Acoustic Guitar Advice

[RaoulDuke79]

My daughter just started playing the violin at school and I thought it would be cool if we could learn music together. I've always enjoyed music, but never really tried playing anything. I'd like to get an acoustic guitar for Christmas and was hoping to get some advice on a good guitar to start out on. Cheers.

[row_33]

what hand do you lean towards playing with?

 

[RaoulDuke79]

4 minutes ago, row_33 said:

what hand do you lean towards playing with?

 

I'm right handed for everything.

[row_33]

i'm a lefty but for the few times i've tried i got a good sound out of it playing right handed

 

i've thought of learning to play as a lefty

 

or going back to Chopin studies on piano....  but time slips by

 

go for it,  it's a great way to bond and solidifies good memories.

 

 

 

 

[John Adams]

27 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

My daughter just started playing the violin at school and I thought it would be cool if we could learn music together. I've always enjoyed music, but never really tried playing anything. I'd like to get an acoustic guitar for Christmas and was hoping to get some advice on a good guitar to start out on. Cheers.

 

Better guitars sound better and as a better player, that matters a lot. 

 

As a beginner, the best thing to do is go to the store and literally get the one you like and that you can afford. There's no need to break the bank with your first guitar. 

 

James Taylor could play the hell out of a $150 Ibanez and you'd sound like crap on a $5000 Martin. 

[row_33]

12 minutes ago, John Adams said:

 

Better guitars sound better and as a better player, that matters a lot. 

 

As a beginner, the best thing to do is go to the store and literally get the one you like and that you can afford. There's no need to break the bank with your first guitar. 

 

James Taylor could play the hell out of a $150 Ibanez and you'd sound like crap on a $5000 Martin. 

 

oh yes, I've seen a few demos by stars and not-quite in Toronto shops

 

just tell them honestly what you are seeking and they will be glad to help you out.

 

 

 

[WhoTom]

Seagulls are nice guitars for the money, and if you can find one used, even better. I have an S6 Original and an S12+. Both were used when I bought them - I paid about $400 for the 12-string and $220 for the 6-string.

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by WhoTom

[Alaska Darin]

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/thehub/choosing-an-acoustic-guitar

 

My advice is go to a decent music store and spend some time there.  Don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

The biggest thing is finding a guitar that's comfortable for you physically.  For new players, the most important thing is finding an instrument that easy for YOU to play.  I would ask to see guitars with the lowest possible action (distance from the strings to the fretboard) because the higher the strings are, the harder the guitar is to play.  Maybe look at travel guitars, which are smaller, generally cheaper and easier to play.

[Gugny]

1 hour ago, John Adams said:

 

Better guitars sound better and as a better player, that matters a lot. 

 

As a beginner, the best thing to do is go to the store and literally get the one you like and that you can afford. There's no need to break the bank with your first guitar. 

 

James Taylor could play the hell out of a $150 Ibanez and you'd sound like crap on a $5000 Martin. 

 

This is excellent advice.

 

Don't get too hung up on brand names - but stay away from "Stagg" or "Rogue" guitars.

 

Fender, Ibanez, Oscar Schmidt ... all make quality, affordable models.

 

[Nextmanup]

1 hour ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

My daughter just started playing the violin at school and I thought it would be cool if we could learn music together. I've always enjoyed music, but never really tried playing anything. I'd like to get an acoustic guitar for Christmas and was hoping to get some advice on a good guitar to start out on. Cheers.

There are 2 schools of thought on this, both have merit.

 

The first approach is to buy your "second guitar" FIRST.  Meaning a better, more expensive instrument will be easier to play, more fun to play, will sound better, and will encourage you to play more than a cheaper instrument.  But it comes at the cost of higher price and you have to weigh that against your own anticipation of how long you are going to play.

 

Are you the kind of person to try new things for a week and then forget about them forever?  Are you a perfectionist who conquers all that you explore in life?  Do you think you will still be playing this guitar 5 or 10 years from now?  This should weigh into your decision.  If you think you will stick at it, you might want to skip the "beginner guitar" and get something of quality up front.  

