Buying a guitar

[luckyseven]

I am looking to buy an acoustic guitar, but I don't even know where to begin as far as what to buy. I am a beginner, if that makes any difference. Also, I plan on trying to teach myself (lessons are so expensive!). Are there any good instructional manuals out there? Thanks.

[bataisflow]

First of all how much do you want to spend?

[luckyseven]

I am looking to spend around $500, give or take a couple of hundred.

[bataisflow]

Well - you could probably buy a guild D4 for around $500.00. That is a good guitar - maple top - qualtiy sound and Guild is a quality guitar. It's probably the best quality acoustic for the money. If you get up into the $700-$800 range i would look for a cheap Taylor.

[luckyseven]

A Guild? I will check it out. Thank you for the suggestion! A friend of mine told me to get an Ovation, but then I was advised against that by someone else because they said something about it being partly made of fiberglass? It seems like there are so many options. How long have you been playing?

[bataisflow]

Well - actaully I am a Bass player. I play guitar as a second instrument (mostly to write songs that aren't really rockin' etc...). I have been playing for 16 yrs. I know alot about GTRs because I used to sell them for a living. I don't like ovations because they are made in part with fibergalss and sound like it. That being said they are a great concert type guitar but I still like Guilds better for the $s.

[luckyseven]

That is what I want, the best for the money that I have. My aforementioned friend is also a bass player. Do you have any suggestions for student manuals?

[bataisflow]

Sometimes the Video tape instructions are cool. You learn while you get to see how these guys are doing what they are doing. That is the route I go when i want to learn something new. I think Steve Howe does one for acoustic

[luckyseven]

Good idea. I learn better visually than from a book, so that would be ideal. I have seen a cd rom that Steve put out. A video is even better. Now for tracking it down. Thanks again!

[bataisflow]

Glad to be of help!

[raiched]

The best Guitar I ever owned cost me $125 form a used shop.
I went in there one day with a few hours to kill and played everyone in the shop. I picked up this supposably cheap Japanese acoustic and it felt wonderful and the sound was warm and full. It was easy to play. That guitar has been on 3 albums now and I have had about 10 offers to buy it for 10x what I paid for it. The best thing you can do is find one that feels good in your hand and has a good warm tone to your ears. I've played $2500 Guitars that didn't sound as good as my cheapo Jap guitar.

As far as learning on your own, pick up a complete chord chart and play every chord on it, learn the majors buy heart and make little songs with the chords you have learned then play 4 hours a day, 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening before bed. In 1 year you can play in garage bands in 2 with some metrenome work you will be ripping. Don't let yourself get bored and always challange yourself. Check out the great guitar players. I like James Taylor tunes myself, Robin Trower, Steve Via, Robin Ford, Steve Howe, Alex Lifeson, and I have a few albums that I wrote that I like to play often. I'm a BASS player by trade but you can check out my guitar work on my latest CD "SEED".
If you would like a copy I'll be glad to send you one.
Keep Rocken:guitar:

[luckyseven]

I would not mind shopping in a pawn store at all. The only thing I am worried about is getting something that will fall apart on me, because I don't know enough about what to look for.

As for the charts, good advice! I am guessing they are available at general music stores. I think I would need to follow a practice regimen or I would start to slack (I'm good at that :cool: ).

That would be great to get a copy of your cd. I'll email you for the info. Thank you for the offer and your advice!

[raiched]

