I had a chance to record my son’s band, Lungs They Burn this weekend. Same deal as last time I talked about recording ; a low budget, cheap guitar deal all the way.

But what I wanted to talk about today was an interaction that took place between the guitar player, singer/songwriter Sean and myself. He gets this whirring, twirly type of sound that I’ve always sought after. In fact, I’ve bought pedals trying to attain that sort of sound.

But half way through the session, Sean wasn’t happy with his sound. When that happens, there is no smoothing over it. Particularly if it involves recording where the sound will live on long after the moment.

I’m pretty sure the sound that I like and the sound that Sean dislikes is the sound of tubes going bad. Both Sean and I play Fender tube amps. These are neither cheap amps nor expensive amps. But the thing they have in common with all tube amps is that the tubes degrade over time and as they degrade, the sound changes.

How this all relates to cheap guitars is that beauty of sound is in the ear of the beholder. Sean switched to my Fender amp and was immediately happier with the sound. To my ear, I preferred the sound of Sean’s amp.

Its not a right or wrong sort of situation. Its a matter of personal choice. The same goes for playing a cheap guitar. If it sounds the way you want, if it plays the way you want it to play, then what difference does it make how much you paid for it?

In fact for me, it sometimes works in the opposite direction: If I’m playing an expensive guitar, I feel pressured to sound “great.” But if I’m playing a cheap guitar I feel as though nobody expects much of anything out of me.

So Sean will be getting his amp retubed sometime soon I’m guessing. And I’ll wait for my tubes to degrade to the point where they sound like Sean’s old ones. One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor.

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Bottom line is it comes down to a personal decision for all of us. Its a decision that prior  generations didn’t deal with to nearly the same extent.

Personally, I do some of both. I try to do enough local business to maintain those all important relationships. I don’t care so much if it costs a few dollars more to support my local music store. I figure in the hassle and potential cost should I have to return something bought online. Doing so often evens out the price difference.

But the selection thing is an issue for me. For instance, I like oddball strings. Brand names like Pyramid, Thomastik, and LaBella. Configurations such as flatwound, tapewound, and light bottom, heavy top. I can’t find that sort of stuff in Denver let alone Fort Collins! Most of the time the teenager behind the counter doesn’t even know what I’m talking about.

Having local stores special order things for me doesn’t get it most of the time. Why should I pay more when I can order it myself for less? Even more importantly, when I order it myself, I know when it gets ordered. When I rely on a store to do it, who knows how many days later the order actually gets placed?

When it comes to cheap guitars themselves, its pretty much a matter of where I find them. Most of the time we’re talking about a specific cheap guitar rather than one fresh of the factory floor along with a hundred others just like it. Remember, I tend to favor buying used guitars over new ones.

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eBay is a pretty great place to look for cheap guitars. I’ve bought (and sold) all kinds of things on eBay with very good success and only a few disappointments. Of the disappointments, I’d say at least half were my not reading closely enough or ignoring some of my own guidelines.

What are those guidelines? I’m glad you asked that question because I have one of those ever popular bulleted lists for you. Keep in mind that many of my eBay guidelines need not only apply to cheap guitars but almost anything else you might buy on eBay.

So here is my list in no particular order:

* Watch the seller’s rating. A seller with less than 50 transactions without at least some of those being sales and less than 100% satisfaction rating is always suspect. If the seller has sales in the 100s or 1000s even, I relax the satisfaction rating requirement a little. After all, everyone is going to have a dissatisfied customer now and again.

* I only deal with North American buyers and sellers. I swear every time I relax this rule even a little I get into some kind of hassle.

* Watch the shipping charges. Sometimes shipping can be enough to offset most if not all of the savings.

* Make sure savings are significant enough to warrant the risk factor. Is it really worth $50 savings on a $500 purchase? What if you have to return the item? How is that $50 savings looking now?

* Take your time and watch similar items for awhile if at all possible. eBay pricing is dynamic and is being affected (effected?) by the economy just like everything else. I have a bunch of searches I monitor all the time just so I have a “feel” for when something really is a good deal.

* Know what you’re looking for. Its way too easy to get sidetracked. For instance, lately I’ve been looking for a new camera. I know what I want. But in a moment of weakness I almost bought another just because it was a “good deal.”

* Avoid the impulse purchase. Like with any auctions, its easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment and make purchases you later regret.

* Look for items closing at strange times or in the middle of the week. Its normal for items to have a bidding frenzy right before closing. But if they are ending at an unusual time or in the middle of the week, there might be less of a frenzy.

So there’s my personal list of eBay guidelines for myself. Do you have some I missed? If so, write me and let me know!

