Best electric guitar for beginner?

My 15-year old son has taken an interest in music-specifically the electric guitar. Since I'm clueless about guitars, what's a good, reasonably priced guitar I can get him that's compatible with GarageBand?
Thanks,
Kelly

It's hard, as a guitar player, to suggest to someone to get something like a Squier, which I'd never buy myself. I'd go with a Mexican Made Fender for a budget priced electric. But, with a kid, you also never know if it's gonna stick or if it's a passing thing. So with that in mind, perhaps one of those starter packages would be a good thing. I WAS serious as a kid, and my parents got me a cheapie Japanese guitar when Japanese guitars were basically junk. The ones made overseas nowadays are a LOT better than those we got in the 60s. If he IS serious, be prepared to have him want something better fairly soon after he starts to develop his playing. Especially if he has friends with better gear. He'll try out their stuff, and feel, hear, and see the difference, and then come to you for some new gear. I think it is 50/05. If you go with a cheapie and he gets serious, you'll not get much for the cheapie by selling or trading it in. Buying a better quality might have a better resale value if he decides it is not for him, or if he finds he want an even better setup. I tend to go with the medium priced budget gear, rather than the absolute cheapest you can get. Used is another way to go. You can find a Mexican made Fender in pawn shops and on eBay for what you'd pay for a Squier branded guitar, maybe even less. It's a hard decision. If only there was a way to know if they'll stick with it from the beginning

Similar Messages

Electric Guitar for Recording

Hi,
I'm using Logic Express Actually.
I'm using very cheap guitar for Recording...that's EG112 yamaha electric guitar and RBX170 with me and my recording!!:D
Erm...is it really important to get a high range Guitar for recording??like Taylor,Fender,Ibanez,Martin,Gibson and so on??
What about the lower range of Fender-Squire??Ibanez Gio??and something like Samick Fastback or Cobra??and oso china made guitar??
any expert can really give me a hand and idea on it before i make a investment??
Thanks
Ray

If the rest of the guitar is nice, and only the sound is the problem, perhaps the pickups aren't matched to the body (many inexpensive guitar manufacturers use "stock" pickups which are one size fits all). If anything, I have modified almost all of my guitars (mostly older Ibanez models), fitting in pickups that I felt matched the guitar (part research and part dumb luck - fortunately, my choices seemed to have brought out the best of those guitars).
As for recommending a pick-up, it really depends on what you want to bring out of the guitar. You don't just want to stick a pick-up in and hope for the best. Just remember that you lose high-end as you increase your pick-up output. On certain guitars, this would render it to nothing more than a 6-string baseball bat. Keep in mind the body material, shape and size when choosing a pickup. Everything plays a part in your sound.
jord

What is the best developer studio for beginner?

I am student at computer science. I want to learn mobile technologies . I heard too many studio name .Which is the best for beginner and where I can downlaod it . Thank you so much.

netBeans 4.1 + Mobility Pack from http://www.netbeans.info/downloads/download.php?type=4.1. You'll get all you need for both J2ME and J2SE development.
Peter

What is the best electric converter for using apple products in europe?, what is the best electric converter for using apple in europe?, what is the best electric converter for using apple in europe?

What is the best & Safest electric converter ro charge Apple ipad, phone, laptop in Italy?

Here's the kit you need. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB974ZM/B
 Cheers, Tom

What products are available to connect a electric guitar to a IPAD 4 for use with garage band???

what products are availabe to connect an ipad 4 with electric guitar for use with garage band???

I know this will sound a bit snarky but the best source for information is an Internet search. Typing in "connect guitar to iPad" produced pages of products. This one looked interesting to me...
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/jam.php?gclid=CPSpza6q2bQCFU6mPAodpmcAqg
I don't recall if the iPad 4 has the new lightning connector or not. If it does you'll probably need a 30pin-to-lightening adapter.

How do I connect an Electric guitar to a Mac by Firewire?

