Guitar recommendations

[chutnut]

Having not really played guitar for about 15 years I've decided to pick it up again, next step is to get a guitar (electric)!

So basically does anyone have any recommendations? Considered asking this in the musical gear wanking thread but as my budget is probably not much more than a couple of hundred, I realised that whatever I get isn't going to be good enough to be worth wanking over. I used to have an aria pro II iirc which I did like but had one of those locks at the top of the fret board which made tuning a bloody nightmare
I was fairly nifty when I used to play so I don't really want a 'beginner' guitar (whatever that means). There's just so much out there I don't know where to start, which I know probably makes it hard to recommend without knowing exactly what I'm after.

I just want to play a guitar that's quite good and not spend very much!

Thanks

[chutnut]

I know realistically the answer is to just go to a shop and see which one I like the feel of, but I'm hoping to avoid rubbing my covid hands all over a covid covered guitar if possible

[Spiteface]

Couple of hundred, you say?

Then you're gonna be looking at Squier stuff, some of the Yamaha Pacifica guitars would fall into that kind of price as well. Both would also be perfectly cromulent modding platforms if you want to just stick with one guitar and make bits of it "nicer" as you go, new pickups etc.

Heard good things about some Harley Benton (thomann's "own" brand) as well. They start as cheap as double digits, but the fancier stuff again, within what you're willing to spend.

[chutnut]

Cheers, the first guitar I ever got was a Squier and I kind of assumed they were just entry level stuff that you'd want to move away from as soon as you can. Maybe that's the only thing I can afford though!
Thanks I'll take a look

[chutnut]

This one does look nice to be fair! although I know looks don't necessarily mean anything
https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_sc_custom_ii_vintage_black.htm?utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=psm&utm_campaign=shopzilla-gb

I also quite like the look of this, do Ibanez still have a good reputation? (maybe they never really did I can't remember!)
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/ibanez-gsa60-gio-electric-guitar-walnut-flat


Also any advice on types of pickups etc? I've heard that single coil are better if you're planning on using a lot of effects (which I am, although probably mainly software processing rather than pedals)

[popcorn]

Squier is totally decent imo.

[kngen]

It might have changed in the last couple of years (always worth doing a bit of research), but the higher end (~300 to 400 quid or so, not the sub-199 quid models) Epiphone budget versions of Gibsons used to be a steal. Certainly closer to their big brothers than Squier to Fender. I still regret selling my Epi Les Paul Studio (350 quid), which I thought was surplus to requirements when I got an 80s Gibson version. It was such a nice guitar to play, and had a great sound.

[spaghetamine]

I'm still playing the Pacifica I got as my first guitar three years ago and it's great, never played a Squier so I can't compare but much more competent guitarists than me have remarked on how enjoyable the Pacifica is to play and the quality of the sound

[sevendaughters]

My dad got one of those Harley Bentons through Thomann. Action is like a cheese grater and the frets really need filing down. They look nice and it probably plays well after a violent set-up but it isn't an out of the box axe.

[Bently Sheds]

Sheds2 bought himself a cheap Harley Benton Les Paul copy and it's just started to fall to bits after about 2 years of ownership. Bits are dropping off and electrics are cutting out. One of the frets stuck out of the side of the fingerboard and no amount of filing would smooth it down.

For a couple of hundred you can pick up a fairly decent Squier; they have different quality levels running from the ultra budget Bullet series, the entry level Affinity series, then the Classic Vibe, Paranormal and Contemporary ranges, the dearest Squiers are easily as good as the cheapest Fenders.

I picked up an Affinity Jazzmaster last year for £180, it plays well and sounds good. The fit and finish was good, although the frets needed a bit of a poiish and the fretboard seemed very dry.

Reading around a few guitar forums the general consensus seems to be that, with modern computerised production methods, the quality of cheap guitars these days is lightyears ahead of how they were even only about 5-10 years ago.

