Buying a (which type) Guitar - Acoustic vs. Electric

[LowDown Hal]

I'm thinking about picking up one of those little six string things just to noodle with and expand my horizons.
Would you recommend I start with a good electric or a good acoustic/electric, and why?

THANKS,

btw> I'm not concerned with the issue of an amp for either choice as a factor

[mutedeity]

This looks an aweful lot like spam to me. This is a bass forum, why would you be asking about guitars? If this is a genuine question, then in what context does it relate to you as a bassplayer that could be referenced by someone on this forum in order to advise you?

[LowDown Hal]

Originally Posted by mutedeity

This looks an aweful lot like spam to me. This is a bass forum, why would you be asking about guitars?

thanks for being so helpful

[Chris Fitzgerald]

How is this spam? Looks to me like somebody was considering buying a guitar to expand his knowledge base, and was asking for opinions on what kind to get from others who might have done this in the past. Please leave the moderating to the moderators.

[vampiregenocide]

i'd go for an electric, because you can carry many techniques onto an electric that u can't on an acoustic. if u get a bit more serious about it u can always pick up a cheap acoustic. but yeah a gd squire or ibanez would be a gd start

[mutedeity]

I don't know, it looks like quite a few posts that have been along these lines recently, mostly posted as spam and delt with as such in other cases. This is talkBASS still, right? What is the point of reference? What does it have to do with general instruction? If anything this is a miscellaneous or off topic question. I admit that having read LowDown Hal's profile I concede that it might not be likely to be spam, but I still can't see the relevance of the post in this particular part of the forum. As for moderating, I don't see where I am doing that. I am merely pointing out something as I see it.

[Parabolic Box]

Get an electric. You already have amps, anyway. Plus, electrics are wayyyy more fun.

And ignore these people about keeping TB only about basses. You know, I thought bassists were more tolerant than guitards.

[LowDown Hal]

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

How is this spam? Looks to me like somebody was considering buying a guitar to expand his knowledge base, and was asking for opinions on what kind to get from others who might have done this in the past. Please leave the moderating to the moderators.

Thanks. That's my EXACT intention.

[coolrunner989]

If you do want to get an acoustic, I'd suggest looking into a classical style acoustic (wider string spacing, larger lower tension strings, played fingerstlye usually). Alot more fun to me.

But electric does rock too!

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by mutedeity

I don't know, it looks like quite a few posts that have been along these lines recently, mostly posted as spam and delt with as such in other cases. This is talkBASS still, right? What is the point of reference? What does it have to do with general instruction? If anything this is a miscellaneous or off topic question. I admit that having read LowDown Hal's profile I concede that it might not be likely to be spam, but I still can't see the relevance of the post in this particular part of the forum. As for moderating, I don't see where I am doing that. I am merely pointing out something as I see it.

Please, in the future simply report the thread as being in the "wrong forum" rather than crapping on it. if there's something wrong, the forum mods will either move it or otherwise take care of it.

Moved to Misc.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by mutedeity

I don't know, it looks like quite a few posts that have been along these lines recently, mostly posted as spam and delt with as such in other cases. This is talkBASS still, right? What is the point of reference? What does it have to do with general instruction? If anything this is a miscellaneous or off topic question. I admit that having read LowDown Hal's profile I concede that it might not be likely to be spam, but I still can't see the relevance of the post in this particular part of the forum. As for moderating, I don't see where I am doing that. I am merely pointing out something as I see it.

How about just not responding if you don't have anything to contribute?

Anyway, I'd go with an electric. If you like a little acoustic sound, you can always get an acoustic simulator like the Boss AC-3, which has a pretty decent sound. My brother uses one with his Strat on some songs, and it works well.

[afinalfantasy]

I'd go with an acoustic electric. I currently have a Yamaha Folk acoustic and in the future I will be buying an acoustic-electric version of it. Then after you feel comfortable with that, I'd move up to an electric.

[MarkTAW]

I have acoustics & electrics and I play the acoustics.

Acoustic guitars are just there & easy to pick up & play. This actually helps your playing a lot - just put it next to your television or your computer or whatever you do when you're not playing music and you'll find yourself picking it up. (You could argue that you could do this with an electric too, but 9 times out of 10 you'll be playing it unplugged in that scenario anyway.)

