[Closed] Do I really need an electric guitar?

Yes and you can't go far wrong with the Affinities whether Telecaster or Strat. Trying (expensive) pedals or amps in guitar shops they (usually) offer to lend you a guitar to try them - probably expecting you to pick up something expensive. I always pick up an Affinity if there's one on the rack. They're invariably well setup, have a neck profile I like, and pickups without too much output but enough.

What music do you like? Do you want to play it?
Is it electric or acoustic?
And is ANYTHING on this planet cooler than a Stratocaster?

Yeah, there are some things you can only play on a electric guitar, it’s definitely worth having one. But I’d get one from a reputable shop, rather than online, I’ve played mates guitars they bought online and they were horrible, mine was similarly cheap but from a local guitar shop ad it played beautifully.

Before we met my wife had a couple from the same shop, and they were set up really nicely too, despite only being reasonably cheap

You'll want to enjoy your playing dynamics and appreciate low volumes.
So, I'd avoid anything with high output or humbucking pickups unless you're playing live.

There are some fantastic necks in the squire strats.

The joyo bluejay amp and vox bc108 cabinet, on a long lead, far away (cos it will still be loud)

If you remember hot-black desastio from the band 'disaster area' in the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, the trick is to be as far from the amp as possible😛

And is ANYTHING on this planet cooler than a Stratocaster?

A Telecaster, obviously....🙂

It depends on what music you want to play, but without knowing that I'd say YES you need an electric guitar, but I think everyone should have one 🙂

And is ANYTHING on this planet cooler than a Stratocaster?

Other than basically any other guitar?

Great guitar perhaps but cool? Nope.

Les Paul juniors in tv yellow for eg.

I found myself in pretty much the same position 3 months ago. Bought a Telecaster, it was the right thing to do.

And is ANYTHING on this planet cooler than a Stratocaster?

Possibly a Gretsch Country Gentleman.

If you want to play electric guitar music, then you need one. If not, then you don't. They're quite different, really. I mean they aren't, but they are.

I've grown to the conclusion that unless you are in a band/jammimg with others an electric guitar is a bit pointless. I use to play mine along to cd's, but that novelty wore off years ago and my strat is now gathering dust in the cupboard.

Whatever you do don't buy a bargain off eBay..99% chance it'll be fake.

Do do it- You’ll get an electric guitar and amp, then a valve amp because they’re better obviously, then another amp cos you want different tones, then a pedal , then 10 more pedals - then you’ll start watching hour long videos on stacking pedals and klon centaur clones, then you’ll start worrying about pickup selection and then you’ll prob buy more guitars because you need a strat, tele and les Paul really

What acoustic do you have, would an upgrade make more sense?
I have a Strat that gathers dust, the acoustic on the other hand i just can't put the bloody thing down.

Teles are indeed cooler than Strats (but best to own one of each). Possibly Jaguars are cooler still. But Strats are pretty versatile, comfortable and easy to play so they're a good first guitar.

I’ve grown to the conclusion that unless you are in a band/jammimg with others an electric guitar is a bit pointless.

This I totally disagree with. Electric guitars are different to acoustics - I mean, this much is obvious, but there are things that you can play on electrics that you can't do on an acoustic. The feel is different, the sound is different. Happily, many of the skills overlap so if you can play acoustic well, you should be able to bash out some stuff on the electric quite easily. There's definitely room for both IMO.

Having said that, I grew up on indie and rock so almost all my favourite stuff is on electric. If you only like Mumford, Sons and Ed Sheeran then maybe you don't need an electric. The other thing is that it's dead easy to pick up an acoustic guitar and play almost anywhere. Whereas for an electric, you need an amp, plug sockets, cables, somewhere to play where you won't disturb others etc. Electric requires a bit more commitment.

I have a lovely Tanglewood electro acoustic which I’m more than happy with. I love rock and indie plus I love anything acoustic. I’m not bothered about Ed Sheehan though. It’s just I have a lot of time to browse on the net and it’s like having bikes you just want more. I’m still deciding what’s best to do.

Yeah, if you think bike owners are bad for n+1, you don't wanna read guitar forums.

Chose your pickups wisely and you can play acoustic parts on an electric. This is a Telcaster with pickups that are not far removed from the ones they put in Affinites but they're stacked so they humbuck (Fender N3s). Vox busking amp on clean

Well thread update. I did go and buy a guitar. Someone I know posted on Facebook marketplace and I'm now the new owner of a harley benton cst-24 deluxe in emerald Green and a blackstar amp

I've got 7… I don't need any of them really.

Well thread update. I did go and buy a guitar. Someone I know posted on Facebook marketplace and I’m now the new owner of a harley benton cst-24 deluxe in emerald Green and a blackstar amp

Nice one. We want pictures.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/188847235@N08/iVpKNB
Hope this works

Gorgeous!

Blimey, no messin' about. Now you need an amp in the same spirit:

😉

It came with a lovely blackstar practice amp so I've been driving the husband mad with the loudness and playing with the effects.

Had a real lust for one of these:

Can’t, for the life of me remember the make, this is a photo I saved yonks ago, after I saw Mary Chaplin Carpenter playing one in London. It sounded just like an acoustic most of the time, then she had it sounding like a full-on electric; IIRC, there’s a version without a regular pickup like this one has, it has a piezo-electric under the bridge - hers didn’t have a visible pickup. Sounded lovely.
Edit - sadly, can’t see retrogirl’s photo, it just takes me to Flickr. ☹️

Parker Fly. Super Light wood core with a carbon(?) exoskeleton. The expensive ones had nice wood veneers on the top of the shell.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Fly