Best Acoustic Guitar for beginners...?

Bobby M

Learning to play the guitar is something that I've secretly wanted to do for a while now. I finally decided to get one, however I'm a bit skint at the moment. I picked one out from Argos, here's the address...

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0660691/Trail/searchtext%3EGUITAR.htm

I know Argos is obviously not the best place to buy an instrument but like I said... skint. I was just wondering if it would be the right kind of guitar for a beginner? It's an Electric Acoustic guitar, should I go with just a regular acoustic guitar or would it really make a difference? Do they sound the same, only one can be used with an amp? Does it NEED the amp? Obviously I'm not the best when it comes to instruments, this is all new to me.

Also, if buying one from Argos is a complete waste of money, does anyone know where I could get a better guitar for around £100 in the Cardiff area. Any music shops or guitars suggested would be much appreciated, thanks.

Answer
Your Best bet for a beginner guitar would have to definately be an Alvarez, (acoustic, not electric!). That was my first guitar. I now am a fairly good classical guitar player.( Classic is the best way to start off, because if you can play that stuff, you can play anything! Hope I helped!!

Best Acoustic Guitar for beginners...?

Bobby M

Learning to play the guitar is something that I've secretly wanted to do for a while now. I finally decided to get one, however I'm a bit skint at the moment. I picked one out from Argos, here's the address...

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0660691/Trail/searchtext%3EGUITAR.htm

I know Argos is obviously not the best place to buy an instrument but like I said... skint. I was just wondering if it would be the right kind of guitar for a beginner? It's an Electric Acoustic guitar, should I go with just a regular acoustic guitar or would it really make a difference? Do they sound the same, only one can be used with an amp? Does it NEED the amp? Obviously I'm not the best when it comes to instruments, this is all new to me.

Also, if buying one from Argos is a complete waste of money, does anyone know where I could get a better guitar for around £100 in the Cardiff area. Any music shops or guitars suggested would be much appreciated, thanks.

Answer
I have been playing guitar for 30 yrs now. I strongly suggest you buy or even rent a very modest acoustic model so if you decide that the guitar is not for you, you at least did not waste allot of money on it. Music can be a very expensive hobby and most people start out with relatively cheap instruments to see if they like it.

Do a thorough google search to look for reputatable dealers online. Just your best judgement then just follow your dreams.

good luck

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How much should I pay for a decent acoustic guitar?

good acoustic guitar for beginners uk image

Eduardo V

I am a beginner. I've got almost no experience. I would like to learn chords and pretty much cover songs. Mostly Foo fighters and other rock songs, until I eventually learn chords and write my own songs. But for now I want a decent acoustic guitar. If you could give me the price and a link or tell me where can I buy it that would be great.

Answer
If your looking just for a decent one, but nothing special (reliable, durable, ok sounding) then I'd go for a Tanglewood. http://www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk/products/acoustic/evo_exotic/evolution/TW28.html It's just short of £200 but you could probably get it cheaper in a store like Thomann.
If you don't want to spend that much money, then take a look at this one. http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_sa105_bk.htm
I can't guarantee that the sound is that good (Fenders are only really good when they're over £/$/⬠700..

How do you read notes for playing guitar for beginners?

bb910

I have an acoustic guitar that has been sitting in my room for a while now and I thought I would try to teach myself to play it. I'm trying to start out with the basics and learn to read notes, then go on from there. If anyone knows a website or has helpful information for me, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks so much!

Answer
£1 bargain , check it out, will progress you nicely
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150824618047?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_877wt_1187

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How do you read notes for playing guitar for beginners?

good acoustic guitar for beginners uk image

bb910

I have an acoustic guitar that has been sitting in my room for a while now and I thought I would try to teach myself to play it. I'm trying to start out with the basics and learn to read notes, then go on from there. If anyone knows a website or has helpful information for me, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks so much!

Answer
£1 bargain , check it out, will progress you nicely
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150824618047?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_877wt_1187

What is the Best acoustic guitar for beginners?

(-:

I want good quality but not to pricey

i live in the uk if that helps?

Answer
Fylde guitars are great and made in the UK.

http://www.fyldeguitars.com/

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what is the difference between an elavation guitar and stratocaster guitar?

good acoustic guitar for beginners uk image

evian

My son has guitar lessons and his teacher has said he is ready for a stratocaster guitar, I know nothing about guitars so please help. Elevation seem much cheaper but look the same and seem to offer pretty much the same. Any advise would be helpful. Thank you

Answer
I cannot seem to see the logic in saying that someone is ready for a particular guitar. the only real difference is tone, and playability. the only real thing that is not for beginners is a floyd rose bridge, but thats not the issue in this case. also, certain styles are made easier by particular guitars. for example players who love to play at a million miles per hour prefer thinner necks.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/catalogId/1500001501/partNumber/5407316.htm
heres a link for an elevation brand guitar, is this the one you are talking about? and in my opinion it is a strat.

