GameBanshee Forums

*dances* I got a decent amount of cash for christmas this year, and have been trying to figure out what to blow it on (as apposed to saving it for something ). One of the ideas that came to mind was to buy an electric guitar.

I just think the guitar is such a cool instrument, along with the people that play them. i mean, like Brian May, just nonchalantly doing things I didnt even think an instrument other than a synth could do,or Angus Young, just getting completely immersed in what hes playing.

So, Ive got about $300, and a wal mart gift card (I dont really plan on getting something from wal mart though.) Does anyone have any recommendations/advice?????

Get an accordian. They're all the rage.

Oops, be serious.

Well, I would recommend that you compare prices over the internet. I have seen some guitars alone, without any sort of implements, over 800 bucks. Then again, I have seen some very cheap guitars as well. I don't know much about music.

I can't help you personally, but I know a few people around here are quite knowledgeable about guitars, so with some luck one of them will show up

i would reccomend getting a begginer kit from a discount dealer. Or better yet, get a really old accoustic and see if you like to play before you go out and buy your guitar and amp and everything. it takes a lot of practice and determination.

I'd have to agree about the acoustic guitar... it seems like a more convienent way to learn. Most guitarists I know learned with them, and they'd be easier to tote around, I think.

well, an electric can be easier to learn on because it has a narrower neck, but they are more expensive in most cases. but, before he goes out to buy a good guitar, elctric or accoustic, he should try playing with a cheap one to see that he enjoys it.

I bought a beat up six string a few years back, I didnt know how to play it, but I enjoyed picking around on it (several strings are broke now, and I dont quite have the motivation to restring it ).

I agree with the idea of buying cheap when you're starting out, but that doesn;t mean you have to have a crappy instrument. There are a few guitars out there that are very well made for their price and are perfect for beginners.

One of the better guitars I've seen available for a cheap price is the Peavey Raptor. You can get it for around 140 bucks or so, and can then buy a small practice amp with what you have left. It's what most people would consider a beginner guitar, but I think it plays well enough that you'll still play it after you progress.

Musiciansfriend.com has some pretty good deals, along with reviews and ratings provided by customers for the instuments. Ideally, I like to actually play an instrument before I buy it, but at least in my case most local stores over price their merchandise. I have played several Raptors though, and they are very player friendly with the feel of the neck. Usually Epiphone makes good guitars that are stripped down versions of higher priced one like the Les Paul. I have a single pickup Epiphone Les Paul Jr. model that I use to practice on and play around the house, and it's a nice guitar.


As far as acoustic vs electric goes, always buy a guitar according to what style you want to learn to play the most at first. Never go by what you think might be easier to learn on. The main thing you want is to keep your interest in playing long enough to learn, and to do that it helps to have something that allows you to both play the styles you're wanting to play and gives you the better mental image of what you're wanting to accomplish. you can learn on an acoustic, but even then when you do switch over to electric you'll have an adjustment period where you may have to relearn some things because of the differences in the instruments. An electric will pick up some things like your fingers sliding over the strings or things like that that you would never hear on an acoustic so you might as well learn on an electric to start with if that's what you want to play.

I don't know about guitars but my friend does. Agrees with others in suggesting acoustic first. Says it is easy to switch from acoustic to electric but not the other way around. He suggests you try epiphone because they do good quality copies of great guitars.

I suggest you restring the one you've got and save your money till you find out if you're serious. But friend says that's not true if the action is very bad, because you can't learn on one like that. He says take it to a good shop and buy the strings then get them to demonstrate it and tell you if the thing is playable. Strings aren't very dear, so this is worth a try.

Hope that helps

[QUOTE=Steven00009]well, an electric can be easier to learn on because it has a narrower neck, but they are more expensive in most cases. but, before he goes out to buy a good guitar, elctric or accoustic, he should try playing with a cheap one to see that he enjoys it.[/QUOTE]
I think you're probably referring to a classical guitar (wider neck, nylon strings, no truss rod, flat neck, slightly different construction), because acoustic guitars have the same necks as electric guitars (truss rod, radial neck (does this 'radial' make any sense?)) and have steel strings

so, ch85us2001, if you're thinking of buying an acoustic guitar, make sure it's not classical, unless, of course, you want a classical (the fastest way to determine that is to look at the strings, if the thinnest three are out of nylon, it's a classical guitar)

ok, now i ended up with babbling a bunch of stuff that would most likely confuse some people on music forums

ok.. my advice.

start with the accoustic (as all other say to), but dont buy a cheap "begginer guitar". buy something that is comfortable playing with. not saying you should buy a expensive one, but that you should get a decent guitar if you are buying! it is a pain to play a bad guitar, and learning how to play with one is even worse.

