Newbie Questions...

[Bluesidae]

^^Fully agree. OM or OOO is where I would start, but an S6 is great value at an awesome price.

I fully agree with playing everyday. Even if just for 5 mins!

[TBman]

Welcome to the forum and guitar playing.

You've gotten excellent advice and I would like to repeat that you should bring someone who knows how to play (for years) to help you pick out a guitar. Many times guitars come from the factory with "sky high" strings that need to be lowered to make the guitar easier to play (a good set-up). Many guitars come from the factory with a decent set-up and no adjustment is needed right away. An experienced player can help you find the one that needs little to no adjustment and sounds good at the same time.

Good luck. Don't be afraid to ask questions here.

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by SpiderTrap

Then fine tune by EAR . check You Tube for intonation etc . and many other tips than i've listed . Happy playing

That shocked me at first, but when I thought on it, it's good advice. Your ears need training too. But get a tuner and use it to check and adjust your ear tuning job. Always try the ear tuning first before turning on the tuner.

[Steadfastly]

With your budget, you can get a really decent guitar and that is a good thing. Having a decent guitar that is easy to play is very helpful when starting out.

I know you said you wanted new but you can up the quality of the guitar you purchase if you go used and there are lots of guitars in excellent condition to choose from. Used guitars also sound a bit better in many cases as well.

Take a look at, in alphabetical order.

Alvarez
Blueridge
Eastman
Larivee
Martin
Seagull
Simon & Patrick
Tackimine
Taylor
Yamaha

[Fred]

Think about what kind of music you want to play...it might affect what size guitar you buy. The 00, OM sizes are valued for fingerstyle...also can be good strummers. The bigger dreadnaughts are MOSTLY for strumming, although some use them for fingerpicking as well.

The guitar you want to play is the one that feels best to your hands and body. That's tough for a newbie to know without lots of experience. I like the idea of starting with a smaller body. If you take this seriously over time, it's probable that your first guitar will not be your last.

Good luck!

[Speedwagon]

Originally Posted by Fred

Think about what kind of music you want to play...it might affect what size guitar you buy. The 00, OM sizes are valued for fingerstyle...also can be good strummers. The bigger dreadnaughts are MOSTLY for strumming, although some use them for fingerpicking as well.



The guitar you want to play is the one that feels best to your hands and body. That's tough for a newbie to know without lots of experience. I like the idea of starting with a smaller body. If you take this seriously over time, it's probable that your first guitar will not be your last.



Good luck!

I agree with this 100%. Go with as much guitar as you can afford. In my experience, you get what you pay for in most cases. Higher priced guitars just tend to play better and sound better. There are plenty of threads here describing guitars that are diamonds in the rough. That’s great and all but you have to remember those guitars have been found by experienced players who know what they’re looking for and how to make “that” guitar work for them. Not everyone has that ability.

Play as many as you can...lin all price ranges up to the most you are willing to spend. You may find that Yamaha that floats your boat...you may not. Don’t have any preconceived notions. Go in with an open mind and buy what you really like, what feels and sounds best to you. Go to multiple srores if you can. It’s going to be your guitar so you’re the only one who has to be happy with it.

Good luck and please do let us know what you get.

[rwmct]

Lots of wonderful guitars in that $800 range. One line worth checking out is the all solid Guild imports, the OM-140 (OM size) or D-40 (Dread size). These are both all solid mahogany substitute bodies (you won't likely find actual mahogany at $800) with solid spruce tops.

Or, as has been said, you could save your money, buy a $200 Yamaha and then see what you want later on, when you have more experience. The Yamaha is always a safe choice.

[Stevied63]

I think everyone has given great advice. I second the recommendation on Yamaha. Also on Justin and Marty Schwartz - both great online teachers. The one additional advice I would give is to find a guitar teacher locally, and at least have an initial handful of lessons. It's difficult to convey proper posture/grip/etc. online, and if you can start out with good technique, you won't learn bad habits. Unfortunately, I didn't follow my own advice, and as a result, I know that I have a few bad habits, particularly in my left hand (I tend to wrap my thumb around, like a baseball grip - and while this is great for fretting bass notes with my thumb, it's terrible for more difficult chords that require some stretching - learn the proper technique of keeping your thumb on the back of the neck, and you won't have to unlearn bad habits like that one). A hands-on teacher can start you on a good path with good form, then you can transition to online instruction. In addition, I would suggest learning some basic music theory - intervals, steps, chord theory, circle of fifths, major and minor scales. This may seem a little challenging at first if you aren't familiar with music - but again, learning it early will pay off later - it's one of those things where it won't quite click at first, but when you become a bit more experienced, the light will go on.

[jschmitz54]

Good Luck!

[Silvereagles]

Hi Big,

Welcome to the group. I started playing at the age of 44 seven years ago. My advice to you is go to the guitar store by you and play everything in your price range...

What you should look for is how does it feel when im sitting holding it. Have someone tune it, then take your finger and strum all the strings how does it sound in your ear. Also if you could find someone that can play guitar and take them for the play ability.

If i could ask what area do you live, maybe someone on here lives close and can help...

By the way my first guitar was a Seagull S6 and its a great guitar. But now i would buy a Martin JR in Stapele.... but everyone has a different idea of what they like and only you can decide what you truly like based on what type of music you want to play

Goodluck....

