Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Ibanez Electric Guitar

I know there are a lot of muscians out there. Some guy at my son's trade school is trying to sell him an Ibanez RGT42DXFX electric guitar for $400. Is this a good deal? Keep in mind my son is not a guitarist but a beginner wanting to learn. I told him he should get a less expensive acoustic guitar to start. Advice appreciated.

PES with out knowing it you have opened a discussion that has 2 big points of view. but ill answer your question first. NO. that is the price of one brand new. once bought used is used. So the best that guy can hope for at a pawn shop is 200 maybe 250. Is this a kick a$$ AX? YEP sure it is,, but its also like buying a GSXR1200 for a novice. There is a lot of bling on that guitar that will overwhem a beginner. Stringing a full locking trem is a task in itsself to learn the correct way. this is the guitar if you have not see the pic. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/ibanez-rgt42dxfm-electric-guitar

Does he own any guitar? Just starting. now to teh ACoustic v/s electric question : here is a long thread on this topic from my guitar forum and BTW this is THE BEST GUITAR COMMUNITY HANDS DOWN compare it to BA.com in its own right. so here is a link, you can view as a non member but not post just like here http://www.chordie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=20576

and this is where I stand on the topic to save you having to read everything if you dont want to:

As much as I respect Jarome and his excelent knowledge,, I have to say the oppisite here. When I was learning on the acoustic,, I got bored and it was harder to get going on. The day I got a electric,, I never put it down. I was able to learn all my open chords faster with less finger pain, I was able to play root 5ths in a day. When I got bored of open chords I could switch to the Dirty channel and bang out power chords all day just having fun. After I got confident with that I found picking up the Acoustic wasmuch easier and I was able to get stuff going on it also.

Once again it boils down to the main answer on this page,, Try both and see what works for you Just keep at it and it will not dissapoint.

I will offer any of my other opinions as to a good starter AX when asked. Only thing I will say is STAY AWAY FROM FIRST ACT GUITARS. ( As you mentioned trade school I m guessing at least teenager.) I would highly recomend him joining chordie, introduce himself and have him read various topics and look for things that hes has not even asked about ( Hey just like in here)
hope this helps.

P.S. No mater what kind of guitar he gets, He needs to have it properly "set-up" by a tech. if he is getting it at a music store, they set most of there stuff up for free if you buy it there or its been pre set befor hitting the shelf. I have bought 3 guitars online from Musicians friend and Music 123 (all owned by same parent co) they are always nice an playable out of the box, If private seller, ask if it can be checked out by a shop first. Every guitar needs a set up to really be playable to its most potential.

Hey, Paul... good to hear your son wants to learn guitar. There are many opinions on what to buy when starting up. I think what Scott said, and the forum link he provided is very useful for that which your son aspires to.

I don't know anything specifically about the Ibanez RGT42DXFX but I do know many yutes out there find electric to be "cooler" than acoustic. But being electric the instrument needs an amp, then there's the world of pedals to add to the mix and so on. Acoustic is nice in that the player can pick it up anytime to hammer out some licks without the fuss of plugging in and setting up.

A good acoustic will run $400 easily. And I stress buying a good guitar (electric or acoustic) because a decent guitar will play well, sound good and inspire more. I've seen many a beginner start out on a cheap guitar only to find the action is too high, the intonation is out, it won't stay in tune and an array of other frustrations. Quality is important for new and seasoned players alike.

I hope this helps... it's just some ramblings I offer in the best interest for your son. I just bought a Yamaha A3M (acoustic/electric) with amazing electronics (pickup) for $750 that rivals a $3000 Taylor imho. Which leads me to suggest an acoustic/electric for the best of both worlds. Food for thought perhaps.

another thing to consider is that the market/street
value of solid body electric guitars has plummeted
in the last couple of years.

if your son buys a used guitar, he should keep that in mind.

i just had my kids appraised.
i was disheartened to see how much the monetary value
has diminished on some very classic and valuable instruments.

