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I have been a bass player and acoustic guy for all of my years of playing. Only owned one electric over the years and sold it quickly to someone who wanted it.

So, I am back in the mode of wanting to get another electric. Found a really good deal on a VOX VT40+ modeling amp and now want to match up a decent all-around electric for rhythm, some blues and a little light lead playing. Am interested in a higher end Epiphone Les Paul '60's Tribute that has Gibson '57 humbuckers and a slimed down neck.

I know this is as subjective as what gun to by, but just looking for input from you regular players if that would be my best route for my only electric guitar?

Kind of freaked me out to see a guitar question on a gun site (thought I was on a different forum for a minute)...

I have been playing for about 25 years. If you're looking for a single electric to play and want good variety, you have two choices (IMO). You've mentioned one, the Les Paul. I own a Les Paul (2006 model I think) Studio Custom. It is an awesome guitar.

The other is the Stratocaster. I own two Strats, one is an American Standard and the other is a Mexican Strat with a humbucker in the bridge position (gives you a meatier hard rock option that the Standard doesn't have). Both strats are awesome as well.

My other advice is no matter what guitar you choose, make sure you get a solid body guitar (not laminate) and buy as much guitar as you can afford (stay away from "entry level").

I play weekly in our church band and also play occasionally outside of church (rock and blues).

You're right about opinions on guitars and guns. You're likely to get as many opinions as you get answers.

That's my two cents.

Good luck.

There's a shop in Grapevine, on Northwest Highway that has pretty good prices on Fender guitars. I saw a left-handed American standard Strat there for $899 a while back. That's a pretty good price for a Stratocaster made in the U.S.A., particular a left-handed one.

Wow about the only things I know of besides Guns with more differing opinions are Guitars and Cars!!!

Good all around guitar. Should give you everything you need to play a variety of styles. You can add some some effects on the output side and you should be able to play everything from rock to blues. Expect to pay around 600 ish. Good guitar to start with and for the long run. It plays easy and has nice tone. Guitars are so individual its crazy. Since you already know how to play try to go to a retail location and see if they have one you can play. You should be able to tell pretty quickly. Try Guitar Center. Electric vs Acoustic... in my opinion electrics are easier to play. Mine is nice and easy but when I try to play my wife's acoustics I feel like I am fighting with linemans rope. My fingers tire quickly. I don't know how you acoustic players do it ;)

I just started learning about a year ago. I wanted the Gibson ES 335 semi hollow body design so that I could play a nice clean acoustic sound but still add in some crunch or distortion if I wanted to play rock. I play mostly rock and blues. I couldn't afford a Gibson so the guitar I actually wound up with is the Ibanez Artcore AS73BK. I then replaced the bridge, nut, pickups (I went with Rio Grande pickups. They are awesome http://www.riograndepickups.com) I got the guitar on a really good deal for about 250. The pickups cost me another 300. Misc parts another 200. SO I am about 750 in which is considerbly less than the ES 335. I can do just about everything except get real crucnhy heavy metal and it doesnt have quite the twang for blue grass old country type music.



This is the song I am trying to learn now. Dream On by Aerosmith. I really like it and this cover is awesome. 1 Guy does all 5 guitar parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KarcWmIMu4

What feels good to you? My 1953 Telecaster has a really thin neck and super low action. It plays like butter. My Les Paul has a neck that is almost too wide for me sometimes. I love them both but the Fender is my favorite of course.

If you can only get one guitar, I imagine you want to cover the most tones you can for the buck. I don't know what music you play or anything but to me a Fender Stratocaster HSS offers a huge range of tones from one guitar. It will get nasty and dirty and almost growl like a les paul but still sing and cry like a strat.

Play as many as you can get your hands on. Avoid entry level instruments. Buy vintage if you can. Have fun. Rinse. Repeat.

Big Tex Tele IMO

What kind of sound are you after and what kind of music do you play?

bdickens wrote:What kind of sound are you after and what kind of music do you play?

As many different types of sounds as possible and everything from rock to country to blues to bluegrass).

Keith B wrote:

bdickens wrote:What kind of sound are you after and what kind of music do you play?

As many different types of sounds as possible and everything from rock to country to blues to bluegrass).

Narrowed your choice down to Strat IMO.

RJGold wrote:

Keith B wrote:

bdickens wrote:What kind of sound are you after and what kind of music do you play?

As many different types of sounds as possible and everything from rock to country to blues to bluegrass).

Narrowed your choice down to Strat IMO.

Yeah... If you're just going to have one guitar and you want versatility, I'd get a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge position. Or one of the new JTV Variaxs, if you're into that sort of thing.

Anyone seen the Gibson Firebird X? I would love to have one you can store different tunings and switch to them with a button press. Of course I can't afford 5k for a guitar...

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electri ... uitar.aspx

RJGold wrote:

Keith B wrote:

bdickens wrote:What kind of sound are you after and what kind of music do you play?

As many different types of sounds as possible and everything from rock to country to blues to bluegrass).

Narrowed your choice down to Strat IMO.

Or, you can get any decent electric, and get something like a Line 6 M13 Stompbox Modeler (http://www.guitarcenter.com/Line-6-M13- ... e=4LL6WXX1). The guy who leads our worship team plays a Taylor T5-C2 (http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/electric/t5) with a big stompbox and e gets all kinds of crazy sounds from clean acoustic bluegrass to bone-crunching power rock out of that combo. If I had an extra $5,000-$5,500 burning a hole in my pocket I would jump on that combo.

Keith B wrote:

bdickens wrote:What kind of sound are you after and what kind of music do you play?

As many different types of sounds as possible and everything from rock to country to blues to bluegrass).

Oh, well in that case it's easy. You need a Stratocaster, a Telecaster, a Les Paul, An ES-355 or similar, a "super Strat" and possibly a Flying V to start off with.

But seriously, you might want to look at a Line 6 Variax.

bdickens wrote:
But seriously, you might want to look at a Line 6 Variax.

I don't need a guitar that does that, I already have a VOX modeling amp Just need a good ax to go with it.