I'm finishing school this fall, my daughter is turning 4, I was thinking it would be nice to get a new activity for us to share and I thought maybe it would be a good time to get into Rocksmith. She won't be able to do anything with it right away but I know she'll be interested in it and I'd like to be able to give her the option of learning it when she gets big enough.
If you're not familiar with Rocksmith - it's a video game in the same general spirit as Guitar Hero except for the fact that you plug a real guitar into the xbox and play real chords and notes.
As an aside - a debate about the general effectiveness of Rocksmith would be interesting but there's no question in my mind it's the best approach for me so it's the way I'll be trying to learn.
So anyhoo - I'm starting to look at electric guitars. I found a few 'top 10 best guitars for beginners' lists but I'm not sure if they're aimed at a person like me so I thought maybe I could get some more specific advice.
First things first - I don't know what kind of sound I like. I know that I'll try to play all kinds of different music with it but I guess I do have a slight preference for Queen, Hair Metal in general and also Metallica. It would not be a shock if I get the Foo Fighters download pack and try to learn that.
Second - I think that what I want more than anything is a guitar that isn't going to be a pain in the butt. I don't want to tune it all the time if I don't have to. I don't want any high action on the strings. I don't want cheap stuff that'll break or extra stuff that I won't appreciate anyways - particularly if it'll make the guitar harder to use.
Third - It's gotta be cheap. I'm more interested in cheapness than in sound quality. A well made, easy to use and inexpensive guitar is cool in my book. Thinking less than 100$ if I can find one that suits my needs.
So - yeah - if I enjoy myself enough to get decent then perhaps I'll be able to talk my wife into spending a little bit more on a guitar that I can be proud of but for now I'm most interested in just getting something that'll make it easy to learn. I am also a very thorough researcher when it comes to my hobbies and I would be very appreciative of any and all of your personal experiences with learning to play. Don't be afraid to get pedantic on me. I want to know what you liked at first, didn't like, what you maybe didn't appreciate until you'd been playing for awhile, why I might care about what a humbucker (or whatever) is... A little bit of everything really.
Anyhow, anything less than $100 isn't worth it in the end. Once you get better at guitar, you're going to want a better sounding instrument, and you aren't going to get that quality from a guitar that's under $100. I'd say for a beginner guitar, a budget of $200-$300 will get you an actual functional instrument, which is more beneficial to you and your daughter. Because you say you're a beginner however, how about an acoustic? Better to learn on, cheaper to play as you don't need an amp, and you can play a lot of simple songs on an acoustic, which is good for learning.
It's all up to you, but I'd go with a guitar in the $200-$300, if you're dead set on getting an electric guitar, you can also look at used guitars to get something a little cheaper.
I would try to find something used to get into your price range... Craigslist is a good place to look.
As far as educating yourself on guitars and whatnot, a humbucker is a type of pickup. Pickups are the part of the guitar that "pick up" or listen to the strings. The better the pick ups, the better the overall sound will be. As far as tuning, that part is pretty easy and after the strings stretch a bit, they stay fairly well in tune.
Also, once you decide to unplug from the xbox, you'll want an amplifier too. Line 6 makes some decent budget amps that have a lot of effects and such that are good to play around with.
Also, nothing is better than talking to people who know... They can usually be found at guitar center...
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Quote from Garland Greene aka the Marietta Mangler »
"Now you're talking semantics. What if I told you insane was working 50 hours a week in some office for 50 years, at the end of which they tell you to piss off... Ending up in some retirement village, hoping to die before suffering the indignity of trying to make it to the toilet on time. Wouldn't you consider that to be insane?"
"Define Irony: Bunch of idiots dancing on a plane to a song made famous by a band that died in a plane crash"
Anyhow, anything less than $100 isn't worth it in the end. Once you get better at guitar, you're going to want a better sounding instrument, and you aren't going to get that quality from a guitar that's under $100. I'd say for a beginner guitar, a budget of $200-$300 will get you an actual functional instrument, which is more beneficial to you and your daughter. Because you say you're a beginner however, how about an acoustic? Better to learn on, cheaper to play as you don't need an amp, and you can play a lot of simple songs on an acoustic, which is good for learning.
It's all up to you, but I'd go with a guitar in the $200-$300, if you're dead set on getting an electric guitar, you can also look at used guitars to get something a little cheaper.
Look around, it's a great hobby to get in to!
The one thing about acoustics is that the strings are much rougher and tighter, which could be more painful for beginners when compared to electric guitars.
I would advise you do go to a guitar within the 200-300 range at the very least. Yamaha do make solid guitars at that price for beginners. They might also have guitars with a smaller neck for younger children so they can actually play the instrument.