I would always go accoustic if i could only have one guitar, if he wants sound he can get an accoustic elextric, you can buy a decent one for around that 4-500 range new of 1/2 used. Takaminie makes very nice guitars now in that price range as do several others. Before a guitar player learns to make allot of nosie with effects and amps etc they should learn how to play an acoustic. Just my opinion. PS easier to play around a fire with an accoutic then an electric! LOL

I have a big body Yamaha FG model acoustic that I bought 35 years ago. I have never found a guitar I like as much since and I've played most everything you can imagine.

As was suggested, play the guitar before you consider buying it. If you don't play, have someone who does play it. A Taylor or Martin might cost way more than a guitar that you actually like better (my experience). I have found that Ibanez guitars vary greatly from one guitar to the next.

Electrics are way easier to play but nobody is gonna want to sit around a campfire with your son jamming on a Les Paul. I have an inexpensive little Washburn electric for that kind of jamming. FWIW, a huge percentage of low end electrics, including some of the 'big names', are all made by a company named Samik. My Washburn was.

I started out at age 15 cause my Dad bought an electric for my mom, well it quickly became MINE. (She had an acoustic already). Anyway I would argee with Scott it's way easier to start out on an electric, but acoustics are great to have too. I happen to have 4 at the moment, a Tele semi hollow body electric, a Epiphone Genesis (ele) A Oscar Schmidt 12 string acu/ele, and an old beat up Blues Ridge acustic. Whatever route you take go with really light string starting out, it will make it much easier to play.
Might not be a bad idea to get yourself one too, then y'all can jam together.

This is stephen...for one thing this Isnt "some guy" its my professor, n he really doesnt care if I buy it or not, he just wants to break even on it, unlike a couple other guitars hes selling. I also see that the $100 case wasnt mentioned n a free amp, since he has so many laying round he doesnt know wat to do with...and idk if id ever go to a pawn shop to sell anything, such a big rip off...they're all about profit, id rather sell something to someone that actually cares bout buying w.e it is im trying to sell. Also i dont see anything wrong with starting out on any guitar, it's not like a bike, where if u make a mistake or wreck theres a big chance to get hurt or ruin the w.e it is ur practicing on.

Let me clairify, I love my acoustics also. I have 2 twelve strings and a 6 string, along with 3 electrics and a coupple of basses hanging form my walls. (can I play like the wind? nope LOLOLOL)

I just know as a teenager, acoustic was cool for the ladies and the campfire,, but to get the led out,,,going electric is the way to go. Oh As far as an electric at a campfire,, a strat or tele on a clean channel works just fine. There is a full range of portable amps that will work out great,, two of my favorites: this is on the higher end but comes with a lot of nice effects,, note the acoustic amp set. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/roland-micro-cube-combo-amp on the lower but very good end you have this http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifier...uitar-combo-amp (9 volt, wood and killer cleans and great dist if needed) there are cheaper ones but they are plastic. I have a RMS but for it to sound good I have to run some effects through it,, but it does its job for 30 bucks, this is it http://dcmusicstore.com/amplifiers-1/mini-amps/rms-10-mini-amplifier.html caution its all plastic housing and imputjacks. It can be easily broken. For a good bedroom amp you can find a lot of good deals on 15 to 30 watt amps. Then comes the next question, to buy tube (valve) or solid state? Solid states are going to be less $$. For a starter who wants to do a lot of sounds I can say you have tons to choose form . Some of the most popular are : Berhinger, http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifier...uitar-combo-amp, Line6 http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/line-6-spider-iv-15-15w-1x8-guitar-combo-amp Orange http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifier...uitar-combo-amp
As you can tell, it can get overwhelming. There are also combo packs,,,, but I would rather spend a little more and get good stuff that will last longer. (and not for too much more money)
quality mid level guitars, Epiphone, Fender Squire seris, and AXL. My son was able to buy a nice tobacco sunburst AXL by being diligent on Musicians friend- found it for 85 bucks. a set up later and it was and still is good to go. I play it a lot as he gave it up. Im hoping he comes back around to it. but Ill keep it warm untill then Retail on the above guitars, local store that is a AXL dealer, normally sells his for 120. a nice epi,, around 300, or abasic one for around 160-200. be carefull at pawn shops,, take along someone who know s guitars.

