First Electric Guitar. Warmoth or Brand guitar?

[Axkoa]

Hello all!

This is my first post on this forum and I have a few simple questions.

In the past couple of months I have really been getting into guitar playing. I'm 16 years old and have a decent paying job with around a grand AUD saved up. I'm only a beginner but I have a decent Acoustic guitar that I enjoy playing. Now for the first of my questions:

Should I buy a branded guitar as my first electric guitar, or should I buy a body and a neck from Warmoth and the relevant parts?

I listen to mainly metal and the occasional jazz song. I mostly play down-tunings.

Considering the genre and the style of music that I enjoy playing. What type of guitar should I go for? I've been looking at a couple of Warmoth bodies and some of the body styles that have intrigued me include the VIP, Regal, and Soloist. For metal, what wood type should I be looking at?

What specifications of a guitar would you choose for someone like me after hearing my situation?

Seeing everyone's stories and builds on here makes me want to build my own Warmoth guitar but I'm not sure where to start. I'm hoping this is allowed in this category. Thank you!

 

[mayfly]

Hi there,

I'd suggest you buy a brand name model for your first instrument.  Chances are that one of the following things will happen:

1 - a year into your playing you'll realize that you want a different neck/pickup/bridge/color.  Then you can sell the name brand instrument and move on to a different one.

2 - a year into your playing you'll get into cars/girls/electronics/DJ.  Then you can sell the name brand instrument and move on to a different passion

3 - A year into your playing you'll find that you're now into country/jam bands/banjo/bluegrass.  Then you can sell the name brand instrument and move on to a different one.

After a few years you'll really know what you want.  Then you may decide to build a custom instrument, and that could very well be a Warmoth.  But until then, stay with name brand stuff.  Because it'll be easier to sell down the road.

my $0.02

 

[musicispeace]

Welcome to the forum. I started playing guitar again after many years of having no interest and no guitars so I was sort of in a similar place as you are but for different circumstances. I had a similar budget. I bought a second hand name brand guitar which I warmed up to gradually over a couple of years. Again, remember I just woke up one day and felt I wanted to have a guitar again so my level of passion at the beginning was less than yours and it took some time. As I got more interested I was seriously looking at Ibanez guitars (both new and used) in my budget range. Although we are talking about different dollars I could have gotten a good pre-owned one for around $500-$600. For various reasons I just stuck with the Yamaha I had purchased. It was after that when I got interested in parts guitars. It took me a bit of time to start learning about parts and components so that I could decide what would make me happy. Then I had to find a competent person to assemble and set up the project because I am just now starting to dive into learning how to do at least some of my own work.

I don't think you need to put off considering a Warmoth for a large amount of time but I would agree with the suggestion of starting with a brand name guitar in good condition and stay within your budget and also network who could do a proper set up on it as that makes a huge difference in play-ability, reliability, and the physical sound of the guitar as a starting point for what you want to add to it. Then I would continue your research on parts and components. For any style of metal you are going to be pursuing a different  parts guitar than I was for blues. And it will help in making some of the important decisions like choosing a comfortable neck profile (thickness essentially) if you go through the experience of trying out some brand name guitars in shops and having one to work with for a few months. I think it will help you make decisions you'll feel more solid about with a Warmoth. It will also make a parts guitar more of a personal instrument as it should be.

For what it is worth (and remember guitars are very personal and subjective things so at the end of the day you have to go with what you know you feel strongly about) I personally think Ibanez has some good options and a number of metal players like them. I don't know what the price point is on Chapman guitars but I know he is a metal guy. Some of the lower end PRS guitars are assembled in Korea and then go through a serious set up and inspection in the US before they are shipped for sale. But I think its great that you are interested in the electric guitar. If you remember it is a path in life and your experience with it is singularly yours it can feel rewarding as you progress.  I would also add that remember that recorded guitar is a sound that has been through many hands and processes and live guitar has some differences but also comes the most from the heart. (IMO) And I would not get too hung up on selecting what wood for the guitar body when you get to looking at a Warmoth, I agree with those who feel the neck and pick ups have a more direct impact on the instrument. The Soloist, Switchback, Diamondback, Iceman, Z body, Regal, WGD would all fit a metal oriented guitar. They even have a 7 string body option if that turns out to interest you. As there are people who play metal with Telecasters and people playing country with a Les Paul just be creative with whatever you do get together. As stated, its your own path.

