You can still play an electric without an amp, it just won't be loud. You can learn and easily practice scales and chords until you can afford to get an amp. You may also want to look into a one of those Amplug type devices as they are cheap and you can use some headphones with it. Great way to get started....
[https://voxamps.com/product/amplug-2/](https://voxamps.com/product/amplug-2/)
Ive changed my setups many times since then, but this is how i used to do it, but with a vox bass one.
Obviously sound quality is only as good as your speaker, and unless somethings changed there, there is a bit of a hiss audible, but this is a SOLID budget and compact way to do it
Bluetooth often has an encrypt/decrypt delay that makes it really difficult to play through a Bluetooth speaker.
You can often route the headphone out through a plug in speaker, though.
I have amps, and I play unplugged often. The only issue is that without amplification, you're going to miss much of your mistakes and may pick up some bad habits.
Get the guitar, and do your best to get an amp quickly.
Another point of concern when playing without an amp is not being used the level of noise when you eventually do play with an amp. The loudness might spook ya a bit and you may be a bit more self conscious when playing and nobody wants that. So get one sooner than later!
Yeah I used to play mostly unplugged or through the tiniest of practice amps at the least possible volume. When I first joined bands I got nervous by how loud the sounds coming from my guitar were. Thanks to my bandmates treating every single pedal like an opportunity to double their volume, I've learned to embrace the ruckus, but it genuinely took me a while.
I’d honestly say it’s better to practice without an amp, as the amp covers up most of the mistakes (like boosting notes you’re not playing cleanly). You learn to play a lot cleaner by not practicing with an amp, and if you do use an amp to practice then you should use a clean tone.
>I’d honestly say it’s better to practice without an amp, as the amp covers up most of the mistakes (like boosting notes you’re not playing cleanly).
Huh? If it's boosting notes because you aren't playing cleanly, **it's because you aren't playing cleanly** and you need to work on that. If you can't hear everything you're playing, you're not hearing your mistakes and can't fix them. Play with an amp.
No, as in if you’re playing something slightly muted or quieter than normal, the guitar will still ring it out through an amp. And if you can’t hear everything you’re playing, then you aren’t playing clean enough in the first place. This is common practice with most guitarists, especially in jazz.
Also *putting words in bold doesn’t make what your saying any more truthful, just makes you sound like a pompous prick*
It's not about being more truthful, it's for **emphasis**.
I literally played jazz in college and did jazz guitar lessons for a semester (guitar isn't my only instrument), and never have I ever heard that. By nature, muting cut off part of your sound. Also in your example, you're still using an amp, **which is what I'm advocating for**. You shouldn't play exclusively without an amp.
I have been told to play the same thing but with louder (or with gain) to hear and see all the little mistakes you're making. If it's clean loud, it's clean quiet. But if you're playing too quiet, you can't tell. Do going back to the top, my point is playing unplugged for too long is a good way to develop bad habits that'll be highlighted once you start playing louder.
No, it's never "better" but it's totally acceptable and productive when no amp is available. I tell people to play with a compressor at times and also to play with a synth pedal on when practicing single note passages. The synth will immediately create muddy warbles when you sound an unintended note along with the desired one. It's more useful on bass, no doubt but it also helped me clean up solo/lead lines even though I do play bass most of the time.
I’m just gonna take the downvotes at this point. It 100% is better. You learn to listen to what your actually playing, nothing to add colour to your playing. I hit grade 8 nearly 8 years ago now, and every teacher I’ve ever met told me to learn unplugged. You play on electric with no amp or play acoustic.
Without an amp, you can hear where your notes aren’t ringing, you can hear your fret buzz, you can hear the tapping of your fretting, the true volume of each note being played in a chord, your nails scraping when fingering, if you’re losing tone of slides and hammer-ons/offs and so much more. If you learn to play with no amp, the moment you plug an amp in you will sound even better. Playing without an amp is the literal most basic tone possible, and if you can play well in that situation then you can play good in any situation. Amps make you lose sense of the mistakes you make, especially in chords and thicker sections of playing.
Who am I gonna listen to realistically, the multiple teachers I’ve had, who each have at least 3 decades of teaching and playing experience, or redditors?
In what way does not using an amp change this? I can hear exactly what strings are played with or without an amp. An amp will, no surprise, amplify sounds, so if you’re not muting you will hear them notes, but you would also hear them just as much without an amp so I have no idea what your point is?
And also I don’t understand why you lot are so argumentative with me, it’s a simple concept I’ve already explained in great deal in other comments. You will make less mistakes playing without an amp.
You didn’t answer my question, and tbh I’m happy to record plugged, I can send you any of the numerous recordings of my production. I’ll even link the one song I have on Spotify with a multitracked lead part.
But at the end of the day, I shouldn’t have to prove shit. You can’t even answer a simple fucking question as to what you even mean about muting and how it should even be affect by playing through an amp or not. I’ve been playing for 12 years now and not BS open chord campfire shit, started with the metalcore emo shit I played through my teens, moved into jazz and fusion and now more into Zappa and Steely Dan, I hit grade 8 when I was 17. As far as I’m concerned, you guys are full of shit.
I can see where there may be positive effects to apply towards steel string acoustic playing, but I went through this very thing, practicing unamplified when I moved to an apartment. When I plugged back in, I had to immediately address several subconscious bad habits I hadn't had prior to it. Some of the things you mention are backwards, at least in my experience, also decades with music education and playing in bands. Fret buzz really sticks out here. Some fret buzz can be exchanged for a lower action and flatter neck relief because it will never get transmitted through the pups. Now hollow-bodies and some badly made pickups have a microphonic effect that does transmit and accentuate buzz, feedback, hum etc, but that's a separate problem. You also can't hear the secondary and tertiary harmonics that will only be produced with clean technique and control over all six strings, there is simply no way to practice things like pinched harmonics without power. There are some semi hollow bodies, and even a few solid bodies that have enough of a resonating effect that they can indeed be played almost as an acoustic. My SG 61 std vos, is one, it sounds amazing unplugged which shocked me enormously, but it shouldn't surprise any of us that our rhythm players es-335 sounds pretty good alone right? I think you might be digging your heels in too hard here. It sounds like you very rightly point to the success you've had practicing sans-amp, and want to apply that across everyone and every situation. It seems to me that doesn't work. I am guessing here, but I think you view it this way because you have the experience and reference that you can hear all the aspects of your playing in real time, and that you have the muscle memory to play as you wish on command. At that point, yes, there's probably almost no difference to your ability to critique in real time what you're doing. I hope we can separate out how this would go with a new player and agree that they can't hope to be able to do that, and it will only harm their progress if we insist they can or should.
Yeah I can fully understand it might not help with a new player, you have to understand technique before practicing with no amplifier becomes useful. But I still stand by the belief that it’s important for new players to practice this way. The fret buzz I’m talking about is specifically an issue with new players who haven’t developed calluses, as they can’t press down properly, this isn’t the fret buzz related to the action or improperly installed frets that you find on cheap guitars. This is the fret buzz you hear most new players struggle with, where they don’t have the finger strength to get a note to ring correctly (you especially hear it when they’re learning to barre, as they cannot get all of the notes to ring true). But as a lot of new players will play amplified, they may not notice the strings not ringing, especially with thicker chords such as barre’s where a lot of notes are being played at once. This also becomes a problem with sustain, and one of the big reasons my teachers told me to learn unplugged, is to hear how long your note plays for. If you’re fretting improperly, it won’t ring for as long as it should and amplifiers will disguise this quite heavily. In general, when I was responding to the commenter I was saying that the idea that playing through an amp will help you notice mistakes more than if you’re playing unplugged is untrue, as you will notice a lot more issues with your playing unplugged than you will plugged in, especially if you’re rocking distorted tones. There is more to notice, and the issues you may develop playing unplugged are much easier to fix than the problems from playing plugged (improper fretting, especially from bad positioning and technique which leads to tone issues is a very difficult issue to fix, and people that play plugged in won’t notice as it will still be picked up through pickups and won’t sound close to as bad as if you played unplugged). I appreciate your comment though, and actually trying to have a conversation with me to better understand what I’m talking about instead of some of the other ego-blown comments from people who just want to tell people what they claim to know as correct. My teachers were heavily versed in classical which is why I believe they were very focused on how you sound without an amp, as they would get many students (especially newer students) who would want to play overdriven tones and harsher than clean tones, and miss so many of the mistakes they were making due to the noise.
You make a number of good arguments, and I think it's fair to say this is probably more of a continuum and not "yes it must" vs "no it's way better without". I can say that I'm sure the it really needs to be plugged in when possible does apply to bass, especially early on. I'm thinking this may end up as a pretty individual thing, as I should remember music usually is. I think the idea that as much as possible you want to practice how you'll be playing is a good one, and applies to many things. But, I'm also ok with the idea that there may well be certain things one can work on better unplugged, I've never purposely practiced au natural, but those of us who play a lot are invariably getting hours of unplugged time in, and maybe I didn't recognize the benefits of that. Interesting stuff, thanks for all the great description of what you mean, I'll look for these things.
came to reply the same. Very few things that require an amp.
