ScottKuma

I've always wanted to learn how to play guitar, especially an electric, so this year my wife is going to buy me a "starter kit". It consists of a Squier Strat (by Fender), a small practice amp, gig bag, tuner, etc.

All that for around $250...which may or may not be a decent deal.

I found it at a local music shop (read that as, NOT Guitar Center) where I am also considering taking weekly lessons.

What I'm looking for is the following:

1. Does anyone know anything about these Squier Strats? They seem nice, but then again, I know NOTHING about this...

2. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to practice to gain proficiency? My goal isn't (necessarily) to join a rock band, but more to be able to pick up and play some classic rock songs....

3. Anyone have a recommendation for a reputable/knowledgeable instructor in the N. Cincinnati area?

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Derwood

the squier is fine for a starting guitar. it's basically the "cheaply made" version of the american standard strat. it's nothing a pro would use, but it's better than a Sears brand, etc.

I've been playing for 14 years and never took a lesson. I learned basic chords from a guitar poster (remember those?) and then started downloading tabs off the internet like crazy.

Martian

Yeah, Squiers are Fender's budget line. They make great instruments to start out on. I personally am not a fan of Strats but I do recognize that they are great guitars that just don't suit my style.

Out of curiosity, what is your musical background? Do you have any musical experience prior to this? Do you know anything about music theory? Don't worry too much if you don't, you're not really going to need to know that stuff for a while yet, but I'm just curious.

I haven't been playing as long as Derwood, only seven years on guitar, but I've been a musician of some description since before the end of my first decade and was able to carry over a lot of the theoretical stuff to guitar. After seven years the one thing I still do daily (and recommend to new players ad nauseum) is scale drills. Run through a major scale in one position (for example, Amaj in 5th), then run some variations on it (I do it in thirds, then in intervals). Then run the chromatic, then the minor, then the same variations on the minor as well. Do it on one string, then up the octave (which puts you in 7th or 12th position for A, depending on which string you play on) and go through all that stuff again. Finish it all off by playing arpeggios up through the full range of the instrument, then pick a new key and repeat. It's all very boring and uninteresting to listen to or play, but it's also what will allow you to develop the hand speed and precision to do the really cool stuff.

Don't panic if you don't know what any of that means. Those are my own exercises; you ought to be able to find a book to give you some, or your new instructor can help you out.

Speaking of, your best bet is probably to head to the music store. They'll probably offer lessons themselves, but on the off chance they don't they will be able to point you in the direction of someone who does.

Oh, and one last random thought : you may want to consider investing in a metronome. Not everybody finds it necessary, but if you're new to musicianship in general having something to help keep you in time will not hurt. Always remember that playing the music in time (with precision) is far more important than playing it quickly.

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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Punk.of.Ages

I looked around at some of the places I rely on for musical supplies, and I assume you're looking at buying the "Squire: stop dreaming, start playing...blah blah" pack. The running price for that seems to be $250, so you're not getting ripped off.
My personal experience with the Squire is that they are a great guitar for the cost. Very good to learn on. I don't personally like the sound, but that's because it's a strat and i prefer a deeper sound. That's why I play a Les Paul.
I've been playing for about six or seven years, and I'm not anything special. I play punk rock. I don't need to be special. But, I learned just by learning how to read tab, and downloading a ton of it off the net. I picked up these chord flashcards from Barns & Noble a couple years back, and to this day I constantly refer to those things. Most importantly for me, though, are my friends that play with me. Every time I jam with somebody I learn something. Even people who can't play as well as me can usually teach me something, even if it's just a new song to learn.

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Manic_Skafe

Even though they aren't too bad to learn on, those starter packs aren't even worth their low price. If you ever decide you want to play seriously or with other people, you'll have to replace everything that came with the starter pack.

Put as much as you can into a decent guitar ($2-300) and about $100 in a small practice amp. You don't have to break the bank but you should know that you get what you pay for and if you buy quality equipment then it'll not only be easier to learn on - if you decide you don't want to play guitar, you'll at least have some resell value.

