Choice between...

Crafty

Epiphone les paul jr
Or
Fender squire?

I'm looking for the most versatile sound. Bit of metal jamming, and classics like Dylan, and Clapton

FruitarGeek

I think you have opened the floodgates haha

Yes, What budget. Also, what genre do you lean towards? At the end of the day, both are steller guitars

Crafty

I can get both for around 3k. The squire comes with amp, and the LP not.
I'm going to build my own amp eventually, so only need one of those R400 jobbies for now.

Genre, well mostly classic rock such as Eric Clapton, bob dylan etc...

peterleroux

I'm not too clued up on Epiphones, but I can say a bit about Squiers. Squier make several ranges, from the Bullet and Affinity at the lower end, through the Standard up to the Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe. These latter two ranges are basically great guitars as is, but the other ranges need varying degrees of work to make them feel good. Something to bear in mind is that the Affinity (not sure about the Bullet) range use a thinner than normal body, and its not necessarily easy to find upgrade parts that fit 100% without some persuading.

The basic decision is really about whether you want a single coil or hum bucking guitar. Both can get the sound you're after, and more. Both can be modified to head in the direction of the other - hum buckets can be coil split, and single coils can be wired in parallel.

Crafty

It's a Squier HSS Stratocaster. Will check body thickness. Thanks

chris77

The Epi LP Junior is the one with only the one humbucker in the bridge, right? If that's the one you're looking at then the Squier is the more versatile one for sure.

Shibbibilybob

Crafty wrote: I can get both for around 3k.

I would say, for your 3k, you could do no better than starting your search here: http://www.guitarforum.co.za/special-offers/tokai-easter-clearance-specials/?topicseen
If you could kick out an extra 800, either of the cheaper Love Rocks or the Firebird ...they'd all be waaaaay above an epiphone on my WANT list.

giggsy

Agree with Shillybillybobetcetc 3k seems a bit steep, especially if they are second hand. Go Tokai.

Crafty

Shibbibilybob wrote:
Crafty wrote: I can get both for around 3k.
I would say, for your 3k, you could do no better than starting your search here: http://www.guitarforum.co.za/special-offers/tokai-easter-clearance-specials/?topicseen
If you could kick out an extra 800, either of the cheaper Love Rocks or the Firebird ...they'd all be waaaaay above an epiphone on my WANT list.

Consider my arm twisted. Dropped Tokai a PM.
I will now need a VERY cheap amp to use for a month or three. I will be building my own amp eventually, but planning, and designing will take some time. My Hi-Fi amps I've just completed is a NAIM NAP150 clone of sorts with a few modifications, and a valve SRPP pre-amp. Now As I understand, with overdrive and all such cool things, guitar amps are quite different, with heavy clipping on the input stage, and a softer second stage to create that distortion effect? Will still read more and get to that.

So what can you guys suggest for sub R500 amp wise? Even If I just have to take a pedal to my hifi amp or whatever. I have no idea.

giggsy

Maybe they'll be negotiable?

http://www.gumtree.co.za/cp-musical-instruments-in-constantia/roland-cube-15-quality-15-watt-guitar-amp-469181814

http://www.gumtree.co.za/cp-musical-instruments-in-centurion/laney-hcm30r-gutar-ss-electric-guitar-amp-468585676

http://www.gumtree.co.za/cp-musical-instruments-in-east-rand/vox-pathfinder-15r-guitar-amp-460010006

AlanRatcliffe

Crafty wrote: So what can you guys suggest for sub R500 amp wise? Even If I just have to take a pedal to my hifi amp or whatever. I have no idea.

Not much around at that price range, but here's a Vox Amplug in the classifieds: http://www.guitarforum.co.za/index.php?action=classifieds;sa=view;id=2449 - that's about as good as you'll get (and the amplugs are actually quite nifty).

chris77

Instead of wasting money on a cheap amp you won't be playing for long anyway, why not go for software? This http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/amplitubecs/ is free and will sound a million times better than any R500 practice amp. Plus you have the option of purchasing upgrades to expand your virtual rig at a fraction of the cost that you will have to pay for the real gear they are based on.

Sean

Or just practice without an amp for a couple of months. Get to know your Tokai intimately in the meantime ?

Crafty

Sean wrote: Or just practice without an amp for a couple of months. Get to know your Tokai intimately in the meantime ?

I can do that yes.
On the valve preamp I built I have a phono stage. I'm sure this can be used for the pickups? The p90 pickups and turn table stylus are equally sensitive as far as I know. It is a MM stage. On MC the gain will be too high.
Any ways. Still waiting to hear from Tokai.

AlanRatcliffe

Crafty wrote: On the valve preamp I built I have a phono stage. I'm sure this can be used for the pickups? The p90 pickups and turn table stylus are equally sensitive as far as I know. It is a MM stage. On MC the gain will be too high.

Phono won't work well. even if the gain and impedance were right, it has a specific EQing to compensate for the foibles of turntable cartridges.

peterleroux

If you're handy with a soldering iron, a Ruby chip amp should cost you about R20 to put together, and will drive an 8 ohm cabinet easily. Should tide you over until you build a tube amp

domhatch

i have a vox amplug, they're great. a coupla weeks/months down the line, you can also get yourself a cab to go with it:

http://www.voxamps.com/amplug/amplugcabinet/

i did, and it's fun. fiddle enough, and you can actually get some really cool sounds out of this little thing. plus, you will never make enough noise to upset anyone. well, no-one worth mentioning, anyway.

good luck
dh|

6x9base13

domhatch wrote: i have a vox amplug, they're great. a coupla weeks/months down the line, you can also get yourself a cab to go with it:

http://www.voxamps.com/amplug/amplugcabinet/

i did, and it's fun. fiddle enough, and you can actually get some really cool sounds out of this little thing. plus, you will never make enough noise to upset anyone. well, no-one worth mentioning, anyway.

good luck
dh|

That is too cool ! Are they available anywhere off the shelf in GP that you know of ?

NileshHansjee

6x9base13 wrote: That is too cool ! Are they available anywhere off the shelf in GP that you know of ?

Dion Wired Woodmead stock them - which means they'll be available at Turnkey too.

domhatch

yup, was at dion wired woodmead yesterday, didn't specifically see them there, but it would probably be a good place to look.

got mine at TOMS sandton. too cool indeed, spend quite a bit of time with mine - tons of fun at night with backing tracks and my laptop. just bear in mind you will need an external power source - doesn't run on batteries like the amplug itself. the one niggle i have with the amplug on its own is fighting with the earphones' cord...

not too bad either, around the r500 mark if i recall
dh|

EDIT: id-10-t error. i see the cab does have a battery option. wires and i don't go together well, so i shall be looking for the battery compartment this very evening.