Budget Acoustic

Zoton

I'm teaching my girlfriend how to play the guitar at the moment, and she's getting pretty interested, so she's decided that she'd like to get her own guitar, since she finds playing mine a bit awkward cos its a dreadnought (i think). So any suggestions for an acoustic for a beginner? a smallish bodied one is preferable, and if it has a purple or red finish that would also be a bonus.

Eoin Madsen

In standard full size shapes, the Dreadnought is the smallest really. You can go down to 3/4 size guitars. I don't know if there's any point in learning with a smaller guitar, if she ever intends to play a standard sized guitar.

With that said: http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/thoiw6_artikel-145060.html. This is what you're looking for. However, you probably won't find a great range of finishes in 3/4 size guitars.

Try looking on http://www.taylor.com anyway. You can find comparative pictures of the different body shapes (just pick a series at random from the products section) and figure out if you really have a Dreadnought.

bovril

a yahama f310 is a nice budget guitar for a beginner. If you buy one that's really cheap it may be harder to play (action wise) and may but you off when you are learning.

Zoton

Well she's managing fine at the moment on the steel stringed acoustic, but she just finds the body of it very large and awkward, hence wanting a smaller bodied one, not necessarily a nylon stringed classical.

stephen_murphy7

fitz wrote:

My God do you sound like a know-it-all.
Maybe you should present your "humble opinion" in a less obnoxiously arrogant and dismissive manner in future.

Your Dad was wrong too.

Man - were you looking in the mirror when you typed this? Dublinario merely offered advice on what he has learned playing the guitar. To refer to that as dissmissive and arrogant is hypocritical to th comedic level of Mel Brooks. You assume that you are right and someone else is wrong, and call THEM dismissive. For the record, I think that learning with a dreadnought is the way to do it as an adult. There is no point in having to readjust as you reach a certain level. If it was a child that was learning then I would agree with using a classical guitar to learn, but not an adult.
That makes it 4 guitarists to one for the dreadnought - me, Eoin, Dublinario and Dublinarios dad!

lee_baby_simms

I would have to agree with the majority here regarding a beginners guitar. A classical to me would seem too cumbersome for a beginner.

However, I really enjoyed Fitz and dublinarios' little scuffle there.

dublinario wrote:

Not content with introducing us to your colossal ignorance on the subject, you further embarass yourself by saying that the wider neck will benefit them...

But perhaps the most glaring omission in your bone-head, half-baked theory, is that the classical guitar just wont sound as volumous or appealing being lightly strummed...

It's pretty obvious Fitz, that you are a pathetic little ignorant prat, incapable of intelligent debate, who instead resorts to bizzare posturing when they encounter an opinion that contradicts there own...

you f*cking clown.

haha!!

Repli

From my experience (and i started off with a classical guitar/nylon strings) when you switch to a regular acoustic with steel strings you find the chord formations easier to find because of the slimmer neck. The first few weeks are tough switching to steel strings (my fingers almost bled) but after a while its fine and you get a better sound too.

Eoin Madsen

Wow, that's quite a read. Okay, for the record, I wasn't advocating learning on a dreadnought in particular. Primarily I just think a 3/4 size is a bad idea. There are merits to learning on any type of guitar, including classical guitars (even for contemporary styles of music). But in terms of avoiding bad habits and developing good technique, I think it's more important that you have a good teacher to look after your playing style. Ideally - with due respect, Zoton - not a friend or boyfriend, but someone that teaches professionally. Unlearning bad habits takes a lot longer than learning right the first time, and knowing how to play yourself (even if your technique is perfect) is a far cry from being qualified to teach. I certainly wouldn't feel confident teaching someone myself.

Someone suggested a Yamaha F-310, which is a good choice for a first acoustic, in my opinion.

Fitz, you accuse dublinario of being obnoxious and dismissive in his first post, which he's not. You may think he's wrong in what he says, but your retort comes across as pure arrogance - and accusing him of being a know-it-all looks a little ironic, to say the least. Dublinario's subsequent reply and the various personal insults he stoops to are just as bad if not worse. I'm sure you're both decent blokes in real life (I know at least one of you is), so cut the crap, guys. This argument is nothing but arrogant posturing, and you both come out of it looking like assholes.

Zoton

Eoin Madsen wrote:

, I think it's more important that you have a good teacher to look after your playing style. Ideally - with due respect, Zoton - not a friend or boyfriend, but someone that teaches professionally. Unlearning bad habits takes a lot longer than learning right the first time, and knowing how to play yourself (even if your technique is perfect) is a far cry from being qualified to teach. I certainly wouldn't feel confident teaching someone myself.

I'm just teaching her the basics, some chords, getting a basic strum going and a few simple songs. I did the same with my little brother, taught him the basics, then he progressed to getting proper lessons and now he's far better than i am (little git :rolleyes: )

Zoton

We paid a visit to music maker on Saturday, and after trying out various different guitars, and with help from guy who's name escapes me now, she eventually settled on a 'Big Baby Taylor' A lovely guitar, 15/16th size, solid spruce top.