Starting Guitar

Chanandler Bong

Here's the story lads. I've recently decided to take up guitar, more as a hobby than anything, like im not tryna join a band or anything. Is there like a certain guiatr i should buy, as a beginner?, and how long will it be before i can make a decent effort at a song (or even part of one:))

cos i saw joey on friends not having much success!!

CianRyan

http://www.thomann.de/ie/yamaha_pacifica_112_om.htm
http://www.thomann.de/ie/roland_micro_cube_ltd_white.htm

Would do ya well to learn on.
But make sure you got the guitar set up right before you trying and learn.

It will probably be about a month before you really start to see any signs of improvment.

Its not too hard at all, just takes patience and practice.

Good luck man.

Chanandler Bong

Cheers for suggestion, but i was thinking more along the lines of acoustic guitars, Sorry i probly should have been more specific in my OP:o

Ah, i can handle a month:D

CianRyan

Well in that case i suggest nylon strings, but which guitar exactly, i'll leave for some one else to tell you, i am terrible at that sort. :pac:

rgjmce

Get an Aria, fantastic quality for not much money.

You can buy them in X-Music in Dublin and SoundShop in Drogheda

Chanandler Bong

rgjmce wrote: »

Get an Aria, fantastic quality for not much money.

You can buy them in X-Music in Dublin and SoundShop in Drogheda

Excuse my ignorance, but about how much are we talking here?

rgjmce

well tbh i'm sure about prices on acoustics.

I would say about €100 for entry level but i could be wrong.

You could also have a look for second hand ones on ebay,adverts,gumtree.ie

You would get the quality of a epiphone that would cost at least twice the amount

rgjmce

Just checked prices.

Aria acoustics are surprisly expensive (about €300) but i still think it's worth having a look for second hand ones.

But if you don't want to buy second hand then have a look at different guitars and if you are unsure about a make of a guitar then just leave a message here and i will let you know, if i think it's a good guitar

Chanandler Bong

Cheers dude, was thinking of looking on ebay, but i had a bad experience with it before so i'd most likely go to the shops?, what shops in town sell them do ya know?

docdolittle

The thomann site is actually really good, I got an argos guitar to start off... that was a big mistake :P after I got my Takamine EG321C, I never touched the other guitar because the Takamine was so good

oh and really look into getting lessons, I've been teaching myself from online stuff, it takes ages!!

Here is a good site for learning new guitar tabs http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/

Chanandler Bong

yeah thing is like i dont reckon id use it enough to warrant getting lessons. I'm a pretty quick learner usually anyway, plus i have a few mates who play. I heard the internet instructions can be pretty useful though?

CianRyan

Youtube is a god send for beginners, i've heard.

Wish i knew what youtube was, when i was starting off.

Alanstrainor

Okay, just want to say, as for what type of guitar you want to get, pick the guitar that will giveyou the sound you want. Most singer/songwriters will use steel string acoustic guitars, which are more difficult to play initially, but it's a step that you'll eventually take. So my advice is, if you want to play steel string acoustic guitar, get one. Dont buy a nylon, "because they're easier", your fingers will get used to the strings in a matter of weeks, and then you'll be flying!

spoonbadger

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Okay, just want to say, as for what type of guitar you want to get, pick the guitar that will giveyou the sound you want. Most singer/songwriters will use steel string acoustic guitars, which are more difficult to play initially, but it's a step that you'll eventually take. So my advice is, if you want to play steel string acoustic guitar, get one. Dont buy a nylon, "because they're easier", your fingers will get used to the strings in a matter of weeks, and then you'll be flying!

Agree completely. Nothing will put you off guitar more then starting on a nylon string, unless you want to play classical stuff. And dont buy an acoustic guitar online, it's really not worth it (especially if your buying something under 1k€). Lower price guitars vary alot in quality, so you really will have no idea what you're getting if you dont try it out before hand.

Just try all the guitar shops in dublin, x-music too. Play every acoustic you can within your budget (and out of it too, it'd suck if you missed a great guitar just because it was 20€ over your original budget!!).

See what you like, what brands you like, what shapes you like, what necks, what bodies etc. Find a guitar that appeals to you and buy it, try not to worry about the price tag. If you get a good guitar now, it'll last you a lot longer than something which is worse, but cheaper. Long run investment ftw .

