My first guitar was a $50 plywood department store acoustic bought new in the late 1970's. It's what I could afford at the time and I was glad to have it.
As a teacher I make it clear to the parents that the guitar must have fully functioning tuners and the action must be set properly. Probably half of the guitars I'm presented with during a student's first lesson have both of these issues. Everything else can be worked around but these 2 are critical to setting the kid up for success.
Yup. More people probably give up guitar from high action/bad setups than anything else. Your students are lucky. I had to figure this out myself. My first guitar had very high action, and being a newbie, I had no idea until I started reading and watching videos online. Had it adjusted and had the first set of strings changed out -- so much better!!
Back in the late 80's - early 90's I ran a repair dept. in a large independent guitar store. Every guitar on display was checked and setup before it ever got in a wall hook. My boss always said that properly setup guitars just sell themselves.
Which based on watching a ton of reviews $400-$2000 giuitars do not always have those two features. But my Jackson JS22 dinky I got for under $200 does and I personally took it out of they shipping box that Fender used to ship to the guitar center I bought it from. But I've seen many squire and even fender reviews were they just aren't...So what I recommend is buy a guitar from the store with staff you like who would let you know what's wrong with it and can fix it.
I agree that your first guitar should be whatever you want, electric or acoustic. I came from a time when the first guitar you got had to be an acoustic and mine was a Yamaha dreadnought that was brand new in 1980 when I got it. I still have it , and it actually sounds great. A big upside to have an acoustic first is when I got my first electric a Fender American standard Stratocaster it felt like I was playing a cloud.
Same here, I had a Samick copy to start, a Japanese Jaguar that didn't perform quite to snuff, traded up to the MIA. Cloud 9, 1996 Vintage White MIA Stratocaster American Standard.😊
Started playing 9 months ago on my daughter’s Maton and purchased my first guitar in Feb. I bought an Epiphone Pro-1 in natural. Not a great guitar but not bad either. I love the look of it and play it every day. Fo me, it was more important for me to want to play it rather than how great it is. A better guitar can come later…..and I’m still practicing every day👍
helpful information that I could have used in 1964 when I bought my first electric guitar. an Eko Strat style body with two staple pickups in fire engine red. Sounded awesome but the truss rod needed adjusting every seasonal change, the action was awful, and it had flat wounds on it that were HUGE! I loved the look and sound and managed to learn to be a lead player on it...but my teacher never suggested a set up or even reasonable strings and he'd lend me his Jaguar on occasion if I was struggling during a lesson. and not knowing any better I played that sucker for 5 years without ever changing a string. so this video should be a big help to a new buyer.
My first guitar was $9.99 that ma bought me from a five and ten cent store in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. This was in 1960 when I was seven years old. It was about the size of a parlor guitar and the action on the strings was tortuously high. This did not deter me however. I learned to read music note by note on some sheet music my grandma had from the nineteen twenties and thirties. I learned to tune the guitar to standard from an old guitar book published in 1934. As I said note by note I slowly taught myself to play these old songs. I hadn’t a pick. I didn’t even know you could use a pick. So I developed on instinct my own little fingerstyle way of playing. My fingers literally bled daily for at least a year but I eventually developed big callouses and plowed my way through these old-ass songs I really didn’t like. After a few years my grandpap got me some current sheet music from the mid to late sixties of folk songs, Broadway, and movie themes. I learned them on the little junker guitar. It took me until about eighth grade to start sounding pretty good. I remember one song I loved to play. It was the theme song from the movie Alfie transcribed for piano. I learned it on my guitar and played it at school for my classmates in our four room old country school. It was received well by them and particularly my teachers. All this was on my ten dollar junker. A year later in high school I took formal lessons in guitar offered by the music department. Still I played my same cheap instrument. My music teacher I know took pity on me and for the whole of my sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school years she leant me a Guild F-30 that belonged to her sister. When she presented it to me I just about soiled myself when I took the first strum. I had no idea a guitar could play or sound like that. I kept it those three years and then gave it back to her. It set me on my lifelong journey of guitar playing and it all came about having started with a guitar that was more like an instrument of torture. I think I would cry if I had that little junker back today. I set me on the first ten years or so of this musical journey. Yeah, I would cry both from nostalgia and the memory of nearly two years excruciating pain. Great post guys! I am subscribed. Forgive any typos and auto corrects. I type fast and badly.
My 1st guitar was a Sears Silvertone Silk & Steel acoustic…came with a chipboard case…played fairly well and I was able to learn all the first position chords on it…my parents payed less than $25 bucks (found it in the store on clearance) back in the late 60’s…god only knows where it is now… 🎸🔊🎶🤘✌️❤️🤘
My first guitar was a fed True Tone guitar. Don’t remember if it was one word or two. My mom got it from Western Auto. I played the crap out of that guitar. I would take it to my little local guitar shop in Conyers, GA and the guy would tune it for me and I’d play it for a week and I’d take it back. The guy that owned the store was so cool. I had a little Gibson tube amp that only had a volume knob if I remember correctly. I was so proud of that guitar and my Yamaha acoustic. My mom eventually bought me a new Univox Strat in blonde with 3 Humbucker pickups. I still have that guitar and I’m almost 64 yo now. The music store would loan us PA systems when we played. What a cool time. This was mid 70’s while I was in high school. I loved that music store and the owner, Tony. I can’t get over how nice he was to us and all of the stuff he would loan us. You don’t see that stuff anymore. Heck you barely see local music stores anymore. You made mention of Michael Kelly guitars. I have a couple and they are great guitars for the money. Every bit as good as a MIM Fender. Thanks you guys for bringing all of this content. I have a ball watching you guys! One day I’m coming to visit you.
I owned a Michael Kelly hollowbody. A gorgeous guitar, great sound, played nice. The hardware was crap, within a month you had to tighten every thing down every time you played.
Good advice all the way around. I feel for any sales staff that copes with the overly-protective parent who wants to grind the price down of the least expensive instrument to fifty cents. No matter how you try to look after the well-being of the customer and soon-to-be player, you're just trying to make a buck. Duh, yeah. It's how they put food on the table. What proves most profitable is a solid relationship and a steadily returning customer.