[Ascent]

Squires are great! Owned a few and played on lots of them over the years and they have all, by and large, had a consistent level of decent build quality. The other nice thing about them is they part of a long running standardised product line, so it is extremely easy to buy new parts (pickups, bridge, electronics etc.) if you want to upgrade or just experiment with some different setups at some point down the line. In most cases you can simply just swap parts over.

Fender guitars lines can be quite complicated, so I've often found it easier to group their guitars into where they are manufactured as this seems to equate with prices best. From most expensive to least:

USA (Performer, Professional, Original, and Ultra lines)
Japan (Deluxe and Boxer lines)
Mexico (Vintera, Player, and Artist lines)
Indonesia/China (Squire line)

Thinking about what features you want from a guitar will help lead you to the models you like

Tremolo: No - look at Telecasters, Les Pauls, SGs, Yes - Strats, Jaguars, Jazzmasters, 335s, Gretch etc.
Single coil pickups: thinner sounding, but with more bite that can cut through nicely
Humbucker pickups: thicker, warmer, less in your face, less hum/buzz
Neck size: Fatter wider necks allow for more spacing between strings, Thinner narrow necks are easier to move you hand around on and feel faster to play
Fretboard wood: Rosewood or Maple. Affects the playing a bit, but is more of an aesthetic choice mostly

Going and playing a load in a shop obviously can help out with this kind of thing, but some people don't like doing that or are unable to. So don't forget that you can always sell it and buy another type, particularly if you buy 2nd hand firstly. At this end of the market it quite easy to keep selling and buying another as they all tend to hold a particular value.

The biggest advice I can give you though is - when you get it, take it to somebody that can set it up for you. This can be a music shop, a luthier or someone similar (my Dad does it for people that live in his town). They should sort out the action, the intonation, any rough edges on the frets and make sure everything is wired correctly in order to make it play the best that it can. This should not cost you more than £50, if it does, it's not worth it - my Dad charges £20 (I tell him to charge more, but he just likes people have nice guitars to play on).

Finally, put a light set of strings on it. Something like 9 to 42s or 9 to 46s. Light strings are so much easier to play, so especially useful when learning/getting back into it. You get a little bit more tone from thicker strings, but it's not worth worrying about at this point.

Hope this helps!

[Spiteface]

It might have changed in the last couple of years (always worth doing a bit of research), but the higher end (~300 to 400 quid or so, not the sub-199 quid models) Epiphone budget versions of Gibsons used to be a steal. Certainly closer to their big brothers than Squier to Fender. I still regret selling my Epi Les Paul Studio (350 quid), which I thought was surplus to requirements when I got an 80s Gibson version. It was such a nice guitar to play, and had a great sound.

Epiphone underwent a bit of a revamp last year. New headstock shape (Still not the Gibson "open book" but a little closer to it), and the lineup is more closely aligned with Gibson model-for-model. I.E. If you want a Les Paul Standard with a 50s neck, but can't afford a Gibson, then there is an Epiphone in that spec, same finishes available, too.

Aside from some setup issues, general opinion is that they're really good. Bit of a price hike, though.

I wish they were out sooner though. Might have got an Epiphone Les Paul Junior rather than the Gordon Smith I bought last year. I do like the Jared James Nichols signature "Old Glory" Les Paul though. A Junior in custom clothing.

[chutnut]

Thanks for all the help! I guess it sounds like Squier is probably the way to go, and sounds like it might be worth waiting a bit until I can afford to get one in the 300-400 range

Initially I was pretty set on having a whammy bar but the more I think about it the less important it seems. And I like the idea of humbucker pickups rather than single coil, I'm much more into warm sounds than in-your-face sounds (and they also look nicer tbf)

I've never even thought of fretboard sizes though, and the sites I've been looking at don't seem to mention it. Are most going to be a standard size? I certainly hadn't noticed any difference between the guitars I've played in the past.
I also never would have thought that a guitar needed to be 'set up' by anyone so thanks for that!

