Are these guitars good for a beginner?

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Hi I have never played a guitar before but I really want to start playing electric guitar. However, I don't have a big budget so I just wanted to get a cheap guitar to get started learning.
I have found these guitars and I don't know whether they are good or not so I would like someone to help me. Thank you in advance

 http://www.dawsons.co.uk/redwood-g1-goth-electric-guitar-matt-black

http://www.fortissimoinstruments.co.uk/guitars/electric-guitars/24-fret-electric-guitar-with-floyd-rose-tremelo-by-fortissimo

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Comments

  • Best thing to do would be to go to your local music shop that has a good reputation, tell them what you're looking for and let them suggest some guitars for you.

    Buying online (especially cheap guitars) can be very hit or miss, I've had students turn up with £80 gear 4 music or similar things that are nearly unplayable, when they could've got a squier strat from a local shop, tried a few out and just look and see what they are like in real life. 

    Apply the same scrutiny that you would to furniture or clothes and you should be able to stop a dud guitar even if you're a beginner (things not lining up, chips and imperfections etc)

    Good luck :)
    https://www.gbmusic.co.uk/

    PA Hire and Event Management
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  • bazxkrbazxkr Frets: 610
    Not familiar with those guitars but there is no reason you cannot find something for low budget that is decent and fits you. I'd look second hand if it was me. I would also avoid floyd  rose bridges if you are a newby. What amp do you have or intend and for what kind of music. All the necks can feel slightly different in the hand hence you need to be sure it is comfortable as if it isn't you will not play for long and get put off it.
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  • martmart Frets: 5205
    They both look slightly iffy. And I would say the second one is particularly unsuitable for beginners, because changing strings on a guitar with a Floyd Rose can be a challenge to set up well.

    For that kind of money you'd probably be safer with one of these: a seriously budget guitar from a very well established and safe brand:

    https://www.gak.co.uk/en/squier-bullet-mustang-electric-guitar-black/904691?gclid=COSUvK2sqdICFQsTGwod9eoKAw

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  • BambiCatsBambiCats Frets: 1
    edited February 2017
    Thank you very much for your advice bazxkr! 
    I don't really have any music shops nearby, but if I look further away I'm sure I will find some good ones. The thing is, guitar shops employees seem to have a really bad reputation (at least from what I have seen online) and now I'm kinda scared to go near a guitar shop. But I'll definitely look for one soon
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  • Thank you mart! As a beginner it's really hard for me to recognise a good guitar from a bad one even though I have done a lot of research. I have seen Squiers pop up a lot when talking about cheap guitars. I'll look into them more
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  • bazxkrbazxkr Frets: 610
    Do you know any players that can go with. Yes, shops can be intimidating if it is all new. What is yr top budget and which part of London many of the shops have good rep and you may be near one of them
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  • bazxkrbazxkr Frets: 610
    edited February 2017
    As mart said floyd rose bridges need a good understanding to set up properly. Also, what is your visual favourites.... Slash style Les Paul or Hendrix style stratocaster. You need to like what you buy as well as being comfy playing it
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  • timhuliotimhulio Frets: 1286
    tFB Trader
    If you want a pointy black guitar that's playable out of the box and sounds not bad, I'd recommend a lower-end Ibanez. I had an RG421 last year which was pretty good. Plus no tremolo makes one less thing to worry about.
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  • I'm in South London, Lambeth.
    Unfortunately I don't know anyone that could go with me.

    I would like to start on a stratocaster as I like the look more. However I'm not sure yet which combination of pick ups I should get. I want to mainly play metal and rock and many people say that humbuckers are good for metal, however I still would like to try to play on single coils. I have seen combinations of 1 humbucker 2 single coils or 2 humbuckers 1 single coil and I don't know what to get. Or maybe I should just stick with two humbuckers but I feel like with 3 pickups I have more versatility and I look more for the sound I want (even though I could do that by getting more guitars in the future which I definitely will)
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  • Hi timhulio. I had a look and it seems good but I'm not sure if I should get one without a tremolo bar. I know it's one more thing to worry but having never played guitar before I want to try and use it and see if I like it or not
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  • ricorico Frets: 1220
    If you can get to Guitarguitar in Camden they have a good reputation and are pretty patient. Would avoid on a weekend though. 
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    What you doing tomorrow or sunday?

    Get a cheap off peak day return from Euston to Birmingham New Street - pop over to the Guitar Show and be dazzled by just how many guitars are there. Try some. Find some of the sad old bearded and haggard looking sods with Fretboard badges on and go ask one for an opinion..!

    You will not regret it..
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  • Thank you guys! This weekend I'm free so I'll probably go have a look to the shops you have recommended
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  • bazxkrbazxkr Frets: 610

    Strat shape is good and there are a ton of options at low budget too. 99% of them will have tremolo. HSS is good pick up combi but not a necessity & most strats available will probably be SSS anyway. If you have the right amp/effects a strat single coil guitar can sound extremely heavy/metally. All comes down to how much you are happy to spend then really going to check some out and see how they feel in the hand. I recently lost a sale on a guitar I was moving on because the neck was too small for the chap (he had very large hands) and it would cramp him up playing it & could cause hand/wrist issues in the future. We were both gutted LOL. So despite loving the guitar he couldn't bond with it. If I pick up a chunky neck les paul it is way too big a pc of wood for me to be comfortable with. Even American Fender Stratocasters are all different by model on the neck shape/size & fingerboard radius. Some will suit and some will not. Like everything in life everyone has different preferences. And only you can decide that at the end of the day what feels right for you & you can only really find that out by trying half a dozen different ones and getting the feel for what is right


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  • bazxkrbazxkr Frets: 610
    BTW, if you get a strat trem model but don't use the trem you can lock the bridge down to effectively become a hardtail anyway. And just put it back how it was if you decide to use a trem at a later date 
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  • Thank you for the reply bazxkr. Like I said I'll have a look at some shops this weekend and try different guitars, so I'm sure I'll find something I like and I feel comfortable with.

    I've got a another question. I seen that people consider basswood a really bad wood for guitar so if I find a guitar that I like a feel comfortable with would you recommend to get it even if it's basswood? Or should I look for something else? Thank you in advance!

    Also thank you very much for your advice with the tremolo
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  • MayneheadMaynehead Frets: 1782
    There was a thread like this a while ago, and the consensus in the end was to get a Yamaha Pacifica. That was my first guitar too and it was great for starting on. Reliable, decent quality and inexpensive.

    Be careful when buying super cheap because if you get a duff one it might put you off guitar for life!
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  • rlwrlw Frets: 4671
    Just thinking that you aren't that far from Guitarguitar in Camden or Denmark Street where you could try Wunjo.  Saturday might not be the best day though....
    Save a cow.  Eat a vegetarian.
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  • MossMoss Frets: 2409
    For your first guitar, I wouldn't worry too much about wood type or pickups.

    Find something that you like the feel and look of and stick with that - you can always upgrade pickups and hardware later on.

    Make sure you budget for a decent amp, too.
    Stop crying, start buying
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  • Thank you for the advice Maynehead. I have I looked at it and looks really good. Although it's a bit more expensive than I would like, I prefer spending a bit more to get a good guitar than getting a really bad one for cheap. 
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