So I'm trying to learn guitar.....

[porsche4life]

When I was in middle school I was learning in the classical method. I mean reading music and the whole nine yards. I lost interest and quit, but I still have a few classical guitars around from that, and my mom plays some too. So right now I have a nylon stringed classical in my lap. At the house I have an electric, a few more nylon strings, and a steel stringed acoustic electric.....

I've got my pick.. I may get the chord to plug the electric into my MBP and bring it over...

[livi]

Bob,

Go to Youtube and get a load of the thirteen Evergreens created by yours truly Resident Fluffer (Dr Fluffers Blues). That will teach you something about basic guitar playing as well as what no sane man would display on Youtube.

[wdfifteen]

What's the best way to buy a guitar? I took lessons many moons ago - the teacher picked on out for me. It's been long gone. A friend left one here about 6 months ago and I've been plinking around on it, but it went away last month. I want to keep it up, but I've never bought one of my own. I want a basic, blues/follk acoustic. What brands and markets (eBay, CR, the local music store) should I look for?

[matthew-s]

Good thread. I started to learn this June. I too was sucked in via Garage Band. The basic lessons are good, but unfortunately I don't think there is any plan to update them, or worse yet, the artist lessons.

I've since gotten a teacher. I think you can do very well DIY now, but since I'm older, and feel like I have less time to spare, I decided to go "pro" and I'm very happy with my choice. Better to invest in instruction than lots-o-gear.

I found that I got sufficient callouses in about 2 weeks or so (at least to the point that I could practice w/o serious discomfort).

I started by barrowing my brother's electric. I've since gotten an acoustic, as it's easier to pick up and play at a moment's notice, and that is what my first instructor taught with. I have a telecaster on order though (slippery slope like everything else).

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

What's the best way to buy a guitar? . . . I want a basic, blues/follk acoustic. What brands and markets (eBay, CR, the local music store) should I look for?

FWIW, I got a Taylor "Big Baby". It's a hair smaller than a standard guitar, and a significantly thinner body, making it easier to hold, and more electric-guitar like. I got mine at Guitar Center for $450. You can hold out for one of their sales, and probably do better by 10 - 15%.

My guess is find something that is comfortable to play, and made by a reasonably reputable brand, and you'll have something that will take you far. Both of my instructors were unfamiliar with my guitar, but were really impressed when they played it.

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Man, the new players have it so much easier than it used to be. I remember when TAB books were very hard to come by, no Youtube, no Internet, no iPods and no CD's. Back then it was all by ear. Play, pause, rewind, play and repeat. It was a lot more difficult and you often got it wrong. But it made your ears very sharp. I was playing plenty of Van Halen and Rush songs wrong until I had good seats at a concert and saw up close how they did it right. Now I just go to Youtube and find the guy with the most views and compliments and figure he has it right.

Yeah this is very true. Click, rewind, play, click, rewind, play. And cassettes were a godsend over needles and vinyl......

And consequently we have a generation of players who cant tune their instruments without an electronic box, let alone actually read music.

[Por_sha911]

Someone taught me a trick to build callouses many years ago. Its probably not healthy for you but it does work:
Dip a Q-tip in turpentine and swab your fingertips and let it dry. Do this over and over when you are not playing (or eating finger-food ). It speeds up the callouses.

That said, it doesn't help make you a better player so you still need to practice!

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by stuartj

And consequently we have a generation of players who cant tune their instruments without an electronic box, let alone actually read music.

I've never used anything but my A-440 tuning fork.

[Rick Lee]

I hadn't played much in the last year. And then my buddies in Pittsburgh, who have a Rush tribute band, asked me to sit in on one song with them. It's a 9 minute song and takes some effort. So I immediately started playing again a few hours a night. My calluses were just about gone. I played hard for three nights, went on a business trip for three days and, when I got back home, my fingers were back. I've been playing at least three hours a day now and my hand strength has really come back too. Less than a week to go before the big night. Now they want me to play 12 songs, so I'm busy relearning everything.

[glewis80SC]

Great tip about Garage Band didn't know. My 12yo daughter wants to play so that will work great.

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

I've never used anything but my E-440 tuning fork.

Make sure you hang on to that- very collectable. -)

[5String43]

Hmm. How to buy a guitar. Not easy.

First of all, what kind of guitar? Acoustic or electric? If electric, what kind of tone you looking for? Tele? Strat? Paul? I'd go to Elderly.com, look in their used/vintage section, see if there's anything there that fills your needs. This is a great company to do business with. They'll let you try an instrument for three days - and they'll take the time to talk you through a preliminary decision on the phone, playing and commenting on the instruments you're interested in, while you're on the line with them. If you decide to try one, you can - if you don't like it, send it back. No harm done.

But if acoustic, much more complicated. What kind of music? Who are your guitar heros? What kind of playing - finger or straightpick? (Lotta finger players like Taylors, for instance; folkies and bluegrass people - that would be me - pretty much stick with Martins, though there are other terrific options - Santa Cruz, Bourgeois, Froggy Bottom and more.) What's your budget? The good ones, the ones that are beautiful to look at, feel good in one's hands and sound great are not inexpensive.

Most important, don't buy an acoustic over the web. They're all different, even if they were built side by side on the same bench. Here in SoCal we're blessed with a couple of places that have big stocks in hand - California Guitars in Van Nuys, Norm's Rare Guitars in Encino and Buffalo Brothers down outside of San Diego come to mind - so does McCabe's in Santa Monica, of course. And up in Palo Alto there's Gryphon Instruments, in Santa Cruz there's Sylvan Music. Lots of cool places, all of 'em gots websites, too.

Electric or acoustic, you really have to find one that speaks to you. Easier with electric, but worth taking the time to do right, I think.

And one more thing - going with really light strings will help you learn more painlessly. I keep lights on all my guitars all the time - less tension trying to pull the things apart.

[slodave]

Don't forget about Fretted Americana.. Not as public as the rest, but a good place to for high end used guitars.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by stuartj

Make sure you hang on to that- very collectable. -)

LOL. I wondered what you were talking about and then I saw it...Oops...A-440.