Help me choose a beginner guitar

[W(TF)]

I'm not a total stranger to the guitar...had a Ibanez LP clone as a teen and a Yamaha folk as a young adult, but I haven't played in a long time, for a bunch of reasons. Actually still have the Yam FG but my daughter has coopted it and it now sports nylon strings, to make it easier for her to learn on (not my idea!). It doesn't even want to stay in tune.

 

Anyway, I feel like getting an electric now, and taking some lessons with a guy I know. But my budget is only $200 or so. Amp can come a bit later. What do you guys suggest? I was looking at some Jay Turser models, the prices seem good. I'd be interested in opinions of those, MIM Fenders, Squiers, Eastwoods, etc. New/used/b-stock. For an amp I was thinking of something really small like a Microcube. I have a feeling I'll be using headphones most of the time.

 

..I'm looking mostly for recommendations on build quality, and tone (I know next to nothing about pickups or modern strings, for example). I just want something that has easy action and stays in tune, and doesn't need a bunch of upgrading right away. Body style doesn't matter that much to me, neither does weight.

[evol79]

I'm not a total stranger to the guitar...had a Ibanez LP clone as a teen and a Yamaha folk as a young adult, but I haven't played in a long time, for a bunch of reasons. Actually still have the Yam FG but my daughter has coopted it and it now sports nylon strings, to make it easier for her to learn on (not my idea!). It doesn't even want to stay in tune.

 

Anyway, I feel like getting an electric now, and taking some lessons with a guy I know. But my budget is only $200 or so. Amp can come a bit later. What do you guys suggest? I was looking at some Jay Turser models, the prices seem good. I'd be interested in opinions of those, MIM Fenders, Squiers, Eastwoods, etc. New/used/b-stock. For an amp I was thinking of something really small like a Microcube. I have a feeling I'll be using headphones most of the time.

 

..I'm looking mostly for recommendations on build quality, and tone (I know next to nothing about pickups or modern strings, for example). I just want something that has easy action and stays in tune, and doesn't need a bunch of upgrading right away. Body style doesn't matter that much to me, neither does weight.

 

A squier strat is usually the way to go. I have seen many of those get beat up with all the punk rockin' and still keep on going, and they're not much different than a mexican strat.

[radiokills]

all my friends have strats.

[Katie3]

I have an Epiphone SG that was only $150, It works for me

[deepseacatfish]

I've got a MIM Strat that I've had for a long time and it's treated me just fine.

 

Squire's tend to be hit or miss, same with Epiphones, but if you play them at the store and find one in good shape then it's probably a pretty good bet and a reasonably long-lasting guitar. You could probably get a MIM strat or tele for just a little over your price range if you look for used models, maybe even one for cheaper. That might be a slightly better bet.

 

I haven't heard anything particularly bad about Jay Tursers, and of course Ibanez's are generally pretty high-quality for the price. But look around and play different things, with any of the lower end guitars it's going to be pretty apparent if it's worth your money or not when you sit down with it for a little while.

[Twisted Acres]

Gotta say go with a Squier, definitely try to play it through an amp or two first (and not buy one in a box like they sell them sometimes)... if you can spring an extra $80 or so, they make a squier version of the Telecaster Thinline that I couldn't help but pick up, and it felt and sounded rather nice. It seemed like one of those Squiers where if you replace the volume/tone pots and the output jack (and eventually the pickups if you really like the feel of the guitar), and throw a bit of that copper shielding into it, you've practically got yourself a Fender.

 

edit: here it is at Musician's Friend.com