you also have to choose between nylon and steel strings. i HATE nylon, and strongly reccomend steel, but thats my opinion. my main reason for that, is that i use the pick, and not my fingers. an other reason is the slippy strings and the broad neck on the nylon. and last, the sound. i dont like the way nylon guitar sound in general.

an problem with starting with an electric guitar, is the overdrive/distortion. its make a lot of sound and "sound cool"... well, it doenst sound cool if you dont know how to use it, and begginers waste a lot of time playing with it. the first thing you should learn is the chords, since its the most important thing!

so if you decide to buy a electric, be carefull so you dont get addicted to the distortion

Hmm, not a lot of musicians here i see. Here is some advice

first of all, regarding those suggesting acoustic: if he wanted that sound, he'd have asked about it. advising someone who wants to play electric to start with acoustic is like advising someone who wants to be a olympic skiier to start by playing pool.

best thing 2001 is to buy a used electric. go to a few music shops, try some out. you'll be able to get a great deal. also try ebay. a fantastic starter guitar is a fender strat, easy to play, gets crunchy, nice clean channel, lasts forever. you can afford an almost new used one.

regarding neck size - electrics do not have the same neck size as acoustics as mentioned above, not any type of acoustic. classical guitars (nylon strings) have the widest, steel strings (rock/pop) a little more narrow, and electrics the most narrow of all. the reason for this is that the sound is picked up and enhanced electrically, so space is not needed for resonance, therefore they can make them more narrow and easier to play.

bloodstalker's advice sounds good too.

i follow what WK say, and agree some. ehm. one very important thing when you start playing guitar, is the basics. i mean that the basics is the chords, and clean sound. and to be able to strum the strings in a pattern that is a little more interesting than just strum the pulse/beat (i mean in 4/4 dont just strum 4 times each "part" etc. dont know english word for it).

as i said previusly, begginers with electric guitars often tend to start playing with distortion straight away, and since they dont know how to play, its sound crap. they also want to learn songs which doesnt go in chords, and thus, they never learn chords/use a lot of time on it.

now where accoustic is placed into all of this, is that accoustic guitar playing use more chords and basics in the start, which is(in my wiew)more important to learn at start. the electric is next step. dont get my wrong! you can play the same things on a electric as well, and there is nothing wrong with it...

and one last thing. accoustic is more "practical". you can bring it with you, and you dont need an amp!

so chu... im curious. what's it gonna be?

Probably a harmonium by now

[QUOTE=Grimar]so chu... im curious. what's it gonna be? [/QUOTE]

A white Fender Stratocaster with a custom scalloped fretboard?

[QUOTE=Fiberfar]A white Fender Stratocaster with a custom scalloped fretboard? [/QUOTE]

i think he has "some" practice to do before that one

Well, i'm trying to learn, and having a wee bit of trouble.

[url="http://www.guitarists.net/tab/print.php?id=43154"]Heres what I'm trying to play.[/url]


Now, the chords at the bottom arent labeled very well. I figured out Amin is played without the 6th string, and A6 is only played with 1-4. I cant even find the versions of F, G, and A they suggested. I'm kinda confused, can anyone help?


EDIT- Oh, the lyrics arent right on that site.

How am I supposed to play chords like Amin, where it has 2 fingers on the 4th fret? Squeeze work?

Now, the chords at the bottom arent labeled very well.

They are labelled as standard, if you presume the order of the strings (from top to bottom): E, B, G, D, A, E

I cant even find the versions of F, G, and A they suggested.

How many strings have you got? They are played using the "bottom" (bass) three strings, E, A and D. They are "power" chords and should really be F5, G5 and A5.

How am I supposed to play chords like Amin, where it has 2 fingers on the 4th fret?

How many fingers have you got?
3rd fret, B string: index finger (1st)
4th fret, G string: ring finger (3rd)
4th fret, D string: middle finger (2nd)

As a beginner you will probably find either:
a) the ring finger hardest to get a note from, as it would be on the fret (causing a muted sound)
b) the middle finger hardest to get a note from, as it would be too far from the fret (hear the string vibrating against the fret)
You'll need to learn a bit of finger flexibility to get the two fingers in such close proximity!

(The fact that this chord is actually [Bm], Bm3/F# or F#aug5/11 (Bmin not Amin) is besides the point!)

Am uses the same finger position as the E chord, so it is good that you are learning this chord early on.

Sorry to sound patronising, but I think you could do with buying a very cheap "learn to play" book (10 pages will do!) - this will give you all you need to learn the very basics.