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[Music] Buying a guitar











Peteinblack

Peteinblack

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jun 3, 2004
4,273
Bath, Somerset.
Once you've purchased, there are countless good free videos on YouTube teaching how to play almost any rock song or riff you want, note by note, chord by chord.

Some tutors specialise in a particular band or guitarist, one of my favourites being a dude who is a fellow Killing Joke fan, and has mastered almost everything ever played by the late riffmeister Geordie Walker.
 


O

Oh_aye

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2022
2,391
Thr important thing for starting is that you have a comfortable guitar with a good action.

The standard starters acoustic is the Yamaha 310. Which is a really good guitar for the price and and easy to use.

I got one from GAK for.about 90 quid.
 




WATFORD zero

WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
28,498
I've got a couple of mates with a few guitars. I think it's just a matter of choosing which colour :shrug:

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M

Mancgull

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2011
5,893
Astley, Manchester
If you want a bargain have a look in a few charity shops. There’s usually a half decent one in there. Take someone who knows about guitars and you’ll avoid buying a dud.
Lots of stuff on YouTube to help with learning.
I bought an electric one about 13 years ago and am now pretty good. Mostly self taught.
 


M

METALMICKY

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2004
7,186
Another vote for electric guitar here although you will have to up your budget. My reasoning is that acoustic guitars when learning will be very unforgiving when your trying to build up finger strength. Generally they will have a flatter wider neck profile, a high action ( that's the distance between string and finger board ) and thicker gauge strings.

Something like this would be the ticket but just make sure you get is professionally set up by the shop. This has a very versatile pick up figuration so you'll be able to play all types of music. The neck will be comfortable and far less effort holding the strings down and sliding your hand.


As for an amplifier tech has come on brilliantly for bedroom playing novices with limited space and neighbours. I have one of these little babies called a Mighty Plug that you simply plug one end into the jack socket of the guitar and then a simple set of corded ear phones. You get a range of different amplifier sounds plus a range of guitar effects.


With the acoustic you could find yourself getting disheartened quickly as you struggle. The electric route for want of a better expression ' cheats or flatters ' you a little but critically it might spur you on. You tube is awash with some excellent tutorials to teach you slowly like just riffs with one finger.

If you find that guitar playing isn't for you wont have any trouble selling on a half decent well set up electric.

Best of luck!
 




US Seagull

US Seagull

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
5,201
Cleveland, OH
As a college student, many years ago, I thought it would be a good idea to learn to play guitar. Since I didn't know if it would take, I thought I'd start with a cheap guitar. This was a huge mistake. It wouldn't stay in tune and I didn't really know how to tune it properly. It was nothing but frustration and ended up just sitting in the corner of my room for most of my time in college.

Didn't even help me pull any birds.

So this is the problem with guitars. If you want to just _try it out_ without spending too much money, then you are probably heading into a world of frustration that'll have you jacking it in before you even get started.

The suggestion of looking for a decent (which might be hard to evaluate if you don't know much about the subject) second-hand guitar might be the way to go. I guess ideally if you could grab a guitar playing buddy to help you find something reasonably priced and not shit.
 


zefarelly

zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
23,302
Sussex, by the sea
AK74 said:
@El Presidente will appreciate your comment, Perry.

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Any excuse




Go and see Alfie @ Mudpie music . . . FB market place may work but is full of scammers.

Id up your budget to at least £100 . . . . You'll get something playable . . . Fender made a range of student acoustics which are very playable and sound good too . . . You should be able to find one for about £100. . . Or a semi acoustic electric, electrics are easier to play generally

you could try bass if you have fat fingers, it's a doddle and there's only 4 strings 🙄
 


GT49er

GT49er

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 1, 2009
50,336
Gloucester
Perry Milkins said:
It's all opinion I suppose but for a guitar virgin I would steer towards nylon strings to learn the basics less painfully.
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Can't agree with that. Classical guitars (i.e. those with nylon strings) are for playing classical music, and not really much use for anything else.
Beanstalk said:
If you're looking to pick up and learn, it is highly likely that you want to firstly be able to play chords on it and you're not likely to be aiming to play classical guitar without a lesson. Nylon sounds terrible if not played properly, go steel string and build up your calluses.
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Exactly this. The fretboard will be a bit wider anyway, so at best it's swings and roundabouts for easiness to play.
 




M

METALMICKY

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2004
7,186
Here's my sexy little beast. Just to qualify that to play rock a studded strap is essential!

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Beanstalk

Beanstalk

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2017
3,215
London
US Seagull said:
As a college student, many years ago, I thought it would be a good idea to learn to play guitar. Since I didn't know if it would take, I thought I'd start with a cheap guitar. This was a huge mistake. It wouldn't stay in tune and I didn't really know how to tune it properly. It was nothing but frustration and ended up just sitting in the corner of my room for most of my time in college.

Didn't even help me pull any birds.

So this is the problem with guitars. If you want to just _try it out_ without spending too much money, then you are probably heading into a world of frustration that'll have you jacking it in before you even get started.

The suggestion of looking for a decent (which might be hard to evaluate if you don't know much about the subject) second-hand guitar might be the way to go. I guess ideally if you could grab a guitar playing buddy to help you find something reasonably priced and not shit.
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You can pick up a crap but useable second hand acoustic guitar from a recognisable name for £50. The action may be out of place and it'll be considerably harder to play than a £1000 guitar but it will hold its tune and be playable. A Fender FA-25 will set you back £100 new and sound good enough that you don't realise its price point. Second hand you could probably get it for closer to the OPs budget.

If you were to buy off brand like Gear4Music or another cheap and easy name then you'll see issue after issue, especially around the tuners, and holding tune.
 


S

Since1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2006
1,682
Burgess Hill
Personally I would wander along to Badlands Guitars in the London Road. They always have good value s/h gear, they are hugely knowledgeable and will help you make a good choice.
 




Mellotron

Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,678
Brighton
Hard agree with others who say don't buy a bargain basement guitar. You will be FAR more likely to jack it in (pun intended) quite quickly.

A better instrument will make you sound better. It'll be more fun to play. As a musician of 25 years, it's well worth the investment (IMO).

Usual plug for my mate at We Have Sound in the Royal Arcade in Worthing. http://www.wehavesoundguitars.com/
 






Dorset Seagull

Dorset Seagull

Once Dolphin, Now Seagull
Feb 21, 2009
4,637
Shaftesbury Dorset ( Hovis hill to you )
METALMICKY said:
Here's my sexy little beast. Just to qualify that to play rock a studded strap is essential!

View attachment 196313
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I have the same guitar a Fender Squier that cost me about £120 in 2017. I first started to learn to play it a few months ago!!! I bought a Fender acoustic at Xmas but find it more difficult to play chords as the neck is so much wider.

Glad I finally decided to have a bash at playing as really enjoying it. However noobies need to view the learning curve much like learning to drive a car but much longer. It may takes several months to do even basic stuff but I assume it becomes second nature when things finally click in.
 








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