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Derwood

it's probably also a good idea to learn on an acoustic before an electric. you'll build more finger strength and you can play anywhere....in the park, on your porch, etc.

a website like www.ultimate-guitar.com has good tabs for beginners, and many of the songs have a chord diagram that will pop up if you float the mouse over the chord. I'd reccomend AdBlock though as the site is pretty pop-up crazy

evilbeefchan

I must must agree with Derwood. I wanted an electric so bad when I was in high school, but my dad's guitar playing friend insisted I "earn" it by training my fingers on a acoustic.
But then again, it all depends on whatever's gonna make you WANT to play. If plugging in, turning the gain and treble all the way up and busting out the opening riff of "My Generation" is what you want to do, then do it. My first acoustic was the $100 "store brand" from Samash. Steel strings, so my fingers got really shredded up, but I couldn't stop playing. My first electric was a lower end Ibanez that cost about $250, plus a $100 Brownsville combo amp that I still use. My garage rock aspirations have come and gone, but I still love my guitars.

Ibanez - http://www.samash.com/catalog/showit...subsearch=true

This is my new toy:
http://www.woodbrass.com/images/woodbrass/EDTSAWBH1.JPG

Punk.of.Ages

I have to beg to differ here. My first guitar was the Epiphone Les Paul Special II from that starter pack. I absolutely loved that guitar. I'd still play it if it didn't end up getting fucked up on a move by accident. Of course, as I said I play punk, so I don't really need an anything special guitar.

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"Punk rock music is great music played by really bad, drunk musicians." -Fat Mike

Martian

I have to disagree with this. Squiers, Epiphones etc are great instruments for people who don't want to (or can't afford to) invest in a top-of-the-line guitar. I know a few guys who play Squier Strats and have had a turn on them a couple times myself. They're not the same as a Fender American by any stretch of the imagination, but they are good instruments.

As to the amp, well yeah if you want to perform it's not surprising that you'll need to invest in a performance amp, but for jamming at home a little 10 or 15 watt practice amp is really the better solution. Aside from the difference in cost ($80-$100 vs $300 and up), a big performance model is just too much amp for practicing on your own. If you're going to invest in an amp and an entry level guitar and you can save a few bucks buying them together, why not go for it?

As a rule, your starting equipment is going to get replaced eventually. When and how often depends entirely on how serious you are about your music.

I do, however, agree with Derwood's advice re: acoustics. The thicker gauge strings and wider neck of an acoustic are less forgiving, meaning that you'll form better habits early on. In the grand scheme of things, however, it probably isn't going to make a big difference either way.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Fly

yup..........best way right here........get an acoustic first.



then go buy a big bag of weed,slap the headphones on and start practicing.....

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Destrox

I was in your boat not too long ago.

My final solution after talking to a few people, my father primarily as he was once a excellent guitarist.

No matter how much you want to play an electric, have that loud sound, killer rifs, etc just buy an acoustic first. You will appreciate it so much more in the end.

So I ended up with a wonderful Alvarez $275-300~ acoustic because I wanted to make sure that what I started on is also something I could finish with.

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ScottKuma

I've heard the "buy an acoustic" mantra before...and I don't see myself doing it, as foolish as it may sound...

#1: Acoustic guitars just dont...interest me. I won't invest the time into something that I'm not interested in.

#2: see #1.

Someone asked me about my musical background, and it's honestly next to nothing. Basically, i'm one of those people who can pick up an instrument and worry out a song or two given a few minutes. I LOVE music from an amateur standpoint, and this is just an attempt to get started in an instrument in which I'm interested.

Knowing how I am, I wouldn't do the self-study via tabs route. I need something a little more structured, at least at first. To that end, I'm going to commit to lessons for at least the first 3 - 6 months, and maybe longer depending on how those go.

