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I’ve just semi-retired from work (doing a consultancy gig 3 days/wk) - one of the things I’ve always fancied in my 59 years is to learn to play the guitar - I have no musical talent or experience whatsoever so I simply don’t know where to start….but I do now have a bit of time to play with!….so what’s my best bet? Is it possible to turn up to lessons without a guitar (ie they provide one) to get an initial feel and make a start! Otherwise I wouldn’t even know what to buy!!
all help for a complete newbie is much appreciated!!!
Buy one. Practice is the single most important thing
Buy one. Practice is the single most important thing
This. Playing a borrowed guitar for an hour once or twice a week will mean that the skills never sink in. I'm guessing that most people who contribute to this thread will play for several hours (at least!) per week., and still feel that they don't practice enough. (In the last three days I've played about 5-6 hours, and my fingers are still refusing a simple alternating bass pattern...)
As to what to buy, well that's a different question. Don't buy cheap, but there's no need to spend a lot either.. Try and visit an actual guitar shop. You'll buy quite a few before finding what you like anyway, so don't stress too much about your first one, but it needs to be vaguely playable. There are a huge amount of resources online for learning, as well as tonnes of books, etc. I never had lessons but would imagine that they'd be worthwhile if I was starting over, tutor dependant.
Also @velocipede ask around. I imagine the guitar world isn't too dissimilar to the bike world. Everyone who does it probably has one or two too many (and never enough time) and they're also likely to welcome another person into the cult. See if any of your friends/colleagues/Facebook friends have a guitar that they're not using at the moment (or haven't used for years) and they might be happy to lend to you for a few months. If you can borrow one long enough to learn three chords (G, C, D then you can play all of the rock and roll songs in the world. If you can learn a fourth chord (I'm suggesting Eminor?) then you've got most of the most popular songs in the world...
Just buy a cheap 2nd hand electric guitar and amp and explore your interests from there. Places like Guitar guitar will sort you out. Don’t spend too much money at this stage as you wont know what you like yet. Electric guitars are phenomenal value as musical instruments in that a £100 instrument can still be excellent (unlike say a cello).
This is what I did. Just do it. I got a 2nd hand Squier strat for £100. Five years later, I have moved to a Suhr tele which is a beauty and feels awesome under the fingers , but I still play the Squier all the time - it’s a damn fine instrument. Electric guitar is one of the lowest bar to entry instruments. Don’t think twice about it.
Every guitarist path is different but a universal truth must be to actually have a guitar in your house and then to have it in your hands every time you sit on the sofa.
Have fun .... it can be as frustrating as hell, but stick at it, you'll see improvement, and it beats watching rubbish on TV.
When learning, after your first purchase, stay away from GEAR ... it can be a massive distraction.
So don't read the below 🙂
How good are wireless/Bluetooth transmitters !!!
I picked up that Spark deal last week and the chap threw in a couple of seeming cheapo (about £30 on amazon) transmitters..... Love not having a lead, just seems less faff.
Not really had a chance to use the rest much, quick go on the 40 and a few attempts with the ulooper.
Looping is a skill, aye? Have got better each time, so looking forward to trying it some more and in conjunction with the airstep. Hoping to be able to put down a dirty rhythm hit the Airstep and put something clean over the top or vice verse... any tips?
If you are buying cheap it is also worth taking a friend along who knows how to play, especially if it's an acoustic. The action doesn't even need to be close to perfect but if it is bad you will be put right off. It's all a lot more fun if the action is good and even someone who has only played a little will spot it quickly. If you are buying from a shop don't be afraid to get them to play it for you so you can hear it. They don't mind. Guitars are ace
As others have said,go to your local guitar shop, with a mate and see what's on offer.
Personally I'd avoid electric, even when I was fairly accomplished at playing I would baulk playing through a dirty amplifier, the guitar would sound wrong with a humbucker.
Basically you just want to enjoy yourself.
Personally I’d avoid electric, even when I was fairly accomplished at playing I would baulk playing through a dirty amplifier, the guitar would sound wrong with a humbucker.
What?
Personally I’d avoid electric, even when I was fairly accomplished at playing I would baulk playing through a dirty amplifier, the guitar would sound wrong with a humbucker.
What
Sorry, came out wrong, what I meant to say was, I'd spend more time worrying about tone than playing.
I’d say it 100% depends on what music you’re into. Pop/folk/singer-songwriter stuff - sure, get an acoustic. It’s pretty hard to replicate rock/metal/indie sounds with an acoustic.
Gotta play what inspires you!
The beauty of an acoustic is that it’s self contained and you don’t need to plug it into anything so no pfaff, just pick it up and strum. One less impediment to just Picking it up…
It also has, as others Point out, less distraction as the sound that comes out of it is just (and always) that. Not time distracting/draining of playing about with settings, selectors, etc. (if you are trying to get that sound from a song that inspires you… good luck (which Pedals do you get and what Pickup/combination/guitar type do you need to replicate it?)).
