been married 40 years!). But there are too many voices in my head to just listen to one! 🤪
When I used to give lessons I had a student who's parents bought him as his first guitar a brand new Gibson Les Paul Custom, a sunburst custom with a factory kahler, I was actually really excited and happy for this kid , after all the kids who had come for lessons with the cheapest guitar they had to beg and beg to get that would not stay in tune and had horrible action, I was so happy to see some parents spend this huge amount of money to be completely invested and supportive of their son. A professional grade instrument really helped his progress learning as well but I'm sure it was also very inspiring to him as an instrument.
Whike not a custom I had a similar deal. My parents bought me. Gibson Les Paul studio, I feel like it was a big help having a guitar that actually played well.
The 2021 Epiphone Custom Koa Les Paul is said to be the best Les Paul of 2021 it's 1960's Era Correct it's Koa not veneer it's a high end proper Les Paul
GARY You are so correct. My first guitar, the action was so high it was bearly playable. If they are serious and really want to learn, parents out there should get something half way decent or the just quit. Guitar you can basically play all your life. And it not a video game. I know so many older people that have wished they didn't quit. Have a great evening, stay safe...
i remember that kid with rich parents..... sorry but i hated those dudes. Or will decide to start surfing and arrive at the beach with a $$$$$$ wetsuit and $$$$$$$ surfboard.....yo they have a name .....KOOKS. That kid is / was a spoilt brat with RICH PARENTS... ya gotta EARN IT dude....in EVERYTHING in life FACT.. yo- f++k those beginners with rad guitars F==K them to the MOON dude ⚡⚡💣💣🎸🎸🤐🤐😉😉🤙🤙🤷♂🤷♂
@@ronniefnd lucky lucky boy...................... i was 16 and worked every weekend to get my first good guitar. I just hope u appreciated what your parents did. i personally wouldnt/could never buy my 13 year old son a Gibson. if he wants to learn , he can use my old nylon string.
Always buy the nicest instrument you can afford that fits your needs. It took me awhile to learn this. The best decision I ever made musically was to purchase my Fender CS and AVRI barely used. Maximum quality at the best value. That said, When I test drove my Bassman Ten I grabbed a Squier Classic Vibe 70s P off the wall. Great bass. Shocking for the money. As nice as my CS or AVRI? No, of course not. However, it's certainly a perfectly fine playing and sounding P bass. To the point, if someone walked in the shop that minute and offered me a gig and said you have to come right now and I had to just use what I had. I wouldn't have hesitated to gig that bass. Buying a quality instrument is an investment in yourself as a player. Not so much the instrument. It's that simple. However, I only recommend doing it once you figure out what you do and don't like as a player. Once you know what your ideal specs are. Hunt down the best instrument you can HONESTLY afford that ticks the boxes. Don't be afraid to buy high end used if you're a gigging musician, too. There are plenty of CS instruments out there that were bought by people who don't gig and they are moving them on. If you see one that ticks all the boxes, and is a case queen. Get it. You're just going to put wear on it anyhow. You won't regret the investment in your craft, imo.
Agree! When you have an instrument that is as fun to look at as it is to play you’re more likely to play more often cause you’ll want to! My wife bought me wall hangers several years ago so it’s really easy to pick up and play, and my little corner of the basement looks cool! Also agree about cheap instruments! I have a $300 bass that I upgraded and I love to play it. I think it might be unusually nice for that price point. If you’re patient and try out enough instruments you can find some diamonds in the dirt; polish them up and they shine
Definitely agree. I'm a bass player but recently wanted a 6 string guitar for writing and recording demos at home. With one kid in college and another graduating high school this year there's not a whole lot of disposable income laying around. I picked up an Epiphone SG Custom and a Boss Katana 100. It ticked all of the boxes: affordable (for me), suits my needs perfectly, and it would be super easy to gig with if I had to. It's shocking how good affordable gear sounds these days when compared to when I picked up playing in the 80s.