 

[KaiserSoze]

If I had it to do over again, I would find a good used instrument for a start.  Your investment is less, and many times you'll be able to sell it for about what you put into it unless you really beat it up.  Modern construction methods have made it so that most mass produced brands are well built.

As much as people want a big name brand on their headstock, I don't think they are great bang for the buck to start with.  My personal recommendations are to look at some Epiphones, PRS SE models, Schecter, etc.  Some of the mid-range brands are making some damn fine instruments.  I've owned a couple of the SE models from PRS and they are a great value.  Even some of the Squiers are respectable too.  If you totally cheap out and get the least expensive thing it sucks enough that you may not want to stick with it.  Better to save for a while and get a decent used guitar. 

 

[swarfrat]

A couple years after I bought my first "decent" guitar, a Les Paul Studio, I realized I despise Les Pauls. I sold it at a small profit. I'm now a die hard Strat guy.  Shop Craig's List until you can't find a commercially made guitar that scratches your particular itch. If you want a Z-Bender (come on Trevor - you know you need one), then go make something. I don't get making ubiquitous configurations using upscale aftermarket parts.

 

[rgand]

I also agree that a good used guitar is the place to start. In addition to the point that you'll most likely change your mind on what music you like, an inexpensive used guitar is one you don't have to worry about. Pack it in your car, play it outside at a BBQ, let your buddies try it, whatever, and you don't have to worry about scratching it. You can pick up a great Peavey Raptor for $150 on ebay or Craigslist. They're a good solid guitar and by the time you get fairly good, you'll have a better idea what you really want.

edit: I just looked on ebay and there's a new returned one for $154.95 (free shipping) and others for less. You should find a good one for no more than $100.

 

[Pelagaard]

Definitely go with a brand name the first time around.  I've tried pretty much everything currently for sale by Squier and Epiphone, and you can't go wrong for the money.  Just make sure you try as many models as you can in your price range and choose the one that best suits your needs.

 

[stratamania]

Pretty much what others have said. Buy something that you can try as a first guitar. If you choose to sell it later you can.

Also to build one from parts you have no point of reference of what you are aiming for. There's a lot of variables in guitars and you have to know what floats your boat.

The other thing you can do is start modding the brand guitar gradually. My first guitar about 43 years ago was taken apart many times and painted several colours at various times. I then got a chunk of cedar and made a new body with hand tools.

 

[zebra]

Again, what everyone else said - it's all great advice.

A cheaper guitar post-1990-something from almost anywhere in the world is way beyond a cheap guitar pre-1990-something, due to CNCs and other such technological advances.  Having said that, there are some great US made instruments from the 80s - someone previously mention Peavey, but there were a lot of great companies making great guitars that can be had very cheaply via Ebay these days. 

In my experience, Korea has put out some really great low-cost products, but honestly I'd put my Taiwanese Squire Strat against guitars costing much more.  Otherwise, I really like my Godin - I spent about $325 for it used, and it's a great guitar.  The electronics were shoddy, but that's a cheap fix.  Main thing is the concept of buying a cheap used guitar as a platform for deciding what you like, modifying it to hone in on your preferences, and taking it from there. That right there is a winning concept.

Enjoy!

 

[ChristopherG]

What everybody else said. With your budget and some cyber-leg work you could find yourself a decent entry level guitar and amp. Lots of stuff out there. I recently snagged a MIJ Ibanez AX7 for $100 of of craigslist, so keep your eyes open and in the mean time keep banging away on the flat top.

 

[line6man]

Warmoth guitars are definitely not for beginners. They are for more experienced players that know precisely what they want in a guitar, have the tools and skills to do the assembly and setup work, and do not mind that there is no resale value.

As a beginner, you will not have any clue what specs to choose. If you are ordering Warmoth parts, you need to decide upon every last detail, from fret size, to nut width, to neck profile, to hardware, to pickups, to wood, etc. This can be a daunting task, even for more experienced players. You will also need to do a fair bit of setup work, as you do not just screw everything together and start playing. A factory-built guitar will at least be playable out of the box, even if the setup isn't great. A factory-built guitar also does not require things like drilling for tuners, or soldering up the control cavity. These are generally not beginner-friendly tasks. Lastly, if you choose the wrong specs, or find that your preferences evolve over time, no one will want to buy your Warmoth for any more than half the money you put into it. Warmoth guitars costing $1500-$2000 rarely crack more than $500-$700 on the used market.