Fender only has the trademark to the headstock so essentially everyone makes a strat knockoff. officially branded starts will be by either fender or squier their subsidiary.

so back to the question. the guitar world is a complex web of price vs performance. usually a good compromise can be found. For example a squier Strat is a stratocaster per se, but craftsmanship will be lower than a more expensive fender counterpart. There will be differences in basically everything. Hardware, wood, and fretwork will suffer on the student guitars.

also, all this hinges upon what your son is playing on now. If it is an acoustic, than i see where the teacher is going. If he is playing on an inexpensive student guitar than perhaps he just means its time to upgrade to a more playable guitar?

ultimately in basically all large guitar brands you get what you pay for. There are smaller house brands out there that do offer much better bang for your buck. The only issue with these is you have to know what you are looking at, otherwise you will be worse off. two smaller brands that i absolutely whole heartedly trust are Agile, and Raven West Guitars. Their management really stands behind their product.

expect to pay more than 200. 300 will get you a very usable intermediate guitar. so is your son really ready for a $300 guitar?

if exact models in question were shown it would be infinitely easier to offer advice. currently i am just probing in the dark.

good luck

How much does it cost for a decent guitar?

DetectiveB

I'm in the uk, a beginner would like to learn how to play an acoustic... but how much would it be for a decent guitar? i figure if i'm going to get one i might as well get a good one.. help please

Answer
For a beginner you can get a "decent" beginner guitar for about $200 (US). There are some passable beginner guitars for less like the Epiphone DR-100 or Takamine Jasmine, but to get a "decent" guitar you really want something with a solid top. The Yamaha FG700S, at $199, is, in my opinion, the best solid top acoustic guitar for a beginner under $200.

Once you get more skilled, a "decent" intermediate guitar would probably be around $700. That would include some of the lower end Taylor and Martins and most of the Takamine, Seagull, and Breedlove guitars.

More advanced players will spend thousands on what they consider a "decent" guitar and most will thumb their noses at a $200 beginner guitar because it's not hand made from all solid woods.

But since you're a beginner, that $200 Yamaha FG700S would be a great first guitar to own.

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Which Guitar to buy Electric or Acoustic?

good acoustic guitar for beginners uk image

supreme_ch

i want to buy a guitar.i am very new to guitar. but don't know difference between both. i mean, is it electic can't produce sound like acoustic guitar and vice versa??
also tell me which acoustic/electric should i buy. give image if possible.

Answer
Okay, there's a lot to consider. Firstly, what kind of music do you want to play? How old are you? What is your budget? Do you wanna learn lead or rhythm?

What kind of music - this is important because if you're into RAWK, you'll want to feel amped. You can stick a pick up on an acoustic, plug in and make some howlin' noise (this is a bit of an indie thing...Black Francis from the Pixies uses an acoustic on a lot of songs and Pixies rock like mad). But if you're a fan of metal or any of that stuff, you'll want an electric. You CAN learn the basics on an electric.

How old are you? I ask because if you're a young'un, a huge guitar is going to be harder to learn. The key here is to buy something you'll stick with and not have as a dusty relic in the corner of your bedroom.

Budget - obviously, like most things, there's a biiiiig price range to consider. Luckily though, these days you can get all manner of really practical and handy guitars for good prices. But you can spend up to thousands.

Rhythm or lead - this is more if you get an acoustic. If you want to learn to play lead, I'd recommend getting a guitar with a 'cutaway', which bascially means a section of the body of the guitar is removed to allow you better access to higher notes. You also need to know whether you want a steel or nylon string. Nylon stringed (or 'nun', as I call 'em) guitars have a beautiful sweet sound, but they are usually used for jazz or classical music and the fretboard is generally very wide.

Here are a few tips for beginners...that first few months of playing is critical. You WILL sound like poop for a while. If you've never really played and you look at people who CAN play and wonder why it looks so easy for them to make music while you feel like you're busting your fingers trying to get a clean note or chord, don't worry. The more you do it, the stronger your fingers get, the tougher your fingertips get...if you're practising and you get so frustrated you think you're gonna burst, cool down for a bit, then get back into it.

Use light gauge strings to start. They're a little easier to push down onto the fretboard. Once you're callused up, you can go heavier gauge if you want.

Get a guitar with a reasonably low action. A guitar shop can help you with this. This means the strings are a little closer to the fretboard and again, not so hard to press down to make a note or chord. (One of the big mistakes I made when buying one of my first guitars - a black Gibson Explorer COPY from hell) was that the strings were about 3 miles up the road from the fretboard and I really hurt myself trying to play).

