This is an excellent video service for all new guitarists and thank you for thinking and acting on our behalf. I took an old Squire Strat, put a new nut in it, filed the nut slots and polished the frets. It now plays just as nice as a Fender Select Strat of mine that cost 6.9 times as much. It actually kind of embarrassing to be honest. The nut and the fret erasers were 50 bucks but the improvement in playability was shocking. I honed my technique on a cheap strat knock off I bought for 40 dollars and now it plays every bit as good, actually better as it has a satin neck finish. I now think the set up is more important than your choice of guitar. Thanks again for considering us newbies. You've more then earned my subscription! Cheers.
I purchased a Yamaha Pacifica over 20 years ago because it felt good in my hands to play, and it was very affordable at the time. I still play and record with that guitar to this day. 🎶🎶🎶🎶
I've had a Yamaha Pacifica H/S/S for years, and it's my main guitar from the four I own. Yamaha has been in the sound business for many years - they know what they're doing. If my local guitar store ever gets a used Revstar, I'll buy it in a heartbeat.
Best guitars for beginners in my opinion & based on experience. An electric guitar. They're easier to play. But not just any guitar; one that's set up properly with good action & stays in tune. A guitar that's hard to play and/or doesn't stay in tune well can be very discouraging to a beginner who may struggle to tune a guitar by themselves or if it hurts their fingers too much. I've taught a few people some things on guitar & they all agreed an electric guitar was much easier to play.
Cool video Mimi 🤙 I didn’t think there’s such a thing as a “beginners guitar” I think it has to do with your budget. Being The Budget Guitarist then I’d always recommend the second hand market. You can definitely get a great instrument for what you would pay for a “beginners guitar “ Love your work 🤙🎸
Mimi just great for someone who feels daunted by all the guitars on offer,straight to the point and no pretenciouse stuff nice keep doing the these vids.
The Pacifica punches way above it's weight. This is especially so when you get to the mid range ones. The 500 quid ones I've played are utterly flawless and would give any high end guitar a run for it's money
I will never forget finding my Dad's Gibson Melody Maker SG 1966 - Pelham Blue in the basement when I was 11. He never even told me he played as a kid, I just discovered it. Which made it even more magic. It was completely out of tune but I didn't care or even know, I banged away on it anyway. He then warned me NOT to use the ancient tube amp that he had. Of course I didn't listen and did anyway, it started smoking immediately. Later my Uncle Roger Romeo (Legs Diamond) bought me a Squier Jagmaster and a Fender Princeton 112 plus with actual DISTORTION. My life changed forever! It doesn't matter what you have in the end, just have passion.
I got my daughter an Ibanez and set it up myself to play better. She started with a small Laney amp but last christmas I bought her a Line 6 15W amp. Don't think the higher price (below £400) guitars are massively better. It is down to what feels good and comfortable to you. I love my 1980's Roadstar 2 Ibanez guitars as nothing can touch them for sound and feel. One Stanley Jordan RS525 and a Black RS430 as played by Michael J Fox in Back to the Future. I also have a 90's washburn WR series with a JB4 humbucker that sounds epic, even my mates expensive Fender Strat doesn't sound or play as well.
Gretsch makes some awesome guitars. That new model they have out is beautiful and has some really nice tones. I have my dad's 1954 Gretsch 6130 Roundup. Very rare guitar. All original except I had to replace one pot. Beautiful old twang banger. It plays two kinds music. Country, and western. Lol! I also have a 1964 Gibson SG Standard that my uncle gave me before he passed away. Love that thing too. And a '58 Les Paul gold top. For beginners I think Squire makes a really quality guitar at a very reasonable price. And you can tweak them pretty easily.
I own a gio and a pacifica, value guitars that are still really great in the under 500 range. I have modified my gio and its truly worthy. Nice video !
I have watched your videos for quite awhile and you have come a long way ! Thoroughly enjoy your work. Also you are a very pretty young woman! Talented and gorgeous !
I had a Cort Strat I started out on in the mid 80’s. After set up it was a very good guitar. I also had a 80”s squire bullet that had the strat-ish body with a tele type neck. I played them both a lot.
Hey, thanks for this video - really useful to see whats good at the lower side of the market, especially for students starting out. Amazing how good the Pacifica sounds - my pal had a Pacifica many years ago and it was a bit of a dog to play, so looks like they've upped their game big time!
I have four Pacificas, 2x PAC012's, a PAC112V, and a 212VQM. They all play great, although I had to set them up how I like them (low action, truss rod adjust, PU height, fret ends filed, oiled fretboard, etc.) To me the main difference between the cheapest to the most expensive Pacificas I have is primarily cosmetic, the 012 being a simple paint job, the 112 having a better finish, alnico 5 pups, a coil split option, and the 212 also having the alnico pups, coil split option, but with a quilted maple top (veneer?). I would recommend the 012 for the beginner, due to its build quality, a decent playing action, the fact it has a humbucker, and two single coils. I also have a few Squier strats, and although I have a 'soft spot' for Squier strats, the Pacificas are great value and playability.
