My son wants an electric guitar for his 9th bday/xmas this year. What's a good starter that he won't outgrow immediately? assuming he doesn't give it up after the novelty wears off. And if it does get tossed into the "meh pile" (hoping not, he's been asking for a couple years) say I picked it up to play with a little?
Can it be done on the cheap? like $200ish? with amp? I don't mind used but something nice-ish would be preferred.
Any input appreciated. 
I've been remarkably happy with my Epiphone Les Paul Jr. copy. I eventually upgraded the bridge pickup, but it's really a reasonably nice-playing guitar. I bought mine new for $189, though that was about twelve years ago.
I can't seem to find a link to my exact guitar, most of what I'm finding having only one pickup... Anyhow, should be easy to find, and you could do worse. I did; this replaced a Hondo II Professional strat copy that wouldn't stay in tune for more than fifteen seconds...
Deffinately go for used. My go-to brand for instruments is Yamaha, pretty good value for pretty good quality. (Disclaimer: I own a Yamaha RBX-A2 Bass)
If you know someone you plays electric guitar, hit them up and see if they can find a good used guitar and amp for your budget.
A lot of guitars in the $300-$500 range will quickly come down to within your budget when they're used and they do tend to be much better quality than something that comes in at $200-ish with amp.
Edit: One thing that often blows with both used and new cheap guitars is the setup - they play a lot nicer if setup correctly and often aren't. Again that's where a guitar-playing friend comes in handy.
Half decent amp - not brilliant, but should do the job initially:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/msg/2697290386.html
Guitars:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/msg/2697191278.html http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/msg/2693917536.html
This guitar is probably out of your budget, but G&Ls are very good guitars for the money (yes, I've got one...):
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/msg/2696958404.html
This one looks like a pretty good deal: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/msg/2681414102.html
My first choice would be a Peavey Reactor (Telecaster) or Predator (Stratocaster). Get one from the mid- to late-'90s and you have a US-made, solid wood guitar in the $200-ish range that will stick with him as his skill progresses. And they're not getting any cheaper, so if he (and you) gives it up, you can sell i for what you have in it.
My (VERY) general hierarchy of guitar quality by country of manufacture looks something like this:
USA > Japan > Mexico > Korea > China/SE Asia
So, if you're looking at, say a couple Ibanez guitars and you have a choice between a Korean guitar from the early 2000's and a modern Chinese guitar, I'd go Korean. (Having said that, I had a Chinese Ibanez Artstar briefly that was a lot nicer than it should have been.)
Craigslist and eBay are your friends here. Barring significant damage, a basic setup at a good guitar shop (not one of the big boxes) will cure almost all playability woes. Nothing wrong with going used.
In terms of amps, you can find a small-ish solid state amp with a bunch of built in effects to play with for peanuts these days. The effects will be fun, and they'll keep the kiddo interested in making cool sounds.
We currently have ~15 guitars. All of 4 were bought new, and 2 of those had sat in the store for at least 12 years.
In other words, go used.
MIM Fenders are an excellent value right now. Don't buy "Squire". They are usually just crap. Epiphone's can range from really good to really crappy. Peavy's are generally an awesome buy for the money. As far as G&L's go: Remember that the "L" stands for "Leo Fender".
Do you have any friends in the area that play? Have them go with you. Also, I generally try to avoid Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc. Go to the local music store and support a local business. Customer service is typically much better.
Are you willing to make a 2.5 hour trip for it? Head down to Buffalo Brothers Guitar. They have an excellent reputation, and it is well earned. Aside from that, they have a policy that if you buy a guitar from them, you can trade it in on another guitar for exactly what you paid (assuming same condition is kept). I've bought from them at a guitar show. They typically deal with higher end stuff, but right now it looks like they have a decent Epi Les Paul for $125. They also are class act guys who will not lead you astray. At the guitar show, we were looking for a new guitar for my cousin, and the salesman took us to another salespersons booth to show us a guitar that we might have been interested in. They really do want you to have the best guitar for you.
Go to your local big music store and look at the basic guitars in the $200-$250 range. You should find a bunch of choices from all the big name brand companies and they will all be pretty good starter instruments that he shouldn't "outgrow" for a couple years.
Do you have an Xbox 360 or PS3? If so, you might want to check out Rocksmith. Its a guitar teaching tool more than it is a game. You can get just the software/proprietary cord but they have a bundle for $200 which includes an Epiphone LP Jr. plus picks and a strap.
If I can score a deal closer to Christmas I'll get the bundle to have a knock around guitar. If not I will just get the software and use my Kramer or borrow my wife's Gibson LP (hopefully).
Was gonna mention that a lot of music stores have Squires w/amps as a package deal for cheap. I still believe that for a 9 year old boy something along this line is more than adequate. Squire, Peavey or some other brand would work for a 9 year old and their changing interests. Something inexpensive with a promise of something very nice when they learn to play. I did that with my daughter, she was given a Kay electric and I told her I would get her a Gibson Les Paul when she learns to play. I never had to buy that Gibson and she wants to get rid of the Kay she has and doesn't use anymore.