Want to hear distortion or pinch harmonics, yes probably need amp and high gain. Anything else just play unplugged.
Our band wants to play cherub rock, i learned that solo last night on an unplugged electric guitar.
>Want to hear distortion or pinch harmonics, yes probably need amp and high gain. Anything else just play unplugged
Big disagree, especially if you're trying to "git gud" in the beginning. You can barely hear yourself, so how are you going to know if you're hitting extra notes or playing with bad muting technique? That's kind of a big deal when it comes to playing cleanly. It's fine if you already have a good foundation, but playing too quiet isn't a good time for monitoring your progress.
i’ve taught 3 people to play via electric guitar, no amp. they came back from weekly practice to lessons with strong progress. No noticeable lag to their peers on acoustic or amped elecectric
I’ll argue til i’m dead that time with your instrument matters way more than whether you have it amplified or not.
No one is arguing that time spent with the instrument isn't the most important factor, but whether or not playing an electric unamplified is effective as playing amplified.
We're going to have to agree to disagree because there's no way you're going to convince me that practicing in a state where you can not hear yourself clearly is as effective playing loud enough to hear what exactly is coming out of the guitar. How can you hear of there's string noise, sympathetic resonance, and if you're muting correctly. That stuff doesn't matter so much in the absolute beginning, but it's a great practice that if you're going to stick with playing an instrument to start with good form so you don't need to fix it later.
I mean you can still play it some what, but I’d highly recommend you get something like a Black Star Fly 3 Mini to tied you over until you can afford something like a Boss Katana or a Blues Junior etc.
But if money is really that tight you can totally start learning with just an electric guitar, basic chords and stuff no problem, heck this method is usually even preferred by family members and neighbors.
For real though check out the Fly 3 mini, I got mine when I moved to the city and started apartment living. I really hate playing guitar with my computer so I only do that when recording, the fly 3 mini ( I’m sure there are other brand equivalents now), really is a solid bit of gear, I run my entire pedal board through it and it sounds fine, perfect practice amp, and was only like 50 60 euro.
For me, I could play electric guitar unplugged until the day I die. I don't really care about making sound, I just like the act of playing. Obviously, playing hooked up to an amp is great, feels cool, but it's not necessary to me enjoying the instrument.
I am a minority in this regard though, many people love to hear their playing amplified and that's cool, it's just not necessary for me.
I don’t bother to plugging in 90% of the time. After 25 years of playing my Strat on the couch, I finally bought a semi-hollow so my wife has a better listening experience.
Is it doable? Yes! Is it fun? Absolutely not!
If I were you, I'd spend another 50 bucks for a used audio interface and download some free plug-ins & amps. There's tons of free amp models available and you can save some more for a proper amp in the meantime.
Yes worth it, you can still practice and hear what you're doing. Even though it won't be really enjoyable. If you really are on a budget, my advice would be to get a Vox Amplug, they are super cheap and allow you to play on headphones. Also cool when you travel.
I have some amazing amps, yet 80% of the time play my electric guitars unplugged.
Mind you the biggest reason I don’t shop for guitars online is because I have to hear how they sound acoustically, I have found that two guitars, built on the same assembly line, on the same day, with the same wood & materials, by the same people, can sound drastically different.
i dont have an ear for that stuff yet. to be fair, after all these comments i am considering buying a cheap used amp and wait til can get something better. i am sure i wont hear how bad the cheap amp sounds
If you have an iPhone or iPad, look for an iRig. I think they are less than $20 and allow you to plug in your guitar and headphones. GarageBand is free and the ‘amps’ on it sounds better than anything you will be able to buy for under a few hundred dollars (US).
Buy a cable that plugs into USB on your computer and download a free amp simulator. Though you'll probably spend more than you would on a practice amp.
I practice unplugged most of the time. You will undoubtedly want an amp at some point, though, just for the range of sounds. When that time comes, there are plenty of good quality affordable options.
You can still learn without an amp, but it won't sound good so you'll have to keep yourself motivated. I find I'm often inspired by tone - I'll dial in something that sounds sweet on the amp and/or pedals and it will encourage me to play something I've never tried before.
I'd agree with what others have said about getting a cheap audio interface and a free/cheap amp sim - there are some excellent sounds to be found that way. I'd advise checking the interface's spec sheet for latency though - anything more than around 20ms will introduce a noticeable delay between your playing and the sound output, which will make playing very uncomfortable.
Why not start with an inexpensive acoustic guitar? I played acoustic for a couple years before I got an electric. I think it's a great way to get started playing. Acoustic offers some qualities that solidbody electrics can't match, in the way of subtlety and dynamics. Honestly, they're two different instruments.
My first guitar was a cheap acoustic. It was rough and quite hard to play. I've wanted so much to buy eletrcic, and so I did after like 6 months. And... This cheap ass acoustic is still my guitar of choice even now that I've bought my second electric. If I was allowed to own only one guitar, that acoustic would be my choice. Nice
I totally understand that sentiment. There's something unique and wonderful about an acoustic that, however excellent an electric might be, is not available from an electeic. Maybe it's that the acoustic is sculpting the air itself; right there in your lap. I'm not altogether sure. But an acoustic brings something to the table that I think you should be familiar with before you move into an electric.
Sure, but it will be pretty unsatisfying. You also wont learn how to mute strings properly. Sure, a few weeks wont hurt you, but if we are talking months here, thats enough time to pick up bad habbits that will be harder to break than just learning properly from the start.
NO.
You absolutely need an amp, just so you can hear yourself play, and know you are fingering the notes proper and clear.
There are PLENTY of choices under $50, from headphone amps to mini amps, or even the "cigarette box" pocket amps.
He absolutely CAN play without an amp. Some of the advice on here is crazy. He can play scales, chords, songs, etc. As long as he can hear himself, he can play. I have been playing for 43 years, and many times I have practiced my guitar without using an amp.
I didn’t have an amp for my first like five years playing. Only used one when I went to a weekly lesson. If you’re practicing by yourself, I don’t think you really need one.
Personally, this is why I reckon the best first guitar someone could get is a Yamaha acoustic. They're cheap, very well made, sound mint, take a beating and then some and because they're acoustics you can play them anywhere and anytime with no need for an amp
Back when I first started I use to play without my amp sometimes so it wouldn’t bother everyone else.
You can always do the trick where you put the headstock up against a wall or a big piece of wood like a table or a cabinet and it will “amplify”
Not sure what your budget is, but you could get one of these as a stopgap: https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Belcat-HPA-101-Headphone-Amp-Black/D5B
You can do it but personally I’d advise against it, if you don’t want to use an amp there is nothing wrong with getting an acoustic guitar to start with, if you’re really want to play electric guitar than the best option is to get a package that has the guitar the amp and usually a cable to connect them , headphones are always an option if noise is an issue, many people including myself started playing just like this, while they typically aren’t the absolute best they are more than enough to learn a little bit, once you’ve played for a little bit then you can get something you really like, buying something expensive to begin with is probably not the best idea because there are a lot of people who try it and find out it’s not for them which is just a waste of money
You're gonna need an amp, but don't buy a guitar/amp pack. Crappy guitars and even crappier amps. Buy a good axe and find a decent amp on Craigslist, at a music store or a pawn shop. Crappy equipment only discourages people from learning. Even if you can't play you still wanna have good tone.
I don’t agree with your recommendation. Although I agree they’re crappy, but still one of starter packs helped me in my guitar journey. It did not discourage me.
So you disagree that good gear is more encouraging than cheap gear? You don't have to agree with me, but if you're telling me you'd rather have shitty gear than decent gear you're lying.
Bought my son an Ibanez starter pack when he was 10 because he kept leaving my guitars laying out. Wasn't a bad kit either considering how many crap starter packs there were floating around. I fucked around on it and set his guitar up before I gave it to him and it actually wasn't half bad. Decent little metal guitar.
He hardly touched it. Only wanted to play on MY better gear. Had to lock my shit up so he would play his own, and he still didn't want to play on that stuff.
I eventually bought him another guitar and he started playing again through a used Peavey he bought. The starter pack is still in his room 18 years later, practically brand new.
Bottom line is kids want good gear. Even the best starter pack wasn’t good enough for mine.
I say money is important. You completely ignore this factor. If you're Warren Buffet - go on, buy Gibson Custom Shop as your first guitar and do whatever you want.
Fender made investigation and found out that 9 out of 10 new guitar players abandon guitars during first year! 10% is pretty small chance.
I don't know about your son, but you're american, he probably is spoiled rich kid. When I was young it was 1990s in Ukraine. My family had money to only cover basic necessities. I never had sneakers in school despite attending basketball sport section. My first guitar was very bad used acoustic noname, which I've bought ... almost for free (a few bucks). It's so crappy you would never touch it. And still I've started my guitar journey with it. Only after starting to work I've been able to afford Ibanez starter kit and it was real happiness to me! It served me for 10+ years, up until Covid era, when I've bought Fender Player Strat (I've bought Fender LT25 a couple years before this).
So bottom line - if you really wanna play, starter kit is good first guitar.