In most cases, I think a person buying their first guitar is better off getting an acoustic. That way, they don't need an amp and they can just pick it up and play it instead of having to plug it in and all that. For most people, they're more likely to play if it doesn't require much effort to start playing on a whim. And my first guitar was a student model Stella, $28 brand new and I still have it (top is cracked now). It has a neck like half a tree, strings a foot off the fingerboard and felt like 12 gauge wire. Don't know how I ever played anything on it but I was proud to get it at the time and it served its purpose.
For a first tie buyer, take a friend with experience if possible, look for something you like that's in your price range. Go to a guitar/music store, see what's in the used section. Ask as many questions as you can think of. If you can't play anything on guitar have your friend or sales person play it, but make sure you at least hold it to see if it's comfortable. Get it set up with new strings, take it home & have fun with it.
You mentioned strings - got me thinkingbof other things you can ask about. I was looking at some epiphone semi hollowbodies recently and in two different stores the fretboards were SO DRY I felt like I couldn’t slide a barre chord from A to B. Never felt that before. I wondered if it was the indian laurel fretboards either in general or somehow with my particular grip or something. At the second store I mentioned it to a tech and he said it might just be dry because we haven’t conditioned it in a while. It was gtr ctr so I figured yeah that fits. So he took it and doused the fingerboard with lemon oil. Played easy then! lol but (1) I needed to wipe the oil off my hands and (2) I still didn’t trust that indian laurel. Too bad because otherwise the epiphone was nice.
the level of a fretboards hydration should have zero impact on your ability to slide. If it was chewed up or had some sticky residue covering it that would effect, but not the amount of moisture it retains. To answer your question, its your grip.
@@andoros.7017 Thanks, that's very interesting. I was really at a loss as to why those specific guitars when others did not have that issue. I wonder then if there's something about the shape of the neck that led me to grip it differently? Well - at any rate - I found a semi-hollow for me so all's well that ends well, but if I get a chance to play them again somewhere else I'll try to pay attention to my grip and how it may change when I play those guitars.
Buy what you like fer sure. Have a Fender strat, tele and a 9 pound heavy Les Paul. Very nice guitars. Don't play them much. Case queens. Play my modded guitars; a Squire Bullet Strat, Bullet Mustang or Epi SG Special almost everyday. Live and learn. Cheers!
I live in Texas and there is now a buccees on EVERY highway leading out of town, north, south, east, and west. This has added an extra 45 minutes and about $100 to the cost of every single road trip. Damn you buccees! Also, I love you.
Some good advice, as someone that made a lot of mistakes when I purchased my first guitar.. Simple stuff like the setup.. It was an Fender American telecaster from Guitar center... Everything was out wack..I didn't know better..But little by little I got it right. I think it's always great if you have a friend that's knowledgeable..I didn't, but I'd ask someone that works in the store to play others that I bought after.. I'd just listen and watch .. Someone else can make it sing..so can you if you're dedicated..
Good Morning, packing up that Southern Pines Gift we talked about this weekend, Sterling is another Great Affordable Guitar that usually has Friendly action that makes them easy to Play but is still Pocket Book Friendly, MIM Fenders are Solid Used, Even the Older Squires from 90's can be had for under $500 or the Hofners, Greco's and Danelctrco as Vintage Copies are within reach of common man also, I own a couple of the Best Playing Ugly Guitars around, one was Stepped on and crushed as a Hollow Body and looks like it was glued back together by a kid, but its a 60's Guitar like a Barney Kessel with a P90 Bridge & Danelectro Lipstick in Neck with a Hofner Neck and everyone that touches it, cant believe the tones or how darn good it Plays
My first was an Tele Cabronita style guitar with tunematic/tailpiece, simple to handle and reliable. It had an 24.75″ scale and the neck was narrow and pretty slim as less is more in Japan but for an beginner that is a good thing. On that first guitar, avoid whamys, those will only steal time needed for playing. And the last, do some research, check reviews, by one made by a known well spoken about established brand and about 400-600 bucks thar is what it will cost to get an decent guitar that will be up to go and if needed a tech will sort things out.
Guitars at truck stops would be the dream. Get your guitar and some painted velvet to decorate the studio at the same time! As the Austin Lounge Lizards sang, "Jesus and Elvis, the dogs playing poker, and Willie and me."
The Guild westerly collection are great acoustics for less than a grand. Mine is 75% of my USA made Guild D40 Traditional Poly vs Nitro woods a bit lower grade but really nice.
Picked up an old peavey bass head for $100 at a pawnshop that kicks ass now, but like you were saying I had to take it to my tech twice to "knock out the cobwebs" which more than doubled the expenditure, I don't regret it though because that thing will probably run for another 40 years now and by then $100 pawnshop deals on vintage american made equipment simply won't exist
@@jasondorsey7110 In the late 80s, when I was 14, I bought a Rockman X100 from a pawnshop for $200. A few weeks later, I found out that the fair market value was more $60 to $80 on the used market. So even if nowadays my Rockman X100 with the original box, headphones and adapter is worth way more than what I paid for at the time, I’m still salty about this transaction. Since then I’ve always been extra careful whenever I considered buying something from a pawnshop and every time I considered something, it was always overpriced (20% to 100% over fair market value) or something was wrong with the item and the estimated cost of the repair would have raised the total cost above the fair market value.
$200 Fender acoustic, with hard case, is a really nice guitar. My buddy was showing me his $1500 Furch, played with my Fenders, and was pissed he wasted $1300. He also has a $20 year old Yamaha, also a nice guitar that goes for about $800. After seeing how nice I set mine up, he asked me to set that up because it was a pain to play. I shaved 2 mm off the bridge, probably should have gone 3 mm, and his face lit up as soon as he touched it.
Yup. Individual guitars can vary a lot. I've tried some inexpensive Fender acoustics that were pretty doggy and some that were really very nice. Play the guitar yourself if you can before you buy. You can find a diamond in the rough. There are a lot of them around.
Brought my first guitar into my local shop for a set up (did not buy it there). Altho they claim to do set ups they really have no interest but selling new guitars. They made up all this nonsense about all the things that were wrong with the guitar and their standard line is “the cost of the repair would be more than the value of the guitar”. Haven’t been back there since.
My first guitar I bought in 2007. It was a Walmart single cut First Act. It held up for the year I beat the living shit out of it. Never was in tune, I blew up 2 first Act amps. Sold the guitar for the $100 I paid for it. Bought a $150 Ibanez gio and a US made crate solid state amp. Blossomed on that new rig. Now I have expensive things lol. Still have that Ibanez and the crate amp.
