singforsam Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I've been wanting to get a guitar for a while now, but i don't know where to go. If you know of a good place and give me advice about a somewhat not so expensive guitar. I'm a beginner so i need some info. If you have any you would like to share please do. SamFontana Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest David Puddy Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 price range? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oceanman Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Buy A SEAGULL.....best student, beginer guitars out there. Blows anything out of the water for the price as for sound a playability. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Buy A SEAGULL.....best student, beginer guitars out there. Blows anything out of the water for the price as for sound a playability. My first guitar was a Seagull S6. I still have it. It's a good quiality instrument. Good recommendation. Another option is a Yamaha acoustic. I played a couple in the $250 range over the weekend and was impressed. Sam, are you looking for an acoustic or electric guitar? So far, all the recommendations are for acoustics. If you want an electric, maybe you could check out a mexican made Fender Strat or Telecaster. Those are in the $300 - $350 range, I think. Epiphone also makes some decent quality lower priced electric guitars. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Groo Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Buying a guitar is an extremely personal purchase. There's no way to tell you which brand/model would be the best for you. The best thing to do is to go to the store, and see which guitar fits your hands/body best, find which one "speaks" to you. Since you're a beginner, it might be tougher to find exactly what you want, so you might want to consider holding off until you're a little bit more advanced? That being said, there's tons of great guitars out there for beginners. Don't be afraid to spend a little bit more on a slightly higher quality instrument. It'll make it easier to learn . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oceanman Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 buy a seagull...........now It's too hard for a beginer to know what to feel for, I wish I had help. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 buy a seagull...........now It's too hard for a beginer to know what to feel for, I wish I had help.I agree. Once a person learns, then they'll know what they want. Even for well-versed players, some guitars just don't jive with some people like they do with others. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 i'm not a beginner, but I just bought a Seagull S6 because I needed a cheaper knockaround guitar that I could travel with, bring to the beach, etc. I love that freaking guitar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 buy a seagull...........now It's too hard for a beginer to know what to feel for, I wish I had help. Not dogging Seagulls...you could get into alot more...you havent really mentioned what you want do go with it...do you aspire to do open mics, write songs, woo chicks...i would recommend getting an acoustic, electric really is a very different instrument... Best advice ( as groo said) is to spend a day and tool around with as many guitars as you can, just have some quality time on the sales floor until something fits a bit. Dont let salesmen do it for you, or even have him wait on you...its surprisingly easly to get talked into something. Best things to consider when shopping is how it feels in your hands and on your chest (comfort)and whether you like the way it looks (if you arent charmed by your new guitar, youll be less likely to play it enough to learn). Worry about sound quality and projection when you are more experienced...you might not really jump into guitar right away... After shopping for a while, dont be afraid of used guitars (personally, ill never buy another new one)...after you get an idea of what youre into, you can save a lot of money...ive been playing and buying for years, and most online retailers and ebayers are extremely reputable... Have fun thats what its for...j Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthony Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 My two cents: Don't buy that 99.00 Epi special at GC. You don't want to get a guitar you will outgrow in 3 months. My advice? 1. Buy an acoustic guitar; best place to learn, IMHO. TO easy to hide behind distortion and power chords. Stunt your growth.2. Spend a least 500 bucks. I think Epi Masterbuilts are a good choice. I learned on a Taylor 110. Great guitar and highly recommended.3. Get it 'set up'. A hard guitar to play is the worst thing for discouraging you. A proper setup will alleviate this problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I second Anthony, except for the price range recommendation. Buying something no more expensive than $250 for a starter is best, for several reasons: a) In my experience, the $250 - $500 zone doesn't really equal a huge jump in quality; b ) When you're ready to move on to something of higher quality, you can pass on the guitar to a peer who's ready to take up guitar (my first Fender went to my close high school friend); c) If you find guitar to be about as compelling as calculus, you didn't blow $500 on a living room art piece; d) The action on $250 range guitars is often such that if you can play that, you can play anything. And yes - TRY THE USED GUITARS TOO! Don't worry if you don't get into it right away - I owned my guitar for a year before I actually started playing it. I tried and tried, and it didn't take, until one day I woke up and couldn't put it down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 TRY THE USED GUITARS TOO!Totally. If you're in a large enough market that you can get something good used -- go for it. It'll probably be a little more broken-in too, which is great. And you can get more guitar for the money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 As someone who is not even a beginner I am freaked out by used guitars. I know that I know enough to know that I dont know enough to know whether someone has messed with it. I have heard horror stories about stores selling stolen guitars, and I have also heard horror stories about people selling used guitars that they repaired after some serious damage was done. On the theory that there's no such thing as a free lunch, I am always worried that if I find a good deal that maybe it's a good deal because there was/is something wrong with the guitar. I know my way around a guitar fretboard and used axes scare me -- I think someone who is a real beginner might have even more things to worry about. Just my two cents. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 As someone who is not even a beginner I am freaked out by used guitars. I know that I know enough to know that I dont know enough to know whether someone has messed with it. I have heard horror stories about stores selling stolen guitars, and I have also heard horror stories about people selling used guitars that they repaired after some serious damage was done. On the theory that there's no such thing as a free lunch, I am always worried that if I find a good deal that maybe it's a good deal because there was/is something wrong with the guitar. I know my way around a guitar fretboard and used axes scare me -- I think someone who is a real beginner might have even more things to worry about. Just my two cents. Those are the wrong fears to have if you're buying from a good shop. If you go to the right store (i.e. not GC or the like) for used gear, you will leave with a good buy. You also need to look at what you're getting for what price. If you're purchasing a 1960's Gibson for $300, you can bet it will blow chunks, if not disintegrate in your hand altogether. If you're paying $300 for a 1990's Epiphone that cost $700 new, you're doing pretty well for yourself. Guitars are a lot like cars in this regard - know your makes and models (or at least enough to make an informed price comparison), and you should be fine. 2006 Porsche selling for $8000? You know better than to buy that. Ford Focus for $8k? That's a bit more reasonable. Also keep in mind why most people are selling their guitars: upgrading, offsetting costs of newer equipment, and disinterest in them. I own a 1967 Epiphone Cortez that sounds WORLDS better than any new guitar I could have purchased, and I doubt I'll be buying anything new again. I sold my new Taylor a few months later, because I hadn't taken it out of its case since I bought the Epiphone. If you're still wary, go to the store and play a few used guitars. If you find one you like, write down the make, model, year and price, and do some research online before you buy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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