Beginner Guitars - we all have to start somewhere don't we

Most people take up an instrument when they're kids right? And I can safety assume there aren't any pesky 8 year olds pulling at their parent's coat sleeves to get them an electric guitar. So right now I'm aiming at those parents I just mentioned and for those of you looking to take up guitar but aren't too sure where to start. I'm speaking from experience here. I started guitar when I was 10 and I'm now 16. So I've passed through the beginner phase. Anywho, here we go.

First things first DO NOT BUY ANYTHING TOO EXPENSIVE. Regardless of how much money you have there is absolutely no need. For a simple first guitar you want to be looking at something at around £150-250 max. The crucial thing isn't so cheap that it's going to give up on you as soon as you've played it for a week but not so expensive that you're constantly worried you're going to drop it.

Often you will be looking at brands who don't make expensive guitars (I.E. don't expect to find a £150 Gibson just because you've heard of Gibson) so Encore, Gear4Music - big company in the UK for those of you across the pond. However, there are two specifically i'd be directing my eyes towards...

Squire and Epiphone. These are side branches of Fender and Gibson respectively but they don't have the big price tags attached.

 Lets start with Squire. I own a cheap starter Squire strat and I rather love it. I have no idea exactly how much my parents paid for it but no more than £150. It came equipped with a small practice amp, lead, strap and a few pics - enough to make you feel like a rockstar when you're 10. Despite all but the guitar breaking within a few months it was a great bit of kit to start on. ALWAYS bear in mind that this is only a starter guitar, you can upgrade if you get a bit better.

Epiphone are like I said a branch of Gibson. In my opinion they are slightly (very slightly) more up market than Squire but not significantly. You're likely to pay a little more but for a higher quality. In fact some Epiphones have been said to have equal build quality to Gibsons. You also have the added bonus of a far wider range of guitar shapes (this is pretty important when you're starting out, you wanna look the part right?) - Les Paul, SG, ES style etc.

There are plenty to out there to get started on. However remember what i've said - don't buy expensive - there really is no point. Personally I think starter packages aren't a bad idea but I suppose you might have inherited an amp from somewhere. Oh and one more quick pointer. If you're thinking you're an acoustic player more than an electric definately don't buy really cheap (I.E £50). The bridges have a tendency to be awful and the thing just simply won't stay in tune.

All that considered, get ready for some pain in those finger tips, its a tough ride for the first few months. Happy playing newbies!

Peace, Linus

Revolution...about time?

Not so long ago I wrote a blog (found here) on 'Techy Guitars' and prominently Gibson's Firebird X which I liked about as much as your average winter Cold. However, it did get me thinking. Gibson are trying something new with these very modern guitars and actually for all my criticism of them there is a reason. Its a revolution.

You see most guitarists would argue that there are 3 (maybe 4) big, BIG, guitars - the Strat, Tele,Les Paul and the possible fourth, SG. Now i've probably just annoyed a few people who will be saying "well what about Ibanez's and ESP's". The thing is though, they're all pretty much based on those big 4 and in my opinion that's a little worrying. Fender's Strat (1954) and Tele (1948) have been around for well over 50 years so it begs the question, why after this length of time, has no one produced another revolutionary guitar?

It would seem the obvious answer is that we really don't need one. Think about it, there's a reason why the percentage guitarists of play them, they're seen as the best guitars. They may not suit some but for most they're the answer. Its simplicity thats the beauty of them. They're is nothing to mess with your head (I'm diliberatley thinking of the Fender Jaguar here, which in my opinion is the greatest Fender but it's ridiculous controls somewhat let it down) or nothing too one sided. You see people playing Strats all over the place and the Les Paul is potentially the most used electric in rock music. These guitars are just SO iconic and that is the key. 

Could anyone then make another iconic guitar? It seems everything new now is just a variation of what we've already seen or just rather odd. Perhaps it is far too difficult a task to make one but I for one would love to see something that becomes timeless. Right now though you have to say that very little on the current market and that's been released in recent years is going to be timeless.

So, I, a humble guitarist, challenge the world's biggest guitar manufactures to build another timeless guitar. No? I suppose you're all busy making guitars we don't want to buy full of the latest gadgets...shame.

Peace, Linus

'Baby' Heads

We all know things are pretty tight money wise right now. Most of us can't go out and spend on top quality high end gear and then go to bed knowing your bank balance is still comfortable. No sadly it seems that once again that most big new guitar gear (by this I mean amps, guitars - ya know the really expensive stuff...) is just too much for us commoners to afford. In saying that though, there's a new craze coming in during these rather tough economic times, however you might not see them coming. Check it out.

You see a big 75w+ valve head is going to set you back a fair bit. A Marshall JCM 900 will cost you the best part of £800. Worth it? Well, those who write a cheque out for that much can be the judges on that. For me though there's a far far better alternative. Sometimes size and power really isn't everything. 

Amp manufactures are taking a step towards 'baby' heads and it would seem for many this is a step in the right direction. The key thing about an amp is tone - we all know that - and brands like Marshall and Orange are focusing on that as a priority for these amps. As a result what we end up with is something that sounds beautiful and is in comparison to the higher watt amps, pretty cheap.

So what we're looking at is something that is perfect for bedroom work. The beauty of them is that they're not  too loud but also, they can be cranked but if you so desire it can really split your ear drums as well. Jim uses an Orange Tiny Terror and it gets a great range of volume.

There is a slight problem with it though and its one found in most of the 'baby' heads. The tiny terror (same with the dark terror) needs a better EQ range. You have one tone knob and as a result you can't dial in a really exact tone. But I suppose its all preference? If you can afford something a little more pricey I'd highly recommend this - the Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister.

As you can see (and my days it looks so fly this head) its pretty small. However the crucuial thing about this is has a banded EQ and as a bonus an FX loop which is something certainly the Tiny Terrors really lack. You can switch it between 18, 5, 1 and 0 watts so if you want something nice and quiet for the bedroom and something that can kick out at a gig this is perfect. Its around about £100 more expensive than the Tiny Terrors (which im using as a comparison) but its not the only pocket amp out there so have a look around.

I've gotta say these amps are really handy bits of kit. Its a common mistake that you need a huge 100w amphead and a 2 4x12's to be a 'guitarist' who has a killer rig. Let me tell you something, these baby heads can kill. Oh yes.

We should say on a side note APOLOGIES for a real lack of action with Jim Studios at the moment but things are kicking back into gear as we speak. Thanks for reading as ever!
Peace, Linus