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by jschmitz54

I’m a 63 year old beginner. I took my 3rd lesson today. Fingers are getting less sore but the muscles in my hand tends to get tired after 20 minutes or so.
I decided on a budget of $300 for a new guitar. Several told me Yamaha and several Alvarez. I choose a $400 Alvarez that was on sale fo $300 at guitar center.
The reason I choose Alvarez was:
The artist series has won awards for their quality and sound at the price
Alvarez has a bone nut and bridge vs a synthetic on the Yamaha
Alvarez has a 1 3/4 inch nut vs a less wide one on the Yamaha. As a beginner I think this bit of extra width makes a lot of sense and you see many guitar manufacturers going to the wider nut because players generally like it.
Both the Yamaha and the Alvarez have Solid Sitka Spruce tops and laminate mahogany back and sides. I think for most that combo of woods are good for a single guitar owner and a beginner.
Alvarez guitars have a reputation for having a good set up out of the box. My instructor played mine and said the set up was very good and I didn’t need to spend more dollars to get it set up.
I was also advised by several to buy a smaller guitar than a dreadnaught because they are large and could become uncomfortable for many and especially older beginners. I purchased a Grand Auditorium style which isn’t a small guitar but is a step down from a dread, I like it.
I’m happy with the decision I’ve made. I could have spent far more buying a guitar I don’t have the skill level to appreciate yet. I think my guitar will be a great starting point for me and in 2-5 years when my skills merit something better I think I’ll be in a better position to understand what I want and what suits me best.
Some of the best advice I got was not to be too concerned about the first instrument in the sense that if it’s decent sounding and set up well any guitar will work to begin.
I’m not trying to advise you, more just tell you about my experience in hope it offers some value to you.
Here’s the guitar I bought, it’s back on sale.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Alvarez...tric-Guitar.gc
Good Luck!

jschimtz,

Just followed your link. That's a fine looking instrument you have there. I had an Alvarez AJ60 some years ago and it was an excellent guitar.
. . . play on.

Don

[bufflehead]

I worked my way through grad school as a scuba instructor. Scuba is an equipment-intensive hobby with a high dropout rate among beginners. So is guitar playing.

One of the things the scuba industry understands is that the more beginners commit to the hobby in terms of investment in quality gear, the more likely they are to survive their beginner frustrations. The same concept, I suspect, applies to guitar playing.

Spend any amount of time on this site, and you'll understand that guitar players develop crazy affinities with their instruments. When I spent an hour playing before dinner this evening, it wasn't because I had a particular musical agenda. I just wanted to spent some time with guitar X making it do its wonderful thing. It was playing me every bit as much as I was playing it.

As a beginner, odds are that you won't be playing actively a year from now. The best way to beat those odds is to commit to your music by investing in your instrument. I'm not necessarily talking about dollars and cents here. Rather, I'm talking about picking out a guitar that feels right, smells right, looks right, and most especially, sounds right to you.

The worst thing you can do right now is to subscribe to a budget that all but guarantees you will hate your guitar-playing experience. Looking for a $300 guitar? Why waste your money? It would be better to take a date to a nice restaurant where you buy a really great bottle of wine.

Want to become a successful guitarist? Shop around until you find an instrument that begs you to play it. It will get you through the tough times when your fingers ache and your brain can't remember the chords it learned yesterday.

[Big Flounder]

Originally Posted by Silvereagles

If i could ask what area do you live, maybe someone on here lives close and can help.

I'm in northeast Indiana, about a 1/2 hour from Fort Wayne, IN. I'm fortunate to have a music store in my little town, but also I'm a 1/2 hour from Sweetwater Music so I can get my hands on a lot of guitars to try out I'm sure.

Thanks everyone for all of the great input! I can't believe all of the good feedback/advice I got here! You guys (and gals) rock! Thank you! I definitely have a better idea of some models to look at as well as what I should be looking for when I do shop. Looking forward to seriously getting started on this journey. I feel like a kid at Christmas.

[chippygreen]

Concur with lots of the advice here.

2nd hand can be a great way to go if you're not averse to it, especially if you have a store near you with a good selection of used guitars. (Bring a friend to help if you can). The market for 2nd hand Martins and Taylors is pretty deep, and you can always get out for pretty close to what you paid if you shop smart.

It's ok to have a price range in mind, but have an open mind and stretch a bit if you find something that really speaks to you. You'll go back to it over and over and get better faster.

If you do look at Martins follow the advice of those on this forum who swear by AGF sponsors who will sell you new Martins at 40% off list. (I only have one Martin which was acquired by partial trade from a local dealer, so I don't have experience to share).

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it but for factory made guitars (basically all main line brands) the same model guitar won't necessarily always sound the same across all units. You're buying that specific guitar, not a given model, they are not identical. Variations in top wood, small construction tolerances, and other considerations combine to make some more special than others. You might find one Martin D-28 does nothing for you and love the next.

Play songs you like. I use lots of tabs on Ultimate Guitar. Practice often. Instead of banging around pick one specific thing you want to do better today and keep at it. (It's ok to just bang around after that! This is supposed to be fun after all). Don't give up.

Definitely get an electronic tuner - it's worth the $10!

[HeyMikey]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

Take a look at, in alphabetical order.

Alvarez
Blueridge
Eastman
Larivee
Martin
Seagull
Simon & Patrick
Tackimine
Taylor
Yamaha

This is a really good list. There is no reason why you can't find a nice guitar for $300-500. I have two Alvarez that are very well made, easy to play and sound really good. Inexpensive or Made in China doesn't necessarily mean "cheap" these days.

If you are like me and some older players with shoulder issues, a dreadnought might be too large and deep for extended playing. Something a touch smaller like an OM/OOO/Folk size would be worth trying.

If you have smaller hands or will be primarily strumming, a slightly more narrow 1-11/16 nut width might be more comfortable than 1-3/4. The profile of the neck will also matter, so trying to form a chord or two, or just stretch your fingers around the neck towards the lower strings and and see what feels most comfortable to you.