bluefinllama
Okay, so I have decided I want to start playing the guitar and I've read the advice so I do believe I'll be going with a laney cub12r amp which I've gotten a quote for at R3800, but the guitar is a bit of a problem still. I've been looking around and I think I've decided on the Cort CR250 (quoted at R3000), which makes it R6800 including delivery and setup.
I do have relatively small hands and I'm quite short as well. My budget is about R7000.
I would like to know what you guys think of this setup (especially the guitar) and if I should take the plunge?
wirt
Hmm... and what about cables, new strings, plectrums, string-winders, a tuner, guitar strap (if you want one)? ?
Better to get them with the guitar than to find out you need them later ?
As for the kit: As a Laney Cub12R owner I am pleased by your choice. I know nothing about the guitar, but I haven't seen a great many people complain about them, so it's probably solid. Reviews seem positive too. As always: See if you can find something you like second-hand. It seems to be a buyer's market right now and that 3 grand will stretch a lot farther on Gumtree/OLX/what have you.
Standard disclaimer: I am but a humble beginner, the guys on the forum who have been travelling the path for longer than I will know better.
Also: I swear I've seen your name in Dota 2, many moons ago...
studmissile
Hey bluefinllama welcome, great idea starting guitar but rather spend the greater portion on the guitar (pref 2nd hand) and start learning, pick up a small practice amp in the meantime.
Chocklit_Thunda
+1 on what Stud has to say... And check the 2nd hand market before you buy new. Cubs can be had for under R3000 if you find a good enough deal. I saw a CR250 online for under 3000 on gumtree a while back... 7000 is about 3 and a half times my starting budget so you could find some amazing kit for that price, especially 2nd hand through Gumtree, Olx etc etc
For under 4K you could find a MIM fender or a higher end epiphone or cort, which will have the smaller scale length and the rest of that can get you a Cub and all the extra's Wirt mentioned ?
sharonzaz
depending on your music style, you could do so much better, especially on the guitar side if you look at 2nd hand.
way better options, both quality and value for money.
amp wise, huge options. look around. go from shop to shop. bargain, ask for discounts. look at second hand gear at shops, lots of time there are really good deals.
gear like that you dont buy over a forum page. you get out there
and spend lots of time checking out stuff.
ask questions, harass the sales guys.
2nd hand epi LP, mostly from 5-7 years and below - good.
likely to spend around 2-4k.
2nd hand strat, likely the squire from latest years.
youll spend even less or similar.
amp wise, you can do with a nice roland cube. good value
and nice features.
if you have an iDevice you can just get iRig and for now
use phones or a HIFI, save some more bucks till you can get something more.
in any case, you should budget for accessories as was recommended here earlier.
bag\case, strap, tuner, pedals??, cables, picks etc.
take a friend with you who might have some knowledge.
they might save you a lot of money and heartache.
TAKE YOUR TIME - dont rush.
ive had some luck picking up gear for close to nothing, and the idea is not to chase it but be patient.
Psean
Nice looking guitar but I have to laugh at this:
Original paint work was black took it to a brilliant Lutheran to have the natural wood instead.
And this on the partscaster :
The reverse headstock will turn heads like you wont believe
?
DaFiz
wirt wrote:
Hmm... and what about cables, new strings, plectrums, string-winders, a tuner, guitar strap (if you want one)? ?
Like buying a motorcycle and then realising you need helmet, jacket, pants, gloves and boots afterwards. :-[
An acoustic guitar is the way to go for practicing chords and strumming techniques and generally getting the feel for the rhythm. ?
bluefinllama
Eish, now I feel like a sad panda ?
I appreciate all the help, but now it seems like I'll have to wait a while to get something decent. Most of those linked will be hard to entertain as viable since I'm from Pretoria (Should've probably mentioned that earlier) which means the one's from Dbn PE etc is out of the question.
studmissile
Why the Cort, do you like that shape?
sharonzaz
bluefinllama wrote:
Eish, now I feel like a sad panda ?
