Good Acoustic to start on?

[emtilt]

i am going to learn to play the acoustic guitar, i have always wanted to and now i am finally getting around to doing it. i have been reading about it on the net, but i am still completely lost as to what to buy.

how do i select a guitar? in many articles i have read, it says that you should play the guitars and pick one that sounds good. the only problem with that, is i dont know how to play yet. i have seen people recommending many different brands, and then other people saying those same brands are crap. my budget is around $300, but it is very flexible.

also, what else do i need? picks? strings? some kind of case?

i plan on taking a few lessons, but also teaching myself as much as possible. any help is really appreciated.


-emtilt

[Pezcore]

yamaha acoustics are always a good buy in my opinion.

among other things im currently playing a 12 string yamaha acoustic, which cost me $300 (or around that amount - was 200 english pounds) and its the most beautiful guitar ive ever played, love it to bits.

so my opinion for your budget is go yamaha, learn on a 6 and then buy a 12 string :)

seriously though, play as many guitars as possible, find one that both feels and sounds good, something your comfortable with basically - and try and take an experienced guitarist along to help you out if possible. as i say my personal faves are yamahas, but only because they perfectly suit me personally - a different brand may be better for you

also yeah picks are always a good idea lol, as for what thickness - its personal preference, i personally like 0.5mm.

as for cases, acoustics are delicate instruments, so if you plan on taking it out and about a hard case is a must. saying that i just use a padded gig bag, but it never leaves my sight lol

also an electric tuner and plenty of spare strings are helpful!

thats about it, good luck and and have fun :)

[emtilt]

i unfortunately dont know any experienced guitarists, so i am unable to take one when i buy the guitar...

[jaytee]

well....not having someone to take with you is definitely a handicap....

so far you have done some asking around and youve heard some name brands at least...so this might help you to stay away from some strange generic piece o' ****....but also keep in mind just cuz you never heard of it before doesnt mean its awful either...

i think you should do some reading on how to look at guitar construction first off....like how to look for even frets....straight necks....all that....

consider that just cuz someone else *hates* a particular brand...it doesnt make it any more than their opinion....reading some product reviews is a great idea...but take them with a grain of salt....you dont know who wrote them....or how biased/knowledgable they are....

also...since you said you dont know anyone who plays...maybe you could meet someone at a guitar shop? not just a salesman..but someone else who studies? not that they will know everything...but just for a second opinion...maybe they could even play for you....

also a salesman should be able to play for you and be able to show you important things about the guitar....dont be afraid to ask him questions...but remember he is trying to sell you something....ask him if it is in tune or if it is tuned down a half step....ive been told this is a really common thing guitar shops do.....some people carry a tuner with them so they can see how the guitar *really* plays....

last but not least....dont buy the first thing you see....look it over...come home....do some research on that model....think about it before you buy....shop around...

i bought a used guitar...sometimes you can find really good deals when you buy used....of course you need to look them over pretty well...but i picked up an ibanez and a hard case and pretty much stayed within your budget....and its a very nice guitar...

oh and if you find one you like but arent sure about...you can always try to ask here...maybe someone has played one or has an *opinion* on that particular model....

look thru these links for a little more advice....

http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aa012301a.htm

http://guitar.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.soloperformer.com/tech/buy.html

g'luck

--jt

ps i almost forgot about the accessories....
pez pretty much covered the basics...id say good things are strings, picks, a tuner, possibly a capo, maybe even some polish....as far as tuners...i like my korg ca20...its small...and easy to use....and picks? buy an small assortment untilyou know whats comfortable...they are cheap....i think alot of people start off with thin but i like mediums....thick picks are used by alot of pros tho....strings are personal choice...d'addarios are ok...i dunno if i love them tho...im gonna try some other brands....and if you do buy a capo i suggest you spring a little more and at least get a trigger capo..they run around $12....and if you buy polish....dont put reg polish on your fretboard if it is unfinished wood...youll want some lemon oil or something for that :)
ok ill shut up now!

[emtilt]

thanks for the help. and, pardon my ignorance, but what is a "capo"?

and any other help is still welcomed.

[slaughteredsoul]

Here's a bit about capo's on cyberfret..with illustrations too
http://www.cyberfret.com/misc-wisdom/capo/page8.htm

[jaytee]

hey emtilt.....

the link slaughteredsoul put up will do a much better job of explaining capos than i ever could....shawn (aka cyberfret) is so good at teaching this stuff :)

and dont worry about asking questions....its the best thing you can do.....we all started somewhere....im glad you didnt do like me...i spent my first year just reading and never signed up for this forum cuz i thought i was too uneducated to be able to participate....it was a huge mistake! asking questions and reading in the forums has been one of my biggest/best teachers!

so welcome to cyberfret :)

--jt

[slaughteredsoul]

I agree,the forums helped me more than you can imagine..and there's no such thing as a stupid question so ask away.:)

[Karen Coats]

Greetings in Jesus' Name.

