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Right guys, Ive been thinking about this for a while now, but now I can afford to do this. Im gonna learn to play the guitar.
Does anyone else here play? I could really do with some advise on which are the best guitars to get and some things I may have to look out for when buying one. I was thinking along the lines of a Fender and also a Fender amp.
Thank for any advise.
Does anyone else here play? I could really do with some advise on which are the best guitars to get and some things I may have to look out for when buying one. I was thinking along the lines of a Fender and also a Fender amp.
Thank for any advise.
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I started learning about 4 months ago. A few mates told me to get an eleccy, and a few said an acoustic, they all gave their reasons but I just love the sound of an acoustic so I bought me a Yamaha. Cost me £95 from the local guitar shop, but I didn't just go in there and say I've got £100, give me a guitar please. I took my mate with me who's been playing for about 3-4 years now, so he has an idea if I'm not getting screwed over, I'd recommend you do this.
It is frustrating to start with, but it's just a matter of patience. I used to go days without even touching my guitar but now I can't go a day without picking it up and playing a tune. This is mainly due to the fact that I paid so much for it, which leads me on to my next piece of advice...
Buy a good guitar for quite a bit of money, you'll be getting a good guitar and it's sort of a motivation factor for pushing yourself to learn. If you've spent quite a bit on the guitar, you won't want to have wasted your money and just give up, something that would probably happen if you bought an acoustic from somewhere like Argos.
I'd suggest you get yourself an acoustic, I found it fairly easy to learn, not by using any books though, use the internet. It's got all you ever need for free, chords, riffs etc.
www.tabtalk.com
www.ultimate-guitar.com
www.mx-tabs.net
There is a few good tab sites to get you on your way :).
It is frustrating to start with, but it's just a matter of patience. I used to go days without even touching my guitar but now I can't go a day without picking it up and playing a tune. This is mainly due to the fact that I paid so much for it, which leads me on to my next piece of advice...
Buy a good guitar for quite a bit of money, you'll be getting a good guitar and it's sort of a motivation factor for pushing yourself to learn. If you've spent quite a bit on the guitar, you won't want to have wasted your money and just give up, something that would probably happen if you bought an acoustic from somewhere like Argos.
I'd suggest you get yourself an acoustic, I found it fairly easy to learn, not by using any books though, use the internet. It's got all you ever need for free, chords, riffs etc.
www.tabtalk.com
www.ultimate-guitar.com
www.mx-tabs.net
There is a few good tab sites to get you on your way :).
I agree gangster. Start on a leccy so you can get used to the shapes of the different chords. Then integrate playing both acoustic and electric. If you start on an acoustic you will probably give up easily as the neck is thicker, it will hurt you hands trying to play a bar chord at first. Buy a cheapo leccy first. I now have a fender mex strat, a Tanglewood Earth 500 acoustic, and my pride and joy - ESP Viper 301 - it totally rocks.
Monkey_With_Attitude wrote:
> I prefer playing my Acoustic rather then my Electric these days.
>
> I can just pick it up and play it without having to stand up and put
> straps round my head etc. The sound is nice too as you can hear the
> chords nicely without any bit of distortion at all. Makes your fingers
> tougher quicker too.
So do I to be honest, but if you want to build confidence quickly, an acoustic aint the pace to start in my opinion.
> I prefer playing my Acoustic rather then my Electric these days.
>
> I can just pick it up and play it without having to stand up and put
> straps round my head etc. The sound is nice too as you can hear the
> chords nicely without any bit of distortion at all. Makes your fingers
> tougher quicker too.
So do I to be honest, but if you want to build confidence quickly, an acoustic aint the pace to start in my opinion.
Gangsta Hamsta wrote:
> Never, get one of these deals where you get a guitar + amp for
> under £200. They are fine for learning a few chords but will
> really limited your progress much further unless you are an amazing
> natural guitarist.
I'll disagree with this. The packs are a great way to start if you want to go straight to an electric guitar, as you have everything you need - guitar, strap, plecs, amp, leads, and usually a book too. The amp is generally crap for anything apart from bedroom playing, but it means you can hear what you're doing, and the guitar will do all you need it to.
I'd not go for an acoustic straight away either. They are a lot harder to play due to the weight of the strings. Also, if you want to learn the electric guitar because you like the sound of an electric guitar, then the acoustics trickiness will be even more disheartening because of it's sound.
