Beginner guitar

[jhawkrktekt]

Greetings all

 

After many years of saying "i would really like to learn to play guitar" I am finally getting ready to take the plunge and by an instrument.  Outside of screwing around with my roommates guitar back in college, I have never played in my life.

 

I have to admit I'm a bit intimidated and lost about how to pick out an instrument and thought I might hit up some folks on this board who likely share my appreciation for Wilco and therefore must be at least semi-intelligent and thoughtful enough to provide me with some solid direction to get going. 

 

I have no designs about ever trying to play professionally or anything like that, but would hope to be able to pick up a life long hobby - I am serious about that.

 

I have a few questions right of the bat:

 

1. Should I learn on acoustic or electric (seems like I've always heard its best to start acoustic, and that's the way I'm leaning right now,but i'm interested in others' opinions)

 

2. What is are the most important things to look for when shopping for my first instrument?

 

3.  Any suggestions about specific brands and/or models to look at as a first guitar?

 

4.  What is a good price point to be considering in order to get a quality made instrument, for a beginner, that might allow me to grow into (that is not something that I would outgrow within a year or two)

 

Any suggestions on the above or any other pointers would be most appreciated

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

[GtrPlyr]

The decision to go acoustic vs. electric really comes down to what kind of music you plan on playing. Electrics are easier to play and learn licks and chords on. Acoustics sound better unplugged and don't require an amp. I started out on an acoustic guitar that my dad had lying around the house. Shortly after that I got an electric for Christmas. To this day I enjoy playing both, though most times I usually play an electric guitar unplugged around the house as it's quieter than the acoustic and won't wake up my girlfriend when I play at night. Having said that, I would probably recommend starting out with an acoustic. It's a bit harder than an electric but once you have it down an electric will be a piece of cake. Also, there's nothing like picking out some songs on an acoustic guitar when you're just starting out.

 

As for what to get. Decide on the maximum you're willing to spend, do some research and get the best thing in that range (I know, obvious as heck.) You can get some decent guitars in the $400-800 range for sure. If you're looking to go on a budget you may want to look into Epiphone's or something like that. If money is no object you may want to check out some Martin's, Gibson's, Fender's et al. The trick is to try out a bunch of them at your local music store and see which ones speak to you. It's all about what feels and sounds the best to your ears.

[Moss]

I would say the $400 - $800 range is about right.  If you really get into it then you will wish you had spent that much.  Less than that and you could run into the frustrations of poor intonation, difficulty in keeping it in tune, poor action, buzzing frets, all the types of things that will easily frustrate someone trying to learn to play.  Epiphones are a good bang for the buck.  Taylor also makes some "low end" acoustics that may not break the bank but are still high quality.

 

Like GtrPlyr said, acoustic vs. electric is more about the kind of songs you want to play.  I spend the vast majority of my time playing on an unplugged electric.  It's loud enough without being too loud and you can play for hours without getting blisters.  If you are more into strumming and singing along or learning to finger pick, you should probably go acoustic.  If you want to learn how to solo like Eric Clapton, you probably want an electric.  At the end of the day if you like it, you are going to end up with both.  As far as acoustics, types of wood make a big difference in sound so you want to play a bunch of different ones to see what you like.  I made the mistake of buying a fairly expensive Taylor that I now find a bit too mid-rangy for my taste although the guitar is still very well made and sounds good.  Had I spent more time I would have got something different.

[anthony]

Here is my two cents:

 

1. Should I learn on acoustic or electric (seems like I've always heard its best to start acoustic, and that's the way I'm leaning right now,but i'm interested in others' opinions)

 

I would vote acoustic. It lends itself better to the hobbyist / living room player (like myself). Much more versatile, IMHO.

 

2. What is are the most important things to look for when shopping for my first instrument?

 

I would suggest trying a few out in stores to see how they feel and respond to you and your fingers. If acoustic, I would suggest looking for an all solid wood guitar (or at least solid top).

 

3.  Any suggestions about specific brands and/or models to look at as a first guitar?

 

For a first guitar, I always suggest Epiphone Masterbilt series, Taylor 110 (the one I learned on) or a Seagull (forget model number). All are good guitars that you wont grow out of immediately. For electric, I would recommend a Fender Tele or Strat.