I would avoid the bigger acoustics for someone learning. There is a glut of well made dreadnaught sized beginner guitars from good manufacturers like the taylor academy. This seems poorly thought out. Sure the big guitar moves more air when your competing with a band and maybe has fuller sound, but you'll spend years craining over that thing trying to see what your hands are doing. To my mind, something like connected at.the tenth fret, possibly a short scale is better for learning. Breedlove is making a china guitar with the full scale length 10 fret connect and a cut with slightly larger than parlor size that seems about perfect on paper.
Buy a used mid level instrument from a major brand like Ibanez/Yamaha/PRS and enjoy. If you don't stick with it it can be sold for pretty much what you paid for it.
I have a tip. If you're serious about playing guitar, and you're not just testing the waters, scrape together as much cash as you can and buy the best guitar you can get for the money. Buy used if you have to, but make sure it's a really great guitar. If you buy a cheap instrument, and you practice enough to get good really fast, you're going to have to spend even more money to upgrade to a better guitar, and the cheap guitar is going to quickly fall out of use and become a waste of money.
Omg my parents got me an acoustic even though I wanted electric. Cheaper and money is tight and … but so disappointed to see my friends get them and play cool stuff while I am trying to teach myself with a mel bay book!
Don’t despair if your first guitar is a clunker. Buy the best you can afford and if necessary tweak and adjust until you can upgrade. Cosmetics are important, but not the be all and end all. Some of my most favorite guitars are pawn shop rescues that just play nice. High string action is a red flag, and even the most basic guitars can benefit from a professional setup. For guitars I intend to add to my collection, it’s absolutely essential. In general I agree with the boys. It’s almost like they know what they are talking about. Almost.
I bought a cheap Gibson LP special just to get Gibson and then planned to trade and save to get a standard or custom shop. It's ugly, but it is now my favorite guitar. Will never sell it, or get a more expensive model.
Yet a $2000 Acoustasonic gets a gig bag…come on Fender! Not a deal breaker or anything, and I love my Acoustasonic Jazzmaster. But it weird however Fender decides which guitars get gig bags and which get hard cases. Luckily, the gig bag is really solid to be honest.
Don't buy on looks alone. Yes, we know you like the black one with the weird brand name that reminds you of a dragon or the red one that reminds you of a Corvette. No. Buy a musical instrument you can learn to play -- one that will stay in tune and has good fundamentals. Take somebody who plays guitar with you and have them play it to see if it works correctly. Hold it in your arms. It should be comfortable and fit your body when you sit down, because that's how you're going to be holding it for the many hours it takes to learn to play the guitar. Conventional lore says buy an acoustic first. Meh. Buy what you want to play. Electrics are easier to learn chords on, and they can be a bit more kind to the fingers at first -- and knowing what I know about why newbies quit -- that's an important factor I think. But if you don't want to play an electric, of course, buy an acoustic. That's up to you. If you end up playing everyday for a year or more, the odds are really, really high that you're going to end up with both anyway. :) It takes a while to learn guitar. It's not going to happen overnight. You don't want to spend a fortune til you know you're going to stay with it for a while. So, what you need is a reliable, well-built guitar that you can learn on without spending that fortune. I recommend that if you opt for an acoustic, choose one that's comfortable for you, a brand name guitar in the $250-$400 range and you don't need an amp right away. I like Yamaha (yes, they make great precision instruments!) or Breedlove, but that's me. There are plenty of good reliable ones on the market. If you opt for an electric, you probably cannot do better than either a Squier Classic Vibe or Yamaha Pacifica in the $250-$450 range again. Right now, look for a sale--there are sales everywhere because of the glut of guitars available just now. Right away, get a strap of your choice for a couple of reasons. a) You can't learn to play the guitar if you constantly have to hold it up with your fretting hand. It should be balanced on your strumming-side thigh, with your strumming arm laying across it, and you should be able to take your fretting hand completely off of it without it tipping. A strap can help with that if you have certain models of guitar. (Some guitar shapes famously have "neck dive." I don't recommend that. Just saying.) b) A strap will help to keep your guitar from hitting the floor as you move around! Use strap locks which are simple little rubber washer things that fasten on the strap button and hold the strap on the guitar. You will see people going on and on like maniacs about expensive amps til you think you need one, but you don't if you're still just learning the basics. To learn electric guitar on, you need a plain little Fender amp. Buy a new one so you know some "handyman" hasn't had a go at it. You can get them for $79-129 and they'll get you through the learning stage til you know whether you're going to play everyday and keep going. If you live in an apartment or a dorm where there are other people studying, sleeping, etc. you might want to opt for a headphone amp instead (or in addition) because they will keep the noise down and keep the neighbors happy when you practice things over and over again -- which you will. Know that as you learn to play, your tastes and knowledge about guitars are going to evolve. It's natural, it's normal, and it's a good thing when it happens. It means you're learning how things work and what you personally like. PS. If you shop around online you can get Fender Play real cheap with a coupon code. With Fender Play you get 10% off of all Fender stuff which means Fender Play can pay for itself and then you get lessons for free basically. They're pretty good for beginners, and cover the bases that many newbies miss like getting your strumming rhythm sorted out.
This poor fella here’s rockin a dean acoustic. A 12 string hollow body electric dean. A 6 string electric crest wood les paul (59 dude). I got 200 invested. The electrics were given to me by shady dudes so I only play them when I’m howling at the moon. I need a resonator next. Sorry I’m not Gibson Fender class but will you guys sponsor a player with a resonator. I’ll hitch hike from Connecticut to pick it up. How bout it boys
I can’t even remember my first guitar. I’m pretty sure it was a Gibson LP Jr. That particular guitar I smashed on stage during my first real gig because that is what I saw Pete Townshend do live and thought it was amazing. Sadly I then realized I destroyed my only guitar and couldn’t finish the gig. 😂 Ehh the life of a young rock star. 🤘
In reference to the “just pretty but…” comment, I was under the impression that you guys were a PRS dealer and that’s probably the ultimate example of a brand that is “just pretty but …”! I don’t mean to offend anyone with that comment. Even though I’ve been hardcore in the Fender/Squier fandom for over 30 years I do own other brands (both major and smaller), plus I have a list of brands that I haven’t owned yet that I want, and I haven’t completely written off PRS yet I just haven’t found the right PRS for ME if it is out there somewhere.
