Prog Electric Guitar Models

Hey guys,

Ill get right to the point, instead of my usual introductory "fluff".  Im attempting to take up the electric guitar--  I already have a good knowledge of music, being a capable musician at several woodwind instruments, and would ideally like to become a more well-rounded musician (+ the electric guitar has always looked like such a kick ass in-your-face instrument, unlike woodwinds unfortunetely .) I will likely be able to pick it up fairly quickly seeing as ive got lots of free-time on my hands at the moment -- being a 17 year old with little responsibility and all.  Now to my conundrum: 

 Im completely ignorant to the world of guitars and have done a bit of reseach to try to get myself up to speed.  Yet, the problem is that these days most guitars seem to be geared towards hardcore metal heads, and create a sound much too harsh for my liking-- unless im willing fork out over $1000, b4 ive ever so much as played a scale on the guitar.  I was wondering if there was anyone out there who knows something about this field and could recommend some electric guitar models and/or companies which produce a sound in which the loudness is not so much emphasized, but the sound quality, and anything else that is important to electric guitars which are geared towards progressive rock.  My price range is pretty much anything up to about $600--- most desirably below $400 US ($500 Canadian.)

Much appreciated

I am not a guitar player,I am a drummer,and you will probably get a lot more informed opinions than mine,but most of the guitarists I know and play with swear by the Fender Stratocaster.

I would recommend the Line 6 Variax 300, it offers several guitar sounds - Fender, Gibson, Acoustic, ...

http://www.line6.com/variax/specifications.html

It really works, and such a guitar can save you a lot of money. You can switch between the sound of a Fender Stratocaster and that of a Gibson Les Paul in no time.

The Variax 300 is priced around $450, quite a bargain if you consider that it's really several totally different guitars packed into one instrument.

The only drawback is that it doesn't have a vibrato bar, and 22 frets instead of 24. But those are problems that many other guitars have as well.

BTW: Currently I play an ESP Standard Horizon NT-II, which also has no vibrato system.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head though, Reverie

Very true Mike! Certainly different constructions and wood types yeild different attributes to the sound, but i think both bolt on necks, neck throughs, hollow bodies etc. all have a place in prog, depending on where you want to take your prog music. I mean prog rock can be a pretty open style of music. But yeah i hadn't really thought of that.

porter wrote: since you're a beginner, I would suggest not to go too far with brands and especially money, so you'd better choose a cheap guitar...there are some good brands like Epiphone, if you like the les paul style, or maybe you could opt for a Mexican or Japanese Fender, if you like the strat. PLEASE LEAVE ALONE THE VARIAX at this stage, I think it could be a little confusing since, as you said, you still haven't played a scale on a guitar. That's a guitar for the pro's, or for people who already know what they need and what they don't.

Quite the opposite. Why do you want to force him to decide whether he's a Fender or Gibson guy? The Variax is certainly a good guitar for beginners - especially the Variax 300. Hey, you not only get both Gibson and Fender sounds, but also quite good simulations of various acoustic guitars including a 12 string guitar.

I'd rather say the reverse: The Variax is NOT a guitar for pros, because the sounds are not as good as the genuine versions. But they're DAMN good, and certainly better than cheap versions of Fender and Gibson guitars.

BTW: If you use your computer to play music, you might want to consider buying the GuitarPort instead of a fully fledged amp. Its sound is as good as that of the POD XT ... 

Edited by MikeEnRegalia

Gedhead wrote: Fender Strat is the one almost every guitarist cuts his teeth on before moving up to more elite models.

The Fender Strat is actually one of the more difficult guitars to start with. If you don't like the Variax (I'll stop promoting that one, I've done enough of that already), I'd recommend Yamaha. Their Pacifica guitars are quite versatile and the quality is ok. 

Empathy wrote: Somehow I knew you were a guitarist. So I assume you have a Variax? I've got a Vetta II (which I love), and I've been looking at picking a Variax up. Which model do you have? How do you like it?

Unfortunately I don't have one (yet). When the first Variax was available, it lacked the vibrato system and only had 22 frets. While I can live without a vibrato system, I really need 24 frets for some of my favorite songs ...

 

Well, you need to ask yourself what kind of sound you want.  Who is your model?  Gilmour?  Gilmour played a strat mainly.

The best all-around guitars out there are Fenders and Gibsons.  You can get cheap knockoffs of these, but I wouldn't.  You can also get a guitar by a lot of other companies, but there's a reason why they are not the best.  Gibson and Fender have a long history of great quality control.


So if I were in your shoes, I'd get a Fender Stratocaster.  The Telecasters are cheaper, good guitars, but I think they're not as high quality.  The Strat is probably the best value for your money.  But if you like a less twangy, fuller-bodies sound, a Gibson might be your choice.  The double humbucker of a Gibson Les Paul makes a big sound difference, as well as the wood and bridgework (as somebody mentioned).


One note: if you're going to pick up an instrument and you want to get good at it, why in the world would you cut corners?  Learn on quality, and learn right the first time.

Second note: don't bother with collector's items.  Who cares if it's old?  Not me.  Go with a company with a long tradition of quality.  Fender and Gibson are that.

Also, maple necks can be easier for beginners.  That's what the strat has.  Rosewood is different.  I like it better, but it takes some getting used to.



And me?  I play a Fender Master Series Flame Ultra, which I bought new in 1986.  It's a white (actually platinum blonde) beauty, and I've taken excellent care of it.  The Master Series guitars were made with double humbuckers with coil splitters, so you can play with double pickups or singles.  The body makes it sound like a Gibson, but the coil splitters and neck make it sound like a Strat.  So, depending on setting and whether you ujse the coil splitterss, the guitar can sound either like a Les Paul or a Strat. 

Master series: http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=18

I've had several people offer me several times its purchase value, but I won't sell.  I've had one friend claim it has the best action of any guitar he has ever played.

I play it through a Roland JC120, though it's getting a little hissy and maybe I need a new amp. 



Think hard about the approach you want to take to learning.  I recommend a combination of 1) basic chord books, 2) basic soloing book, 3) a guitar workout book (drills for speed and dexterity), and 4) PRACTICE WITH A METRONOME (so many self-taught guitarist have lousy rhythm).

Some big tips: do not try to go faster than you are able!!!!!  If you mess up, then you are going too fast.  It is better to practice slowly making no mistakes than faster making mistakes, as you are actually PRACTICING the mistakes!  Think about it!  My mother in law is a concert-level pianist who has taught master classes her entire life (was one of those child prodigies).  She endorses this method.

Two--warm up with drills.  You are basically an athlete, and athletes don't just play their sport, they train a lot to enhance their ability.  Doing extensive picking, fingering and chord change drills was the best thing I ever did for my technique.

Since I was emulating Gilmour, I also added vibrato drills to my guitar drills routine:  quarter, eighth, sixteenth, triplet and sextuplet vibrato at various  tempos.  Later I added doing this with bends with various fingers.  Hard core, but that's how you get the world's best vibrato, like Gilmour.  Now I can play most Gilmour solos, no problem, vibrato and all.



Edit: tremolo arms are a cop-out for wusses, at least if you are using them to add vibrato.  No reall pro uses them for that purpose, and an experienced ear can always tell.  Using them for other purposes (like Adrian Belew ) is another matter!  Also, remember that excessive tremolo use really detunes your guitar.  Belew uses a high-end tremolo system, and still needs to retune all the time.


Edited by Wormboy