Greetings from a beginner - first questions

[FSword]

Hello all,

This is a great forum, I've been silently reading for a while and thought I'd join so as to participate more actively.

Let me briefly introduce myself: I'm in my 40s and decided to take up guitar lessons. It's something I always wanted to do but never seemed to put my mind to it. I have no prior experience (just some music theory recollection from high school) and hope to not be one of those guys who start enthusiastically but give up after a couple of months. I'm currently searching for a guitar teacher - I think I'll be more committed this way instead of browsing online courses.

One of the main things that trouble me is - what else - my first guitar purchase. I've been searching for a while and have gathered some theoretical knowledge but I'm waiting for my first guitar lessons to have a bit of practice as well before actually buying a guitar. As you'd imagine I have a ton of questions, some of which I've resolved from reading existing threads and some that I expect to discuss further :-)

As a first thought I think I want to start with an acoustic dreadnought guitar with cutaway and integrated preamp/pickup (however I'm open to suggestions / different opinions). Obviously I want to start with an introductory model but perhaps not too introductory so that I can keep it for a while (e.g. I'd like to have a solid top at least). I don't know if going this way is better than simply getting a pure acoustic guitar but I'm also a tech guy and I love cables, connections, pre/amps etc. so I think I'll really enjoy connecting my guitar to an amp (in the future).

On the other hand I guess going to an electroacoustic guitar means either buying an inferior - acoustically - model compared to a pure acoustic guitar in a given budget or raising the budget.

To give a better idea of where I'm standing, I was thinking of something around the price of a Yamaha FG830, which in its electroacoustic version is Yamaha FGX-830C. The latter is more expensive but if required I guess I could reach this point as well. Other models I have in mind are the Takamine GD51CE, the Guild D-140CE SB Westerly, the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson J-45 EC etc. These are not all in the same price point so I would prefer going to the lower end (e.g. the Takamine which I also really like aesthetically) but if it makes such a big difference I'd go for the more expensive models as well.

Now I know that some things are purely based on personal taste so I won't ask questions like "rosewood or mahogany". Yes, I'll go to my nearest dealer and try out/hear as many guitars as I can (I've already done that but haven't found all models I'm interested in, will keep on searching). I also expect to take some lessons before continuing my search so that I know better what to pay attention to or how to play a few basic chords and see if I like the way the guitar fits me (FYI I'm quite tall so I can handle a big size guitar).

However, I will ask if you would rule any of these models out for whatever reason or you'd suggest something on top. As you understand, I'd like the best possible "all rounder" if such a thing exists, i.e. a guitar playing well both plugged and unplugged (always given the specific budget). I read some random opinions (not in this forum) like "Takamine G series are fine when plugged in but unplugged they sound really cheap" and the other way around for Yamaha, others that "Takamine are the best entry level", "Guild and Epiphone are all solid - this is more important than anything" but from my experience in other areas such opinions can be quite misleading, given that anyone can say anything online (not to mention that some are contradictory in the first place) and the personal taste is a quite significant factor here. Nevertheless, some things are facts, for example if you want to go off road you won't buy the La Ferrari - this is not a matter of personal opinion.

Furthermore, when talking to some dealers I also got the input "there is no model to play well both plugged and unplugged, you need more than one guitars!". Sure guys, I know that each to his/her own and it's always best to buy a separate item for a specific purpose but hey I'm a beginner, when I say I want an all rounder I mean something decent.

Anyway, this post turned out to be quite larger than initially expected - sorry for that. If anyone can share an opinion I'd be more than grateful.

Thank you all!

[Coler]

Welcome.

Any of those guitars would be great. The main thing is to get whatever you buy properly set up so it is nice to play, and then play it a lot.

Lots of people will own one guitar, just like those, their whole life, and be excellent musicians.

As a beginner one of the worst things to do would be to get sucked into acquiring multiple guitars before you learn how to play.

I can't emphasise enough how important having the guitar set-up to play properly, and playing it often, is.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I'm an old Brit who has been playing acoustic guitar since the 1960s. I had little/no guidance so made every mistake in the book, and during Covid I started getting requests to teach, via Zoom videos which have proven very succesful.

As far as the "first" guitar, I'd offer some advice for your consideration.

You will do most/all your initial learning seated. Large bodied guitars can be difficult to handle seated for many, and they do tend to cause shoulder and back issues, so I would suggest that your first steel string should be a smaller bodied option. Consider the width and depth.

Please don't pay extra for built in electrics, by te time you will be "performing" you'll be a couple o more guitar purchases down the line.

