Suggestions for a first guitar?

jilly23 · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 1

Hi all,

I am really interested in learning guitar - I thought I would start with acoustic. I have no idea what to begin looking for. I plan on going to a music store in the area to ask them but I wanted to have some knowledge before going in - does anyone have any suggestions (name, type, price) etc?

Thanks so much!

lee_UK · Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:41 pm Post subject:

if i were buying a first accoustic to learn on, i'd buy a nylon strung guitar, sometimes called spanish or classical guitars, there are a few good reasons why, the strings dont hurt your fingers as much as a steel strung guitar, which means you can get more practice in, the strings are spaced wider apart because the neck is wider, this helps getting your fingers properly placed on the strings without 'fluffing' the notes behind them, also those guitars are usualy smaller bodied than the steel strung ones, you can a quite good one for $100-150, and once you own one you wont sell it, in time you will want to get a steel guitar and then maybe an electric, but people always seem to hang on to their nylon strung guitar, so my advice is go for the nylon strung guitar, easier all round to learn on and play.
Good luck.

dcolville · Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Posts: 4 Location: ohio

Hello, Cant talk for all guitars but Ive been playing for a bit, and I like telecasters best, but if your looking for something really different, I found a new place to order hot guitars, I ordered one 3's a new days ago and waiting for it to come in, It looks like a snake its wild, it a new brand called COLVANE guitars, its at www.ghostwares.net they have all kinds of wild looking guitars. try it out, but for plain old try a tele. Laughing

youngwasp · Got Rhythm Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 71

Without any doubt it is false economy to buy a cheap instrument. There will be those that disagree with this as you can buy really quite good 'cheap' guitars - BUT I feel that the longevity of a novice guitarist's career is more often than not cut short when the guitar is difficult to play. This is not to say in terms of where to put your fingers, but some guitars are more difficult to play than others and cheap guitars tend to fall into the category of being less well made, so less easy to play.
My own choice would be to purchase a Yamaha from the APX range - the type with a cutaway making upper fret access possible. These are exceptionally well made for the money, I own two and compared to Takemine and the like, they hold up very well.
Make sure you buy a music stand too as you will find this very benefical when learning from any printed material (you'll see what I mean when you try propping a book up against a vase or old bottle of tomato ketchup).

lee_UK · Posted: Fri May 20, 2005 3:37 pm Post subject:

My advice is, if your are buying a 'quality' instrument, then make sure you buy a used one, make sure it is a sought after model ie: Strat / les paul /SG / Telecaster, and make sure you buy it in original condition in a standard colour!!, because these guitars will always retain their value.

BLS_Berserker · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

Epiphone Special ll or for acoustic witch is realy better to learn on an Epiphone AJ 100, both are realy good quality for the price

next_2_nothing · Groupie Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 13

yamaha C-40 $200AU best value begineers guitar ever, if you were to buy a classical guitar though, look at buying a narrow neck classical, as normal nylon stringed guitars have a wider neck making the transition of playing on an electric after a year or so of nylon string guitar quit difficult as the strings are closer together on an electric
cheers
MaTT

1bassleft · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 12:50 am Post subject:

I won't suggest an acoustic brand (I tend to only manage one string at a time) but I would like to suggest you choose your store, Jilly.

If you can, go for a "Mom 'n' Pop" or "educational" type of music shop. They're not the last word in bargains, but they have some advantages. They buy stock at relatively low volume, and tend to set them up properly. They won't laugh or ignore you when you say you're a beginner. Even if you only want to spend $150, they're more likely to let you try out what's comfortable/sounds good to you.

TBH, a lot of 'better-known' names are made in exactly the same factories as the "whoda...?" models you get at lower price levels. The 'names' don't even make their own spec; they just put their logo on the same instrument.

Now, I've got nothing against the big chains if you know what you're doing. Without wishing to patronize yourself, Jilly, nor to tar all "big-store-assistants" with the same brush, here's what can happen in some 3-storey shops.

Jilly: Hello, I'm interested in an acoustic to learn guitar on
SA (points to guitar on wall): They're popular. I can get one from the stock-room. Cash or Visa?

If you're even more lucky, you may get "The Widdler". This guy says, "Nah, you want one of these", wafts it under your nose for a microsecond, then does "widdlywiddlywiddlywiddly" for aeons. He cares nothing about making a sale - never mind finding you the right guitar. All he cares about is that he's paid to go "widdlywiddlywiddlywiddly" on expensive guitars whenever he feels like it. Once, when I stupidly enquired about a speaker cabinet, I shut the door on my way out and the bloke still had his eyes closed, rocking his head to his beautiful music.

Depressingly, they are out there. If you don't like the feel of the guitar or the store, walk away. Sorry not to be specific, but some of the other posts deal with actual models better than I could.

mikec3 · Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 3

Hi Jilli,
If you have a need for an acoustic find a "nice" mom&pop store with a cool lil' selection of acoustics. Most M&P's have affordable brands and most likely have tried many brands out in that field and stay with the best.
They get them in check for damage and playability of the instrument and set them up or will if they need it. Look for play action ( distance between
strings and fingerboard) check the necks feel , check sound, look at the parts bridge pins , tuners etc. Also check the top for any rising of the wood. Ask them to tune it , they'll should be glad to do it. You'll have to excuse me but I won't buy anything from a salesperson with arrogance!
It don't matter if it's from Asia or not cause there are plenty of USA $1000. instruments that are faulty too... So a nice Jay Turser , J.B. Player
Woods, Dean, Trinity River, Palmer, and even Sunlite have real nice acoustic's under $300. and if they are taken care of ,they'll last a lifetime.
Then later on you can move on up if you wish. But, everybody needs that first guitar....
Hope this helps.

lee_UK · Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:26 pm Post subject:

Jill's original post for help was early April, shes probably gone out and bought the guitar, learned, studied, and now playing solo accoustic for the National Philharmonic! or more probably bought one, didnt like it, sold it and bought a good set of hair staighteners instead..

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