Honestly I agree with your choice, with the East Coast. Especially for a beginner guitar. My dream guitar has always been a Gibson Les Paul with the Mapel/Resin finish 🫦 Love you Mimi ♥️💪🏻🎸⚡️
That was a helpful video 👍🏾. Definitely understand Now. It is Best to Choose your first Guitar 🎸 by Ear then Site. Never without hearing the guitar first 👍🏾👍🏾
Mimi, have you ever played a kramer pacer classic? Around 80's vintage? There was one I owned when I played in my band. I was it came with a seymore duncan 59 and a I believe a jbl. It had a split coil humbucker floyd rose trem. Be careful there are two versions of this guitar. You need to try the classic vintage one. Mine was a one of a kind last of the line. Eddie kramer tryed to buy it off me when I restored it. Try it let us know what you think. It is a more metal sounding Eddie vanHalen type sound I blew through a peavey Amp. ❤❤
I've got the 012 and payed 160 pound for it a few years ago and for the price it's a cracking guitar in fact I prefer it to my mexican strat which Costa few hundred more 🎸🎸
Great idea for a video. First never give a beginner a poorly set up a guitar, they'll see it as a chore and give up. Also I think a beginner's guitar shouldn't have too many features. Probably no trem other than a strat style which can be set up to be floored yet loose enough to push down if they want. Just a few good tones, no weird controls so as not to get caught up in dialing all day. Probably humbuckers so they don't get distracted by the noise. I like the Pacifica, Squire Classic Vibe and lower end Yamaha Revstars.
Great selection Mimi! Another I think would fit in this less expensive group would probably be the Epiphone Les Paul Special II…well done ✔️ Great review! ☺️🇨🇦
I think an inexpensive guitar is best for a beginner because so many people give up learning to play. Why drop $1,000 or more when you aren't sure music is for you? That said, this is the golden age of cheap guitars, with so many models and brands catering to the low-price shopper. Personally, some guitars by Harley Benton and even some of the somewhat generic Amazon guitars seem like good buys. I picked up an ES-335 type guitar by West Creek for $220...and it's great for the price. That said, I think a good guitar store is the best place to start rather than taking your chances online. You need a good setup and a proper practice amp to start and having someone guide you is a good idea. My two cents...and worth every penny!
I just bought a brand new guitar with accessories and amp from gear for music €150 I’m a beginner. I don’t think you can go wrong with that. It’s an LA and white it’s beautiful plays and sounds great can’t imagine I’d want anything else for a long time. Haven’t even paid it off yet with klarna happy out 😂 🎉
I went with the Fender Nashville Telecaster because of the 12” neck radius. Next time you visit a guitar store check out neck radius for playability. Shredding should be easier on the 12” radius neck.
Here's why I think that Strat-style guitars are best for beginners: - They tend to be lighter than single-cut guitars like Teles and LPs - They are much better balanced in weight than SGs (no neck dive) - They have ergonomic cuts in them to better fit the human body - Bolt-on necks are cheaper and easier to maintain/replace than fixed necks - They grant easier access to the highest frets than single-cut designs - A single row of 6 tuners is simpler and easier to tune than the standard 3-per side design - Three single-coil pickups are more versatile than most other pickup configurations - They usually have some kind of tremolo system which increases versatility again - The design and configuration is so common that any luthier setup will be fantastic - They look great and a strat is what most people envision when they think "electric guitar" Then of course, there's the price. Strat-style guitars tend to offer outstanding value without needing to completely cheap-out on some off-brand like Glarry (although you can if you want/need to). If you want a decent LP-style guitar on the cheap, you're looking at Epiphone (which isn't really all that cheap) and the same is true for an SG-style. However, Strat-style guitars of good quality and value can be found from brands like Yamaha and Washburn. You don't have to pay more for a Squier to get a great guitar to learn on (although again, you can if you want to). I still have my first guitar, a Tobacco-Burst Washburn Strat with a white pick guard and I still play it more than my Solidac (kind of an LP-style single-cut body design) or SG. While my top guitar is easily my Godin Solidac, I actually play my Washburn more often than my other two guitars COMBINED. To be fair though, I almost never play my SG because I really don't like how they play (their neck balance tends to be awful). Having said that, I do love how they look (especially red ones, they look downright satanic...lol) so I just use my SG as wall-art. I didn't pay much for it so it's not like a blown investment or anything. Now, don't get me wrong, my Godin is in a completely different league than both my Washburn and my SG in terms of materials, craftsmanship, tone, features and versatility. A Canadian-made Godin is comparable to American-made Fenders and Gibsons. However, my Washburn is much easier to play and practice on because it's WAY lighter than my Godin (alder/poplar double-cut body and maple neck vs. single-cut solid maple body and mahogany neck), has a slimmer neck profile (not necessarily a strat-specific trait but still easier to play), has the 6 tuners in a row which is quicker and easier to tune and also because I'm not afraid to damage it. Overall, I don't think that I could've made a better choice for a first guitar than a strat-style and I'm really glad that I did because the most important criteria (BY FAR) for a first guitar are playability and affordability (in that order). After all, if a guitar isn't (relatively) easy to play, a beginner won't stick with it and the features and tones will be irrelevant. By the same token, you can get cheaper strats than Yamaha or Washburn but if they're harder to play, same thing, a beginner won't stick with it and their investment is still a total loss. This is why I think that Yamaha and Washburn are both great choices for first guitars. They're not expensive, but they're not "cheap" either. Sure, a Yamaha will, in most cases, be the better of the two but my Washburn strat is definitely "good enough" because it's just as easy to play and it did cost a lot less. Will it have the longevity of a Yamaha? Probably not but it will still live "long enough" to fulfill its purpose.