I appreciate all the help, but now it seems like I'll have to wait a while to get something decent. Most of those linked will be hard to entertain as viable since I'm from Pretoria (Should've probably mentioned that earlier) which means the one's from Dbn PE etc is out of the question.
the links were just examples.
what i meant was to clarify how easy it is to get good deals if youre willing to wait and look around
and not just go for the first deal you get at the first shop you visit.
bluefinllama
Well, I like the whole sweatshop idea ??? I do like a Les Paul style yeah and all 3 finishes do look pretty good, but what I've seen/heard thus far it seems like very good value for money. I won't lie, the following video also played a role:
=
I do understand what you meant with the links, thing is I do usually shop around (reason things out, do my research etc) but earlier this afternoon I felt like a little kid who wanted to open his Christmas present (you kinda burst my bubble by being so sensible).
Bob-Dubery
2nd hand is the way to go. You can get more guitar bang for your buck that way. Also say you spend R4k on a new guitar, play for 6 months and decide it's not for you or you want to upgrade. You'll get maybe 2.5k for that guitar because now it's second hand. If you buy a 2nd hand guitar for 2.5k when you sell it it's second hand but it was also second hand when you bought it, so you'll take a much smaller knock or maybe break even.
There's more than the axe and the amplifier - as already pointed out in this thread. There's strings (a recurring cost), cables, picks, a case, leads. Where you do have an advantage sometimes buying new is you can haggle with the shop and they'll chuck in some leads or something. Though at your end of the financial spectrum they will not have a lot of wiggle room on the deal.
Another cost you need to factor in is a setup. This is a vague term, but basically it means making various adjustments to the guitar so that it plays physically easier and stays in tune better. I think there are a lot of guys who start playing, get a badly set up guitar that is difficult to play or has rubbish intonation (intonation is a measure of how accurately the guitar is in tune at each point on the neck) or goes out of tune all the time and they decide it's too hard for them and let it go when if they'd just had the guitar set up properly in the first place they'd have had an easier and more enjoyable time of it.
So, if your budget is 7k, then bargain on about 6k for the amp and axe (and buy second hand!) and leave a bit for the set up, a tuner and so on.
Take some lessons. Even if only for the first few months. A good teacher will steer you away from pitfalls and bad habits you don't even know exist and will give you a good foundation to build on.
bluefinllama
K guys, I've decided to be more patient and look around a bit. Would playing through my home theatre system or pc work at first *instead of spending the cash on an amp)? That way I could get a better guitar now and a better amp later. If so, how does one do it, normal line in sufficient or not?
studmissile
bluefinllama wrote:
K guys, I've decided to be more patient and look around a bit. Would playing through my home theatre system or pc work at first *instead of spending the cash on an amp)? That way I could get a better guitar now and a better amp later. If so, how does one do it, normal line in sufficient or not?
Thats what I would do, even your local cash converters should have a cheap (R500) 10 watt practice amp for starters. If you like that Les Paul shape go for a Epiphone also look into a Tokai. First focus on getting a good guitar.
wirt
I think it'd work.
What I'd recommend is to get the guitar, and then buy a copy of Rocksmith 2014 which comes with a 1⁄4" jack-to-USB and play through your PC. That gives you some digital modeling, a means of amplification (albeit a bit cheap sounding) and a tool to get you started on learning how to play.
sharonzaz
id be very careful plugging a high gain guitar into a system
that not meant to receive that kind input.
you will need some kind of preamp, multi effect pedal
or anything thats able to accept this kind of gain without blowing.
using your pc, perhaps with phones or decent speaker would be a fantastic idea, but you would need a recording interface of some kind as you will find the latency really upsetting.
also you do not want to plug your guitar into the built in card
without the proper preamp stage and risk damaging the card.
a decent card would cost you R1500 atleast. give or take.
paired with some nice modeling software would yield way better options than just an amp, but with no way to transport it, unless its a laptop.
i think even an entry level processor like a zoom pedal would do.
pocket pod or anything similar.