 

The second approach is to simply go buy any sort of cheap, serviceable guitar for $100 or something like this.  See if you like playing it and how it goes...if things go well and you want to advance, dump it on Ebay when the time comes and buy a better guitar.

 

You have to decide which route you want to go and only you can decide which is better.

 

 

[Mark80]

Get a cheap first one.  When your fingers are killing you and you are aren't seeing much progress it will be an easier pill to swallow if you give up.  I've tried learning at least 5 times.  Can't stick with it though and can't get more than 4 or 5 chords down each time.  Good luck though!

[Nextmanup]

2 minutes ago, Mark80 said:

Get a cheap first one.  When your fingers are killing you and you are aren't seeing much progress it will be an easier pill to swallow if you give up.  I've tried learning at least 5 times.  Can't stick with it though and can't get more than 4 or 5 chords down each time.  Good luck though!

See my comments above; this can be a valid approach.

 

If you do go the cheap route, take a look at these Esteban guitars.  I once watched an informercial with this guy selling these things for a half hour.  Of course, he could play a ham sandwich and it would sound good...but he went out of his way to put some level of quality into these things for a ridiculously low price so as to make guitars accessible to kids coming from families that can't afford very much.

 

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Esteban/AL100-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-115781406.gc

[Nextmanup]

1 hour ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

My daughter just started playing the violin at school and I thought it would be cool if we could learn music together. I've always enjoyed music, but never really tried playing anything. I'd like to get an acoustic guitar for Christmas and was hoping to get some advice on a good guitar to start out on. Cheers.

Another thing to consider here:  why are you targeting an acoustic guitar specifically?  Does that translate to the sort of music you like to listen to and want to play?  Is it because you think that will better accompany the violin?
 

Would you have any interest in an electric guitar and playing electric music?  

 

I ask because you can get a little amp and an electric guitar for not much $$$ at all, and an electric guitar will be MUCH easier to play off the bat than an acoustic guitar.  You can also make it sound very clean and "acoustic" in nature and play it at low volume if that is what you like, and you can also play the electric guitar acoustically, meaning, don't plug it in and just play it.  Or you can turn up the volume now and again, add some distortion, and try to play Hendrix and Zeppelin.  

 

The electric guitar can do a lot more than the acoustic guitar and it is much easier to play....so I thought I'd bring this up.

 

However, if all you want to do is play Simon and Garfunkel music (so to speak), an acoustic guitar still makes sense.

 

 

[RaoulDuke79]

19 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

There are 2 schools of thought on this, both have merit.

 

The first approach is to buy your "second guitar" FIRST.  Meaning a better, more expensive instrument will be easier to play, more fun to play, will sound better, and will encourage you to play more than a cheaper instrument.  But it comes at the cost of higher price and you have to weigh that against your own anticipation of how long you are going to play.

 

Are you the kind of person to try new things for a week and then forget about them forever?  Are you a perfectionist who conquers all that you explore in life?  Do you think you will still be playing this guitar 5 or 10 years from now?  This should weigh into your decision.  If you think you will stick at it, you might want to skip the "beginner guitar" and get something of quality up front.  

 

The second approach is to simply go buy any sort of cheap, serviceable guitar for $100 or something like this.  See if you like playing it and how it goes...if things go well and you want to advance, dump it on Ebay when the time comes and buy a better guitar.

 

You have to decide which route you want to go and only you can decide which is better.

 

 

A little from each group. Whatever I do or try intend to go all in right out of the gate. However,  I tend to lose interest in most things after a while. I'm definently going to go the cheaper route to start out.

6 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

Another thing to consider here:  why are you targeting an acoustic guitar specifically?  Does that translate to the sort of music you like to listen to and want to play?  Is it because you think that will better accompany the violin?
 