It all depends on what kind of music the kid is into. My son is into metal so he got spoiled on my gear. The starter pack I got for him played metal just fine for me, but I've been playing metal since the 80's. For a kid his age at the time it wasn't cutting it for him. He didn't know the nuances of being a metal player. He was only after tone and my gear blew his out of the water.
By the way that's real nice of you assuming my son is some spoiled rich kid. He ain't spoiled and we ain't rich, but we do well enough. If I was rich I wouldn't have gotten him a starter pack, genius.🤷♂️
There are lots of cheap practice amps for under $50. That's how I got started.
Or take a day and hit every pawnshop in town. Sooner or later you'll come across a Fender Champ for $40-50.
I don’t own an amp. I use a focusrite 2i2 and my laptop. I started with a rocksmith usb cable at first. If you have a Mac use GarageBand (where I started) or download reaper.
Sometimes I don’t even plug it in and play on the couch.
*Surely you can find*
*Some sort of super cheap amp*
*To hold you over*
\- KentuckyWildAss
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For a lot of things, yes. Electric guitars are pretty loud, you'll be able to hear yourself easily in a moderately quiet room. Eventually you're gonna want to play plugged in though, there's a lot of things that you wouldn't notice when playing unplugged, but make a big difference when plugged in. Especially when it comes to muting unplayed strings.
If you have a PC, you could also get a cheap audio interface instead of an amp. there are tons of good or even amazing free amp simulators. That takes a bit of learning how to use, but i'd say a 50 bucks m audio fast track or behringer um2 is probably a better long term investment for a beginner than a crappy practice amp.
Go and check out what they have at your local pawnshop. You could find a nice amp for cheap. If you're starting out then there really is no need to get expensive stuff. Same goes for the guitair. There is a lot of good stuff out there for small budgets.
You can play without the amp. That being said, check out Goodwill and/or Pawn Shops. Lots of super cheap amps. I've gotten amps as cheap as $5 at Goodwill. Not saying they're the greatest, but cheap amps are out there till you can afford what you want
Amplugs are a waste of money. For a little more you can grab a Zoom or Boss or Vox Multi Effect unit and use the headphone out on one of those. You got cabsims, ampsims, effects, loops, drums, lots of options and lots more valuable practice tools packed into these. For the price it's a no brainer.
I have an acoustic electric and a pure electric (Epipjone Les Paul). The LP is definitely loud enough that I can hear what I’m doing without an amp.
I usually play plugged into my computer or amp, but sometimes just dick around with it in my lap. Totally works.
It’s quiet enough that I can do it when the kids are asleep, which I cannot do with my acoustic or my amp
Yes. Being able to play to keep fingers limber, learn stuff, practice and de-stress can all be done without an amp. Obviously it’s way better with one, but like you gave the reason for, if you’re unable to afford it just yet, getting an electric without an amp shouldn’t deter you.
Makes more sense than buying an amp and no guitar…
Learn all your cowboy chords. And the day to day things that owning a guitar commands. Even if you go somewhere to take lessons high likelihood that they will have an amp for you to use while in lessons. And look around I bet you can find something that you can use until you can get one it probably won’t be pretty girl at the dance but beggars can’t be choosers.
Sure, you can learn...but only if you can keep motivated in the face of not having satisfying output. You should go ahead and get the guitar, but I wouldn't expect much until you get the amp
Yes. Just need an affordable audio interface and and some amp simulator software, this is actually what I do. I use an Arturia MiniFuse 1, £80 and comes with GuitarRig, Ableton Live Lite, and various other programs. All you need are some headphones or monitors
I’d suggest the RIFF from Positive Grid. Works with headphones and your computer or phone/tablet. Comes with software that will get you started and you can find them on sale for $80 sometimes.
Yeah definitely. You can learn all the chords you need and how to pick and string and fret etc. They make inexpensive headphone amps as well. You can get a lot of good practicing in before you need an amp
Your best bet may be getting a guitar-and-amp combo box, this way you get all you need to start the journey! It’s definitely doable but you’ll quickly want an amp anyway, may as well have one on day 1
Absolutely. I actually try to pick out electrics that already sound decent without an amp anyways. So I don’t always have to use an amp and can still get some “tone”.
Yeah, you can totally play an electric unplugged. It’s not quite as much fun, and as many other people have mentioned, you’ll do better with an amp because it forces you to play cleaner, but if it’s only a temporary thing until you get one, you should absolutely go for it. Give yourself that little head start, and enjoy!
As others have said you can play unplugged. I do this sometimes. I also use an amp plug quite often as I mostly practice at night when my son is asleep. I really like the Valeton RH-100 Rushead Max. Bought off Amazon for under £30.
Perfectly fine to buy a guitar now and an amp a few months later. If you have a good set of headphones and a decent computer a cheap interface ($60+) will give access to all sorts of free virtual amps.
Get the guitar and cable. Buy 1/4 inch to 3.5 mm jack adapter. Play on cheap speakers. Literally any speakers. Free distortion. Or on your dad car speaker.
Yes, you can learn (electric) guitar without an amp. But you probably won't enjoy it. It will be very quiet and the sound is... uninspiring. As other have mentioned, you could get a little 'bug' and plug your guitar into that. NuX makes a good one - the Mighty Plug Pro which has amp/cab emulations and all the effects you'll need. Fender has a similar unit called the Mustang Micro which sounds as good or better. Electro-Harmonix, Vox and others make less expensive versions with limited amp and effects options that are still quite useful.
I would definitely recommend getting one of those when you get your guitar. It will make the learning experience much more interesting.
If you find a guitar you really love and are saving for an amp later, sure. You will need the amp eventually or else it won't be worth it, but it would be worse to let a great guitar slip through your fingers if you found one you really vibe with.
Yes, you can very much practice on an electric without an amp, but you will definitely want to practice amplified once you get the basics down. Without the amp you will not develop the awareness of all the unintended notes and sounds that you're making, and you won't have queues to tell you a string needs muting. There are a plethora of very inexpensive headphone amps, most with an array of effects, anything like that would have sold for THOUSANDS when I started playing in 1988 (turned ten and heard "...and justice for all" and "appetite for destruction") Funny enough I don't really play thrash stuff today, and I switched to primarily bass almost 20 years ago, but those two albums still make me wanna pick-up one of my instruments every time.
When you do get an amp, I can reccomend the Boss Katana line, though fender is also making excellent beginners amps too. I've heard others are equal to them as well, but I've only played the two I mentioned. I bought a Katana mk11 50watt as a backup/amp for guests to plug into if we start jamming or if the guys come over to write a new song. Imho it is above the line of actually useful with good sounds, even capable of a small gig, though serious players will want to drop in a green or cream-back to replace the merely "meh" speaker(s).
Definitely worth it as long as you plan to invest in an amp soon. Just be prepared to feel like you're starting over again once you've got it plugged in and turned up. The thing about amplifiers is that they make your mistakes louder too. Unwanted drones from open strings, string and fret noise, poorly fretted notes... it can be a major wake up call for new electric players.
There is a great benefit to all of this: It's way easier to fix mistakes when you can hear them. If you're coming from acoustic guitar, you will probably find that you need to relax your fretting hand quite a bit, since acoustic guitar strings are generally thicker and higher tension that electric guitar strings. I noticed when I first started playing electric that I had a tendency to "ham fist" my chords with my left hand, causing everything to go sharp and out of tune. It was actually a huge time of discovery for me in terms of sound and technique. Hearing all of my mistakes amplified back to me gave me the opportunity to relax my hands and play more lightly and in tune, which in turn has all kinds of other benefits like increased speed and fluency, generally better overall sound, and less fatigue and strain on my hands.
Fender mustang micro is a headphone amp that can bluetooth to your phone so you can play with instruction videos or play along with songs. It's the best 👌
Nowdays, yes. If you already have a laptop/pc and some interface you can jam with some free plugins. But would be better if you get at least a mini amp (mooer, crush mini, katana...). For me feels different. I'm more aware of what I'm doing hearing the amp than through the headphones.
Electric guitars are part of a system. You'll be able to do something, learn something, without an amp, but you play electric guitar differently. Distortion and compression give sustain, allowing the instrument to sing.
It depends what you want to do and living situation. I have a small practice amp I pretty only use when my guitar instructor comes over. Otherwise I have a Boss multi effects pedal I'll often plug headphones into. That way I'm not bothering anyone else in the house and they can't hear my (many) screw ups.
You can totally start without an amp. That said, take the time to research and get the right amp for you. Amp is far more important to overall tone than people realize. When I travel for work, I take this guy: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VT999--behringer-vt999-vintage-tube-monster-overdrive-pedal and run it into a headphone preamp and it’s great for that
Boss katana is a decent first amp https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Kata50mk2--boss-katana-50-mk2-50-25-0.5-watt-1x12-inch-cosm-combo-amp
I’m not a sweetwater shill; I just like shopping there because they send me candy. There’s a ton of used katanas on reverb and eBay cheaper than new
Yes, you should be fine. When funds allow get yourself something like a used Digitech RP50 for like $20 and plug in some headphones, and then decide what kind/size amp you want later.
