Writing Home More Content Articles for Sale Contact Me

Create Quality Sounds with a Cheap Electric Guitar

Creating music recordings or playing for a live audience can be nerve-winding if you don't have the right equipment or setup. If you're on a tight budget and need to buy a cheap electric guitar for now, don't worry. There are several steps you can take to make your budget instrument sound like the more expensive ones that are often played on stage.

Sound is more than the Guitar

What many beginners don't realize is there's more to the electric guitar than the guitar itself. There's the amp, the microphones, outboard gear, etc. that make a recording studio or on-stage performance sufficient. You don't necessarily need all the most expensive items to get a quality recording... especially when doing recordings only for your own music.

Keep in mind that a cheap electric guitar must have a good-quality amp. The guitar itself should make a good sound coming through the amp. These two working together are what makes a great sound. To be on the safe side, buy your electric guitar and amp together and ask to test both together to see how it sounds. Once you have these two necessities with a great sound, you're ready to add other items to your music collection.

Microphones for Electric Guitar

If you need an inexpensive microphone, opt for a Shure SM57 or a Sennheiser E609 along with a couple of condenser microphones, and an affordable compressor/limiter such as an AKG Solid Tube. Place the microphone towards the center of the cone if you want a louder sound with more treble. For a warmer tone, move the microphone out away from the center. Remember, the sound doesn’t come from the center of the cone, but from the off-center or off-axis area. You can position it to get the sound you want. You can also use two microphones on your electric guitar amp to maximize sound, with one closer and one farther back.

Buying a Cheap Electric Guitar

Most electric guitars are made from wood but you can usually find cheaper brands made of other materials. Cheap electric guitars might be made of particle board but have a hardwood laminate such as maple on the top to make it look more stylish. This style is often called "flame top." The body might also be made of aluminum alloys, carbon composites, or plastic (e.g. poly carbonate), each having its own sound.

Most electric guitars (no matter what the cost) will not have a sound hole as a regular acoustic guitar. This is not needed because the guitar pickups will carry the sound to the amp electronically. Without the sound hole, many of these feature exotic designs and colors to make them really stand out. So you can easily find one to match your style.

Be sure to take extra special care of a guitar that’s not made of solid wood. It might deteriorate quickly if neglected and/or exposed to the outdoor elements for prolonged periods of time. Keep it in a case for added protection and handle with care each time you play.

If you're a beginner, buy a cheap electric guitar to get started, and be sure you like playing before you get an expensive one. Even the more affordable instruments can have an excellent sound with the right amp and setup. As you build your playing skills, you can also increase your knowledge base and start adding quality products to your music room one at a time!

~~~ Written by Candice Pardue

Secure this content article about cheap electric guitars for your guitar website, newsletter, e-zine, or magazine. It's easy to buy usage rights for well-written articles. **See below to purchase rights for this article....

Get Affordable Web Hosting for your guitar website here -- Starting at Just $3.95...

Get Started Here >>>