Advice on Getting a Guitar! (1 Viewer)

[law_stud]

Hey all!

Any knowledgeable guitar playing people have any advice for a beginner who wants to get a good steel acoustic guitar in terms of where to get one and how much I should be looking to pay?

Preferably I'll get one which I can plug into some sort of amp thing but which I'll mostly use without,

What brands should I look out for, any shops to check out/recommended by you? how much should I look into paying?

-Goes off to check the trading post-

Thanks for any advice you people have, there's nothing like listening to your fave guitar song and getting all inspired [I have a really crappy hand-me down guitar which I want to replace with something that doesn't fall apart when I play it!]

 

[Revolution]

I'm not the most experienced guitarist; I've been playing for about 2 years and have a reasonable knowledge of guitars. But I'll offer my advice anyway

If I read your post right, you're looking for an Acoustic Electric guitar. Check out Oscar Schmdit. They're sort of an off brand, but I've heard good things about them -- good quality, good sounding, good value. Not sure where you'd look exactly since they're not as common as Fenders or Yamahas (for instance), but some music stores should stock them.

I'd spend around $450 at the most if it's your first "proper" guitar; upon recomendation of a good musician friend of mine I spent around $490 on my first guitar (acoustic Ibanez) and although it's a lot of money, it's worth it to get a decent guitar that'll hold it's tone and sound and not sound crap. But on the other hand don't just go for the most expensive guitar. In the shop, play with a few, get a feel for what feels comfortable, and take that into account. You might find a $250 guitar of a certain make feels better in your hands than a $400 guitar of another make. It's entirely up to you.

Anyway, good luck with your decision

 

[law_stud]

Hey Revs,

Thanks buddy,

Just checking out the prices online [Turramurramusic.com.au] etc, yikes! so expensive!!!

I guess you get what you pay for ...

I think I'll get an acoustic rather than an acoustic-electric, and I'm thinking Ibanez but I'll have to wait till I actually check some out in store,

 

[Emma-Jayde]

Yeah, a good guitar will set you back quite a bit...
Ibanez's are nice guitars, as are Fenders. I personally don't like Yamahas, but you might find a nice one if you look around.
Alsom try a lot of different guitars, of different price ranges. As Revolution said, the best guitar for you is not neccessarily the most expensive.

Goood luck!

 

[Keen]

If you want something cheaper, I would recommed an Aria which goes for $300 (can be plugged into an amp - sounds great). Add about $100 for a case and $150 for an amp.

That should be suffice as you can really get a good guitar pretty cheaply these days, especially to start.


Keen

 

[Gavvvvvin]

Some sites that may help you:

www.musicianswarehouse.com.au

www.harmony-central.com (has a lot of reviews)

www.musicianforums.com

 

[law_stud]

guitar with amp?

yeah! thanks for the responses!

I've been thinking about getting an acoustic electric [i.e. an acoustic I can plug in] ... but I was just about to settle for a plain 'ol acoustic...

I'll post the guitar I'm thinking of getting, looks like i have to check out these sites [awesome] and do more research... i'll be back in a few days after my mid-sessions to let ya know how it goes...

 

[AsyLum]

www.billyhyde.com.au
www.venuemusic.com.au
www.guitarfactory.com.au
www.turramurramusic.com.au

 

[law_stud]

All of you - Rev, Emma, Keen, Deathless & Asylum - thanks so much for the advice!

I went to a couple of guitar stores and after trying a couple of acoustic guitars I was nearly floored by the sweeet tones of a Legend Acoustic. Man, one twang and I fell in love with it! 280 - so I'm thinking I'll pick it up next week ... add a pick-up later,

BUT .. whilst I was checking out the acoustics, I kept on perving on the electric guitars and it made me think ...

I'm tempted to get an electric guitar, it would be sooo coool! but I don't think it's practical [please back me up before I stray into temptation] because I'm a total guitar skills noob [ok, i can play basic chords], I have some idea about acoustic guitars but no idea about electrics/amps/etc ...

Heh, I think I've found my next major passion, anyhow first get that acoustic and see how it goes, get some basic geetar skills and electric - 4 months from now - here I come!

twang!!!!!

 

[Gavvvvvin]

Buy a bass.

 

[AsyLum]

Practice on Steel String/Acoustics first. That will build up your arm/hand muscles and will make the transition to an Electric much easier.

 

[adsta]

The advice I give my students is this, firstly buy a classical guitar (nylon string). They are generally cheap as (but you can get really good ones for a lot of $$$). If you find yourself practicing everyday and enjoying it 6 months later, then you can start looking at a more expensive guitar (electric or steel string).
Most of my friends who have started playing guitar go out and spend 300+ (which is fairly cheap for an electric or steel string guitar) on their first guitar and stop playing after a month or two. If they took my advice they would have only wasted $100 rather than $300.

As for deciding over a steel string or an electric, well I'm very biased with electric guitars. But really it comes down to what sort of music you want to be playing. But you can always get more guitars as time goes on. I have 5 guitars and still plan on getting more

 

[Keen]

Yeah, I agree with adsta, unless you want to play heavy rock get an acoustic. It's a tough decision of whether to get a nylon/steel. Steel's are much better to play for most things but I recently helped my friend buy a $300 Fender and he's never played it, although you might be a little disappointed at nylon, their better for classical guitar stuff.
Acoustic Steel's are good for most things, I mean you can even get an amp and connect your acoustic (although you probably can't with the one you've chosen?!?) and it'll sound fairly similar to an electric guitar.

Keen

 

[DrivenUpTheWall]

All of you - Rev, Emma, Keen, Deathless & Asylum - thanks so much for the advice!

I went to a couple of guitar stores and after trying a couple of acoustic guitars I was nearly floored by the sweeet tones of a Legend Acoustic. Man, one twang and I fell in love with it! 280 - so I'm thinking I'll pick it up next week ... add a pick-up later,

BUT .. whilst I was checking out the acoustics, I kept on perving on the electric guitars and it made me think ...

I'm tempted to get an electric guitar, it would be sooo coool! but I don't think it's practical [please back me up before I stray into temptation] because I'm a total guitar skills noob [ok, i can play basic chords], I have some idea about acoustic guitars but no idea about electrics/amps/etc ...

Heh, I think I've found my next major passion, anyhow first get that acoustic and see how it goes, get some basic geetar skills and electric - 4 months from now - here I come!

twang!!!!!

i say start off with acoustic...it's harder to learn on but once you do progress onto electric it makes things soo much easier to play. personally i can't stand the sound of nylon strings..i odn't know why though they just sound...off...to me at least....i don't care much for the feeling of them either

 

[AsyLum]

Maybe you just dont know how to play the right songs on them

 

[fake_um..]

ahem, fender do NOT make good accoustics.

 

[kylie-rose]

just a word of advice, if/when you get a guitar, dont leave it leaning against the end wall of the garage where it cant be seen....because unknowing sisters like me will accidentally hit them with a bullbar when parking their ute and it will end up in two pieces...
as my brothers guitar did at about 2am this morning

 

[fake_um..]

you are so dead

 

[law_stud]

Hey All, thanks for your advice adsta, Rev, Emma, Keen, Deathless & Asylum and everyone else

Bought my guitar last week. It's so awesome. Solid top Yamaha steel acoustic.

In fact it was so awesome my brother bought one too!

Having fun with Pete Murray - Better Days [Chords for noobz]

Capo 1st Fret

Intro / Verse
F C Em Am G

Chorus
C Em Am F

Huzzah for guitar!

*sif put guitar behind a car, hah

 

[Lord Worm]

I suggest this KXK WarriorV model. That way if anyone comments on your shit playing you can always impale them