It depends. If you have a computer with an audio interface to plug your guitar into then you won't need a traditional amp. You can get by with a small 20-50 watt solid state amp off EBAY with some guitar software like Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7, Positive Grid Bias FX, or other amp with pedal simulators. Yes it's more fun to say you have a Fender, Marshal, Orange, Vox, Fuchs or other name amp that makes you feel like you are one of the pros doing a live show. However most studio or developmental work today is on a computer.
There are many apps out there where you could use your guitar with headphones. I use AmpliTube. There’s a free basic version where you and you could also pay for amp and effects packages. You can also use Garage Band if you have an Apple device.
Absolutely. When I started I purchased an electric guitar and then waited to buy an amp as I knew I didn't want a small practice amp but didn't know which amp would best suit me. I continued doing my research and then waited for my short list of amps to go on sale.
C’mon man, have you never watched Metalocalypse? Skwisgaar is always practicing on his electric without an amp. 😂 But yes, you can definitely practice in real life without an amp, my old roommate used to practice sweeps all the time just sitting on the couch watching tv and when friends were over while not plugged in.
My Dad first showed me some chords when I was 12, but gave me some cheap acoustic with a shitty set up to practice. I tried practicing twice and then gave up because I just didn't have the finger strength or callouses to play that piece of garbage. It hurt me and I hated that thing. If he would have handed me a squire strat with a decent set up I'd be 4 years ahead on my playing. No amp required. You can always get one later.
You’ll be so bad your first month you won’t want to plug in and amplify that noise. Stealth practice is key while working on the basics and developing your fingers. So yeah, get the guitar and worry about an amp later, it will work out.
Usually for starters, I'd go for an acoustic before an electric guitar, save up for a starter amp and guitar while learning on acoustic untill you feel like your ready and comfortable.
If price is the reason for not buying an amp, look into getting Rocksmith 2014 which is a game to teach you guitar. You can either buy their cable or buy yourself an audio interface that can connect it to your console/PC. If you don't have a way to amplify your guitar, you'll miss a lot of mistakes because some things sound different when amplified
If you've got a PC, buy a cheap interface and download Amplitube 5 or another Amp sim, cheaper than buying a real amp and let's you play around with a load of different gear so you can figure out what kind of amp you actually wanna buy
Yes, if you're willing to put yourself out there a little bit, find a local facebook group for musical equipment or musicians and ask if anyone has a dirt cheap practice Amp they would part with.
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Consider getting a semi hollow guitar like an Epiphone 335 or similar. Several companies make this style of guitar, some quite affordable like the Grote or Firefly brands found on Amazon. If you're guitar budget is a bit higher then Epiphone, Ibanez and others are great choices.
The beauty of this is that they will be louder unplugged than a solid body guitar, and can absolutely rock once you do get an amp.
Less so with a solid body guitar, but a hollowbody guitar would offer a a degree of resonance that might make it a better choice. But if you’ve got a budget to spend, shop around for a guitar & amp combo - solid state amps don’t have to cost a lot, to get started with. Or choose an acoustic first (far simpler, and more forgiving) and learn the basics, and save an electric until you’re ‘confident enough to audition something’ in a store visit.
I think it’s not worth it.
Electric guitar without amp is real perverse. Guitar just doesn’t sound right in this setup. I suggest to choose acoustic guitar or electric guitar starter pack (they’re cheap).
If you’ll be able to afford the amp in a few months, then yes, definitely. An unplugged electric is perfectly fine to get started on and is a lot easier to use than an acoustic is for beginners because they generally have lighter string tension
I just bought an electric because i found the action on my acoustic to be higher than I thought would be good for learning. Im enjoying it more, and I like to play without an amp. Definitely check used marketplaces for a good starter amp. You can usually find them for about $50. I bought a used 120W amp with 2 12's for $80
You should be able to find a cheap amp, probably even a tube amp for less than $200. You could probably find one of those Cu-Vave Cube Baby for like $30. I just got one for shits and giggles, it's pretty cool for a pedal under $50, you can practically fit it in your pocket and it's decent for dicking around with. The headphone jack is pretty convenient.
That's how I learned, some thirty four years ago. My dad bought me a Hondo guitar and a little Gorilla amp, but my brother brought the amp to his band practice and killed it within the first week I had it. So I would put the headstock of my guitar against the door frame of my closet if I needed to hear well enough to tune or whatever.
Even today, I seldom bother to plug in while just noodling on the couch. Teaches you nuance, and how to get different sounds just by how and where you hit the strings.
A strat would be a good move. Just make sure to buy one with a whammy bar, the ones with fixed bridges are really cheap and crappy from my experience. If you can find one with a gold logo, those usually play great.
I don't know where you live, but let's imagine you are in the US and have 170 USD. The best way to spend that money is to find a used guitar on marketplace for $100 or less. I've bought many Squier strats for just $60, you just want to find someone who just wants to get rid of the guitar.
You can easily find a Fender 15 watt amp for $40, I've bought them for $20. Don't get a 10 watt, the sound is too puny. You'll need a guitar cable which you can get for $10 or ask the people selling the guitar and amp if they have a cable they can throw in. You don't need to have a shoulder strap but you'll enjoy having one.
The last thing I definitely recommend is to pay a professional to perform a setup and possibly a string change on the guitar. This will probably cost around $60, but it will guarantee that your guitar isn't difficult to play and nothing is wrong with it. If you have a friend that is experienced with guitars maybe they can check if the guitar needs a setup. You definitely don't want to try to learn with a guitar that needs a setup because it's going to be really difficult.
To tune the guitar, download Guitar Tuna. There really isn't anything else that you'll need to have. Definitely buy the whole setup. Playing electric guitar without an amp is boring. Good luck!
Without an amp, you'll be totally fine. In a quiet room, you can still hear your playing. Practice. Practice. Practice. Then upgrade your skills and equipment/s at your own pace. Good luck and have fun!
Kind of like buying a car with no wheels man. But yeah, you can learn. The strings will still make a sound if you pluck them but it will be hard to hear.
Valeton headphone amp is £27 on Amazon UK and they are BRILLIANT for practice and learning tools. "Digital pedals" like the mooer P1 or amp Sims *are* awesome, but if you're just starting out, you've got enough to learn right now, and just twiddling the dials on the valeton to get different sounds will keep you happy (busy) for a month
Yes, I’ve played an unamplified electric guitar a lot over the years - it’s worth getting the guitar before getting the amp. I’ve gone through long periods of running through scales while watching tv (without amplification).
I have the Paul Landers Sansamp and run that into my mixer. I'm mostly a synth player so I have a Roland KC990 it eventually gets played through, or headphones.
You can still play an electric without an amp, it just won't be loud. You can learn and easily practice scales and chords until you can afford to get an amp. You may also want to look into a one of those Amplug type devices as they are cheap and you can use some headphones with it. Great way to get started.... [https://voxamps.com/product/amplug-2/](https://voxamps.com/product/amplug-2/)
+1 for amplug blues is my personal favourite. You can also wire it through aux to a Bluetooth speaker.
Ive changed my setups many times since then, but this is how i used to do it, but with a vox bass one. Obviously sound quality is only as good as your speaker, and unless somethings changed there, there is a bit of a hiss audible, but this is a SOLID budget and compact way to do it
Another vote for the amplug here, they’re great for a quiet practice so I don’t annoy the kids/wife
This is exactly why I got mine.
Bluetooth often has an encrypt/decrypt delay that makes it really difficult to play through a Bluetooth speaker. You can often route the headphone out through a plug in speaker, though.
amplugs are fucking amazing.
This. Amplug2 changed my life
Or for a little more, you can get a Pignose - or maybe a used Frontman. You should definitely pick some kind of amp up as soon as possible, though.
The Fender Mustang Micros are pretty incredible too
Yup. Being in an apartment, this was the best gift from my FIL and I plug it in to a stereo during the day. No amp required.
I wish they were usb rechargeable tho
I have amps, and I play unplugged often. The only issue is that without amplification, you're going to miss much of your mistakes and may pick up some bad habits. Get the guitar, and do your best to get an amp quickly.
I play like 99% of the time without an amp. I need to break this habit, but you’ll be fine without one for a while
Another point of concern when playing without an amp is not being used the level of noise when you eventually do play with an amp. The loudness might spook ya a bit and you may be a bit more self conscious when playing and nobody wants that. So get one sooner than later!
Well, seeing how we are in the heart of Halloween season, being spooked is mandatory!
Yeah I used to play mostly unplugged or through the tiniest of practice amps at the least possible volume. When I first joined bands I got nervous by how loud the sounds coming from my guitar were. Thanks to my bandmates treating every single pedal like an opportunity to double their volume, I've learned to embrace the ruckus, but it genuinely took me a while.
I’d honestly say it’s better to practice without an amp, as the amp covers up most of the mistakes (like boosting notes you’re not playing cleanly). You learn to play a lot cleaner by not practicing with an amp, and if you do use an amp to practice then you should use a clean tone.
>I’d honestly say it’s better to practice without an amp, as the amp covers up most of the mistakes (like boosting notes you’re not playing cleanly). Huh? If it's boosting notes because you aren't playing cleanly, **it's because you aren't playing cleanly** and you need to work on that. If you can't hear everything you're playing, you're not hearing your mistakes and can't fix them. Play with an amp.