Acoustic guitars can be brought over to friends houses, the beach, etc. without worrying about amps, which you frequently need a permit to play in public anyway.

If you sing (and you should), I prefer the acoustic tone for vocal accompaniment.

I, personally, prefer the sound of an acoustic, the heavier strings and the LESS extended range (do you really need to be soloing up above the 15th fret? You're a bass player fer goodnesssakes).

Electric guitars are more for kanoodlers and heavy metal/heavy blues addicts and people who like lots & lots of effects pedals.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I do have a couple electrics (tele and SG, and a good TE 100 watt all valve half stack. And a £25 acoustic.

I find myself playing the acoustic more.

[mutedeity]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

How about just not responding if you don't have anything to contribute?

Anyway, I'd go with an electric. If you like a little acoustic sound, you can always get an acoustic simulator like the Boss AC-3, which has a pretty decent sound. My brother uses one with his Strat on some songs, and it works well.

Ah, it's the old "if you don't have something nice to say". You guys might not have noticed that there have been a few threads that started kind of like this one recently and turned out to be spam with links to commericals sites either in the post or the profile. As I said before I concede that this is not the case now. Also, I did say in my original post that if it was a genuine post to give some context.

I would probably say to someone that more information on what they want to achieve with a guitar than "noodle around and expand my horisons" is needed before I could give them an opinion one way or the other anyway. For example how do you want to expand your horisons? Technically, with theory or just to have a writting tool?

[LowDown Hal]

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

Please, in the future simply report the thread as being in the "wrong forum" rather than crapping on it. if there's something wrong, the forum mods will either move it or otherwise take care of it.

Moved to Misc.

Thanks for "putting me in my misc place"
I wasn't sure exactly where to put my original post.

FWIW > I almost bought a telecaster this afternoon.. but instead I came home and praticed more with the guitar, er Bass, I already own. When the right guitar presents intself to me I'll bring it home!

[funkalicious101]

Look at Gretsch syncromatic guitars. Electric, but are still very loud and sound very good unplugged. I'm probably buying one (electromatic, not professional) sometime this month.

[LowDown Hal]

So, now that I'm no longer spam and have been put in the right forum

Anyone care to expound on Stratocaster vs, Telecaster.
I was thinking to grab a Strat but saw, (sorta' played) a beautiful Tele today?

[nsmar4211]

I wanted to learn some chords (so I can cheat off the guitar players hands), I had the same question and did some thinking/asking around....

I ended up going with the acoustic/electric idea. An electric guitar, you pretty much need an amp, and you're gonna end up wanting pedals and such. I picked up mine for $250, an epiphone, with case. Pretty good little fella. I've actually only plugged it in a few times and immediatly found myself turning up the bass (it has a built in EQ). I do recommend getting one with a built in tuner, you go out of tune a heck of a lot faster than on bass (really makes you appreciate bass) and having to pull out the tuner when you're just trying to noodle is a PITA.

Going with an acoustic means you can drag it out, and only it out, when the urge strikes you. My bass I can still hear/feel unplugged, but that's because it resonates on me. An electric guitar is hard to hear unplugged (except the aformentioned Gretsch's)....

A problem I did run into (and no solution yet) is that the body is too deep for my body shape (female with curves). So far I can really only play it sitting down, standing up it's not angling right. Probably a matter of just getting used to it.....but keep in mind that you've gotta try out the different body shapes to see if it'll fit you. It seemed ok in the store for me....but after 15 minutes my arm goes to sleep LOL. Borrow a guitar player friends one if you can.......see if it's comfy. You won't want to noodle on it if its not!

[T-Bird]

Hi, LowDown Hal.

One point that hasn't been mentioned I believe, is that You generally can't turn an acoustic down. It can bother others quite a bit.

I've just recently discussed about this with a friend of mine, whose daughter is picking up guitar. Acoustics are LOUD, uncomfortably loud, when someone is practising in a small apartment, with thin walls. The electric on the other hand can be as silent as needed. The moderation with the headphone volume is something to be considered though.

If that's not a problem for You, then I strongly suggest an acoustic as the versatility and the portability is a huge +. IMHO/IME of course . It's great for jamming and the usually stiffer and heavier strings are more familiar to a bassplayer.

As for Tele vs. Strat, I'd go for the Tele, but just because of the Tele-twang I like. I'm a humbucker guy almost all the way.

Regards
Sam