I think the biggest mistake people make is just not spending enough money. Luthiers don't give a shit if you're not sure you wanna play guitar, it doesn't make building a guitar any easier, so buying a cheap guitar usually means they don't play well and you wont wanna play. I'd spend more money on a decent guitar that you can resell if you don't end up sticking with it, yeah you'll likely lose a couple bucks but you'll be giving yourself a better chance to get into it.
Buy a new guitar backed by a good brand, made of good wood, and then take it right to a good luthier. You will be setup for success with an instrument that will last you until the pro level.
Bought a $100 Guild Acoustic back in the 70's, restrung for left handed and had the worst instructor on the planet or just Rochester NY. That guitar was boring. I lasted a month and then dumped the guitar in the closet. Older and smarter I bought a Squier Strat and a Mustang 1 amp. Two years later I now have a set list of songs. Go talk to someone in a guitar shop first. Don't waste all those years by buying the wrong guitar.
Except I already bought my first guitar and then later I got other ones that maybe should be considered "first" instead after I already got burned on the first one.
Certain music store had cleaned up their act a bit and competition had moved in a bit and now I hear they are both less than desirable for internet community or something?
First was a T15 sunburst Peavey. I loved that guitar. THE NECK…. So easy to play. Prior to that was Mary K, kent, harmony… lol 45 years ago, YOU HAD TO PAY YOUR DUES!!!! In pain, blood, sweat & tears from 1” high strings to the fretboard, crappy tuners, uggghhh man YOU HAD TO REALLY WANNA PLAY. NOW you can buy a Sire Larry Carlton and ho on tour, playing like buddah!!!
The acoustic guitar before electric, where did that come from? Does it exist anywhere else? If you want to break and pop, first you gotta tap. If you wanna sing in that screamo band, first you gotta be a folk singer. If you want that new Xbox, first you gotta master the NES. If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding….!
I would advise once you have settled on a budget, take someone who already plays with you to the shop. Trust me, guitar players look for excuses to go to a guitar shop.
There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese.
I don't like buying a used guitar for only one reason. Why is the seller selling the guitar , many reasons. For the most that guitar doesn't represent any value or Love to the instrument cause they have abused it from lack of knowledge. Last 40 years I have bought more than 50 guitars and all brand new. My first electric guitar that I purchased in 1983 was Yamaha SBG 3000 for $600 today is worth over 5K . Buy new play and enjoy while it's growing in value. Buy American made instruments. You won't go wrong...
The best way to buy a guitar is go in, find the coolest guitar on the wall (to you), take it off the wall, don't play it, just buy it, as long as its in your budget of course🤣
Find the balding guys with long hair to test the guitar beforehand, theyll care more about the job and also show ya more on the thing likely, so it gets more of a demo.
That's actually true. Find an old codger who's played guitar so long they can play in their sleep, and they'll pick out a winner guitar for ya. Look for the guy with the bald top and ponytail.
Squires are imho NOT, the best beginner guitar. Mediocre at best, and almost always need something more than a set up. They capitilize on the Fender association, and are probably the most common used guitar brand. I'm surprised P.R.S hasn't started building cheapy entry level guitars to take advantage of this marketing ploy. I don't care who makes the damn thing, if it's under $500 bucks, there's a 50/50 chance it's complete crap. Save your money for a few more months and choose a guitar over $500ish. Doesn't guarantee a better guitar, but at least gives you a fighting chance.
Squier has upped its game. They make fine guitars for beginners nowadays. Just make sure to get a new one made in the far east, not some used shit from long ago that's been jacked around by some kid with a screwdriver. For beginning to learn guitar, you're much better off with a new Classic Vibe or Paranormal Series and a good setup than with many more expensive guitars. And above all, play the guitar before you buy it! There are diamonds in the rough all over, but also duds and that goes for all price points. Money doesn't always buy quality when it comes to guitars. Case in point: Don't "pay authentic."
We love to categorize everything , like any 500 dollar guitar is something you learn on and not for stage, but I’d bet, if say, Clapton or Springsteen played a 499.00 off the shelf Tele/Strat, no one in the audience will notice any sound difference
Everybody upped their game in the last, say 5 years. I'd recommend beginners buy their first guitar in person from a known reputable source. Unfortunately, the industry is moving towards even more online shopping and less face to face sales. I've seen an uptick in shoddy QC from many sub $1000 dollar models from various brands. Squire is certainly in that bunch. So even if the specs on paper are getting better for your money, I'd recommend buying from a major retailer that offers a good return policy and some level of customer service.
My first guitar was a $50 plywood department store acoustic bought new in the late 1970's. It's what I could afford at the time and I was glad to have it.
As a teacher I make it clear to the parents that the guitar must have fully functioning tuners and the action must be set properly. Probably half of the guitars I'm presented with during a student's first lesson have both of these issues. Everything else can be worked around but these 2 are critical to setting the kid up for success.
Yup. More people probably give up guitar from high action/bad setups than anything else. Your students are lucky. I had to figure this out myself. My first guitar had very high action, and being a newbie, I had no idea until I started reading and watching videos online. Had it adjusted and had the first set of strings changed out -- so much better!!
Back in the late 80's - early 90's I ran a repair dept. in a large independent guitar store. Every guitar on display was checked and setup before it ever got in a wall hook. My boss always said that properly setup guitars just sell themselves.
Which based on watching a ton of reviews $400-$2000 giuitars do not always have those two features. But my Jackson JS22 dinky I got for under $200 does and I personally took it out of they shipping box that Fender used to ship to the guitar center I bought it from. But I've seen many squire and even fender reviews were they just aren't...So what I recommend is buy a guitar from the store with staff you like who would let you know what's wrong with it and can fix it.
I agree that your first guitar should be whatever you want, electric or acoustic. I came from a time when the first guitar you got had to be an acoustic and mine was a Yamaha dreadnought that was brand new in 1980 when I got it. I still have it , and it actually sounds great. A big upside to have an acoustic first is when I got my first electric a Fender American standard Stratocaster it felt like I was playing a cloud.
