Guitar Forums

Hey guys, just joined the forum and I need to ask what I know will seem like a boring question.

I always wanted to play guitar but never had much spare time, now I do so I'm looking to get a guitar. I want to play a mix of rock and blues. I could get a cheap guitar to start with but then in a few years i'll want something better so it seems a waste to start with something I'll just be selling in a couple years.

So I decided to spend up to £500 on a guitar that should last me a long time, but I have absolutely no clue where to start. There are so many choices. I like the look of the fender stratocasters and from what I've read they can fit the styles of music I'm after.

So can you make any suggestions? I don't want to get ripped off and I'm utterly ignorant here.

Anyway help would be great, thanks.

Hi,I started learning on an electric guitar but got baffled by trying to get the proper sound out the amp and all its settings!so I got an acoustic and actually learned how to play the it properly before switchin to the electri,you can play any style on an acoustic aswell,as foe what kind to buy just go into a guitar shop and try a few out you could find that one will really suit you and regardless of the price then before you buy it tell people on here the make and theyll tell you if its any good hope this helps.

leftyacou555 wrote:Hi,I started learning on an electric guitar but got baffled by trying to get the proper sound out the amp and all its settings!so I got an acoustic and actually learned how to play the it properly before switchin to the electri,you can play any style on an acoustic aswell,as foe what kind to buy just go into a guitar shop and try a few out you could find that one will really suit you and regardless of the price then before you buy it tell people on here the make and theyll tell you if its any good hope this helps.

I see what you mean about the acoustic but the electric is really where I want to go so may as well just start out with it.

I can't really try any out as I don't play yet. I just need some idea of a good guitar for rock and blues that's under £500. If people can name a few models and rough prices then I can search the local shops.

before you start playing rock and blues?( this is a bit 'cart before the horse' ) ..you will need some beginners guitar lessons from a reputable teacher first..any half decent guitar will do to start with ( and will probably cost a lot a lot less than £500 ).. acoustic or electric..you must know someone who knows a bit about guitars ..get them to go with you to the music shop to select a guitar.. once again ..dont run before you can walk

you can play rock/blues or most anything else for that matter on electric or acoustic so forget about rock and blues at the moment and start at the beginning

look for a secondhand guitar.You can often get a good one for a £2-£300 , and it will be worth that if you decide to sell it.Buy a new guitar for £200. and it will be worth half that.Go on ebay,look at the guitars around your budget, then copy and paste any you like, and look at reviews.You can also see how much they would cost if you had bought new.Mine cost £300 second hand, but would cost me £750 if i bought it new. If you buy a Strat,, it will probably go up in value over time, especially if it is American made.You should pay less to for a Meican or Japanese made Strat
Guitar lessons.I paid £100 for 6 lessons, so budget for that, and maybe £70 for a nice second hand amp, or around £130 for a new one

Is teaching yourself not a real possibility?

Lots of people teach themselves.So yes, it is a possibility. I got lessons and i am glad i did.I have a structure, the tutor shows you how t play scales and read music and points you in the right direction if you go wrong.it is better to eliminate bad habits before they start in my opinion. But yes, you can learn yourself.That is what this forum is about, to give you help and advice, and i have had some very good advice in this forum.

Thanks Gavin and others for the advice.

and thats good advice passed on...how can you teach yourself...not logical..but you dont have to necessarily have 'one to one' lessons..theres some great lessons on youtube...but...its nice to have someone who can oversee and make sure your not picking up any bad habits .. learning correctly is the main priority ..do yourself a favour ...dont have lessons of somebody that knows effall to start with ( mr myself )

polyal wrote:and thats good advice passed on...how can you teach yourself...not logical..but you dont have to necessarily have 'one to one' lessons..theres some great lessons on youtube...but...its nice to have someone who can oversee and make sure your not picking up any bad habits .. learning correctly is the main priority ..do yourself a favour ...dont have lessons of somebody that knows effall to start with ( mr myself )

Yeah teaching yourself is just stupid.

