Electric Guitars On A Budget
For the price conscious beginner, here are two great choices.
Aug 31, 2009
For the beginner musician, hobbyist, or musician on a budget, finding an electric guitar can be a daunting process. Guitars can cost thousands of dollars, placing the hobby out of the price range for many music enthusiasts. Used guitars are available by the truckload at many music stores, but many first time buyers are wary of buying a used instrument.
Brand Name Guitars For Under $ 200 US
For the name conscious buyer, Epiphone Guitars, a subsidiary of Gibson, offers the Epiphone SG. For about $ 170 US, this budget model of the famed Gibson SG can be had. Available in Cherry or Ebony, the SG is a solid body guitar (hence the initials SG, for solid guitar). It features two open coil humbuckers, which are the electronic components that allow the sound from the guitar to be transformed into sound that comes out of the guitar amplifier.
The Epiphone SG Special has;
- A bolt on maple neck with a rosewood fretboard.
- Chrome hardware.
- Laminated body that gives it a wonderful glossy appearance.
- Two output knobs- one tone, one volume.
- Two Open Coil Humbuckers.
- Three way pickup selector.
This SG is the model of guitar made famous by Angus Young of AC/DC. The SG Special offers a tone control knob, which controls the tone of both pickups. It also offers a volume knob and a pickup selector, which allows you to play in three modes, lead, rhythm, or the two combined.
The lead pickup, or the pickup closest to the neck of the guitar, has a crisp, bright sound. The rhythm pickup, or the one towards the bottom of the guitar, offers a warmer, more mellow tone. When combined, the two compliment each other nicely. In the center selection position, the SG Special offers a quality tone and sustain (the length of sound the guitar plays when a note is struck). Those interested in the SG Special or the Player’s Pack (which comes with an amplifier) can find more information on www.epiphone.com.
Qualitty Products Available From Other Manufacturers
If a name brand is not a concern, then a musician can opt for an off-name guitar from several sources. Xaviere Guitars offers the XV-500 series of guitars, which is a Gibson Les Paul copy. The XV-500 comes in a range of colors, and will cost a consumer about $ 210 US. Xaviere’s guitars come with two of their critically acclaimed Crunchy Pat pickups, which are modeled after the Gibson P-90’s.
Xaviere’s XV-500 offers;
- Glued (set) Mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard.
- Chrome Hardware.
- Solid Mahogany body, carved maple top, available in a range of colors.
- Two output knobs (tone and volume) for each pickup.
- Two Crunchy PAT pickups (Gibson P-90 sound).
- Three way pickup selector.
The XV-500 is a solid mahogany body with a maple top, making the guitar quite a bit heavier than the Epiphone SG Special. The XV-500 is a no frills purchase; the guitar comes by itself; no DVD, strap, or amp. Despite the lack of bells and whistles, the XV-500 gets solid reviews from users, and is also a quality instrument. A consumer also has a wider range of color selections if that is a determining factor in their purchase.
The Xaviere also offers separate tone and volume knobs- one set for each of the two Crunchy Pat pickups. This allows the player more ability to adjust the sound of the guitar. The XV-500 offers a high quality instrument with solid reviews in a wide range of colors. Buyers interested in the XV-500 should visit their website at http://store.guitarfetish.com/index.html.
Buyers can also research how these guitars sound without ever entering a store. Many video hosting sites have users who have uploaded videos of these instruments being played. Hearing these guitars played also goes along way towards helping a consumer decide what to purchase.
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