There's VHS home video which my mum holds over my head somewhere. It features me, aged two. In a nappy. Doing my own dance routines to Status Quo. My early years also featured The Police, Queen, Dylan and mum constantly singing everything. She always pushed, encouraged and sometimes bullied me to play! (Don't misunderstand that, I needed it!)

I always loved being able to make noise, and although I never found the guitar as easy as drums I love melody and wanted to be able to create it.

Aged 13 I hear Metallica's Master Of Puppets for the first time and that is my earliest memory of sitting listening to something going "holy crap, holy crap holycrap!!". I had Battery on repeat for a week as I was sure the rest of the album couldn't be as good and I would be disappointed. That was also the year I got my first electric.

I've always used EBs, never had enough of a problem with them to try anything more expensive!

I am not sure about the science but I do know that after years of trying to get myself to play with thicker strings (metalhead) and bigger frets, I am more content with thinner and smaller. Nines in standard tuning. 

So, I've been thinking about this for a week now. And here goes.

Guitar - Epiphone G-400 Pro Cherry approx. £250. Never had an SG of my own but I rather like the ones I've played and it's on the shopping list.

Amp - Laney LC50-112 £359. Plenty of crunch and loud enough to manage in a practice room. Not too loud to make miking up at gigs a pain too. The clean tone is surprisingly nice too.

Effects - Electro Harmonix Holy Stain. £79. Does absolutely loads, including adding fuzz, pitch shifting and tremolo. Always been a fan of EHX. Secondly it has to be the only thing on this list that I actually own currently. The Fulltone Clyde Wah. By far and away the best wah I've ever heard or played. Smooth creamy swishing wah and the biggest action on the pedal that I've ever felt. Important to me with my HUGE feet!

I make that £883 quid, so I've got £117 pounds left over to get some leads, a strap and whatever else. Lovely!

Some very lovely bits of wood there mate. If you were in Scotland and not 'New Scotland' I'd be very interested!

Hey guys,

I play a lot of guitar, as I am sure we all do. I do a lot of it in the house, sitting down. I have for years been trying to find the right kind of chair.

I don't want arms, but I do want to be able to lean back a little to push my back straight. Does anyone have a favourite seat, or kind of seat?

Morning everyone,

I have just started learning German. I have spent a few years absent mindedly learning some Spanish but having visited both countries I have to say I think Germany is more for me! Spain is a bit hot and a bit too relaxed!

I have been using a tape (mp3 I know, but I am old enough to remember tapes) to get my head around some of the very basics and trying to read at least one newspaper article a day too.

Does anyone speak any other languages on here? If so, what? And as a last and slightly odd question, do you think that learning to read and write music can help people when it comes to trying to learn another language?

Very nice!

Right, so I'm currently faffing about replacing bits and bobs in an old guitar. I once played an axe with a Fernandes Sustainer in it and was hooked. They're brutally expensive though and not totally sure they'll suit what I want to do with this guitar.

My question is, what other options do I have for something cool and a littler different to put in a pickup slot? I don't really mind what, just like to have some other ideas and I'm clearly either Googling the wrong words or nothing else exists!

Hi guys,

I reaching the stage with my teaching and my playing in general that I really feel like I'm lacking some knowledge that I should have gained by now. I have been having a look round for method books for electric guitar that would take my playing, theory and fretboard awareness to the next level.

There's seems to be no end of classical style books taking you way past the beginner stage but I'm not having any luck with an electric one.

Any suggestions? Preferably ones that won't break the bank!

Harry

I think whatever you use so long as you use it properly and don't do stupid things you're generally going to be OK.

No pictures but I had a Marshall Rocket guitar, one of the ones that came with an amp. The amp was OK but the guitar was horrible, I think the bridge was made of razors. Not only did the strings break all the time but it hurt your hand too!

Didn't put me off though, and when I bought a better one I mangled the Rocket making a first attempt at a custom build.

That is a great find man. I tend to use guitars as tools anyway and as tools they get battered fairly fast! So the odd nick in the paintwork starting off doesn't bother me.

Cheers for that!

Hi man,

Good to have you on board (pun intended)!

Site looks good, I'm a long way from Burton-on-Trent though.

Quote from: Hinfrance on July 14, 2013, 05:02:53 PMThe upshot is that lower priced guitars these days are generally extremely well made and even if the QC is a bit lacking from time to time the underlying products are better than ever. So I'm sure whichever one you go for you'll be more than chuffed with it.

I have to say I agree with this. I also have a couple of Epi's (Although not an LP) and I swear by them, rather than at them.

The only way you are going to know for sure is to play the guitars though. Even if you then buy one online go and find a shop and get some wood in your hands!