NGD-First Guitar day

[Boogie]

Music styles, IMO, dictate amp choice. What do you like? Who do you like? As amazing as the PRS offering is, I'd probably press you toward one of two different directions: Fender Deluxe Reverb or PRS Archon 25w combo. Not that there aren't 15,000 other options out there, but this is a direction to look. Given all the stuff I've bought, played, and toiled over, I feel a plain 'old Fender Deluxe (not a Hot Rod Deluxe) is the perfect first amp. It is the de facto pedal platform, too, if you decide to stray in other directions later.

 

[ScottR]

Music styles, IMO, dictate amp choice. What do you like? Who do you like? As amazing as the PRS offering is, I'd probably press you toward one of two different directions: Fender Deluxe Reverb or PRS Archon 25w combo. Not that there aren't 15,000 other options out there, but this is a direction to look. Given all the stuff I've bought, played, and toiled over, I feel a plain 'old Fender Deluxe (not a Hot Rod Deluxe) is the perfect first amp. It is the de facto pedal platform, too, if you decide to stray in other directions later.

Great advice! Thank you. I am a long time fan of ANY blues based music. I know that's a wide brush so to speak. David Gilmour is my all time favorite. That being said; I am a realistic about my abilities (none at the moment) the PRS and the Fender both look like great options for sure. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[dmatthews]

Congrats on the new axe, and welcome to the fantastically fun nuthouse of playing (or in my case trying to play) guitar.
You have chosen well with your first instrument, nicely done!
The amp suggestions so far are great advice. To use an old analogy, playing a high quality recording/source through a crappy amp/speaker will sound like crap no matter what. Your guitar deserves a quality output.
Enjoy!

 

[Elliot]

Blackstar HT5R or 1R is my choice for affordable all-tube amps. If you have 600+ to spend on a beginner amp then yeah maybe Fender or PRS is a better choice.

edit: Frankly, if you have 600+ to spend on an amp, as a beginner, it gets much more complicated. like @Boogie said there are thousands of options at that price point. If you are trying to stay under 500, you may appreciate my recommendation.

 

[cmutt]

Music styles, IMO, dictate amp choice. What do you like? Who do you like? As amazing as the PRS offering is, I'd probably press you toward one of two different directions: Fender Deluxe Reverb or PRS Archon 25w combo. Not that there aren't 15,000 other options out there, but this is a direction to look. Given all the stuff I've bought, played, and toiled over, I feel a plain 'old Fender Deluxe (not a Hot Rod Deluxe) is the perfect first amp. It is the de facto pedal platform, too, if you decide to stray in other directions later.

I'm going to be buying my first guitar very soon too, and my choice will definitely be a PRS, although I haven't chosen which model yet. I want to try at least 5 or 6 different models in my hands first, so that I can get a feel for which model suits me the most, in terms of comfort, shape and style.

I like many guitarist... but my favorite player and favorite music is Alex Lifeson and Rush. In all likelihood... any time that I will spend learning to play riffs, solos, or songs... 90% will probably be devoted to learning Alex Lifeson stuff. That's just where my initial desire and motivation is.

That being said, is there any thoughts and/or advice on which PRS guitars I should gravitate towards? Same with amps, etc.?
(and I'm 47 btw, so I'm getting started late too)
Thanks

 

[bodia]

I'm going to be buying my first guitar very soon too, and my choice will definitely be a PRS, although I haven't chosen which model yet. I want to try at least 5 or 6 different models in my hands first, so that I can get a feel for which model suits me the most, in terms of comfort, shape and style.

I like many guitarist... but my favorite player and favorite music is Alex Lifeson and Rush. In all likelihood... any time that I will spend learning to play riffs, solos, or songs... 90% will probably be devoted to learning Alex Lifeson stuff. That's just where my initial desire and motivation is.

That being said, is there any thoughts and/or advice on which PRS guitars I should gravitate towards? Same with amps, etc.?
(and I'm 47 btw, so I'm getting started late too)
Thanks

It's never too late!

Alex is the man! He usually played CE22's and CE24's. The 24 is currently in production and would be an option. If you're looking at used, you could find either. Otherwise, the Custom 24 is a good option as well.

 

[ScottR]

I'm going to be buying my first guitar very soon too, and my choice will definitely be a PRS, although I haven't chosen which model yet. I want to try at least 5 or 6 different models in my hands first, so that I can get a feel for which model suits me the most, in terms of comfort, shape and style.

I like many guitarist... but my favorite player and favorite music is Alex Lifeson and Rush. In all likelihood... any time that I will spend learning to play riffs, solos, or songs... 90% will probably be devoted to learning Alex Lifeson stuff. That's just where my initial desire and motivation is.

