First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

Shadows requires the subtle use of the twang bar. So you must go strat. You will also want an amp with reverb.

 

[greendy123]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

The Fender MIM's are good guitars for the money. The problems I have with them are:

Poor shielding, bad sounding pickups, and those horrible tiny thin vintage frets. However, I've heard for the 2006 models they've fixed or improved upon the frets and shielding. They are still great for the money though.

Most epiphones I've played just feel cheap to me. I've owned epi les pauls, etc, just didn't do it for me, they felt like toys.

Yeah the 2006 models are supposed have full shielding and the frets are medium jumbo, so there's no problems with strats. You might have to wait a while tell they come out, but they will be worth it. On the lp side you could always go for a tokai, lp copies with all mahogony. All epiphone standards are mixes between mahogony and alder.

On checking for good guitar make sure the tone of guitar is good unplugged. If it is try it out on your amp. If it doesn't sound good get a seymour duncans in it and it will be find. Check that all the frets are put on nicely on the fretboard. Check fret buzz, look down the neck from the headstock and make sure it is not twisted to the left or right, it should be straight or pretty close. Its a good idea to check the ends of all the frets too, so they don't poke at your hand when you go up and down the neck. Also make sure new strings are on the guitar, if they look a bit old, see if you could get the sales people to put on new strings on it. You look if any dead sound spots are on the fretboard. Check how good the guitar stays in tune too.

 

[lex666]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I'm a big Les Paul fan and own several Epi's myself. But, if you're looking for a first electric, I would recommend the MIM strat. For the $$ it cannot be beat. Like others have already said, it is very versatile, easy to learn/play on, and can later adapt to different styles. I would recommend getting 3 single coils or a hum-single-single pick up configuration over the hum-hum.

Whenever checking out a guitar, I always check to be sure the neck is straight. I check for any ugly rattles or string buzz. Be sure all the frets look good. Run your hand up and down the neck and see if its smooth and comfortable, without any fret ends sticking out. Tune up, plug in, play some familiar chords, give the whammy bar a couple of dives, and check the tuning again to see if it stays in tune. If so, continue playing it for a while and see if its sounds and feels good to you. If so, you have a winner...

 

[Mr Wolf]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I remember playing a Godin Freeway Classic (or something like that). Strat type body. Felt really really good though. Epiphones have rarely impressed me. MIMs are pretty good too, though the Godin was better IMO

 

[walkdmc]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

with 500 dollars to burn, i would get a hwy1 strat or that prs that people were talking about a while back. there are much better guitars than an epi les paul or a mim fender that you can get in that range

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I like Gibson style guitars better than Fender style guitars. An Epi LP sounds great to me compared to a similar Strat. To me, Fenders are better with hole drilled into them, and clock movement placed in it! Make sure the color of the hands contrasts enough with the the body so that it can be seen throughout the room upon the wall on which it is hung! :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: Just kidding!

HOWEVER...I would go with the MIM strat if you are completely in the dark (or blinded by the light). The "Fender" design is the Chevy small block of guitars. Parts are plentiful, and I think there is less difference between a "good one" and a "dud".

In my opinion, the tones from the Gibson/Epi end of the universe are more satisfying, and take a certain time to completely "blosom" in one's soul. Once there, you will know without a doubt you have a keeper. It is more an acquired taste, compared to a "here I am" tone.

Nevertheless, You could hardly go wrong if you got a strat with a set of full-size humbuckers, as long as you do not obsess about solid tuning if you actually use the whammy-bar.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I remember playing a Godin Freeway Classic (or something like that). Strat type body. Felt really really good though. Epiphones have rarely impressed me. MIMs are pretty good too, though the Godin was better IMO

I agree that the Godins are mostly better quality then the imported strats and epi's.....

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I noticed your location. Have you been to the brand new Guitar Center in Northridge yet? It's next to the Toyota Dealership on Nordhoff.

I'd recommend taking a good look at the brand new PRS SE Customs. They're the best guitar you can buy for $500, and feel more like a $1300 guitar, which non of the cheap Fenders or Epiphones do. Here's a pic, and I think GC has a few.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

Those PRS's are quite a good bang for the buck too! I heard a friend say that his SE plays and feels like a USA PRS he sold a few years ago to buy a 59 LP reissue

 

[Jazz Rock]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I noticed your location. Have you been to the brand new Guitar Center in Northridge yet? It's next to the Toyota Dealership on Nordhoff.

I'd recommend taking a good look at the brand new PRS SE Customs. They're the best guitar you can buy for $500, and feel more like a $1300 guitar, which non of the cheap Fenders or Epiphones do. Here's a pic, and I think GC has a few.

