Help!

[Jesuskid]

Ok Christmas is almot 3 months away so i want a guitar and a xbox 360 with rock band2 but i dont know what to put on my wishlist what do you guys think?

[Labby]

First, I think you should work on your typing skills. "a" is nowhere near "u" on a keyboard.

Second, I'd put neither on my list. Those things are expensive. VERY expensive. It's not like when I was a kid and could ask for a $100 NES (oh man, am I old!); a 360 costs what, $300? And Rockband is another $150 (including instruments and mic). That's $450 on ONE gift. I know my parents never spent that much money on me, even at graduation, when I was the only one they shopped for.

And guitars are very risky. If you just say "guitar", you don't know what you'll end up with. Narrowing it down by saying "stratocaster" or "Les Paul" is a good start, but even then, there's a world of difference (and a couple hundred bucks) between a First Act and an Epiphone.

So, my final advice?

Write a list of the people you're going to give presents to. Write down what you're going to get them -- hand-made stuff often pleases Mom, Dad, and Grandparents; trust me. Then, on a second piece of paper, make a "Wish" list (not a "get" list; if I'd called it that, I wouldn't have been given anything). Put things on your wishlist that you'd really like to have -- any specific books, cds, or movies, and limit the big-spending items to one or two (I'll admit that my wishlist -- and yes, at 24 I still make one; that way my folks know what I want/don't have -- has recently included a 1960 Corvette convertible). This shows not only the big things you want, but the smaller things as well. And you'd be surprised at some of the stuff you might receive: my gag about the Corvette resulted in me getting a book about the history of the Corvette, including every make and model.

Remember, Christmas isn't supposed to be about how much we get, or about a fat guy in a red suit sliding down the chimney. Christmas is supposed to be about Christ, and finding a way to honor Him.

[Jesuskid]

sorry about the you gays i was sleepy.i know about its Jesus' birthday i pray every Christmas saying thank you God happy birthday i'm sorry for all the sins i have made. F.Y.I. i say thank you God i'm sorry for all the sins i have made.and i ment 2 do was wishlist

[LauraA]

You're doing great. Just keep talking to Jesus. :)

I hope you get your guitar. Labby knows TONS of info about them, so listen to what he says, ok? He's like a guitar encyclopedia! :D

[Jesuskid]

You're doing great. Just keep talking to Jesus. :)

I hope you get your guitar. Labby knows TONS of info about them, so listen to what he says, ok? He's like a guitar encyclopedia! :Dlol cool.always talking to jesus.did you hear about the football player how fell and could not breathe and then the couch and all the other players prayed over him and then the guy got right back up?

[Jesuskid]

Hey labby i might get a guitar this is the name Squier is it good?

[Labby]

Squier is owned by Fender. And if you don't know the name Fender, shame on you. The acoustics are not as good as the electrics (I was just at Guitar Center today, and it blew me away to hear the clerk say that a Yamaha acoustic was better than a particular Squier acoustic).

Squier Electrics: It's a great beginning-to-intermediate guitar, depending on which one you get. Stay away from the Bullet; it's not worth it, especially when you can get a much better Squier for not much more money.

When it comes to guitars, you need a few things in addition to the instrument itself. What you need depends on whether it's acoustic or electric:

Acoustic -- Strap, pick(s), tuner. Picks can be very intimidating at first, because there are so many to choose from. Basically, the only thing you can really do is try various ones out; you'll eventually figure out what you like best.

Electric -- Strap, picks(s), tuner, cable, practice amp. A decent practice amp will have a headphone-out jack, which enables you to practice silently (a big plus).

So, how's the best way to get that stuff?

Beginner (or Value) packs. Musiciansfriend and Guitar Center both have Value packs available. (I personally recommend this one: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Stop-Dreaming-Start-Playing-Affinity-Strat-HSS-Pack-With-Fender-Frontman-15G-Amp?sku=513288 ). The strap will almost certainly need to be replaced (they're generally very flimsy), and the cable may as well (but cables aren't hard to come by). The amp is a good beginner's practice amp (with the ever-important headphone out; you just need an adapter jack, which is pretty much standard).

Hope that helps.

[Jesuskid]

Yes i have herd of them but any other gutars 4 new players??

[Labby]

There's a lot of guitars out there. However, I'll focus on three names: Squire, Epiphone, and Samick.

Squire is owned by Fender, and the electric I'd recommend is linked above. They've got strats, teles, and some others (not worth mentioning).

Epiphone is owned by Gibson. The Epi guitar I'd recommend is this one: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-Les-Paul-Special-II-and-Amp-Pack?sku=513150 . Like Gibson, Epiphone has Les Pauls, SGs, and others.

