Take it all – how to choose guitarist’s starter pack
As an armature guitar player, you may have the notion that you need to invest in high quality and super expensive starter pack made by popular brands like Fender and Gibson to learn quicker and master the basics. Well, the truth is that you don’t really have to. With an affordable guitar pack like Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar Player Package, you can master the basics without breaking the bank. The good thing about these guitar packs is that they come with everything you need to play.
Of course, you have the freedom to choose any starter pack you want, but it is best you choose the one you can afford. As you get better, you can invest in expensive guitar brands and buy premium quality accessories.
Helpful tips for electric guitar enthusiasts
To become a better guitar player, you have to be dedicated, committed and ready to practice for long hours daily. Below are some tips that will help you out in this regard:
- Your fingers and wrist will hurt at first. Don’t be worried or stop playing when you experience this because the pain will eventually die down.
- Be ready to spend more than 10 hours to get a good touch in your strumming hand.
- Do deep and extensive research on effective strumming techniques.
- To reduce bussing and make the cords ring clearer, use your left hand to fret the strings as close to the frets as you can.
Price tag
As you probably know, the price of an electric guitar pack varies from brand to brand. To get a good one like the Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar Player Package you should have $150 t0 $300. However, if you are on a tight budget and you don’t want to spend too much on it, then you should go for budget-friendly brands like the PylePro Full-Size Electric Guitar Package. Having said that, you need to keep it in mind that, it is worth investing in top-notch brands as they are durable and easier to play.
Features to consider while buying the ideal beginner electric guitar pack
While most electric guitar packs may initially look the same you know little or nothing about them, there are a couple of important differences you have to consider when choosing a brand that will suit you. Here, we will look at some features and explain how they can affect the quality of the sound it produces.
Body size
Electric guitars come in 3 main body types- hollow body, solid body, and a semi-hollow body. The difference between them is the way they have an amount of resonance they produce and that is the way they are constructed. If you are into metal, rock, or punk then you should go for an electric guitar with a solid body. On the other hand, if you prefer softer styles like blues, pop, soft rock, and jazz, then you should go for a semi-hollow or a hollow bodied guitar. As a beginner, it is best you go for a solid bodied guitar as they are easy to use.
Neck and scale length
Even if the neck and fretboard of an electric guitar don’t really affect the quality of the sound it produces, it is important that you pay close attention to it as it will determine how comfortable you will feel when you play. To have excellent learning or playing experience, it is best you go for a guitar with a mahogany neck and a maple or rosewood fretboard like the Glen Burton GE101BCO-RDS.
Pickups
There are two major types of pickups you will find on electric guitars made exclusively for beginners: a humbucker pickup and a single-coil pickup. The single-coil offers a sparkly and bright sound and are perfect for lead players. Humbucker pickups, on the other hand, produce meaty sounds found across the realm of metal and rock. They are great for playing upbeat country and soft rock. While there are guitars that house only a humbucker or a single-coil pickup, there are others that are fitted with both of them. These guitars usually have a pick selector that will help you change between them.
Body wood
While the body wood of an electric guitar isn’t what you should give your paramount attention to when buying your first guitar, it is wise that you still pay attention to it, as it can determine the quality of the tone it will produce. The tonewoods used in most budget-friendly guitars on the market are alder, basswood, poplar, and paulownia. Top-notch and expensive guitars are made from mahogany, pine, and swamp ash. As previously mentioned, the body wood of a guitar affect the nature of the tone it will make, so if you want to make well-balanced sounds, then you should go for a guitar that is made with brass wood or alder.
Amplifier
Whether you are going for a budget-friendly electric guitar pack like the PylePro Full-Size Electric Guitar Package or a top notch pack like the Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar Player Package, it is wise that you pay close attention to the amplifier that comes with it. You see, a great sounding amp can make a mediocre or a low-quality guitar sound great. Turning things around, a great guitar will sound awful through a bad or low-quality amp. So take your time and save up for a fairly expensive pack that comes with a good amp. Of course, you can go for a separate purchase (without spending a fortune, though) and get a good guitar amp for under 200 dollars.
Strap
The obvious role of the strap is to stabilize the instrument as you play especially when you are standing. As a beginner, it is best you go for an electric guitar that has a comfortable and durable strap. Choose a strap that has soft padding as well as a width of 2 inches.
While most electric guitar models have endpins you can attach the strap to, you have to keep in mind that some models (especially acoustic guitars) do not. If that is the case, you may need to purchase a strap button to mount the strap to your headstock.
Tuner
This is a very important part of an electric guitar. Without it, you are never going to achieve the sound that you are after. So invest in a high-quality guitar that has a good tuner. Not only will this adjust the instrument to your preference, but it will also help you tune in with your mates if you are in a band or playing with your friends.
Even if you can tune a guitar by ear, it is still a good idea to learn how to use a tuner especially if you are playing in a band where several instruments are tuning simultaneously, and you can no longer trust your ear.
Picks
As you become accustomed to playing your guitar, it is natural for you to explore the various types of picks to find the one that will accommodate your playing style. If you are new to guitar musing or an armature player, then you should opt for plastic picks, as they have a good grip and are very flexible. Avoid picks that are more than 88mm thick as they may be overwhelming to hold.
Gig bags and carrying cases
Irrespective of the type of electric guitar pack you want to buy, it is wise that you check if it comes with a gig bag or a carrying case. As you guessed, the gig bag is designed to help you carry your guitar with relative ease from place to place. If you buy a guitar pack that doesn’t come with a carrying case or a gig bag, you will have to spend extra cash to purchase it separately. Thankfully, most of the electric guitar packs reviewed in this guide comes with a gig bag.
Warranty
This is something you must give your attention to when buying an electric guitar kit as it will protect you if something were to go wrong or one of the accessories that come with the pack is faulty, having a warranty covers for a replacement . Regardless of the pack you are going for, it is important that you carefully read its warranty. The reason for this is that some warranty may cover certain parts.
Feel free to add something you think is important and relevant, and please mention some of the products reviewed as examples in the buying guide, where appropriate.