 

4.  What is a good price point to be considering in order to get a quality made instrument, for a beginner, that might allow me to grow into (that is not something that I would outgrow within a year or two)

 

This is hard to answer. For the most part, you get what you pay for. Therefore, you should get what you are most comfortable spending. However, I would spend less than $500.00 Anything under that will be not good. Bad guitars often do more to discouraging than anything (like Moss says above). They can be uncomfortable and sound terrible.

[Bosco]

Some very good advice so far, I might add that you can get a decent guitar for under $500, I'm not exactly what you'd call "cheap" I have some very nice guitars in my stable (Taylor, Martin, Breedlove, Gibson).  I also have what I call a beater, it's the guitar I leave at my kids (ex-wife's) house so I have something to play while I'm there, it's a 2009 Yamaha FG700S, I picked it up for $100, very comfortable to play and sounds pretty decent too.  Some other lower cost acoustic brands you may want to look into would be Blueridge and Recording King, someone mentioned the Seagull S6, also a very good bang for your buck guitar.  Any of these guitars you will probably keep for a life time, sure you'll buy more expensive ones, but it's always good to have a decent lower priced guitar for camp fires and parties and stuff.

[jff]

 

 

This is hard to answer. For the most part, you get what you pay for. Therefore, you should get what you are most comfortable spending. However, I would spend less than $500.00 Anything under that will be not good. Bad guitars often do more to discouraging than anything (like Moss says above). They can be uncomfortable and sound terrible.

I assume you meant to say "I would NOT spend less than $500. Anything under that will not be good."

 

However, some of the guitars you recommended are in the $400 range, such as the Seagull S6 and some of the Epiphone Masterbuilt guitars.  I've had a Seagull S6 since the early '90s and it's a beautiful instrument that has held up very well. 

 

I still like the old fashioned method:  Get a friend who plays guitar to spend a day with you and go to as many music stores as you can.  Try out everything you can afford, and have your friend play them as well.  On that note, try out some that are way more then you want to spend, and try to find a cheaper one that has a similar sound and feel.

 

There's some really good inexpensive music gear out there these days.  And, of course, a lot of crap, too.  An experiecned guitar playing friend will be able to steer you to the good stuff. 

[jhawkrktekt]

Thanks for all the coments so far everyone.

 

I really am most interested in strumming acoustic based material at least to start out with, so I think I'm gonna go that route, especially since as some of you said (and as I've read elsewhere) its harder to start with becuse of the higher string action, but will make electrics easier down the road.

 

I read an article online on the top 10 beginner guitars and the Seagull S6 that some of you mention was at the top of the list.  I was hoping to only spend between $250 and $300 and the Seagull is about 100 bucks more than that.  Seems like there are some Epiphones and Fenders for my original price range though. 

 

I will  go and play with some of them in the stores like you all suggest and decide If i want to jump up to the Seagull.  I really don't think I want to spend much more than 400 bucks for my first time out, unless I just can't get something of quality otherwise. Sounds like that's not the case though.

 

I see the Seagull has a cedar top and cherry body while the Epiphone EL-00 which is in my original price range at 300 bucks has a solid spruce top and mahogany body.  Is this the main reason for the difference in price between these two?  What do these types of woods do to the sound of either instrument?

[anthony]

I assume you meant to say "I would NOT spend less than $500. Anything under that will not be good."

 

 

Yes, I meant NOT spend  

 

 

 

I see the Seagull has a cedar top and cherry body while the Epiphone EL-00 which is in my original price range at 300 bucks has a solid spruce top and mahogany body.  Is this the main reason for the difference in price between these two?  What do these types of woods do to the sound of either instrument?

 

 

There is a lot of differences (both obvious as well as subtle) when it comes to tone woods. There is a tone of great info on the interwebs like here:

 

http://joyceandnorm.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/acoustic-guitar-tone/

 

[jff]

Thanks for all the coments so far everyone.