The main difference between the two is this: Squire and Fender have single-coil pick-ups, while Epiphone and Gibson have humbuckers. Each pick-up has its advantages and disadvantages:

Strats (the main single-coil guitar) are typically lighter in weight and have a brighter tone than Les Pauls. They can dial in five different tones without having to use a pedal, thanks to it's five-way selector switch (neck, neck/middle, middle, middle/bridge, bridge). They've also got a whammy bar, which can be pretty fun to play with. The downside is that the whammy bar makes the strings go out of tune VERY quickly; you have to make sure you've got good tuning heads. Also, single-coil pick-ups are prone to what's called 60-cycle hum around certain devices.

Les Pauls use two humbuckers, a type of pickup specifically designed to cancel out 60-cycle hum. They typically have a warmer, fuller tone than strats. They're also heavier, don't have a whammy bar, and only have three tones via a three-way selector switch (neck, middle, bridge; called "Rhythm" and "Treble").

I mentioned Samick because they make quality instruments for a (generally) cheaper price than Gibson or Fender. They make both strat-type guitars (the "Malibu" line), as well as Les-Paul type guitars (the "Avion" line), as well as SGs ("Torino") and Paul Reed Smith ("Ultramatic"). Actually, a lot of guitar companies contract out to Samick to make the instruments, then put their name on them. So you're paying less for the same guitar, with a couple minor differences (some of which -- particularly the angled head -- are a distinct advantage).

Now, you may noticed that I've talked mostly about electrics, and said hardly anything about acoustics. That's because I know more about electrics than acoustics. I have a couple, but what I can tell you about specific guitars is this:

1. Martin rules all; you can't afford them.
2. Taylors are good, but you most likely can't afford them.
3. Samicks are pretty good, and consistent. They're not bad price-wise.
4. Avoid nylon-stringed guitars like the plague. They're classicals, and are completely different in the guitar world. The neck is wider, action is higher, and have a very different playing style (no picks allowed!).
5. Get an acoustic-electric if possible. They often have built-in tuners, and you can plug them into an amp or house system later on.
6. Ovations are a whole different animal in the guitar world. You either love them or hate them; don't get one for your first guitar.

Here's some stuff to read about buying guitars:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/packs -- Value packs, and choosing the right one.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document?doc_id=99234 -- Electric guitar basics
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document?doc_id=99529 -- Acoustic guitar basics

Some names that I'd recommend for a beginner:

Squire
Epiphone
Samick
Ibanez
Cort

Although there are plenty out there. These are just the names that I already knew before starting to get into guitars, or (Cort and Samick) I know make good, low-price instruments.

[Jesuskid]

I need something like $100 so dont know

[Jesuskid]

I have made up my mind rock band 2 with a xbox 360:cool::):D

[Jesuskid]

Nope guitar What kind?

[Labby]

No one can tell you over the internet specifically what kind of guitar to buy. All we can really do is give you advice. I've given you plenty, and this will be my final bit. I'll break it down niiiice and easy:

1. Do you want to play electric or acoustic? I would recommend starting on an acoustic, as it really helps developing your fingers.

2. If electric, do you want to play a strat or a Les Paul? For that, find out who you want to sound like, then find out what kind of guitar they play. It will essentially boil down to either single-coil pickups or humbuckers -- a Fender (or Squire or Samick) strat or a Gibson (or Epiphone or Samick) Les Paul.

3. If acoustic, how big of a body do you want? While body size makes a tremendous impact on tone, the most important thing for a beginner is comfort. If the guitar isn't comfortable to play, then you won't play it. If you're a smaller person, you're going to want a smaller guitar. If you're like me, you'll want a bigger-bodied guitar.

But how will you know for sure what guitar is comfortable? Easy: go down to your local music store and play a few different guitars. Ask the people who work there for advice on selecting a particular guitar.

Final advice: "Music Store" does not translate to Wal-Mart. Go to an ACTUAL music store -- if they sell First Acts, they probably don't qualify.

(and if you'd like, you can send me a link to your local music store's website -- if it has one -- and I can then tell you if they're a music store or not)

[Kelly]

Hehe I love checking out at WalMart or HEB and glancing over at the "guitars" for sale! :p

My dad is a musician and he always recommends Seagull acoustics (he has 3)....he actually gave me one of his and I love it too! BEAUTIFUL sound! But like Labby said, it's totally up to your personal preference, and I definitely recommend going to a music store and talking with them about what's best for you.

[Jesuskid]

Well i went to guitar center and played a electric i felt very good. Epiphone Les Paul Special II Electric Guitar and Amp Pack.Squier by Fender Affinity Series Stratocaster Special Electric Guitar.I like the les paul

[Labby]

Those are the two electric packs I would recommend. Epiphone is a good brand -- they're owned by Gibson, one of the best-known names in the industry. And Squier is owned by Fender -- another one of the best-known names in the industry. Virtually every electric guitar maker out there has been influenced by these two companies (heck, Leo Fender INVENTED the mass-produced solid-body electric -- the Telecaster).

I'd go with either of those two sets for a good start. If you prefer the Les Paul, go for that.