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I need help with choosing a new six-string

H

HoosierBassist

Dec 18, 2010
132
1
#1
Hey.

I am not talking about a six-string bass. I am a bassist mainly, I've been playing for about 3 years, I own 3 basses. I am in a blues-rock band. I am the bassist. However, my bass teacher (who also teachers guitar) recommended i get an electric guitar to use as a songwriting tool, since writing with a bass is not the easiest thing to do. He's been teaching me several chords and other basic things.

I know that buying a guitar (Or bass) is all about how it feels to the person playing it. it needs to be comfortable to play. However, I do think that buying a certain model (Strat or LP for example) can effect the sound a little bit.

A strat sounds a bit different than a Tele, you know.

Anyway, since i'm really into blues music, I was thinking Tele. Why tele, you ask? well. I want something simple, the strat has a whammy bar in the way. The tele does not. I can play SRV on a strat or a Tele, it would sound pretty much the same, it' about the player more than the guitar.

My question

I am looking to spend about 300$ maximum.

I am not opposed to buying used gear but you might end up with a POS if you go that route, you don't know what the previous owner did to it.

Considering i am a bassist and lack lots of experience with guitar, help me out here.

i am mainly considering a Squier VM jag that my local music store has for about 270$. I like other stuff too, like Nirvana and Weezer, but I'm sure a Jag can do blues-rock.

Or the Squier VM Jazzmaster

Or a VM/CL Tele.

I'm not opposed to Epiphone, but i have not tried any out. The only guitar i have tried out is a VM Jag.

I don't really want a strat, because they are so common. I like the lesser known fenders like Jags.

SG/LP? Jag/Jazzmaster/Tele? I want a versatile guitar. but it really comes down to the player, not the guitar.
 
#3
Strats are so "common" because Leo Fender hit a near-perfect ergonomic design with that guitar. It melds into the body and the controls are laid out for easy access. At the time when it first came out, it was revolutionary. Nowadays the best design elements of the strat have been copied extensively.
 
#4
If you're only writing guitar-based rock music, one of those new Squiers should be good.

BUT, if you want to expand your musical knowledge, ability, and flexibility tenfold, get a keyboard. It's something every serious musician needs to know how to get around on.
 
#6
I've got a Squier CV Thinline Tele and I dig it. The pickups on a Tele are very flexible, and there's something nice about the smaller body. My main guitar is a Blacktop Strat, which has a whammy bar, but I rarely use it. Even when I do, I've got set up so that it's rarely in my way.

Another recommendation is an Epiphone Dot. Now, I'm not as big a fan of the necks on Gibson style guitars, since they're usually thicker, but I love the sound of a semi-hollow or thinline guitar. Ibanez has some nice semi-hollows as well.

Some of this has to do with how much you plan on using it. If you're just using it for songwriting, then the choice doesn't mean nearly as much. You'll mainly be focused on getting a comfortable neck scale and thickness, and getting something with a good set-up. You could even go with an acoustic. If you plan on recording it or performing with it, though, pickup choice and body construction will come into play. There's also amplification to consider. I'd think about what you're looking for in a guitar, but my top recommendations would be a Dot or Tele, depending on which you prefer.
 

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