I bought a pristine Pacifica 112 with hard case for $100, put locking Ratio Graphtech tuners, upgraded the wiring, pots and switch, insultated the cavity, upgraded the trem to a Vega Trem and had it Plecked by Joe Glazer in Nashville . It plays incredibly well. Why put all that in a lower end Yamaha? Better craftsmanship and feel even before all the upgrades. If I want I can always take the components and put them on another axe.
I agree with Steve Jones' opinion on what guitar a beginner should get. Les Paul Custom. Linda Perry "What if you can't afford one". "I'd go out and steal one."
@Mimisounds i love how you've done this, to be honest the cheaper ones didnt sounds too bad ive had some pretty bad cheap guitars b4 hahah. The prices in England compared to AUS is soo much cheaper
I have the Squier Telescaster yellow, just like you played. It’s nice, easy to play and sounds good Not too ergonomic because of the design, but it’s ok for me
Mimi great videos what is your feeling on just using fingers rather than a plectrum as I saw The late Wilko Johnson of Dr Feelgood using a scrumming finger play is this easy for a beginner to learn and also I am in my 60s so a wee bit old.
What’s important is getting a guitar that plays well, it can be very limiting to progress to try and learn on a poorly made instrument that can’t be set up well. That being said technology has moved fast and mass produced instruments and the machines that make them are bunch better quality than they were historically and even mass produce pick ups have improved. My advice would be to have an experienced player guide you towards what to buy by trying out the guitars for you. The store wil generally do whatever they can to upsell or at least get you to take something from the shop without regard for your needs. Also buying used can upgrade the quality of instrument.
The BEST guitar for a beginner is one that compels you to pick it up and play it. The early days will be filled with frustration and discomfort as your hands learn how to play and your finger tips develop the necessary callouses. Don't buy your guitar mail order. Go to a shop like PMT, Guitar Guitar or Andertons and honest with the guys there. Play a number of guitars before you buy and make sure that you play the guitar without events (except a bit of reverb) to make sure you like the VOICE of the guitar. Get the shop guy/girl to demonstrate the guitar and ask their opinion. Finally, don't forget your amplifier. A rough guide is to split your budget equally between guitar and amp. Make sure that your amp has decent volume and at least reverb. Modelling amps like the Spark 2 are ideal and come with lots of features to help you learn. BTW The East Coast brand is owned by Andertons and Guitar Guitar. It is an affordable build aimed to be much better than cheap builds for just a slightly higher price. In addition to a Gibson Les Paul and a vintage Fender Strat I have an East Coast 335 and love it.
To me, the even more impressive is the Yamaha EG112, the precursor to the Pacifica. Made in Taiwan, with better pickups than the base model Pacifica, it's got a 13.75" radius neck that's a dream to play, and they go for $100-$200 on Ebay. I've gigged with one and they stay in tune better than most $%00+ guitars.
I apologise if maybe someone else has mentioned this already but the telecaster the lady playing is a more expensive model, isn't it Squier classic vibe with the three saddle bridge costing roughly £350 - £400 ???
Now I’m in Canada the price is way different. So I’ve been playing guitar for 22 years now and for beginner level guitar I think you need to go higher in price just to have more options in guitars. Depending on your budget ask for finance at the guitar store but I think 500-1000pounds in that price range you’ll have more options to play and test out see what you like.
I love you enthusiasm and love for electric guitars!❤Plus you are looking prettier every day and your evaluation was straight to the point and top of the line!❤
Get a decent instriment to start with. With a cheap one you never know if you are the problem or the instrument. Plus it will be worth more second hand. Could be me but i find Chinese QC inconsistent.
