New Guitar

Sounds like you've got it all pretty well figured out for yourself, Mike.

Indeed. It is remarkable how inexpensive high quality instruments are these days. Guitars have never been better value for money. Sure, some miss the "good old days" but unless you buy into the myths of older instruments (e.g. "Fender never made a decent guitar after 1965") you can be very, very happy indeed with a guitar like the one you have.

Go to a good music store and try a few on for size. Everything you can imagine is available. A good music store will set it up for you as part of the purchase price. There is really no difference in a good setup for an advanced player or beginner (although you may develop some subtle preferences as your playing progresses). You'll usually also get a free service, just to fine-tune it once it has been played for a few weeks. You don't have to spend a fortune, but you get what you pay for. Very cheap instruments will be difficult to setup, play and to keep in tune. But as I said above there is great value-for-money if you pay enough to get a quality instrument.

I consider musical instruments to be like artwork and jewellery in that if you buy the right stuff, it is a lifetime purchase (unlike just about everything else you buy). Don't skimp.

I have spent half a life-time playing the guitar and also responding to those who want advice on what sort to buy and how to learn.

I always ask the same question - who do you want to sound like and where do you want to end up?  It is better to aim at something achievable than a fantasy.  If someone says that they want to play folk tunes, or strum along to Beatles songs, or pick out melodies from The Shadows Hits, or play twelve bar blues, then I can help them.  It's when somebody is determined to play immediately like Jimmi Hendrix or Brian May, that - unless they are geniuses - they will be confined to sitting on the edge of the bed picking out parts of riffs for ever.

My own musical journey was - folk, skiffle, [then I discovered chords further up the neck], pop, and most of my life I have been playing in jazz bands, playing gypsy-jazz style, a la late Diz Disley.

So my advice is find somebody you want to imitate - a solo performer preferably, learn to do their covers, and then take off on your own.

For the beginner I would recommend a good steel strung acoustic guitar.  Take it on holiday with you.  Learn to play acoustic, and then a low action solid is easy.

Hope this helps

don sunny downtown York.

Very good advice, Don

As the World's Worst Guitarist (and Singer) TM, I'd say you've made a sound choice - the Mexican Fenders are pretty good. Don's advice is spot on - it's better to have a goal and be guided in achieving this by a tutor. I wish I'd have had lessons and so does everyone else who's heard me play!

Good luck!

Vlad

Having played for well over 40 years, I second Don's advice to get an acoustic.  More versatile, can be played without an amp, and the switch from acoustic to electric is easier than in the other direction.

If you want something smallish, but still definitely a "real" guitar, may I suggest a Taylor GS-Mini.  It is a 7/8 size but has a great sound, and new ones can be had for just south of $500 USD.  You will never outgrow its capabilities, even if you opt for a full size later on.  (Although I find it can engender some wayward fingerings when I switch back to one of my full size instruments if I have played it for too many days in  a row...but barely as it is a real instrument.)  But it has a deceptively "large" sound, doesn't break the bank, and is a lot of fun to play.

Cutaways are nice for upper fret access to be sure - I have a Taylor 814, an Ovation 12-string, and a D'Aquisto Solo which have cutaways, and a Guild D-55 and the GS Mini which do not.  Depends how often you want to go up the neck.

Takamine also makes some very nice mid-level acoustics; I have owned several in the past, and my only beef with them is almost none of their models have ebony fretboards, which I really like.

I've managed to escape from 'the boss' for a half-hour.  The internet at this hotel is painfully slow, but here I go ...

I learnt how to play the guitar when I was a teenager.  Fancied myself as Hank Marvin (shows how old I am!), and had proper lessons and everything.  Got up to a reasonable standard on a cheapo acoustic, and in 1967 I bought a used Futurama Strat Clone, to be played without an amp so as to avoid annoying some of the more sensitive of my neighbours in Pollock Halls, Edinburgh.

Served me well for many years, and I still own it, mainly so my kids (and now grandkids) can mess about with it.  I did have a Squier Telecaster for a few years (until the problems with my left side), and ran this into a Vox 30 solid state amp.

