I’m not good, but I’m just wondering.
I’ve had an accoustic for about 5 or 6 years going.
Is it good to switch to an electric to learn some things you always wanted to? I’ve never done electric.
I’m just asking because I’m listening to Sultans of Swing right now.
Sultans of Swing? Kill yourself. Quickly, you have no time to lose.
No doubt. A little too intricate for me. But in the comfort of my own home…
Just thought I’d add that I’m a pretty good harp player though. That’s harmonica.
But it’s possible. You can touch and light touch. Fuck it. And go fast. You guys think not?
Ok.
But what I want to ask is if it’s good to move from accoustic to electric at one point. Tha’t gotta be answerable.
My guess is that it’s good.
Unless you’re just as sax player. Ha, ha. (By the way, respect).
Move aside Sandman, I have something to say.
When I was 17, I was very much into Dire Straits, because Mark Knopfler was and still is one of the most talented guitarists I have ever heard. You may or may not like his music, but he is an amazing guitarist.
At the time, I had an acoustic and a pretty cheap electric. As was normal in those days, I went into the local music shop and asked if I could play one of the guitars. It was a Fernandes Stratocaster-copy (Knopfler used one for those in Dire Straits - Dire Straits, btw). Of course I had absolutely no intention of buying it, I just wanted to play it.
For some time before that day I had been trying to do that bit out of Sultans of Swing, you know, the bit that goes dedileedee dedileedee dedileedee dedileedee dedileedee dedileedee, etc., but I never could. Until, that is, I tried it on the Fernandes. Whaddayouknow? I could do it!
I ended up buying that guitar. Had to take out a loan and get a job to pay for it. Best thing I ever did. Beauty of a guitar that was. Jet black… chrome parts. Why, oh why, did I ever sell it? Oh yeah, to buy food, but that’s another story.
Anyway, my point is, buy the damn guitar.
totally… what Iris said… buying a guitar is always a good investment… plus all musical instruments, but specifically guitars are the most utilitarian art you can buy, ie. even when you aren’t playing them, they look great… take a look at some Japanese strats or something, the crucial part is how well the neck is made, can you set the truss rod good and flat enough setup a nice smooth even action… for this reason be careful of going too low end, nasty knock offs will have shitty build quality that may even play worse than your accoustic… Come to think of it since zillions of Yamaha’s electrics are made in Kaosiung you can ususally get a good deal on them here and some aren’t bad at all, just look out for narrow little 40mm necks made for Asian hands… and more than anything else, no matter what the little “million notes a minute” hair metal boys at the store tell you, never use anything thinner than 10 guage strings, ultra light strings will feel easy but sounds like sh*te…
[/directionless rant]
Erm… I use nines on my Strat, big boy. I’ve got, erm, delicate hands.
Got 10s on the Les Paul though.
you have a Strat and a Les Paul… well I certainly feel inadequate now 
… but 9’s really?.. Better than 8’s for sure, but don’t you find they kill the sustain and make the tone tinny and shrill, especially on the unwound strings?.. in my experience the sustain and tone difference between skinny strings and good old SRV style chunky strings is massive… that said despite trying to emulate my favourite Texan I could never play crap with 12 or 13 guage strings and settled on 11’s as the ideal compromise… so there you have it j99l88e77, another excellent reason to buy an electric, a wonderful world of freedom of choice and adjustment… 
I don’t play guitar (a little in the past) but I’m sure there must be certain techniques you can do on one that you wouldn’t normally do on an acoustic. Also you can get them pretty cheap here.
Rashimiii should be along soon to give you some suggestions.
Could you possibly answer a question on harmonica? Iv’e been playing a tremolo type for about a year and not bad playing tunes.I was looking into these chromatic types with the slides so I can hit more notes,…however they are a little expensive.
Iv’e found there are also slideless chromatics and wonder if you happen to have tried one and what they are like.
Here’s the one I’m thinking of getting.
TOMBO VIOLIN SCALE (No.1157)
54 Reeds 54 Tones
Tonal Range : g~c4
Advanced version of the S-50, the violin scale provides the same tone range as the violin.
This chromatic harmonica is widely used in reed orchestra and harmonica band.
3 and half octaves range.
tombo-m.co.jp/eng/
Well, I’ve just always used them. I did try 8s at one stage (and 10s, and many other gauges), but settled on Ernie Ball Super Slinkys. Been using them for almost 20 years now, so, you know.