Your first guitar will be an experiment and it will be unlikely to give you much bach in trade, as you develop your style and learn what suits you, your hands etc.

If you are interested, please contact me at [email protected], and, if interested we could arrange a free Zoom chat.

Regards,
Ol' Andy.

[FSword]

Originally Posted by Coler

As a beginner one of the worst things to do would be to get sucked into acquiring multiple guitars before you learn how to play.

For sure I'm not going to do that (nor am I going to the shop who suggested that to be honest - seems he is more interested in selling than helping acquire a correct instrument).

Originally Posted by Coler

I can't emphasise enough how important having the guitar set-up to play properly, and playing it often, is.

Playing it often is on my list as well but setting it up, well I'm not sure where to turn to. The shop itself (the main dealers have their own technicians)? Or find a luthier and go to him/her? Problem is, I'm not sure how to identify a good luthier :-) But I'll figure it out!

Edit: already found some luthiers near me who perform guitar set up, need to search for some references now...

[LFL Steve]

An acoustic dreadnaught (same as “dreadnought”) with a cutaway and pickup is a perfectly excellent choice for a first guitar. So is an electric solidbody or a slimline or an archtop. It is the hours put into learning, and consistency over a long time, that will matter. You should get a guitar that strikes your fancy, that will inspire you to play. The guitar itself matters very little, it is PLAYING the guitar that matters. Get one you think is cool, and play it.

I learned guitar around 50 years ago. Beginners guitars are pretty different now. They are amazingly good, pretty much all of them. If you’re buying a cheap used guitar there are some things to watch out for, and experience would be helpful. But if you’re buying new, with a warranty, I think you could buy just about ANY guitar in the store and be just fine.

[Pdubs76]

Welcome to the forum. I would suggest adding the Yamaha A1M to your list. Great tone and playability out of the box, and the SRT electronics will give you great plugged in tone as well. Good luck!

[Osage]

The FG830 is an excellent choice for a beginner. It's a well made, nice sounding, budget friendly guitar.

A K&K Pure Mini pickup is $100 and if you're handy, you can install it yourself. It's a great sounding pickup and would be a good option if you started with the FG830 and then eventually wanted to add a pickup.

I'll add to the chorus of get it properly setup. Shouldn't cost a fortune and will make your life that much easier.

[rmp]

Originally Posted by FSword

For sure I'm not going to do that (nor am I going to the shop who suggested that to be honest - seems he is more interested in selling than helping acquire a correct instrument).



Playing it often is on my list as well but setting it up, well I'm not sure where to turn to. The shop itself (the main dealers have their own technicians)? Or find a luthier and go to him/her? Problem is, I'm not sure how to identify a good luthier :-) But I'll figure it out!

Edit: already found some luthiers near me who perform guitar set up, need to search for some references now...

so.. for considerations, Luthier's build guitars. For this, if you have one in your area, they'd know what to do.

But in reality, you want a good "Setup Tech". they are far easier to locate.

Asking the local store who they use for their setups is a good place to start.

Ff you know any seasoned players, ask around in that circle, someone usually knows someone who is reputable.

Acoustic setups are not hard, but they are specific.

There's several key elements to be done, or else we're often left chasing the details that were missed. Nut work seems to be one of the more common ones that get overlooked. It's not just about shaving down a saddle.

[musicman1951]

Either of those Yamaha guitars would be a fine choice. The FG 800 would also be a fine choice.

The rosewood/Mahogany question is just the beginning of the questions you will not be able to answer until you've played for some time. Dread, OM, 000, 00, short/long scale, string spacing, nut width, etc. These are all just personal preferences, but they do require some experience - especially before you start spending larger sums of $$. Even after they upgrade, lots of players find it advantageous to own a cheaper guitar for situations where there could be some possible damage to the instrument.

But if you've got plenty of cash, or just want a slightly better guitar there is never a problem with having a good instrument. All of my acoustics were purchased without electronics and a K&K pickup was added later for around $100.

When you find a teacher that would be a good place to ask for advice. Music store salesmen could (might possibly) be helpful, but remember that their job is to move merchandise. There can be a pretty constant turnover at some large stores and they can also be working on commission. As a general rule, probably not the best place for advice.

[FSword]

Thanks a lot for all the helpful replies! Adding a pickup later on (I guess this is the minimum requirement to connect to a preamp/amp) is a quite interesting concept, which I just might follow (anyway I'm not going to plug in the guitar in the upcoming months). I understand though that this requires to drill the guitar, right?

[jmagill]

Best of luck on your guitar journey!