@@sqidvishus Absolutely! I'm actually a bassist and most of my live work is as a sideman on bass, but I also do solo work too and songwriting/recording on guitar and some sideman work on harp. My CS and AVRI are both P basses, but for performing and recording harp and recording electric guitar I picked up a used Fender Excelsior amp as I heard it works well for both instruments. (it does) and I scooped up a Road Worn 50s Tele as a demo discount on Memorial Day with a coupon. It cost less than the base classic poly model and it's got the nitro. Haven't regretted it at all. If I was making steady money playing guitar live I might have grabbed a used AVRI Tele, but honestly the Road Worn ticks every single box for me at half the price. Players just starting out now days have it great. They can get a gig capable instrument for a few hundred bucks and only worry about upgrading when they WANT to. Pretty crazy.
100% true, I bought a Tone King Imperial II a month ago, and man what a diff, from my old one , it just transforms the tones from my head into the sound that comes out from the speaker . I have a mex. 2021 strat, but now Im on a hunt for a custom shop strat, just will make my dream come true in a few months, life is short and I want to enjoy it while I am still young :))
I bought an Imperial a few years ago and finally a cs strat last year. They’re both "beyond" my playing ability but they make a joyous sound together and I don’t regret either purchase one bit. Good luck in your strat search!
It's sweeter as u get older...I try to use all of my gear but even so it's good to have if I do need it.. if something isn't being used I trade or sell into something else..once u have a good amount of gear u have equity in it..easier to get higher end things when prior investment recouped from unused stuff...
I took some lessons 20 years ago, bought a Les Paul copy and a cheap amp. I just wasn’t inspired to keep playing, a few months later sold all my stuff and left for the military. Fast forward 20 years and four months ago I got the urge to play again. Got a Fender Aerodyne Strat and a Blues Jr amp. Every time I see my guitar I want to play it, there isn’t enough time in the day for me to practice. I’m thoroughly hooked on playing and I even came down with a bad case of gear acquisition syndrome.
I played a used Squier Classic Vibe 60s Tele in a shop the other day and it was fantastic. Playability, feel, tuning stability et al was better than some of the much higher priced guitars in there.
Absolutely agree. Started when I was 8 years old 60 years ago on a really awful Danelectro but was inspired by Chet Atkins, Segovia, George Harrison and the blues greats of my time. Always wanted a Country Gentleman but back then would have required selling body parts. 3 years ago I finally had the money to get one and did it prove the wait was worth it. Incredible instrument and still inspires me to keep improving in spite of my "advanced" age. Even my wife appreciated how wonderful it is.
I decided a few years ago that if I was going to buy a piece of gear I would get the one that was calling out to me and inspires me to play. If I'm going to spend money one something I'll use for years if not the rest of my life I might as well invest in the gear I want.
A great guitar (and by that I mean one that suits you as the player, best) is like The Force: it guides your actions... but it also obeys your commands.
I started playing a year ago. I spend some $$$ and got me a Taylor right away. What a difference a decent guitar makes when learning! And I have stuck with it!
Many years ago I was a married enlisted man with two children. I started with a Korean made acoustic guitar which worked well for me (a Christmas gift from my wife). I learned then that economical Korean guitars were made quite well for the price. I then had the opportunity to buy a used Telecaster for $100 bucks from a fellow GI. He had found it in the back of a recreation center in pieces in the trash. He put it together and it played nice. He needed the cash and I wanted a decent guitar. It served me well. I sold it about 15 years later (2009) I had played a friend's Gibson Les Paul and love the sound. I went online and found a Hammer Slammer which was identical and cost around $250. It was made in Indonesia. It sounded great and replaced the Telecaster. I just cannot justify spending $1500 for a new guitar when there are so many good sounding ones being made today for less than half the price.
I love this! I started playing electric guitar a year ago with a Squier strat. Upgraded to a Player a couple of months later and a Pro II a few months after that. Each upgrade made me want to pick it up and play even more.
@@jfar3340 it’s not a waste imo. The OP got to experiment with a few cheaper instruments to figure out what they felt was missing and what they would want in their next guitar. I would hate to have jumped right up to the Pro II just to find out that something didn’t sit right with me. And if they never stuck with it, then they saved some money not buying a higher end instrument and letting it collect dust.
