Wanna Learn How to Play Guitar.. help me?!!

[MagicGuy 0]

So for a while now I've been wanting to get a guitar and start learning how to play. I don't have any intentions on really doing anything with the skill.. just want to learn how to play for my own entertainment, really.

I played the trumpet for 4 years while back in junior high but haven't touched it in.. geez probably 10 years. I figure at least having some kind of background with a musical instrument can do nothing but give me an advantage.

I've talked to a bunch of friends about recommendations for a guitar. Seems like I'm leaning towards a Takamine acoustic. I dig the black guitars and a buddy has a Takamine that is pretty sweet.

Anyways, just looking for suggestions. I don't really want to take lessons and want to try to just teach myself. Am I stupid for wanting to take that approach? And anyone know about Takamines.. good, bad?

Stay safe people.

[mccurley 0]

Takamines are ok, but for inexpensive I still prefer Yamaha. I have a 1976 Yamaha FG160 which sounds as good as my Martin, though not as good on the playing action.
I sugest that buy a guitar which is decent enough, that when you decide it hurts your fingers to much and your not going to play any more (happens to most starters) you can sell it off and actually get most of your money back.
If you get past the pain, that way you will have an instrument you enjoy playinmg for years to come.
There are lots of self teaching books available and these are OK to start, but try and hook up with some players and get what ever help they have to offer.
And jam with people as much as possible. Fun and educational.
Good luck with it.

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

[AggieDave 6]

I'm a big fan of Seagulls for an inexpensive guitar that sounds great. Its a soft pine so it'll ding easily, but it plays so well. I would love to have one, I just have that Fender acoustic I've had for a number of years now.

As for the OP I'm similar to you but I played trumpet for over 10 years, lead for my college's jazz band, etc. It helped a little, but overall its just teaching your fingers to do what your ears (and inner ear) can hear. That simply takes time playing.

Get a guitar, take some lessons to get the basics down then download a shit-ton of tabs and get playing. I used to play along to my favorite songs and it helped me a lot (never mind that its a lot of fun).

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Nightingale 0]

A takamine is a decent guitar. If you have the money, though, get a Martin.

Also, take lessons. I was playing guitar, learning from books, for about five years. In my first lesson, I learned more than I had in those five years, plus, I had a TON of bad habits to unlearn!

[mccurley 0]

I agree with Auggie DAve here. Seagulls are also a very good guitar. Several of my freinds play them and they sound great. I am not sure of the price range.
Tabs on line are also agreat resource.

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

[Nightingale 0]

My Ovation was killing my fingers, but my Yamaha and Martin were both okay. My guitar teacher adjusted the action, and it made it so much easier!

So, to the original poster, if the guitar hurts your fingers a lot, try getting it adjusted before you give up.

[AggieDave 6]

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Seagull.gc

$400-ish and up. $400 is about what you have to spend to get anything worth a crap. Buy a crappy guitar for your first guitar and not only will you play crappy, you'll give up playing because of how hard the guitar is to play (and how bad it sounds).

Quote

My Ovation was killing my fingers

At first I swore that said "My ovary was killing my fingers..."

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[MagicGuy 0]

I've heard about guitars hurting your fingers. Is it painful only for the fingers of the hand strumming the strings or for the hand on the neck of the guitar, as well?

Seagulls.. new brand to me. But then again, I've barely even held a guitar.

[mccurley 0]

It's the hand that is on the neck. Pushing down on the strings will eventually build up calloses and reduce the pain, and as the lady said you can get the action adjusted, but not worth it on a crap guitar.

Martins are great, I have a J1 and love it. They are probaly more afordable in US then here in NZ so maybe worth looking at if you have the cash.

I usually suggest $500 range for a beginer. For that you should get a decent quality.
The better the axe you get, the more you will eventually enjoy it.

I play every week in a jam session and it's more fun then you can imagine. worth all the time I have put into it in the last 30 years. Hey and some times people actually pay me for it!!!!!!

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

[SkydiveStMarys 0]

"Get a guitar, take some lessons to get the basics down then download a shit-ton of tabs and get playing."

