what to buy, then?

Allow me to be the one to advice you on stuff to get. After all, I have made some mistakes in the past and what better advice can I give other than those that I have learnt. Depending on what you're playing, the guitar is probably the first to get. Do bear in mind that if you're getting an electric guitar, the amp is required as well.

As a general guide for guitars, a cheap guitar is one that costs less than S$100. For one that is playable (still beginning guitar) for at least a few years, the price range is between S$300 to S$500. If you're playing for an audience or church, it will be good to spend about S$1000 - S$2000. For high-end users or recording purposes, well, we're talking a minimum of S$2000, and the sky's the limit. One consideration though, if you plan to spend over 2 thousand dollars it will be better to get an electric guitar since acoustic guitars need a lot more tender loving care due to the susceptability of the wood in different types of climate and temperature.

For a low budget instrument, I would recommend Yamaha. If classical it is you're after, then buy a classical guitar. If you want to play for cell-group, a sing-along, then get an acoustic guitar, a Yamaha APX-series would be nice. It's an acoustic-electric, which allows you to plug into an amp if you think you have practised enough to play with the band. Other brands that are worthwhile considering without spending big bucks is Seagull, and Alvarez. It's the same for the classical guitar, get one that has an output for amplifiers.

For electric, a Yamaha Pacifica (112) is great for a budget instrument. Another good bet is a Fender Squire. Of course, you don't have a choice but to get an amp if you want to hear yourself. A 15W amp is enough for most situations, unless you're performing which usually the amp is supplied. I have one by Vantage which served me pretty well, and the price is not too bad. Another good amp is Park, which is made by the Marshall company. Of course, if you could afford it, get a tube amplifier - it cost about twice as much as a solid state own but trust me, you won't be disappointed. I'm saving up for one tube-amp myself but it'll still be 15W (courtesy to my neighbours next door).

Effects, now this is extremely subjective since most people have their own ideas how a good tone should sound like. But generally, a guitarist would require 3 types of effects - delay, chorus, and distortion. For versatility, a multi-effects would be the thing to go, and for simplicity, you just can't beat stompboxes. Multi-effects, I'd recommend the Boss ME-30, or the Korg AX1G. For delay, I actually like the Boss RV3 - Digital Reverb/Delay which provides, as the name suggest both delay and reverbs. Chorus, they say the Danelectro Cool Cat is the best in the market right now. Distortion, highly recommended are the Ibanez TS-9 Tubescreamer, or the Fulltone Fulldrive 2 (can't find it here in Singapore, though...any suggestions?) One problem comment for the TS-9 is that it sounds good only on tube amps. In that case, another effect that you could try is the ProCo Rat 2. The problem with this is that it's quite trebly which could be solved if you place an equalizer before going into the pedal. Well, that's the problem...the search is never-ending, suggest you read up on How to Avoid the Gear Acquisition Syndrome so that you don't get the ailment.

Guitar-stuff Links

These are some links to music sites on the Web. Of course, one of the worst things that I do is salivating in front of the computer, or dreaming of the day that I could get my hand in any one of the these excellent stuff - well, they are not exactly the cheapest ones around...OK, OK, these stuff are what dreans are made of for a guitarist, and they cost big, and I mean "BIG $". Anyway....

electric guitars: Tom Anderson, Don Grosh, and John Suhr are handmade guitars which are probably the best of the lot for Strat/Tele styles. Terry McInturff (another handmade) and Paul Reed Smith are a cross between Les Paul and Strats. Godin has been reputed to be the first manufacturer to incorporate an acoustic bridge into an electric, thus providing for acoustic and electric guitar sounds in one guitar; whereas Teuffel is probably the weirdest-looking guitar I have ever seen.


Tom Anderson guitar

acoustic guitars: I can't really say which ones are the best although generally if one has the money, it'll probably be a Martin. I just checked the price of a Martin D-28, it's selling for US$7000! Olson guitars (said to be among the best money can buy) are handmade and are used by James Taylor, Phil Keaggy and Michael Card, among the few. Larrivee, Takamine, Taylor and Collings also make excellent guitars although not as exclusive as Olson. For acoustic-electrics, one cannot go wrong with Ovation, these things are tough since they have a composite body.


Taylor guitar

amplifiers: Marshall amps are the standard for rock guitarists, although the other brands have their loyal following as well. Fender, although very well-known for their excellent guitars are placed in the amplifier section since I very much prefer their tube amplifiers. Johnson makes digital amps which can actually simulate sounds as those from Marshall, VOX, Fender etc. Rivera, Soldano, VHT, and Mesa/Boogie are considered upmarket tube amplifiers favoured by many professional guitarists.

stomp boxes: probably the "cheapest" way to have the sound you want. These effects only take an input from your guitar, and outputs to the amp. No problems at all, which is why this is the route favoured by most guitarists. The effects from Boss is included since most stores carry them, and usually they are the first effects that the guitarist would buy. After a while, you tend to get tired of them and tend to go into other better brands such as Danelectro, Electro-Harmonix, and Fulltone.


Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi

effects processors: the expensive route, for persons who either have lots of cash or those who require studio sound quality, i.e professional recording musicians. In other words, once you get tired of the sounds from stompboxes, these digital equipment will be the "last" thing to go for. These processors are the ultimate in the guitarist's arsenal.


Rocktron Intellifex effects processor

Back to Wei Kwan's Music page.

http://www.oocities.org/Tokyo/Courtyard/9049
a service of Weikwan, Inc.
most recent update: July 21, 1999
Copyright Ng Wei Kwan 1999 all rights reserved
Romans 8:28