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Derwood

i bet your guitar teacher will tell you to buy an acoustic. let me know if i'm right

ScottKuma

You probably are - and I'll explain to him/her the same as I did above....if I want to stick with it, I need to do what interests me.... Otherwise there's no use starting, because I know myself well enough to know that I won't keep it going.

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roachboy

well, if you want to play rawk, you are boxing yourself in to a strict harmonic organization and a riff-based vocabulary. the harmonic organization is easy to violate--the riff-based way of thinking about line is more problematic. personally, i find restricting yourself to riffs (modal patterns at best, but more often just lame scales) means you dont think about development means that you are working in a static form whether you know it or not.

this isnt the only way to do things.
so if you are starting out, it's good to understand the choices you are making.
the easiest way to see the rules of the form clearly is to listen to folk who do not adhere to them. the rules become clearest via their absence.

so check out the folk who do "bad things" to guitars.
keith rowe for example.
(though the only problem with rowe is that everyone and his brother in electronic experrymental music does keith rowe things, often without knowing it...laying the guitar on is back, detuning it, whacking it with things, using delay to structure the results, passing them out into a p.a...)

others who push at what you can do, but from a position of technical mastery:
derek bailey
taku sugimoto
fred frith

there's also 20 years of sonic youth.

robert fripp worked out a system of building lines around 4ths.
it is a hell of a lot more interesting to listen to than straight scales/riffs.
to generate contexts for lines based on 4ths requires that you rethink interior voicings in chords---it's the thirds that are the condition of possibilty for wrong notes--without them, you have a more open environment---but to work in an open environment, you have to think in terms of line, not riffs.

but i dont think in a normal way about this sort of thing.
sometimes i think that follows from being a pianist, not a guitarist.

full disclosure, in order to make this post seem less out of joint: my brother is a bluegrass player (banjo and guitar) and has played since i was maybe 12--so i grew up alongside a much straighter player than i am, and know all too well how the game works if you learn a straight form and take the claims of practitioners of that form seriously. all the above is really saying is take what you want from a teacher and ignore the other stuff.

full disclosure number 2: i used to play in rawk contexts. they made me want to put tacks into my forehead after a while. it is SO boring to play the same thing in the same way over and over again. but i wouldnt say dont learn to do that--i would say the opposite--learn everything, do everything. boredom is a personal space, and you should find your own way to it. chances are what bores me wont bore you. and keep in mind that the only thing worse than being a keyboard player in a rawk band is being second tenor in a ska band--the keyboard parts in a rawk context are basically 1-4-5 all the fucking time, but at least you get to play the occaisional blues cliche as a fill. second tenor in a ska band only gets to play the root.

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divagrrrl

I agree with those who have said start on an acoustic, and practice with a metronome. Anything worth doing is worth doing well, right? Even if you only want to play with yourself for the pleasure of it (haha that came out really dirty ), you might as well get the technique and strength right from the start.

Squier strats are hit and miss... some play ok, others are a pain and no amount of set-up will get them intonated above the fifth fret. As you become more skilled, start looking at other guitars at a local retailer, and playing them. I predict you will upgrade within a year if you practice and play a lot.

Have fun! Music soothes the soul in a way nothing else can.

Martian

Yeah, do what makes you happy. Acoustics are generally considered better to learn on and the reasons have been mentioned; at the same time, you'll learn a lot more from an electric you do play than you will from an acoustic you don't. The differences aren't all that major. If plugging in and jamming out some fat chords is what interests you, then do that.

Definitely do invest in a metronome, though. Timing is something that does come naturally to an extent, but to really develop that skill you need a way to keep a steady pace. If you're not playing in a band with a capable drummer, having a little ticker to do it for you is the next best thing.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Manic_Skafe

The idea that a $250 starter pack of essentially worthless shit could be considered a good deal is almost as absurd as the idea of taking out one of those shit guitars to play with friends - let alone play a gig. Surely you can do it, but why would you want to?

