I live in NZ Richard - guitars arenāt cheap here - $1299 for a relatively good Epiphone Les Paul as opposed to $500/600 in US, so yes budget is vital. Reading the replies the take Iām getting is that anything goes -LP, Strat, Tele, 33?. Iām 66 years old and will only probably (haha) be buying one electric.
Thanks Mustela. Good advice.
Ah good old rockshop then!
Weāve not quite the choice others tend to have access too sadly
This should be coming soon I think 1600ish? Nice dual p90s
The dg-335 looks great but 2700ā¦
Man their website sucks. They have some epi casinos for $1200ish
LP does look nice - I bet we have to get the case separately.
We should get the same stuff epi ship it with, I did with mine from rockshop
Hi Muzza,
I understand ya want a LP or a 335.
Perhaps thinking outside the box.
Epiphone Casino (China). Theyāre pretty cheap.
Iām 64 myself. Got me a Casino and itās pretty much what I needed. I really like the one I got. Itās has the tones I was looking for. I do Rock, folk and blues. I got three electrics and the Casino is the one I like to play most. Itās not my most expensive guitar either.
For sure support your local music store imho too. I do that even if it cost me more than online. But I like to be able to go to my local music store and get whatever I need on a moments notice. Support local.
fwiw, donāt forget ya need a amp. Best I get, the amp will be āyourā sound. A $1K guitar though a $50 amp will sound like a $50 amp. A $300 guitar through a $1K amp, will sound like a $1k amp. 
Good luck in your hunt.
Hi Muzza,
Caveat - Iām a beginnerā¦ advancing beginner maybe but still a beginnerā¦
My thought is that you can play some tasty, good vibe Blues on pretty much any guitar with Humbuckers & most guitars with Single Coilsā¦
Point of fact
- Albert King (SRVās guru) played on a Gibson Flying V.
- Eric Clapton played on several different styles of guitars through his career.
- B.B. King played with āLucilleā a Gibson ES-335 with a āBaritoneā switch to deliver that ānasallyā tone that heās famous for.
- Stevie Ray Vaugn was a Strat guy.
I donāt know of any famous Blues players who use a PRS guitar, but my PRS Zach Meyers SE gives out a pretty classic Blues sound with my Katana MKII.
I concur with the advice from aboveā¦ go to a store with your Grade 2 Blues shuffle riff & strum, Beginner Blues solo & Improv in mindā¦ plug into a Katana (take yours with you?) on the Crunch setting & try different guitars in any style you likeā¦ Donāt get self-conscious that youāre playing the same thing over & overā¦ thatās what you want to do to compare the sound!
Look for what āfitsā your personal Vibe Zone, your body & your budget. If you donāt find it at store #1, go to other stores until you find exactly what make you want to play Blues more than you want to stop to eat!!!
Have a ton of fun!!!
Tod
P.S. I was at a Guitar Center in Denver a few months ago & a guy shopping for guitars brought in his own amp so he could use the tone heād already ādialed inā to compare.
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Shopping for guitars in nz sucks really
Few shops mostly the same chain with import deals for brands so thereās no competition, shipping and import fees make that very spendy
We have a limited used sales thing too, no ebay no reverb etc just trademe
There are a few independent music shops but not many
Thanks Tod, Iāll refresh my Grade 2 Blues and take your advice - perfect. Cheers Muzz
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I have a epiphone Les Paul standard. It plays nice. And didnt break the bank. I also just bought last monday. A epiphone Noel Gallagher Riviera semi hollowbody. Plays and sounds great. Keep in mine in fairly new but my guitar playing buddy helped me pick out. Budget had to be considered also. But have a guitaf center store about 10 miles away.
Very nice guitars. I will probably get a Epiphone Les Paul to start with.
Solid choice. And if you have that option, going to a guitar store and trying the guitar out would be very helpful.
Absolutely