Now my other daughter will get the 1920's vintage upright piano as soon as she makes room for it at her house. She still comes over to play it and still takes lessons and enjoys it at age 29.
Musical instrument are no shortage in my house, Besides the Piano, there is my moms organ, my dad's trombone that he got from an uncle, my 2 trombones (a student model and a higher model) that my oldest daughter also played, a flute and a clarinet. As for guitars, there is a 3/4 size student model acoustic I got at about age 10, a full size acoustic 6-string "Drifter" that has been upgraded (I trued the neck and upgraded the bridge), a cheap Korean solid body single pickup electric, a "Memphis" solid body electric a friend gave me and a "Mako" bass plus my daughters Kay electric and my wifes Estaban acoustic-electric. Doesn't mean I play well though.
If the young fella has big hands Ibanez are worth looking at as they use the longer fender scale (and go up fron there) and have wider necks. Madenicely in Japan, and like the Peavys, $200 goes a long way. I love G&L's, for a while there in the late 90's and early oughts, they were dirt cheap. Not so much now.
Guitars are so cheap new now that the used non collectable market has taken a real beating- the deals are used, much much better guitars can be had for less money. People bought stuff 10 years ago for $700 in a fit of drunken coke fueled pipe dream, perhaps leand G C and D, then the guitar sits while they loose the jobhousewifemistresskidsdogcar. Eventually they off it for..... $200!
If your son wants to play, he will find an instrument .Himself.
Thanks for the thoughtful input, fellas! I have some craigs searching to do and perhaps a drive down to Carlsbad. I'll have to see if I have any friends who play, but I'm drawing a blank right now. Totally with the idea of something no frills/moderately priced with the promise of something better if he sticks to it, with the option to sell for the same money if he doesn't.
BoxheadTim wrote: Edit: One thing that often blows with both used and new cheap guitars is the setup - they play a lot nicer if setup correctly and often aren't. Again that's where a guitar-playing friend comes in handy.
+1. A well set up cheap guitar is worth more to a beginner than an expensive guitar that isn't. That said, a really cheap guitar is harder to set up and won't hold settings as well.
I'm a big ibanez fan. Prices being equal, MIJ > MIA, imho.
The cheaper ibanez guitars are usually made in korea and are still good guitars. To me, their thin, wide necks are easier to play too. IIRC, they have a starter kit (guitar and amp) that's around $200. Might be made in china, but at least he'll get something NEW in a box that you can take back if needed.
Check your local pawn shops. Get an electric guitar (and maybe even an amp) there. If the kid sucks at guitar or ends up not liking it, you won't be out a ton of money.
Yeah, I get it. I've bought plenty of pawn shop specials - I've actually never bought a new guitar. But for a KID, on CHRISTMAS, let's not turn it into an "I'm more of a cheap c*nt than you" contest. Something shiny and new is more likely to be strummed than an old beater that smells like stale beer and cigarettes and has sketchy electronics. Buy one of the xmas packages. There's a squire strat deal too. My nephew got one a couple years ago. Nicer than my 1st axe at the same price.
In reply to poopshovel:
This is also true. Guess I was thinking more along the lines of what I'd appreciate, grassroots vs kid on xmas. One of the times where the approach of getting a gift that you would like yourself goes wrong. His mother always tries to turn it into a contest (he has gotten a bunch of very expensive new electronics over the years that don't do much more than gather dust, I am trying not to spoil him) and in addition to my bah humbug anti commercialism of xmas, I lost sight of that.
But not like I was trying to get him a basket case project that "needs" work, if that means anything.
Just wanted to update with what I picked up;
Epiphone Les Paul Special II Wine Red
and
Line 6 Spider 15 amp
New from the Guitar Center by my house. Only game in town, it appears. Thanks again for all your input, GRM'ers. Hope I get to use the recommendations in this thread again once he's ready to graduate up.
I bought my daughter a $100 amp/guitar/strap/cable pack off Amazon last year. After setting it up & dressing the frets a bit it played pretty well, and the single humbucker has a decent sound too.
If you aren't able to set it up and/or don't have any nearby friends/family, then I'd echo a Squire or Epiphone starter pack from your local music store - just make sure they actually go through the trouble to set it up as well.
I'd also suggest a couple months worth of lessons. Give the kid a structured format, and if he's really interested he'll work for it. If its just a passing fad, you'll proably know by then.
I have a Chinese Squire telecaster that was set up by a guitar-playing friend, bought for my by my wife for under $100. Another friend who also plays guitar likes playing it better than his $1300 American Fender tele. Just goes to show it's all in the set-up.
A Squire with a little Peavey amp should do just fine. Easily do-able under $200. And seriously, 20 watts is way more than enough to annoy the hell out of you at 11 pm on a Tuesday night.
