156 replies to this topic

[davej]

Evening all, basically I want to learn how to play the guitar and was just wondering if anyone has any tips? I have been looking at this Squire to start with although I have got my eye on this beauty as I do want to play the electric as well but I have been told it is best to learn on an acoustic first.

 

10 points goes to who can guess who I'm a big fan of.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[Lennyliverpool]

The Boss!!!!

Best of luck  been trying for 40 years on and off

[Noah]

I learned to play 6 years ago. So 07. 

I started with a bass that a friend lent me, got bored and bought a OLP MM1 for £70 of a friend, started having lessons but crucially learnt to play songs and not scales/notes. I used the OLP for about a year and a half until I bought a Epiphone Les Paul Standard (a Korean one), by this point I was playing things like Stairway to Heaven, AC/DC etc, It then got too 2009 and I bought a Fender Kingman SCE acoustic, I love this and actually I only really play acoustic now, I've got bored of the electric. I then ended somehow with a Blackstar* HT-5 Mini stack, which is great. I then wen't out and bought a used Gibson SG Standard in cherry red for £650. 

I still own all of them, but I only play the acoustic one. - It's sad but I can't bring myself to get rid. Both the Epiphone and the OLP sit in the cupboard and the SG sits in it's case. 

Blackstar - £450 

SG - £650 

Les Paul - £200 

OLP - £70 

Fender - £280 

Countless other bits, like strings and picks. 

It's an expensive hobby. I used to spend every weekend in Denmark St. just of tottenham court road with a friend. 

 

I almost bought another one on holiday, but decided against it. - VW Golf didn't have enough room. I encourage anyone and everyone to have a go, and you really don't need to be able to read music, or have a grade. I got an A in Music GCSE, I can't read music and I probably couldn't read a tab now. 

 

Edited by Noah, 22 September 2013 - 07:07 PM.

[davej]

10 points to Lenny!!!

 

You've got a decent collection there Noah, I am trying to get my head around tabs at the moment, no chance of me reading music. So what do suggest? Learn a few chords and get comfortable with it them go for some lessons?

[Element]

i play and build guitars self taught for both, can recommend this guys site for learning its free loads of video lessons from beginners upwards

http://www.justinguitar.com/

enjoy

[davej]

Awesome thanks mate, what do you think to the squire acoustic I'm looking at?

[Noah]

10 points to Lenny!!!

 

You've got a decent collection there Noah, I am trying to get my head around tabs at the moment, no chance of me reading music. So what do suggest? Learn a few chords and get comfortable with it them go for some lessons?

 

Yeah, unfortunately they're not used anymore! 

Try using Martyzsongs, I see Element has recommended Justin whatever his name is, I could never learn from his Videos so I never bothered. But yeah, find a teacher that will teach you songs, It's much easier to learn to play a song that you can hear in your head than a series of notes which just sounds boring.  

[blacktulip]

i learned to play on a Honer Countryman and still have it now. just learn the chords and try and play some cover songs like oasis- wonderwall, thats an easy one to learn. dont ever give up and practise for as long as you can. your fingers will hurt for a week but then the harden up.

[davej]

That's it, never give up and just keep practicing. I've got some surgical spirit somewhere that hardens skin up, have to start putting it on my fingers.

[Yoda]

Just browse youtube. I play, was in a band for several years as a teenager (yes i know that was a long time ago) i do acoustic and electric, but when my son got interested, he got me to show him some basics, and before i knew it, he had been on youtube, found some videos, locked himself in a room and i can honestly say, he is ten times better than i could ever be now!

 

Patience is a virtue!

 

Off you go!

[scaffers]

Depends how serious you are

You can learn from YouTube, DVDs, lessons, friends and even the fame rocksmith on a ps3 (it uses your guitar hooked up to the ps3)


I taught my kids, but they lost interest the more difficult it got

I have a white les Paul studio, a black fender strat and a couple of jap copies the kids used.

They are all decorations in my office now

Various amps, pedals, cases, straps and spares are dotted about as well.



.

[Element]

Awesome thanks mate, what do you think to the squire acoustic I'm looking at?

looks like a decent entry level guitar, the squire range certainly in electrics are highly regarded in terms of quality, starting on an acoustic is more difficult than an electric but thats why its recommended, the strings are thicker so your skin will toughen up and the action is higher (the strings are further away from the neck) meaning you have to press harder to get the notes this will build finger strength, you will notice when you transfer from the acoustic to the electric its all much easier as a result of the work put in on the acoustic, one more thing the acoustic you are eying is a dreadnought meaning there is no cutaway so upper fret access is hard, not that you would neccessarily be looking to play up there as a beginner but its something to consider, the telecaster is a fine choice for an electric great to play and cool as they come its next on my build list, let me know if u got any more questions,

[davej]

Thanks very much guys, I'm going to have a look in my local Dawsons at the weekend if I get chance.

 

I will get a Bruce tab book and then just have a look at youtube and other stuff online for now and see how far I get, then it might be time to get some lessons.

[Badboytunes]

^{I Started on a Stagg accoustic, paid £80 over 10 years ago and still have it as a back up. I now have an Ibanez electro accoustic which plays very well and has a nice action.}

 

^{Ibanez V series}

[Element]

the first guitar i built

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Edited by Element, 26 September 2013 - 06:55 PM.