Its wasted because 1) there are return policies if undont like your pro 2 and 2) pro 2 holds its value so you can always sell. Its not as if OP experimented with a bunch of different guitars, brands, solid/semi hollow before settling on his prefered guitar; he just bought 3 stats in a few months. I stand corrected.
@Jenny Feucht thanks for sharing that awesome journey. Keep it going..I predict in in X number of year (fill in the blank), you will be ready for a Custom Shop, A vintage guitar , or maybe even a @Castedosa baritone guitar by Carlos Lopez (and his family) in Casino yellow!
@@jfar3340 Actually it wasn’t a waste. All three are Strat types guitars but they’re each different. The Squier is a Short scale single coil. I have small hands and always had trouble with my acoustic and bar chords when I was young. I thought maybe a smaller all around guitar might be better to experiment with when I started the electric journey. It was very inexpensive and I always thought of it as my test guitar. When I realized a full sized guitar would work fine for me and I knew I was going to stick with it, I moved up to the Player. The Player is an HSH and is awesome. I still play it all of the time. It’s the perfect guitar to keep tuned down a half step and ready to go when I feel like playing some of the Nirvana songs I’ve learned or come across any song with an alternate tuning. The Pro II is a single coil and is my go-to guitar for most songs right now. I absolutely love it. You’re right, it will always hold value better because it’s American made. But I don’t intend to sell any of these first 3 because they’re the beginnings of my journey.
I did this wrong, but I'm glad I did. When I was younger I bought a Jackson Dinky because of all the guitars in the store that day it felt the best to me and my teacher was stressing comfort over sound/looks, but it was all wrong for the style I played. It sounded wrong, it looked wrong, it led me to play things that were out of my comfort zone and in spite of myself changed my playing a lot but looking back it was for the better. I stopped aping other people's styles and came up with a hybrid of blues/country with harder edge/high gain playing. Eventually I worked my way to more classic instruments like teles and Rickenbackers, but that Jackson taught me a lot and I still use it. It's got Filtertrons in it now, and has been gutted and sounds more like a Guild than a Jackson, but I kind of like that I took the wrong road.
What a great video. In my case, it took me many years of buying, selling and playing different guitars and amps that I bought or traded not because they were representative of the player I wanted to be, but unbeknownst to me it was part of the process of figuring out the type of player I would eventually become. When I started playing in the early 80’s, my influences were very limited to what was on the radio, cable TV (yikes!!!!), the records I could find at my local music store, and whatever my other musician friends (no pun intended) were listening to. So I started to go down the 80’s shredder path and my equipment choices reflected that. As I became older and started to experience other styles and acquire more influences, I noticed that my playing style began to morph into something more “musical” and less “guitar-focused”. I also started to play with other musicians that had different influences and backgrounds, and that also opened more stylistic doors for me. Today, after many years of development and changes, I guess I’m finally closer to the guitarist I was destined to be, which is very different from the player I thought I wanted to be. And as a result of that process of maturity, my equipment has also changed to reflect said process. Btw Baxter and John, let me know when enrollment opens for the BLU (Blues Lawyer University). I’d be honored to be a part of the original Alumni. 👨🎓 🎸 🤘
This is good advice. If you're committed, buy up to what you want to do, not where you're at. When I first started brewing beer, I started basic...then bought up, up, up to where I wanted to be. It was a HELL of a lot more expensive.
GAS is inevitable. If there’s a guitar you love, just get it. Then you can chase after amps and effects instead of trying to fill the void with another guitar. And I’m glad you guys touched on guitar heroes. I hate the argument “signature guitars are dumb because you should be you instead of trying to copy someone else.” You can like an artist and want to feel like you’re a tiny bit as cool as them without wanting to wear them like a skin suit! Sometimes having a tangible person to look up to inspires you and makes you want to practice more. And isn’t that the ultimate goal? To practice more?
I started on hand-me-down guitars when I was 4. I think if those guitars were harder to play or if I didn’t have those chords beaten into my brain that early, I wouldn’t be where I am today. If you must know, it was a 1963 Gibson Hummingbird and a 1971 Gibson Les Paul Custom. The former was found by my grandmother for $5 at a yard sale in the early 70s. The latter was gifted to my grandfather by the church they attended because nobody could hear the hummingbird over the electric band there.