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If you never had your own guitar before but you decided on purchasing one now, you need to realize you are about to start a major enterprise that can give you a headache at times. Trying to find a first guitar that is right for you can be a very frustrating experience.

First consideration when deciding on which guitar to buy?

Avoid becoming the victim of intimidation. Do not make rush decisions when you are confronted with guitar sales men who use all this overwhelming terminology and talk about frets and buying the right amplifier. You have resources and you should make good use of these resources before you consider making a choice.

Second consideration when deciding on which guitar to buy?

Determine upfront how much you are able and willing to spend for the purchase of a guitar. Keep in mind however that cheap cannot be a synonym for high quality. A major price difference can sometimes also mean that there is a major sound difference.

Electric guitars tend to be more expensive in the long run because of all the accessories that come with it. Keep that in mind if your budget is very limited. Consider buying an acoustic guitar if your budget is very limited. The purchase of chords and also amplifiers can really accelerate your spending and not everyone’s budget is able to carry that expense.

Third consideration when deciding on which guitar to buy?

The internet is a source of valuable information. Use it! Look at all the different models and read about advantages and disadvantages. Be an informed guitar buyer! The acquisition of a guitar is a major decision. Treat it as such. Read about all there is to know and you will be able to make a purchase that will please you more.

Fourth consideration when deciding on which guitar to buy?

Your next move is visiting as many stores that sell guitar in your area as possible. There is no need to rush into any guitar purchase. Do you have an acquaintance who is a good guitarist? Convince him to come along! His advice and expertise will help you tremendously. Talk to salesmen too but keep in mind what their position is when they try to push you into buying right then and there.

Playing a tune on different guitars while in music stores is a major prerequisite for finding the right guitar. Avoid embarrassment to stand in your way and play a favorite tune at the same volume you would choose in another setting than the store. Trying to play at a reduced volume alters the sound and does not give you the right idea about the potential of the
instrument.

The right sound is very important when you try to make a choice. Get to “feel” that instrument without any bias. By trying many guitars you will be able to eliminate some and favor a few others. Go back to your computer to do research on every instrument you favor so far. Read up on what other guitarists have to say about the instruments you favor so far.

You probably have long plans with a new instrument. You want to do all it takes to find the perfect guitar for you. Rush purchases are never good when it comes to guitars. Research is essential!

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How much stock to you put in what guitars your favorite rock star plays? Obviously, guitar manufacturers think you put a whole lot of stock into it because they pay or “sponsor” musicians to use their guitars and do clinics, etc. Exactly the reason you shouldn’t put too much stock in it though. Your idol may not be playing brand X because its his favorite but because he’s payed to do so.

Also realize that a specific guitar is only one link in a long chain of variables your upper echelon star relies on. There are effect pedals, the amplifier, not to mention what the sound engineer or recording engineer might be doing to the sound. So don’t expect to sound the same even if you have the same talent level.

Probably one of the best reasons to pay attention to what your hero plays is because you like the look of his axe on stage. But realize that if this is your motivation, there are probably cheaper “look a like” guitars that you might consider. Many companies now issue knock offs of their star’s guitars. Some, right down to the exact damage of the star owned instrument. Some manufacturers have the stars design instruments for them to make as “special editions” as well.

You know that no name bass I was talking about? Turns out its an Arbor bass used by 80s “hair band” bassist Dana Strum of The Vinnie Vincent Invasion, and Slaughter. Even knowing that, I’d never heard of the bands (Well ok, I’d heard of Slaught. Don’t know their music at all.) nor the guitar brand. Hair bands… probably my least favorite sort of music because of the hype and pretension. I wonder if I should not buy this bass because of that association? On the other hand, it might just be a perfect inside joke.

Go ahead and play your hero’s guitar if it inspires you. There is nothing wrong with it. But if you are just looking for a reliable, playable, cheap guitar, know there might be cheaper ways to go.

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Most people perceive cheap guitar as low quality, poorly manufactured guitar. In fact, some people will be intimidated by the fact that it wasn’t US made guitar. You may never consider Chinese or Korean made guitars and may never buy a cheap guitar, until recently.

Many big guitar manufacturers have already started producing their guitars in Korea, China and India to offer more affordable guitars for the regular guitar player. Not everybody can afford a $2000+ Fender or Gibson guitars and there is a large market for cheap guitars under $400.

Most of the Epiphone cheap guitars models which is own by Gibson now are produced in Korea. Kramer, which is another company owned by Gibson produces most of its cheap guitars in Korea too. Fender bought Jackson a few years ago, and now most of its Jackson guitars are produced in Korea and India. BC Rich low-cost guitars and many Ibanez guitar models are made in Korea too.