CianRyan

Yeah i actually never got a nylon string guitar, untill i had already been playing 3 years, and thats only because i was learning clasical stuff.

I learn on an electric and got a steel string acoustic after about a year of playing.

68 lost souls

I agree, dont get a nylon if you want to play acoustic. GO out to the shop and sit down with a few to see what feels comfortable, I know you may not know the first thing about playing yet but you can get a feel for the width of the neck and that sort of thing.

Try and get a solid top acoustic, if you have to pay a bit extra its worth it for the sound. Hope this helps.

rgjmce

I don't think are any shops in town sell them.

Musician (X-Music as it is called now) sell Arias but only electrics

Tristram

spoonbadger wrote: »

And dont buy an acoustic guitar online, it's really not worth it (especially if your buying something under 1k€). Lower price guitars vary alot in quality, so you really will have no idea what you're getting if you dont try it out before hand.

+1

Red Sleeping Beauty

The Yamaha F310 you can get in the Argos book gets my vote. It's very basic but also pretty good.



Oh and plus 1 to not buying a nylon strung acoustic.
As far as not buying an acoustic online, I'm not sure that really applies to beginers as your ears may not be as tuned as say someone who's been playing for 1year, 3years, 5years etc....

The best advice for a someone starting out on gutiar is to hang around people who play gutiar and ask them questions, ask them to show you some chords and licks . If you've friends who play , become closer friends with them.

The Boarder Man

Just bring a guitar playing friend with you for their opinion.

stevelknievel

You probably got it already, but I have to agree with Alan Dunne. I got the Yamaha F310 from Argos, and I was delighted with it. Also my guitar playing friend was very impressed. It cost about 120 and you got spare strings a few extra bits in it. Re lessons. There's a website called www.justinguitar.com that i went to alot. He's also got a lot of song chords and a youtube channel so you can what he's talking about. Either that or a book called the complete guitar player by Russ Shipton. Gives a lot of lessons on rythm, chords(obviously), different playing styles etc. and the difficulty increaces at a really good pace. Not too fast not too slow. The best thing is each lesson comes with chords for a song. The first one is Mull of Kintyre which you could probably get down in about 2 weeks. Less if you quick learner.

ROC1977

Yep Justinguitar is an excellent site, great advice on what guitar a beginner should buy and great free lessons. I got an Electric guitar Xmas eve and have been learning since then from Justinguitar.com. In only 3 weeks I'm happy how far I've advanced from complete novice knowing nothing about a guitar, to being able to play all the open chords comfortably and even one or two easy songs. House of the Rising sun, Wild thing, Hey Ya (outkast) to name a couple. Now working on speeding up my chord changes, strumming, 12 bar blues and minor scales.
I have been on average been putting in 3 hours a day, normally when the misses is watching soaps!
Once you get passed the sore tips of the fingers, which goes away after a week or so its grand.

The only thing I'm worried about is I'm playing a right handed guitar, and I'm left handed. I'm just hoping that this won't prove to be a mistake when I get to a more advanced stage. But as everyone else says practice, and practice some more.

Getting my guitar was the best gift I was ever given. I've been on about learning the guitar for years now. Started playing for about a year when I was 10, now 31 trying to finish something I started 21 years ago. I just regret I didn't keep playing from 10 to 31. I could have been the next Guitar god!!! lol (joke!)

68 lost souls

Im a lefty who learned righty and I get on fine.


EDIT:THIS APPLIES TO ACOUSTICS

If you really want its generally not that hard to flip an acoustic around. Only difference really is the pickguard if its not a cut away. The nut may need to be changed aswel but that is not too much work at all.

ROC1977

68 lost souls wrote: »

Im a lefty who learned righty and I get on fine.

If you really want its generally not that hard to flip an acoustic around. Only difference really is the pickguard if its not a cut away. The nut may need to be changed aswel but that is not too much work at all.

My guitar is electric so I don't think switching the strings will be a good idea. I think the pick ups would sound off. I'm doing fine playing right handed anyway (i think) even played Guitar Hero right handed lol.

I was just a a bit worried when it came to plucking different strings at speed (probably a long way from that) with my right hand would I have been better off playing lefty flip. But I guess the plan really should be keep at it. So thats what I'll do.

68 lost souls

Sorry I didnt read your post properly thought you were on about an acoustic guitar.