Givson versus Pluto electrics? Confused n00b!

Discussion in 'Guitar Gear Talk Forum' started by ikkokusenkin, Oct 28, 2010.

  1. ikkokusenkin

    ikkokusenkin New Member

    Okay, so I've been snooping around these forums for about two weeks now, looking at the kind of advice newbies take on buying guitars. Now it's my own turn to ask: I've just started learning to play the guitar and I'm planning to buy an electric guitar to practice on. My budget (for the guitar alone) is Rupees 6k. I want a guitar that will last me at least a couple of years.

    I've managed to locate a Givson electric guitar at a local shop here which is going for 5200 rupees. From what I could make out, it's a Givson Panther (I compared the image on the Givson website with how I remembered the guitar looked in the shop) although the guy told me it's a "GiVson Les Paul". Go figure...

    Anyway, I know that the Panther retails for about 5000 bucks, so I know the shop isn't ripping me off. My question is, since I have 6k to spend, would it be better to spend it on a different brand? I've read numerous posts on this forum that say Givsons aren't worth it. Do you folks mean Givson acoustics or electrics as well?

    Plutos aren't available where I live but I've seen these two on Raj Musicals which are in my price range:
    rajmusicals.in/product_info.php?products_id=167
    rajmusicals.in/product_info.php?products_id=255
    Any thoughts on either of these models? Anyone bought stuff from these guys before? I'm a little worried the guitar might get damaged en route...

    Another problem is that I'm left-handed. Can I restring the guitar on my own? An advantage of going for the Givson is that the shop guy will do it for me.

    Now please don't tell me I should start off with an acoustic, or that 5000 rupees could get me a really good acoustic guitar or that I should save up some more and go for an Ibanez or Greg Bennett or something... I know all that but I want to start with an electric guitar since that's what I like to listen to.

    Thank you for your help!
     
  2. guitardoctor

    guitardoctor Will Rx for food

    1. If you are open to second hand stuff, look into it.

    2. Converting a right handed guitar to left handed isn't a matter of just restringing it. You need to reverse the nut and (+-) bridge as well. Two more issues you'll need to worry about is the position of the cutaway (For a Gibson SG type it'll be no problem... But for say, a Les Paul say goodbye to those higher frets) and the location of the strap button... Anyway, not recommended for a beginner to do himself. See also: https://indianguitartabs.com/showthread.php?p=412594

    3. When people say "Givsons suck", they mean "Givsons suck - applies to both electrics and acoustics".
     
  3. ultrabot90

    ultrabot90 Like fishes need bicycles

    ^What he said is pretty much correct.

    To choose a guitar, here's the recently written (by me) Guide. It's made up of the answers we have 99.99% of the times given to new people, like ye. All the stuff that is cheap, good and recommended is listed there.
    https://indianguitartabs.com/showthread.php?p=415976#post415976

    Good luck.
     
  4. ikkokusenkin

    ikkokusenkin New Member

    First of all, thank you both for replying. I'm very grateful.

    @guitardoctor, yes, I had read your post on needing to reverse the nut and bridge before. The problems with the strap and the cutaway being on the 'wrong' side had also occurred to me (not to mention issues with a whammy bar -- if there is one). The thing is
    a. I'm already too far gone to restart playing right-handed. Plus, left-handed just feels natural to me.
    b. Left-handed guitars are hard enough to find first-hand, let alone second-hand ones. The cheapest first-hand lefty guitar I found at the local shop was a Greg Bennett going for 12.5k. It's a great guitar, but twice what I can afford. I need to know that I'll stick with guitar-playing and improve sufficiently before I'd be willing to fork out that kind of cash. By the by, you guys wouldn't happen to know someone selling a second-hand left-handed guitar cheap, would you? :)
    c. About the cutaway, I doubt if I'll be touching notes that high anytime soon. In addition, I've asked the local shop to check if they have any double cutaways lying in storage. I'm yet to hear back from them.
    d. And as for the strap, I guess I'll just have to play sitting down.

    About the nut, I guess the only problem is the grooves for the lower strings (in their new position) won't be deep enough ('cause they were meant for the upper strings), right? Couldn't I just file the notch to make it a little deeper?

    What I really wanted to know was, assuming you had to choose between a Givson and a Pluto (or maybe a Java), which would you go for?

    Thanks once again for your comments. I really appreciate it.
     
  5. guitardoctor

    guitardoctor Will Rx for food

    Filing will fix the issue with the low strings but the high strings will be loose in their nut groove: Result: problems like say, strings moving around when you bend a note... Although I'm not sure if there is a workaround for that issue (filling the groove with something? Dunno. Wait around for some experienced guys to answer, I'm not sure about filling materials.)

    I've never tried Pluto or Java electrics so can't comment on that personally but I've played Givsons, and they sound like crap...

    Also,

    :NoNo:

    Too much compromise. You are just looking at a recipe for regrets down the line. Why do you think you won't need to touch high notes? And what if you decide to be part of a band? You never know. You said you want it to last a couple of years. Well, a lot can happen in a couple of years.
     