The acoustic or electrics debate is a matter of taste but whatever you do - don't be afraid to go with used or display models. I started with a Cube 15 and upgraded to a $300 Crate for half the price because it was a display model.

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ironpham

There's nothing wrong with the $250 starter kit. He never said he wanted to play a gig or even some friends. He just wants to pick up an instrument. Besides, if he doesn't enjoy it, it's only a cheap starter kit. What would happen if he went out and spent $300 on an amp and god knows how much on a good electric, and he didn't enjoy it?

Hell, I bought my Squier at a garage sale 6 years ago, and I still use it today. $40 well spent.

And definately get an instructor. I really wish I did.

Manic_Skafe

This is getting tedious.

If he buys a a cheap as shit guitar today, it will probably serve the purpose of learning how to play just fine. However, the sort of guitars that typically come along with starter packs are typically deemed to be below standard for what would be considered the average "serious" player.

If he does become one of those serious players then he'll have to replace everything that came along with the starter pack. And even if he goes for the more expensive guitar and decides that he's no longer playing, he can cash it in for much more than he'd get for anything in the starter pack.

$2-300 for a guitar and $100 or so for an amp aren't unreasonable prices.

....

Decide anything yet Scott?

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Martian

It's getting tedious because you're getting way too caught up on the cost of the gear.

My main electric is a Silvertone. I paid less than $200 for that instrument, but it's a great little guitar and it's a blast to jam on. I'm in good company, too; despite not being a top name, Silvertones were the first guitars of many professional musicians. Dave Grohl started on one. Beck uses one as his main ax today. In the late sixties Pete Townshed frequently used Silvertones because they were high enough quality for him to use in a gig and cheap enough that he could smash them when he was done with no qualms.

It's not a perfect instrument; it's a bit weak at the top of the fretboard and I'm considering swapping out the pickups. If I played punk I probably wouldn't need to, since it's got a huge bottom end, but alas as a blues player I need more in the twelfth fret range and above than I'm really getting. Even with that, though, it's still a great ax and should I choose to put new pickups into it I should have no problem doing so and keeping the overall expenditure on the instrument under $300.

Epiphone is also a budget line, yet the Sheraton haunts my dreams, I want one so bad. John Lennon's main guitar for years was an Epiphone Casino, which was marketed as an 'entry level' guitar.

Squiers are not the same as Fender Americans. For anyone who intends to go pro a Squier probably wouldn't cut it. Hell, for that matter, neither would my ax, were I to decide to pursue my music as a career choice; at that point, I'd probably have to get something higher quality. While I'm just doing it as a hobby, however, it works just fine. In fact, I know very few people who have Fender, Gibson or Ibanez guitars; most of the guys I jam with are using budget line ax's and having taken a turn on a few of them myself I can confidently assert that there's no reason for someone who just wants a guitar to jam on in their spare time to invest large amounts of money into a brand name instrument. Further to that, a beginning guitarist who doesn't really know what to look for in an instrument is probably best off going with something like that. Once he gets a better idea of what he'll want out of the instrument if his starter doesn't cut it he can look into upgrading.

I've said it before and I will say it again; there is a huge difference between a cheap guitar and a crappy guitar. The instrument doesn't have to have a thousand dollar price tag to be high quality.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

behindalens

As someone who just started a year ago out of the same motivations, here is my reccomendation:

Do what you like! I grew up playing piano over the years and recently picked up the guitar. My main perspective after seeing so many others buy and then quit, is that to do what motivates you. The key to any instrument is practice--but the key to getting practice done is motivation. I'd recommend starting out on just tabs-get to the point where you can somewhat play cords to a song. Then it becomes really fun, you're jamming and actually sounding a little bit like music you'd listen to. After that, the motivation hits--suddenly you want to devote a lot of time to the basics. After that I'd develop a sort of schedule that integrates learning the essentials mixed into jamming and learning songs. Currently my practice consists of

15 minutes of finger techniques, usually 3 exercises including scales

15 minutes of learning: sight reading mainly at the moment

15 minutes of song learning: this is a continuation of what I did before and still enjoy, learning to play guitar and practicing the coordination it takes to sing and play accompaniment at the same time.