Oh I'd steer clear of the pawn shops untill you know exactly what your looking for.
What you need to find is a shop that does there own work and trades mostly in used guitars. If your really seriuos you should just go in a few times and look at first and get a feel for the guitars. I love American made fenders myself, acoustic instriments are a bit different. You can pick up an acoustic that feels stiff when all it really needs is some lighter gage strings. Find a friend that plays all ready and drag him with you to the music store. that way you can listen to the sound of the guitar objectivly without worry about a show.
We use to play a game in the band, we would all spread out in the music store like we didn't know each other and then slowly gravitate to the guitar section and start asking questions and if we could play the instriments. The sales guys would be so busy we would eventually start JAMMING in the store and since we knew the songs togethere we would of course sound pretty good and they would genrelly let us play untill we started sweating on the instriments. We used to get quite a crowd and as the volumn increased we would be able to actually here how the combos sounded at a stage volumn and with a mix like if they cut through ect.
I think to many musicians are affraid to really wale on store gear so they don't really hear what the gear can do and are disatisfied in a few weeks. Also when your good the sales guys talk to you more and share there likes and dislikes which gives you a good clue as to what works sonically.
I remmber going into skips music with my drummer and playing every dang cymbal in the place (100'S) 10 times each untill he could nail down the sound he wanted, usually a 4 hour ordeal but he got the one that sounded good to him and we were much happier as a band for it.

I wouldn't worry about your first guitar to much. Just get one that feels OK and work your butt off.
Live , breath, and sweat guitar and the rest will take care of it's self.

Send me an addy and I will shoot you some grooves.
Cheers,
Daniel

:band:

[nightliner]

Its not an acoustic, but I have an American made Fender Bullet I am looking to get rid of.

Dave

[luckyseven]

How long have you been playing nightliner?

[nightliner]

Actually, I don't play. When I was growing up I took lessons for about a year, so I learned the basics. It was on an acoustic, and when my parents refused to buy me an electic, I lost interest. Then several years ago, I bought the Fender on a whim...just something to play around with. Now its just sitting in the case, unused.

[Earl Grey]

Hey Luckyseven: I keep bumping into you here... Anyhow, By all means, DON'T buy an Ovation: I bought one many years ago, and had nothing but trouble with it: It sounded WORSE with age (a good guitar deepens sweetly, like wine, with age).
I bought my son a pawn-shop guitar a few years ago, and he learned the basics on it, but then had problems with the neck starting to split, and of course: no warranty..
A pawn shop guitar can be good for learning, but do keep that in mind. A warranty can cover a multitude of sins.
I had a house-fire a couple of years ago, had to buy a good guitar for a cheap price, and bought a TACOMA. Iv'e never loved an acoustic guitar so, and get more complements with it's sound than I did on my old (sadly burnt to a crisp) Martin..
TACOMA's run around $700. or so. I'd say, learn on a cheap pawn-shop/recycler guitar, but when you're ready to upgrade, definately check out the Tacomas.
Good advice on learning the basic chords: find a friend to teach you some easy stuff off the cuff (the main portion of And You And I is amazingly easy [my 11 year old daughter just learned it)... Pick any available guitar-playing friend's brains for bits and pieces.... You'll love it, and have a brand new voice of expression in no time flat. Above all HAVE FUN! Let me know how it goes!

[luckyseven]

That is encouraging to hear another bid against an Ovation. I have gotten far more people advising me to avoid them than to buy one. I do not know anyone where I live that plays guitar, I have a friend who plays bass, so he can help me out some when I purchase. But overall, I am going to be on my own as far as learning how to play. I hope to buy a guitar within the next couple of months! Thanks for the advice, and keep it coming! :cool:

[haroldthebarrel]

For those interested in buying instruments, I suggest trying a Music-go-round or whatever your area's used music store is called. Here in Minnesota, we have Music-go-round's where the entire store is used guitars and instruments. I have seen Carvin Acoustic guitars with plastic casings on the backof the body, a very cool design so it was easy to play, and it had an equalizer, an input for an amp, and volume and tone knobs onit oh and a cut-away at the neck. How much? $150. Perfect condition. I didn;t buy it though, because finds like that are one in a million. ALot of people automatically think that buying a used guitar means you will get a crappy ne. NOT TRUE. GO to Mars music and pay $500 and you will get a bottom of the line Fender that will warp and be virtually un-playable within a year or two. But pay the same at a used store and get a Washburn or a Martin used. I will never buy a new instrument again, just like I won' buy a new car ever either. Its comparable to bying a new car with 15,000 miles on it. It's good as new, but has been broken in.

Joe