Newbie question regarding Guitar and amp of choice..

[Kazz]

ozboy, don't forget that while some people are looking to push the envelope and make music like nothing that has never been made before, many people are more than happy to play songs and riffs that have been played a million times, and each player can potentially bring a unique voice to it.

I want to make my own unique music too, but I do still enjoy playing blues and other genres that some people would find uninteresting, and I'm sure that ultimately elements of everything I've learned will influence my own music.

Especially for someone just getting into playing and not yet looking at making new music let alone having commercial success, I think blues is a good genre that's relatively easy to get into compared to some other genres that might be more interesting and inspiring to you.

 

[ozboy]

Well said Kazz

 

[Mixstar]

If there are people out there that find blues uninteresting please strike me off your Christmas card list.

 

[Alex Figueroa]

Welcome to the forum.

If you are seeking enablers, you came to the right place! The membership here is pretty diversified, so the suggestions you get will reflect that. Just remember to take overly gushing or overly critical posts with a huge grain of salt. Those posts are more about the agenda of the poster than they are about your questions.

I don't think you can buy too nice a guitar or amp if you are sure this is something you want to and will do. Just be careful to realize when you are unnecessarily dipping into the rent or grocery money. From your posts, it looks like you have that part safely sorted out.

For most brands, as the price goes up, the quality goes up. But it isn't linear. Is a Porsche really 10 times better than a Mustang? The sticker price might suggest that, but we all know that it isn' true. People would buy the Porsche and accept the relatively incremental gains only if they didn't need the money elsewhere.

Guitars and amps are the same. The S2 line has perks that the SE line doesn't. Same for core over S2 and signature or AP over core, etc. You just have to be realistic about your budget.

So, no such thing as too much guitar foe a newbie *if* you are committed to continue.

I'm not going to suggest a specific model. You need to get your mitts on as many examples as you can and find the one or 2 that just feel right. If there is nothing near you, it is worth it to travel. If you pick right,you're going to have this guitar for a while, and you can't pick right without picking it up.

I will suggest that you look at both 24 and 22 fret guitars. The position under the strings for the neck pickup is different for those specs. With all other things being equal like woods, finish, and even the same pickups, the neck pickup on a 22 fret guitar will be 'warmer' and more 'mellow' while the same exact pickup on a 24 fret guitar will be 'brighter' and more 'treble'.

It will be a personal preference for you. Neither one is the 'correct' way to go for any musical style.

Thanks for your input. I will surely take my time with this and try to get it right as indecisive as I can often be.

 

[Alex Figueroa]

Smartest advice, ever.

Lots of us have had a lot of PRS models, and know pretty much what to expect from the various neck carves, body shapes, and pickup configurations from experience. For these kind of folks (myself included), there can be confidence about buying from a dealer far away and not messing up the plan, though it's still a good idea to have a 24 hour approval period just in case.

But the best way to pick a guitar is to play, and hear, the one you're getting. Every piece of wood resonates a little differently, and every piece of wood, electronic part, and bits and bobs of hardware affect the tone of the instrument. No two feel or sound identical. The hand sanding even gives each neck a slightly different vibe.

And that's the beauty of it, really. We can each satisfy our own ears, and everyone's brain is most satisfied with something different from what the next person's brain finds appealing.

Two final thoughts:

Don't just buy a guitar with your eyes. Your hands and ears matter more in the long run when it comes to living with a guitar.

Don't follow anyone else's advice slavishly. Sure, people have often got good advice and are well-meaning, but you still have to do what's right for you, and from trad jazz to metal, no musical style requires a particular kind of guitar. None.

"I see you bought a Bosendorfer piano? That's only for Brahms, man, to play Bach you need a Baldwin or a Steinway."

"Uh....riiiiight....."

Great points friend. I will certainly be very methodical in my research.

 

[Haarfagr]

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a PRS. Don't overthink it. Follow your "heart". The S2's are great guitars. I bought a S2 Starla without playing or seeing it in real life first. Absolutely love that guitar. And on the matter of "which guitar to which music genres": the Starla looks like it wants some blues/country/rock stuff with the bigsby and gretch-ish pickups. Guess what I play with it? Black Metal. Works really good actually.

 

[Alex Figueroa]

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a PRS. Don't overthink it. Follow your "heart". The S2's are great guitars. I bought a S2 Starla without playing or seeing it in real life first. Absolutely love that guitar. And on the matter of "which guitar to which music genres": the Starla looks like it wants some blues/country/rock stuff with the bigsby and gretch-ish pickups. Guess what I play with it? Black Metal. Works really good actually.

Nice! That's great to know. There's so many models to choose from that it's not easy to decide and because of my lack of experience I can only go by reviews, videos and advice aside from how it simply feels in my hands. I'm sure I'll figure it out but it would be nice if it was as simple as being able to demo them all locally. However no one carries all the models to demo

Thanks again.

 

[drawshot]

As a guy that started with a strat-like guitar, then moved to an LP-like guitar...then made a swap to multiple PRS instruments (which I still own)...I can share my humble and limited opinion, sir.

