Opinion on Electric Guitar Starter Kit

[lunloon]

Dear all, I am looking for an electric guitar starter kit.

I have found the following 2:

1. From City Music:

http://www.citymusic.com.sg/index.asp?p=/static/promotions.html#starter-pack

Made an enquiry to City Music and they mentioned that the starter pack will contain the following:

an electric guitar (of your choice of any Craftsman or Hamer ), Line 6 Spider IV 15, Korg Tuner, gig bag, straps, cable and guitar picks

Some snooping around showed that the both guitar brands are not bad, the amp is not bad, the rest of the items give and take I dun really spend too much time (cos the important things are the guitar and amp right?). And the Line 6 is a combo amp.

2. From svguitars:

http://www.svguitars.com/swing-ss-1-electric-guitar-package/

Swing SS-1 electric guitar, bag, strap, cable, 15 Watts amp, picks (although the ad shows a Mustek chromatic tuner also...).

Made an online enquiry and found that the amp is a Tone Drive MSA-15G, or upgrade with a $50 topup to get a Sound Drive SG-15. Both of these I am unable to find any information, cept that the SG-15 is also a combo amp.

Snooping around and i found that there are a few owners of this Swing SS-1. And from their posts this guitar is also not bad.

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So before I go down to both of these places, I would like to have some opinion on these 2 kits, and also if anyone is willing, to share what I should be checking or looking out for, and like what questions to ask...

I think I will be trying to play some solos, fingering.. maybe some strumming (I love Guitar Freaks).

Your advices are greatly appreciated.

 

[subversion]

Some snooping around showed that the both guitar brands are not bad, ...

there are actually no bad guitar brands, it's just QC issues because big names like Fender & Gibson suffer from QC disrepute as well.

i have nothing bad to say about the Sound Drive amps, i used to own 2 of them:

however, those were the higher wattage/ tube units, unlike the smaller combos. these amps are acceptable but fall short of any stellar tones but then again, smaller, lower wattage combos weren't conceive to impress excessively.

as far as starter packs go, on a personal note, if you can avoid them, please do. there are many other affordable guitars on offer out there but these days, manufacturers/ stores have wisen-up, they offer players more decent models for the money. a case in question would be Swing's fantastic value-for-money SS1, which i used to own:

 

[Godsmen]

=subversion

Totally agree on this. I rather go for a value for money guitar with brand like swing or rally than buy a starter kit. Haven't seen a value for money starter kit as yet.

 

[lunloon]

=subversion

It is exactly because I saw your post that made me consider getting the starter pack from SVguitars.

In my case, which one should I be more concerned about, the guitar or the amp that is included in the starter kit? Because for City Music, the guitar can be chosen, and the price will be adjusted accordingly. The one from svguitars comes with the SS-1.

I'll be going down to listen to them this weekend probably. May just get the set with the Swing SS-1 since it has generated rather good responses.

- - - Updated - - -

Totally agree on this. I rather go for a value for money guitar with brand like swing or rally than buy a starter kit. Haven't seen a value for money starter kit as yet.

So in this case, does the starter kit that comes with the Swing SS-1 be seen as a good deal?

 

[subversion]

if your focus is getting a good tone (or at least an acceptable one at this price point), let the amp be the consideration.

 

[lunloon]

if your focus is getting a good tone (or at least an acceptable one at this price point), let the amp be the consideration.

Thanks alot, you have given me very good advice.

 

[subversion]

i've been through this before; looking up to the guitar while ignoring the amp- plugging an awesome guitar into a turd amp would make the guitar sound crappy. there's no other way of describing it.

 

[lunloon]

I have gotten a Craftsman GS100 for the LP body, and a Spider Jam amp.

Hope everything will turn out well.

 

[subversion]

happy playing

 

[daemonspade]

nice pick on the Spider jam,. you just made yourself a one man band.. please give reviews here on soft for your new purchase..