If you know anyone that plays guitar, go with them to help you get the first guitar for your daughter. They'll be more honest about the instrument than any salesman you'll meet.
Thanks everyone. I do have another person to talk to. My best friend is very knowledgeable. I couldn't get ahold of him until this afternoon but he said some things that mirror what you've told me here.
He knows me pretty well and he suggested a used u.s. made peavey raptor.
The links that failed were yamaha pacifica and squier bullet fat strat. I dont know why they didnt display.
The acoustic idea is not good for me. I like electric guitars. I don't like acoustics very much. I also think that an electric guitar would be easier for my daughter. She has small kid hands of course and i remember the first time i tried to learn guitar it was on my uncle's acoustic. I didn't like the way the strings dig into your fingertips. I'm old enough to get over that kind of thing but i'd prefer to make it easy on her. Electric guitars just feel better to me.
I'm trying to get something that'll suit both of us. I was wondering about these 3/4 size guitars. Are they all lower quality? Are they too small for an adult? My hands aren't that big.
I was also thinking it would be really awesome to take a used guitar apart, sand the body and paint it her favorite color. Bright yellow. Is there anything i'd need to know about that?
I'm not zeroed in too much yet so if i seem to be jumping around a bit, well that's just cause i don't know what i'm doing yet.
Good news everybody!
(You read that in the professor's voice)
My brother in law just told me i should borrow his american made fender stratocaster since he has been playing his acoustic most of the time. I didn't even intend for that to happen, i was originally only hoping he'd let me hold one or two of them to get a feel for it but he volunteered. Amp too. Then my sister in law said "oh thank god, take two if you want cause i'm sick of tripping over guitar cases". :-()
So that solves the "first guitar" problem for a little while at least. I'm really grateful because it'll give me a chance to learn on a decent guitar and when i buy my own i'll have a better idea of what to look for.
Good news everybody!
(You read that in the professor's voice)
My brother in law just told me i should borrow his american made fender stratocaster since he has been playing his acoustic most of the time. I didn't even intend for that to happen, i was originally only hoping he'd let me hold one or two of them to get a feel for it but he volunteered. Amp too. Then my sister in law said "oh thank god, take two if you want cause i'm sick of tripping over guitar cases". :-()
So that solves the "first guitar" problem for a little while at least. I'm really grateful because it'll give me a chance to learn on a decent guitar and when i buy my own i'll have a better idea of what to look for.
That's better than decent, an American made Strat is a great guitar!
Ah yeah it was poor word choice i suppose. Actually it's even cooler than i thought it would be cause it's a Lone Star strat - not the reissues made in mexico that you can get for 600 dollars today but the american standard with the upgraded pickups that was available in the late 90s. It's an HSS and i'm happy about that because i wanted to try a humbucker pickup.
And he's letting me borrow his amp too. I don't know much else than that it's an Orange, but from the looks of things i don't think they make any bad amps.
I can vouch for that Yamaha Pacifica. My first guitar was a Yamaha Pacifica I bought off a friend for $75. It's reasonably well made, and it sounds far better than a $180 guitar has any right to sound. And I really, really love the neck on it; I'm a rhythm guitarist, so I really dig skinny necks.
I can vouch for that Yamaha Pacifica. My first guitar was a Yamaha Pacifica I bought off a friend for $75. It's reasonably well made, and it sounds far better than a $180 guitar has any right to sound. And I really, really love the neck on it; I'm a rhythm guitarist, so I really dig skinny necks.
Yeah?
Oh your colors are red and white? That gives your opinion extra weight.
I have been playing that borrowed strat for over a month. I'm learning things here and there. I can play most of the notes in "Blackbird" but only if i go slowly. I have also properly played about 3/4 of Sting's "If I ever lose my faith in you" which is a ridiculously easy song for the most part but i wanted to build up some confidence. Trying to do the Thunderstruck intro. Failing. Tried to do Funky Monks intro. Success. (Sometimes)
Do the minor pentatonic scale, do some rhythm exercises. I think the rhythm stuff is hard.
After i got familiar with the Lonestar Strat i went to the guitar center to look at other stuff. I really loved the looks of this one PRS special edition. Blue flame maple top with white racing stripes. Unfortunately i didn't really dig any of the LP style guitars. They seem less comfortable and therefore less intimate. The strat feels like it tucks up under your arm like a baby. You hold it close and it's just comfortable. The LPs are heavier and feel less organic.