My first was an SE Custom 24. Love it.

My second was an SE Tremonti Custom. Love it.

My third was an SE 245. Love it.

My most recent was a brand new CE24. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!

Like you, I set a 'cap' for a real-deal USA-made PRS. As much as I'd love to own a Core model, I can't justify the expense...yet.

I can honestly say, the CE24 is (to me) an exceptional piece of gear, worthy of its own shrine and multiple virgin squirrel sacrifices on a weekly basis.

While I adore all of my SE models, and while they all get their time plugged in...the CE is a huge above, on all fronts.

When i was shopping around, I did play a few S2 models...and thought they were REALLY nice...but the CE24 (again, for ME) was a few notches up from even those...and still, technically, under my $2K limit.

I feel my CE is worth twice what it cost me. And I'm over the moon about how much guitar I got for the dollars spent.

Happy hunting! I'm certain you'll be thrilled with whatever guitar you decide upon. They're all winners, as far as I can tell.

Mark

 

[markintime]

Y'know, I hadn't thought that much about this before, but it has finally sunk in through my thick brain covering, ALL of my PRSi were bought with me never having played them until they were delivered to my doorstep, with only one exception. That was my very first SE Custom 24 in Grey/Black, which I sold to help fund my Paul's (bought online). Even my Angelus A10E, bought by my wife, unplayed until Sweetwater sent it to my eager hands. So, my point would be, you cannot go wrong with a PRS!!! Unfortunately, I have the hunger for another one. But I have to wait, or sell something (can't think of that).

 

[Boogie]

Not having the luxury of having quality instruments at low prices when I started, I seriously appreciate the quality available in all of the PRS lines. The SE line is so good, I bought two for my boys (after buying one for me). There's no reason to start playing guitar today with a crap instrument. You end up fighting it and lose track of why you started. So your approach of buying a great guitar is one I approve, whole heartedly.

But I will suggest that you don't have to buy a core PRS to get a fantastic instrument. An SE245 is a thing of beauty for a blues-centric player (as both my boys are) and is a great launching point. An SC245 will set you back about 4x the cost of a used SE245, but is a truly fine instrument. Personally, I'd grab an SE245, a Fender Deluxe, a Klon KTR (or equivalent) and go to town. Then, you can graduate to the SC245 and PRS Dallas amp, and the Klon. There's always time to move up. But when it comes to the best, you're at the right forum for advice.

 

[Alex Figueroa]

As a guy that started with a strat-like guitar, then moved to an LP-like guitar...then made a swap to multiple PRS instruments (which I still own)...I can share my humble and limited opinion, sir.

My first was an SE Custom 24. Love it.

My second was an SE Tremonti Custom. Love it.

My third was an SE 245. Love it.

My most recent was a brand new CE24. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!

Like you, I set a 'cap' for a real-deal USA-made PRS. As much as I'd love to own a Core model, I can't justify the expense...yet.

I can honestly say, the CE24 is (to me) an exceptional piece of gear, worthy of its own shrine and multiple virgin squirrel sacrifices on a weekly basis.

While I adore all of my SE models, and while they all get their time plugged in...the CE is a huge above, on all fronts.

When i was shopping around, I did play a few S2 models...and thought they were REALLY nice...but the CE24 (again, for ME) was a few notches up from even those...and still, technically, under my $2K limit.

I feel my CE is worth twice what it cost me. And I'm over the moon about how much guitar I got for the dollars spent.

Happy hunting! I'm certain you'll be thrilled with whatever guitar you decide upon. They're all winners, as far as I can tell.

Mark

That was great to read as it's a lot like my path. You gave me all the fuel to buy the CE 24 but then I started to wonder about the fact that I don't use a trem at all. I think I just need to find a shop that carries the Guitar so that I can at least get a feel for it. thank you!

 

[Alex Figueroa]

Not having the luxury of having quality instruments at low prices when I started, I seriously appreciate the quality available in all of the PRS lines. The SE line is so good, I bought two for my boys (after buying one for me). There's no reason to start playing guitar today with a crap instrument. You end up fighting it and lose track of why you started. So your approach of buying a great guitar is one I approve, whole heartedly.

But I will suggest that you don't have to buy a core PRS to get a fantastic instrument. An SE245 is a thing of beauty for a blues-centric player (as both my boys are) and is a great launching point. An SC245 will set you back about 4x the cost of a used SE245, but is a truly fine instrument. Personally, I'd grab an SE245, a Fender Deluxe, a Klon KTR (or equivalent) and go to town. Then, you can graduate to the SC245 and PRS Dallas amp, and the Klon. There's always time to move up. But when it comes to the best, you're at the right forum for advice.

It's funny but I never considered that model yet I don't have a reason why. Like I said in one of my comments to someone else, I don't use a trem at all. Perhaps I need to look at that Guitar as well. Thanks for the words of support!