Okay...here's a list with links of a bunch of guitars:

Maton acoustic/electric with cutaway (great guitar): http://www.artiesmusic.com.au/images/products/acoustics/maton/EST65C_large.jpg

The classic Gibson Les Paul: http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop_image/product/36d02c4b22c1fb53592f5017353605b3.jpg

The Fender Stratocaster, probably the most famous shape for an electric guitar :http://www.stratcollector.com/images/namm/cs50th.gif

The Gibson SG (made famous by AC/DC's Angus Young): http://www.zikinf.com/_gfx/matos/dyn/large/gibson-sg-standard.jpg

Old school beauty...a Gretsch: http://www.planktones.com/Gretsch.jpg

A lovely Rickenbacker (John Lennon's): http://www.miniguitars.com/acatalog/lennon_rickenbacker_325_black_fs.jpg

All of these are just shapes...unless you've got some $$$ they'll sting you. But you can get really good copies for a fraction of the price. Good luck!

Does anyone know of a good acoustic guitar teacher in Newcastle upon Tyne?

nineteense

Really want to get back into playing. Also interested in joining a beginners guitar group. Any help would be good.

Answer
I don't, but your best bet would be to look at the local ads.

Try gumtree.co.uk, loot.com or the classified ads in your local paper. Also try looking at the noticeboards in your local supermarkets, or ask people you know if they can recommend someone.

There are a lot of websites around- try googling it. I did a quick google and came up with these pages:
http://tutors.guitartab.co.uk/northengland/
http://guitarlessonsnewcastle.com/
http://newcastle.gumtree.com.au/f-guitar-Community-W0QQCatIdZ9300QQKeywordZguitar
http://www.musicteachers.co.uk/browse/ne/newcastle-upon-tyne/teachers/
http://www.yell.com/s/music+teachers-newcastle+upon+tyne.html

Also, you could try reposting in travel-> UK -> Newcastle and ask other Geordies.

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What kind of guitar should I buy for playing The Beatles Music?

good acoustic guitar for beginners uk image

I am looking to buy a guitar because I feel like I waste my time on Xbox and Facebook, and i wanna be able to always be around something I love in my life, music. I am planning on learning all of my favorite band's songs, The Beatles. I love all their songs and I want to be able to play them. Could you refer me to a type and style guitar that would be best suited for playing Beatles Music? Also, could you give me some beginner tips or some videos on how to learn this stuff? Thanks so much!

Answer
Well, if you're just learning how to play guitar, i would suggest starting with an acoustic. If this is the case, you can buy a variety of "starter packs" from pretty much any music store. My first was a Fender acoustic beginner package for about $100 bucks and i loved that guitar. If you don't have a budget, get a Taylor, theres nothing like it. anyways if you're past the acoustic phase here is a list of guitars George Harrison used with the Beatles:

Gretsch Duo Jet
Gretsch Country Gentleman
Gretsch Tennessean
Rickenbacker 360/12(GEorge used 2 different ones)
Rickenbacker 325
Gibson SG(later given to Pete Hamm of Badfinger)
Gibson Jumbo 360 acoustic/electric guitar
Epiphone Casino
Gibson Les Paul(a red one called Lucy)
Gibson ES-345(used during the We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper promo films,as well as the last UK tour)
Fender Stratocaster
Fender Telecaster

Good luck! good to hear someone still has a passion for music and not just for games and Facebook!

Edit: heres some lessons that helped me alot when first starting out: http://www.youtube.com/user/JustinSandercoe?ob=0

what is the difference between an elavation guitar and stratocaster guitar?

evian

My son has guitar lessons and his teacher has said he is ready for a stratocaster guitar, I know nothing about guitars so please help. Elevation seem much cheaper but look the same and seem to offer pretty much the same. Any advise would be helpful. Thank you

Answer
I cannot seem to see the logic in saying that someone is ready for a particular guitar. the only real difference is tone, and playability. the only real thing that is not for beginners is a floyd rose bridge, but thats not the issue in this case. also, certain styles are made easier by particular guitars. for example players who love to play at a million miles per hour prefer thinner necks.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/catalogId/1500001501/partNumber/5407316.htm
heres a link for an elevation brand guitar, is this the one you are talking about? and in my opinion it is a strat.

Fender only has the trademark to the headstock so essentially everyone makes a strat knockoff. officially branded starts will be by either fender or squier their subsidiary.

so back to the question. the guitar world is a complex web of price vs performance. usually a good compromise can be found. For example a squier Strat is a stratocaster per se, but craftsmanship will be lower than a more expensive fender counterpart. There will be differences in basically everything. Hardware, wood, and fretwork will suffer on the student guitars.

also, all this hinges upon what your son is playing on now. If it is an acoustic, than i see where the teacher is going. If he is playing on an inexpensive student guitar than perhaps he just means its time to upgrade to a more playable guitar?

ultimately in basically all large guitar brands you get what you pay for. There are smaller house brands out there that do offer much better bang for your buck. The only issue with these is you have to know what you are looking at, otherwise you will be worse off. two smaller brands that i absolutely whole heartedly trust are Agile, and Raven West Guitars. Their management really stands behind their product.

expect to pay more than 200. 300 will get you a very usable intermediate guitar. so is your son really ready for a $300 guitar?

if exact models in question were shown it would be infinitely easier to offer advice. currently i am just probing in the dark.

good luck

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