When I bought my Martin; it was the first nice guitar that I owned. My playing skill elevated quickly because I loved the sound, loved the playability, and of course appreciated having a great guitar.
My father is an avid car builder with decades of mechanic and fabrication experience with various certificates. He doesn't like "check book hottrodders" guys or gals who couldn't use a single tool but have the coin to hire nearly anyone. The ability to use what you have to make something great, whether it's music or cars, will always be more admirable than just "buying" something great.
The checkbook hot rodders enjoy their vehicles in their own way, make the hobby larger and more affordable for everyone, and if a doctor or lawyer wants to pay money to a skilled mechanic to build them something cool, it’s ok. I can’t saw a straight line but I am a half way decent guitar player. Thank goodness somebody can build my instruments. We all need each other.
I played a road series Martin for 20 years, and while it was a good guitar, things did change for me when I bought my D41. Totally inspiring and brought 5 songs into my world so far. Even if those songs are only for me and even if I never write another song, those 5 songs were worth the price of admission alone. In a parallel vein, the biggest change to my electric playing is when I got my Benson Monarch Reverb. Love it to death and always want to play it at any volume.
Great advice! The most inspiring aspect of my playing is the sound I get with the equipment I have now. Turns out I love relic Strats and Telecaster. I also enjoy modelers due to playing at home and the noise level. Go with what you like.
The most inspiring aspect of my playing is my skills and musicianship getting better; to each his own I guess, I like guitars but gear is not my religion.
You guys rock🎸 thanks for the advice. I’m 53 only playing 3 years and just picked up a Martin Road Series as a reward for sticking with it. All I can say is Wow!!!
Hey fellas, thanks for the great video, I was shamed for years in my teens and early 20s by my fellow peers about my high end gear at the time. I was the most skilled player then… still have a long way to go, but instead of putting my money in clothes or spending it on partying I saved up to get the guitars I dreamt of. I wished I hear this when I was you her maybe I wouldn’t have felt so guilty. Thank you again guys. I appreciate you!
Thanks for this. Can blues doctors get an associate degree from the Academy? I have everything from a Classic Vibe to Gibson Custom shop, and a vintage Tele. And I play them all. Probably the CV more than anything! I can afford them and they bring me joy. I don't "need" them all, and had 20 years of only one guitar that I learned on. But if it's not my job, and I'm not hurting anyone, then why should I feel guilty about owning them?
Great video, guys! I have been saying this for decades. The best thing to happen to me was getting my first guitar. A 61 Strat. Well it was cheap back in 1982. $300. But it made all of the difference. I still own it today and is still my favorite guitar. And a have a few nice guitars. And 2 Squires. LOL
Thanks again gentlemen, this is a great topic that should be addressed more often... I have owned great guitars and inexpensive guitars, but the best guitars are the ones that inspire you to play! I own an old Squier II Strat that has one of the best necks I have ever played. It introduced me to "Fenders" and still is one of my favorites... I have an 0-18 Martin, which is one of the best "couch guitars" ever, but I also have an Orangewood Rey Mahogany that I bought used and gets played all the time. The point is, get the best guitar for YOU!
I started playing in 1967 and didn't get my first really good new guitar till '73, a black Les Paul Custom. I work in bands for years with one or another good guitar and a back up. When I retired and the house and bills were paid off I bought every instrument I couldn't have when I was out gigging. That was 20 years ago and jams here are awesome these days. Live your dream.
I would like to add that it can be more practical to buy the gear you want rather than settling on something. It will save you $$ in the long run plus all that other stuff you said
My wife bought me a LP Tribute and posted on FB and my buddy who's a awesome player laughed because I'm not as good as he is but I don't let that bother I love it and enjoy it and it definitely inspires me.