 

[Geekydad]

First electric guitar? Get a Squier or other inexpensive, mid-range brand. You'll be needing your money for amps, pedals, etc.

Get your Warmoth once you've played a lot of guitar, and a lot of other guitars, and know what you're looking for. You'll appreciate it more, and there's less chance, sometime down the road, of feeling like you bought a lemon.

 

[unstrung]

Too soon for a custom guitar. At a year's progress you don't know what's good for you yet.

 

[Slackjaw]

My perspective is a little different... I actually started out with custom made guitars. Being left-handed I wasn't happy with off-the-shelf options at the time. I went even a step further though... while I purchased a completed neck, I made my own body in HS woodshop class from scratch. There is something about the whole process of building your own guitar that somehow makes you feel more "connected" with it. Also not having a large budget (man... if I could have started out with a whole GRAND like you!) I didn't suffer a huge outlay of cash all at once and just took my time collecting parts. Going all Warmoth, at least you wouldn't have the opportunity to screw up like I did and put the bridge in the wrong place!  :doh:  I've always been the tinkering type though, and was already familiar with electronics and wiring.

The other factor of course is time. Do you already have something decent enough to play on now? (*edit*: I see you already have an acoustic.) You could have a name-brand guitar tomorrow, while assembly from parts would take time and planning. It took a month to get a body I just ordered. At 49 years old and a house already filled with guitars, the wait was nothing... but for a 16 year old new learner, a couple of months could seem like an eternity...

 

[stratamania]

I notice the OP has not posted since the single post of the original question.

But we never answered which woods are best for the player doing down tuned metal and occasional jazz.

I recommend MDF it's versatile and densely grained.

 

[zebra]

Maybe it's a matter of the wrong question, but right answers.  I have a feeling that many forum members don't necessarily buy into the whole "tone woods" things and are more of the persuasion that electronics (i.e. pickup choice and electronics) matter more than wood.  So perhaps that's why the majority of those who posted responded to the "Should I bother going Warmoth/custom or off the shelf" aspect rather than addressing interest in woods. 

To respond to the aspect of the OP's playing style, I would say, any 25 1/2 in scale instrument will have more clarity than a shorter scale instrument, making it a better choice for someone interested in both jazz and metal.  Although there is a strong association between jazz guitar and 24 3/4  inch archtops, Im of the personal opinion that the previously mentioned association is mostly based on tradition and the prevailing aesthetics of what "jazz" is supposed to be, and that a 25 1/2 scale guitar with either a broadly voiced or dark-ish low-output PAF neck pickup will get pretty darn good jazz tones for someone who also wants metal tones from the bridge.

Off course, "metal" is a pretty broad umbrella, and some folks have a more sludgy take on what "metal" guitar is supposed to sound like...so...maybe the best recommendation is to find a'bridge humbucker that suits one's idea of a metal tone, and a neck humbucker for idea of a jazz tone, and take it from there. 

 

[stratamania]

I'm joking somewhat of course on MDF, and I think that whilst woods can contribute like many other factors to timbre of an instrument the tone recipes discussed sometimes more on other forums can get a little excessive.

Of course there are general choices to be made but other than that if a tone wood falls in a forest does it make a sound ?

 

[Geekydad]

Oh wait- he wants the best guitar for metal? That's not wood at all. He's going to want it forged from iron. You can't beat the tone- and no problems with grounding, just don't play it in the rain.

I've also seen bodies made from concrete, if anyone happens to be into industrial music.

:toothy12:

 

[amigarobbo]

Oh wait- he wants the best guitar for metal? That's not wood at all. He's going to want it forged from iron. You can't beat the tone- and no problems with grounding, just don't play it in the rain.


:toothy12:

You want a soft metal, so it'll D(j)ent.

:doh:

 

[slashin_velvet]

Also worth noting that the value of the AUD at the moment is pretty poor, so you're paying a 30% premium on a warmoth that you wouldnt have paid 18 months ago. Whereas shops are still carrying stock they bought a while ago, and have to keep it relative to the AUD RRP.

I'd be going for branded first. Used or new, but shop around.