[Sherman Krank]

Fender guitars lines can be quite complicated, so I've often found it easier to group their guitars into where they are manufactured as this seems to equate with prices best. From most expensive to least:

USA (Performer, Professional, Original, and Ultra lines)
Japan (Deluxe and Boxer lines)
Mexico (Vintera, Player, and Artist lines)
Indonesia/China (Squire line)

It's even more complicated than that now.
Currently
Squier (mostly China now)
Bullet Series   circa £130
Affinity Series  circa £200
Classic Vibe Series  circa £250-400
Contemporary Series  circa £350
Paranormal Series circa £350

Mexico
Player Series
Vintera Series
Player Plus Series (Just out, Player but with noiseless pups, locking tuners, push/pull switching and new paint jobs)
Artist Series (Signature guitars of recording artists who aren't Clapton, Beck, Hendrix etc.)

Japan
Fender Japan are somewhat autonomous and can pretty much do whatever the fuck they want as long as they don't do it outside of japan. What they're mostly doing at the moment is sigs for JPop stars and weird, expensive telecasters based on Manga comics.
That said, the fairly recent appearance of the Boxer series and few other models in western stores suggests Fender may be toying with the idea of introducing Fender Japan as a new tier between the Mexico and USA models.

USA! USA! USA!
American Original Series
American Professional II Series
American Ultra Series
American Artist Series (Signature guitars of recording artists who are Clapton, Beck, Hendrix etc.)
Deluxe Series (not sure if these are still a thing)
Custom Shop


At around £350 the Squier CV/Contemporary/Paranormal guitars are exceptional and a total no brainer if you're looking to spend that kind of money.

Pretty much all electric guitars under £250 are now built in the same handful of Chinese super factories so the quality is much the same regardless of brand.
Though some brands and retailers do extra QA checks post factory and fix any obvious faults while others don't.
The Chinese have been mass producing guitars for over 20 years now so they've gotten pretty good at it and coupled with advances in electronics and CNC routing technology budget guitars are now much better than they've ever been.

[Cuellar]

What would the quality difference be between a Squier Classic Vibe telecaster, and a Fender Player Series telecase (£339 v £569)

My young impoverished self wants a 'real' Fender, even if the quality wouldn't be much different even though it's £200 more.

[Sherman Krank]

^ More traditional body wood (Ash or Alder instead of Poplar or Basswood)
More expensive pickups and electrics
Better quality tuners (and maybe bridge)
Better resale value from having Fender on the headstock.

[Sherman Krank]

Thanks for all the help! I guess it sounds like Squier is probably the way to go, and sounds like it might be worth waiting a bit until I can afford to get one in the 300-400 range

At around £350 the Squier CV/Contemporary/Paranormal guitars are exceptional and a total no brainer if you're looking to spend that kind of money.

Initially I was pretty set on having a whammy bar but the more I think about it the less important it seems. And I like the idea of humbucker pickups rather than single coil, I'm much more into warm sounds than in-your-face sounds (and they also look nicer tbf)

Wiggle sticks on budget guitars usually mean having to retune a lot more.
With pickups if you're mostly playing distorted rock/metal stuff then humbuckers are probably the way to go and if you're mostly playing cleaner (and you don't live in a house full of fluorescent lighting) then single coils may get you a more desirable tone.

I've never even thought of fretboard sizes though, and the sites I've been looking at don't seem to mention it. Are most going to be a standard size? I certainly hadn't noticed any difference between the guitars I've played in the past.
I also never would have thought that a guitar needed to be 'set up' by anyone so thanks for that!

It's more to do with the size and shape of the neck rather than the fretboard. Guitar necks come in many different thicknesses and profiles.
Here's the most common profiles


'C' is the one you'll find on most budget guitars as it's considered to be the most 'everyman' shape.
As far as thickness goes the general rule is the bigger the hand the thicker the neck but it's not set in stone.

With the fretboard itself the important thing to consider is the radius (fretboards have a slight hump in them being thicker in the middle and thinner on the edges).
Radius goes in reverse 7.5" = big hump 18" = practically flat.
If you're a bluesy bends the strings a lot type player then you likely prefer more of a hump and if you're more of a shreddy fly around the neck at lightspeed type player then you'll likely prefer a much flatter radius.