Lately I've been more of a singer and leading singing. So what I need and want is something I can play and start on the right note and key. Unfortunately for the pocket book, I have a (mostly) good ear, so the instrument needs to sound good. I can tell things are good when singing and having everyone participate. Thanks guys
Great point - I splashed out on the Axcess guitar I wanted to emulate Lifeson and it has made me a better player as I am motivated to play it and when I get 5 percent of what he can do it makes me happy
I totally agree!!! Since finding the neck and radius that I Love I have paired down my collection and have the guitars that I love and that I how I want to play. Never get a cheap guitar if you want something better. It makes you want to play more.
I had a guy many years ago shame me for my custom ESP. I’d been playing for a couple of years and I used some of my mother’s inheritance to buy it. 6 months later I own the best guitar I have ever played, period. If this ever happens to any of you, there’s a middle finger for a reason.
A good guitar, or well set up OK guitar makes it easier to play. I buy and build guitars that make me happy. I have played what I want on any given guitar that doesn't fit standard stereotypes, say punk on a Trini. Do what makes you happy, and you will find you may make others happy as well. Have fun. Life is short, make the most of it. Don't worry about being the next "whomever", be the first you.
When I was a teen I just loved the nocasters/teles and wanted a Custom Shop Nocaster. Didnt have the money back then. Bought it a few years ago, its just perfect, my dream guitar. Now I got two Gibson Custom Shop aswell, R7 and SG61. Love em!
I’ve been playing for a while and this was advice I wish I had when I started. I had a really bad experience when I went to audition once, I was feeling great, very ready to go. Opened the case, I had my trusty Epiphone, not a low end epiphone mind you, and I was told I couldn’t audition because the group only does things with excellence and epiphone is not excellent. I was crushed. But it pushed me to get even better and buy better gear.
Well this is timely. I was on the fence about visiting your shop next week to shop for a different guitar as I drive by on vacation. I had second thoughts as I thought I wasn't good enough to justify another guitar. See you next week.
Great points guys..I never dropped big money on music until I was ready to make a lifelong commitment and since I've done that there's no guilt in my ⛽... usually..lol...
Salient advice...after 40 years I'm still becoming, realising that sound in me that resonates with the guitars that have amplified my experiences...oh, and, uh! Penelope Cruz, was Captain Correli's mandolin, and well worth seeing.
Exactly. When the Mustang was first placed in my hands, it wasn't like I was without Tele, and Stratocaster. This guitar just lets me do what I know how, faster. Mods are cake, relatively inexpensive versus other Fenders.
Great topic. You know you really got me going about that two rock amp. I don’t think you guys do reviews but could you maybe discuss a comparison of the two rock amps and Magnatone amps?
Just bought a Troposphere Stratocaster mainly because of the description and video Casino posted... Its the best Strat i have ever played but that being said on the other end of the spectrum. I have a less expensive partscaster that I love just as much. If you love the guitar you will want to practice and play.
People say they are not a good enough player for Telecaster or ES-335 because they feel those guitars are too revealing about their technique, not necessarily because they can’t afford one. Not saying I agree, but I have heard this sentiment many times. The same applies to certain amps. They leave you nowhere to hide.
Great video. I envy new players because there is so much more information available to help them choose and a better range of good guitars to chose from 60 years ago. Look at the range just in Taylors.
About hobbies where there is shame or shade about being worthy of good gear … The stereotype when I was growing up was designer ski outfits on a person who couldn’t ski - like the outfit was a prop for hanging out in the lodge. I do some photography and there’s not as much of it as I would have expected.
From Leo: I agree, play what makes you happy. I never thought that people would worship or despise corporate logos. I have guitars in all price ranges. I keep the ones that make me happy, including partscasters. I have some higher end Jazz archtops, and I barely fake Jazz skills, but they make me happy. Other peoples opinion does not hurt my feelings. I played a town festival, and a roadie for another band made fun of my Squire Tele. The crowd seemed to like the oldies we played, the girls danced, and no one else noticed the brand. I still have that modded Tele, and I still enjoy playing it.