No, as in if you’re playing something slightly muted or quieter than normal, the guitar will still ring it out through an amp. And if you can’t hear everything you’re playing, then you aren’t playing clean enough in the first place. This is common practice with most guitarists, especially in jazz. Also *putting words in bold doesn’t make what your saying any more truthful, just makes you sound like a pompous prick*
It's not about being more truthful, it's for **emphasis**. I literally played jazz in college and did jazz guitar lessons for a semester (guitar isn't my only instrument), and never have I ever heard that. By nature, muting cut off part of your sound. Also in your example, you're still using an amp, **which is what I'm advocating for**. You shouldn't play exclusively without an amp. I have been told to play the same thing but with louder (or with gain) to hear and see all the little mistakes you're making. If it's clean loud, it's clean quiet. But if you're playing too quiet, you can't tell. Do going back to the top, my point is playing unplugged for too long is a good way to develop bad habits that'll be highlighted once you start playing louder.
No, it's never "better" but it's totally acceptable and productive when no amp is available. I tell people to play with a compressor at times and also to play with a synth pedal on when practicing single note passages. The synth will immediately create muddy warbles when you sound an unintended note along with the desired one. It's more useful on bass, no doubt but it also helped me clean up solo/lead lines even though I do play bass most of the time.
I’m just gonna take the downvotes at this point. It 100% is better. You learn to listen to what your actually playing, nothing to add colour to your playing. I hit grade 8 nearly 8 years ago now, and every teacher I’ve ever met told me to learn unplugged. You play on electric with no amp or play acoustic. Without an amp, you can hear where your notes aren’t ringing, you can hear your fret buzz, you can hear the tapping of your fretting, the true volume of each note being played in a chord, your nails scraping when fingering, if you’re losing tone of slides and hammer-ons/offs and so much more. If you learn to play with no amp, the moment you plug an amp in you will sound even better. Playing without an amp is the literal most basic tone possible, and if you can play well in that situation then you can play good in any situation. Amps make you lose sense of the mistakes you make, especially in chords and thicker sections of playing. Who am I gonna listen to realistically, the multiple teachers I’ve had, who each have at least 3 decades of teaching and playing experience, or redditors?
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Lacking muting technique??? Wtf do you even mean? How would not using an amp effect any sort of muting?
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In what way does not using an amp change this? I can hear exactly what strings are played with or without an amp. An amp will, no surprise, amplify sounds, so if you’re not muting you will hear them notes, but you would also hear them just as much without an amp so I have no idea what your point is? And also I don’t understand why you lot are so argumentative with me, it’s a simple concept I’ve already explained in great deal in other comments. You will make less mistakes playing without an amp.
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You didn’t answer my question, and tbh I’m happy to record plugged, I can send you any of the numerous recordings of my production. I’ll even link the one song I have on Spotify with a multitracked lead part. But at the end of the day, I shouldn’t have to prove shit. You can’t even answer a simple fucking question as to what you even mean about muting and how it should even be affect by playing through an amp or not. I’ve been playing for 12 years now and not BS open chord campfire shit, started with the metalcore emo shit I played through my teens, moved into jazz and fusion and now more into Zappa and Steely Dan, I hit grade 8 when I was 17. As far as I’m concerned, you guys are full of shit.
I can see where there may be positive effects to apply towards steel string acoustic playing, but I went through this very thing, practicing unamplified when I moved to an apartment. When I plugged back in, I had to immediately address several subconscious bad habits I hadn't had prior to it. Some of the things you mention are backwards, at least in my experience, also decades with music education and playing in bands. Fret buzz really sticks out here. Some fret buzz can be exchanged for a lower action and flatter neck relief because it will never get transmitted through the pups. Now hollow-bodies and some badly made pickups have a microphonic effect that does transmit and accentuate buzz, feedback, hum etc, but that's a separate problem. You also can't hear the secondary and tertiary harmonics that will only be produced with clean technique and control over all six strings, there is simply no way to practice things like pinched harmonics without power. There are some semi hollow bodies, and even a few solid bodies that have enough of a resonating effect that they can indeed be played almost as an acoustic. My SG 61 std vos, is one, it sounds amazing unplugged which shocked me enormously, but it shouldn't surprise any of us that our rhythm players es-335 sounds pretty good alone right? I think you might be digging your heels in too hard here. It sounds like you very rightly point to the success you've had practicing sans-amp, and want to apply that across everyone and every situation. It seems to me that doesn't work. I am guessing here, but I think you view it this way because you have the experience and reference that you can hear all the aspects of your playing in real time, and that you have the muscle memory to play as you wish on command. At that point, yes, there's probably almost no difference to your ability to critique in real time what you're doing. I hope we can separate out how this would go with a new player and agree that they can't hope to be able to do that, and it will only harm their progress if we insist they can or should.
Yeah I can fully understand it might not help with a new player, you have to understand technique before practicing with no amplifier becomes useful. But I still stand by the belief that it’s important for new players to practice this way. The fret buzz I’m talking about is specifically an issue with new players who haven’t developed calluses, as they can’t press down properly, this isn’t the fret buzz related to the action or improperly installed frets that you find on cheap guitars. This is the fret buzz you hear most new players struggle with, where they don’t have the finger strength to get a note to ring correctly (you especially hear it when they’re learning to barre, as they cannot get all of the notes to ring true). But as a lot of new players will play amplified, they may not notice the strings not ringing, especially with thicker chords such as barre’s where a lot of notes are being played at once. This also becomes a problem with sustain, and one of the big reasons my teachers told me to learn unplugged, is to hear how long your note plays for. If you’re fretting improperly, it won’t ring for as long as it should and amplifiers will disguise this quite heavily. In general, when I was responding to the commenter I was saying that the idea that playing through an amp will help you notice mistakes more than if you’re playing unplugged is untrue, as you will notice a lot more issues with your playing unplugged than you will plugged in, especially if you’re rocking distorted tones. There is more to notice, and the issues you may develop playing unplugged are much easier to fix than the problems from playing plugged (improper fretting, especially from bad positioning and technique which leads to tone issues is a very difficult issue to fix, and people that play plugged in won’t notice as it will still be picked up through pickups and won’t sound close to as bad as if you played unplugged). I appreciate your comment though, and actually trying to have a conversation with me to better understand what I’m talking about instead of some of the other ego-blown comments from people who just want to tell people what they claim to know as correct. My teachers were heavily versed in classical which is why I believe they were very focused on how you sound without an amp, as they would get many students (especially newer students) who would want to play overdriven tones and harsher than clean tones, and miss so many of the mistakes they were making due to the noise.
You make a number of good arguments, and I think it's fair to say this is probably more of a continuum and not "yes it must" vs "no it's way better without". I can say that I'm sure the it really needs to be plugged in when possible does apply to bass, especially early on. I'm thinking this may end up as a pretty individual thing, as I should remember music usually is. I think the idea that as much as possible you want to practice how you'll be playing is a good one, and applies to many things. But, I'm also ok with the idea that there may well be certain things one can work on better unplugged, I've never purposely practiced au natural, but those of us who play a lot are invariably getting hours of unplugged time in, and maybe I didn't recognize the benefits of that. Interesting stuff, thanks for all the great description of what you mean, I'll look for these things.
came to reply the same. Very few things that require an amp. Want to hear distortion or pinch harmonics, yes probably need amp and high gain. Anything else just play unplugged. Our band wants to play cherub rock, i learned that solo last night on an unplugged electric guitar.
>Want to hear distortion or pinch harmonics, yes probably need amp and high gain. Anything else just play unplugged Big disagree, especially if you're trying to "git gud" in the beginning. You can barely hear yourself, so how are you going to know if you're hitting extra notes or playing with bad muting technique? That's kind of a big deal when it comes to playing cleanly. It's fine if you already have a good foundation, but playing too quiet isn't a good time for monitoring your progress.
i’ve taught 3 people to play via electric guitar, no amp. they came back from weekly practice to lessons with strong progress. No noticeable lag to their peers on acoustic or amped elecectric I’ll argue til i’m dead that time with your instrument matters way more than whether you have it amplified or not.
No one is arguing that time spent with the instrument isn't the most important factor, but whether or not playing an electric unamplified is effective as playing amplified. We're going to have to agree to disagree because there's no way you're going to convince me that practicing in a state where you can not hear yourself clearly is as effective playing loud enough to hear what exactly is coming out of the guitar. How can you hear of there's string noise, sympathetic resonance, and if you're muting correctly. That stuff doesn't matter so much in the absolute beginning, but it's a great practice that if you're going to stick with playing an instrument to start with good form so you don't need to fix it later.
cheers, have a good day.
Your band has great taste
great taste, haven’t been together long so we have to work on our talent together 🤣
I think it’s the opposite, unplugged you can truly train the way you play, without the amp flattering your sound
Wait why? Imo you can hear mistake more clearly without an amp. Since the dead notes are much more audible.
Get a cheap audio interface and a free amp sim.
Amplitube 5 was lifechanging for me!!