What I'd do to start over again, is this.
get me a epiphone les paul/yamaha pacifica/fender squire from the freeads (loads on www.adtrader.com). see it working if poss. Should pay about £50-100.
get a practice amp. Any amp will do. 10 watts is ample. They are only £30-£50 new, so in the traders they should be about 20. your local guitar shop should be able to put you in touch with someone selling one privately. alternatively, marshall do these little 2 watt amps with belt clips for £20 new, and they are great!
buy all your leads/straps/plecs new
find a mate who can show you some chords.
easy. You get all the stuff you need from a pack, but at a bit less cost.
> Never, get one of these deals where you get a guitar + amp for
> under £200. They are fine for learning a few chords but will
> really limited your progress much further unless you are an amazing
> natural guitarist.
I'll disagree with this. The packs are a great way to start if you want to go straight to an electric guitar, as you have everything you need - guitar, strap, plecs, amp, leads, and usually a book too. The amp is generally crap for anything apart from bedroom playing, but it means you can hear what you're doing, and the guitar will do all you need it to.
I'd not go for an acoustic straight away either. They are a lot harder to play due to the weight of the strings. Also, if you want to learn the electric guitar because you like the sound of an electric guitar, then the acoustics trickiness will be even more disheartening because of it's sound.
What I'd do to start over again, is this.
get me a epiphone les paul/yamaha pacifica/fender squire from the freeads (loads on www.adtrader.com). see it working if poss. Should pay about £50-100.
get a practice amp. Any amp will do. 10 watts is ample. They are only £30-£50 new, so in the traders they should be about 20. your local guitar shop should be able to put you in touch with someone selling one privately. alternatively, marshall do these little 2 watt amps with belt clips for £20 new, and they are great!
buy all your leads/straps/plecs new
find a mate who can show you some chords.
easy. You get all the stuff you need from a pack, but at a bit less cost.
Gangsta Hamsta wrote:
> Acoustics are nice, if you have patience. They are harder to play
> correctly as they are less forgiving. It will likely frustrate you at
> first.
I prefer playing my Acoustic rather then my Electric these days.
I can just pick it up and play it without having to stand up and put straps round my head etc. The sound is nice too as you can hear the chords nicely without any bit of distortion at all. Makes your fingers tougher quicker too.
> Acoustics are nice, if you have patience. They are harder to play
> correctly as they are less forgiving. It will likely frustrate you at
> first.
I prefer playing my Acoustic rather then my Electric these days.
I can just pick it up and play it without having to stand up and put straps round my head etc. The sound is nice too as you can hear the chords nicely without any bit of distortion at all. Makes your fingers tougher quicker too.
Acoustics are nice, if you have patience. They are harder to play correctly as they are less forgiving. It will likely frustrate you at first.
Having said that, if you can master an acoustic, it will make playing an electric a breeze.
The only tip I would offer is to listen to what monkey man said. Go for something pretty decent like an Epiphone (superb guitars for their price). Never, get one of these deals where you get a guitar + amp for under £200. They are fine for learning a few chords but will really limited your progress much further unless you are an amazing natural guitarist.
Having said that, if you can master an acoustic, it will make playing an electric a breeze.
The only tip I would offer is to listen to what monkey man said. Go for something pretty decent like an Epiphone (superb guitars for their price). Never, get one of these deals where you get a guitar + amp for under £200. They are fine for learning a few chords but will really limited your progress much further unless you are an amazing natural guitarist.
I bought an acoustic for a fiver at a car boot, and I think it's finally in tune. I still can't play an A chord right for some reason :-S
Thanks guys, I think I may get an acoustic to start me off, and then work my way up.
I found a good magazine today that is especially for people that are thinking of learning how to play guitar that has a beginners guide in it, so thats gonna help me too.
Now I know how to spell advice too.
:)
I found a good magazine today that is especially for people that are thinking of learning how to play guitar that has a beginners guide in it, so thats gonna help me too.
Now I know how to spell advice too.
:)
I would reccomend one of those Fender pack-ins with a guitar and a nice amp. About £150 IIRC, look in the Argos catologue.
If you can stretch to Squire Strat, or an Epiphone Les Paul, that would be ideal. Seeing as you don't already have one though, I'd recommend an acoustic (cheapo from Argos) just to learn the chords and basic techniques. Then once you've got the hang of it, switch to an electric guitar and the fingering/chord positions will seem a hell of a lot easier with the smaller neck and frets.
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