Newbie to electrics really struggling

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  • stimpsonslostsonstimpsonslostson Frets: 5418
    edited September 2015
    Another comment... another opinion... ;)
    Half the battle for me was finding gear that made me WANT to play- a guitar & amp that sound and feel good to you.
    It sounds a bit like you're not convinced by what you have... Maybe take another guitar playing friend to your local Guitars'r'Us & spend a fun day trying things out- maybe you'll work out what fits you.
    My first amp was also a 100w jobbie that I was never sure about till I got the chance to play it LOUD! Buying a much smaller amp for practice really got me playing at home more often.
    If you're mainly playing at home & are worried about the neighbours I'd heartily recommend trying a Yamaha THR5 or THR10 amp.
    It's a great sounding small amp that does a good range of tones, has basic effects built in (looks good too if there's a Mrs Skodadad to appease- mine lives on a shelf in the living room & is our main stereo).
    There's a headphone socket & aux in too, meaning you can play along to mp3s etc.

    In terms of guitars, it sounds (as others have said) like you're leaning towards single coil tones- a nice strat or tele is immensely versatile & the Squier range- particularly the Classic Vibes represent awesome value for money. Several of my friends use them as their main gigging guitars.


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  • I'm very lucky in the other half dept, my partner loves the look of the guitars on their wall hangers and even talks about learning herself as I get better and start to play things she knows. She went to a theatre school and her dad is in a barbershop choir and plays ukele so she's always been around music. I LOVE the look of that Yamaha, if you tube is anything to go by it sounds exactly what I am looking for, unfortunately we just had our lounge plastered and new carpets coming this month so may be next month before I can stretch to it.
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  • Don't get caught in the gear trap! :)
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27344
    Skodadad said:
    I have also seen these earphone type mini amps, does anyone know of a decent one that can replicate an amp to any degree of accuracy or would I be better just getting some quality earphones and an amp that has a socket for them?
    I wouldn't seriously consider anything that restricted you to having to have earphones in whenever you wanted to play.

    The Yamaha THR10 is generally the recommended amp here, for the quality and range of sounds (which you can tweak when you link to the PC), it's flexibility (mp3 input and headphone socket) and being unobtrusive (it doesn't really look like an amp).  OK, so you're not going to gig with it, but for a home-based practice focused tool it's excellent.  

    It's sufficiently tweak-able to ensure you get a good sound (with presets to let you save and retrieve them).

    The aux-in means you can plug in any audio source to play along with backing tracks (etc), and the speakers are (I believe) "full range" so that the playback of audio sounds half-decent.  

    I bought one a couple of years ago, and wouldn't sell mine.  But they do appear in the Classifieds here from time to time, so check them out on YT and keep your eyes on the ads here.

    And get rid of the old Carlsbro.  

    (I used to lift mine in and out of the boot of a mk1 Escort, and then up/down three flights of stairs.  100w 2x12!  Ouch)
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71956
    Skipped said:
    Small valve amp - dozens of options. Second hand Fender Champion 600 is one,
    I honestly wouldn't recommend getting a small valve amp like the Champion 600. Yes, they do a particular kind of bluesy overdrive sound well, and a tolerable clean sound, but that's it - almost no tone variation overdriven and not much clarity clean. I quite like them but I wouldn't want one as my only amp.

    I would avoid a valve amp until you can afford something much better.

    Skodadad said:
    I have also seen these earphone type mini amps, does anyone know of a decent one that can replicate an amp to any degree of accuracy or would I be better just getting some quality earphones and an amp that has a socket for them?
    A real amp - far more flexible. Almost all of the smaller modelling amps will have a headphone socket. It's very important that if you want to use headphones, the amp has a proper, speaker-emulated headphone out and not just what is effectively a very low-powered speaker output. All modelling amps and a *few* non-modellers have emulated outputs; most non-modellers, especially anything older, won't. It's important because without speaker emulation the headphone sound will be *dreadful*, enough to put you off playing! Why any company ever built amps like this I don't know, but they did…

    Skodadad said:
    I did initially have a Marshall MG 30 DFX which I didn't much care for either as I think it had some problems due to being overused with a constant crackling from the speaker and audio distortion.
    This is not a very good amp, so that wasn't surprising! If anything the little MG15 is possibly better, but I still probably wouldn't choose it unless you're definitely interested in distorted rock sounds rather than anything cleaner.


    Out of all the super-small amps, I actually really like the Vox Mini5 - it's got a huge range of features and sounds including a clean preamp setting (called Line) you could use with your acoustic, headphone socket, an Aux In so you can jam along to your iPod, effects, and a mic channel if you want to sing or mic up your acoustic… and a drum machine! Basic but quite usable for practicing. It runs on batteries or mains power and is so light you can easily take it anywhere. And all this for £120 new.

    (I don't work for Vox, but I do own one :).)