Again, how much of actual skill learning is a factor of motivation. If you find yourself slacking, putting off practice-I'd suggest doing more fun stuff. If you're motivated basics as mentioned will get you far and you'll actually progress as a player.

MexicanOnABike

just buy a ps2 and guitar hero. that way you can be awesome on the guitar and it won't cost you too much. haha!

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Fly

on the acoustic trip again..........i've had bass guitars for years......all electric.

and almost a year ago now,i bought an acoustic bass.

best damn thing i ever did for my bass playing.............same as i did 20 years ago with the acoustic guitar..........soon as i bought the acoustics,yeah they were tough to play at first but,...........they also made my electric playing waaaaaaaaay cleaner in the long run.


don't count it out yet bro......

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ReallyReal

No matter how bad you play most women would rather listen to a guy with an acoustic & singing than banging out riffs on an electric.

Plus.

An acoustic maybe tougher to start on, but after months of play on an acoustic, going to electric is very easy.

Squier & Ibanez are good start electric guitar brands.
Stay away from Aston and Samick.

Baraka_Guru

Well, Martian, after a few fits and starts, I've finally taken the proper leap to pick up my guitar again for regular practice. It's been nearly 10 years since I've played regularly. I'm actually pretty grateful because I've maintained and remembered much of what I've already learned. I learned guitar mainly through high school with a couple of courses and a few years of practice. But what I never really learned enough about is scales, etc. I never really moved beyond rhythm and basic licks. I want to learn much more about the instrument, so I figured I'd focus up to an hour a day on practicing, and much of that will be to focus on scales, such as you've recommended here.

But I want to know if there is a good knowledge base I can tap into....preferably a book. I'm going to get Hal Leonard's Guitar Method from the library shortly, and even sooner I will be perusing a couple of books on music theory. I don't think I want to be able to sight read per se, but I do want to know scales, keys, etc, so that when I see music I can at least fake it or improvise. I'm also interested in picking up a good number of styles that I can just jam in. I have a book on the blues, but I need to build a stronger foundation before I get into that, I think. I wouldn't also mind playing rock, R&B, Jazz, classical, and Latin, though I understand that some of the latter genres would benefit from an acoustic guitar. I only own an electric.

Do you have any book recommendations for such encyclopedic knowledge?

EDIT: Oh, and do you recommend "exercises" for finger strength and speed, or do you suggest these things are built naturally through scales practice?

I don't get bored. It's all about learning this stuff and to see myself improving in skill and know-how. If anything, I get tired. I want to build my knowledge and skills to the point where I'm confident enough to learn entire songs, not just by memorization, but by knowing what's going on in them.

I have basic metronome program on my Macbook, but, yeah, I should get a real one. Timing is probably the issue I'm most concerned about. I don't have a strong musical background.... my family is...uh...not very keen on creativity. I was always the black sheep in that respect. I fully intend on learning to a metronome as much as possible. I want timing to become second nature to me sooner rather than later.

Is there anything I should know about in terms of getting a good metronome?

EDIT: Oh, and I'm sure I'll have much do discuss with aberkok, so assume I've picked or will be picking his brain as well.

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Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
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thespian86

I teach guitar to make money between jobs; I have about twenty students so I do pretty well. My beginners all begin with the same program. Here's my advice.

If you're serious about it, get an acoustic. Electric's are sexy and appealing but sloppy and you'll learn bad habits fast, and your ability will be sluggish and superficial. I could play well enough on electric within a year or so; it took me about six years of intense practice to be able to say with confidence "I know how to play this instrument" on acoustic... that means not only knowing theory, but UNDERSTANDING it. There is a big difference.