Hi, I suggest you look at Firefly guitars or EART guitars. I have several of each. They are very inexpensive and IMHO, in my 65 years of playing, great! Also, the Kramer VT 211 is a great guitar. Shalom/gw
Higher price does not make the guitar. Jeff Healy played a Squire. I guess he played the $hiit outta it cause he couldn't see the logo, should tell folks something!
Thanks for checking out the guitars for beginners. Unfortunately the one which I have got the lowest scores. Anyway I like You and your playing very very much. Once again, Thank You!!
I bought an Gibson SG there many years ago and took it back because the nut was cut too deep, I didn’t know that at the time, they wouldn’t take it back, and set the relief on the neck so much in order to compensate for the overcut nut, I had to keep the guitar, an eventually made a new bone nut for it, I always said I would never go back to that cr@p shop again, and never did, now I have 14 guitars, not one bought from there, looks like they haven’t changed.
At the end you went for price which yes is the limiting factor for a lot of beginners, but then if that is limiting, you might have tried some used guitars that these days are not so expensive and get some more quality. You could have also look for other brands like Cort or Sire that are really good instruments
OMG Gaes......si Cantik Neng Mimi lagi nyobain beberapa Gitar ya.....? Tapi kok Gitar idaman Sultan Hedon gak dicoba siiih........itu lho Gitar merk GRECTHS . Piss Darling....✌🥂❤🍔🍟❤😎🤟✌👍
I just bought my first guitar and I went with the Fender Squier Sonic. I can't tell the difference between a 200.00 guitar and an 2000.00 at this point. What do you think of my choice? I paid, 300 US dollars but that included a Fender amp and all the other little goodies I need to play out of the box. Thoughts?
In the uk the tele pack is £265 s in $ thats $344 rounded up. Great packs it seems nice one mate! The esquires are more my taste. Been playing since 85 I don't play cheap or expensive guitars I play Good guitars lol! Honestly if u like it its a win
Hey, that's where I got my Les Paul (online delivery, though. (Didn't know Andertons was on the way to college, lol)). My second only guitar, first I saved up to buy myself for £499 around this time in 2013 and it was the only make and model I wanted for years after seeing video's of Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend and Marc Bolan with one.
Gretsch G5222 is a solid guitar for 500 bucks. You have mine in your shot. The natural finish looks like Malcom Young's Gretsch. For a beginner guitar its great and if you want to sell it, you get a few bucks back.
This is an excellent video service for all new guitarists and thank you for thinking and acting on our behalf. I took an old Squire Strat, put a new nut in it, filed the nut slots and polished the frets. It now plays just as nice as a Fender Select Strat of mine that cost 6.9 times as much. It actually kind of embarrassing to be honest. The nut and the fret erasers were 50 bucks but the improvement in playability was shocking. I honed my technique on a cheap strat knock off I bought for 40 dollars and now it plays every bit as good, actually better as it has a satin neck finish. I now think the set up is more important than your choice of guitar. Thanks again for considering us newbies. You've more then earned my subscription! Cheers.
I purchased a Yamaha Pacifica over 20 years ago because it felt good in my hands to play, and it was very affordable at the time.
I still play and record with that guitar to this day. 🎶🎶🎶🎶
I’ve owned many different Yamahas over the years and in my opinion all of them were of exceptional quality for the price !!!
I've had a Yamaha Pacifica H/S/S for years, and it's my main guitar from the four I own. Yamaha has been in the sound business for many years - they know what they're doing. If my local guitar store ever gets a used Revstar, I'll buy it in a heartbeat.
Nice to see someone do reviews of realistic beginners instruments. Keep on Mia.
I really like what's going on with that cutaway on the guitar. Very nice cutaway
😉I hear ya. 👍
It's called a "titar"
Aha.. man of culture 😅
Damn, i didn't expect her to play the blues. Nice playing
Best guitars for beginners in my opinion & based on experience. An electric guitar. They're easier to play. But not just any guitar; one that's set up properly with good action & stays in tune. A guitar that's hard to play and/or doesn't stay in tune well can be very discouraging to a beginner who may struggle to tune a guitar by themselves or if it hurts their fingers too much.
I've taught a few people some things on guitar & they all agreed an electric guitar was much easier to play.
Cool video Mimi 🤙
I didn’t think there’s such a thing as a “beginners guitar” I think it has to do with your budget. Being The Budget Guitarist then I’d always recommend the second hand market. You can definitely get a great instrument for what you would pay for a “beginners guitar “
Love your work 🤙🎸
The Yamaha Pacifica hands down. It's well worth the little extra. It's rare to find a medium that's well done and the Yamaha is definitely it"
The east coast for the price you can't beat it.the squire looks sweet, I love the color on the Ibáñez, but I think the Yamaha sounds the best 😊
Mimi just great for someone who feels daunted by all the guitars on offer,straight to the point and no pretenciouse stuff nice keep doing the these vids.