I agree.., Get the best guitar for YOU. $2500.00 or more should put you into a lifelong player that will be outstanding 20 yrs from now. Ty for your time. 😊
The first guitar I ever bought was an American made Taylor brand new……..v class bracing. And I didn’t even know how to play a D chord or a C or a G or anything else for that matter! It was the guitar that I wanted and that’s what I bought. Now I can play most every song I wish to play and I learned them all on my Taylor and I enjoy doing it.
I’ve got a bunch of affordable/medium priced guitars of many different models now, zeroing in on what I really like to play. At some point I’m gonna find that higher end ‘magical instrument’ but in the meantime I’m really having fun and inspired with those guitars I’ve collected.
I don’t care if someone has super nice gear, more power to you if you can get it. I on the other hand am a hobby guitarist, while I could get an American PRS silver sky I can’t justify it in my head, super excited for the se ones. I can justify my road worn fenders tho.
I have only been playing for a little over a year. It was almost embarrassing for me to buy a few different 1000 +/- guitars to figure out what I wanted. I felt this way because I have several friends that have played for decades and live in that 300-700 range. Then it dawned on me one day that's just where their financial thermometers are at. It has nothing to do with me. Now, I have found a strat I love. I am going to order a custom shop variant of it right around the time I will have been playing for 2 years. No shame just feel blessed and excited. I don't live a luxurious lifestyle just choosing something that excites me to sink money and time into.
Equipment shaming isn't only int he guitar world. My OTHER (expensive) hobby is Photography. I've been teaching photographers for years. And I often see people shaming people for having higher end cameras when they aren't YET fantastic photographers. I had one person I was mentoring that had a flagship camera from Canon, but they were very much a beginner. Well, they learned quickly, and they really started getting into the technical stuff. So it's a good thing they had that camera, because they would've outgrown the "beginner" cameras.
I agree...to a point. I enjoy playing my less expensive guitars a lot more than getting out my best and most expensive ones. I want to put the wear & tear on something that I can easily replace when I feel it's beyond it serviceability. I DO highly recommend a really good set-up on those less expensive guitars to make them play like the upper priced ones. That is more important than how much the guitar cost! Even an expensive guitar needs to be properly set-up to at its best. I honestly spend a lot more time on my $200.00 Harley Benton (that sounds and plays like a dream after I spent a little time to set it up to my needs) and I can easily switch over to a higher end one for recording if I feel that need. This is the topic that you guys should visit. What make you play more? What IS a well Set-up guitar for a newer player? ...or for the style of playing that you are working on? Yeah, this would be a great topic!
My dream guitar is an SG. When i was 16, I got my first guitar with my own money, I got an epiphone SG (I still have it and I’m 42), thinking I needed to learn on it first. I finally got myself an SG and it is everything I always imagined haha. I have friends that buy a new cheapish guitar every few months it seems, but I’d rather have one guitar I really love than ten I just have to have. It’s cool they do that, but for me, personally, I love mine and it is true, I am inspired to play it whenever I look at it. It’s just sooo coool.
I'm an intermediate player, only play at home and I have a beautiful Custom Shop Strat. It inspires to play everytime I look at it. It sits beside my couch so I can grab it anytime the mood hits me. Best purchase I've made in the world of music I think. I simply love it & it has made me a better player. So I guess my guitar is better than me LOL .
So glad someone finally said it. I always tell new players “buy the best guitar you can afford” when they ask why, I always tell them that a nicer guitar is an easier guitar to learn on and grow into and it won’t be holding them back. Plus it will sound great when paired with a good amp. It’s harder to learn on a cheaper guitar with bad frets, bad hardware, wont stay in tune, horrible pickups, etc. Buy once, cry once and you also wont waste money trading up in the future either.
I've been playing for about 25 years and have been at the blues lawyer academy level for about the last 5 years now and essentially crammed 25 years of gear trying into the last 5 years of buying and selling. At this point I've tried many of the Les Pauls, Fender CS, PRSs and all that I lusted over for years and really found what I liked as a player and what was just something I thought I'd like. Now I'm more settled in with a couple great Strats- 1 CS and one US AVRI, and a CS Wildwood Spec 335 and the real shocker to me a Charvel Guthrie Govan maple top (such a remarkably engineered and versatile instrument). US Standard Strat took me through 10 years by itself until money got so tight in school I had to sell it and then got down to my last acoustic which got sold too. The year or so I spent without a guitar I think actually made me a better player in a weird way because once I got out and got a job and income I came back to the instrument with a vengeance and motivation that I just didn't really have when I was younger. It really is a journey.