I'm sure i'm just not able to appreciate the advantages yet, but i do feel good about strats. I was especially fond of this one mexican strat with 3 single coils but i can't justify a big purchase with my wife until i can play a few songs competently. In the meantime i got to thinking that there's nothing wrong with having multiple guitars, so i'm pretty sure that my first purchase is just going to be a cheap one. I am thinking about a used yamaha or an sx hawk from rondo music. Maybe a squier.
The only ones that i wouldn't consider are the dirt cheap walmart models. Aside from that - i think i'm just gonna look for a color i like.
Cheap musical instruments can still sound great in the hands of good musician. Learning how to be a great musician is the important part. buying the most expensive equipment does not a musician make either. For good at home starter lessons LEARN GUITAR
I've never used Rocksmith, but I assume it comes with a preset list of licensed songs like Rock Band/Guitar Hero does (did?). If you're still using Rocksmith exclusively and have a want to learn songs that aren't available there, Songsterr has been an invaluable resource for me.
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#define ALWAYS SOMETIMES
#define NEVER RARELY
#define ALL MANY
-=GIVE US SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN=-
I'm nerd enough to link my WoW Armory Though I'll put it in a small font.
Hey thanks guy from new zealand who has never posted here before and wanted to share a commercial website with me. That's not awkward at all.
On topic - i went to the store to look at squiers and i fell for an epiphone les paul instead. I don't know why but for some reason this one felt good where the other LPs had not. Bought it. It's a used Std in honeyburst with a bit of a flame maple look. Plays pretty good. Looks good. I'm happy.
I have songster. Sometimes the tabs are bad. That's not good.
If you're not familiar with Rocksmith - it's a video game in the same general spirit as Guitar Hero except for the fact that you plug a real guitar into the xbox and play real chords and notes.
As an aside - a debate about the general effectiveness of Rocksmith would be interesting but there's no question in my mind it's the best approach for me so it's the way I'll be trying to learn.
So anyhoo - I'm starting to look at electric guitars. I found a few 'top 10 best guitars for beginners' lists but I'm not sure if they're aimed at a person like me so I thought maybe I could get some more specific advice.
First things first - I don't know what kind of sound I like. I know that I'll try to play all kinds of different music with it but I guess I do have a slight preference for Queen, Hair Metal in general and also Metallica. It would not be a shock if I get the Foo Fighters download pack and try to learn that.
Second - I think that what I want more than anything is a guitar that isn't going to be a pain in the butt. I don't want to tune it all the time if I don't have to. I don't want any high action on the strings. I don't want cheap stuff that'll break or extra stuff that I won't appreciate anyways - particularly if it'll make the guitar harder to use.
Third - It's gotta be cheap. I'm more interested in cheapness than in sound quality. A well made, easy to use and inexpensive guitar is cool in my book. Thinking less than 100$ if I can find one that suits my needs.
Fourth - I think I like the look of this Yamaha better than anything but it's a bit out of the range I was hoping to spend and I don't know much more than what I've read on a few websites.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-PAC012DLX-Pacifica-Series-HSS-Deluxe-Electric-Guitar-103153664-i1166881.gc?CJAID=10449560&CJPID=1759905
I'm guessing that the look that I'm interested in is based on the Fender Stratocaster? I see this one here for 220 dollars and that is unfortunately too rich for me to justify.
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-Black-and-Chrome-Fat-Strat-Electric-Guitar-103212932-i1147427.gc?CJAID=10449560&CJPID=1759905
edit: Maybe this?
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Squier-Bullet-Stratocaster-HSS-Electric-Guitar-with-Tremolo-105788061-i1502378.gc
So - yeah - if I enjoy myself enough to get decent then perhaps I'll be able to talk my wife into spending a little bit more on a guitar that I can be proud of but for now I'm most interested in just getting something that'll make it easy to learn. I am also a very thorough researcher when it comes to my hobbies and I would be very appreciative of any and all of your personal experiences with learning to play. Don't be afraid to get pedantic on me. I want to know what you liked at first, didn't like, what you maybe didn't appreciate until you'd been playing for awhile, why I might care about what a humbucker (or whatever) is... A little bit of everything really.
Anyhow, anything less than $100 isn't worth it in the end. Once you get better at guitar, you're going to want a better sounding instrument, and you aren't going to get that quality from a guitar that's under $100. I'd say for a beginner guitar, a budget of $200-$300 will get you an actual functional instrument, which is more beneficial to you and your daughter. Because you say you're a beginner however, how about an acoustic? Better to learn on, cheaper to play as you don't need an amp, and you can play a lot of simple songs on an acoustic, which is good for learning.
It's all up to you, but I'd go with a guitar in the $200-$300, if you're dead set on getting an electric guitar, you can also look at used guitars to get something a little cheaper.
