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Educate me- adult beginner acoustic guitar

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    #16
    I own 35 Acoustic guitars ranging from $4000 on down. I would highly recommend a Epiphone “Masterbilt” acoustic guitar for anyone wanting a reasonably priced solid wood guitar. The two I own sound as good as my higher price guitars. What ever you decide on get a setup done on it and leave it setting out on a guitar stand so it is easily accessible and enjoyable to play.

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      #17
      Originally posted by 3ChordTruth View Post
      Bill, permit me to add this post to another future picker:

      Lady, I have a suggestion you might consider. Do some research on a good quality ukulele, which are surprisingly affordable. They sound awesome, fit smaller hands and have four “soft” nylon strings. You will be able to do some kinda cool tunes the very day you start playing it. And without the sore fingers a beginning guitar player endures. The picking and strumming and chording “motions” are the same as a guitar requires, so you will be developing muscle memory. Learn to play that uke, and later on a guitar will be much easier for you. Good luck.

      Great suggestion and one I had not considered.

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        #18
        Originally posted by MBV77 View Post
        There are 1 or 2 good threads on here with good advice. When I thought I wanted to learn I was told to not buy the cheapest guitar I could find because they’re harder to play and will frustrate you faster. Think I bought one for about $300. Second piece of advice I got was to not buy an acoustic guitar at all. Learn how to play on an electric guitar. Much easier.


        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
        Have to disagree here. Im no professional musician but have been playing off and on for many years now. I picked up an Epiphone acoustic that was easy to play and sounded much better than the standard yamaha entry level guitar. Hell it sounded as good or better than some 300$ guitars. IIRC right it has a lower bridge than some and makes for easier playing and great sounds. If this tickles your fancy then later on you can drop some serious coin on a martin, etc.

        Shop for the Epiphone Songmaker DR-100 Acoustic Guitar in Vintage Sunburst and receive free shipping and guaranteed lowest price.

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          #19
          I can’t offer advice on which guitar to buy, I stumbled into a Fender Stratocaster cheap, so I bought it on a whim. I am enjoying learning so far.

          I do highly recommend subscribing to the JustinGuitar app. The lessons progress at whatever pace you choose, but the thing that helped me the most is that the app has a chord change practice tool. It incorporates the chords into songs you can learn and into the chord change practice as you learn new chords. The app is geared towards getting you to play along with songs, sort of the campfire approach. It’s all chord progression and general strumming. It’s not until Level 8 of 9 that he introduces picking.

          I also use the Fender Play app. It takes a similar but a little different approach. As far as getting you in a position to play songs, it provides a little better mix of things to practice, but it isn’t as well developed a practice tool as JustinGuitar. Both are good, but I’d choose JustinGuitar before Fender Play if I was only going to do one.

          Neither of these teach music theory, and if you want to learn that side of it, there’s a free website called StudyBass. It’s for bass guitar, but it is awesome for building block understanding of music theory, chord construction, scales, etc. And you can always play the practice bass lines by picking your guitar.

          Ok I’ll shut up now, but from one beginner to another, the JustinGuitar app will get you jamming pretty quickly, and you can branch out from there. Good luck!


          Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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            #20
            Don’t feel the need to drop a lot of cash, but try to play as many as you can and get the one that just makes you want to play more. Spending an extra 50-100 bucks can make a big difference if it means getting something you really enjoy.

            As others have said, a good set up from a qualified luthier is well worth it.


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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              #21
              Put my daughter in guitar class when she was 10, she's now 17...I started by getting a Taylor Mini GS (500$)...but the teacher recommended getting a nylon string or spanish guitar cause it's way easier on the fingers when learning...so I did...she learned and still jams...also started her with all finger picking to get her hands going with exercising that part of it. Also, she's a lefty, but since she never played, he recommended also, getting her on a right handed guitar...it worked! She's a right handed guitar player now. good luck!
              BY THE WAY, my spanish guitar is a Cordoba model and they run 500$ at guitar center, however, check out Sweetwater.com. They have everything and I"ve bought a few from them along with amps etc. Great company to order from.

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                #22
                I've been playing for close to (gulp) 60 years. I own around 20 guitars from fancy Martins to an el cheapo I got for Christmas when I was 13. Lot of good advice here, so I'll just pile on. Used or new, go for as much quality as you are comfortable with/can afford. Nothing discourages a new player more than an instrument that is poorly set up and won't stay in tune.

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                  #23
                  Classic!



                  Thanks for inputs!


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                    #24
                    Originally posted by sierracharlie338 View Post
                    Have to disagree here. Im no professional musician but have been playing off and on for many years now. I picked up an Epiphone acoustic that was easy to play and sounded much better than the standard yamaha entry level guitar. Hell it sounded as good or better than some 300$ guitars. IIRC right it has a lower bridge than some and makes for easier playing and great sounds. If this tickles your fancy then later on you can drop some serious coin on a martin, etc.

                    https://www.guitarcenter.com/Epiphon...75761455044.gc

                    I won’t argue with you because I sucked trying to play the $300 guitar probably just as much as I would of sucked playing a $100 guitar. I learned a few chords and and could play a little, but dang sure didn’t have the patience or time to get anywhere close to good at it.