On the other hand if you want to plug it into a cheap 12 watt Marshall practice amp and rock out to The White Strips with the distortion cranked, buy something cheap. A good instrument is a wasted investment if you don't plan to treat it the way it was meant to be treated.

But trust me, acoustic is the beginners best and worst friend. It will build superior strength and conditioning, great dexterity, wonderful finger technique, and the best thing is it encourages your whole body to play; guitar playing isn't all about your left hand (if you're right handed), a musical instrument is meant to be played with your whole body.

If you want any free instruction I'd be happy to send you some of my beginner lessons over the net for free, at least give you a head start, but DON'T try to handle it on your own; guitar is not as easy as it looks (although it can be if you don't play it properly) so I'd advise an instructor who will teach you the important basics to practical and music theory, so you can at least give yourself a hand when needed.


Agreed with Martian about everything. You might want to look into picking up a couple of books. For adults I love teaching out of "Guitar For Dummys". It's extremely in depth for those who love to understand every angle. I also teach out of Hal Leonard's Method. I'd say pick up a few different books and dip a toe in each pool. I'd also say if you're interested in playing blues you should pick up an acoustic and start learning basic classical. The music theory itself doesn't really mesh well but I find those with a practical background in Classical adapt well to blues.

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Baraka_Guru

Thanks for the advice.

I totally want an acoustic. Although my first guitar was one of those department store toys that were passed off as electric guitars, I learned how to play on a nylon-stringed acoustic--basic theory, note reading, and some pop and classical playing.

I'm actually torn. I want a new electric because the one I have isn't doing so well. It's a Peavey Predator that needs work. The wiring is gone and everything needs adjustment. I think the frets might need work too. That tells me I should just buy a new guitar that's good for general practice and jamming, but then I think about the acoustic option. The electric I have now is passable, meaning I could easily get an acoustic to practice and learn on, and use the electric when I want to plug in.

But, yeah, I support the opinion that learning is best done on an acoustic. We should talk acoustics more on this thread, because I really don't know what to look for.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

thespian86

Look at Seagull guitars. Cheap but fairly nice quality and nice playability. Just my opinion.

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Martian

Baraka_Guru: Let me start by saying I think it's awesome you're getting back into playing. I know aberkok will too, but you probably don't need me to tell you that.

I'll back up what punkmusicfan21 has said. Jay Tursers are great acoustics that can usually be had for $150 or less. They make awesome beginner instruments and don't hurt the pocketbook too much.

Regarding your electric, whether or not it's worth it to get it back to peak playability depends on how attached you are to it. Depending on how extensive the wiring issues are, you may need to take it to a repair shop and have them fix it all up for you, but if it's just a matter of adjusting the neck, swapping the strings and replacing a switch, you'll probably get more life out of it. If you want, I can have a look at it the next time I make my way to Toronto. I've been considering a purely social visit in May, and that might be a reason for me.

If you decide to replace it with another electric, there are a lot of great beginner options. I make no secret of the fact that I love my Silvertone, but how good they are varies in direct proportion to how well you set them up; off the shelf they're not so hot, and they usually need a bit of work to get them playing properly. If you don't know how to do that and don't know a tech you trust with it, you may want to look at an Epiphone or something similar. The higher price tag is worth it for a better instrument that doesn't need as much love to take it from good to great.

Having had some more experience with them since my last post in this thread, I have revised my opinion of Squiers. They are terrible instruments. Do not buy one. If you desperately want a Strat copy, there are better third party manufacturers.

Scales are good for fundamentals. Learning the twelve majors and minors and how to play them in various positions will help you to build up that speed and precision that is really fundamental to everything else you'll do. Varying your exercises is also good. You can find new ways to play the scales or try different ones (major, minors, blues, etc), try different fingerings and so on. This sort of drill practice is like physical exercise in that it should always be slightly uncomfortable for you. If you can play it without thinking about it, you're ready for something more advanced.