 

I really am most interested in strumming acoustic based material at least to start out with, so I think I'm gonna go that route, especially since as some of you said (and as I've read elsewhere) its harder to start with becuse of the higher string action, but will make electrics easier down the road.

 

I read an article online on the top 10 beginner guitars and the Seagull S6 that some of you mention was at the top of the list.  I was hoping to only spend between $250 and $300 and the Seagull is about 100 bucks more than that.  Seems like there are some Epiphones and Fenders for my original price range though. 

 

 

 

Not necessarily higher string action, but higher string tension.

 

There are a lot of Seagulls out there.  You could probably find a used one in your price range.   Fender has never really been known as one of the better acoustic guitar makers.  I'd recommend looking at Epiphone and Yamaha acoustics before Fender.  

[jff]

 

I see the Seagull has a cedar top and cherry body while the Epiphone EL-00 which is in my original price range at 300 bucks has a solid spruce top and mahogany body.  Is this the main reason for the difference in price between these two?  What do these types of woods do to the sound of either instrument?

 

Seagulls are made in Canada.  Epiphones are made in China.  Surely that accounts for some, if not all of the price difference.

[tommyjacobs]

I have a Seagull S6, and I highly recommend it. Absolutely my favorite guitar in that price range.

[Atticus]

I agree with everything anthonyc007 said up above.  I would just add that if you have a friend who knows guitars I would highly recommend combing through some higher-end pawn shops if you have them nearby.  I have played some bizarro, off-brand acoustics in pawn shops that just really "fit" and I've played some $10,000 guitars that sounded like dogshit.  acoustic (in my opinion) is really a lot about subjective, individual feel.  since you don't play yet, I realize buying a guitar on feel is a ridiculous recommendation, but if you take someone to the shops with you who can spot a dud, you may be able to get a really good deal on a guitar you'll want to keep.

[jhawkrktekt]

went and did a little shopping today.  first place i went was a smaller local store.  In acoustics they carried mostly Taylors and had some Fenders and Ibanez.  I told the Salesman i was interested in the Seagull S6 and since they didn't carry those he pointed me to the Taylor Big Baby.  Sounded good and felt good, but for whatever reason I feel like I want a full size guitar and the Big Baby is a 3/4.  It's also nearly 500 bucks which is a bit more than i wanted to spend on my first guitar.

 

So next I went to Guitar Center and tried out the Seagull.  Really liked the sound of it, but I also like the sound out of a couple of others that were MUCH cheaper.  

 

Epiphone pr-150VS I thought sounded great, as did the MItchell md100s.  All three of these are dreadnoughts, and frankly, it seemed like all the guitars I saw at either store in my price range were dreads.  I guess these are slightly bigger?  Maybe for me since I"ve never owned a guitar it makes no difference?

 

Was really looking for the Epiphone EL-00 which i read some about online, but neither place had that one.

 

Any thoughts on the Epiphone or the MItchell I listed above?  They both seemed to sound a bit "brighter" to me than the Seagull, which sounded a bit deeper, albeit to my inexperienced ears....

[jff]

 

 

Any thoughts on the Epiphone or the MItchell I listed above?  They both seemed to sound a bit "brighter" to me than the Seagull, which sounded a bit deeper, albeit to my inexperienced ears....

 

The only thing I know about MItchell is that they are the store brand for Guitar Center and they are not solid wood.

 

The Epiphone has a solid spruce top.

 

Of those two options, my preference would be for the Epiphone.

 

I agree that the Seagull is a deep sounding guitar.   You can get a brighter sound out of it by playing closer to the bridge, so in a way, it's a very versatile guitar in terms of tone options.

[anthony]

 

 

Any thoughts on the Epiphone or the MItchell I listed above?  They both seemed to sound a bit "brighter" to me than the Seagull, which sounded a bit deeper, albeit to my inexperienced ears....

I agree with jff above: Seagull > Epi > Mitchel. 

 

I would steer clear of Mitchel. That "bight" sound you is probably better described as "thin" due to the plywood laminate materials in contrast to the solid wood seagull which is giving a more "woody" (or as you say "deeper") tone. I would very much encourage the Seagull over even the Epi, but YMMV of course. Ultimately, you have to get the one that * feels * right.