That being said, is there any thoughts and/or advice on which PRS guitars I should gravitate towards? Same with amps, etc.?
(and I'm 47 btw, so I'm getting started late too)
Thanks

Like bodia said...it's never too late! Well until you're dead of course. I just started about 2 months ago and I am about to be 50. Best part is time and money aren't as big a factor as it was when I was younger so I can at least afford better gear. BUT don't tell my wife I said that, for real.

 

[Dancing Frog]

I like many guitarist... but my favorite player and favorite music is Alex Lifeson and Rush. In all likelihood... any time that I will spend learning to play riffs, solos, or songs... 90% will probably be devoted to learning Alex Lifeson stuff. That's just where my initial desire and motivation is.

That being said, is there any thoughts and/or advice on which PRS guitars I should gravitate towards? Same with amps, etc.?
(and I'm 47 btw, so I'm getting started late too)
Thanks

That's going for the thick part of the hedge. Alex has some eccentricities when it comes to his approach to guitar with oddball chord shapes and things like that. Gear wise though, Alex is such a gear hound that you could probably get any amp or guitar and wind up landing somewhere on the spectrum of his career. The last time I saw him playing through a PRS amp it was an Anniversary through his favorite 4x12 Marshall cab which would have been loaded with greenbacks. When he was using PRS's exclusively, he was using a PRS CE24 with a maple top.

 

[cmutt]

Like bodia said...it's never too late! Well until you're dead of course. I just started about 2 months ago and I am about to be 50. Best part is time and money aren't as big a factor as it was when I was younger so I can at least afford better gear. BUT don't tell my wife I said that, for real.

I've still got two young kids and my budget is fairly tight, so I can't go too expensive with my gear. I'll probably keep my guitar price below $1000, and I'm leaning towards a modeling amp so that I can try to get a lot of variety of sounds and tones... without having to buy lots of effects pedals and getting too complicated. Better for me to keep it simple.

Like I said, I'm pretty sure that most of my time will be spent trying to learn Alex Lifeson stuff, and trying to achieve some of his tones and sounds. (I'm kind of worried that that may be a daunting task, considering I'm a total newbie)
But we gotta start somewhere, right?

 

[cmutt]

That's going for the thick part of the hedge. Alex has some eccentricities when it comes to his approach to guitar with oddball chord shapes and things like that. Gear wise though, Alex is such a gear hound that you could probably get any amp or guitar and wind up landing somewhere on the spectrum of his career.

Heh, yeah... exactly. And that's what worries me. Saying that I want to learn how to play Alex Lifeson stuff... Rush stuff!!
Is that like someone saying they want to learn how to play baseball... and that they want to start in the major leagues?

But at the same time, and I guess to a certain degree, trying to learn to play stuff from any of our professional guitar heroes is going to be the same for all new players... daunting and challenging.

I just hope that I'll enjoy the challenge, and I hope that I'll eventually be able to hear myself playing along with some of the riffs and music that I love. That would be cool.

 

[Dancing Frog]

Heh, yeah... exactly. And that's what worries me. Saying that I want to learn how to play Alex Lifeson stuff... Rush stuff!!
Is that like someone saying they want to learn how to play baseball... and that they want to start in the major leagues?

But at the same time, and I guess to a certain degree, trying to learn to play stuff from any of our professional guitar heroes is going to be the same for all new players... daunting and challenging.

Yeah, it could be. There's so much out there on the internet these days with videos of Alex himself teaching some of these songs and the books that it's not quite as hard as when I started out. If it inspires you to pick up the instrument and toughen up those fingers then it's worth doing.

 

[walrus]

Congrats! I have almost 10 years on you, and I just got my first PRS. Not my first guitar, but definitely the nicest one I ever had!

Play it in good health!

 

[ScottR]

Yeah, it could be. There's so much out there on the internet these days with videos of Alex himself teaching some of these songs and the books that it's not quite as hard as when I started out. If it inspires you to pick up the instrument and toughen up those fingers then it's worth doing.

I will say as a teenager there were very few resources available as far as learning. Very basic, very minimal, very boring...but I honestly have been almost overwhelmed by all the info available today. Somehow now there is a certain comfort (for me anyway) in the simplicity of the basic fundamentals involved. Like Dancing Frog said... finger toughnes as well as strength, muscle memory, flexibility and accuracy have been my biggest challenges in my short time playing. Agreed, anything that will inspire you to pick it up constantly is huge! I practically sleep with mine! I keep it visible whenever I am home. Whatever inspires you go for it!

 

[JKM]

Happy birthday!

And...since you're starting on a PRS, get a decent tube amp so the guitar's excellence isn't wasted by playing through a crappy rig. One simple thing played on a good guitar through a nice amp sounds a lot better than that same simple thing played through junk.

If you need to use headphones, there are plenty of inexpensive load boxes with headphone outputs on the market to plug your amp into, so don't let headphone issues limit your choices.

Also...just a suggestion about learning to play any instrument...get a metronome. There are very inexpensive ones on the market; Korg even makes a cheap tuner with a metronome built in. Timing really is everything. How many notes you play isn't as important as timing and note choice.