Same here, I had a Samick copy to start, a Japanese Jaguar that didn't perform quite to snuff, traded up to the MIA. Cloud 9, 1996 Vintage White MIA Stratocaster American Standard.😊
Started playing 9 months ago on my daughter’s Maton and purchased my first guitar in Feb. I bought an Epiphone Pro-1 in natural. Not a great guitar but not bad either. I love the look of it and play it every day. Fo me, it was more important for me to want to play it rather than how great it is. A better guitar can come later…..and I’m still practicing every day👍
helpful information that I could have used in 1964 when I bought my first electric guitar. an Eko Strat style body with two staple pickups in fire engine red. Sounded awesome but the truss rod needed adjusting every seasonal change, the action was awful, and it had flat wounds on it that were HUGE! I loved the look and sound and managed to learn to be a lead player on it...but my teacher never suggested a set up or even reasonable strings and he'd lend me his Jaguar on occasion if I was struggling during a lesson. and not knowing any better I played that sucker for 5 years without ever changing a string. so this video should be a big help to a new buyer.
Any guitar that fits your hand just right, has a good neck and sounds good !
My first guitar was $9.99 that ma bought me from a five and ten cent store in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. This was in 1960 when I was seven years old. It was about the size of a parlor guitar and the action on the strings was tortuously high. This did not deter me however. I learned to read music note by note on some sheet music my grandma had from the nineteen twenties and thirties. I learned to tune the guitar to standard from an old guitar book published in 1934. As I said note by note I slowly taught myself to play these old songs. I hadn’t a pick. I didn’t even know you could use a pick. So I developed on instinct my own little fingerstyle way of playing. My fingers literally bled daily for at least a year but I eventually developed big callouses and plowed my way through these old-ass songs I really didn’t like. After a few years my grandpap got me some current sheet music from the mid to late sixties of folk songs, Broadway, and movie themes. I learned them on the little junker guitar. It took me until about eighth grade to start sounding pretty good. I remember one song I loved to play. It was the theme song from the movie Alfie transcribed for piano. I learned it on my guitar and played it at school for my classmates in our four room old country school. It was received well by them and particularly my teachers. All this was on my ten dollar junker. A year later in high school I took formal lessons in guitar offered by the music department. Still I played my same cheap instrument. My music teacher I know took pity on me and for the whole of my sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school years she leant me a Guild F-30 that belonged to her sister. When she presented it to me I just about soiled myself when I took the first strum. I had no idea a guitar could play or sound like that. I kept it those three years and then gave it back to her. It set me on my lifelong journey of guitar playing and it all came about having started with a guitar that was more like an instrument of torture. I think I would cry if I had that little junker back today. I set me on the first ten years or so of this musical journey. Yeah, I would cry both from nostalgia and the memory of nearly two years excruciating pain. Great post guys! I am subscribed. Forgive any typos and auto corrects. I type fast and badly.
Greetings from Pittsburgh
Cool story, my friend. Very cool. I never read comments this long but, ya caught my attention! God bless.
My 1st guitar was a Sears Silvertone Silk & Steel acoustic…came with a chipboard case…played fairly well and I was able to learn all the first position chords on it…my parents payed less than $25 bucks (found it in the store on clearance) back in the late 60’s…god only knows where it is now…
🎸🔊🎶🤘✌️❤️🤘
My first guitar was a fed True Tone guitar. Don’t remember if it was one word or two. My mom got it from Western Auto. I played the crap out of that guitar. I would take it to my little local guitar shop in Conyers, GA and the guy would tune it for me and I’d play it for a week and I’d take it back. The guy that owned the store was so cool. I had a little Gibson tube amp that only had a volume knob if I remember correctly. I was so proud of that guitar and my Yamaha acoustic. My mom eventually bought me a new Univox Strat in blonde with 3 Humbucker pickups. I still have that guitar and I’m almost 64 yo now. The music store would loan us PA systems when we played. What a cool time. This was mid 70’s while I was in high school. I loved that music store and the owner, Tony. I can’t get over how nice he was to us and all of the stuff he would loan us. You don’t see that stuff anymore. Heck you barely see local music stores anymore. You made mention of Michael Kelly guitars. I have a couple and they are great guitars for the money. Every bit as good as a MIM Fender. Thanks you guys for bringing all of this content. I have a ball watching you guys! One day I’m coming to visit you.
I owned a Michael Kelly hollowbody. A gorgeous guitar, great sound, played nice. The hardware was crap, within a month you had to tighten every thing down every time you played.
Good advice all the way around. I feel for any sales staff that copes with the overly-protective parent who wants to grind the price down of the least expensive instrument to fifty cents. No matter how you try to look after the well-being of the customer and soon-to-be player, you're just trying to make a buck. Duh, yeah. It's how they put food on the table. What proves most profitable is a solid relationship and a steadily returning customer.
I got a nylon stringer for Christmas at age 10. In 1977. Played the heck out of that thing. All the lessons and classes. Highschool and college.
So much great choice these days. Epiphone, Alvarez, Gretsch (especially streamliner), Squier etc
In most cases, I think a person buying their first guitar is better off getting an acoustic. That way, they don't need an amp and they can just pick it up and play it instead of having to plug it in and all that. For most people, they're more likely to play if it doesn't require much effort to start playing on a whim.
And my first guitar was a student model Stella, $28 brand new and I still have it (top is cracked now). It has a neck like half a tree, strings a foot off the fingerboard and felt like 12 gauge wire. Don't know how I ever played anything on it but I was proud to get it at the time and it served its purpose.
For a first tie buyer, take a friend with experience if possible, look for something you like that's in your price range. Go to a guitar/music store, see what's in the used section. Ask as many questions as you can think of. If you can't play anything on guitar have your friend or sales person play it, but make sure you at least hold it to see if it's comfortable. Get it set up with new strings, take it home & have fun with it.
Exactly. Good answer.
First guitar was a Black Fender AmStd Strat. But, should have been the Eric Johnson Artist Series Strat- got it last week and Damn it’s NICE!! 🎸🇺🇸
Electric guitars are more forgiving. I recommend an acoustic because you tend to play more exacting.
Bring someone with you who has been playing for a while. They'll be able to tell you which instruments play well and which instruments are crappy.