The low cost of labor may help to produce cheaper guitar, but that alone cannot be the only reason for lowering guitar prices.

So, why some guitars really dirt cheap and yet some guitars are outrageously expensive?

There are several factors determining a guitar manufacturing price.

The first factor for making a guitar cheap or expensive is the actual guitar manufacturing process. Was the guitar hand-made or was it produced in a highly automated modern guitar factory? Hand-made guitars are usually more expensive, while the guitars coming out from an automated factory are usually cheaper because the highly automated manufacturing process doesn’t require much manual labor such as guitar building, quality control.

Another factor which will determine a guitar price is the quality of material used for producing this guitar. This can include the woods used for the guitar neck and body, the paints and finishes. Cheaper guitars use inexpensive woods like plywood for building the guitar body, while more expensive guitars use quality woods like mahogany, rosewood, alder.

The third factor for making a guitar cheap or expensive is the quality of electronics and hardware that go in the guitar. Cheap guitars usually have cheap bridge, tuners, and stock pickups. Expensive guitars are made with quality hardware and electronics. For example the cost of a single Seymour-Duncan pickup may be much higher than the price for a decent cheap guitar made in Korea.

Cheap Guitars – Does it worth to buy one?

It really depends. Not everyone will use a cheap guitar. If you are professional musician and the guitar is your tool of trade, then you probably won’t want to buy a cheap guitar. Although most cheap guitars nowadays have a very good quality, professional musicians prefer hand-made electric guitars created by professional luthiers.

If you don’t want to spend several thousand dollars on a Gibson Les Paul guitar, then you might have a look at cheaper guitars. Bear in mind that cheap guitars are no longer no-name guitars. You can still buy Ibanez, Jackson, ESP, Epiphone, Fernandes, BC Rich, Squier, and many more famous guitar brands for less than $200!

I bought a cheap guitar made in China by Fernandes for just $150. The guitar has a licensed Floyd Rose tremolo, a very good, easy-playable neck and nice sound. This guitar is able to put “cheap” and “quality” in one sentence. My cheap guitar is worth much more than $150 and it’s actually of a better quality than some US made Fenders I have played.

Would you rather buy the cheapest US made Fender Strat model for $500 or would you rather buy a Japanese made Jackson, with Duncan-designed pickups, Floyd Rose tremolo and super-fast neck for $300? This decision of cheap / expensive guitar is yours.

Electric Affair is an online store that offers many different brand of electric guitars and acoustic electric guitars as well as accessories . Browse the catalog of electric guitars and find the one you are looking for at Electric Affair.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Low
http://EzineArticles.com/?Buying-a-Cheap-Guitar—Is-it-Worth-It?&id=1390844

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The unknown bass

An object lesson today based upon a cheap bass guitar I’m looking at. The bass I’m going to be talking about is the exact one pictured. The one in the middle with the “explorer” shape. What is it? I can’t tell you that because I don’t know. I’ve done some research and will probably do a little more but bottom line is I have no idea as to brand, age, anything. That’s the point of why I’m writing this.

When looking for your next cheap guitar, do you stick only to brand names you recognize like Fender, Gibson, Guild, Martin, etc.? If so, the pickings are likely to be slim because brand names like that are generally not available cheaply or if they are, they are totally beat or fakes. (Watch out for that!) A reminder here also, I’m talking primarily about cheap guitars which is different than bargain shopping. That $1,000 Gibson might be a real bargain because its really worth $2,500 but its still anything but cheap for me anyway.

Also, brand name shopping can lead you astray. Most of the major manufacturers now include cheap Asian or Mexican made guitars in their product line. Often times they look exactly like their expensive American counterparts. For instance, the Fender “Squire” lineup. Not that there is anything wrong with these budget guitars. They might be perfectly playable. Often times they have admirable build quality. But the thing is they might also come out of the exact same factory as the unheard of brand guitar hanging right next to it on the dealer’s wall. You might be missing out if you skip over the no name. One “no name” that is somewhat sought after are guitars made by the Japanese designer Matsumoku. I think I’ll have to write a whole blog about him sometime.

I’m thinking the pictured bass might be a Matsumoku designed Japanese bass. It looks to be about the right vintage and its definitely a quality crafted instrument. I just haven’t been able to source the little headstock logo that appears to be an “A” with a guitar shape as its middle. If anyone knows what it is, let me know!

So do I buy the pictured cheap bass even not knowing? Maybe/probably. I like the explorer body shape in terms of playability. The price versus playability factor is through the roof. If I had the money I would. The only thing holding me back is that work has been awefully slow lately. But it doesn’t look like the bass is going anywhere anytime soon. Its been hanging in the pawn shop 10 months now already. I’ll let you know.

