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Guitar Question
Posted on 10/3/23 at 1:23 pm
Posted on 10/3/23 at 1:23 pm
I don't know very much about guitars, but I would like to try and learn to play. Someone gave me (which I learned) a cheap classical acoustic guitar years ago, which I never could get along with.
I always felt like it was so difficult to get chords down and hold them. I've been told that classical guitars have high action, and that's the reason. I also had issues keeping it in tune, which I was told this is because of the nylon strings.
Now I've been looking into cheap electric guitars. Do you players think I would likely get on better with a strat or other electric guitars knowing what I didn't like above? How cheap is too cheap here?
I don't know exactly what type of music I will be drawn to playing once I start playing, but I think I would be drawn more to light rock and blues.
Any suggestions?
I always felt like it was so difficult to get chords down and hold them. I've been told that classical guitars have high action, and that's the reason. I also had issues keeping it in tune, which I was told this is because of the nylon strings.
Now I've been looking into cheap electric guitars. Do you players think I would likely get on better with a strat or other electric guitars knowing what I didn't like above? How cheap is too cheap here?
I don't know exactly what type of music I will be drawn to playing once I start playing, but I think I would be drawn more to light rock and blues.
Any suggestions?
Posted on 10/3/23 at 1:39 pm to GEAUXLPOST
A cheap squire or g&l strat is probably exactly what you need. Just make sure you get it set up by a pro after you buy it.
Do squires sound the best or have the best tuning stability for 3hr gigs? No, but you don’t need that. They’re perfectly capable guitars, and if you really love it and get good enough to want to play live, you can upgrade the pickups and tuners down the road.
You can find used squires from $100-$200. You can find new squires from $200-$300, often including a cheap amp with them. Fender frontman amps are awful, as are line 6 spiders, but they’re practically a right of passage for every new learner.
Amp > guitar for the tone. I recommend a solid state combo amp like a boss katana or fender mustang. They can sound great through headphones and you can download different amp tones from your computer through a usb. Orange also has a relatively inexpensive solid state amp combo that sounds pretty decent. Expect to pay $200-$350 for a decent amp that’s versatile and sounds good at both high and low volume.
Do squires sound the best or have the best tuning stability for 3hr gigs? No, but you don’t need that. They’re perfectly capable guitars, and if you really love it and get good enough to want to play live, you can upgrade the pickups and tuners down the road.
You can find used squires from $100-$200. You can find new squires from $200-$300, often including a cheap amp with them. Fender frontman amps are awful, as are line 6 spiders, but they’re practically a right of passage for every new learner.
Amp > guitar for the tone. I recommend a solid state combo amp like a boss katana or fender mustang. They can sound great through headphones and you can download different amp tones from your computer through a usb. Orange also has a relatively inexpensive solid state amp combo that sounds pretty decent. Expect to pay $200-$350 for a decent amp that’s versatile and sounds good at both high and low volume.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 2:20 pm to kingbob
Thank you!
This may be a stupid question, but I'm a real beginner. someone suggested no matter what type of guitar I get, I should start with just strumming on time to a metronome. Once I get the down strums like second nature, advance to down ups, etc.
The stupid question is, for the sake of my wife and dogs sanity, do I even need to worry about an amp at this stage? That would be annoying as could be, even to me, listening to a beginner just clunk along.
This may be a stupid question, but I'm a real beginner. someone suggested no matter what type of guitar I get, I should start with just strumming on time to a metronome. Once I get the down strums like second nature, advance to down ups, etc.
The stupid question is, for the sake of my wife and dogs sanity, do I even need to worry about an amp at this stage? That would be annoying as could be, even to me, listening to a beginner just clunk along.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 2:24 pm to GEAUXLPOST
Yes, but I recommend one of those solid states because you can easily listen to them through headphones. You will learn A LOT about picking and technique from playing amplified as how you strum and fret makes a BIG difference in the sound of notes under amplification.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 2:47 pm to kingbob
Excellent advice all around, KB.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 3:12 pm to GEAUXLPOST
quote:
Someone gave me (which I learned) a cheap classical acoustic guitar years ago, which I never could get along with.
I always felt like it was so difficult to get chords down and hold them. I've been told that classical guitars have high action, and that's the reason. I also had issues keeping it in tune, which I was told this is because of the nylon strings.
You had trouble with it because it was cheap. With that said I have a cheap, $200 Yamaha Classical that I love. Its pretty much all I want to play now. Action is good, stays in tune, although it took a week of playing it for the new strings to settle in. Now the neck is much wider on a classical so if you have small hands that might be an issue. Its funny, now when I pick up a steel string, the neck feels like a toothpick in my hands.
This post was edited on 10/3/23 at 3:13 pm
Posted on 10/3/23 at 3:43 pm to GEAUXLPOST
An acoustic with a high action will definitely be a bitch to learn with.
Source: Still have the finger callouses.
Source: Still have the finger callouses.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 8:18 pm to GEAUXLPOST
I have a very good suggestion: Buy one of these tomorrow
LINK
I traded for one of these a few weeks ago, and can't believe how much I like it.
It plays very well and easy and is very versatile. It's very light and comfortable in your hands, and is a good mix between acoustic and electric.
Unplugged, you can hear it well enough to play by yourself. It has an acoustic bridge with a Piezo pickup underneath the saddle and 2 pretty good electric single coil pickups. A 5 way selector switch that give a good selection of tones if you want to plug into an amp.
I have quite a few guitars, but this one is getting a lot of playing time. I highly recommend these for a first guitar.
You'll get better ones later, but you'll enjoy this one until then. I think that's a fantastic price for that guitar too. I mean really fantastic.
