jonathan100

Just after a little bit of help please chaps.
I started playing in jan of this year.At the moment i've just got a vintage v400 acoustic.(cheap as chips but nice sound) i've really fallen in love with playing after having lessons every week pluss at least an hours practis everyday. Im looking into buying my first electric guitar and was after a few ideas as what to go for. Budget of about £400. the only one's i've tried so far are a u.s fender strat and an epie les paul. although the epie is alot cheaper i like the sound more and also it just felt that little bit nicer to hold. i'm open to other sugestions. just a bit unsure where to start.

Sonic'

I would shop around and try a few different guitars out, in different shops, every single one of them will feel and sound different

When I bought my acoustic, I went to 4 guitar shops (all in walking distance of each other ) tried every single one that was within my budget, and eventually bought the 3rd one I had tried as it just felt and sounded so good and the strings were virtually hanging off it

They had knocked money off it too as it was end of line, I got a free set of strings thrown in and a strap too, they wouldnt go for the soft bag freebie too though

Similar sort of story with one of my electrics, same 4 shops, tried every strat from 80 quid to over a grand, and eventually settled on a chinese strat for 100 quid, because believe it or not, it played and felt the best out of all that had been tried, a few months later i got some fender mexican pickups in it and replaced the other electrical components, and now it sounds fantastic too and then it got heavily gigged for two years solid, and its still pretty much perfect now

what would scooby do

PRS have a good range, from cheapo to megabucks..

jonathan100

never thought of a paul reed! always thought they were gibson money lol

GaryCat

PRS SE series are great quality. They're made in Korea but don't let that put you off, the standard of workmanship is very high and you can get them for £350 ish.

SiPie

Jonathan

Sorry, edited as just noticed you were after an electric, so ignore the below unless anyone is looking for an acoustic....D'oh!!, too early on a Saturday

If £ 400 is your limit then I'd go for one of the two manufacturers who really punch above their weight price wise IMHO....owned 2 guitars from both and very impressed.

Tanglewood Guitars

Welcome to Freshman Guitars

Take a look at Freshman (local company to me), I have been blown away by the tone and playability of my old FA400D that sounds easily the equivalent of other £1000+ guitars that I play. Still go back to it

Freshman really made me re-assess totally what quality was available sub £1,000

Good luck in your search but most of all just make sure your guitar feels right for you, be it second hand, old and bashed or whatever, you'll know when you find the right one and if in any doubt then just walk away as it can take me months of searching before I buy a new acoustic

On a slightly different note, recently bought a baby Martin LXM to travel around with (fits inside airplane lockers etc) and the sound from an HPL Laminate guiitar is amazing in it's warmth and tone for £270 (comes with quality padded Martin gig bag) ..... truly amazing if anyone is looking for a quality backpacker guitar

Martin LXM Little Martin Review in Guitars at Review Centre

Best price was from Guitar Village

Martin LXM Little Martin, Natural, New, Inc. Gigbag, Acoustic product details : Guitar Village UK