What do you mean? Tabs?


Bobbi

A miracle is not defined by an event. A miracle is defined by gratitude.

[mccurley 0]

Tabs is short for tablature.
It's a style of writing music for guitar.
In short there are four or six lines across the page (for bass or guitar) reresenting the strings
Along each line numbers are placed to indicat were fingers should be place.
Some tab even tells which finger at the position.
Following tabs puts your fingers in the right place without knowing how to read music or knowing which notes are being played.
(but it's better if you at least make the effort to know which notes and chords are being played.)
Harnony central has a nice list of links to lots of sites with tabs.

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

[Morrison79 0]

Like a few other people said it's a good idea to spend around 500 for a first guitar. Don't waste your money on a $99 special. My first guitar was a Yamaha acoustic and I loved it. Wish I had never sold it
Personally if I were you I would take lessons. You can learn the basic's from an experienced guitar teacher. After that you can decide if you want to continue on your own or keep going with lessons. Unless you have some friends who play and are willing to teach you.

[SkydiveStMarys 0]

Thanks for the explanation.
Bobbi

A miracle is not defined by an event. A miracle is defined by gratitude.

[JackC 0]

One thing to take into consideration is that not all acoustic guitars are created equal, even within guitars of the same make and model. I had 2 Washburn D10s and one was discernably better than the other. It's not so much of a problem with electrics since the wood doesn't have the same input into the tone that it does in an acoustic.

There are lots of good makers out there and you actually don't need to spend thousands to get a great instrument. I've played $300 guitars that out performed $3000 boutique instruments.

If you can, take someone who plays along with you to try and find that special guitar. If you don't find it, don't buy anything; just come back another day and look for it again. They are out there.

A case in point, I've just bought a Stonebridge acoustic (on the right in the picture) and I'm quite pleased about it. It wasn't planned but it is one of those guitars that was made when the wind was blowing in the right direction or something and it just knocks the spots off almost anything else. I seriously need to stop buying guitars though. This latest one is number seven. It's time to thin the herd I think.

[kschilk 0]

Check out some of the bigger music sites like...
http://www.guitarcenter.com/
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/
http://www.musiciansbuy.com/
http://www.samedaymusic.com/
http://www.sweetwater.com/
http://www.elderly.com/welcome.htm

Do a search for "B Stock" guitars, on the various sites...they're not always advertised up-front. The "B Stock" stuff is usually referred to as "scratch & dent" but most often, there isn't a thing wrong with it! Often, if there is any visible damage, it's minor and hardly noticeable. Usually, a "B Stock" instrument has been returned....for whatever reason and not necessarily due to a defect.

Some (like MF) offer a return-policy...you buy the guitar and play it for 30 days or so and if you don't like it (for any reason), you exchange it for another. The one you return then becomes "B Stock". Some are returned because the strings were corroded or a pickguard screw was missing. They're usually repaired and then sold as "B Stock", at a much lower price.

There are some good deals to be had by going the "B Stock" route. Most of these sites have reviews on all the instruments, even the "B" stuff so check 'em out.

"T'was ever thus."

[masterrig 1]

That, is a great suggestion! My son, bought a 'second' Epiphone, Les Paul. They are sold as 'Epi'. I looked his guitar over, real close, played it and found the only problem to be on the back-side where the neck joins the body. You don't notice the defect, at all. It's a good playing, sounding guitar. He got his, at a helluva good price by going directly through the manufacturer. I think, he paid something like $350.00 for it. He did the same, with his flat-top guitar. Checking with guitar dealers, can get you on the right track.


Chuck

[jman 0]

For an inexpensive way to get started as far as lessons go, take a look at http://www.nextlevelguitar.com
They used to have free videos on their site, as well as on You Tube of song lessons but some douchebag copyright lawyer said it was a copyright infringement and they had to pull them down. However it's a great site. Dave Taub who teaches is excellent. The pay premium for a years membership is about $125. You can go a lot farther with your money that way than with traditional lessons. There are other sites out there as well. Go to You Tube & punch in "Guitar Lessons" and you'll be able to find something that interests you.