+1

 

[Geza]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

Hello Guys,

I received over 30 replies in 3 days!

Thanks so much for all the tipps and suggestions on what to buy and what to look at on a guitar up to $5-600!!!

Most of you recommended MIM Strat to me, but I received several recommendations on Godin and a few PRS.

Until now I never heard of the last two, but I will definately check out all three of them at a local guitar store within a week or two.

Thank you for the tipp on the new GC store in Northridge, I wasn't aware of it!

I already called a local guitar store that have Godin Freeway Classics but not the LG hmb.

If I were into getting a MIM Strat, would it make sense to replace the whammy bar on it for a better quality? Or it would make more sense to buy a Digitech Whammy pedal if I will have a need for "whammying" since that won't effect the tuning of the guitar at all?

Geza

 

[walkdmc]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

i dont see a reason to replace the whammy bar on it. maybe you mean the bridge? if you wanna mess around with a bar, you should get a strat with a floyd. doing it with a pedal isnt the same. maybe an ibanez js100? those guitars feel pretty good. those prs SEs are nice but if you want whammy, pedals just dont cut it. atleast for me

 

[greendy123]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

If you go with the mim strat make sure you get the 06' models, the current models have very small fret wire, if you like the fret size go for it. On the question on a whammy bar just using the stock one seems fine. I would get the all the contact points nicely oiled and you shouldn't have much problems.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

Hello Guys,

I received over 30 replies in 3 days!

Thanks so much for all the tipps and suggestions on what to buy and what to look at on a guitar up to $5-600!!!

Most of you recommended MIM Strat to me, but I received several recommendations on Godin and a few PRS.

Until now I never heard of the last two, but I will definately check out all three of them at a local guitar store within a week or two.

Thank you for the tipp on the new GC store in Northridge, I wasn't aware of it!

I already called a local guitar store that have Godin Freeway Classics but not the LG hmb.

If I were into getting a MIM Strat, would it make sense to replace the whammy bar on it for a better quality? Or it would make more sense to buy a Digitech Whammy pedal if I will have a need for "whammying" since that won't effect the tuning of the guitar at all?

Geza

When checking out the godins the freeway Classic is a great cheap strat, but the Humbucker LG model is a much better guitar in my mind and they are only a few bucks more... but that's my opinon.....

I have been wanting to buy another Godin Solidac.... Maple and Poplar body with a real figured maple top..... a Mahogany neck with nice frets, locking tuners..... 2 humbuckers with a middle singlecoil... and a 2 post Piezo trem bridge.... nice guitars! Check out www.godinguitars.com/godinsolidacp.htm

 

[viewaskew2k5]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

Go the strat. I started on a strat. Jimi PLayed a strat. Stevie played a strat. Eric Plays a strat. Robert plays a strat. Mark Plays a strat.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I love and play strats, but I will always second a recomendation on a PRS. I have always admired the PRS design, as a true progression of the classic electric guitar designs. There's the strat and Les Paul and all their various derivatives, and the next major stride forward was the PRS. PRS trems usually stay in tune well too.

 

[Jazz Rock]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

If you are going for the strat, maybe a H-S-S would be to my mind more appropriate for a first guitar. So you could have a wider tonal experience.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I had a stock MIM Tex/Mex strat at a jam last night..... i like that strat thru some nice bassy distorted amps as i get that almost P90 sound out of this thing..... But man was it noisy in my buddies basement with the lights he has down there.... I can't decide weather to sell off my MIM strats for more Godin's...... That new Solidac model is tempting..... and those PRS SE's look wonderful!

Anyways if you are going for a MIM strat maybe a stock model with a bridge Humbucker in it is a great idea... after the noise i had in that basement with the light tubes he has everywhere made my single coils sound like a leaf blower.... I have modded a few MIM Strats for bridge humbuckers and left the mid and neck singlecoils in place..... That is a great set up.... I also engoy the Hum/Single/Hum pickup set up as well....

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

I noticed your location. Have you been to the brand new Guitar Center in Northridge yet? It's next to the Toyota Dealership on Nordhoff.

I'd recommend taking a good look at the brand new PRS SE Customs. They're the best guitar you can buy for $500, and feel more like a $1300 guitar, which non of the cheap Fenders or Epiphones do. Here's a pic, and I think GC has a few.

+2

 

[doctadre]

Re: First Guitar - Which one to buy, MIM Strat HH or Epi Les Paul Standard?

If u like the les pAul stuyle get an Agile at rondomusic.com.... Have u thought about PRS korean? they are much nicer and low in price


dre