The guys over at Everyday Driver had a line about cars that I think applies here: you don't want a car so "precious" that you can't enjoy it. Same thing with guitars. If you're always worried about scratching it or getting it stolen or whether the buttons on your shirt are going to ruin the finish... it probably won't be a lot of fun to play.
I've kinda done that subconsciously as far as buying the type of guitar to match my playing style...cost isn't something I care about..if I like a guitar I'm buying it..,at 47 years old I'm not buying my way up the ranks..but I'm no professional and no beginner either..haters will hate...but I have guitars and be gear I love..it does make a difference but practice is the key to playing well..
When I was getting back into guitar I was playing my beginner guitar still. Saved up and went out and bought a Pale Moon strat. it was the perfect version of my beginner guitar. when modifying a car its similar. yeah you can buy Cheap suspension to lift your jeep. or you can spend 4k on the kit and get it done right the first time. Majority of time you can actually save money in the long run.
I totally agree with that. Often, when you buy cheap you'll still long for the "good stuff". Then end up selling the cheap stuff at a loss (or tossing it/giving it away) to proceed to buy the good stuff. So yeah, you just lost money by not buying the thing you wanted in the first place. In my experience anyway. It can be different for everyone.
This is so true. As a 20 year old, I always saw myself with a semi hollow 335 or a big L5/super 400. I think it looks so badass. I LOVE strats but I think they look wimpy since everyone around my age is with a strat and playing tunes I despise. Go with a guitar that truly makes you happy and inspires you to play and see your guitar everyday
My first electric was a heavily modified '63 Strat. It probably it helped me play better but I suspect it also turned me on to the idea of modding guitars, especially cheap "broken" guitars.
Finding the balance between this AND finding WHAT you want/need from an instrument is a fine balance. Us newbs walking that tightrope blind except for the guidance of good retailers.
When I got serious about learning I went out and bought something gibsonesque because I was sure that was the kind of stuff I wanted to play. Lp through a cranked Marshall, but of course! But as I got better and explored the sounds I liked making best, turns out I'm a strat through a fender amp guy. I didn't plan it that way, that's just who I am.
Fellas, there's a clip of George Harrison trading licks with EC on a squier on youtube. I just sold my Classic Vibe. Not because I wanted to, but because I needed the room. I never swapped out the pickups and that baby played many a gig and session without ever disappointing.
First guitar was a 7 dollar Sears acoustic my Dad bought when I was 12..EVH could not play that thing…I bought a Decca Strat copy with my lawn mowing money, and now 55 years later and many really fine guitars later, I wish I had that first one back…just because..
I saw a demo on Marty music. He was playing with Jack Pierson who played with the Allman brothers and he plays a Squire,, freaking sounded amazing!!! I was amazed..
I totally agree with the overall points raised in the video, but I'd also add the need for realistic expectations. I remember in the mid-'70s when I was teenager, plugging my first £30 SG copy into an old valve tape recorder for an amp, a guy about 10 years older than me who I knew at work decided he wanted to learn too and went out and bought a Fender Tele and a Marshall combo. While the guys at Casino are right - beginning with a good guitar is an advantage - my colleague simply wasn't prepared for the amount of time and effort it would take to learn (or even that his fingers would hurt to start with!). So, instead of getting the instant results he was expecting, he was massively disillusioned and sold all the gear a week or so later at a considerable loss. None of the local players shamed him (although I couldn't help being a bit jealous that he could buy a rig like that just to see if he liked playing guitar), but we did all think it would have been much wiser for him to have started with something cheap and cheerful, rather than splashing out on expensive gear straight away.
I started off with a squier and changed the pickups and electronics. Now I play a prs I still have many fond memories of my squier strat. I still play it. However, and this is kind silly but it would have been awesome to have a prs and a Mesa, when I started