Lots of good advice here. My tips echo what some others have said. Starting out, you want a guitar that 'fits' you well in every way possible (feel, sound, style, etc.).

For your first guitar consider this:

1.) Playability comes first. If you're new to guitar, it doesn't matter what brand, or model, or type of woods, or good price, or really anything else it has if it's not easy to play. You'll just get frustrated and stop. If you have a friend who is an experienced player or guitar instructor, have them accompany you when you go guitar shopping, and make sure you try before you buy, to make sure everything feels good, which will save you having to pay to get a good setup afterwards. Your friend should help with this.

2.) Find a guitar whose sound pleases you. Again, if it doesn't make you reach for it because you want to hear that sound, you'll just lose interest and stop. When I started playing at 14, I took my first guitar (a cheap Mexican 12-string), lay on my back with the guitar on my chest, strummed a chord and just let it vibrate my whole body into silence and thought, "I want to hear this sound more than anything in the world". I got a Mel Bay chord book and taught myself to play. I've now been a professional musician for more than 50 years and still want to hear that sound. Every. Single. Day.
.

[Coler]

Originally Posted by FSword

Thanks a lot for all the helpful replies! Adding a pickup later on (I guess this is the minimum requirement to connect to a preamp/amp) is a quite interesting concept, which I just might follow (anyway I'm not going to plug in the guitar in the upcoming months). I understand though that this requires to drill the guitar, right?

It can.

Or you can use a soundhole pickup without permanently installing it.

Honestly, the best thing is to go play guitars within your budget and get one that feels and sounds good to you. Don't reject one because it comes with an installed pick up at this price point. Actually installing a puck up later to an entry level guitar is going to be unnecessarily expensive.

Make sure you like the plugged in sound too if you do intend to plug in.

Again, the guitars you are considering are all great options. Most important is to get one you like, get it set up and (ideally) start some lessons in person.

Your teacher could be a good advisor on what to buy and what it might need by way of set up.

[Jamolay]

Only a few years on myself and love gear, so I have thoughts.

There are a million cool guitars out there. The reliable starting guitars depend on your budget. Just find one you like at your price and make sure the setup is good. Yamaha is probably super reliable. But there are advocates for most other brands as well. I am a fan of used. More guitar for the money. You will get it set up either way.

Ask yourself what you might need electronics for. You can’t play a regular acoustic quietly and listen to it with headphones. That needs a different guitar. The only reason you need electronics is to perform in a venue large enough that you need it, or to add reverb or other effects.

I would hold off on that until the future. It can be added, or considered when you upgrade your base equipment.

I agree that randomly scouring the internets for lessons is not the way to go. However, there are several well regarded coherent online lessons available. Ideally, I think one of those coupled with in person or zoom lessons (like Silly M. offers) is a good option. I have been using JustinGuirar.com. Very supportive, organized and well curated. Lots to do free, in donation as desired, with more purchases for some bells and whistles. A good place to start as you sort it all out.

[Jwills57]

I teach guitar, and quite a few of my students over the years were beginners just like you. I will echo what others have mentioned. Don't worry nearly so much about what the guitar sounds like and worry a lot more about how it plays. If you're battling a guitar with high action, poor intonation, worn frets, crappy tuners, you'll probably never stick with it. If you go the used route, I would definitely recommend taking a guitar friend with you to check out potential guitars, someone who might be able to spot issues with guitars you are interested in, so you will avoid above-mentioned problems. My recommendation, for what it's worth, is to buy a new Yamaha LS6M, $509 from Sweetwater. 5-6 of my students have gone this route, and I have been incredibly impressed with the quality, both structurally and sonically, of these guitars. Yamaha has great quality control and a consistent focus on making sure even lower-priced models are good, solid instruments. Yamaha, of course, offers guitars which are less expensive than the LS6M, and these are excellent instruments for beginners, too. But the reason I like the LS6M is that the nut spacing is 1 3/4". My experience is that this spacing makes it quite a bit easier for beginners to begin getting around the fretboard. Until fairly recently, like in the last 25-30 years, most steel-string guitars had a nut spacing of 1 11/16". Whatever guitar you end up with, I would definitely want a 1 3/4" nut. Good luck.

[Eastbound]

My vote is for a yamaha small body as well.

Nut width is a personal preference. Id say (in general), small hands and skinny fingers would do better on a 1 11/16th. Bigger hands/fatter fingers better on a 1 3/4. That said, there are many exceptions to each, where top notch players completely contradict this statement.

I also think a short scale guitar can be much easier to play for a beginner, as they are typically easier to get around on, even for experienced players