Please forgive my lack of technical knowledge, I don't play guitar so the terminology is way beyond me. I am trying to find the best (and economical as in value for money) way to connect a guitar to an Intel Mac mini via Firewire port.
My daughter is getting an electric guitar for Christmas (Cort MGM-1) and a Roland Cube amp. She's been playing acoustic for five years already and is very good on guitar (now studying Grade 4). She will most likely want to record her guitar playing into software on the Mac, and I wondered what the experts here would recommend as being worth looking at.
Apple has a few pages given over to this here
http://www.apple.com/pro/techniques/connectingguitar/
which mentions using analogue via the mic input, or digital using an "interface" but the problem I find is they only recommend USB connections, and these are pretty expensive anyway. Still, if that's the price, so be it. I would prefer to use Firewire over USB every time, if possible.
The Roland website says you can connect the guitar directly to the Mac with a cable from the amp, but threads I have read and help I have so far received on a Mac magazine forum indicate the need for a separate "audio interface" and others talk of needing a pre-amp. I am getting confused! Is the Roland amp not also a pre-amp.interface itself?
My budget is pretty low now too (actually it's been exceeded, but I'm aware of the "Buy cheap, buy twice" argument and want to think ahead. Her sister plays Flute and Clarinet and they both sing, if that is any help.
I know there are some really professional and top grade experts on this forum, and I would welcome your suggestions, recommendations and opinions. Please help me work out what to do!
TIA

Thanks a lot to everyone for such a wide range of ideas. I've spent most of the day researchng them, and it is confusing. Now we have a number of options that also include software, eg ProTools or Cubase LE 4 or Ableton or some other program. That means even more research! And won't that double up what we are already doing with Garage Band or Logic? SOrry, I'm just a poor Sax player used to playing the dots, unamplified!
One big reason to go with Firewire (apart from its just better anyway) is the USB ports are pretty full on the Mac IIRC but the Firewire is totally unused.
As for plugging the cable straight in the back of the Mac into the Analog In port, that would only allow a single stereo input or two mono ones, and that could be limiting. I agree though that it would allow for something to be done pretty immediately.
I liked the Shure mic recommendation, I hadn't thought of that but it was extremely useful information which was great for you to add in. Very wise advice. Not sure if its a condensor mic or not, and not really sure why a condensor mic is supposed to be better. They are more expensive though but nothing in this world should be acquired because of price alone IMO; sometimes the minimum cost of something really useful is higher than just the minimum cost of purchase.
When I get one of these interfaces, where in the daisy chain should it be placed?
Guitar - Amp - Interface - Mac
OR
Guitar - Interface - Mac
OR
Guitar - Interface - Amp - Mac
or doesn't it matter?
If it is placed in the chain, should the amp effects be restricted to "Clean" leaving the interface or the software to do the effects, or can you change settings in as many places as wanted? I am guessing this is only a question when connecting to the Mac?
Sorry to ask so many questions, as you can see, I am getting hold of bits of ideas here and there, but there are still big gaps in my understanding. You've all brought me forwards a lot since this morning, I owe you all a great big thank you!
To sum up (please correct me where I am wrong or incomplete) what I am looking for then is an Analog to Digital converter with a Firewire (or USB perhaps) connection to the computer. These come in different flavours, often with "free" software, and can add effects in the computer just like some amps can. They all cost something like £100 to £200 upwards (same price as the amp really) and are in effect "amps for the computer" - or is that totally wrong?
As I said, I value your input and corrections.
TIA

How Do I connect my iAxe electric guitar?

Just got iLife '09 and a brand new iAxe 393 electric guitar for my son. To follow the lessons in GB '09 (he, and I, have never played at all) what do I need to do to connect the guitar to the iMac? Do I just need to plug in the USB cable, or does there need to be some intermediary (like an amp)?

As i recall it is mac compatible, just plug it in

How can i get the best sound from my electric guitar?