The Pacifica punches way above it's weight. This is especially so when you get to the mid range ones. The 500 quid ones I've played are utterly flawless and would give any high end guitar a run for it's money
Agreed. I have two 112Vs, then moved up to a 611 that I absolutely love.
20 years later and the Pacifica is still a perfect starter, the only difference is that there is competition now.
I will never forget finding my Dad's Gibson Melody Maker SG 1966 - Pelham Blue in the basement when I was 11. He never even told me he played as a kid, I just discovered it. Which made it even more magic. It was completely out of tune but I didn't care or even know, I banged away on it anyway. He then warned me NOT to use the ancient tube amp that he had. Of course I didn't listen and did anyway, it started smoking immediately. Later my Uncle Roger Romeo (Legs Diamond) bought me a Squier Jagmaster and a Fender Princeton 112 plus with actual DISTORTION. My life changed forever! It doesn't matter what you have in the end, just have passion.
I saw Legs Diamond open for Alvin Lee's Ten Years Later, at the Long Beach Arena, in Southern California, during the summer of 1978!
I have a Princeton. It’s Loud as f for home practice. Which I love 😂
Yo, the thumbnail is goated 🌚🌚
I got my daughter an Ibanez and set it up myself to play better. She started with a small Laney amp but last christmas I bought her a Line 6 15W amp. Don't think the higher price (below £400) guitars are massively better. It is down to what feels good and comfortable to you. I love my 1980's Roadstar 2 Ibanez guitars as nothing can touch them for sound and feel. One Stanley Jordan RS525 and a Black RS430 as played by Michael J Fox in Back to the Future. I also have a 90's washburn WR series with a JB4 humbucker that sounds epic, even my mates expensive Fender Strat doesn't sound or play as well.
I like the Ibanez, sound nice and smoother. I also love the colour
thank you Mimi for sharing, greetings from Chicago USA
I love you enthusiasm and love for electric guitars!❤
I have the mint green gretch with the p90 pickup. Sounds brilliant and lovely to play
The Gretsch are GREAT guitars for entry level prices.
Gretsch makes some awesome guitars. That new model they have out is beautiful and has some really nice tones. I have my dad's 1954 Gretsch 6130 Roundup. Very rare guitar. All original except I had to replace one pot. Beautiful old twang banger. It plays two kinds music. Country, and western. Lol! I also have a 1964 Gibson SG Standard that my uncle gave me before he passed away. Love that thing too. And a '58 Les Paul gold top. For beginners I think Squire makes a really quality guitar at a very reasonable price. And you can tweak them pretty easily.
I own a gio and a pacifica, value guitars that are still really great in the under 500 range. I have modified my gio and its truly worthy. Nice video !
Gibson Les Paul Junior. It's a joy to play, is simple, and is set up well out of the box.
Yes, it's expensive
Seriously like your straight honest appraisals, I bought a Donner DST 200, plays as well almost anything I've tried or remember after setup.
I have watched your videos for quite awhile and you have come a long way ! Thoroughly enjoy your work. Also you are a very pretty young woman! Talented and gorgeous !
I had a Cort Strat I started out on in the mid 80’s. After set up it was a very good guitar. I also had a 80”s squire bullet that had the strat-ish body with a tele type neck. I played them both a lot.
I have two East coast guitars and they are really good,i have been playing guitar for over 50years.❤🎸.
Hey, thanks for this video - really useful to see whats good at the lower side of the market, especially for students starting out. Amazing how good the Pacifica sounds - my pal had a Pacifica many years ago and it was a bit of a dog to play, so looks like they've upped their game big time!
I have four Pacificas, 2x PAC012's, a PAC112V, and a 212VQM. They all play great, although I had to set them up how I like them (low action, truss rod adjust, PU height, fret ends filed, oiled fretboard, etc.) To me the main difference between the cheapest to the most expensive Pacificas I have is primarily cosmetic, the 012 being a simple paint job, the 112 having a better finish, alnico 5 pups, a coil split option, and the 212 also having the alnico pups, coil split option, but with a quilted maple top (veneer?). I would recommend the 012 for the beginner, due to its build quality, a decent playing action, the fact it has a humbucker, and two single coils. I also have a few Squier strats, and although I have a 'soft spot' for Squier strats, the Pacificas are great value and playability.
My friend got his daughter a Squier Mustang. She seems quite happy with it.
I think.... The best guitar player for beginners and not only !❤❤❤❤
Honestly I agree with your choice, with the East Coast. Especially for a beginner guitar.
My dream guitar has always been a Gibson Les Paul with the Mapel/Resin finish 🫦
Love you Mimi ♥️💪🏻🎸⚡️
Woah! Nice fall views! And cool instruments either!
I love Gibson melody maker Ariel Bender from Mott the hoople played one ,only one pick up
The Pacifica with a hardtail would be perfect for me. And I've been playing for 25 years.
Awesome. I've got to watch more of your stuff! I love shootout vids.
