Been researching electric guitars and amps and I still am confused as hell. Wiki, while useful, doesn’t exactly highlight the important bits.
Does anyone know of a good, solid starter guitar and a decent 10 inch amp (a la Fender Pro Junior)?
~snip~
Squier for an entry-level Fender clone, Epiphone for the same in a Gibson-style. Personally though, if I were buying a git at that kind of price range I’d get a Danelectro, just because they look damn funky.
For an amp that you don’t plan to gig with, you can’t go wrong with a little Roland Microcube. By far the best bang for the buck, and you can load it with AA batteries, put a guitar strap on it, sling it over your shoulder and hey presto, you’re busking.
[quote=“sandman”]Squier for an entry-level Fender clone, Epiphone for the same in a Gibson-style. Personally though, if I were buying a git at that kind of price range I’d get a Danelectro, just because they look damn funky.
For an amp that you don’t plan to gig with, you can’t go wrong with a little Roland Microcube. By far the best bang for the buck, and you can load it with AA batteries, put a guitar strap on it, sling it over your shoulder and hey presto, you’re busking.[/quote]
The Squiers and Epiphones seem to be the general consensus online. I’m looking at the Epiphone SG 310. It’s a nice looking guitar and people speak highly of it.
As far as the amp goes, I don’t want anything tiny. Basically, I’d be paying money for a sound that would probably anger and frustrate me in a few weeks. I actually asked about a Fender Pro Junior, but Taiwan’s distributors don’t import that one. A lot of people have been talking up the Roland 30 and 60 Cubes. Do you know anything about those guys? Are the modeled sounds on the 60 really worth the extra?
Roland 30 and 60? Dunno. I DO know that I’d get frustrated with them quickly though, as you’ll not be able to play them loud enough to drive the speaker properly without the cops banging down your door in about 15 minutes.
I’ve been using the Microcube for a couple of years with my Ibanez 335 clone and am pretty happy with the sound, considering what the thing costs. Best thing of all is I can play it in the study at very low volume and still get passable tone, without disturbing the wife in the next room.
[quote=“sandman”]Roland 30 and 60? Dunno. I do know that I’d get frustrated with them quickly though, as you’ll not be able to play them loud enough to drive the speaker properly without the cops banging down your door in about 15 minutes.
I’ve been using the Microcube for a couple of years with my Ibanez 335 clone and am pretty happy with the sound, considering what the thing costs. Best thing of all is I can play it in the study at very low volume and still get passable tone, without disturbing the wife in the next room.[/quote]
Sandman’s right. If you’re only playing this at home, then there’s no way you should be getting an amp bigger than 15W.
My Fender Frontman is only 15W and I never get it past 2 out of 10.
Actually, I like that amp a lot (I got the one with reverb. Very important to me.)
Sandman, how much is a Microcube? My Frontman cost 4500nt from Tony’s (though I had to haggle with them a bit to get it down from 5500). That was 4 years ago, btw.
Tattered Flesh, I’ve also seen some Musicman guitars recently that look very good for the price (something like 4400nt if I remember right). I think it would be worth at least checking them out. (The guitar shop near Ximen in Taipei). They may have been on sale cos they’d been in the shop for a while and the chrome wasn’t as shiny as it used to be.
Edit: The Musicman in question looks a lot like the Axis, but the one I saw had “ZAKK” written on the head. I don’t know if it’s the same model or not (actually, looking at the online prices of Axises, it can’t possibly be the same model), but it’s definitely a Musicman.
Here’s an Axis:
The one I saw didn’t have the flamed maple if I remember right.
The Microcube was around 4-5k, a few years ago. I remember I felt ripped off as they reduced the price after I’d bought it or something. I think you get them for around 3.5k these days but I’m not sure.
Anyway, the thing is, keep it in mind, and try it out if you can – it will surprise you, I think.
What’s the point of an amp that you can’t turn up past 2? Like having a Porsche that only drives in first gear.
I’d avoid that Zakk guitar. It ‘aint no Musicman I don’t think. Price is nice, though. Bear in mind that a Musicman like the one in Iris’ pic costs around US$1,500.
[quote=“sandman”]The Microcube was around 4-5k, a few years ago. I remember I felt ripped off as they reduced the price after I’d bought it or something. I think you get them for around 3.5k these days but I’m not sure.