[kschilk 0]

Yep....the days of the ol' "Washbuckets", "Ibeenhads" "Deanosaurs" and "Spotaphones" are pretty much over. Everybody's making some nice stuff, for pretty cheap! You can get some really nice guitars, for $400.00 or less and some tolerable starter kits, for about $200.00.

I own an Epiphone Les Paul Custom, bought it used in a pawn shop about 16 years ago ($285.00). I had to tweak the neck and bridge initially but since then, it's been my favorite. I bought a Dean Boca 12 last year, for only $349.00....I'd have gladly paid twice that! Hard to get used to though, it's awfully head-heavy....letting go of the neck, instantly induces a downplane!

"T'was ever thus."

[MagicGuy 0]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. Much appreciated!

[iamsam 0]

Some of the best guitar players ever where self taught, but lessons will definitely help, and it doesn't mean you can't teach yourself stuff as well. They help to push you out of your comfort zone which can only make you a better player.

Practice practice practice. Make a commitment if you can to play every day, even if it's only for 20 mins but ideally at least an hour. Like skydiving in part it's a muscle memory thing and this can only be acquired by repetition, but you probably remember that from when you played trumpet.

Enjoy!

but what do I know

[Snowwhite 0]

I am a violin maker by trade, owned a music shop for 12 years, and have some guitar building/repairing experience. (about 26 years worth)
The accoustic guitars that needed the MOST repair - Ovation
followed closely by Martin. I never saw either one come from the factory with a quality set up, and for the most part they were close to non playable.
I quit selling both of those brands because they were so poor straight from the manufacture, and required so much time in the shop that I felt guilty selling them to the poor schmucks who thought they had to have a "name brand."
Yamahas have a long history of being very solid, nice playing guitars, but the guitar who's company stood behind it the best, and provided the fewest bad instruments straight from the factory was

BING BING BING Takamine.
I have probably had several hundered of them thru my hands at one time or another, and have only ever totally rejected ONE. In addition to the quality of manufacturing, they use very good quality Sitka Spruce in the tops of the solid top instruments, and if you are lucky enough to be able to afford a solid top with Rosewood back, you will never go wrong, and you will have an instrument that you can hand down to your kids.

skydiveTaylorville.org
[email protected]

[MikeJD 0]

Just wanted to agree with those who've suggested you get together and play with others (as well as getting proper tuition and practising by yourself). I'd say start jamming with a group as soon as you have even the most basic level of ability - it'll make it more fun, and inspire you to carry on.

It's all too easy to get distracted or find excuses not to practise if you're just trying to learn by yourself.

[JumpinJules 0]

when I was in 8th grade I wanted to play guitar sooo badly... I saved up all summer for a gorgeous (to me at least) washburn guitar that was half off... I got it for $250.... to my dismay however, the only guitar teacher in my area was a weirdo who would spend half of my thirty minute sessions showing me the new christian songs he'd learned, and would wait on his couch starring out of his window for me to get there... I was so uncomfortable I quit and never picked it back up... my boyfriend is now the only one who gets use out of it, but it's so pretty I can't get rid of it ... however... when I started skydiving I was seriously thinking about pawning it to get some extra cash for equipment...

That story was pretty unrelated to what you were asking, but I have to say... my boyfriend who plays shows around the area is jealous of the sound my $250 washburn has!

Into the great wide open/ under them skies of blue/ out in the great wide open/ a rebel w/out a clue.....

[AUSkyguy 0]

I'd go with the takamine... It's an excellent guitar and has a really good action making it easy on your fingers which as said before is the main reason people stop playing guitar.... It would be an excellent first guitar for sure... Also i would suggest if you want to spend alot of money on a guitar to go for an Alvarez Yari which i prefer over Martins and Taylors personally.

-Chris Martin

[cocheese 0]

The best part of having a good guitar in the house is when people who know how to play it come over and jam ya a free living room concert while you stare in disbelief that your guitar actually works.