Good review, capturing the essentials for a beginner. Also good blues riffing
That was a helpful video 👍🏾. Definitely understand Now. It is Best to Choose your first Guitar 🎸 by Ear then Site. Never without hearing the guitar first 👍🏾👍🏾
I can listen to you all day. Thanks
Mimi, have you ever played a kramer pacer classic? Around 80's vintage? There was one I owned when I played in my band. I was it came with a seymore duncan 59 and a I believe a jbl. It had a split coil humbucker floyd rose trem. Be careful there are two versions of this guitar. You need to try the classic vintage one. Mine was a one of a kind last of the line. Eddie kramer tryed to buy it off me when I restored it. Try it let us know what you think. It is a more metal sounding Eddie vanHalen type sound I blew through a peavey Amp. ❤❤
For me the Yamaha Pacifica 112V is the queen for beginners
Rip, I just bought a Squier Affinity HSS
I've got the 012 and payed 160 pound for it a few years ago and for the price it's a cracking guitar in fact I prefer it to my mexican strat which Costa few hundred more 🎸🎸
I have two. Very nice guitars. Then I moved up to the Pacifica 611. Yamaha just doesn't get the love they deserve.
Absolutely! My first real guitar is a 212 pacifica, and I still have it 14 years later! Modded it, put a nice seymour duncan in the bridge, its epic!
Great idea for a video. First never give a beginner a poorly set up a guitar, they'll see it as a chore and give up. Also I think a beginner's guitar shouldn't have too many features. Probably no trem other than a strat style which can be set up to be floored yet loose enough to push down if they want. Just a few good tones, no weird controls so as not to get caught up in dialing all day. Probably humbuckers so they don't get distracted by the noise. I like the Pacifica, Squire Classic Vibe and lower end Yamaha Revstars.
Great selection Mimi! Another I think would fit in this less expensive group would probably be the Epiphone Les Paul Special II…well done ✔️ Great review! ☺️🇨🇦
I think an inexpensive guitar is best for a beginner because so many people give up learning to play. Why drop $1,000 or more when you aren't sure music is for you? That said, this is the golden age of cheap guitars, with so many models and brands catering to the low-price shopper. Personally, some guitars by Harley Benton and even some of the somewhat generic Amazon guitars seem like good buys. I picked up an ES-335 type guitar by West Creek for $220...and it's great for the price. That said, I think a good guitar store is the best place to start rather than taking your chances online. You need a good setup and a proper practice amp to start and having someone guide you is a good idea. My two cents...and worth every penny!
Totally agree.
I think I personally would have gone with the Ibanez. Your choice was good as well.😊
I just bought a brand new guitar with accessories and amp from gear for music €150 I’m a beginner. I don’t think you can go wrong with that. It’s an LA and white it’s beautiful plays and sounds great can’t imagine I’d want anything else for a long time. Haven’t even paid it off yet with klarna happy out 😂 🎉
I went with the Fender Nashville Telecaster because of the 12” neck radius. Next time you visit a guitar store check out neck radius for playability. Shredding should be easier on the 12” radius neck.
Here's why I think that Strat-style guitars are best for beginners:
- They tend to be lighter than single-cut guitars like Teles and LPs
- They are much better balanced in weight than SGs (no neck dive)
- They have ergonomic cuts in them to better fit the human body
- Bolt-on necks are cheaper and easier to maintain/replace than fixed necks
- They grant easier access to the highest frets than single-cut designs
- A single row of 6 tuners is simpler and easier to tune than the standard 3-per side design
- Three single-coil pickups are more versatile than most other pickup configurations
- They usually have some kind of tremolo system which increases versatility again
- The design and configuration is so common that any luthier setup will be fantastic
- They look great and a strat is what most people envision when they think "electric guitar"
Then of course, there's the price. Strat-style guitars tend to offer outstanding value without needing to completely cheap-out on some off-brand like Glarry (although you can if you want/need to). If you want a decent LP-style guitar on the cheap, you're looking at Epiphone (which isn't really all that cheap) and the same is true for an SG-style. However, Strat-style guitars of good quality and value can be found from brands like Yamaha and Washburn. You don't have to pay more for a Squier to get a great guitar to learn on (although again, you can if you want to).
I still have my first guitar, a Tobacco-Burst Washburn Strat with a white pick guard and I still play it more than my Solidac (kind of an LP-style single-cut body design) or SG. While my top guitar is easily my Godin Solidac, I actually play my Washburn more often than my other two guitars COMBINED. To be fair though, I almost never play my SG because I really don't like how they play (their neck balance tends to be awful). Having said that, I do love how they look (especially red ones, they look downright satanic...lol) so I just use my SG as wall-art. I didn't pay much for it so it's not like a blown investment or anything.
