Guitar buyin advice anyone?

[Silverbirch]

The tip about getting lessons is a good one. I have played guitar since the age of 13 and am over 50 now, never had a lesson in my life but deeply regret it.

I just got to a stage where I progressed no further and I am convinced lessons at an early stage would have helped me.

I still think lesson would help but it is just lack of time that stops me and a million other hobbies together with work getting in the way.

Mick

Me too!

Ian

 

[Lons]

Been into town today with son and heir trying out various guitars and he's chosen the Fender CF-140s (small body) as the one he most likes the feel, look and tone of. I'm surprised as there were a lot to choose from and quite a bit of leeway on price but he's ecstatic
Have ordered from a local shop who matched the discounted internet delivered price of £142 so I'm happy I got a decent price as well as supporting a small local company. I didn't want a display model so new one on it's way from Fender

Thanks again guys. the advice about allowing him to choose, solid top, steel strings etc.etc was invaluable. I'll sort out a tuner and have suggested to his wife she might want to consider a few lessons for him.

His birthday is on the 25th. I told him he has 1 week to produce a tune so no pressure :lol:

Bob

 

[Steve Blackdog]

The tip about getting lessons is a good one. I have played guitar since the age of 13 and am over 50 now, never had a lesson in my life but deeply regret it.

I just got to a stage where I progressed no further and I am convinced lessons at an early stage would have helped me.

I still think lesson would help but it is just lack of time that stops me and a million other hobbies together with work getting in the way.

Mick

Mick

Do it - take the lessons! I played for 30 years before getting lessons (even played in a regular gigging band which supported Mud in the early 80's without knowing a semi-quaver from a minim). I never really got much further.

A few years ago I started lessons - TAB style - not for me. Then about two 1/2 years ago I started classical lessons and bought a second hand classical guitar. I love it! I'm taking Grade 5 in the summer - so we'll find out how much I have learnt. Maybe I like it so much now because I no longer take myself seriously

Lons

I'd've gone for the Fender too! Good value for money and with a solid spruce top it will have a nice clear sound. Make sure he changes the strings whenever the sound starts to dull as they make all the difference.

All the best

Steve

 

[MIGNAL]

Not a lot wrong with Tab. It's this modern, lazy Tab that is poor. They were writing it much better 400 years ago! It's actually quite an efficient method. Which is why we can still play pretty much the exact same pieces as they did.

 

[MickCheese]

Been into town today with son and heir trying out various guitars and he's chosen the Fender CF-140s (small body) as the one he most likes the feel, look and tone of. I'm surprised as there were a lot to choose from and quite a bit of leeway on price but he's ecstatic
Have ordered from a local shop who matched the discounted internet delivered price of £142 so I'm happy I got a decent price as well as supporting a small local company. I didn't want a display model so new one on it's way from Fender

Thanks again guys. the advice about allowing him to choose, solid top, steel strings etc.etc was invaluable. I'll sort out a tuner and have suggested to his wife she might want to consider a few lessons for him.

His birthday is on the 25th. I told him he has 1 week to produce a tune so no pressure :lol:

Bob

That will be 'House of the rising sun' then.

Seemed to be the first tune anyone learned first when I started.

Best of luck.

Mick

 

[Benchwayze]

His birthday is on the 25th. I told him he has 1 week to produce a tune so no pressure :lol:

Bob

Bob,

The scale is a tune! One way or another, it's the starting few bars of thousands of old standards! :lol: :lol: :lol:

No pressure at all! :mrgreen:

 

[Benchwayze]

The tip about getting lessons is a good one. I have played guitar since the age of 13 and am over 50 now, never had a lesson in my life but deeply regret it.

I just got to a stage where I progressed no further and I am convinced lessons at an early stage would have helped me.

I still think lesson would help but it is just lack of time that stops me and a million other hobbies together with work getting in the way.

Mick

Me too!

Ian

I know the feeling. I was just 'too arrogant', to take lessons. Mind you, being in the Royal Navy made that a bit difficult! I still regret not being taught to read music. But we manage eh?

Even with millions of other hobbies!

 

[MIGNAL]

Reading music is pretty simple. Nowhere near as difficult as learning a language. In fact the basic idea can be taught in less than 10 minutes. The difference in difficulty between music notation and Tab is pretty small. However, reading music fluently and at break neck speed is a skill that can take years to develop (same with Tab). For bedroom musicians that sort of fluency isn't absolutely necessary. In fact learning any sort of written notation isn't necessary, it's just a very useful skill to have though.

 

[Benchwayze]

Mig,

To be fair, I can read music... but I can't play from it. (I.e., I don't 'sight-read'.) It's an old saw, but the best way to shut up most guitarists is to stick a sheet of music in front of them! What it boils down to Mig, is, I play from ear and memory, and I really don't know the fretboard. That I am prepared to admit. As a 'sit in front of the PC' guitarist, I am happy enough!

Bit late at 73 to start worrying about music. (I once took my guitar to a wedding; nobody asked me to play!) :lol:

All the same I still advocate proper tutoring for any instrument.

 

[MIGNAL]

Ah well. Not much different from myself. I can read the dots but apart from first position I'm in trouble! That's just being lazy and not learning the fretboard. With the Violin I don't have that problem, largely because I learned to play the Violin through reading music. So with the Violin I would say my reading is commensurate with my playing level - which isn't that high anyway but probably very decent considering that I've only been playing a few months. With the Recorder I can sight read all the notes but my finger dexterity is way behind my sight reading ability.
All in all a long way to go and at 50 time could be running out! I ain't giving up yet though.

 

[misterfish]

I recently bought a used electric guitar from the small local guitar shop in Chichester where I got great advice and a good deal I'd always wanted to have a go at learning and it was the local evening classes for guitar beginners that finally decided me. The classes are good - excellent professional guitarist and great teacher along with only six of us attending. The lessons are great and you get help and advice that you just couldn't get from a book.

Misterfish