Re: Beginning gearstuffs
One of the things you MUST do as a beginner is to play as many guitars as you can. Play them all. I would even keep a little notepad handy, and start listing the things you like and dislike. Do you like 25.5" scale, or 24.75"? Do you like Strat, Tele, 335, LP, SG or pointy body styles? Keep track of what's comfortable, and what sounds good.
I like the idea of the Epi G-400 if you can swing it. I don't have an Epi in my stable of 57 guitars. (There's a goal for you to shoot for, LOL!!!) I do have a lot of G&L, Gibson, Ibanez electrics and Martin acoustics. The Gibsons I like are Les Pauls and ES-335s; and while I dig Firebirds and SGs and Explorers and Vees, they are not models that I would play a lot. So buying a budget model just to have fun with is something I've thought about a great deal. And the Epiphone line offers some really cool stuff at the mid-price level.
The G-400 is one such guitar. I think it's a guitar you can grow with, and good enough that you could keep it, play it, love it--for many, many years. My favorite version of the G-400 SG is the SATIN finished version, and I believe it's actually less money than the gloss version. The SG is a pretty classic body style and comfy to play.
Now one thing that you are going to have to budget for is having it a professionally set-up. You'll want to take it to a professional luthier and have the nut, action, truss-rod, intonation and pickups adjusted for your style. This typically runs $40 to $75, depending on where you live and the skill of the luthier.
And of course you'll need an amp. I have played many brands of amps over the years, and owned amps from Fender, Marshall, SUNN, Gibson, Acoustic, Peavey and now Mesa. The Mesa amps are all I play now. But I think the best value available in an amp is a used Peavey amp. You can usually find their SOLO SERIES solid state amps for not much money. The Bandit model is one of my favorite amps of all time. It is a totally professional model, rugged and durable, and can play at deafening levels. Used ones in my neck of the woods usually go for $100-$150, depending on the vintage. Probably my favorite is the narrow, silver panel Transtube models for their tube-like tone. These amps handle pedals well. There are several Peavey amps that can be had for not much money, and that can do the job nightly on a big stage.
Good luck!
Bill