Acoustics also need better finger technique, so will help instigate good/better habits from the get go.
What ever you get, make sure you get a (half decent) tuner. £15 that will save hours of pain and frustration from trying to tune your guitar (esP. As a beginner).
Yamaha is a decent brand that should give a decent acoustic intro for a beginner at whatever price point is desired (my advice would be start a ‘modest’ sub £350-400 as hell you might just not go the distance/hate it/nnot have the talent (not that that has stopped me mind!)
Electric guitars tend to be more fun and are easier to play, especially fast. I also use a headphone amp so nobody has to hear me practising which is not possible on an acoustic.
I also use a headphone amp so nobody has to hear me practising which is not possible on an acoustic.
Yeah, these get mentioned regularly, and I've posted a few times about the one I use. (Still haven't got around to buying the Mustang Micro...) but it's more faff than just grabbing an acoustic. I can pick up my Faith and be strumming immediately, so will do that when my kids are getting their shoes on for school or whatever, whereas I'd need to plug in my headphones, plug in the amp, turn everything on, get the settings right, strum...and we're out of the house. 😀
Also, acoustic can be rather more relaxing. As an example, I spent about 90 minutes playing Misirlou on the electric late one night, a few weeks ago, getting it to sound right, getting ME to sound right, and then adding embellishments and generally playing loud and quickly. I went to bed completely hyped, and needing to calm down. 😀
New band time 🙂
Having just joined a heavy rock/metal band I'm having a blast playing heavier stuff then I normally do - pulled out my Rat Turbo clone and Russian Big Muff for some chunky sounds.
We're working on a bunch of covers at the mo to lock in our sound and then will have a go at writing some original stuff.
So far we've had a go at Audioslave - Cochise, PotUSA - Lump, Velvet Revolver - Illegal I song, Skunk Anansie - Twisted, SoaD - Toxicity, Probot - Shake your Blood, Wolf Mother - The joker and the Thief, and Bad Religion - 21st century digital boy.
Might do some Rage next, or I fancy some Machinehead
Fun times ?
Anyone get any good christmas guitar related presents ??? I got a guitar slide - either I'm doing something wrong (probable) or it's harder than it looks
However I got a HX stomp (thanks Chipps ! ) and it's impressive, it's got all the sounds you'd ever need and a slightly bewildering range of functionality to set up presets, snapshots etc - sounds great just through headphones and will get it hooked into the amp at some point.
Anyone in north manchester need a bassist or guitarist ?
Ooh, what's the amp, @boardinbob ?
I've got picks in a tin, but all the ones I actually use are spread among the coin pockets of several pairs of jeans... and the floor. Bring back Van Halen-style double sided sticky tape on your guitar, I say!
Didn't get (or buy myself) any guitar-related pressies, apart from some cheap replacement tuners for my old Aria Pro II.
By contrast, I've actually been doing a reckoning of all of my guitars and pedals ahead of trying to sell many of them. I've got to 50 pedals(!) so far, plus a dozen guitars and a few amps... Anyone interested in the list? 🙂
LOLs at @eddiebaby 🙂 I managed the same once - just a The Dude drive, a cheap tape delay pedal and a Strymon Flint. But then I made a new, monster pedalboard with all of the leftovers... Currently flitting between four different boards.
@simondbarnes - I'll send it over. Only issue now is that they're all in France and I'm not planning on heading back until September. Someone like Daz is bound to be driving over this spring though.
Anyone else had a play with one of these badboys?
Made them for my nephews and now i am building byself one.
I got a guitar slide – either I’m doing something wrong (probable) or it’s harder than it looks
Try it with an open tuning like double drop D: 'DADGBD'
Quite a few tunes on Neil Youngs harvest moon album that are super easy to play like that, if you are into that sort of tning.
I bought a telecaster neck off of eBay and finally got a partscaster put together from various bits and bobs that have been gathering dust for a while. It’s actually turned out really well. Surf green nitro finished ash tele body, dark roasted maple neck with rosewood board. 3 saddle Fender ash tray bridge, some Squier Mustang tuners with white buttons. Cream Esquire pickguard. I did also buy a wiring kit from eBay comprising of quality pots, switch, cloth wire etc. Really enjoyed the soldering process. YouTube sorted me right out with soldering tutorials. The surf green nitro finish body had nicely checked as it was stored in our unheated outhouse for a year through heat and cold. I’ll get some pictures of it at some point. I think I enjoy fettling guitars as much if not more than playing them.
@joshvegas I made a CBG in 2023, it was a fun project and amusing to mess around with. I used a Chickenbone John kit so I could get all the materials and a pre-slotted fretboard but still had to carve neck, cut frets and so forth.
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I just last weekend finished my 2024 project actually! I cheated a little bit on this with a second-hand neck but joke's on me as I'll probably have to do a refret sooner than later. Carved with hand tools (inc belly cut and whatnot) but borrowed a palm router for the cavities. No kit this time so I'm quite pleased I managed to turn two planks of wood into this thing.