  6. ultrabot90

    ultrabot90 Like fishes need bicycles

    -You can get another strap button put on (my guitar has 3 strap buttons).
    -You might have to get a new nut.
    -Doesn't really matter if you don't have a cutaway because you can always lift your thumb off and play (like all classical guitar players, and like cello players). For beginners, I understand that your perception of 'playing area' ends on the 12th fret on a non cutaway guitar, but that just needs some extra practice and experience to overcome.

    BUT

    It's not like you've been playing since years. IMO, LH and RH doesn't really matter in guitar because both hands are doing pretty different tasks and the disparity is not apparent (when you play a two handed instrument - touchstyle guitar, piano, organ etc, then it becomes really visible. LH is a bit limited compared to the RH for a RHer.)

    So I say -> Make the switch to right handed...ASAP. Now.
     
  7. ikkokusenkin

    ikkokusenkin New Member

    Well, thank you both for your insights.
    @ultrabot, I'd rather continue Southpaw. I think it'll be easier for me.
    @doctor, yeah, I know it's a lot of compromise. Sucks, doesn't it?

    If anyone else has any opinions on Givson versus Pluto/Java, please chime in.
     
  8. flood

    flood New Member

    afaik pluto doesn't make electric guitars.

    givsons SUCK.

    i cannot emphasize that suck enough. (THATS WHAT SHE SAID! cue)

    they're some of the worst guitars i've ever played.

    i own a pluto acoustic, and it's no martin, but definitely kills a givson any day of the week.

    the givson electrics are actually worse than i described here.
     
  9. guitardoctor

    guitardoctor Will Rx for food

    Summation of requirements so far:

    1. Electric guitar
    2. <6k
    3. Want to convert to left handed (can't play right handed) - double cutaway preferred
    4. Can't wait to save up more cash
    5. No second hand buying channels available/not open to buying second hand
    6. Guitars not locally available so cannot try before buying

    Boy, those are some tough requirements... I sympathize, buddy... I'd still say save up some more and try again... If not just go for the best guitar you can afford (avoid givson).

    Alternatively, just throw caution to the winds and buy the shittiest guitar you can buy (givson sells 3k electrics too)... **** around with it all you want without any guilt or hesitation: drill new strap buttons, change the nut yourself, basically do it all guilt free, gain experience points and start learning... Meanwhile saving up for a real half-decent guitar... I don't think there's that much of a difference between a 3k and a 6k givson (I've played them both, suck ass equally I'd say... In my case the 6k givson was a few years older than the 3k one but still.)
     
  10. ultrabot90

    ultrabot90 Like fishes need bicycles

    Don't you just hate people like that? Took me ~3 years to save up for my first electric (RG7321; wasn't earning anything back then)...and right now enduring all kinds of shit to save up for a Cube Street. (80% there :beer:)

    If you're a little entrepreneur-ish (anyone would be better than me at that) you could probably save way faster.

    oh well, /rant
     
  11. ikkokusenkin

    ikkokusenkin New Member

    Now that's a really useful piece of information. I'd seen those cheap 3.5k Givson electrics on the Raj Musical website but I was worried that it might be abysmal quality (the cheapest of Givson's line!). But from what you say, the 6k ones are equally lousy.
    So I think that's what I'll do, thanks.

    No? Hmmm, maybe these
    rajmusicals.in/product_info.php?products_id=167
    rajmusicals.in/product_info.php?products_id=255
    should be labeled GBAs? It's really irritating when even guitar sellers don't get their own stuff right.

    @ultrabot, Rant away, my friend. :D glad I helped you get that off your chest. You shouldn't be carrying that stuff around inside...


    Thank you all for your help.
     
  12. guitardoctor

    guitardoctor Will Rx for food

    They ARE abysmal quality.

    Yes, but that doesn't mean the 3k ones are any good. That just means Givson makes horrible guitars no matter how much cash you pay for them.

    Fine, as long as you remain aware that it is not a "fix" for your problem. It is not a guitar that will last you a couple of years, or even a couple of months. You are buying a toy to play around with while waiting to buy a real guitar. Within 2 months you will start absolutely hating your piece of trash. It's very bad advice to buy it, actually. You are most likely throwing 3.5k down the drain. But since you "must have a guitar Now!! And can't wait to save up more" you have to grasp at shit-coated straws.

    Anyway, I don't think you really got any info about pluto electrics... You could risk them... Although even that might be money down the drain.


    You're welcome.
     
  13. CARLOS SANTANA

    CARLOS SANTANA New Member

    "GIVSON LES PAUL" serioulsy lol...imagine Paul Hudson playing givson les paul.. :p LO
     
  14. Dethr0

    Dethr0 New Member

    their r couple of problems oriented in making a righty into lefty
    1- u cant use the upper frets
    2- neck radius is kind of right allingnment in nature
    3- restring will cause to change the bridge or to alter ( to maintain intonation )
    4- u will start to hate it after couple of months

    this are the problems i faced when i started ..
     
  15. flood

    flood New Member

    DOUBLE FACEPALM.

    slash's name is SAUL hudson.

    your name is EPIC FAIL GUY of 4chan (in)fame. i will only refer to you as EFG henceforth.

    and this is your stupid dance. [​IMG]
     
  16. CARLOS SANTANA

    CARLOS SANTANA New Member

    TYPO TYPO TYPO PPL...SPARE ME.. :/ :p :p ...LOL
     

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