Would you have any interest in an electric guitar and playing electric music?  

 

I ask because you can get a little amp and an electric guitar for not much $$$ at all, and an electric guitar will be MUCH easier to play off the bat than an acoustic guitar.  You can also make it sound very clean and "acoustic" in nature and play it at low volume if that is what you like, and you can also play the electric guitar acoustically, meaning, don't plug it in and just play it.  Or you can turn up the volume now and again, add some distortion, and try to play Hendrix and Zeppelin.  

 

The electric guitar can do a lot more than the acoustic guitar and it is much easier to play....so I thought I'd bring this up.

 

However, if all you want to do is play Simon and Garfunkel music (so to speak), an acoustic guitar still makes sense.

 

 

I just assumed an acoustic guitar would be less expensive.

[Nextmanup]

2 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

A little from each group. Whatever I do or try intend to go all in right out of the gate. However,  I tend to lose interest in most things after a while. I'm definently going to go the cheaper route to start out.

Well then it's not complicated.  Go to a music store, and put some acoustic guitars in your hand and see what feels comfortable, and comes at a price you feel comfortable paying.  And then buy it.

 

Once you get it, the key to the entire endeavor is practice.  Initially your hands will be cramping up and your fingers will hurt.  You have to push through that.  

The more you play, you will build up calluses on your fingers and those will make it MUCH easier to play after you have them.

 

There is an infinite supply of tutorial/instructional videos at Youtube, guys showing you how to play chords or your favorite licks, etc...you can learn all you need to for free there.

 

 

 

 

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

Don't buy anything too cheap. My mom bought me a "First Act" guitar when I was a teenager, and I never learned how to play until someone gifted me their old Epiphone. Yamaha, Ibenez, are both good beginner guitars, and you won't be breaking the bank if you decide it isn't for you after a few months. But if you're not planning on spending at least $100-150, don't bother. 

 

Also, I learned the hard way, invest in a good case. 

Edited September 27, 2019 by The Real Buffalo Joe

[RaoulDuke79]

3 minutes ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

Don't buy anything too cheap. My mom bought me a "First Act" guitar when I was a teenager, and I never learned how to play until someone gifted me their old Epiphone. Yamaha, Ibenez, are both good beginner guitars, and you won't be breaking the bank if you decide it isn't for you after a few months. But if you're not planning on spending at least $100-150, don't bother. 

 

Also, I learned the hard way, invest in a good case. 

I was going in with the idea of keeping it under $500.

[Gugny]

Let me add that I think learning to play guitar on a piece of crap is not a good experience or idea.

 

Another piece of advice is, if you're going to buy online, be careful.  My son tried out a cheap acoustic at the local store.  They didn't have it in the color he wanted.  I found the same guitar online, in the color he wanted.   When I got it, the frets all had sharp edges that hung over each side of the fretboard (sign of drying out).

 

It's really best to make your purchases in person.

 

Since you are at risk of abandoning the guitar, perhaps something in the $150 range would be wise.

 

Example:  https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-fa-125-dreadnought-acoustic-guitar/l48534000001000

 

Although it's best to buy in person, musiciansfriend and sweetwater are both pretty risk-free.  I bought a Fender acoustic from MF and it was perfect.

 

Good luck!

 

[Nextmanup]

6 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

I was going in with the idea of keeping it under $500.

If you are good with a $500 budget, go to a store, find the one that speaks to you, and buy it.  

 

It's not more complicated than that.

 

 

[Chandler#81]

1 hour ago, Alaska Darin said:

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/thehub/choosing-an-acoustic-guitar

 

My advice is go to a decent music store and spend some time there.  Don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

The biggest thing is finding a guitar that's comfortable for you physically.  For new players, the most important thing is finding an instrument that easy for YOU to play.  I would ask to see guitars with the lowest possible action (distance from the strings to the fretboard) because the higher the strings are, the harder the guitar is to play.  Maybe look at travel guitars, which are smaller, generally cheaper and easier to play.