I’d avoid that Zakk guitar. It ‘aint no Musicman I don’t think. Price is nice, though. Bear in mind that a Musicman like the one in Iris’ pic costs around US$1,500.[/quote]
I bought one at Galaxy a few years ago for 4.2K. I like the phaser.
I’m pretty sure it’s a Musicman, albeit their budget range. I may have to investigate further.
Mostly, I’m looking at the Cube 30 and Cube 60 ~snip~.
[quote=“Tattered Flesh”]Mostly, I’m looking at the Cube 30 and Cube 60 because, deep down inside, I harbor the desire to get on a stage again some day and rock.
I know, I know, probably sad and pathetic, but I miss putting myself on stage and just letting it all hang out (and yes, you CAN do that on classical piano, thank you very much).[/quote]
I which case you’ll probably find yourself underamped – especially if you play with a drummer and bassist – and yet seriously overamped in your house.
If it were me, I’d go for the Microcube for home, and later get a proper gigging amp for venues. Trying to get something that covers the bases you’re looking at and makes you happy overall is just going to give you a headache.
Plus, and certainly not least, you’ll be a happy camper on any occasions you have to schlep an amp to a friend’s house, or if you want to have a blast in the park or whatever.
[quote=“sandman”]
If it were me, I’d go for the Microcube for home, and later get a proper gigging amp for venues.
Plus, and certainly not least, you’ll be a happy camper on any occasions you have to schlep an amp to a friend’s house, or if you want to have a blast in the park or whatever.[/quote]
Where can one buy a Microcube? I tried Tony’s and they don’t sell it.
You know why I’m asking… :help:
Hey, I went back to that guitar shop at Ximen cos I was sure that Axis lookalike was labelled as a Musicman. Now I know where I went wrong. I did the old foreigner trick of reading only the English words in a sign and making assumptions from that. Here’s the guitar. See if you can read the label (cos I can’t).
So yeah, a cheapo copy that’s best avoided probably.
MJB, there are a few other decent guitar shops you could try out in Taipei. First would be Galaxy Music on Jinshan S. Road (a bit south of Zhongxiao E Rd).
I think I saw Microcubes for sale at that guitar shop in GuangHua computer market, but don’t go out of your way to look cos I’m not 100% on that.
You could also try that shop at Ximen, or there’s also “Player”, close to Guting. Then there’s a shop on Jianguo (just north of Nanjing ) and that shop at Ximen I was just mentioning. Address info (and phone numbers) for these shops can be found here: viewtopic.php?t=17999&highlight=
Erm, I don’t think Player sells anything, I was there in May and it looks like they just rent rehearsal/study rooms.
Wow, I was there about the same time (possibly a month or two earlier) and they had loads of stuff for sale. Bit pricey I thought, but for sale nonetheless. Has something changed?
Beats me, down in B2 there on Hoping across from the big Shi Ta gates?
I went to Galaxy once and I thought I saw a good guitar that was really really cheap. But when I looked closer, it was a Rockinbacker.
Fedner™ Strotacatser®
Wow, I was there about the same time (possibly a month or two earlier) and they had loads of stuff for sale. Bit pricey I thought, but for sale nonetheless. Has something changed?[/quote]
Well I went to see the Mammoth exhibition at CKS Memorial Hall (or whatever that place is called this week) at the weekend with irishson. Walking around the neighbourhood, I noticed a guitar shop. Went in and had a look and it’s pretty good (downstairs is even better). I asked how long they had been there and they said 3 months. I asked if I could have a business card and they gave me one. Imagine my surprise when the shop’s name was “Player”.
So what the chief said is correct. Their Guting shop is now a hire place, and the new shop around CKS is the place to go to buy stuff.
Map of both places here:
gtplayer.com.tw/html/big-frameset.htm
I would have posted the address here, but the business card is in Chinese only (as is the website by the looks of it).
Any info on 2nd-hand guitar shops around Taipei? Which of those shops listed already would you say are the most reputable/well-stocked/cheapest for the quality?
Interested in getting guitar/small amp primarily for home use & making up music for short movies - possibly acoustic-electric for the sake of versatility. Planning to spend no more than around NT$10000 total, but I’m hoping to do better than “total crap” for that price.
Thanks ~