Are these guitars good for a beginner?

BambiCats · February 2017

Thanks for the help everyone. Today I went to a guitar shop and I got to try a few guitars, and the staff was really nice and helpful. I'm definitely going to buy a Yamaha and although I like the Pacifica I'm probably going to get the ERG121U as I really like how it looks and feels more.

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/electric-guitars/yamaha-erg121u-electric-guitar-black?gclid=COuQuMbFqdICFYU_GwodWXwAGg

Alnico said:

We've got a great shop here in Bedford called The Music Centre.

I've got an American Pro Strat and a Deville and i'm in Bedford, in between the train station and the shop.
I'm retired and free most of the time so if you happen to find yourself at Bedford train station, i can take you to meet Ross and you can talk to him if you want one brand new. He's a Fender dealer up to USA models so he's got a very good range of guitars to look at and he's a great bloke i've known for around 10 years. I've bought most of my guitars from him in those years and highly recommend him. Bruce is the owner if you speak to him, he's a gentleman and also highly experienced, still working as a roadie for some big bands and probably loads of other stuff he hasn't mentioned.

They stay *very* close to online prices and they've managed to stay very successfully in business for a long time in this town so they must be doing something right.

Anytime if you go that way, good luck.

Thank you very much for your suggestion and help, I really appreciate it. Unfortunately Bedford is quite far from where I live so it will be unlikely that I'll go there but thank you anyways

bazxkr · February 2017

Well done for going to a shop & taking the plunge...really is the best way to get a feel for what works for you. So what amp you gonna get to blend with your new choice ?

close2u · February 2017

BambiCats said:

Today I went to a guitar shop and I got to try a few guitars ... I'm definitely going to buy a Yamaha and although I like the Pacifica I'm probably going to get the ERG121U as I really like how it looks and feels more.

Great that you got out and tried some. BUT ... DO NOT get an ERG in preference to a Pacifica. They are not in the same ball park, they are seriously inferior. And you will take a hit financially when you realise that and try to sell it. Nobody will pay money for a used ERG and for good reason.

close2u · February 2017

BambiCats said:
I'll also get a guitar teacher as I want to learn more quickly

Justin is your friend.
https://www.justinguitar.com/

close2u · February 2017

Maynehead said:
However, I though Pacificas (112 series at least) had Alder bodies?

Pacifica info: http://www.guitaradventures.com/yamaha-pacifica-electric-guitar-series-review

close2u · February 2017

If you are looking at Squier then avoid the Bullet budget models. Next in line upwards in quality and price is the Affinity model. There should be a decent HSS Affinity hitting eBay / gumtree / schpock/ Facebook selling groups in London area several times a week.
these or the Pacifica if your budget is £100 and you want a 'strat'.

57Deluxe · February 2017

The most important thing(s) is that the guitar actually goes to tune, stays in tune and has no intonation or setup issues.

Forget tone, colour, style, brand names as you will progress onwards and start to define what you want from a guitar from a position of working knowledge. You wlll probably offload your first guitar in the process.

So try and get it in your hands-on or ask a shop assistant to play a few bits on it and see if he constantly struggles with fingering cleanly, retunes, fiddles about or makes endless excuses about it...

digitalkettle · February 2017

57Deluxe said:

The most important thing(s) is that the guitar actually goes to tune, stays in tune and has no intonation or setup issues.

Trem on a budget guitar seems to be inviting a whole world of pain...especially if it's a Floyd type.

57Deluxe said:

Forget tone, colour, style, brand names as you will progress onwards and start to define what you want from a guitar from a position of working knowledge. You wlll probably offload your first guitar in the process.

In hindsight, this is great advice, but if I had manifested (in a rickety time-travelling phone booth with a knackered umbrella on top) in front of my younger self as I was looking for my first guitar and passed on the same wisdom, I'd still have got the sparkly red one with a humbucker and a dodgy floyd with a locking nut that you could chew through with your teeth*.

It's a rite of passage

* Marlin Sidewinder of course

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Are these guitars good for a beginner?

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