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spend more than 1500 on the first instrument

#61
I bought a RIC when I was 24. I was a decent player, but to be quite honest probably not good enough to spend that kind of money on an instrument. Is what I found, however, is that I got a weird complex after buying it. Something along the lines of "Ok, I bought this thing, now I have to get good enough to justify playing it". So I did.

Having said that, you're an adult with 1700 bucks. If you want to spend that on grilled cheese sandwiches you can, you don't need to justify a purchase to anyone.
 
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#64
I advise new players of any instrument to avoid spending too much coin in the beginning; not because you haven't earned it yet, or you're not good enough or you're too likely to quit, but because you don't know what "good" is. You couldn't possibly know that, since you haven't had a chance to develop an ear and a feel for what a good instrument sounds like, feels like, looks like, etc.

Play whatever you can get your hands on - for a few weeks, months, a year - and then you'll know exactly what you're looking for, which sound(s) you're after and what quality looks like in an instrument. Just my two cents :)
 
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#66
I personally think a beginner needs the best instrument they can responsibly afford.

An experienced or professional player can get by with a less than ideal instrument and still make it work. A beginner needs all the help and inspiration they can get to make it over the bumps in the path to learning their new instrument. And having a good sounding and easy playing instrument is part of that. The biggest mistake I've seen beginners (or their parents) make is getting a so-called "starter" bass or guitar. I can understand not wanting to make a substantial investment until you're certain you'll see it through. But an uncomfortable to play, or not very good sounding instrument, is almost a guarantee you'll quit out of sheer frustration.

So no…it's not crazy to buy a quality instrument as your first instrument. It will significantly up the odds you'll stick with it. And if it's an instrument that speaks to you, so much the better.

I say go for it.
 
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#67
Before you spend $1500, try to find the one you want used. I've been playing guitar for about 2 months now. I found a used Fender American Special HSS selling for $600 that found it's way into a Guitar Center. I saw it, I liked it, I went home. When I returned some other dude was playing it and he wouldn't put it down. So I waited, and waited, and waited while I watched this guy go over the guitar with a fine toothed combed. He finally put the thing back up. I asked him what he thought about the instrument (as I had never had a guitar before), and he said "very, very sweet and I think they mis-priced it." I would have been happy buying the new MIM Fender Strat for $550 that I went in for, but the Fender American Special also came with a HS case... So I bought the American Special.

Another post mentioned set-up. This first guitar being used I don't mind experimenting on it. It came with a 09 - 42 string gauge set which I've recently changed to 09 - 40 which has a thicker B string and thinner G, D, A, E, for a more balanced tension between strings. For the life of me I don't understand why the pole pieces on the high B and E strings are not stronger, but from what I read on the Strat Talk forum this is the why Fender does it (???). However, with the balanced tension set and pickup height, string height tweaks it sounds much more even now. And, with the lighter gauge I'm finding it easier to chord with all the strings ringing out.

Another post (I think the same guy) mentioned tube amp vs SS. I bought a used 15 watt Vox Night Train combo tube amp for $200 after tax. That thing FREAKING ROCKS! All I want to do is make some noise and this thing does it. I had a chance to buy a used Brunetti Maranello but I balked. Went back the VERY NEXT DAY and it was GONE!!! I didn't know how much better it is to buy a tube amp for guitar than it is for bass, until comparing my Vox to my guitar players SS amps. The previous post I referenced mentioned SS guitar amps sounding muddy. He has a point. I imagine the expensive SS amps will sound better, but why spend a lot of money on a SS amp when you can have a tube amp? You'll also want it to have a clean channel so that you can hear yourself playing the notes properly.

I've already spent about $500 on pedals. With guitars, pedals are an addiction... a serious addiction. I need help but I'm still in denial so help won't do any good. So, you'll more than likely want to take in consideration the money you'll spend on pedals. For bass I have one pedal... a bass d.i. You ever see a guitar player using only one pedal? No. So take that into consideration. You may also consider lessons. I just finished my first session and one on one lessons with an instructor has helped me tremendously.