As for the sound coming out of my Strat… no complaints here 
. I also find I can do more with the nines, as far as bending notes, etc. Just personal choice I guess. As you said, one of the beauties of the electric guitar. A lot of choice.
P.S. I also have 9s on my other Strat (homemade) and 11s on my Martin Sigma .
[quote=“ab12ra12”]
Could you possibly answer a question on harmonica? Iv’e been playing a tremolo type for about a year and not bad playing tunes.I was looking into these chromatic types with the slides so I can hit more notes,…however they are a little expensive.
Iv’e found there are also slideless chromatics and wonder if you happen to have tried one and what they are like.
Here’s the one I’m thinking of getting.
TOMBO VIOLIN SCALE (No.1157)
54 Reeds 54 Tones
Tonal Range : g~c4
Advanced version of the S-50, the violin scale provides the same tone range as the violin.
This chromatic harmonica is widely used in reed orchestra and harmonica band.
3 and half octaves range.
tombo-m.co.jp/eng/[/quote]
I think you’d be better starting a new thread with this post. Otherwise only guitarists will see it.
Thanks guys. I figured that an electric was the way to go for these things. But if you can do it on accoustic… Well that’s crazy.
I’ve got a Cort. Only paid 160,000 Won for it. After 2 years, I still have the original strings. Not expensive, but it really does the trick.
Harmonicas? I only do the blues harps, but I’ve got C, D, E, G and an F. Kind of challenging if you’ve only got one on you. But when you’re a master (not), it doesn’t matter.
I’m in Korea.
Yep, I use Slinky’s too…although recently I’ve found those D’Addario XL’s sound pretty good and since they come in packs of 3 sets for NT$300, at NT$100 a set you can throw on new strings almost every week!..
so you’re one of those folks who’s living room looks like this then?.. [/green with envy]
Yep, I use Slinky’s too…although recently I’ve found those D’Addario XL’s sound pretty good and since they come in packs of 3 sets for NT$300, at NT$100 a set you can throw on new strings almost every week!..[/quote]
Funny, I woulda thought D’Addario XL’s would be niners. Also funny is that I use D’Addario XL’s on my acoustic (obviously acoustic strings, phospher bronze and starting at 11s). Fantastic strings, Can’t recommend then enough for acoustics. They are the dog’s bollox.
so you’re one of those folks who’s living room looks like this then?.. [/green with envy]
[/quote]
Yeah, in my dreams. I do currently have the real Strat hanging in the living room, along with my banjo (don’t assume that my having a banjo means that I can play the bugger), but the other guitars are all in hard cases under the bed (they spend far too much bloody time there to be honest, but family stuff has taken over for the time being).
Ask him what he paid for them. But be sitting down first.
The transfer from acoustic to electric, and vice versa is great fun, though often hard work.
In my experience it’s a matter of adjusting one’s style to the inherent limits and opportunities within each instrument.
With electrics, pickups are the key, as is good cabling/wiring. Mastering an amplified tone can often be quite a challenge, especially for some acoustic players who might get a little lazy with their touch once in the rapture of The Great Wand Of Wank.
Unless, of course, one is a finger-plucking genius like Mr. Knopfler.
My advice to an acoustic player wanting to try electric would be to try a Strat style guitar. Try playing it with no amplification in a quiet, enclosed place. I used, to my mother’s eternal consternation, practice playing in an obviously empty bathtub. Get used to the different action, and the luverly bendy string acktion. Then get a small practice amp, and if you like the results work up to bigger and fatter toys.
[quote=“plasmatron”]at NT$100 a set you can throw on new strings almost every week!..
[/quote]
Do you really change your strings that often, and for the love of Baal, WHY?
PS –
Out of curiosity, who on 'mosa plays or is learning to play what kinds of guitar – electric vs. acoustic (and similar instruments, lute, banjo etc.) – and what styles of music on them? Does anyone play classical guitar? Just wondering.
I’m re-learning after a ten year absence where I didn’t do much musically. I don’t know what syle I play. Pletty mainstream blues/folk/jazz sort of thing. Have acoustic and electric.
And I’m still mad at irishstu about the strat and the Les Paul, although I probably woulda sold the Les Paul.
There are 5 working guitars in my place right now. Two of them electric.
I like classical guitars for kicking around and ease of play and nice soft sound.
Guitars are so ghey. Buy a trombone.