Ok well off my lolol.

+1 with beemer. you will be better off with a fixed bridge for starting out. not familiar with the ibanez set up but the floyd rose tems can be a big pain in the ass. if you dont want a fixed bridge get a steinberger they make life simple

Yota,

I actually loved my old Kramer w/ FR Trem. you just have to get used to putting the strings on and dealing with the primary adjustments, once that was done, all I had to do was tweak a fine tuner. wouldnt change strings for a few months at a time But as far as keeping it simple,, yea, a fixed bridge. I even locked down the standard trem on the strat.

I agree with Beamer here mostly. I would recomend starting with an electric guitar, but not a cheap one. A good middle of the road electric by a good maker. Les Paul, Ibanez, Fender, no seconds like squire, or the likes. Get a good one that is respected.

Well thanks Chad! LOLOLOL
I love my Epi,,, but it was a $400.00 one,( not everyone can pay out for a fender or gibson) oh with custom bridge pick up and set up Main point is, have it set up and checked out.

I know that had I not gotten a good piece of equipment. I would probably not have stuck with it.
Epiphone are not necessarily cheapies. Some are quite nice, unlike squire.
My onlt point in that is that there is not much more disheartening than getting decent and poor quality stifling your mojo.

I call that character building LOLOLOL My first 85 dollar guitar sucked, I used if till I could afford a trade up,, no e-bay then and no mega music stores. Next guitar was a really nice Ibenez strat. lots of my better playing friends really lied that one. I just climbed the ladder so to speak. Those days counted for a lot of yards mowed and leaves raked. trades with friends, then a real job and my first great tax return. I all went to a music store and I bought a whole new rig. I still miss that Kramer, it went to a pawn shop. never found one like it since

Hell my first amp was a bare a$$ 12 in speaker that I sat in my hamper and powered with a old amp head of 10W or so and strung together with regular electric wire of what ever dad had lying around the garage.

I think it shows determination. but as noted b4, there are a lot of well made well priced axes out there, you just need to be willing to do the work. you worked hard to play your guitar and then bass,, I still struggle, but I have that unyielding desire. Today people want the magic guitar that makes them a star in 2 days,

I had jackson I just couldnt get right gave up & took to a shop & he couldnt get it right either so i sold it. borrowed another jackson with FR & it was great. i liked the kahlers better

I had a whole string of crap guitars and even made a bass out of a guitar. That thing was aweful. I didnt have a good one until I was 25 when I purchased an Ibanez bass new off of the shelf in a little music shop in Little Rock Arkansas. That bass was stolen from me when the church I was attending and playing in the band, got broken into and all the music gear stolen.
Long story short the church insurance got me the Fender I have to this very day to replace my Ibanez. Its my favorite bass I have had others but they came and are gone while my Fender remains.

Very Cool!

Just as note to toss in some other thoughts, my lady has an Alvarez acoustic, great sounding…both boys and her play it (although I used to play many moons ago, I now stick to my electrifying custom 9-string air-guitar). We bought a Gretsch Corvette electric guitar for 'em 2011 Christmas,,, they love it. For the oldest boy's upcoming 20 birthday [Groundhog day], we're getting a Johnson Swamp Stumper resonator. Oh for the electric, we've two amps, Fender Mustang II and smaller Crate GTD15R.

Did we scare him away? No other post recently.

He doesn't post much. I guess he is going ahead and buying the guitar. The person he is buying it from is going to give him lessons. Thanks for all the helpful advice and comments, Paul

I was just hoping he would share what kind of amp and the other questions we asked.(how old is he?)He really should check out the link I gave, chordie is the schiznizzel