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                      #25
                      Just my opinion, but if I were just looking at getting into playing a guitar, I wouldn't drop too much coin. You could do pretty good with a budget of $200-$300; if not a little less. That would get you a brand new slightly above entry level Yamaha or similar or it could get a used slightly higher-end one.

                      Guitar playing takes tons of practice, which equates to not only time, but patience. At least these days, there is all kinds of free materials out on the internet, including tons of You-tube videos out there for learning.

                      I've owned a few guitars over the last 25 years and have never been very serious. The motivation seems to come and go, at least for me. I couldn't tell you how often my guitar sat in a corner un-touched for months at a time. Then there were other times, I'd be playing almost daily. This goes back to my first comment on not dropping too much coin initially. You might be instantly addicted, or on the flip, you might mess around for a couple weeks, sit it down one day and forget you even bought it.

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                        #26
                        I have tried numerous times over the last 35 years to learn to play guitar, with the most recent attempt going on now being the most successful of all.

                        OP, since you are a grown man who is fortunate enough to retire, and be an avid hunter and outdoorsman, I assume that you have the funds for a used bow or gun without having to ask anyone for permission. I suggest buying higher quality in a guitar because you will enjoy it more minute for minute, just like a quality firearm or bow.

                        Spend five or six hundred for good used acoustic or electric of your choice. The important thing since you cannot play well yet, is to find a guitar that you love to hold and feel in your hands for hours. Whenever you are sitting in front of the computer or TV, you should be holding your guitar, touching the strings with chord shapes, and quietly strumming, finger-picking, and walking something like a pentatonic blues scale. The other members of your household will get used to hearing it and your constant plinking will sound better day by day. Do this all day and every day and your fingers will turn to leather fast (no more pain), and your hands will instinctively form chord shapes and strum / finger-pick a variety of patterns without your conscious thought or effort. For me, this is when it gets to be fun, especially with a few cold beverages.

                        Compared to a nice gun or bow purchase, you can hold and play a guitar almost every waking moment, so get one that you love even if you can't play it yet. You can learn three chords (1, 4, 5) in a week that will sound great when played in sequence, just mindlessly plinking away while you watch TV or read TBH.

                        Remember, everyone wants to be "that cool guitar guy" so keep a guitar that you love in your hands at all times and you will feel lost without it.

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                          #27
                          Originally posted by txpitdog View Post
                          I can’t offer advice on which guitar to buy, I stumbled into a Fender Stratocaster cheap, so I bought it on a whim. I am enjoying learning so far.

                          I do highly recommend subscribing to the JustinGuitar app. The lessons progress at whatever pace you choose, but the thing that helped me the most is that the app has a chord change practice tool. It incorporates the chords into songs you can learn and into the chord change practice as you learn new chords. The app is geared towards getting you to play along with songs, sort of the campfire approach. It’s all chord progression and general strumming. It’s not until Level 8 of 9 that he introduces picking.

                          I also use the Fender Play app. It takes a similar but a little different approach. As far as getting you in a position to play songs, it provides a little better mix of things to practice, but it isn’t as well developed a practice tool as JustinGuitar. Both are good, but I’d choose JustinGuitar before Fender Play if I was only going to do one.

                          Neither of these teach music theory, and if you want to learn that side of it, there’s a free website called StudyBass. It’s for bass guitar, but it is awesome for building block understanding of music theory, chord construction, scales, etc. And you can always play the practice bass lines by picking your guitar.

                          Ok I’ll shut up now, but from one beginner to another, the JustinGuitar app will get you jamming pretty quickly, and you can branch out from there. Good luck!


                          Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
                          This is great information! As soon as you mentioned the Justin App, my next thought was, “Yeah, but I wonder if there’s an app out there that delves into Music Theory.” And no sooner had I completely my thought...

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                            #28
                            Go to your store and play both acoustic and electric or, have someone play them for you since you don't yet play. I prefer the sweet, sustaining sound of acoustics, but I play chords (no lead licks), plus you don't have to have an amp. I have played Martins, Taylors, Epiphone and others, but my current is a Seagull S6 with pickup. My Seagull cost $400 and I've only found a Martin 35XD to sound better ($3200). If you chose electric, get a good one and a decent amp. They are easier to play and easier on the fingers, but they just aren't for me. And one last suggestion, don't put it in a case. Put it on a guitar stand where you see it daily and play that sucka!

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                              #29
                              i also started as an adult. my suggestion is don't go buy the cheapest guitar you find. you'll get frustrated and be dissappointed with it.
                              if your going to buy new, go to someplace like the guitar center and tell them what your looking for.
                              They will play it so you can hear what its capable of. if it's in your budget spend 350-400 and here's the critical part-pay them to do a set up on it. A luthier (a guitar mechanic) will go through it, correct any thing out of whack from the factory and have it all set up ready to go for about $75.

                              Have fun

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                                #30
                                I’m happy to report as our house is nearing completion our road trips to Bozeman (BozeAngeles as those in counties with more cows than people call it) have changed from 2x per week to every other week. Pretty ride (especially Beartrap canyon) but they wind up being all day trips.



                                Next week we need to go and I’ll be spending time at the Music Villa downtown.

                                A friend suggested considering an electric to start- easier to play/ learn on. Plus he points out practicing with headphones works well.




                                Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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