Another thing that varies on guitars is the scale length (the distance between the nut and the bridge saddle). Fender's standard scale length is 25.5" and Gibson's is 24.75" while PRS split the difference with 25".
Scale length affects how tight or loose the strings feel when tuned to pitch though not in a massive way. The general rule of thumb is that if you like 9's on a strat then you'll probably prefer 10's on Les Paul but again it's horses for courses.

[Noodle Lizard]

Squier is totally decent imo.

Seconded. I have a fancier guitar as well, but my Squier gets a lot more usage. Very pleasant to play, and there's really not a whole lot of noticeable difference between them and lower-end Fenders except for the price.

Ibanez also do a decent line in cheaper guitars if you're more rock/metal oriented. I got a GIO when I was getting back into guitar and it did everything I needed it to, although it did need a quick alignment once or twice.

[chutnut]

With pickups if you're mostly playing distorted rock/metal stuff then humbuckers are probably the way to go and if you're mostly playing cleaner (and you don't live in a house full of fluorescent lighting) then single coils may get you a more desirable tone.

Hmm I almost certainly won't be playing any rock/metal so maybe I need to rethink the pickups

Cheers for the neck info, I do recognise that v shape now I've seen it but don't think I've ever played on one. C shape will probably be fine for me

[Goldentony]

looked up Squier Paranormal after reading this thread and there's a beautiful pink Jazzmaster looking thing that reminds me of Ric Ocasek's guitar, I don't need specs because that's the guitar i've been looking for.

[Sherman Krank]

^ If it's the shell pink offset telecaster then it's a standard spec tele but with a Jazzmaster body.
Thomann seem to have the best price at the moment at £319 with free delivery.

[phantom_power]

I can recommend the Harley Benton Telecaster copy. I got one a few months ago and it is a great bunch of lads, and cheaper than a Squire I think

[Cuellar]

^ More traditional body wood (Ash or Alder instead of Poplar or Basswood)
More expensive pickups and electrics
Better quality tuners (and maybe bridge)
Better resale value from having Fender on the headstock.

Valid ta

[Sherman Krank]

^I meant to add that the current Player series are pretty much the old American Standard series.
Exactly the same bodies, necks, pickups, bridges, tuners and electrics (although in the final year or so of the Am Std they tarted them up with custom shop pickups, staggered tuners and a micro-tilt system in the heel).
Apart from the Am Std's having rolled fretboard edges the main difference is one was assembled in California while the other is assembled about 30 miles down the road in Baja California.

[chutnut]

Well I've narrowed it down to about 4
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-contemporary-active-starcaster-mn-surf-pearl
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-paranormal-baritone-cabronita-telecaster-laurel-fingerboard-parchment-pickguard-surf-green
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-paranormal-toronado-lrl-mystic-seafoam
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-fsr-classic-vibe-60s-jazzmaster-surf-green

It's genuinely a coincidence that they're all pretty much the same green colour but i do like it.
Looks like PMT do interest free credit for 6 months so no need to wait, as soon as payday comes I'm getting one of these bastards

[Flouncer]

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-fsr-classic-vibe-60s-jazzmaster-surf-green

I have a Squier 'Vintage Modified' Jaguar (the VM and CV Squiers are sort of different flavours but basically the same thing). The thing about Jags and Jazzmasters is the bridge can be a bit finicky and it needs to be set up properly, and a lot of people choose to upgrade the standard bridge which has some inherent flaws. There are a few solutions to this - it can be replaced with a Fender Mustang bridge, and two companies, Mastery and Staytrem, produce their own bridges to replace the stock bridge. A while ago I bought a Staytrem bridge and trem arm (I bought mine secondhand and it came without the trem arm, so I bought one from Staytrem along with the bridge). I also bought some nice pickups for it. I have yet to fit any of the things I bought to it though, so I can't say how much of an improvement there is!

If you go for the Jazzmaster it will need a decent setup, and you may well decide to replace the bridge at some point. These Squiers are pretty amazing guitars at their price point though; they're decent beginner guitars right out of the box, they look fantastic, and with a few upgrades they can punch well above their weight, playing and sounding just as good as much more expensive guitars.

