Guitar thread - must be that time of year

happychappy69

At the age of 44 I've decided its time to learn to play the guitar

Tried several in my local store,  none of which "felt right" then the owner clicked, despite being right handed - when it comes to guitars I'm a lefty.

Can anyone recommend a cheap guitar for a beginner, want to keep it cheap in case this is a fly by night impulse

I tried an eko laredo instore, and found a tanglewood 44 SBT on ebay

Would an electro acoustic be kinder to the neighbors?

Anyone have any thoughts

Thanks to you all

bilbosmeggins

If you are learning right from the start it might be an idea to consider going down the Rocksmith route.  There are loads of us here on these very forums doing just that.  Check here: Xbox 360 Music Games | AVForums

As regards buying a cheap guitar to begin with you really need to have a think about what kind of music you want to play, and whether or not an acoustic guitar will satisfy your tastes.  Be warned that if you do go down the acoustic route that they are generally quite a bit harder (physically) to play than electric guitars for a variety of reasons.  And so, they can sometimes be quite a hurdle to overcome during the early stages.

bilbosmeggins

Oh, and congratulations on being a lefty, join the club

Christian 71

Congrats as Bilbo has said there are a load of us with a similar background in the Xbox guitar groups thanks to Rocksmith. It's amazing for learning guitar.

If you are worried about the neighbours a Semi Hollow guitar may be a better bet as they are quieter than a full acoustic, or even a full electric and a nice little practice amp (mustang/cube). Loads of great deals on Gumtree and ebay as second hand values are generally low at the mo, but worth getting a guitar playing friend to give you a hand as there are some lemons out there.

May wanna reconsider being a lefty as it really cuts your options down guitar wise long term, but if that's how you are wired better to realise early.

RBZ5416

As I always say, the only valid reason for buying cheap is if you have no cash. Otherwise buy the best used instrument that you can comfortably afford. If it doesn't work out then you can sell for more or less what you paid. A cheap new instrument will be virtually worthless the second you walk out of the store.

Many similar threads here so research them. To summarise where this thread will end up:

You must buy an electric.       
You must buy an acoustic.
You must buy an expensive amp loaded with effects.
You can get by with a cheap practice amp.
You must have lessons.
You can simply teach yourself from YouTube or Justinguitar.com.
Rocksmith is the best thing since sliced bread.
Rocksmith is a poor way to learn.

I think that about covers it...

happychappy69

So our of curiosity,  how did you guys? learn to play as I'm assuming that not everyone learned on a console or YouTube

Music wise I'm literally into all music but primarily blues is what I listen to the most

happychappy69

So our of curiosity,  how did you guys? learn to play as I'm assuming that not everyone learned on a console or YouTube

Music wise I'm literally into all music but primarily blues is what I listen to the most


And, Christian,  what's a semi hollow guitar?

Lastly,  what are the names to to lookout for or avoid?

bilbosmeggins

Bit of everything.  Lessons, youtube, books, just messing about and Rocksmith.  And, even though it has it's nay-sayers, I still think that the best move you can make is via Rocksmith.  Whilst it is no substitute for lessons, what it does best is it feeds your enjoyment needs.  And, as a result, you'll have a guitar in your hands for hours on end some times, just banging away to some tune or other.  Learning outside of Rocksmith can be a lot more frustrating and lonesome at times so, consequently, it tends to mean that you end up having little 10-15 minute stints here and there.  And if you're into the blues, what can be better than playing along with B.B. King or Stevie Ray Vaughan?

RBZ5416

What's your total budget for this?

Are you leaning towards acoustic as a preference (as that's what you said you'd tried)?

Semi-hollow/acoustic is an electric guitar with a shallow, hollow body. So whereas a solid body electric will be virtually silent unamplified, a semi will make some sound. But nowhere near as much as as a true acoustic. The Gibson/Epiphone 335 is probably the best known example & a used Epi may not be a bad place to start.

Have a long, hard think before committing to being a lefty though as it will seriously limit your choices & you'll almost always pay a premium.

Edit
Assuming you mean DBT the Tanglewood is a classical guitar with nylon strings rather than the steel strings of the Eko you tried. There's a thread a bit further down about an instrument for school that has a recommendation for a cheap Fender classical if that's what you want.

happychappy69

Budget is a max of £150, and I might get to keep one testicle if I spend that - I have a history of starting new hobbies

Am leaning towards the acoustic but am open to other options

As (I think) I mentioned in the opening post I tried several guitars in my local store but none "felt right" (no pun intended) until I tried a lefty so It'll have to be a cross I'll have to carry