You mentioned strings - got me thinkingbof other things you can ask about. I was looking at some epiphone semi hollowbodies recently and in two different stores the fretboards were SO DRY I felt like I couldn’t slide a barre chord from A to B. Never felt that before. I wondered if it was the indian laurel fretboards either in general or somehow with my particular grip or something. At the second store I mentioned it to a tech and he said it might just be dry because we haven’t conditioned it in a while. It was gtr ctr so I figured yeah that fits. So he took it and doused the fingerboard with lemon oil. Played easy then! lol but (1) I needed to wipe the oil off my hands and (2) I still didn’t trust that indian laurel. Too bad because otherwise the epiphone was nice.
the level of a fretboards hydration should have zero impact on your ability to slide. If it was chewed up or had some sticky residue covering it that would effect, but not the amount of moisture it retains. To answer your question, its your grip.
@@andoros.7017 Thanks, that's very interesting. I was really at a loss as to why those specific guitars when others did not have that issue. I wonder then if there's something about the shape of the neck that led me to grip it differently? Well - at any rate - I found a semi-hollow for me so all's well that ends well, but if I get a chance to play them again somewhere else I'll try to pay attention to my grip and how it may change when I play those guitars.
My first was a Global Les Paul copy from the Sears & Roebuck catalogue I got for Christmas 1979
Buy what you like fer sure. Have a Fender strat, tele and a 9 pound heavy Les Paul. Very nice guitars. Don't play them much. Case queens. Play my modded guitars; a Squire Bullet Strat, Bullet Mustang or Epi SG Special almost everyday. Live and learn. Cheers!
I live in Texas and there is now a buccees on EVERY highway leading out of town, north, south, east, and west. This has added an extra 45 minutes and about $100 to the cost of every single road trip. Damn you buccees! Also, I love you.
I have one Acoustic a Cort Earth-900 it plays awesome since my grandpa owned it.
Some good advice, as someone that made a lot of mistakes when I purchased my first guitar.. Simple stuff like the setup.. It was an Fender American telecaster from Guitar center... Everything was out wack..I didn't know better..But little by little I got it right. I think it's always great if you have a friend that's knowledgeable..I didn't, but I'd ask someone that works in the store to play others that I bought after.. I'd just listen and watch .. Someone else can make it sing..so can you if you're dedicated..
The best idea is to get a good-quality used Fender Player. Even if the kid gives up, you can probably flip it for a good price.
Good Morning, packing up that Southern Pines Gift we talked about this weekend, Sterling is another Great Affordable Guitar that usually has Friendly action that makes them easy to Play but is still Pocket Book Friendly, MIM Fenders are Solid Used, Even the Older Squires from 90's can be had for under $500 or the Hofners, Greco's and Danelctrco as Vintage Copies are within reach of common man also, I own a couple of the Best Playing Ugly Guitars around, one was Stepped on and crushed as a Hollow Body and looks like it was glued back together by a kid, but its a 60's Guitar like a Barney Kessel with a P90 Bridge & Danelectro Lipstick in Neck with a Hofner Neck and everyone that touches it, cant believe the tones or how darn good it Plays
Ive bought about 4 guitars this month lol first guitar for the week had me chuckling 😂
My first was an Tele Cabronita style guitar with tunematic/tailpiece, simple to handle and reliable.
It had an 24.75″ scale and the neck was narrow and pretty slim as less is more in Japan but for an beginner that is a good thing.
On that first guitar, avoid whamys, those will only steal time needed for playing.
And the last, do some research, check reviews, by one made by a known well spoken about established brand and about 400-600 bucks thar is what it will cost to get an decent guitar that will be up to go and if needed a tech will sort things out.
"For the love of Smoke on the Water." That's why I love y'all!
Guitars at truck stops would be the dream. Get your guitar and some painted velvet to decorate the studio at the same time!
As the Austin Lounge Lizards sang, "Jesus and Elvis, the dogs playing poker, and Willie and me."
The Guild westerly collection are great acoustics for less than a grand. Mine is 75% of my USA made Guild D40 Traditional Poly vs Nitro woods a bit lower grade but really nice.
My first electric guitar is a squire standard strat
I’ve never ever seen a good guitar deal at a pawnshop. They are always overpriced or there’s something wrong with it.
Picked up an old peavey bass head for $100 at a pawnshop that kicks ass now, but like you were saying I had to take it to my tech twice to "knock out the cobwebs" which more than doubled the expenditure, I don't regret it though because that thing will probably run for another 40 years now and by then $100 pawnshop deals on vintage american made equipment simply won't exist
@@jasondorsey7110 In the late 80s, when I was 14, I bought a Rockman X100 from a pawnshop for $200. A few weeks later, I found out that the fair market value was more $60 to $80 on the used market. So even if nowadays my Rockman X100 with the original box, headphones and adapter is worth way more than what I paid for at the time, I’m still salty about this transaction. Since then I’ve always been extra careful whenever I considered buying something from a pawnshop and every time I considered something, it was always overpriced (20% to 100% over fair market value) or something was wrong with the item and the estimated cost of the repair would have raised the total cost above the fair market value.
$200 Fender acoustic, with hard case, is a really nice guitar. My buddy was showing me his $1500 Furch, played with my Fenders, and was pissed he wasted $1300. He also has a $20 year old Yamaha, also a nice guitar that goes for about $800. After seeing how nice I set mine up, he asked me to set that up because it was a pain to play. I shaved 2 mm off the bridge, probably should have gone 3 mm, and his face lit up as soon as he touched it.
Yup. Individual guitars can vary a lot. I've tried some inexpensive Fender acoustics that were pretty doggy and some that were really very nice. Play the guitar yourself if you can before you buy. You can find a diamond in the rough. There are a lot of them around.
My first guitar was $99 at musicians’ friend holiday season of ‘06. Glad to have it, still.
My first acoustic guitar was a epiphone 150
Awesome stuff guy's
I fuckin love you guys
Brought my first guitar into my local shop for a set up (did not buy it there). Altho they claim to do set ups they really have no interest but selling new guitars. They made up all this nonsense about all the things that were wrong with the guitar and their standard line is “the cost of the repair would be more than the value of the guitar”. Haven’t been back there since.