I'm pretty sure I have one of the Hal Leonard books around here somewhere. There's a whole series of them for guitar, and they serve as a good introduction to the instrument as well as various styles. Depending on your level of ability, you may find them a bit simplistic.

If you want something that will lay out scales for you, you might try borrowing one of aberkok's scale books. Guitar and piano are both concert pitched instruments, and a lot of piano stuff is easily (or even directly) translatable. So long as you can read standard notation that should be a fine way to get started. Punkmusicfan21's lesson plans might also be a good option, as would paying for a couple of lessons from an instructor to get some basic exercises going.

I didn't learn much from books, and therefore am unfortunately unable to recommend any particular volumes. However, I will shortly be embarking upon a more serious study of the classical style, and if I come across anything I'll let you know.

Finger exercises are a substitute for practicing scales, with the only difference being that you don't work on any actual technique while you do them. If you have an option, always play. I have nothing against buying a grip trainer or something that you can carry around with you and play with on the subway or at the office or whatever, but I don't think it's necessary. You'll build all the hand strength, co-ordination and callouses you need just by playing.

I'm going to leave both theory and metronomes to aberkok. He ought to be able to give you some decent advice on both.

punkmusicfan21: If I give you an address, could you email me those lesson plans too? I've been asked to teach guitar recently, but I've never done any instruction before and it'd be helpful if I could see an example of how to go about it.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Shauk

I'll never learn to play guitar because I like my soft fingertips

/notmanly

Martian

It's really not that big a deal. Sometimes I wish I had a bit more senstivity in the fingertips on my left hand, but I don't notice all that often. I know that I can feel more with my right fingertips than my left, but I've gotten used to that.

So far as I know, nobody else has ever noticed my callouses unless I've specifically called attention to them, which I rarely do.

Plus guitars are awesome, and that outweighs any concerns about hands except for people like professional pianists who can't afford to have to deal with sore fingertips while learning.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Baraka_Guru

Thanks for your advice, Martian. I found a website that's good for navigating pretty much any scale you can think of. I will focus on the basics first.

I think I'm leaning towards an acoustic guitar, especially since they can be had in the sub-$200 range and I have a birthday coming up. I will make do with my electric. I think with some adjustments, it will be fine. The wiring can be fixed with a quick soldering job I think. I just don't have the tools and materials. I think at this point I will only buy a new electric when (or if) I think my skill has improved enough to warrant buying an instrument that will sound really good.

Good luck on your classical pursuit. There is some really cool stuff out there.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Martian

The only thing to keep in mind when looking at entry level (sub-$200) guitars is that caveat emptor is in full effect. Some really great guitars can be had in that price range, as can some really shoddy ones. Go to a proper music store with people who know guitars, ask questions and don't buy an instrument without trying it out first. Epiphones are excellent instruments, but may be out of your price range. Oscar Schmidt is good. Jay Tursers are nice instruments, and I've never played a Seagull but I've heard good things about them. Hyburns are hit and miss; some of them have really great tones, some not so much. And despite being completely enamoured with their electrics, I don't like Silvertone acoustics very much.

I can't effectively diagnose your Peavey without seeing it, but I'd say that you can probably do the bridge, neck and basic wiring on your own. If you want a tone circuit or pick-up replaced, you'll probably want someone with a bit more experience to do it, and the frets are a major pain in the ass, so I'd say if you decide to get that done you should leave it to someone else. Generally I leave anything regarding the fingerboard to professionals, because it's a part of the instrument that is difficult to repair or adjust properly and is crucial to the playability of the instrument.

Your idea of waiting on getting a new instrument is a good one. That was my thinking, and I played on the same acoustic for five years because of it. I'm now up to six guitars if we count my bass, and it's only limited by financial concerns. If you get serious about it, you might end up like me, with musical instruments taking over your apartment.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

Baraka_Guru

Dude, I'm totally going to Steve's here in Toronto. We work in the same neighbourhood!