^

Great advice. Don’t buy one sight unseen or without handling it. There are nuances in every guitar. I have fat fingers, so a narrower neck doesn’t work for me, where it may for slender fingers. Yes, the Action, or closer to the neck makes for easier playing. The faster you sound good to yourself, the more likely you’ll continue playing.

[coloradobillsfan]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

if things go well and you want to advance, dump it on Ebay when the time comes and buy a better guitar.

 

FYI I made the mistake of dumping my first guitar (a fairly inexpensive Yamaha) when I upgraded to a better one (a Taylor). 

Now whenever I go camping, which is an ideal place for an acoustic instrument, I worry about the Taylor getting the crap beat out of it on the bumpy roads, or getting stolen, or baking in the hot sun, etc.  Really wish now I had kept my Yamaha.  

[row_33]

and best of luck having a beginning fiddler in your house, that is some painful sounds coming out of that instrument

 

 

[Chandler#81]

‘nother thing. Know & strum an A & D chord in 1st Position. They both require a tight bunch of fingers. If you sound like crap strumming them, you’ll want a wider neck.

[WhoTom]

1 minute ago, Chandler#81 said:

‘nother thing. Know & strum an A & D chord in 1st Position. They both require a tight bunch of fingers. If you sound like crap strumming them, you’ll want a wider neck.

 

Good point. I had trouble with the A chord on my Ibanez. The guy at the music store recommended a 12-string. When I found the Seagull S12+ and fell in love with it, I decided to get an S6 Original too, which has the same wide neck as the S12+.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WhoTom]

57 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

I just assumed an acoustic guitar would be less expensive.

 

A good acoustic will start at around $200 new. You can get a decent electric, with a small practice amp, for less than that. Since your budget is around $500, you can get a nice guitar of either type.

 

But really, it's about what you like to play. I started with acoustic, then bought an electric. But I found that I'm a better strummer than a picker, and for those big open chords, the acoustic is better. I started playing at age 45, which isn't the best time to learn something that involves fine-motor skills. Strumming rhythm guitar is easier for me because it involves fewer finger movements - just change chords once per measure, as opposed to playing 4-8 notes per measure. It also requires less precision with my right hand, because I'm strumming several strings at once instead of just one at a time.

 

I ended up giving the electric to my son. He also got my Ibanez acoustic when I bought the Seagull S6.

 

 

[row_33]

25 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

A good acoustic will start at around $200 new. You can get a decent electric, with a small practice amp, for less than that. Since your budget is around $500, you can get a nice guitar of either type.

 

But really, it's about what you like to play. I started with acoustic, then bought an electric. But I found that I'm a better strummer than a picker, and for those big open chords, the acoustic is better. I started playing at age 45, which isn't the best time to learn something that involves fine-motor skills. Strumming rhythm guitar is easier for me because it involves fewer finger movements - just change chords once per measure, as opposed to playing 4-8 notes per measure. It also requires less precision with my right hand, because I'm strumming several strings at once instead of just one at a time.

 

I ended up giving the electric to my son. He also got my Ibanez acoustic when I bought the Seagull S6.

 

 

 

yup, work on the acoustic for a few years

 

then get an SG and work out the 1st minute of James Gurley on Ball and Chain

 

 

 

[GoBills808]

Get one with low frets and nylon strings to start. Your hands will thank you.

[row_33]

maybe take viola lessons, it's not as popular but still essential for chamber music works

 

you can play in a Seniors String Quartet for your golden years

[RaoulDuke79]

1 hour ago, row_33 said:

maybe take viola lessons, it's not as popular but still essential for chamber music works

 

you can play in a Seniors String Quartet for your golden years

There was a pretty good distribution of instrument preferences between the violin,  viola, cello and bass. I was hoping the kiddo would pick something small, and she got her choice of violin. The thing is a hell of a site cheaper to rent than the bass and cello that's for sure.

[Thurman Kelly]

The best advice for any beginner is to bring an experienced player with you when you go to buy your guitar.  You simply will not be able to tell what is wrong or sub-optimal with a guitar you are trying.  You will also not even know if the guitars are in tune (which is going to greatly affect your impression of the quality of guitar's sound), or tuned to standard pitch (guitar stores often tune down cheap guitars to make them seem easier to play), or are easier or more difficult to play than the average guitar.  You probably will not be able to distinguish between the features of different guitars except on the most superficial level (bigger/smaller, louder/quieter, cutaway/no cutaway, etc.).  Get a friend to come along with you and let them know what your budget is.  Store salesmen will be somewhat helpful, but in the end they are more concerned with making sales than ensuring you've made the very best choice for you, and since you are likely buying an inexpensive guitar, they will not want to invest too much time in helping you make a choice.

Edited September 27, 2019 by Thurman Kelly

[SirAndrew]

2 hours ago, The Real Buffalo Joe said:

Don't buy anything too cheap. My mom bought me a "First Act" guitar when I was a teenager, and I never learned how to play until someone gifted me their old Epiphone. Yamaha, Ibenez, are both good beginner guitars, and you won't be breaking the bank if you decide it isn't for you after a few months. But if you're not planning on spending at least $100-150, don't bother. 

 

Also, I learned the hard way, invest in a good case. 

Yeah, I agree. I’ve been playing for 20+ years and still have every guitar I’ve ever owned. Sometimes I’ll play a couple of the beginner guitars that sit in my closet, and they are almost impossible to play. The action is so high that barre chords never sound clear, and it’s extra brutal on the fingers. If I were just leaning on one of these, I’d give up thinking that the guitar is an impossible instrument.

 

The best advice is to just try guitars out. There are some relatively cheap ones that play quite well, but certainly the first act guitars and those types are not among them. Just check them out, even an inexperienced player should be able to tell which guitars are easier to press the strings down on. 

[row_33]

40 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

There was a pretty good distribution of instrument preferences between the violin,  viola, cello and bass. I was hoping the kiddo would pick something small, and she got her choice of violin. The thing is a hell of a site cheaper to rent than the bass and cello that's for sure.

 

cello is too common, viola has a much more limited solo work, but is essential in chamber music.

 

let us know how the violin lessons go, getting a solid sound out of one takes some time... 

 

 

percussion was a lot more flexible for band in high school, practically no rehearsal, one sheet of music for the score, 2,322 bar rests so i could do my homework or goof around during class.

[Gugny]

If you're open to other ideas, I'd suggest considering a ukulele.  Very fun and very easy to learn a few chords in no time.

[RaoulDuke79]

12 minutes ago, Gugny said:

If you're open to other ideas, I'd suggest considering a ukulele.  Very fun and very easy to learn a few chords in no time.

Who do you think I am Tiny Tim? I was expecting a skin flute reference. 

[row_33]

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Gugny]

11 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

Who do you think I am Tiny Tim? I was expecting a skin flute reference. 

 

I got my first uke long before they became "trendy."  I love the thing.  There was a good stretch where I was playing that more than guitar.  It's the first instrument my son ever picked up.

[RaoulDuke79]

18 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

I got my first uke long before they became "trendy."  I love the thing.  There was a good stretch where I was playing that more than guitar.  It's the first instrument my son ever picked up.

Basically i want to learn to play Jane Says......wife thinks I'm going through a mid life crisis which may be partially true.

[Best Player Available]

It's simple--- " If it's not a Gibson, it's not a guitar"..

[Gugny]

24 minutes ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

Basically i want to learn to play Jane Says......wife thinks I'm going through a mid life crisis which may be partially true.

 

G, A ...........................................................

[row_33]

53 minutes ago, Best Player Available said:

It's simple--- " If it's not a Gibson, it's not a guitar"..

 

rock stars loyal to Gibson tend to live longer than those loyal to Fenders

 

starting with Buddy Holly....