My Dad is nearing retirement and has decided he wants a guitar for Christmas. He played a little when he was (much!) younger but is essentially a total beginner.

Anyone got any recommendations for a “Learn to Play Guitar” type book?

I have been out of the guitar-based loop for a long, long time so have no idea what’s current and as I live in France I can’t really get into a shop and have a thumb through a few to see what’s good.

He just wants to strum along to the Stones* / Beatles etc, not take up jazz or classical or anything daft like that!

*note to anyone with the same idea – accurately reproducing what Keith Richards is playing is **** hard. The same does not hold for Lennon/Harrison!

justin sandercoe of JustinGuitar, quite literally the best learning website out there is about to bring out a beginners book, its based on his beginners course (free on the website) which is brilliant – seen some really good guitarists start on his site…

Yeah JustinGuitar is awesome – will see if his book is out yet.

😉

The Complete Guitar Player Songbook by Russ Shipton

Big books full of mixed tunes from that era. Easy to play chords

Soon have him playing and singing along

i rate this one, particularly if you like US folk tunes…

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acoustic-Guitar-Method-Complete-Techniques/dp/1890490555

Another for justin guitar, my sons learning from his website and doing really well.