Hello,
I'm new to the Apple forums. I have come seeking some knowledge about how I can make my guitar sound really good like a metal/rock sound while at the same time not sounding unnaturally distorted but clean.
I have a Macbook Air with a Griffin iMic. I have tried some of built in presets for metal/rock but they are either too noisy (background hiss) or they arn't rock like enough. I like the metal ones but they have too much hiss and it ruins my recordings (sounds like a jumbled mess in the end...)
I'm not only new to the forums, but i'm also new to electric guitar and peddles. I'm certainly not new to guitar itself though, been playing for 7 years. What I really seek is what kind of settings I can have like a combination of the best amp model + pedals along with settings or effects to apply to it.
Thanks in advance, I hope i provided enough info.
Kris

Linkandzelda wrote:
I have a 1/8 to 1/4 adapter which i plug directly into the iMic. So theres no preamp involved, yet.
You can by pass the iMic by using the same adaptor and plugging straight into the Line in on your mac. Try it and see if there is a difference in your sound.
Regarding settings, I was able to develop one which has minimal noise levels but also some distortion. I will defiantly experiment more...
Yeah, the key is to start with as clean a sound as possible and then add in little bits. Start adding with a Chorus effect first, then maybe a slight delay. Try all of your setting with both strumming and picking, both fast and slow, as you often have to match your playing technique with how the effects are set up. Then add Fuzz/Distortion etc. Once you have done that then reverse the set up sequence by starting with the major signal modifiers like Distortion etc and add the chorus, flanger, phasers after. These sorts of strategies can change the way things sound. Don't forget a bit of reverb.
The key is to start simple with mild alterations. Also, find a few guitar sounds you like from your favorite songs where you can hear good clear guitar sounds. Maybe create a playlist in iTunes and use these as a reference to compare between what you like and what you are creating. This A-B'ing will go along way to helping you develop your 'taste'. Its great to hear things side by side.
Goggle each of the guitar effects and learn what they do, make a few simple notes as a reference. Basically educate yourself.
and invest in a M-Audio Fast track 2 as i suspect the griffin is causing the noise.
Personally I would recommend something a bit better than the M-Audio Fast Track USB. The quality of your recorded sound is dependent on the sound converters in your external devices. I am not sure there is any advantage over your built in sound card verses the Fast Track. There are other things to consider with sound cards so it pays to do some planning and research.

5 Essential Accessories for Beginner Guitar Players

April is International Guitar Month and the perfect time to finally pick up a guitar like you've always wanted to. If you're looking at picking up a guitar to learn how to play, there are a couple of other items that you'll want to make sure you consider as well.
Guitar Strings
Whether you’re just beginning or have been playing all of your life, you should always have extra strings for those moments when one snaps. You should also make sure to learn how to restring your guitar, as waiting for someone to assist can cost you some time and money. When picking out strings, you’ll want to pay attention to whether the strings are for an electric or acoustic guitar, what metal type, and the gauge.
Guitar strings come in steel or bronze, which will provide you with different sound qualities unique to each. Another variable is the gauge, which refers to the strings weight and, therefore, its diameter. Heavier strings require more tension to get to the same pitch as lighter strings, and are therefore a bit harder to press down to the fretboard. It’s purely a personal preference. As you grow in your musical abilities, you’ll be able to pick your favorite strings you like best with your guitar.
Shop Guitar Strings >
Guitar Picks
Seems obvious, but there’s nothing more awkward when you’re learning to play than losing your pick in the middle of a song to stop you dead in your tracks to have to look for it. Grab another from your stash (make sure to keep it within reach), find the beat, and keep going!
There are a variety of picks out there so you’ll have to decide for yourself what you’re comfortable with and what sounds great to you with your guitar. Picks come in a variety of materials, from plastic or nylon, even metal or rubber. You’ll also want to consider the weight, which is measured by thickness, and shape of the pick, as both will affect the sound.
Shop Guitar Picks >
Tuner
This is a “must have” for just about every instrument. A simple change in room temperature can cause your guitar strings to expand and contract just like any other metal. Add that on top of playing which causes movement of the strings, and you’re bound to need to retune sometime soon.
Soon you’ll be able to learn what “in tune” sounds like, and may be able to tune without the help of a tuner! Even after you’re able to do it without assistance, it’s good to have on hand if you’re in a hurry to tune.
Shop Guitar Tuners >
Capo
A capo is a device that clamps to your fretboard, shortening the playable length and raising the pitch of the strings. Most capos consist of a rubber covered bar that holds down the strings of your guitar, although the method in which it is clamped to the guitar’s neck will vary by the style of capo purchased.
When you’re learning any stringed instrument, it’s often easiest to begin learning pieces in different keys using the same fingerings as when you play “open” (without a capo). Once you become more comfortable with the normal fingerings, you’ll be able to begin learning alternative methods of playing notes and chords with confidence.
Shop Guitar Capos >
Storage
You will want to consider a guitar stand and case. Depending on how you would like to store your guitar when not on the road, you may want to consider a guitar stand. It’s a great way to have it in a safe place while showing it off to your friends and family.
You’ll want to find a nice case to transport it safely to protect it from dings or scratches, and whatever other havoc may occur in your presence. As a clumsy person, I can say havoc pretty much occurs everywhere I go. For that reason, I prefer a hard shell case rather than a soft shell guitar case.
Shop Guitar Stands >
Shop Guitar Cases & Bags >
Of course whether you choose an acoustic or electric guitar, you may want to put considerable thought into picking up a few other accessories. For an acoustic, you may want to consider a humidifier if you live in an area where you have drastic humidity changes to help maintain your guitar, or in fact any stringed instrument. For an electric guitar, you’ll want to pick up a couple guitar cables, and an amp. You may also want to test out your creativity with some guitar pedals for your electric guitar!
Shop Guitars and Guitar Accessories at Best Buy >
Tasha|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
Private Message

