Beginner guitar - help needed

[TrickyNicky]

19 hours ago, monkeylizard said:

This thread?

 

That's the one.

[monkeylizard]

I stopped in at Corner Music today. Larry and Ben were super helpful. They showed me some amps and it's probably down to the Fender Mustang 1, Roland Micro Cube, or Yamaha THR5.

The Mustang 1 is the cheapest, and seemed to have enough effects for me as a beginner. I liked the easier-to-use preset effects than what the others have. The Yamaha THR5 is the most expensive, but is also the smallest and most portable. I don't really need portable, but the small size is nice for storage. It has USB connectivity to PC, which sounds cool, but I don't know if I would ever use such a feature. It would let me play audio from my iPhone through it though which might be nice. It wasn't as loud as the other 2, but plenty loud for my needs.The Micro Cube falls smack in the middle in both price and size, and seemed about as loud as the Mustang, with similar controls to the THR5. The Mustang is only slightly over the $100 price, but the THR5 is double that. Seems like a little overkill for my first amp and a beginner.

Or should I start with something cheaper like the Line 6 which TGODavid linked to above?

What do you guys think?

Edited November 19, 2016 by monkeylizard

[bubbadavis]

[monkeylizard]

Bubba, you'd easily hear me across the neighborhoods if I had that.

[bubbadavis]

2 hours ago, monkeylizard said:

Bubba, you'd easily hear me across the neighborhoods if I had that.

If its too loud, you're too old! 

I think Marty's amp goes to 11.

[peejman]

12 minutes ago, bubbadavis said:

If its too loud, you're too old! 

I think Marty's amp goes to 11.

Lemmy's goes to 12.

 

Pick the amp you like the sound of at modest volume best, don't worry about how loud it get. Particularly if cranking it is gonna be problematic where you live. Something that sounds moderately loud in a music store will be noticeably louder in a small bedroom. I have a 150W two 12 combo and I rarely turn it up past 1.  At 2 there no point in trying to talk, 4 is gig with no mic loud. 

[Preacher357]

I have been playing guitar for a long time and have several amps, some very powerful and fairly high priced. However, almost without fail when I sit down to play or practice, or even write and record ideas at home, it is my Fender Mustang I that I plug into. I love that amp. It has great tones, has a lot of effects, and is plenty loud for a bedroom.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[musicman]

All the little modeling practice amps from the big names these days are pretty good.  

I have big amps from Rivera, Fender, and Ampeg, but 90% of the time I play a two watt Vox Li'l Night Train tube head through a 4x12 speaker cab I got for $10 a few years ago.  2 watts out of a tube  amp can get run-you-out-of-the-room loud, but still allows you to get into some  great driven tones.  If I want effects or amp modeling, I have a DigiTech multi-effects unit with an expression pedal.

The modeling amps are getting better and better all the time, but there's nothing like the responsiveness of a little tube amp, imho.  So much control of your tone just there at at the guitar... love it!

[Volphin]

 

[Volphin]

Oh, and for the record, I must be old school.  Current setup is Peavy 6 x 12 stack and a TNT 100 after years of owning a lot of different brands including Fender and Marshall… 

RANT:  I hear a lot of guys talk big about the old tube amps, but have yet to find a guy who can tell the difference in a recording OR live.  If you grew up with tube equipment (like I did) you have a greater appreciation for the reliability of the newer solid state units.  Kids just envy (nay, worship) the "vintage" nowadays, when it was really just mediocre.  

I own about 20 guitars and basses and there is not a "sound" I can't reproduce with these amps.

[monkeylizard]

My letter to Santa includes a Fender Mustang 1. Seems like the sweet spot for me in price, features, and size. It also connects via USB for the FUSE software so I can add a couple of additional sounds if I'm not totally satisfied with the presets. If I really like playing guitar a lot, I'm sure I can pick up something higher end later.

Thanks for the tips, everyone.

Edited November 21, 2016 by monkeylizard

[peejman]

Just remember, the sound comes from you, not the gear.