I would like to comment. The most important thing in my view prior to purchasing a guitar would be to determine what kind of music style do you like the best...
If you like classical and want to play technical pieces of classical music, a classical guitar with nylon strings would be the best choice.
If you want to play folk songs, country, contemporary, jazz, and many other styles, there are other types of guitars to consider.
There are guitars that are both electric and acoustic if you want to invest in a guitar that will take you to the stage (have electronics on your acoustic for example).
There are f-hole or arch top guitars and resonators (dobro types), 12-string guitars...

There are so many choices, so I believe that the first thing to determine is what do you want to do with it.

I believe that you can get a lot for your $300.00 if you look on the internet. I believe that it would be to your great advantage to read as much as you can about the guitars that you can before making a purchase.
One thing that I have noticed is that in these past years the industry for guitars has changed a lot. Prices for real wood guitars have soared.
And brand name guitars have created a change in the market, for they have been producing a lot of laminated guitars with some large prices on it. However, you probably can expect a good sound.

So, it makes one need to decide...
do they want that brand name, like a Martin, Gibson, Takamine, Taylor, etc.
OR...
would one want to investigate the market for a lesser known uprising new guitar that might have much better woods for the money???
What one is talking about is laminated woods versus real woods. There are, however, advantages in both. Laminated woods from what I understand will be more durable and might be an excellent choice for a first 12-string guitar, since there is alot of tension with 12 strings on the guitar neck.
However, most people would agree that a solid spruce wood on the top of the guitar will only sound better as the years go by. Solid wood guitars tend to resonate better and better as they age.

Please note that guitars have a retail price, and that you should be able to get a huge discount off that price if you shop wisely.

Also, most people agree that no two guitars are alike. Same brand, same model number...still no two wood guitars come off the line the same.

You can easily see that if you were selecting a guitar in a large music store that had quantity of a certain model number...every single one would be different in some way, even with minor wood imperfections. There might be one in the whole bunch that sounds exceptionaly wonderful or looks outstandingly beautiful/perfect.

So, keep that in mind when you mail order. But I have mail ordered and have been very, very pleased with what I got. But what I am trying to say, for example, if you go to your local music store that might not discount and pay $300.00 for a guitar, you could have gotten a $500.00 guitar or even a $600.00 for $300.00 via mail order. Which do you prefer?

Yet, again, it might not be so easy.

By the way, once you get a guitar home, you might (typically) find that you want someone to lower the action on the neck. Take this to someone who loves guitars and let them do it and examine it, for they will see how much better they can make it play for you...if they can lower the action on it or adjust the neck...You want your playing experience to be enjoyable. What I am talking about is how the strings lay over the frets...if they are way high off the fret board, it will be more difficult to play the guitar. So look for an expert who might be able to help you if you see a huge gap on the fretboard and it is very difficult to hold down your left hand fingers on the fret board. I know that there might be a lot of information on this board about that. (I'm new here.)
But...if you have a string laying on the fret...that is another story. This probably should qualify for a free return, even though this problem is fixable.

Finally, I think that the best advice for someone looking for their first guitar is to investigate the specifications of each guitar that you might be interested in. Examine it closely, and compare , and look for the very best that you can buy with your budget. You will only sound better.

Avoid guitars that do not say what they are made of. If I was a beginner, I would go out and strum guitars in the stores...this is a good first step. Notice how some sound like tin. Others resonate nice and loud...this is what I would look for. Volume and good sound. Also, buy something that looks pretty to you, for you might later regret that and say oh, why, oh why, did I get this ugly thing.

Take your time for around the corner is a better one! (grin)

Furthermore, I would strongly suggest purchasing a guitar tuner. This is so important...to have your guitar in tune...start off right. Don't train your ears wrong. Hear it the way it should be from the start. I believe this is so important.
Finally, take some time in acquiring some good guitar instructional books. Get the CD's that come with some too if you can. Some CD's are so wonderful now that it is like having a tutor around the clock. And private lessons will definitely help you along the way. Also, consider getting a metronome.

God bless you in Jesus' Name.

[55'gibby]

I've been butched here before for saying this but here I go again... buy the best guitar that you can afford..... three reasons

1) a good guitar is easier to learn on (ie better action and sound, also you invested the cash adds motivation)
2) they hold their value (if you decide you don't want to play you'll be able to recoup more of your investment or if you want to sell it and move up you'll get a better price)
3) better quality components last longer and hold up better than cheap ones



OK let me have it again

[55'gibby]

also buy a hardshell case to protect your beloved new freind (guitar)