1) Clear film to protecdt the front faceplate liek this (i ordered this)
http://www.podsplus.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=160
2)Next the case I ordered tihs adn it has proven itself as a durable case since a previous one i owned i accidently dropped my ipod in it and there was no dammge to the ipod only scratches tot he case. ( i would order it...highly recommmended)
http://www.podsplus.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=157
Though the provided case for the ipod is good peopel have still claimed it scrathes the ipod. Adn also on annother note its bothersome to remove your ipod everytime you need or want to see what song is being played or to lookk for a particular playlist.
3)If your a car owner then id recommend a fm transmitter or better yet a direct connection to the car stereo (consult your local car steroe installer).
4)When it becomes availalbe and you have reason for it a voice recorder (though one for the 5g ipod is not available yet).
5) Goood heaphones especiallyu if your an audiophile or you could get a speaker sounddock for your ipod. (i personally like the Bose sounddock).
http://www.bose.com/controller?event=VIEWPRODUCT_PAGE_EVENT&product=sounddock_multimediaindex&ck=0
THats my top 5 list.=)
GFF

Good audio device for my electric guitar (fasttrack-ish)

Hi All
My M-Studio fast track died yesterday (the headphone connector is sending back just one or the other channel, and the guitar input works randomly); so i have decided to get a new one.
Before buying another fasttrack, i was wondering if there is anything else that can be used on a mac pro 1.1 (either firewire or usb does not matter; all that i need is a decent device to play my electric guitar that does not cost an arm and a leg)
Basically what i want to do is to connect my device to my mac, plug the guitar in and play; and get the sound out of it instead than getting it from my mac.
The mic connector is not essential at the moment, but is a nice plus in case i decide to record mic too; the extra output also is not really essential, since i would record directly on my computer, so i do not need outputs other than one for the headphones (or for a pair of speakers on my desk).
The input that i need are basically the jack for the guitar, and would be nice to have a couple of RCA in, so i can plug my xbox 360 output, instead of plugging it into my line-in on my mac pro; the keyboard is plugged via midi or via usb, so midi ports could be useful.
I've seen various reviews of devices like the fasttrack and the mobile pre; and know for sure that they work on mac with snow leopard; then i checked the tascam but many people are still in uproar for the fact that the drivers on SL are not working as they should, so i would pass on that unless someone can confirm me that everything works fine 100% of the times (this is not windows with the driver ****, right ? :P)
There are many other options, but they work on PC and i do not want to buy something that is not 100% working for my mac pro; I use guitar rig 4, logic and garageband, plus the device gotta work as sound card, so i can route all the audio trough it and avoid to plug my headphones to the mac front port.
I am sure that many of you went trough the process already, so you have tried already various devices....i am acquainted with Windows so i do not really know what does work on a mac.
Thanks!!!

The best sounding I/F under $300 ($249) is the Apogee One. It is the "little brother" of the Duet.
You will NEVER need an upgrade from the sound this device produces. And you can use a Mic (both dynamic and condenser) with it.
Here is a link to device info:
<http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/one.php>
Here is a link to where you can buy it with some reviews:
< <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://">http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/One/>
Best of luck.

