My daughter wants to upgrade her guitar from her current classical, she’s had a go with a Yamaha APX500 which she really likes and is now top of the birthday list.

She doesn’t play to an audience, just in her bedroom mostly at present. I was wondering if its worth getting her an amp to make the most of the electric abilities of this guitar? I’ve got no experience of this kind of kit, so interested to hear whether its worth it and if so, what to look out for (probably 2nd hand if we’re forking out for a new guitar)

If it’s just bedroom use, I’d recommend a digital amp rather than a tube. You can get the “sound” without having to drive the valves hard (ignoring attenuators and such like)

The Line 6 Spider amps are nice (I have the bigger ones). Look for one with a headphone output 😉

Yeah, i’d wondered if i might be looking at sleepless nights. Headphone out is a definite 🙂

Roland cube 20x or xl

The pickup is for live amplification only, really. Occasionally recording but not that often. Though you can run them into an amp and use effects etc to get an electric guitar effect, it generally doesn’t work very well.

Actually even with a nylon string electro-acoustic or an electro-acoustic ukulele you can get a whole range of sounds ranging from full on metal to pure acoustic. Go for it. It might not be the way the pros do it but It’s fun.

The pickup is for live amplification only, really. Occasionally recording but not that often. Though you can run them into an amp and use effects etc to get an electric guitar effect, it generally doesn’t work very well.

Maybe I’m missing your point, but are you suggesting an amp is uneccesary for an electric guitar? 😕

Of course you can… But mostly what playing mine through the amp makes me think is “This is like an electric guitar only rubbish”. it’s fun to mess about with if you’ve got the kit but worth spending much money just for that? Wouldn’t say so.

Does she have a computer to use? If she does and it’s just for personal playing – get a guitar port (google line6 guitarport). Will happily fire out through headphones/speakers and give a lot more options for ‘bedroom playing’. Loads of amps/cabs/effects etc and you can add free recording software and create a virtual studio.

I’ve never found an amp that works as well at low volume as a PC with decent reference monitors. (Unless of course you have a big house in the middle of nowhere, in which case a valve amp cranked to 11 wins!)

Maybe I’m missing your point, but are you suggesting an amp is uneccesary for an electric guitar?

I think you’re missing the point. The APX500 is an electro-acoustic.

I may be “only” a drummer but even I can see that, if you want to make electric guitar sounds, you usually want to have electric guitar looks too 😉

I bought a guitar like that – electro-acoustic – thinking it was some kind of hybrid and would allow me to play electric and acoustic. Well it’s not, it’s an acoustic that can be amplified for gigging purposes. Didn’t even sound good recording.

It doesn’t feel at all like an electric guitar, so you can’t really play it like one, and it won’t sound at all like one. It’s probably a nice instrument though, but electric guitar it ain’t. It’ll still open up a new world of music though 🙂

Playing electric guitar and classical guitar are the same on some distant level, but really very different things indeed. Kind of like how time trialling and dirt jumping are both cycling…

BoardinBob – Member

Maybe I’m missing your point, but are you suggesting an amp is uneccesary for an electric guitar?

It’s not an electric guitar!

There’s definitely no need at all for an amp to go with that guitar for bedroom practise. Unless she wants to play live in some form (band, school show, whatever) then there’s not really any point. Even for recording, it’ll sound better if you record with a decent microphone rather than the electro-acoustic output.

Personally, I’d get a pure acoustic for the same money. It’ll be a better guitar.

Their is no need for an amp with this guitar. An electro acoustic guitar has a small micriphone inside, so an amp would help her to play louder if thats what you want. But for sleeping at night I would get her an electric guitar and an amp with a headphone socket. You can get some decent stuff for very little money.

It’s a stepping stone. Most people who play guitar are not out gigging. In my eldest son’s case it helped lead to him playing a proper PRS 6 string, and now bass. And being in 2 bands. But he will still plug electroacoutic instruments in sometimes. Now if you have a mac or even an iPad, running a guitar of any sort through garage band is a great way of experimenting.

It’s not an electric guitar!

Ah, gotcha.

In that case, pointless buying an acoustic amp. An acoustic through an electric amp sounds awful and for home use only there’s no need for an amp.

Yep, garageband is the way to go.

I think you should get a full electric.

I think she’d like this!

Daisy Rock Pink Flower Electric Guitar + Accessories

Doh!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Daisy-Rock-Pink-Flower-Electric-Guitar-Accessories-/260864436401

As above no need for an amp. Having the pickup in it will be useful if she ever does want to play live though, but bear in mind electro-acoustics usually sound rubbish plugged in!

Rather than an amp I’d buy her an effects peddle and a set of decent earphones. She’ll be able to plug it into her computer and record away on it as well as play with the effects… and if she really wants to annoy you, well she can plug it into any hifi or computer, you just need the right cables.

but really she should have a few guitars anyhow, so buy her a proper electric too! 😀

If it were me, i wouldnt bother with an electro acoustic unless playing live. Part of what you’re buying there is the capability to hook it up to an acoustic amp. If you’re not going to hook it up to an acoustic amp then buy a standard acoustic guitar. The fact that funds aren’t being diverted into funtionality you have no plans to use, should hopefully mean that the wood and finish is of a better standard. End result is a guitar that plays and sounds, nicererer.

Failing that, get an electric guitar and amp. If going down that route, genre will make a big difference on kit recommendation.

Get her to play as many as she can – what are her musical interests?

I’d get the guitar she likes most, regardless of whether it’s electro or not, tbh. It doesn’t always make a major difference to the price, so while you ought to be able to get more with a standard acoustic, it’s such a personal thing that a right-feeling guitar is more important.

Fx pedal as stated above into a full range speaker system of whatever sort fits your pocket

I’d offer the mackie srm150 as a great box

A little compression, chorus, delay, verb can help any acoustic sound that bit more lively and silky

As ever stw guitar advice s complete bollocks based on a little knowledge acrued in most cases

Love

Plum

I’d get the guitar she likes most, regardless of whether it’s electro or not, tbh.

I would tend to agree with this as well. For me feel is the most important thing in a guitar. If your daughter hasn’t been playing that long (hard to tell but I’m just assuming) it’s better that she gets something that she wants to play all the time, regardless of it maybe not sounding incredible plugged in. fwiw I’ve liked all the Yamaha acoustics I’ve played, I found them to be nicer playing and sounding than othe guitars in the same price range 🙂

As ever stw guitar advice s complete bollocks based on a little knowledge acrued in most cases

Well I know naff all about guitars, but I did exactly what the OP is suggesting when I was younger. I bought an electro-acoustic thinking it would be a bit like an electric when it was amped up – it wasn’t.