Grateful Dead Music Forum

Well Christmas is coming along and I'll be wanting a new guitar!

I've loved the Dead all my life, but never tried playing them until I got my new acoustic(my old was my fathers from college and the only reason we got it was because he broke it!). Now I'm interested in getting an electric guitar I can jam on!

I'm not inexperienced with guitars, all my other guitars are set up to play metal though. I have BC Rich Warlocks, one of them being a 7-String (looks kinda like a Jerry guitar eh?), but I'm pretty sure that's unheard of for most people here...

I have a Line 6 Spider II Combo 75-Watt (which I love), Boss MT-2 Metal Zone Distortion Pedal (more than enough), and a Zakk Wylde Crybaby Wah Pedal (best wah around, despite being a signature, its amazing).

What kind of guitar can I get for like a $300-500 range that will give me great tones, hold tuning, be great for all around playing, and something WITHOUT a Floyd Rose (they are such pains in the ass to tune with those fine tuners and such).

I just want something I can jam on!

Welcome Pete...I just bought a Fender Standard Strat for 400 bucks a month ago and I can't put it down! Good Luck!

Yes, start with a Strat and keep the tremelo bar in the case.

Scary Pete wrote:I have BC Rich Warlocks, one of them being a 7-String (looks kinda like a Jerry guitar eh?)

A strat would be great. Epiphone Les Paul. Some of the lower end Paul Reed Smiths are nice too for about $500.

If you want more bang for your buck, find a used guitar. Many people buy nice guitars and give up playing. I have seen some good deals in pawn shops too.

Thanks for all the helpful replies! After seeing Phil Lesh & Friends last night, I'm debating just playing on my acoustic more and just getting a mandolin!

good luck in whatever you decide! I would have to agree with most posts here though and say a strat is the way to go, within the budget!

nicolasalk wrote:

Scary Pete wrote:I have BC Rich Warlocks, one of them being a 7-String (looks kinda like a Jerry guitar eh?)

that's some funny shit

oh... and yes a strat is a nice way to go... I played nothing but strats and strat-like guitars my first 10 years of playing Jerry (and Bobby) licks... works just fine

although you'll eventually realize you want humbuckers so you might just want to go that way straight off... I highly recommend what I just got.. a Gibson Faded SG Special... not too pricey and just a fantastic guitar... and it kinda looks like Jerry's too!

BOUKINATOR wrote:oh... and yes a strat is a nice way to go... I played nothing but strats and strat-like guitars my first 10 years of playing Jerry (and Bobby) licks... works just fine

although you'll eventually realize you want humbuckers so you might just want to go that way straight off... I highly recommend what I just got.. a Gibson Faded SG Special... not too pricey and just a fantastic guitar... and it kinda looks like Jerry's too!

how well does it play? does it play like a les paul?
(I've played a gibson les paul custom before it was the nicest thing I've ever played in my life)

The question is WAY too general. More info please:

Have you visited music stores and tried out lots of different guitars(assuming you aren't afflicted with lefthandedness)? Do you prefer Strats to Les Pauls? Or does a Tele feel better to you? Or an SG?

All you said is you want a guitar you "can jam on". What's wrong with your B.C. Rich(es)? And there is at least one top-notch picker on this board who regularly plays a 7-string: PeteB.

Scary Pete wrote:

BOUKINATOR wrote:oh... and yes a strat is a nice way to go... I played nothing but strats and strat-like guitars my first 10 years of playing Jerry (and Bobby) licks... works just fine

although you'll eventually realize you want humbuckers so you might just want to go that way straight off... I highly recommend what I just got.. a Gibson Faded SG Special... not too pricey and just a fantastic guitar... and it kinda looks like Jerry's too!

how well does it play? does it play like a les paul?
(I've played a gibson les paul custom before it was the nicest thing I've ever played in my life)

that was the main reason I chose it over a PRS, Les Paul, or Tele... the guitar practically plays itself... not quite the same as a Les Paul but closer to that than a strat... and I love the natural mahogany finish on the back of the neck... even if your hand gets a little sweaty it slides nicely... feels really organic too, like your playing a tree branch or something... I really love it!

BOUKINATOR wrote:feels really organic too, like your playing a tree branch or something... I really love it!

That's one of the funniest things I've ever heard, thanks for the laugh. BUt I have to agree, it does feel really organic. Good description, Bouk.

tigerstrat wrote:The question is WAY too general. More info please:

Have you visited music stores and tried out lots of different guitars(assuming you aren't afflicted with lefthandedness)? Do you prefer Strats to Les Pauls? Or does a Tele feel better to you? Or an SG?

All you said is you want a guitar you "can jam on". What's wrong with your B.C. Rich(es)? And there is at least one top-notch picker on this board who regularly plays a 7-string: PeteB.

Thanks for the Kind words, TS.

If you are into the 7-string thing, I can reccomend the Schecter Omen-7 as one to check out in the $299 range. It has two humbuckers with split coil feature.
I really like this guitar for the price vs. quality factor, and I like the tone it has, specifically for like the intro to He's Gone and Cold Rain and Snow, type of sound.
The 7-string world is kinda like being a lefty I imagine (I know that is a stretch...) in as much as there aren't identicle Les Pauls, Strats, SG's, Tele's, (in 7-string form) readily available for trial is most stores.
~pb

sg