Look around, it's a great hobby to get in to!
My Mafia Stats - My Helpdesk
G Omnath, Locus of Mana U Arcum Dagsson BUG The Mimeoplasm GW Gaddock Teeg X Karn, Silver Golem
As far as educating yourself on guitars and whatnot, a humbucker is a type of pickup. Pickups are the part of the guitar that "pick up" or listen to the strings. The better the pick ups, the better the overall sound will be. As far as tuning, that part is pretty easy and after the strings stretch a bit, they stay fairly well in tune.
Also, once you decide to unplug from the xbox, you'll want an amplifier too. Line 6 makes some decent budget amps that have a lot of effects and such that are good to play around with.
Also, nothing is better than talking to people who know... They can usually be found at guitar center...
The one thing about acoustics is that the strings are much rougher and tighter, which could be more painful for beginners when compared to electric guitars.
I would advise you do go to a guitar within the 200-300 range at the very least. Yamaha do make solid guitars at that price for beginners. They might also have guitars with a smaller neck for younger children so they can actually play the instrument.
If you know anyone that plays guitar, go with them to help you get the first guitar for your daughter. They'll be more honest about the instrument than any salesman you'll meet.
He knows me pretty well and he suggested a used u.s. made peavey raptor.
The links that failed were yamaha pacifica and squier bullet fat strat. I dont know why they didnt display.
The acoustic idea is not good for me. I like electric guitars. I don't like acoustics very much. I also think that an electric guitar would be easier for my daughter. She has small kid hands of course and i remember the first time i tried to learn guitar it was on my uncle's acoustic. I didn't like the way the strings dig into your fingertips. I'm old enough to get over that kind of thing but i'd prefer to make it easy on her. Electric guitars just feel better to me.
I'm trying to get something that'll suit both of us. I was wondering about these 3/4 size guitars. Are they all lower quality? Are they too small for an adult? My hands aren't that big.
I was also thinking it would be really awesome to take a used guitar apart, sand the body and paint it her favorite color. Bright yellow. Is there anything i'd need to know about that?
I'm not zeroed in too much yet so if i seem to be jumping around a bit, well that's just cause i don't know what i'm doing yet.
(You read that in the professor's voice)
My brother in law just told me i should borrow his american made fender stratocaster since he has been playing his acoustic most of the time. I didn't even intend for that to happen, i was originally only hoping he'd let me hold one or two of them to get a feel for it but he volunteered. Amp too. Then my sister in law said "oh thank god, take two if you want cause i'm sick of tripping over guitar cases". :-()
So that solves the "first guitar" problem for a little while at least. I'm really grateful because it'll give me a chance to learn on a decent guitar and when i buy my own i'll have a better idea of what to look for.
That's better than decent, an American made Strat is a great guitar!
I hope you enjoy it!
My Mafia Stats - My Helpdesk
G Omnath, Locus of Mana U Arcum Dagsson BUG The Mimeoplasm GW Gaddock Teeg X Karn, Silver Golem
And he's letting me borrow his amp too. I don't know much else than that it's an Orange, but from the looks of things i don't think they make any bad amps.
Loam Pox
Standard:
Boros Burn
Yeah?
Oh your colors are red and white? That gives your opinion extra weight.
Do the minor pentatonic scale, do some rhythm exercises. I think the rhythm stuff is hard.
After i got familiar with the Lonestar Strat i went to the guitar center to look at other stuff. I really loved the looks of this one PRS special edition. Blue flame maple top with white racing stripes. Unfortunately i didn't really dig any of the LP style guitars. They seem less comfortable and therefore less intimate. The strat feels like it tucks up under your arm like a baby. You hold it close and it's just comfortable. The LPs are heavier and feel less organic.
I'm sure i'm just not able to appreciate the advantages yet, but i do feel good about strats. I was especially fond of this one mexican strat with 3 single coils but i can't justify a big purchase with my wife until i can play a few songs competently. In the meantime i got to thinking that there's nothing wrong with having multiple guitars, so i'm pretty sure that my first purchase is just going to be a cheap one. I am thinking about a used yamaha or an sx hawk from rondo music. Maybe a squier.
The only ones that i wouldn't consider are the dirt cheap walmart models. Aside from that - i think i'm just gonna look for a color i like.
Though I'll put it in a small font.
Please stop hijacking my reply box.
On topic - i went to the store to look at squiers and i fell for an epiphone les paul instead. I don't know why but for some reason this one felt good where the other LPs had not. Bought it. It's a used Std in honeyburst with a bit of a flame maple look. Plays pretty good. Looks good. I'm happy.
I have songster. Sometimes the tabs are bad. That's not good.