And you'll annoy everyone a lot less if you stay in tune.

Disagree.

I say get a Boss Katana, or one of the Vox modeling amps. You’ll get a lot more options to mess with and it’ll sound great. As great as a tube amp? No, but you just started...keep it simple.

I play through modeling amps over tube. I’m enjoying the apartment life, so volume is my primary concern, but I’m extremely happy with the sounds I get. It’s foolish to suggest a tube rig is necessary. Give me a break.

That said there’s nothing wrong with a tube amp to start. Great base to build on.

 

[jdag]

Boss Katana 50 and Yamaha THR10 constantly came up as recommendation when I was shopping. I went with the THR10 and really like it.

 

[kes7u]

Disagree.

I say get a Boss Katana, or one of the Vox modeling amps. You’ll get a lot more options to mess with and it’ll sound great. As great as a tube amp? No, but you just started...keep it simple.

I play through modeling amps over tube. I’m enjoying the apartment life, so volume is my primary concern, but I’m extremely happy with the sounds I get. It’s foolish to suggest a tube rig is necessary. Give me a break.

That said there’s nothing wrong with a tube amp to start. Great base to build on.

I get what you're saying. But there is also something to be said for simplicity.

I have been playing guitar for a few years now. I have never made better progress than when I finally dumped my modelers for a tube amp. Not so much for quality reasons on my part (although I am certainly starting to hear the allure of a tube amp!), but for simplicity's sake. I now have a bunch of modelers sitting around my house, up to and including a Kemper profiler.

I never realized how much of the time that could have been spent practicing was instead spent searching out different tones. This may not be so bad when you're a seasoned player, but there is something to be said for turning on the amp and practicing rather than fiddling. In my case, I picked up an Orange TH30, which simplifies things even further by having a simple shaping knob rather than separate low-mid-high knobs. Again, not optimal for the seasoned player, but perfect for improving my skills!!!

Kevin

 

[Boogie]

I've still got two young kids and my budget is fairly tight, so I can't go too expensive with my gear. I'll probably keep my guitar price below $1000, and I'm leaning towards a modeling amp so that I can try to get a lot of variety of sounds and tones... without having to buy lots of effects pedals and getting too complicated. Better for me to keep it simple.

Like I said, I'm pretty sure that most of my time will be spent trying to learn Alex Lifeson stuff, and trying to achieve some of his tones and sounds. (I'm kind of worried that that may be a daunting task, considering I'm a total newbie)
But we gotta start somewhere, right?

You are starting at an amazing time. You have very high quality guitars available at low prices (PRS SE line is insane for the money) and entry-level amps make it easy to find a good tone for reasonable prices. Unlike the old days, you don’t have to spend a ton of cash to get started. No more Kay or Hondo guitars and Yamaha or Crate solid state amps. For less money, you get something that is in tune, stays in tune, doesn’t butcher your fingers to play, and looks fantastic, to boot. I’m jealous!

In 1978 when I was 14 and started playing, about 2 years into my obsession with Rush, I also spent a ton of time woodshedding to Rush tunes. I’m no Alex, but he’s helped form where I am today. Don’t be discouraged by his complex prowess, jump in! You’ll only be better for it. If it’s what inspires you to play, pursue it.

 

[ScottR]

Very well said Boogie! There are so many advances with today's stuff it is a wonderful time to learn especially if your old and arthritic like me no matter how bad I play or how good I hope to be I have never felt this kind of joy. Plus being old enough to understand fast is slow , slow is fast helps me enjoy the process and make the good licks (as rare as they are) I manage to pull off even more enjoyable...it is truly a wonderful thing!

 

[bodia]

You are starting at an amazing time. You have very high quality guitars available at low prices (PRS SE line is insane for the money) and entry-level amps make it easy to find a good tone for reasonable prices. Unlike the old days, you don’t have to spend a ton of cash to get started. No more Kay or Hondo guitars and Yamaha or Crate solid state amps. For less money, you get something that is in tune, stays in tune, doesn’t butcher your fingers to play, and looks fantastic, to boot. I’m jealous!

In 1978 when I was 14 and started playing, about 2 years into my obsession with Rush, I also spent a ton of time woodshedding to Rush tunes. I’m no Alex, but he’s helped form where I am today. Don’t be discouraged by his complex prowess, jump in! You’ll only be better for it. If it’s what inspires you to play, pursue it.

Hondo II and a Traynor for me in '83. Alex is still my #1

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Welcome to the forum. Congrats on the guitar!! Congrats on the 50th birthday. The one
< here is my 50th birthday present. Seems like these women are finally catching on to the real way to a mans heart! LOL

Enjoy that thing. Good luck with your journey. I’m a card carrying Rush freak, seen them 22 times. Play a lot of their stuff. Glad to help any time I can.