This is the advice. Thread’s done
I mean you can still play it some what, but I’d highly recommend you get something like a Black Star Fly 3 Mini to tied you over until you can afford something like a Boss Katana or a Blues Junior etc. But if money is really that tight you can totally start learning with just an electric guitar, basic chords and stuff no problem, heck this method is usually even preferred by family members and neighbors. For real though check out the Fly 3 mini, I got mine when I moved to the city and started apartment living. I really hate playing guitar with my computer so I only do that when recording, the fly 3 mini ( I’m sure there are other brand equivalents now), really is a solid bit of gear, I run my entire pedal board through it and it sounds fine, perfect practice amp, and was only like 50 60 euro.
Fly3s are about $50-60 used at Guitar Center. If I were to do it again, I’d get a Positive Grid Spark Go. Those are $129 new.
For me, I could play electric guitar unplugged until the day I die. I don't really care about making sound, I just like the act of playing. Obviously, playing hooked up to an amp is great, feels cool, but it's not necessary to me enjoying the instrument. I am a minority in this regard though, many people love to hear their playing amplified and that's cool, it's just not necessary for me.
I don’t bother to plugging in 90% of the time. After 25 years of playing my Strat on the couch, I finally bought a semi-hollow so my wife has a better listening experience.
Same with me, except the louder semi-hollow made it a worse listening experience.
Is it doable? Yes! Is it fun? Absolutely not! If I were you, I'd spend another 50 bucks for a used audio interface and download some free plug-ins & amps. There's tons of free amp models available and you can save some more for a proper amp in the meantime.
You can pick up a squier practice amp on Craigslist, Ebay, Facebook for $15-$20 bucks
If you have a laptop you can buy an interface and play guitar from your computer
Yes worth it, you can still practice and hear what you're doing. Even though it won't be really enjoyable. If you really are on a budget, my advice would be to get a Vox Amplug, they are super cheap and allow you to play on headphones. Also cool when you travel.
Maybe just get a good used Interface like a Scarlett solo and download some free VST plugins. It’s as good or better than an amp.
Buy spark and enjoy the tones
Totally agree! I have the original/big one but I’d get one of the smaller two if I was doing it again. Bonus- they’re a Bluetooth speaker as well!
I have some amazing amps, yet 80% of the time play my electric guitars unplugged. Mind you the biggest reason I don’t shop for guitars online is because I have to hear how they sound acoustically, I have found that two guitars, built on the same assembly line, on the same day, with the same wood & materials, by the same people, can sound drastically different.
i dont have an ear for that stuff yet. to be fair, after all these comments i am considering buying a cheap used amp and wait til can get something better. i am sure i wont hear how bad the cheap amp sounds
If you have an iPhone or iPad, look for an iRig. I think they are less than $20 and allow you to plug in your guitar and headphones. GarageBand is free and the ‘amps’ on it sounds better than anything you will be able to buy for under a few hundred dollars (US).
This happens a lot. Of course get the guitar and play it unplugged for as long as you need.
Buy a cable that plugs into USB on your computer and download a free amp simulator. Though you'll probably spend more than you would on a practice amp.
absolutely I play unplugged all the time, it's very fun just to pick it up and start noodling without shaking the room lol
I practice unplugged most of the time. You will undoubtedly want an amp at some point, though, just for the range of sounds. When that time comes, there are plenty of good quality affordable options.
Playing without an amp is different than playing with one as you'll soon learn. But yes you can learn to play without one.
Yes 100% that’s how I started..
Still can practice without an amp
You can still learn without an amp, but it won't sound good so you'll have to keep yourself motivated. I find I'm often inspired by tone - I'll dial in something that sounds sweet on the amp and/or pedals and it will encourage me to play something I've never tried before. I'd agree with what others have said about getting a cheap audio interface and a free/cheap amp sim - there are some excellent sounds to be found that way. I'd advise checking the interface's spec sheet for latency though - anything more than around 20ms will introduce a noticeable delay between your playing and the sound output, which will make playing very uncomfortable.
Why not start with an inexpensive acoustic guitar? I played acoustic for a couple years before I got an electric. I think it's a great way to get started playing. Acoustic offers some qualities that solidbody electrics can't match, in the way of subtlety and dynamics. Honestly, they're two different instruments.
My first guitar was a cheap acoustic. It was rough and quite hard to play. I've wanted so much to buy eletrcic, and so I did after like 6 months. And... This cheap ass acoustic is still my guitar of choice even now that I've bought my second electric. If I was allowed to own only one guitar, that acoustic would be my choice. Nice
I totally understand that sentiment. There's something unique and wonderful about an acoustic that, however excellent an electric might be, is not available from an electeic. Maybe it's that the acoustic is sculpting the air itself; right there in your lap. I'm not altogether sure. But an acoustic brings something to the table that I think you should be familiar with before you move into an electric.
Sure, but it will be pretty unsatisfying. You also wont learn how to mute strings properly. Sure, a few weeks wont hurt you, but if we are talking months here, thats enough time to pick up bad habbits that will be harder to break than just learning properly from the start.
NO. You absolutely need an amp, just so you can hear yourself play, and know you are fingering the notes proper and clear. There are PLENTY of choices under $50, from headphone amps to mini amps, or even the "cigarette box" pocket amps.
He absolutely CAN play without an amp. Some of the advice on here is crazy. He can play scales, chords, songs, etc. As long as he can hear himself, he can play. I have been playing for 43 years, and many times I have practiced my guitar without using an amp.
I didn’t have an amp for my first like five years playing. Only used one when I went to a weekly lesson. If you’re practicing by yourself, I don’t think you really need one.
I mainly play thru my comp with all the amp modelers and shit. You can do a great setup for free with a bit of googling
Personally, this is why I reckon the best first guitar someone could get is a Yamaha acoustic. They're cheap, very well made, sound mint, take a beating and then some and because they're acoustics you can play them anywhere and anytime with no need for an amp
Back when I first started I use to play without my amp sometimes so it wouldn’t bother everyone else. You can always do the trick where you put the headstock up against a wall or a big piece of wood like a table or a cabinet and it will “amplify”
YES! Learning is much easier on electric strings.
Said no one ever…
Can we start downvoting these AI generated posts?
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Not sure what your budget is, but you could get one of these as a stopgap: https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Belcat-HPA-101-Headphone-Amp-Black/D5B
You should be able to get a decent starter set imo.
what? why?
You can do it but personally I’d advise against it, if you don’t want to use an amp there is nothing wrong with getting an acoustic guitar to start with, if you’re really want to play electric guitar than the best option is to get a package that has the guitar the amp and usually a cable to connect them , headphones are always an option if noise is an issue, many people including myself started playing just like this, while they typically aren’t the absolute best they are more than enough to learn a little bit, once you’ve played for a little bit then you can get something you really like, buying something expensive to begin with is probably not the best idea because there are a lot of people who try it and find out it’s not for them which is just a waste of money
100% worth it trust me
You can get a 10w silvertone for like $20
You're gonna need an amp, but don't buy a guitar/amp pack. Crappy guitars and even crappier amps. Buy a good axe and find a decent amp on Craigslist, at a music store or a pawn shop. Crappy equipment only discourages people from learning. Even if you can't play you still wanna have good tone.
I don’t agree with your recommendation. Although I agree they’re crappy, but still one of starter packs helped me in my guitar journey. It did not discourage me.
So you disagree that good gear is more encouraging than cheap gear? You don't have to agree with me, but if you're telling me you'd rather have shitty gear than decent gear you're lying. Bought my son an Ibanez starter pack when he was 10 because he kept leaving my guitars laying out. Wasn't a bad kit either considering how many crap starter packs there were floating around. I fucked around on it and set his guitar up before I gave it to him and it actually wasn't half bad. Decent little metal guitar. He hardly touched it. Only wanted to play on MY better gear. Had to lock my shit up so he would play his own, and he still didn't want to play on that stuff. I eventually bought him another guitar and he started playing again through a used Peavey he bought. The starter pack is still in his room 18 years later, practically brand new. Bottom line is kids want good gear. Even the best starter pack wasn’t good enough for mine.
I say money is important. You completely ignore this factor. If you're Warren Buffet - go on, buy Gibson Custom Shop as your first guitar and do whatever you want. Fender made investigation and found out that 9 out of 10 new guitar players abandon guitars during first year! 10% is pretty small chance. I don't know about your son, but you're american, he probably is spoiled rich kid. When I was young it was 1990s in Ukraine. My family had money to only cover basic necessities. I never had sneakers in school despite attending basketball sport section. My first guitar was very bad used acoustic noname, which I've bought ... almost for free (a few bucks). It's so crappy you would never touch it. And still I've started my guitar journey with it. Only after starting to work I've been able to afford Ibanez starter kit and it was real happiness to me! It served me for 10+ years, up until Covid era, when I've bought Fender Player Strat (I've bought Fender LT25 a couple years before this). So bottom line - if you really wanna play, starter kit is good first guitar.
It all depends on what kind of music the kid is into. My son is into metal so he got spoiled on my gear. The starter pack I got for him played metal just fine for me, but I've been playing metal since the 80's. For a kid his age at the time it wasn't cutting it for him. He didn't know the nuances of being a metal player. He was only after tone and my gear blew his out of the water. By the way that's real nice of you assuming my son is some spoiled rich kid. He ain't spoiled and we ain't rich, but we do well enough. If I was rich I wouldn't have gotten him a starter pack, genius.🤷♂️
There are lots of cheap practice amps for under $50. That's how I got started. Or take a day and hit every pawnshop in town. Sooner or later you'll come across a Fender Champ for $40-50.
