Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Question to all you guitar experts out there.  I need a hobby ( :hihi:) and I'm looking at picking up an electric guitar.  I don't have any real experience playing the guitar except for learning a few songs on acoustic, I've always wanted to learn and never have.  Anyway, I know plenty of people who play guitar and everyone has their own opinion on what's the best.  I thought I'd check on here for some more opinions

I'm not looking to be a pro or anything.  I just want to buy a nice guitar and learn so I can play covers and make up my own stuff for fun.  Definitely into hard rock/metal the most so these 3 guitars are obviously three very recognizable ones that I've basically narrowed it down to.  I know there are obviously different versions of each of these individual guitars as well but I'm just trying to narrow it down even further.  Just seeing if you guys had any opinion on which is the best value, the pros and cons, how they feel, etc.

 I would suggest going to music shops and playing them.. it's all what you want as different guitars have different features... as a beginner my advice would be...less is more

good luck : ok:

thats a lot of money to be thrown at a first guitar.
that being said heres a ittle rule of thumb. Gibsons vs. Any metal company (jackson, Ibanez, ESP etc.) The gibson is always more versatile.
Check out the faded V specials. They are the cheapest ones because of their finish (its not glossy) and different pickups (not lesser just different) from the standards. They are like 500 and im pretty sure youll find them cheaper on ebay

Hmmm, that's what I was thinking. If you're just starting out, do you really need a Gibson or one of the high end models? It would be a shame if later you lost interest and the guitar ended up in a closet somewhere gathering dust (a lot of my friends in that category). Unless of course, you're filthy rich and are not bothered by such things. :D

As posts above me have mentioned, my advice would be get an 'entry level' guitar first.
As commited as you may be to learning now, the fact is it will take time, and it can be frustrating. You don't want to spend $1,000+ on a nice guitar only to realise you don't enjoy it/it is too frustrating/you get bored of it, or whatever.

Try stuff like Squire (Fender's sub brand), Epiphone (Gibson's sub brand- check out their Les Paul range), or some LTD's (ESP's sub brand. They offer things like V's etc.). Ibenez also have some entry level models.
My first guitar was an unknown brand Telecaster. It was pretty cheap, but man, it has a good sound and character- I still use it alot! Shop around, and don't be scared by unknown brands, because you can find some real gems.

Generally, if you're just starting leaning, I'd recomend the basic shapes- your Strats, your Telecasters, your Les Pauls, as you will spend alot of time sitting and practicing and these shapes are more comfortable when you sit, and are more balanced when you stand.

Too many times I see mates who's parents buy them an awesome guitar ($1000+) as their first guitar, only for them to get bored a few weeks later, and this awesome guitar becomes just a dust collector. It's a shame, and is a bit annoying to hear about.

And at the end of the day, you spend $200, $300, or whatever on an entry level guitar. If you give up, you save a bunch of money. If you're dedicated and are going well and are enjoying it, you can look at more higher end models. By that time you should be good enough to play stuff and start writting, and you're only a few hundred bucks down, and are sure that a more pricey purchace will be worth it.
Plus it's good fun working up the 'levels' as you improve!  : ok:

You shouldn't worry about other's opinions, just what feels comforable in your hands. I got a Les Paul that I hardly play
because I got an Epiphone LP Jr. for $129 that is lighter and easier to play. You shouldn't be worried about what it is or what it has. Just worry if it functions as an guitar.  Or you could be like me and learn on an old acoustic with action higher than telephone wires that made your fingers bleed.