Learning to play guitar is making me a better bass player.

Hope this helps.
Good luck and enjoy the ride.
 
#69
40Hz said:
I personally think a beginner needs the best instrument they can responsibly afford.

An experienced or professional player can get by with a less than ideal instrument and still make it work. A beginner needs all the help and inspiration they can get to make it over the bumps in the path to learning their new instrument. And having a good sounding and easy playing instrument is part of that. The biggest mistake I've seen beginners (or their parents) make is getting a so-called "starter" bass or guitar. I can understand not wanting to make a substantial investment until you're certain you'll see it through. But an uncomfortable to play, or not very good sounding instrument, is almost a guarantee you'll quit out of sheer frustration.

So no…it's not crazy to buy a quality instrument as your first instrument. It will significantly up the odds you'll stick with it. And if it's an instrument that speaks to you, so much the better.

I say go for it.
Click to expand...

You wrote what is in mind about 'starer' instruments.
 
#71
I've been playing guitar since I was a kid, and I've never spent that much on a single instrument.

These days, your choices are excellent and the cheaper guitars are better than they've ever been. There's really no reason you can't gig with a Squier, for example.

It's your money and your choice, but don't feel you have to spend a lot to get a good instrument.
 
#72
i wouldn't spend that much money (ever again!) on any instrument, but that's me. (i'm old, and) very happy that great instruments can be acquired for much less --- new or used.

but again: that's just me.

buy what floats your boat if you can afford it and if it 'draws you near'. the love of music keeps me at the practicing, but others might need some additional incentive: like a brand new instrument! :thumbsup:
 
#73
I should have also said earlier that "best quality instrument" doesn't mean "most expensive instrument" you can responsibility afford. There are definitely many excellent instruments that sell for very good prices - assuming you know what to look for. Which is not something every beginner is going to know how to do.

So either get some help from an experienced player, or get a decent instrument that speaks to you.

One nice thing about good instruments. They hold their value much better on the used market. So should you someday decide to trade up, or (horrors!) give it up, you'll recoup more of your money with a good instrument.
 
#74
If you KNOW that's the guitar you want then buy it.

The trick is KNOWING whether you really KNOW versus just THINKING you KNOW what you want in an instrument.

Most all of us here have a closet full of instruments that were supposed to be "the one!"
 
#76
I've considered buying a nice Martin guitar or an AVRI Telecaster. It's all about how much you can spend comfortably and how much room you have for it. I only know five chords but I would rather play and improve on a nice instrument that I will keep forever. Right now, I sold my house and live with my girlfriend and barely have room for all my bass stuff so getting a guitar is a little out of the question for me at the moment. Eventually though...
 
#77
Personally, no. If you have a budget of $1500, it will open up more choices if anything - you may find the best bass for you goes for far less than that or you may find a more expensive bass suits your needs. The important thing to find is a bass that will encourage you to play, one that checks off criteria boxes on your wish list, only you will know that.
My brother doesn't have a $1500 guitar, he rocks out on a MIM Fender Telecaster, yet has won a Grammy award with his musical band, has a platinum record award hanging on his wall and also played at the White House. Not going to say who and which band because the point is there's no buying musical talent, a more expensive instrument doesn't instantly make you a better guitarist or bassist, however don't buy an instrument that make you sound awful and is uncomfortable to play either, you're fortunate to have many options available to you, take advantage of the many choices you have.
Today, there are better options available than before even on the low end of the scale, so my suggestion is this.
Go to a music store.
Don't look at any of the price tags.
Play all the basses.
Pick the one you like.
 
#80
There's nothing wrong with buying an expensive guitar as your first one, but bear in mind that as you progress you'll probably find something you like better and end up wanting to sell the first one. For that reason I'd consider buying used if you can, then you won't lose money on the deal.
 

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