Yes sir start out on an acoustic, that way you can start building up calluses on your fingers right away
My first guitar I bought in 2007. It was a Walmart single cut First Act. It held up for the year I beat the living shit out of it. Never was in tune, I blew up 2 first Act amps. Sold the guitar for the $100 I paid for it. Bought a $150 Ibanez gio and a US made crate solid state amp. Blossomed on that new rig. Now I have expensive things lol. Still have that Ibanez and the crate amp.
I would avoid the bigger acoustics for someone learning. There is a glut of well made dreadnaught sized beginner guitars from good manufacturers like the taylor academy. This seems poorly thought out. Sure the big guitar moves more air when your competing with a band and maybe has fuller sound, but you'll spend years craining over that thing trying to see what your hands are doing. To my mind, something like connected at.the tenth fret, possibly a short scale is better for learning. Breedlove is making a china guitar with the full scale length 10 fret connect and a cut with slightly larger than parlor size that seems about perfect on paper.
Buy a used mid level instrument from a major brand like Ibanez/Yamaha/PRS and enjoy. If you don't stick with it it can be sold for pretty much what you paid for it.
I have a tip. If you're serious about playing guitar, and you're not just testing the waters, scrape together as much cash as you can and buy the best guitar you can get for the money. Buy used if you have to, but make sure it's a really great guitar. If you buy a cheap instrument, and you practice enough to get good really fast, you're going to have to spend even more money to upgrade to a better guitar, and the cheap guitar is going to quickly fall out of use and become a waste of money.
Omg my parents got me an acoustic even though I wanted electric. Cheaper and money is tight and … but so disappointed to see my friends get them and play cool stuff while I am trying to teach myself with a mel bay book!
Don’t despair if your first guitar is a clunker. Buy the best you can afford and if necessary tweak and adjust until you can upgrade. Cosmetics are important, but not the be all and end all. Some of my most favorite guitars are pawn shop rescues that just play nice. High string action is a red flag, and even the most basic guitars can benefit from a professional setup. For guitars I intend to add to my collection, it’s absolutely essential. In general I agree with the boys. It’s almost like they know what they are talking about. Almost.
I bought a cheap Gibson LP special just to get Gibson and then planned to trade and save to get a standard or custom shop. It's ugly, but it is now my favorite guitar. Will never sell it, or get a more expensive model.
Please settle this once, and for all: 1961 or 1962 Stratocaster?
Yet a $2000 Acoustasonic gets a gig bag…come on Fender! Not a deal breaker or anything, and I love my Acoustasonic Jazzmaster. But it weird however Fender decides which guitars get gig bags and which get hard cases.
Luckily, the gig bag is really solid to be honest.
Don't buy on looks alone. Yes, we know you like the black one with the weird brand name that reminds you of a dragon or the red one that reminds you of a Corvette. No. Buy a musical instrument you can learn to play -- one that will stay in tune and has good fundamentals. Take somebody who plays guitar with you and have them play it to see if it works correctly. Hold it in your arms. It should be comfortable and fit your body when you sit down, because that's how you're going to be holding it for the many hours it takes to learn to play the guitar.
Conventional lore says buy an acoustic first. Meh. Buy what you want to play. Electrics are easier to learn chords on, and they can be a bit more kind to the fingers at first -- and knowing what I know about why newbies quit -- that's an important factor I think. But if you don't want to play an electric, of course, buy an acoustic. That's up to you. If you end up playing everyday for a year or more, the odds are really, really high that you're going to end up with both anyway. :)
It takes a while to learn guitar. It's not going to happen overnight. You don't want to spend a fortune til you know you're going to stay with it for a while. So, what you need is a reliable, well-built guitar that you can learn on without spending that fortune. I recommend that if you opt for an acoustic, choose one that's comfortable for you, a brand name guitar in the $250-$400 range and you don't need an amp right away. I like Yamaha (yes, they make great precision instruments!) or Breedlove, but that's me. There are plenty of good reliable ones on the market. If you opt for an electric, you probably cannot do better than either a Squier Classic Vibe or Yamaha Pacifica in the $250-$450 range again. Right now, look for a sale--there are sales everywhere because of the glut of guitars available just now.
Right away, get a strap of your choice for a couple of reasons. a) You can't learn to play the guitar if you constantly have to hold it up with your fretting hand. It should be balanced on your strumming-side thigh, with your strumming arm laying across it, and you should be able to take your fretting hand completely off of it without it tipping. A strap can help with that if you have certain models of guitar. (Some guitar shapes famously have "neck dive." I don't recommend that. Just saying.) b) A strap will help to keep your guitar from hitting the floor as you move around! Use strap locks which are simple little rubber washer things that fasten on the strap button and hold the strap on the guitar.
You will see people going on and on like maniacs about expensive amps til you think you need one, but you don't if you're still just learning the basics. To learn electric guitar on, you need a plain little Fender amp. Buy a new one so you know some "handyman" hasn't had a go at it. You can get them for $79-129 and they'll get you through the learning stage til you know whether you're going to play everyday and keep going. If you live in an apartment or a dorm where there are other people studying, sleeping, etc. you might want to opt for a headphone amp instead (or in addition) because they will keep the noise down and keep the neighbors happy when you practice things over and over again -- which you will.
Know that as you learn to play, your tastes and knowledge about guitars are going to evolve. It's natural, it's normal, and it's a good thing when it happens. It means you're learning how things work and what you personally like.
PS. If you shop around online you can get Fender Play real cheap with a coupon code. With Fender Play you get 10% off of all Fender stuff which means Fender Play can pay for itself and then you get lessons for free basically. They're pretty good for beginners, and cover the bases that many newbies miss like getting your strumming rhythm sorted out.
This poor fella here’s rockin a dean acoustic. A 12 string hollow body electric dean. A 6 string electric crest wood les paul (59 dude). I got 200 invested. The electrics were given to me by shady dudes so I only play them when I’m howling at the moon. I need a resonator next. Sorry I’m not Gibson Fender class but will you guys sponsor a player with a resonator. I’ll hitch hike from Connecticut to pick it up. How bout it boys
i had a high E break and flip back, stuck in the back of my hand. couldn't do that on purpose in a million years.
Did you guys say the name of Jonathan’s channel?
I can’t even remember my first guitar. I’m pretty sure it was a Gibson LP Jr.