I was thinking I could do the adjusting myself; I just need to figure out how to do it. Really, though. I'm not all that worried about the frets. I'd sooner just buy a new guitar.

This is a real danger.

Technically, my first true instruction was on an electric bass when I was in elementary school. I seemed like a natural at it. I've always loved the bass but never pursued it further because of the cost of owning one. Plus my fiancee absolutely loves the bass, which is an added bonus. So.... I could very well end up owning one (or more) of each: electric, acoustic, bass. Who knows?

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Martian

Again, depending on what needs to be done this is quite feasible. Adjusting the neck is fairly straightforward, as is adjusting the bridge. If you've ever worked with electronics, the wiring shouldn't faze you either, as it's relatively simple in most guitars. It's kind of a bitch working inside because of the cramped spaces, but as long as you're patient that's not a major concern.

When you're ready to actually sit down and do this, let me know and I'll be happy to provide instructions.

A bass isn't much more expensive than a six string. You can get a combo amp that will work well with either instrument, and a good starter bass can be had for around $200-$250. I love my bass guitar. The technical aspect of playing is very similar to a guitar, but the feel is totally different.

For the record, I currently own three acoustics, two electrics and one bass, as well as a keyboard, three harmonicas and various paraphernalia (amp, effects, etc). I couldn't be happier; it's not exactly a cheap hobby, but it's well worth it. Mind you, I'm currently looking for a way to make a living off music; your mileage may vary.

__________________
I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept
I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept
I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head
I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said

- Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame

allaboutmusic

As with anything, you're going to get tons of different opinions on these things. Here is my opinion on things as a session guitarist and teacher:

Electric guitar and acoustic guitar may share tuning and fingerings, but in some ways they are actually different instruments. Being good on one doesn't automatically make you as good at the other. Acoustic players have fretting-hand strength many electric guitarists don't need to have, at the same time electric players often have fretting-hand control (bending, vibrato, muting at distorted amp settings) that many acoustic guitarists don't need to have. Players who are good on both generally have had to practise on both, and adapt their technique accordingly depending on which they are playing.

A great starter amp, IMO, is the Roland Micro Cube. It is probably my favourite amp of the six or seven that I own and gets the most play time by far. Inexpensive, lightweight, has several great-sounding amp models, decent effects, easily more than loud enough for practice or jamming with an acoustic guitar, and even works off batteries.

Bass guitar is a completely different instrument, but well worth studying for any serious student of the guitar. Again, being good at guitar is no guarantee of being good at bass and vice versa... but if you are a guitarist, getting good at bass will inform your guitar playing, and vice versa.

If you want to learn to set up your guitar, get the book by Dan Erlewine and save yourself a lot of time. He is the man when it comes to these things. Having said that, I have learned to do pretty much all setup duties myself, but still send my main guitars to a trustworthy tech to do it properly. I need to know my stuff will play impeccably and won't fail me in front of 10,000 people... perhaps your situation is less urgent, but I still think everyone should have their favourite guitars tweaked properly by a professional at least once so they know how good it can be.

RE the topic of Squiers, it really depends which you get. The older Japanese made Squiers are highly sought after, especially the ones from the early 80s which were arguably superior to the US-made ones of the time. As long as you avoid the Chinese / Korean-made Squiers you will probably do all right, but in that price range it is definitely possible to get a better guitar for less money if it doesn't carry the Fender name.

Baraka_Guru

How is this video for bridge adjustment?

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Neck Adjustments?

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__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

allaboutmusic

Good videos. If you can learn to understand the physics and geometry of strings, necks, frets etc you will find it easier to get a great setup.

Baraka_Guru

Thanks. It's good to have the confirmation that these guys aren't off their respective nuts.

And thanks for your feedback, too. If I didn't already have my Squier 15 (though this one was made in Taiwan, but it was free), I would certainly look into that Roland.

Thanks for the book recommendation as well. If you haven't already noticed this about me elsewhere, I'm a huge proponent of books.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot