total beginner

OLDYELLAR · 24-07-2002 2:19pm #1

hola , i`ve gotten it into my head that i want to learn to play guitar , as it stands i know absolutely nothing about different types of guitars , just wondering , if anyone could recommend what would be a good one for some one like me to start with ?

Giblet · 24-07-2002 4:17pm

I'd usually recommend starting on an acoustic. Its the best way to build up finger strength. Which guitar to buy depends on how much money you have. Go for a good steel string guitar, with a nice and comfortable action (string height)

OLDYELLAR · 24-07-2002 4:21pm

how much will it cost ? i `ve got 400 euro ! dont know if thats good or bad .

Giblet · 24-07-2002 8:22pm

You could get a good takamine in the buy and sell if ya looked, or a cheap one first hand if your lucky. Some Epiphone acoustics are ok, but tend to have high action if you dont watch out for it.
Get some one whos playes guitar to go with you though.

OLDYELLAR · 24-07-2002 8:36pm

thanking you kindly for the advice , i`ll give a look in the buy and sell or south east trader tomorrow evening .

Jim · 30-07-2002 11:50am

wow 400!

dont spend it all, i recommend buyin a cheapish guitar if ur startin off. if u lose interest its 400 squid down the drain:p

OLDYELLAR · 31-07-2002 12:17am

yeah your right alright , what kinda one would you recommend so thats kinda cheap just incase im totally hopeless at it?

Jim · 31-07-2002 10:02am

hum...... my advis wud b go into waltons and get one of those ****y spanish guitars they seem to stock for bout 90 euro. there a bit fiddly to play but if u get good on it playin a steel string or electric can b much easier.:)

[just dont buy nythin else from waltons:mad: :mad: :mad: ]

Paladin · 31-07-2002 7:22pm

Aw gees dude, not trying to be a smartass here or anything but dont tell him to start on a spanish guitar. Its so limiting as to the sound you can get from it that unless you are a fanatic you will get bored real fast, and it does play very differently to regular acoustic OR electric.

My choice of beginner acoustic is a Hohner Countryman for about 100 euro. (Mine was £80). Play with a few because the quality varies drastically for that guitar, but what do you expect for 100 quid.

I do agree that acoustic is good for learning on. The reason is that it is slightly more difficult to play physically therefore you develop better techniques than you would with an electric. Its also cheaper

If you want an electric however you can buy a decent-ish guitar and amp combo from about E250 - E300

Giblet · 31-07-2002 8:02pm

Spanish guitar = The most thrown away guitar around.
Stick with the ol' Steel Strings.

Gordon · 31-07-2002 8:23pm

My advice is the spanish guitar too. I got a 3 quarter size (smaller than normal) to start off with, learned the theory and why harmonics exist, learned the position of the chords, got a bit of finger strength up. 3 quarter size sounds crap but is, like, €50 or less. Then I worked up to Epiphone by Gibson then bought a Standard Gibson Les Paul.

Advantages:

Cheap,
Sounds shîte so really makes you appreciate your next guitar,
Small fretboard akin to small electric guitar fretboard,
Light,
slightly cheaper strings,
You don't give a hoot if it gets dropped/stolen/eaten,
It's just to learn on.

(I still play on my 3/4 size Spanish guitar)

OLDYELLAR · 31-07-2002 10:43pm

cool man hey i is going about getting someone to give me lessons , did ye get lessons ?

Giblet · 31-07-2002 10:49pm

Disadvantages: You will not have the finger strenght to play a steel string, and will probably cry like a baby. I've seen it so mnay times.

OLDYELLAR · 31-07-2002 11:32pm

mm maybe , ah well i`ll try it newho.

Gordon · 01-08-2002 12:37am

It'll be grand, worked perfectly for me. Anyway, wouldn't the fingers hurt if you've never played a guitar before and then pick up a steel string?!

As for lessons, I got a teacher that taught me the chords, after that I picked everything up on my own so ditched him (he kept arsing around playing Steve Vai while I was trying to learn). I would advise you to try it on your own and buy a cheap scale and chord book. If it turns out that you aren't getting anywhere - go for a tutor. Have to say, there's nothing like doing it your own way. Understand the musical world the way you want it.

Good luck Old Yellar, get those finger callouses tough now.

Oh yeah, if you get a small spanish guitar you can practice bending the strings a lot easier too.

Giblet · 01-08-2002 12:43am

I got my callouses from steel, I couldn't imagine anyone getting them form a spanish one, If you get a spanish one, you will learn the chords, then play a steel string, and then you will realise that your hand is gay, but if you start on a steel string, you will get over it quicker.

Gordon · 01-08-2002 12:50am

I got my callouses from steel, I couldn't imagine anyone getting them form a spanish one

It happens, you play hard - you get hard...

and then you will realise that your hand is gay

lol

So there you go Old Yellar, nobody truly knows but yourself. Go to some shops and play whatever you like and get what you think is right. As Giblet says - bring someone with you that knows a bit about guitars.

Good luck

bombidol · 01-08-2002 9:47am

SoundsAround on capel st do guitar and amp combos, last time they had a kit for £100. the girlfriend got one a while back.
where are you based ? i might be interested in doing lessons
what type of stuff do you want to play
bomb

Jaicster · 01-08-2002 10:57am

I started on my 'encore' steel string which cost 52 quid irish at the time, so fairly cheap. Haven't bought any strings since i got it and it still sounds fine seems to hold its tuning longer that my electric.

It has an action (distance of strings from fretboard) of about 1 cm and a lil bit, at the most, and at first was a bastard to play.

But i'm glad i learned on it because i can play pretty much any guitar i can get my paws on.

Right now i'm working on getting some hard skin on my pinky, coz i need to learn how to use it for some metalica solo's and the like.

If i have any trouble learning any song (finger strength) i just grab my steel string and learn the song on that, then when i go back to electric i play soo much better.

Well make your own mind up.

OLDYELLAR · 01-08-2002 12:38pm

hey bombidol i`m based around am kilkenny and waterford ,, yeah would you be interested in giving lessons?i dònt really mind what i play .i`d just like to learn , ....................................................................anyway so my hand is going to be in bits eh?me crys!

bombidol · 01-08-2002 2:10pm

Im up in Dublin

OLDYELLAR · 01-08-2002 2:28pm

sh*te , looks like that wont be goin to happen so ,,,,,,,thanx neway.

darthmise · 01-08-2002 2:39pm

My advice would be to start on a steel string, Spanish guitar limits you, and if you learn how to play on it and then try to switch to steel string you'll wish you had callous fingers and probably stick to the Spanish guitar.
All depends on how serious you are though i guess...., and what you want to play, and going by what i've seen you post ont he music board i'd say none of it would be suited to nylon strings.

Get a steel string acoustic, cheap one, and yeah a takamine would be the right job.

Originally posted by OLDYELLAR
hey bombidol i`m based around am kilkenny and waterford ,,

....so wheres that? Clonmel? Sweet Jesus your not from clonmel are you?

OLDYELLAR · 01-08-2002 2:52pm

no i`m not from clonmel , why are you?no i live in kilkenny but spend amost of me time down in waterford ,

darthmise · 01-08-2002 2:55pm

I'll plead the 5th on that one i think...

OLDYELLAR · 01-08-2002 2:59pm

hey are you coming to the session in waterford next thursday?i did a little thread in the boards events forum , should be a laugh!

SOL · 11-08-2002 12:53am

i recommend getting a yamaha f-310 acoustic, they were £130 and there not half bad for playing, it'll do you for a while too. and jesus strings don't exactly cost much at €10 i mean how much are you hoping to save buying a spanish guitar?

total beginner

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