 

[drawshot]

That was great to read as it's a lot like my path. You gave me all the fuel to buy the CE 24 but then I started to wonder about the fact that I don't use a trem at all. I think I just need to find a shop that carries the Guitar so that I can at least get a feel for it. thank you!

I hear ya...and I don't use one either...much.

Right now, I'm just learning...and most of what I play is simple chord stuff. Didn't touch a trem bar for months...and then tried it for the sake of trying it. It's fun to mess with...but I'm not quite ready to use it on purpose.

The thing is...it's there, if you need/want it.

'Tis better to have, and not need...than need, and not have.

That's why I own 4 guitars...in case I NEED to play them all in the same 30 minutes!!! :-D

 

[Alex Figueroa]

I hear ya...and I don't use one either...much.

Right now, I'm just learning...and most of what I play is simple chord stuff. Didn't touch a trem bar for months...and then tried it for the sake of trying it. It's fun to mess with...but I'm not quite ready to use it on purpose.

The thing is...it's there, if you need/want it.

'Tis better to have, and not need...than need, and not have.

That's why I own 4 guitars...in case I NEED to play them all in the same 30 minutes!!! :-D

Very true, I hear ya lol. Thanks again.

 

[Alex Figueroa]

Y'know, I hadn't thought that much about this before, but it has finally sunk in through my thick brain covering, ALL of my PRSi were bought with me never having played them until they were delivered to my doorstep, with only one exception. That was my very first SE Custom 24 in Grey/Black, which I sold to help fund my Paul's (bought online). Even my Angelus A10E, bought by my wife, unplayed until Sweetwater sent it to my eager hands. So, my point would be, you cannot go wrong with a PRS!!! Unfortunately, I have the hunger for another one. But I have to wait, or sell something (can't think of that).

That's great and yes I can certainly understand how good they play right out of the box!

 

[Boogie]

Just because you don't use a tremolo doesn't mean that you can't play a guitar with one. PRSi with a trem have something unique, elusive, difficult to describe. They sound alive, with a little more presence and a different type of sustain than a Stoptail model. Beautiful sounding. Not that stoptails aren't beautiful in their own right, just suggesting that you might discount one genre of guitars for a reason that may not impact playability and tone.

 

[Ovibos]

This may be a bit against the grain, but I'm going to say buy an SE. They're super playable, great sounding, reliable, and totally gigworthy if you go that route.

<soapbox>
Why SE? B/c the price diff between that and a new S2 or a used CE/Core will get you 2-4 months of lessons with a good teacher.

We can't all be successful when self-taught, and working with someone who's seen a lot of people try to learn may help get over the early humps and frustrations. A good teacher will identify your learning style and give you material that you care enough to learn and practice.

I think the best investment early on is in having a good experience learning to play. It will stick with you longer than any particular axe you may buy.
</soapbox>

 

[Alex Figueroa]

Just because you don't use a tremolo doesn't mean that you can't play a guitar with one. PRSi with a trem have something unique, elusive, difficult to describe. They sound alive, with a little more presence and a different type of sustain than a Stoptail model. Beautiful sounding. Not that stoptails aren't beautiful in their own right, just suggesting that you might discount one genre of guitars for a reason that may not impact playability and tone.

Thanks, it's funny that you mentioned that because I started to look at the S2 singlecut, Mira and Vela but wondered what the tonal difference would be. What makes this all very hard jus that no guitar center or any music store that I know of has these in stock to demo. I really wanted to be able to compare those with the CE 24 but instead I have to dig into the forums and YouTube videos for direction. Thanks a million.

 

[Alex Figueroa]

This may be a bit against the grain, but I'm going to say buy an SE. They're super playable, great sounding, reliable, and totally gigworthy if you go that route.

<soapbox>
Why SE? B/c the price diff between that and a new S2 or a used CE/Core will get you 2-4 months of lessons with a good teacher.

We can't all be successful when self-taught, and working with someone who's seen a lot of people try to learn may help get over the early humps and frustrations. A good teacher will identify your learning style and give you material that you care enough to learn and practice.

I think the best investment early on is in having a good experience learning to play. It will stick with you longer than any particular axe you may buy.
</soapbox>

Thank you for the advice.
I never thought about that because I think my plan was to slowly self teach myself since there's so much free content out there via YouTube and the net itself. Yet, I always allotted a little budget to grab a few starter lessons to keep me going or start me up depending on when I would pursue it which is separate then the budget for guitar and amp. If that makes sense.
Plus I guess my logic was that if I decided to move up in guitars or simply want a different guitar a USA model would hold its value a little better then an SE. That's just my opinion and I could be very wrong. I'm still learning my way around the guitar world.
Thanks again buddy!

 

[Furtive]

Really, when it all boils down to it, the advice of trying everything you can get your hands on is all good.

I can't sum it up better than this. I have a `55 Fender Super 5F4 and on top of it is a Squier SP-10 found for $15. The Super lives up to it's name, but that Squier sounds like an angry little dog - it cuts through everything else in the room.