Now, don't get me wrong, my Godin is in a completely different league than both my Washburn and my SG in terms of materials, craftsmanship, tone, features and versatility. A Canadian-made Godin is comparable to American-made Fenders and Gibsons. However, my Washburn is much easier to play and practice on because it's WAY lighter than my Godin (alder/poplar double-cut body and maple neck vs. single-cut solid maple body and mahogany neck), has a slimmer neck profile (not necessarily a strat-specific trait but still easier to play), has the 6 tuners in a row which is quicker and easier to tune and also because I'm not afraid to damage it.
Overall, I don't think that I could've made a better choice for a first guitar than a strat-style and I'm really glad that I did because the most important criteria (BY FAR) for a first guitar are playability and affordability (in that order). After all, if a guitar isn't (relatively) easy to play, a beginner won't stick with it and the features and tones will be irrelevant. By the same token, you can get cheaper strats than Yamaha or Washburn but if they're harder to play, same thing, a beginner won't stick with it and their investment is still a total loss. This is why I think that Yamaha and Washburn are both great choices for first guitars. They're not expensive, but they're not "cheap" either. Sure, a Yamaha will, in most cases, be the better of the two but my Washburn strat is definitely "good enough" because it's just as easy to play and it did cost a lot less. Will it have the longevity of a Yamaha? Probably not but it will still live "long enough" to fulfill its purpose.
For a beginner guitar, I recommend the Jackson Dinky JS11. They are inexpensive ($160) and play and sound great.
I too would prefer the Pacifica. But I have medium to small hands so you have to consider that
At 59 I recently began learning to play guitar,can you send me one of these ? I live in Oklahoma USA thank you love 😉
I bought a pristine Pacifica 112 with hard case for $100, put locking Ratio Graphtech tuners, upgraded the wiring, pots and switch, insultated the cavity, upgraded the trem to a Vega Trem and had it Plecked by Joe Glazer in Nashville . It plays incredibly well. Why put all that in a lower end Yamaha?
Better craftsmanship and feel even before all the upgrades. If I want I can always take the components and put them on another axe.
I would love to be any of those guitars ❤
I agree with Steve Jones' opinion on what guitar a beginner should get. Les Paul Custom. Linda Perry "What if you can't afford one". "I'd go out and steal one."
@Mimisounds i love how you've done this, to be honest the cheaper ones didnt sounds too bad ive had some pretty bad cheap guitars b4 hahah. The prices in England compared to AUS is soo much cheaper
You should do it with both guitars & amp & cable. ❤
Yamaha and 50W katana & boss cable.
Super nice guitar shoping visit, Thanks dear Mimi
I have the Squier Telescaster yellow, just like you played. It’s nice, easy to play and sounds good Not too ergonomic because of the design, but it’s ok for me
Mimi great videos what is your feeling on just using fingers rather than a plectrum as I saw The late Wilko Johnson of Dr Feelgood using a scrumming finger play is this easy for a beginner to learn and also I am in my 60s so a wee bit old.
You should make more videos. You fun to watch and completely warm to the camera!😅
I think playability is the most important thing for a beginner, to prevent them from giving up too quickly.
So true!
What’s important is getting a guitar that plays well, it can be very limiting to progress to try and learn on a poorly made instrument that can’t be set up well. That being said technology has moved fast and mass produced instruments and the machines that make them are bunch better quality than they were historically and even mass produce pick ups have improved. My advice would be to have an experienced player guide you towards what to buy by trying out the guitars for you. The store wil generally do whatever they can to upsell or at least get you to take something from the shop without regard for your needs. Also buying used can upgrade the quality of instrument.
The BEST guitar for a beginner is one that compels you to pick it up and play it. The early days will be filled with frustration and discomfort as your hands learn how to play and your finger tips develop the necessary callouses. Don't buy your guitar mail order. Go to a shop like PMT, Guitar Guitar or Andertons and honest with the guys there. Play a number of guitars before you buy and make sure that you play the guitar without events (except a bit of reverb) to make sure you like the VOICE of the guitar. Get the shop guy/girl to demonstrate the guitar and ask their opinion. Finally, don't forget your amplifier. A rough guide is to split your budget equally between guitar and amp. Make sure that your amp has decent volume and at least reverb. Modelling amps like the Spark 2 are ideal and come with lots of features to help you learn.
BTW The East Coast brand is owned by Andertons and Guitar Guitar. It is an affordable build aimed to be much better than cheap builds for just a slightly higher price. In addition to a Gibson Les Paul and a vintage Fender Strat I have an East Coast 335 and love it.
Lovely video Mimi keep them coming 🎉
To me, the even more impressive is the Yamaha EG112, the precursor to the Pacifica. Made in Taiwan, with better pickups than the base model Pacifica, it's got a 13.75" radius neck that's a dream to play, and they go for $100-$200 on Ebay. I've gigged with one and they stay in tune better than most $%00+ guitars.