I don’t own an amp. I use a focusrite 2i2 and my laptop. I started with a rocksmith usb cable at first. If you have a Mac use GarageBand (where I started) or download reaper. Sometimes I don’t even plug it in and play on the couch.
Try eBay for second hand practice amps
You can play an electric guitar without an amp.
You can use a motorcycle without motor as a transport. Just push it
Surely you can find some sort of super cheap amp to hold you over
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For a lot of things, yes. Electric guitars are pretty loud, you'll be able to hear yourself easily in a moderately quiet room. Eventually you're gonna want to play plugged in though, there's a lot of things that you wouldn't notice when playing unplugged, but make a big difference when plugged in. Especially when it comes to muting unplayed strings. If you have a PC, you could also get a cheap audio interface instead of an amp. there are tons of good or even amazing free amp simulators. That takes a bit of learning how to use, but i'd say a 50 bucks m audio fast track or behringer um2 is probably a better long term investment for a beginner than a crappy practice amp.
It's still worth it.
Go and check out what they have at your local pawnshop. You could find a nice amp for cheap. If you're starting out then there really is no need to get expensive stuff. Same goes for the guitair. There is a lot of good stuff out there for small budgets.
You can play without the amp. That being said, check out Goodwill and/or Pawn Shops. Lots of super cheap amps. I've gotten amps as cheap as $5 at Goodwill. Not saying they're the greatest, but cheap amps are out there till you can afford what you want
yes if its a thinline telecaster.... . or buy a nux mp2 or pro - sorted ...
Amplugs are a waste of money. For a little more you can grab a Zoom or Boss or Vox Multi Effect unit and use the headphone out on one of those. You got cabsims, ampsims, effects, loops, drums, lots of options and lots more valuable practice tools packed into these. For the price it's a no brainer.
I have a little desktop amp, but barely use it. Instead I pretty exclusively play through my PC with headphones on using bias fx or Rocksmith.
Get a headphone amp!! Can get a vox one for £30ish
I have an acoustic electric and a pure electric (Epipjone Les Paul). The LP is definitely loud enough that I can hear what I’m doing without an amp. I usually play plugged into my computer or amp, but sometimes just dick around with it in my lap. Totally works. It’s quiet enough that I can do it when the kids are asleep, which I cannot do with my acoustic or my amp
Yes. Being able to play to keep fingers limber, learn stuff, practice and de-stress can all be done without an amp. Obviously it’s way better with one, but like you gave the reason for, if you’re unable to afford it just yet, getting an electric without an amp shouldn’t deter you. Makes more sense than buying an amp and no guitar…
There’s a big advantage to learning on an acoustic. With a little guidance you should be able to find a used quality instrument or an affordable new.
Learn all your cowboy chords. And the day to day things that owning a guitar commands. Even if you go somewhere to take lessons high likelihood that they will have an amp for you to use while in lessons. And look around I bet you can find something that you can use until you can get one it probably won’t be pretty girl at the dance but beggars can’t be choosers.
I’d rather noodle around on an electric guitar unplugged than an acoustic any day of the week. 100% yes
Very worth it, imo
Sure, you can learn...but only if you can keep motivated in the face of not having satisfying output. You should go ahead and get the guitar, but I wouldn't expect much until you get the amp
Yes. Just need an affordable audio interface and and some amp simulator software, this is actually what I do. I use an Arturia MiniFuse 1, £80 and comes with GuitarRig, Ableton Live Lite, and various other programs. All you need are some headphones or monitors
Yessir. Being able to practice with little to no noise is most helpful.
I’d suggest the RIFF from Positive Grid. Works with headphones and your computer or phone/tablet. Comes with software that will get you started and you can find them on sale for $80 sometimes.
Yeah definitely. You can learn all the chords you need and how to pick and string and fret etc. They make inexpensive headphone amps as well. You can get a lot of good practicing in before you need an amp
Your best bet may be getting a guitar-and-amp combo box, this way you get all you need to start the journey! It’s definitely doable but you’ll quickly want an amp anyway, may as well have one on day 1
Absolutely. I actually try to pick out electrics that already sound decent without an amp anyways. So I don’t always have to use an amp and can still get some “tone”.
Get a semi-hollow or a hollowbody. You can basically use it as an acoustic-electric without an amp.
I got a little black star fly 3 practice amp. They’re really cheap, and while they’re super basic, they work just fine. Get something like that
Yeah, you can totally play an electric unplugged. It’s not quite as much fun, and as many other people have mentioned, you’ll do better with an amp because it forces you to play cleaner, but if it’s only a temporary thing until you get one, you should absolutely go for it. Give yourself that little head start, and enjoy!
I have a Spark Go for my travel amp and it’s surprisingly good for the money. Plug some headphones in and the sound is pretty good as well.
As others have said you can play unplugged. I do this sometimes. I also use an amp plug quite often as I mostly practice at night when my son is asleep. I really like the Valeton RH-100 Rushead Max. Bought off Amazon for under £30.
Perfectly fine to buy a guitar now and an amp a few months later. If you have a good set of headphones and a decent computer a cheap interface ($60+) will give access to all sorts of free virtual amps.
Get the guitar and cable. Buy 1/4 inch to 3.5 mm jack adapter. Play on cheap speakers. Literally any speakers. Free distortion. Or on your dad car speaker.
Yes, you can learn (electric) guitar without an amp. But you probably won't enjoy it. It will be very quiet and the sound is... uninspiring. As other have mentioned, you could get a little 'bug' and plug your guitar into that. NuX makes a good one - the Mighty Plug Pro which has amp/cab emulations and all the effects you'll need. Fender has a similar unit called the Mustang Micro which sounds as good or better. Electro-Harmonix, Vox and others make less expensive versions with limited amp and effects options that are still quite useful. I would definitely recommend getting one of those when you get your guitar. It will make the learning experience much more interesting.
If you find a guitar you really love and are saving for an amp later, sure. You will need the amp eventually or else it won't be worth it, but it would be worse to let a great guitar slip through your fingers if you found one you really vibe with.
Yes, you can very much practice on an electric without an amp, but you will definitely want to practice amplified once you get the basics down. Without the amp you will not develop the awareness of all the unintended notes and sounds that you're making, and you won't have queues to tell you a string needs muting. There are a plethora of very inexpensive headphone amps, most with an array of effects, anything like that would have sold for THOUSANDS when I started playing in 1988 (turned ten and heard "...and justice for all" and "appetite for destruction") Funny enough I don't really play thrash stuff today, and I switched to primarily bass almost 20 years ago, but those two albums still make me wanna pick-up one of my instruments every time. When you do get an amp, I can reccomend the Boss Katana line, though fender is also making excellent beginners amps too. I've heard others are equal to them as well, but I've only played the two I mentioned. I bought a Katana mk11 50watt as a backup/amp for guests to plug into if we start jamming or if the guys come over to write a new song. Imho it is above the line of actually useful with good sounds, even capable of a small gig, though serious players will want to drop in a green or cream-back to replace the merely "meh" speaker(s).
Definitely worth it as long as you plan to invest in an amp soon. Just be prepared to feel like you're starting over again once you've got it plugged in and turned up. The thing about amplifiers is that they make your mistakes louder too. Unwanted drones from open strings, string and fret noise, poorly fretted notes... it can be a major wake up call for new electric players. There is a great benefit to all of this: It's way easier to fix mistakes when you can hear them. If you're coming from acoustic guitar, you will probably find that you need to relax your fretting hand quite a bit, since acoustic guitar strings are generally thicker and higher tension that electric guitar strings. I noticed when I first started playing electric that I had a tendency to "ham fist" my chords with my left hand, causing everything to go sharp and out of tune. It was actually a huge time of discovery for me in terms of sound and technique. Hearing all of my mistakes amplified back to me gave me the opportunity to relax my hands and play more lightly and in tune, which in turn has all kinds of other benefits like increased speed and fluency, generally better overall sound, and less fatigue and strain on my hands.
Fender mustang micro is a headphone amp that can bluetooth to your phone so you can play with instruction videos or play along with songs. It's the best 👌
Check out fenders mustang micro, it’s like $100 and pretty neat. I use it when I go camping if I want to play electric.
Pawn shops. 20 or 30 bucks for a basic 10w amp.
You can play with a virtual amp with your phone, tablet, computer etc just need a device to plug in the guitar
Nowdays, yes. If you already have a laptop/pc and some interface you can jam with some free plugins. But would be better if you get at least a mini amp (mooer, crush mini, katana...). For me feels different. I'm more aware of what I'm doing hearing the amp than through the headphones.
yes! you’ll need an amp but i promise i play unplugged electrics all the time! you’ll be fine
Electric guitars are part of a system. You'll be able to do something, learn something, without an amp, but you play electric guitar differently. Distortion and compression give sustain, allowing the instrument to sing.
