Active Band Man Chats - First Gears

So, what’s up this time?

It’s been getting warmer lately, hasn’t it?

Yeah, it has.

The cherry blossoms have bloomed in many places!

That’s true... though they bloomed a bit late this year.

It’s starting to feel like spring!

Wait, isn’t this exactly the same intro as last time?

Oops! Busted.

Totally busted. So, what’s this about? Lol

It’s the start of the new school year, right!?

Yep. It’s also the start of a new academic year. Some people are probably joining their school’s light music club or university band circle.

Exactly! So, the theme of this time is... First gear!

Hmm, what do you mean?

We’ll be advising beginners on what to buy first!

Ah, I see.

We’ve been in bands for a long time, so we can give some advice!

Yeah, though our experiences might be a bit biased. Lol. Well, we’ve been playing long enough to share some solid tips, I think.

Definitely! Especially since Horry and I play different instruments, we can give advice from different perspectives!

I suppose...

So we’re starting from the point of joining a club?

Wait, really?

(Sliding door sound) “Excuse me!”

A sliding door lol? And “Excuse me”? What is this, a dojo challenge?

Uh, I’d like to join the club.

Oh, you’re doing a comedy skit now, huh? Fine... Welcome! You’re a freshman?

Yes! I’m a total beginner and don’t have any gear yet. What should I do?

What part do you want to play?

I want to do guitar and vocals!

Alright, then you’ve gotta choose your guitar first.

Okay. How should I do that?

It can be tough to decide at first. Let’s ask the club leader! Leader!

Here I am, born from a rose, Leader Rose, Kizuhiko! Nice to meet you!

Are you seriously doing both parts yourself!? He wants advice on how to choose a guitar.

Okay! First off, go by looks!

Knew you’d say that! I had a feeling you’d say that... Can he really pick one based on looks alone?

Well, I usually go by looks lol. Besides, as a beginner, you probably don’t know much about specs anyway, so just pick one that catches your eye.

Makes sense. Having the same guitar as a player you admire or want to be like is another good approach. If you pick a guitar that makes you think, “I want to play this!” it’ll make practicing more enjoyable.

Right. Once you’ve picked one that looks good, try checking how it feels to play.

Got it.

If it were me, I’d pay attention to how well it stays in tune. Tune it up, play softly, then strum hard to see if the chords stay clear.

Wow, that’s surprisingly solid advice lol. But can a beginner really do that?

Just do what you can. If the tuning pegs or bridge are made by a reliable manufacturer, that’s reassuring. Personally, I like parts made by Gotoh!

That’s trustworthy. Though for beginners, this kind of stuff might go over their heads... Lol.

True, but I just want them to know there are these kinds of things to think about. Next, try playing a note in every position to see if there are any issues with the frets. Check if the neck is warped or if the string height is too high or too low.

This might be tough for beginners to judge, but they can try.

And check the knobs, too.

Right.

Usually, you’ll just be dealing with volume and tone.

Yeah. If they don’t know, they can always ask the staff at the shop. Play around with the knobs and get used to how they feel.

Yep! After all this talk, though, in the end, it’s best to just buy what you like within your budget!

That’s what it comes down to, huh? So, if you, Leader Kizuhiko, had to recommend a guitar seriously, what would you pick? Something from Sound House, maybe? And no personal preferences, please.

Hey now, choosing a guitar is all about personal preference!

Stop mumbling!

Okay. Geez.

Don’t say “Geez!”

At Sound House, you can select ‘entry level’ guitars, and there’s a convenient search feature.
⇒ List of Entry-Level Guitars

It’s nice how it’s categorized so specifically. Makes searching easier.

Exactly! Ideally, the guitar shouldn’t be a weird shape, and it should have both single-coil and humbucker pickups.

That way, it can handle a variety of genres.

Well!

Well?

At first, I thought Yamaha’s Pacifica would be great...

Yamaha / Pacifica 212VQM TBL Electric Guitar Pacifica

It’s reliable quality, and the price is reasonable.

Yeah! But picking Yamaha felt a little too “honor-student-like,” so I reconsidered.

Honor-student-like? Lol.

It felt like too much of a safe, obvious choice.

I see? Lol.

Then I found something by our beloved PLAYTECH!

So?

For this price, you can get an SSH pickup layout!

PLAYTECH / ST250SSH Rose Metallic Red

Amazing! So, once you’ve chosen your guitar, what else do you need?

Well, plugging straight into an amp is fine for some genres, but you’ll probably want a pedal.

Yeah, you’re right. What’s a good beginner-friendly option? Don’t forget, something simple for a beginner! None of your personal preferences! Lol.

Sheesh, fine. If it’s just one pedal, a multi-effects unit could be good, but they can be complicated...

It might be hard for us older folks to figure out lol.

Since this person wants to play guitar and sing, let’s keep it simple!

Simple lol.

Two types—backing and solo—should be enough, right?

Can you get that from just one pedal?

If you can get a basic backing sound from the amp, then you can manage with just one booster for solos.

You’ll probably be using different amps in the club, right?

Exactly! Choosing, buying, and carrying amps to every gig is a hassle!

Can a pedal solve that problem?

How about this?

Jet City Amplification / Afterburner Overdrive

Great value! It has two switches, and it’s cheap!

Right? The knobs are easy to understand, too. With this, you get three sound options: clean when the pedal is off, backing when it’s on, and a boosted solo sound when you engage the boost!

That’s true.

It’s really cost-effective, so you can use the leftover budget for your guitar or accessories.

Agreed.

What about bass players who want to join the club?

Let’s save that for next time.

Enjoy your music life with this beginner-friendly gear! And, all of this?

In the name of love!