Edit to add: I got mine for £160 secondhand in very good condition, so it might be worth checking out FB marketplace and the like for bargains if you want to shave a bit off the price.

[chutnut]

I have a Squier 'Vintage Modified' Jaguar (the VM and CV Squiers are sort of different flavours but basically the same thing). The thing about Jags and Jazzmasters is the bridge can be a bit finicky and it needs to be set up properly, and a lot of people choose to upgrade the standard bridge which has some inherent flaws. There are a few solutions to this - it can be replaced with a Fender Mustang bridge, and two companies, Mastery and Staytrem, produce their own bridges to replace the stock bridge. A while ago I bought a Staytrem bridge and trem arm (I bought mine secondhand and it came without the trem arm, so I bought one from Staytrem along with the bridge). I also bought some nice pickups for it. I have yet to fit any of the things I bought to it though, so I can't say how much of an improvement there is!

If you go for the Jazzmaster it will need a decent setup, and you may well decide to replace the bridge at some point. These Squiers are pretty amazing guitars at their price point though; they're decent beginner guitars right out of the box, they look fantastic, and with a few upgrades they can punch well above their weight, playing and sounding just as good as much more expensive guitars.

Edit to add: I got mine for £160 secondhand in very good condition, so it might be worth checking out FB marketplace and the like for bargains if you want to shave a bit off the price.

Cheers thats good to know, although might knock it off the list unfortunately. I don't really want to worry about having to upgrade anything (although I will get it professionally set up as people have mentioned earlier in the thread)

[Sherman Krank]

Well I've narrowed it down to about 4
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-contemporary-active-starcaster-mn-surf-pearl
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-paranormal-baritone-cabronita-telecaster-laurel-fingerboard-parchment-pickguard-surf-green
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-paranormal-toronado-lrl-mystic-seafoam
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/squier-fsr-classic-vibe-60s-jazzmaster-surf-green

It's genuinely a coincidence that they're all pretty much the same green colour but i do like it.
Looks like PMT do interest free credit for 6 months so no need to wait, as soon as payday comes I'm getting one of these bastards

1. Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster MN Surf Pearl
This one has active pickups (battery powered to increase output).
These pickups are almost exclusively used by metal players so this probably isn't the one for you. The Starcaster model with the faux wide range humbucker pickups might be more up your alley.

2. Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster, IL, Surf Green
This is a baritone model (kinda halfway between a guitar and a bass).
They have a longer scale length and are generally tuned lower than standard pitch.

3. Squier Paranormal Toronado LRL Mystic Seafoam
The only potential issue I see with this is the Laurel fretboard.
Rosewood is now rare and expensive and only found on much more expensive guitars.
Some people say Laurel feels the same as Rosewood while other say it's scratchy and shit.
I've never tried one so I have no opinion but if Fender are fine with it, it's probably ok.
Also you can buy products to rub into darkwood boards to make them feel nicer (BTW lemon oil contains no lemons, never rub lemon juice into your fretboard!).

The other traditional fretboard wood Canadian Rock Maple is still plentiful.

4. Squier FSR Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster LRL, Surf Green
This is an FSR version (Fender Special Run). It basically means a non-standard colour.
So they'll maybe only make 250, 500 or 1000 in this particular finish instead of thousands.
Some of the Squier FSR versions can become quite sought after, others not so much.

Both of my current Fenders are FSR models (a blue burst plus top Player strat and a lake placid blue Mustang Player bass).

[Ferris]

I'd get the jazzmaster of that lot, but I'm a fender offset fanboy[nb]have I mentioned my '65 Fender Mustang in this thread yet? Good good just checking.[/nb].

[chutnut]

God this is all terribly confusing. Ok so yeah battery powered pickups don't sound for me so I'll cross that one off.
I do like the sound of that baritone actually but probably best to stick to a standard guitar

So sounds like its between the jazzmaster and the toronado although I'll keep looking as well

EDIT: overwhelming is probably a better word than confusing