So I want to play the guitar
Element Brian
Peanut Butter ShillRegistered User regular
Peanut Butter ShillRegistered User regular
I'm registering for my next semester of classes tonight, and they have a class that, you guessed it, teaches how to play the guitar. I've always wanted to learn to play, and theres no fee's other than I have to have my own guitar, so why not right?
Well, I'm a complete guitar newbie, I have no idea what is good or not. I'm obviously a beginner so I don't need some awesome expensive thing, just something that will be a nice deal for someone like me whose learning the ropes.
Just by googling, I found this http://www.zzounds.com/item--IBAIJV50
I'm not sure if Ibanez has a good reputation, or if their are any bad reputations at all.
What do you guys think, what do you suggest? For face value, I like what I found here because its only 99.99 plus shipping and handling..though perhaps I can find something like that near me and skip the S&H costs..
Anyway, GO! Advise me!
Well, I'm a complete guitar newbie, I have no idea what is good or not. I'm obviously a beginner so I don't need some awesome expensive thing, just something that will be a nice deal for someone like me whose learning the ropes.
Just by googling, I found this http://www.zzounds.com/item--IBAIJV50
I'm not sure if Ibanez has a good reputation, or if their are any bad reputations at all.
What do you guys think, what do you suggest? For face value, I like what I found here because its only 99.99 plus shipping and handling..though perhaps I can find something like that near me and skip the S&H costs..
Anyway, GO! Advise me!
Element Brian on
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Honestly, you really can't beat the basic Fender Stratocaster for a good starting guitar. That being said, if you're just starting, it won't make a huge amount of difference what kind of guitar you have, because your first month you're going to sound like a cat in heat anyway. Just buy something that won't kill all your strings and can stay in tune for more than a few minutes and you'll be good to learn.
Don't worry about sound and stuff until you can actually play decently and might start doing some gigging.
You won't need an amp and you'll be able to hear yourself without waking up room mates or neighbors. The brand doesn't matter that much as I have a poorly made Yamaha that works just fine, or you can get a low end Fender or whatever and just bang around on it to learn. Something similar to what you've found will probably be wonderful to start with and shouldn't sound so bad to discourage you from potentially continuing your lessons or hobby.
Of course, many people will say that you should learn on an electrical guitar because it is easier to play. It isn't that hard to make barre chords because the neck is smaller and the strings are more often than not a lower gauge. All valid points, but really you shouldn't start out with barre chords nor should you be straying far from the nut (top) of the guitar to learn to read music and play those warm delicious open chords.
Besides, at college do you really want more stuff to have to move around and worry about your room mate puking on? I think not.
I guess next question is, should I go to a guitar shop, or should I just get what they have for about $100 at Costco? Going to a music shop sounds like a good idea, but I dont like people who have more knowledge than me about a topic to advise on it me when they are the ones trying to sell me something (thats why I came here to you guys).
Arch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_goGR39m2k
Go to a guitar shop, most definitely. You'll get better guitars for the same price, and they'll be well taken care of, and the people there will tell you the best ways to start and give you sweet advice.
On a sidenote, if you're going acoustic, Ibanez is actually the way to go. Their acoustics are pretty excellent guitars. Yamahas can be okay, but I tend not to like them, because their action (the space between the strings and the fretboard) is HUUUUUUGE.
I would try to find that kit at a local music store.
And yeah, a starter set is fine because you don't know how to play. If it sucks after 3-4 months, the class is over and you'll know enough that you can go and actually hear the difference between the instruments.
It's always nicer to spend a little more and get an instrument that will stay with you, but to do that takes time and a friend to help you out. If you've got a few months to research and hunt, more power to you, but if you need a guitar relatively soon a starter kit will get you, well, started.
http://www.silvertoneguitar.com/products/acoustic_sd2000pk/index.htm
Full Size Steel String Dreadnought
Blond Natural Top
Mahogany Stained Back & Sides
Sound Hole Rosette
Bound Rosewood Set Neck & Bridge
Full 20 Fret Rosewood Fingerboard
Chrome 13 to 1 Ratio Capped Tuning Machines
High Gloss Finish Complete Package Also Includes:
Silvertone Gig Bag
Silvertone Strings (Extra Set)
Silvertone Guitar Strap
Chord Chart
Pitch Pipe
Silvertone Guitar PicksSD2000PK
For $130 which for my price range, didn't seem like something I could beat.
Arch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_goGR39m2k
My fiance and I are interest and learning bass and guitar (respectively) as well, and dear old Uncle Sam decided to put some dough in our pockets, so we figured it was a good time to start. We need to buying everything from the ground up, so suggestions are welcome. Is there anything inherently wrong with going to Guitar Center, or should we try and find a local shop? What kind of price range should we be looking at for starter stuff? What guitar/bass brands should we be looking for or avoiding?
Guitar Center would be fine for those. Otherwise if you plan on buying individual items, go to a local place. Guitar Center has the occasional good employee, but most of them try to sell you what makes them the biggest commission. Some items make them more because they have a higher profit margin, and that's what they push.
20 frets.
The rest doesn't really mean anything and is the equivalent of selling a car with the tagline "comes with 4 round profile grip-max wheels". Don't buy anything online. Go into a guitar shop and be prepared to spend $100 extra on something that is more comfertable to play. If you buy online and cramp up after 15 minutes you will not learn how to play guitar.
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Other than that, my only advice to you is to practice regularly and to not allow yourself to get too frustrated. Learning how to play the guitar is a process -- it won't happen overnight.
As above, accoustic much harder for learners - but you'll end up better for it. Also - learn to read music and play some classical stuff. It will make a massive difference in your abilities in the long term.
I'd check out some of the other threads like
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=81888&highlight=guitar
or
http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=5504
hit up your local instrument store and find something like this http://www.cleverjoe.com/articles/gripmaster_hand_finger_exerciser.html . you don't realize just how weak & "tied" (for lack of a better term) to the other fingers your pinky & ring finger are.
as far as callouses go, you can sit with the guitar while watching tv or talking on the phone and slide your fingers up and down the strings pressing as hard as you can without actually playing to work up a little grit on your fingertips.
They do come pretty quickly, though, if you're practicing regularly. While starting out just make sure you take breaks if your fingertips hurt -- getting a blister will take you out of the game for a couple days.
Yeah, I mean I know that now we're talking about Guitar Center, but the OP earlier mentioned just not trusting people who are trying to sell you something and are the knowledgeable ones.
I've gone to one local shop twice and bought my guitars from them. Both of them I said I had a ceiling of $500. They had me try a few for each category, and then in total I spent $800 on both, with the ceiling of total $1,000. Both times even though I tried the range, the ones they first recommended to me were the ones I ended up buying. I trust these guys with no question at all. I buy everything guitar related from them because they'll always give good advice about it. Just because they're trying to sell you something and they have the knowledge doesn't mean they'll try to rip you off.
just take suggestions/advice from people that work at the store with a grain of salt. they probably work there because they do know what they're talking about (you'll often see employees jamming out on floor models during slow times), but they're still employed by the store (and for all we know instructed by management to steer customers towards the higher price ranges). and i think it's safe to assume you're more likely to find this at the chain stores (guitar center, etc.) than you would at the corner music shop.
one example: i recently purchased a new set of nylon strings for my spanish-style acoustic. i already knew the brand i was going to buy but just for a lark i asked the guy at the counter what nylon strings he would recommend. without a moment's hesitation he pointed to a set of nylon strings (keep in mind: a set of 6 "nylon" (plastic) strings, 3 of which are wound in steel) that cost $35. the set i went with, mostly because i know the brand - ernie ball, cost $12.