Looking for some advice on buying an electric guitar.

giovanni said:
Late to this thread, I was gonna suggest a G&L Tribute (they make S- T- and J- shapes). The pickups are American made but the price is really low for what they are. I’m a big fan.
Click to expand...
I really love G&L as a company, and they make some beautiful instruments, but I just don't think that they are for me, really. It kind of breaks my heart a bit, too, because I consider Fullerton to be my home town.

My first ever USA made bass was a G&L ASAT which someone had installed a Kahler tremolo on. I sold it some years ago to finance an upright purchase. I might have kept it but those MFD pickups are just WAY too hot for me. Even in passive mode that bass was too hot, and it turned me off from their MFD pickup design.
 
I like both your options quite a bit. I'd probably go with the mascis but if you asked me a year ago I'd likely have gone casino. I love me some p90s for sure. Can't wait to see where you land. I'd say find something similar used and mod the shit out of it. You have a soldering iron after all.

Also, I agree on the g&l basses. I really like the look and feel of those instruments but never had the sound of one hold my attention.

Edit: just noticed you pulled the trigger. Congrats!
 
peccary said:
My number one choice right now is the Squier J. Mascis guitar.
Click to expand...
When I saw your budget the first thing that I thought of was this, so I was happy to read a few lines later and see you were already thinking of it. I'm a big J Mascis fan, but I never got it because I can't justify another guitar.

I would also be looking at the Squier classic vibe line, either Strat or Tele. As a Fender guy, vintage-styled Strats and Teles are my favorite guitars (just can't decide, some days I love Teles and some days I love Strats, but it's always one or the other).

edit: Just caught up with the rest of the thread, and saw that you ordered the Jazzmaster. I'm excited for you.
 
spi said:
When I saw your budget the first thing that I thought of was this, so I was happy to read a few lines later and see you were already thinking of it. I'm a big J Mascis fan, but I never got it because I can't justify another guitar.

I would also be looking at the Squier classic vibe line, either Strat or Tele. As a Fender guy, vintage-styled Strats and Teles are my favorite guitars (just can't decide, some days I love Teles and some days I love Strats, but it's always one or the other).

edit: Just caught up with the rest of the thread, and saw that you ordered the Jazzmaster. I'm excited for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks dude. I'm pretty stoked. I planned to move on this sooner but things came up, and then I had this shoulder surgery. Now that my arm is starting to be useful again and less painful I'm using it as an excuse to make a stupid purchase just for the fun of it.

I play acoustic pretty regularly but am a cowboy chord, "who wants to hear a Tom Petty song?" while drinking with friends kind of guy, so this will be a totally new experience for me. I still can't play the acoustic because it's painful to have my elbow extended out that far (I made it about 5 minutes before I had to throw in the towel) but it won't be a problem with the electric.
 
Nice! I have been looking at the J. Mascis Jazzmaster too. I have a MIM opal white one, but I like the looks and the bridge on the J.
 
I'm in the same boat, but waiting right now at my wife's request (thinking I might get one for Xmas)

My coworker buddy is a bit of a gear slut, always grabbing a new instrument. He was telling me to check out the Paranormal Squire series. He snagged one and loves it. Says it's his fav right now and he's got some rather expensive toys to compete with.
 
Big Monk said:
I took a long break from electronics and guitars after my son was born. It felt so good getting another electric and getting back into it. Congrats!
Click to expand...
That's funny! I think it was the birth of my son which made me get right back into gigging, playing, and even building my own amps. It all worked out really well - the gigs gave my wife and I an excuse to hire a babysitter and go out, the gigs also gave me an excuse to buy the big orange Gretsch 6120 I had always wanted. And the gigs eventually paid for the guitar. Good times.
 
I played mostly acoustic for years, one night at a party me and two other guys played a few tunes together and decided we should start a band, having not played electric in years or especially not in a band I was awful, pulling everything sharp, playing full chords and all sorts of other ungodly noises I managed from lousy technique, needless to say it didn't last, but after some woodsheding my next band experience was much better
 
Barry said:
I played mostly acoustic for years, one night at a party me and two other guys played a few tunes together and decided we should start a band, having not played electric in years or especially not in a band I was awful, pulling everything sharp, playing full chords and all sorts of other ungodly noises I managed from lousy technique, needless to say it didn't last, but after some woodsheding my next band experience was much better
Click to expand...
If I ever play live again, which I hope to do (been talking with the guitar player from my old band) I'll be on bass, which I'm at least mediocre at, So i I can get by. No way would I play guitar on a band setting on stage!

I got this because I wanted something for home recording. I've been experimenting a bit and I feel like a guitar would open up a lot of sounds for me. I have some outlines going on my MPC and just need to make some crappy songs to move myself forward.
 
CaptainHowdy said:
My coworker buddy is a bit of a gear slut, always grabbing a new instrument. He was telling me to check out the Paranormal Squire series. He snagged one and loves it. Says it's his fav right now and he's got some rather expensive toys to compete with.
Click to expand...

I have three of them and they are killer. I've got the baritone, thinline cabronita and the offset Tele and I think my fenders have been pretty jealous over the past year. My biggest gripe is both the cabronitas have really shitty switches but other than that they're great. The only one I've heard big issues on is the supersonic. I also have the contemporary jaguar which is even better than the paranormal series imo.
 
Congratulations on the purchase!

I've been considering a JM for quite some time given that I play surf music but I can't afford a Fender JM and Squiers tend to need work. The vibrato system is quite complex and cheaper hardware might not perform as desired.

If you need any help setting it up your Jazzmaster, Puisheen on Youtube is your man. He's an expert on JMs and he has detailed videos where he addresses pros and cons of Squiers, he does full set ups, shielding etc. Plus you can always message him there or on Instagram. He's a swell dude and a great player.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top