I apologise if maybe someone else has mentioned this already but the telecaster the lady playing is a more expensive model, isn't it Squier classic vibe with the three saddle bridge costing roughly £350 - £400 ???
Sorry about the bad grammar
That first explorer on the wall looks nice.
Now I’m in Canada the price is way different. So I’ve been playing guitar for 22 years now and for beginner level guitar I think you need to go higher in price just to have more options in guitars. Depending on your budget ask for finance at the guitar store but I think 500-1000pounds in that price range you’ll have more options to play and test out see what you like.
Always glad to see another vid. Hope you're doing well.
I love you enthusiasm and love for electric guitars!❤Plus you are looking prettier every day and your evaluation was straight to the point and top of the line!❤
❤😊 love it..just likeakid in a sweet shop 😍
Awesome Tour Dear Mimi 🤘🏻Thank you! 🫶🏻 🎸💎
ive heard great things about the yamaha pacifica as the #1 beginner guitars but ive never played one.
Get a decent instriment to start with. With a cheap one you never know if you are the problem or the instrument. Plus it will be worth more second hand. Could be me but i find Chinese QC inconsistent.
Hi, I suggest you look at Firefly guitars or EART guitars. I have several of each. They are very inexpensive and IMHO, in my 65 years of playing, great! Also, the Kramer VT 211 is a great guitar. Shalom/gw
Higher price does not make the guitar. Jeff Healy played a Squire. I guess he played the $hiit outta it cause he couldn't see the logo, should tell folks something!
Good for someone looking for guitar to have ideas what to purchase.🎸
oooh, nice Gretch Tennessean. I have a 6120 Brian Setzer model.
The official opening of this guitar store was done by Slash, I was lucky enough to get tickets for it and got to meet him. Best day ever...
You're not going to believe this but I turned into this because that white Gretsch by your left knee caught my eye..
I was surprised you picked it up!
I chose a Squire Sonic Stratocaster in HSS in black. it plays nice.
Thank you. This is excellent!
WISHED You had played the first guitar you looked at. Very curious what it sounded like..However still a great video.
Thanks for checking out the guitars for beginners. Unfortunately the one which I have got the lowest scores. Anyway I like You and your playing very very much. Once again, Thank You!!
I bought an Gibson SG there many years ago and took it back because the nut was cut too deep, I didn’t know that at the time, they wouldn’t take it back, and set the relief on the neck so much in order to compensate for the overcut nut, I had to keep the guitar, an eventually made a new bone nut for it, I always said I would never go back to that cr@p shop again, and never did, now I have 14 guitars, not one bought from there, looks like they haven’t changed.
Peautiful I Really Like it
Nice ❤❤❤❤👍👌
At the end you went for price which yes is the limiting factor for a lot of beginners, but then if that is limiting, you might have tried some used guitars that these days are not so expensive and get some more quality. You could have also look for other brands like Cort or Sire that are really good instruments
Thank you for the support 🎉
Ibanez Gio series is also good for beginners. Nice video.
You're a very good gutarist very pretty too! Have fun with your knew axe and thanks for sharing ❤😂🎉🎸
hey mimi you should try two of my favite music stores in geelong victoria australia music workshop and A and B Music
Love Yamaha guitars
I like those inexpensive Ibanez for beginners. Well made and being sold by Tomo! I see the fifteen year old boys are out in force today.... Pete.
Super performer.
OMG Gaes......si Cantik Neng Mimi lagi nyobain beberapa Gitar ya.....? Tapi kok Gitar idaman Sultan Hedon gak dicoba siiih........itu lho Gitar merk GRECTHS . Piss Darling....✌🥂❤🍔🍟❤😎🤟✌👍
To me, the best starter electric is the squier telecaster and best starter acoustic is the Korean Ovation . Very easy action .
I just bought my first guitar and I went with the Fender Squier Sonic. I can't tell the difference between a 200.00 guitar and an 2000.00 at this point. What do you think of my choice? I paid, 300 US dollars but that included a Fender amp and all the other little goodies I need to play out of the box. Thoughts?
In the uk the tele pack is £265 s in $ thats $344 rounded up. Great packs it seems nice one mate! The esquires are more my taste. Been playing since 85 I don't play cheap or expensive guitars I play Good guitars lol! Honestly if u like it its a win
Can you do a video with exercises to get better at fret work?
Yes ! Pacifica for me !
Hey, that's where I got my Les Paul (online delivery, though. (Didn't know Andertons was on the way to college, lol)). My second only guitar, first I saved up to buy myself for £499 around this time in 2013 and it was the only make and model I wanted for years after seeing video's of Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend and Marc Bolan with one.
Gretsch G5222 is a solid guitar for 500 bucks. You have mine in your shot. The natural finish looks like Malcom Young's Gretsch. For a beginner guitar its great and if you want to sell it, you get a few bucks back.