Again, I have bought a solid body guitar to avoid annoying others, but will have to go back to the beginning and teach myself again from scratch, so I can hopefully sight-read again   I'll never be as good as old Hank, but I used to be able to play well enough to amuse myself and immediate family, and hopefully will be again in a few months.  SWMBO wonders why I didn't just buy a keyboard instrument to replace the Korg M1 I used to have.  (I can still just about manage to get a tune out of one, as I prove every few weeks on my daughter's Yamaha digital piano!) I second the bit about low action on guitars, as it does make them less tiring to play

To all of you budding musicians - go out and enjoy yourself.

John

Aaaagh!!!  Decided to pretend I was Hank Marvin this afternoon, and went to have a go at that old favourite 'Apache' (I used to be note perfect on it!).  Bent over to adjust Reverberation on the Blackstar amp, and noticed that it didn't have reverb.  How did I not notice that when I demo'd it?  If I speak nicely perhaps the shop will let me exchange it for a version that does.   

Mike,

I've been playing, on and off, for forty years and looking back at it all, the periods in which I made most progress and gained most satisfaction coincided with taking lessons. Also notable is that most of my teachers still had their own teachers - you don't stop learning. I'd definitely recommend trying some lessons. 

Here's hoping you have a great time!

Tim

I'm planning to take some lessons as a refresher course, once I'm allowed to drive again (Cataract op tomorrow)

In my experience, one of thehe virtues of lessons is that you've paid for them, and hence have the incentive to do the practising.

John

If not get a digital reverb pedal.

don sunny downtown York.

I've already been looking on-line at these 'toys', and am tempted by the BOSS ME-70, though that seems a bit like overkill!  Perhaps I'll suggest it to SWMBO as a birthday present for November ...

John

Hi John,

Apart from the financial investment I always find that having someone else (the teacher) expecting a bit of progress does wonders for helping me practice.

Hope the op goes really well!

Cheers,

Tim

Thanks.  Op late this p.m.  It's a fairly minor op these days (day case, takes about 15 minutes to do).  Just the nuisance of possibly not being able to drive for up to 9 weeks, as they can't fully correct my astigmatism, and the lens implant will still leave me 2.5 dioptres myopic in that eye - on the advice of the surgeon.  So, 6 weeks for eye to settle down and up to 3 weeks waiting for the new varifocal glasses lens after that

I took the time out this morning to go to my guitar shop and get details of local guitar teachers.  Finished up buying a reverb footswitch while I was there as well.

Went out tday and bought a Cry Baby wah wah pedal.  Would you believe that there are no labels saying which is input and which is ouput? Nor does it tell you in the very slim manual.  Doesn't come with a power supply either.  Means another trip tomorrow (sigh)

Memo to self : "must stop buying new toys for the guitar ..."

John

Oops ... just had another look.  The sides are marked - on the movable bit of the pedal (black raised writing on a black pedal).  

I hope you are now on the mend?

This message caused me to chuckle, I hope not unkindly. Many, many years ago, an older friend who was already a proficient player offered me his Golden Rules of electric guitar:

1. Buy the best guitar you can afford and have it set up by a professional. It's the thing you'll actually be playing.

2. Don't worry too much about the amp, but make sure it is of moderate power and has a headphone output. Nobody wants to hear you murder the two guitar solos in "Kid Charlemagne".

3. Buy a good quality lead and take good care of it.

4. Make sure the price includes a decent case. Rory Gallagher's guitar looks cool - yours won't.

5. Clean your guitar at least once a year, whether needs it or not.

6. You shall find three sounds and three sounds only. These shall be a clean sound, a slightly overdriven sound and a distorted sound which does not involve everything turned up to eleven.

7. You shall learn to control your sound using the tone and volume pots on your guitar.

8. You shall learn to play 6 songs ALLL THE WAY THROUGH before buying an effects pedal.

9. You may practice playing "Smoke On The Water" and "Stairway To Heaven" but only with the headphones on.

10. A good drummer is hard to find but must have their own van if they join the band.

Sadly, I never paid any attention and remain The World's Worst Guitarist (and Singer) TM.

Good luck!

Vlad

Thanks!!!