LINK
I traded for one of these a few weeks ago, and can't believe how much I like it.
It plays very well and easy and is very versatile. It's very light and comfortable in your hands, and is a good mix between acoustic and electric.
Unplugged, you can hear it well enough to play by yourself. It has an acoustic bridge with a Piezo pickup underneath the saddle and 2 pretty good electric single coil pickups. A 5 way selector switch that give a good selection of tones if you want to plug into an amp.
I have quite a few guitars, but this one is getting a lot of playing time. I highly recommend these for a first guitar.
You'll get better ones later, but you'll enjoy this one until then. I think that's a fantastic price for that guitar too. I mean really fantastic.
This post was edited on 10/3/23 at 9:12 pm
Posted on 10/3/23 at 9:00 pm to kingbob
quote:
Do squires sound the best or have the best tuning stability for 3hr gigs? No, but you don’t need that. They’re perfectly capable guitars, and if you really love it and get good enough to want to play live, you can upgrade the pickups and tuners down the road.
GC has the Squier 40th Ventera II's in basically everything for like 300-400 right now and theyre up there with half the fenders just a few corners cut. The jazzmaster and jaguar are sick.
Posted on 10/3/23 at 9:06 pm to BorrisMart
I've checked out the 40th anniversary Squier models, all in all, I put them on the same level as the Classic Vibe models which are pretty damn good.
They just have some different features.
They just have some different features.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 6:11 am to GEAUXLPOST
Buy used and upgrade once you figure out your preference(s). And as long as you didn't overpay the money will likely be a wash.
( word of warning I'm up to about eight - since I just gave away one )
( word of warning I'm up to about eight - since I just gave away one )
This post was edited on 10/5/23 at 6:16 am
Posted on 10/5/23 at 12:02 pm to awestruck
Squire Classic Vibe FTW! I own two (Tele & Jazzmaster) and will probably get a third someday (Strat). Been playing for over 30 years and have owned dozens of guitars of all price range. Can’t beat a CV for the price.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 12:37 pm to GEAUXLPOST
Grab a used Squier or Epiphone off FB marketplace. You should be able to find a decent guitar for less than $200. The key is having it professionally set up. I gigged with an $85 Squier Strat for a couple years, sold it to a bandmate, he's still using it. Setup is 100% the key to a playable instrument.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 12:41 pm to bgoodwin
quote:
Setup is 100% the key to a playable instrument.
Most will never listen. Reminds me of a Don Mclean song.
Posted on 10/7/23 at 3:00 am to GEAUXLPOST
A used Classic Vibe Squire would be what I would look for. I bought my nephew a new regular squier a couple years ago and while it sounded good, it felt horrible to play. You can get a used Classic vibe Strat for about 200 used and they play and feel excellent.
Posted on 10/7/23 at 6:05 am to auggie
quote:
I've checked out the 40th anniversary Squier models, all in all, I put them on the same level as the Classic Vibe models which are pretty damn good.
They just have some different features.
Yeah I bought my gf the jaguar and was pretty surprised playing the various ones in stock they also had. Fender is definitely trying to appeal to new players with the detail on squier and lower model Gretsch guitars. That being said Epiphone knocked the 59 Les Paul reissue and Lazarus out of the park but they are still pricey for a new player. GC has the Epi Les Paul custom blackback Les Paul on sale for 5 or 6 right now and ive seen great reviews on it.
Tidbit Supposedly Waylons first leather wrapped teles were gifts from the band and bar he had been playing and were $40ish a piece and pawn shop finds that he played them for years. Once you start learning and figure out how you like the setup and what you might need to replace you can play any guitar. Just needs to stay in tune well lol.
Most importantly for starters is not getting something that is hard to play and discouraging simply because its not properly set up.
This post was edited on 10/7/23 at 6:07 am
Posted on 10/7/23 at 9:18 pm to BorrisMart
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:43 am to kingbob
Thanks for all suggestions! I had been looking around online while struggling with my classical, and told a friend about me trying to learn guitar and looking to buy a used electric.
He then offered me an Epiphone Les Paul Custom for free. He said it was given to him used probably 10-15 years ago and he's never used it. Besides, the dust on it, it appears to be in great shape.
Based of kingbobs advice, I'm guessing it would be wise to bring it in to a store. Besides new strings and a set up, is there anything else I should have them do?
He then offered me an Epiphone Les Paul Custom for free. He said it was given to him used probably 10-15 years ago and he's never used it. Besides, the dust on it, it appears to be in great shape.
Based of kingbobs advice, I'm guessing it would be wise to bring it in to a store. Besides new strings and a set up, is there anything else I should have them do?
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:32 pm to GEAUXLPOST
If you are close to Baton Rouge schedule a setup with TheFretShack, or as he calls it, a “spa day.” A good setup will do wonders. You won’t find a nicer or more knowledgeable tech than FretShack in the BR area. I’ve had two guitars setup by Fret and they made my cowboy/powerchord strumming so much more enjoyable. Plus, Fret will walk you through the work he did and do a play through his 2x12 stack…gotta love hearing a great player play your guitar to show it off!
Posted on 12/4/23 at 9:34 pm to GEAUXLPOST
cheap and good electric.
Its probably already been mentioned but a squire Classic Vibe Strat from the 50-60-70's Depending on maple board or non maple. All are good for a beginner. Just got to pick the type Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster? they do one??
Its probably already been mentioned but a squire Classic Vibe Strat from the 50-60-70's Depending on maple board or non maple. All are good for a beginner. Just got to pick the type Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster? they do one??
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