Eric Clapton
Prince
BB King

I'm not passing on good advice, I have taken to heart what was said about the guitar itself, I just don't have time for lessons. If others can teach themselves and become good then so can I. It just means a bit more work. I taught myself harmonica and play that pretty well.

i would go the you tube route..

There are plenty of great lessons on there for a starter...

I am self taught but I have had help off you tube....

Regarding a guitar ......There are some real great ones for that amount...I have 4 Greg Bennits all middle of the road price wise But I pay Greg Bennitt RL4 more then my gibson

http://uk.lookat.com/music/guitars-and- ... urer=40395

but then again a guitar is a personal thing...and every one thinks theirs are great....

Go to a shop hold a few different shapes and see which one makes you fell like a guitar hero....Then you know which one to buy......


And don't worry about tone....Not at this stage just get a guitar and start playing

As for fender Strats.....

For my money the Fender telecaster is a much better guitar....

The single coil on the bridge on a strat is bloody awful..

For my money a telecaster dose it all and better then Strat...

jamesd74 wrote:i would go the you tube route..

There are plenty of great lessons on there for a starter...

I am self taught but I have had help off you tube....

Thanks james, yes I'm seeing that at this stage a reasonable guitar is all I need. Not something cheap out of an argos catalogue, but maybe not something as expensive as I first thought. You're right, I don't know enough about how a guitar sounds, the differences in models to really bother with being overly picky. I just need to crack on and get started.

I will be using youtube and similar websites because video is way more helpful than a book ever can be. Just popped over to the guitar section of reddit to read some more advice. Really looking forward to learning, I always wanted to play guitar and now I have a chance

what i miss about learning is when you first string the notes together of the song you are learn and it sounds right...it did at one time give me a real scene of achievement....

the other day i heard a cult classic "she sells sanctuary" got a tab off the net and just picked guitar up and played it....it was like wheres my sense of achievement gone.....

I hope you will stick around and post some recording of yer progress...

jamesd74 wrote:what i miss about learning is when you first string the notes together of the song you are learn and it sounds right...it did at one time give me a real scene of achievement....

the other day i heard a cult classic "she sells sanctuary" got a tab off the net and just picked guitar up and played it....it was like wheres my sense of achievement gone.....

I hope you will stick around and post some recording of yer progress...

Oh I'll be sticking with it, I'm not the kind of person who starts and gives up. I've wanted to do this for years. I will record some progress, when I gt my first basic tune together I'll get something up on youtube. It may be a while though, I have never played one before

re youtube : there's also loads of rubbish on youtube ...if you're a beginner how do you know which vid is credible??????????how will you know????????

Thats why where here poly...to help out

ChrisD wrote:I'm not passing on good advice

this was derived from a quote by gavin....not youself....so read the posts before responding

polyal wrote:

ChrisD wrote:I'm not passing on good advice

this was derived from a quote by gavin....not youself....so read the posts before responding

Sorry but what are you on about? I did read the post, if you use inaccurate language that isn't my fault.

read post 7...post 9 is a response to post 7
cheers
polyal

Poly chill..

All the bloke is asking for is a bit of help......

We have been dead on the forum of late we need to encourge new members not get in to pointless points of view fights...

polyal wrote:read post 7

Yes I have read that post, I'm still not understanding your point or the level of aggression your'e showing.

Seriously man I've been perfectly polite and you've come out swinging like I insulted your mother. Have you had a drink or something?

polyal wrote:read post 7...post 9 is a response to post 7
cheers
polyal

Oh I see the misunderstanding. Now take a look at your own post again.

polyal wrote: "and thats good advice passed on...how can you teach yourself"

You were saying the advice is good, but the second part of your question makes it sound like I had passed on the advice rather than accepted it. Hopefully you see that.

all the help this forum can give is gladly available..as you know ...pity we aren't in a pub chatting without having to use bloody keyboards

polyal wrote:all the help this forum can give is gladly available..as you know ...pity we aren't in a pub chatting without having to use bloody keyboards

Alright lets just start over. I don't drink though so mines an orange juice.