I'm new using Logic, i've been using garageband for quite awhile now though but my question is just basic. When i want to record electric guitar while clicking the software option it brings me to alot of guitar sounds that i want to chose. I chose the twa

I'm new using Logic, i've been using garageband for quite awhile now though but my question is just basic. When i want to record electric guitar while clicking the software option it brings me to alot of guitar sounds that i want to chose. I chose the twangy electric or the distorted strat but i only hear clean sounds. No matter what kind of guitar sound i chose in the library it only produces clean guitar. How can i make it sound like it supposed to? Did i miss something i should do?

This definitely has me stumped as I'm unsure as to why your guitar can be heard, but with none of the channel strips plugins applied to the sound.
On the record enabled channel strip that contains your guitar input, is the "I" button located near the "R" active? Also, if you record your guitar, can you hear the FX applied to it when you play back the recorded track?

How to change audio port output to input port on mac os x 10.9.2 to connect electric guitar on macbook pro for garageband

How to change audio port from output to input port so that i can connect my electric guitar to play along with garageband. I couldn't the option to change it in my system preferences of sound as my mac os x is 10.9.2. So please help me!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to play electric guitar with my garageband so badly!!! :O
Mac os x 10.9.2. ; Garageband 10.0.2

There is no audio line input on your Mac, get a USB interface, get one that is specified for guitars.

Best Way to Connect my REAL electric guitar to my computer? Please Help

Anyone know how to Connect my REAL electric guitar to my computer? Please Help, thanks!

HippeeBoy wrote:
Anyone know how to Connect my REAL electric guitar to my computer? Please Help, thanks!
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/stealthpedal/features/
I'd previously purchased the Stealthplug by IK and really liked it. I wanted a wah/volume and got the Stealth Pedal. The current promo going through the end of December is a 4 for 1 special. If you by a qualifying product from IK, you will receive free downloads of IK Software. The free downloads are not partial or limited version of IK stuff but +full versions+.
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/NewsDisplay.php?Id=2373
For instance, I bought the Stealth Pedal packaged with AmpliTube Metal for $199. Once I registered the software and pedal, the registered user area you now have access to as a registered IK customer makes available the full software version of other IK stuff. For me, I downloaded AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix, Ampeg SVX and AmpliTube 2. Each full version is worth about $200 ( http://www.sweetwater.com/c707--IKMultimedia--Virtual_Instruments_Guitar_andBass ).
So, anyway, a good deal for lots and lots of amps and an interface. I've had the Stealthplug since March and just got the pedal last week so I'm still breaking that in. However, very sturdy feeling and worked very well.
Sure, it's $200 but you get tons of amps and I have to say (so far), they sound pretty good too. I haven't been through all of them much less even started on the Ampeg Bass stuff but I'd still be comodrtable considering myself an IK fanboy.....

Cheap i/o device for electric guitar?

hi. i've recorded on an analog four track for years but now want to make the switch to digital recording with my mac. what is a cheap but decent external i/o device i could use to record my electric guitar on my mac without an amp? thanks in advance.

There are lots to choose from, but this might fit your needs, and is inexpensive:
http://www.presonus.com/inspire1394.html
It's also somewhat expandable (you can hook up more than one) and it gives you mic preamps as well as Hi-Z inputs.
For something even more basic, check out Griffin Technology - they have cables and adapters.

Recommendations for Electric Guitar to USB interface?

I'm interested in purchasing a guitar-to-USB interface for my MacBook Pro. This Spring '11 model does not have an audio input jack, so a 1/4" to 1/8" converter is not an option. Can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive interface that works well with the amps offered in GarageBand (v.6.0.4)? Thanks!

isteveus wrote:
Csound1 wrote:
isteveus wrote:
All Macbook Pros have audio input. It probably shares the same jack as the headphone.
Both the gain and the impedance are wrong for an electric guitar pickup, not a good idea.
Why not a good idea. It's cheep, it works and thousands of people do this every day.
Of course a audio interface is the way to go but if you just want to mess around with with garageband or do the guitar lessons there is no problem using the audio input.
Some single coil pickups may not have enough gain to get a good signal.
Read up on Ohms law

Best electric guitar for beginner?

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