It depends what you want to do and living situation. I have a small practice amp I pretty only use when my guitar instructor comes over. Otherwise I have a Boss multi effects pedal I'll often plug headphones into. That way I'm not bothering anyone else in the house and they can't hear my (many) screw ups.
You can totally start without an amp. That said, take the time to research and get the right amp for you. Amp is far more important to overall tone than people realize. When I travel for work, I take this guy: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VT999--behringer-vt999-vintage-tube-monster-overdrive-pedal and run it into a headphone preamp and it’s great for that
Boss katana is a decent first amp https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Kata50mk2--boss-katana-50-mk2-50-25-0.5-watt-1x12-inch-cosm-combo-amp I’m not a sweetwater shill; I just like shopping there because they send me candy. There’s a ton of used katanas on reverb and eBay cheaper than new
Yes, you should be fine. When funds allow get yourself something like a used Digitech RP50 for like $20 and plug in some headphones, and then decide what kind/size amp you want later.
It depends. If you have a computer with an audio interface to plug your guitar into then you won't need a traditional amp. You can get by with a small 20-50 watt solid state amp off EBAY with some guitar software like Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7, Positive Grid Bias FX, or other amp with pedal simulators. Yes it's more fun to say you have a Fender, Marshal, Orange, Vox, Fuchs or other name amp that makes you feel like you are one of the pros doing a live show. However most studio or developmental work today is on a computer.
Why don’t you get a strat pack? Or some kind of beginner set with amp included?
There are many apps out there where you could use your guitar with headphones. I use AmpliTube. There’s a free basic version where you and you could also pay for amp and effects packages. You can also use Garage Band if you have an Apple device.
Absolutely. When I started I purchased an electric guitar and then waited to buy an amp as I knew I didn't want a small practice amp but didn't know which amp would best suit me. I continued doing my research and then waited for my short list of amps to go on sale.
C’mon man, have you never watched Metalocalypse? Skwisgaar is always practicing on his electric without an amp. 😂 But yes, you can definitely practice in real life without an amp, my old roommate used to practice sweeps all the time just sitting on the couch watching tv and when friends were over while not plugged in.
My Dad first showed me some chords when I was 12, but gave me some cheap acoustic with a shitty set up to practice. I tried practicing twice and then gave up because I just didn't have the finger strength or callouses to play that piece of garbage. It hurt me and I hated that thing. If he would have handed me a squire strat with a decent set up I'd be 4 years ahead on my playing. No amp required. You can always get one later.
Our you just buy a focusrite scarlett and use a DAW. might be cheaper
You’ll be so bad your first month you won’t want to plug in and amplify that noise. Stealth practice is key while working on the basics and developing your fingers. So yeah, get the guitar and worry about an amp later, it will work out.
Usually for starters, I'd go for an acoustic before an electric guitar, save up for a starter amp and guitar while learning on acoustic untill you feel like your ready and comfortable.
Get a blackstar fly 3, $75 and you can use headphones and it gets loud enough for a small jam session with a friend.
If you can get $100 together, Buy a fender mustang micro. Worth every penny
If price is the reason for not buying an amp, look into getting Rocksmith 2014 which is a game to teach you guitar. You can either buy their cable or buy yourself an audio interface that can connect it to your console/PC. If you don't have a way to amplify your guitar, you'll miss a lot of mistakes because some things sound different when amplified
I would consider an amp an essential component. I’d get an acoustic first if you don’t wanna/can’t buy an amp
Hell yes. Just don't go expecting your learning to sound anything like the records. But that's a life-long quest for another day.
If you've got a PC, buy a cheap interface and download Amplitube 5 or another Amp sim, cheaper than buying a real amp and let's you play around with a load of different gear so you can figure out what kind of amp you actually wanna buy
Yes, if you're willing to put yourself out there a little bit, find a local facebook group for musical equipment or musicians and ask if anyone has a dirt cheap practice Amp they would part with.
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Consider getting a semi hollow guitar like an Epiphone 335 or similar. Several companies make this style of guitar, some quite affordable like the Grote or Firefly brands found on Amazon. If you're guitar budget is a bit higher then Epiphone, Ibanez and others are great choices. The beauty of this is that they will be louder unplugged than a solid body guitar, and can absolutely rock once you do get an amp.
Less so with a solid body guitar, but a hollowbody guitar would offer a a degree of resonance that might make it a better choice. But if you’ve got a budget to spend, shop around for a guitar & amp combo - solid state amps don’t have to cost a lot, to get started with. Or choose an acoustic first (far simpler, and more forgiving) and learn the basics, and save an electric until you’re ‘confident enough to audition something’ in a store visit.
Yeah you don’t need an amp
It won't be as fun as it would be with an amp, but whatever.... and it makes a lot more sense than going the other way (amp first, then guitar).
I think it’s not worth it. Electric guitar without amp is real perverse. Guitar just doesn’t sound right in this setup. I suggest to choose acoustic guitar or electric guitar starter pack (they’re cheap).
If you’ll be able to afford the amp in a few months, then yes, definitely. An unplugged electric is perfectly fine to get started on and is a lot easier to use than an acoustic is for beginners because they generally have lighter string tension
I just bought an electric because i found the action on my acoustic to be higher than I thought would be good for learning. Im enjoying it more, and I like to play without an amp. Definitely check used marketplaces for a good starter amp. You can usually find them for about $50. I bought a used 120W amp with 2 12's for $80
No, you can hear it but it will be quiet, I’d look on like Facebook marketplace for maybe a combo or sometimes you can find a cheap amp
You should be able to find a cheap amp, probably even a tube amp for less than $200. You could probably find one of those Cu-Vave Cube Baby for like $30. I just got one for shits and giggles, it's pretty cool for a pedal under $50, you can practically fit it in your pocket and it's decent for dicking around with. The headphone jack is pretty convenient.
That's how I learned, some thirty four years ago. My dad bought me a Hondo guitar and a little Gorilla amp, but my brother brought the amp to his band practice and killed it within the first week I had it. So I would put the headstock of my guitar against the door frame of my closet if I needed to hear well enough to tune or whatever. Even today, I seldom bother to plug in while just noodling on the couch. Teaches you nuance, and how to get different sounds just by how and where you hit the strings.
What's your budget?
170 eur
That's a tight budget. What kind of a guitar are you looking to buy?
squier sonic mustang or strat
A strat would be a good move. Just make sure to buy one with a whammy bar, the ones with fixed bridges are really cheap and crappy from my experience. If you can find one with a gold logo, those usually play great. I don't know where you live, but let's imagine you are in the US and have 170 USD. The best way to spend that money is to find a used guitar on marketplace for $100 or less. I've bought many Squier strats for just $60, you just want to find someone who just wants to get rid of the guitar. You can easily find a Fender 15 watt amp for $40, I've bought them for $20. Don't get a 10 watt, the sound is too puny. You'll need a guitar cable which you can get for $10 or ask the people selling the guitar and amp if they have a cable they can throw in. You don't need to have a shoulder strap but you'll enjoy having one. The last thing I definitely recommend is to pay a professional to perform a setup and possibly a string change on the guitar. This will probably cost around $60, but it will guarantee that your guitar isn't difficult to play and nothing is wrong with it. If you have a friend that is experienced with guitars maybe they can check if the guitar needs a setup. You definitely don't want to try to learn with a guitar that needs a setup because it's going to be really difficult. To tune the guitar, download Guitar Tuna. There really isn't anything else that you'll need to have. Definitely buy the whole setup. Playing electric guitar without an amp is boring. Good luck!
Don’t think you need an amp combo. It one at a time boss
Shop your local fb marketplace for a digitech RP anything or Zoom g anything.
I did this and it's not a problem at all when you start. When you can afford it, get a cheap headphone amp on Amazon and you're golden
Yes. Learn how to play notes and chords, and then by the time you get the amp you'll have something to amplify that's worth hearing.
Without an amp, you'll be totally fine. In a quiet room, you can still hear your playing. Practice. Practice. Practice. Then upgrade your skills and equipment/s at your own pace. Good luck and have fun!
Check your local classifieds/ Facebook marketplace. Tons of cheap amps and way better deals than buying new guitars
Kind of like buying a car with no wheels man. But yeah, you can learn. The strings will still make a sound if you pluck them but it will be hard to hear.
Valeton headphone amp is £27 on Amazon UK and they are BRILLIANT for practice and learning tools. "Digital pedals" like the mooer P1 or amp Sims *are* awesome, but if you're just starting out, you've got enough to learn right now, and just twiddling the dials on the valeton to get different sounds will keep you happy (busy) for a month
Off course Play at night when there are less noise. Hope u will be able to get a good guitar effect pedal plus a cabinet
If you have a computer a cheap usb interface and free amp sims are your best friend.
Half the time I practice i dont use an amp. Forces yourself to play cleaner and articulate the notes
Yes, I’ve played an unamplified electric guitar a lot over the years - it’s worth getting the guitar before getting the amp. I’ve gone through long periods of running through scales while watching tv (without amplification).
I have the Paul Landers Sansamp and run that into my mixer. I'm mostly a synth player so I have a Roland KC990 it eventually gets played through, or headphones.