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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    /\ Not a bad idea /\
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  • dogloaddogload Frets: 1495
    TTony said:

    And get rid of the old Carlsbro.  

    (I used to lift mine in and out of the boot of a mk1 Escort, and then up/down three flights of stairs.  100w 2x12!  Ouch)
    I heartily sympathise with this! It's what made me change over to using a valve head and 2x12 cab! Still got the Carlsbro though.
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  • Why not get a backstar ht-1 or one of their entry model amps with a headphone jack at least then you can listen to your sound privately, removes any embarrassment (don't understand why there would be any) and in terms of pedal what about a multi-fx unit and get a wide range of sounds from one device. 
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  • A5D5E5A5D5E5 Frets: 307
    Skodadad said:
    On a side note the way to describe my problem with the amp is that any chords I play seem to blend together into a bit of a muddy mess. There is no real distinction between the notes played.

    When people first learn to play the guitar the focus (naturally) is on what notes to play.  As you get better you learn what notes not to play - in other words, muting the strings either as part of a chord shape or between changes.  Amplification and sustain makes this far more important to maintain clarity of the notes and avoid the muddy mess. 

    Apologies if this is wrong and you have already got to this stage, but I found it a big problem moving from classical guitar (where maximising sustain and getting notes to ring over each other was often key) to electic.
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  • I think I have set my mind on the Yamaha, just got to raise the funds now. It seems to fit my needs very well and is a great size. I am quite hard on myself I'm told so I hate not understanding things. I tend to play at least 3 hours a day as I know I can get there. I watch a lot of tutorials on every aspect of guitar but as amps are rarely spoken of on terms of setting up I was starting to worry I was being a bit dim, presuming it was something simple I was missing.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    edited September 2015

    Sassafras said:
    /\ Not a bad idea /\
    A very good idea. Actually there's a new Vox practise amp out that might fit the bill.

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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27344
    Skodadad said:
    I think I have set my mind on the Yamaha.
    I believe that there's a new model due out soon (isn't there always), so keep an eye out for old stock being shifted at good prices, or more s/h ones appearing FS.

    My wife used to "mention" the previous amp that I had tucked away, unobtrusively, in a corner of the room.  The THR10 is sat on a coffee table in the middle of the room, and doesn't get mentioned at all.
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  • As I said, I love my THR10 & the fact that it's always out in the living room means I'm more likely to use it.
    This is the video that convinced me to get one. Soren actually tells you the settings he's using to get each sound- I just need to learn to play like him now!

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  • seany65seany65 Frets: 264
    @skodadad, I personally would suggest using your amp clean and trying to get an acousticy sound and just practicing the basic chords and playing notes etc. When you're used to how your leccy guitar feels when playing and you can play it to the same sort of standard as your acoustics, I would then start faffing about with effects and overdrive etc.

    Also, playing without effects and overdrive should allow you to hear the notes of the chords a little better. If you still can't, up the treble a tidge, or cut the bass/mids a tidge, maybe that'll help. If not then you may have to use 'power chords', wich are chords with fewer notes in them. There's plenty of info abouthem in books and elsewhere.
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021

    As I said, I love my THR10 & the fact that it's always out in the living room means I'm more likely to use it.
    This is the video that convinced me to get one. Soren actually tells you the settings he's using to get each sound- I just need to learn to play like him now!

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vWjUVQbHLnM
    ^^ The THR10 in that clip sounds lacking in bass or presence. I'm surprised, I've read nothing but good about these and this is the first time I've heard one.

    Perhaps a full on electric and a Pathfinder 15R might work for OP. Pathfinder15Rs are getting pricey and there's a reason - built in tremolo, spring reverb and an 8" speaker they sound really nice. Lacking furniture appeal though.

    06.15 onward in the clip above shows the apparent depth of the THR amp - seems to lack something imo. But then it's a practise amp, so perhaps it doesn't need to.
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  • Ok guys I can't thank you enough, I just bought a Thr 10 x and WOW! What a difference, I am gobsmacked! I know the x isn't the ideal one for me so I may try and trade it for a standard thr 10 but already this is the single investment that has made a difference. Again many many many thanks to all!
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27344
    Would you like us to give you a list of the guitars & pedals you need to buy next?

    ;)
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  • TTony said:
    Would you like us to give you a list of the guitars & pedals you need to buy next?

    ;)
    We could be here for some time,  It will be a long list.

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  • TTony said:
    Would you like us to give you a list of the guitars & pedals you need to buy next?

    ;)
    That's easy: Gibson & Yamaha guitars, Marshall & Vox amplifiers. Natch, you need to be a bit picky, but I've never really seen the point of anything else except for budgets
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  • I think I'm OK for this month, I'm already over budget :) maybe some advice on the cheapest strat worth considering though lol. Also I have a vintage pair of mighty mite pickups, am wondering if I should swap them into one of present guitars?
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