That particular guitar I smashed on stage during my first real gig because that is what I saw Pete Townshend do live and thought it was amazing. Sadly I then realized I destroyed my only guitar and couldn’t finish the gig. 😂
Ehh the life of a young rock star. 🤘
In reference to the “just pretty but…” comment, I was under the impression that you guys were a PRS dealer and that’s probably the ultimate example of a brand that is “just pretty but …”!
I don’t mean to offend anyone with that comment. Even though I’ve been hardcore in the Fender/Squier fandom for over 30 years I do own other brands (both major and smaller), plus I have a list of brands that I haven’t owned yet that I want, and I haven’t completely written off PRS yet I just haven’t found the right PRS for ME if it is out there somewhere.
I've got a PRS 245 that plays like silk. Don't write them off just because they're pretty.
My first guitar in the 80s was a black Fender Squier Strat. What's a warranty? 😂
I wish I still had mine😢
@@chadwicks_guitar yeah I know how you feel!
Dc ibanez with a drop tuner 😊.( Floyd on first guitar isn't best idea)
I think the biggest mistake people make is just not spending enough money. Luthiers don't give a shit if you're not sure you wanna play guitar, it doesn't make building a guitar any easier, so buying a cheap guitar usually means they don't play well and you wont wanna play. I'd spend more money on a decent guitar that you can resell if you don't end up sticking with it, yeah you'll likely lose a couple bucks but you'll be giving yourself a better chance to get into it.
Buy a new guitar backed by a good brand, made of good wood, and then take it right to a good luthier. You will be setup for success with an instrument that will last you until the pro level.
MY FIRST GUITAR WAS ACOUSTIC FENDER FROM COSTCO LOL
Bought a $100 Guild Acoustic back in the 70's, restrung for left handed and had the worst instructor on the planet or just Rochester NY. That guitar was boring. I lasted a month and then dumped the guitar in the closet. Older and smarter I bought a Squier Strat and a Mustang 1 amp. Two years later I now have a set list of songs. Go talk to someone in a guitar shop first. Don't waste all those years by buying the wrong guitar.
Here's one for all shops, when you're dealing with a new player give them lighter strings. Nothing will make a kid stop playing like unnecessary pain!
I got a Jaguar from a pawn shop. it was stolen 5 years later
Yes, often what they lack in quality, they make up for in dazzle... Wow Factor.
Except I already bought my first guitar and then later I got other ones that maybe should be considered "first" instead after I already got burned on the first one.
Certain music store had cleaned up their act a bit and competition had moved in a bit and now I hear they are both less than desirable for internet community or something?
You'll put your eye out, kid.
First was a T15 sunburst Peavey. I loved that guitar. THE NECK…. So easy to play. Prior to that was Mary K, kent, harmony… lol 45 years ago, YOU HAD TO PAY YOUR DUES!!!! In pain, blood, sweat & tears from 1” high strings to the fretboard, crappy tuners, uggghhh man YOU HAD TO REALLY WANNA PLAY.
NOW you can buy a Sire Larry Carlton and ho on tour, playing like buddah!!!
The acoustic guitar before electric, where did that come from? Does it exist anywhere else?
If you want to break and pop, first you gotta tap. If you wanna sing in that screamo band, first you gotta be a folk singer. If you want that new Xbox, first you gotta master the NES. If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding….!
I would advise once you have settled on a budget, take someone who already plays with you to the shop. Trust me, guitar players look for excuses to go to a guitar shop.
There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese.
Stupid
Problem is, a newb doesn't know what is a good guitar, or one that should immediately be sent back
im gettin homina homina vibes from this.
Riveting TV!
Tons of old men lying in these comments.
Pretty guitars that suck? Probably Rickenbacker
I don't like buying a used guitar for only one reason. Why is the seller selling the guitar , many reasons. For the most that guitar doesn't represent any value or Love to the instrument cause they have abused it from lack of knowledge. Last 40 years I have bought more than 50 guitars and all brand new. My first electric guitar that I purchased in 1983 was Yamaha SBG 3000 for $600 today is worth over 5K . Buy new play and enjoy while it's growing in value. Buy American made instruments. You won't go wrong...
The best way to buy a guitar is go in, find the coolest guitar on the wall (to you), take it off the wall, don't play it, just buy it, as long as its in your budget of course🤣
Ha PRS I’ll show no go sterile lawyer, Guitar
Find the balding guys with long hair to test the guitar beforehand, theyll care more about the job and also show ya more on the thing likely, so it gets more of a demo.
That's actually true. Find an old codger who's played guitar so long they can play in their sleep, and they'll pick out a winner guitar for ya. Look for the guy with the bald top and ponytail.
I find these guys hard to watch!
P.R.S.se
Squires are imho NOT, the best beginner guitar. Mediocre at best, and almost always need something more than a set up. They capitilize on the Fender association, and are probably the most common used guitar brand. I'm surprised P.R.S hasn't started building cheapy entry level guitars to take advantage of this marketing ploy. I don't care who makes the damn thing, if it's under $500 bucks, there's a 50/50 chance it's complete crap. Save your money for a few more months and choose a guitar over $500ish. Doesn't guarantee a better guitar, but at least gives you a fighting chance.
Squier has upped its game. They make fine guitars for beginners nowadays. Just make sure to get a new one made in the far east, not some used shit from long ago that's been jacked around by some kid with a screwdriver. For beginning to learn guitar, you're much better off with a new Classic Vibe or Paranormal Series and a good setup than with many more expensive guitars.
And above all, play the guitar before you buy it! There are diamonds in the rough all over, but also duds and that goes for all price points.
Money doesn't always buy quality when it comes to guitars. Case in point: Don't "pay authentic."
We love to categorize everything , like any 500 dollar guitar is something you learn on and not for stage, but I’d bet, if say, Clapton or Springsteen played a 499.00 off the shelf Tele/Strat, no one in the audience will notice any sound difference
Everybody upped their game in the last, say 5 years. I'd recommend beginners buy their first guitar in person from a known reputable source. Unfortunately, the industry is moving towards even more online shopping and less face to face sales. I've seen an uptick in shoddy QC from many sub $1000 dollar models from various brands. Squire is certainly in that bunch. So even if the specs on paper are getting better for your money, I'd recommend buying from a major retailer that offers a good return policy and some level of customer service.
? what is the best way to price guitars from am estate ?
My first electric guitar is a squire standard strat