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One question everyone looking for a cheap guitar asks themselves at some point is whether they should buy new or used. By and large I think it comes to a personal choice. There are pluses and minuses both ways I suppose. I’ve got to tell you though that I strongly prefer buying used and here are some of the reasons why:

A used guitar should prove more stable over time. By stable I mean the neck not changing, staying in tune, etc. The wood has a chance to age and becomes set wanting to stay in a certain position. (NOTE: For this reason if you buy a used guitar with a badly out of adjustment neck, you should make corrections slowly over time rather than making a huge change at once.)

A used guitar simply sounds better. Even a cheap used guitar. Something about the wood aging changes the tone. You can kind of predict what a new guitar will end up sounding like as a result of the woods used in it, but you’ll still have to wait a period of years for it to sound like its going to sound.

A used guitar will only increase in value. In general a well cared for instrument is a sought after commodity. Case in point: Old 60s Harmony and Silvertone guitars were regarded as crap instruments at the time. My original Silvertone probably got sold in a garage sale or maybe even ended up in the trash as much as it hurts me to say it. Yet  now if you look at eBay or craigslist, you’ll see these old cheap guitars can now often go for premium prices and not just as collector items either! I would love an old Harmony f hole acoustic now and cherish my Harmony Rocket electric as a player, not a museum quality piece. Now a new guitar will of course likely increase as well. But not immediately. You’ll have to weather a dip in its value initially before it begins to increase. (By the way, buying a used guitar during this initial dip period can be a shrewd financial move for obvious reasons.)

I like to think that used instruments in general have a soul. This certainly holds true for used cheap guitars. Every dent, scratch and cigarette burn tells a story. I like a guitar that’s “been there and done that.” Of course a new guitar will eventually have its own story. A new guitar’s story will be personalized to you and you alone. I guess I like the mystery of the used guitar as well.

Now to be sure there are down sides to used cheap guitars. One particularly annoying one is that the electronics tend to be funky, buzzing and crackling and so on. Another is that tuners on old cheap guitars tended to be crap while even today’s cheap guitars have decent tuners. Replacing tuners isn’t that big of a deal but you probably want to leave a used guitar intact in original condition if its that way when you get it.

So there you have my take on used guitars versus new guitars. Like I started out saying, it all comes down to personal preference. The differences aren’t that huge. But for me, give me the used cheap guitar every time.

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I had a great time this weekend helping our youngest daughter, Abi with a recording project. Plenty of cheap guitars and other cheap musical gear and cheap recording equipment in action. Not only did I get to play engineer, but I even got to contribute a bass line. My oldest son, Isaac, pitched in by contributing the djembe line. Almost like old times when we had a family band called “The Screaming Gringos.”

First off, Abi laid down the acoustic guitar track on my Alvarez AJ60SC. Not an expensive guitar to begin with but purchased used from a pawn shop thank you very much. Her vocals came next which of course are definitely not cheap, but rare, priceless, and one of a kind. (Insert proud father here.) Then it was my turn laying down the bass track on my eBay purchased Yamaha rbx270 fretless bass. To be fair, this bass came with upgraded Bartolini pickups that I suspect make a world of difference from the stock ones. Furthermore, I ran it through my brand new Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 as a preamp. Definitely not cheap and new enough on the market that it would be hard to find used. Not that I didn’t try! I did pick it up over eBay at a reduced price from a dealer who was liquidating inventory. (There is a lot of that going on with the economy and all. Its something to watch for.) Next was a tambourine track played by Abi on an LP tambourine that I actually bought brand new albeit 20-40 years ago. The next morning Isaac dragged himself out of bed in time to lay down a djembe track on an old, cast aside djembe he still keeps around our house. (Another proud father alert.)

All this was recorded on an old Yamaha AWG16 workstation that I picked up off eBay. Mics were an MXL V63M large diaphragm condensor off eBay and an EV/Blue Cardinal condensor bought off craigslist. For monitoring we had a couple pair of Sony Pro MDR-7506 headphones (Both bought new from Guitar Center) and an old Yamaha amp/preamp that were bought so long ago that I’ve forgotten the source. Finally old AR bookshelf speakers picked up from a pawn shop for $20 served as monitor speakers.

The point here is that this recording was done pretty darn inexpensively. Yet the result will soon appear on a nationally produced compilation album of acoustic/bluegrass/blues music. (I’ll let you know here when it becomes available.) You can still get a lot of satisfaction and great music out of bargain basement equipment and of course, cheap guitars.