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My plan for 2025 is to learn to play the damn things as I really don't know how at all. But also I might build a through-neck Firebirdesque one, we shall see.
I’ve decided to pick this up again after selling my last guitar 10y ago to add more funds to the house deposit.
Just bought a cheap second hand PRS Hollowbody II SE and a little Fender Mini Twin amp. I’ll be headphones playing via the amp so as not to piss anyone off.
Can anyone recommend some YouTube tutorials for beginners?
If you are only playing through headphones it would be easier to just use something like a Mustang Micro as just the one cable for headphones and then bluetooth for any backing tracks.
@Daffy , YouTube is a blessing and curse for beginners. Loads of information out there, lots of it conflicting. Also very easy to get lost in stuff you are not ready for. There are also a lot of subscription sites with structured beginner courses. When I started bass, I signed up for one 14 day free trial after another, trying 3-4 and picked the one I liked best. Had a break in between to practice what I had covered. For me, a years subscription was well worth it. A proper structure really helped me. Also try to set aside regular time each week to play. My wife runs a guide pack and I used that night each week to get an uninterrupted hour each week, as well as squeezing in other practice when I could.
@daffy - nice guitar! Really light and resonant (I have one, too). To be honest, as they're fully hollow, they're loud enough without an amp if you're just practising.
Nice @milko9000 i made everything oit of scrap wood. I thought the fretting would be a nightmare but actually it was quite faff free.
Playing those was a welcome break from bashing out the same stuff on the guitar.
Might have to restart the 23 yearold electric project after i repair an acoustic headstock that had an run in with a hoover.
I've got a question that maybe the tinkerers/fettlers could help me with.
I'm getting quite a loud buzz when I select either the neck or bridge pickup on my PRS, and it doesn't reduce much when I'm touching the strings. Selector in the middle is almost silent, and the buzz reduces significantly if i pull the tone pot out to single coil mode.
I know almost nothing about electronics, but does this sound like a total amateur could fix or am I better just handing it over to a guitar shop?
Any pedals between the guitar and amp? My cheap Donner tuner causes a hell of a lot of buzz on my Les Paul. Doesn't buzz on my single coil guitars.
Nope, just a Fender Mustang Micro and some wired headphones
I guess the pickups are single coil so when you select the two together you're making a humbucker. You'll be picking up some 50hz interference from somewhere.
But thinking about it, it's worth seeing if you can take a look at the wiring and there might be an earthing wire that's come unsoldered.
With my P90 guitar sometimes if I just turned 90 degrees it stopped.
But in the end I went for replacement noiseless pickups which cost nearly as much as the Harley Benton.
And then I added locking tuners, graphite nut and had the trem properly balanced and it's now beautiful to play, sounding fantastic and worth about 20% of what I paid for it.
There's nothing wrong with cheap guitars that sound and play great. I often get asked about my Norman acoustic at jam nights. Best £200 I ever spent!
They're both humbucker pickups, which I thought were supposed to stop the interference noise
Check the earth wire on the guitar
Cheers, I'll give that a shot
Cab advice needed...
I've got a very nice late 70s/early 80s vintage 2x12 cab with celestions in. Very solid, sounds great (especially at louder volumes), but my god it's heavy!
I'm getting a bad back lugging it to practice every week or so. I did try taking along a 1x12 but it just doesn't have the oomph needed in a heavyish band.
So....suggestions for lighter 2x12 cabinets please 🙂
@ajantom - I can highly recommend Barefaced cabs. Super, super light cabs that are massively loud for the weight. As represented by Alex of this very parish...
https://barefacedaudio.com/collections/avd-guitar-cabs - I've used their 1x10 cab with an EVH lunchbox amp and it's more than kept up with a heavy drummer. I'm trying to justify a 2x10 vertical, just so I don't have to bend down as much to tweak the amp 🙂
Another question for the fettlers:
I work away a lot, to the point that I'm out of the UK more than I'm in the UK, and that's not conducive to building up good practice habits. There are guitar players and guitars here at work but none of them are left-handed. I'm not keen on travelling with my actiual guitar so I'm thinking about something inexpensive to take with me and leave at work. Wondering if I'm better off with a £60 B-stock Harley Benton Tele copy or a £75 build-it-yourself Harley Benton strat copy or something else. It'll be purely for keeping up my practice, don't need it to be anything outstanding. Electric preferred cos I can be quiet if I want but there's a little mini-amp available as well if needed.
Interested in the DIY one as a fan of tinkering, but if they're too much messing about to be usable I'll dismiss that thought.
+1 on the Fender Mustang Micro for practice / headphone playing. I picked one up 2md hand on Fleabay, along with some nice Yamaha headphones.
Whilst the tone isn't nuanced or infinitely adjustable, it's plenty good enough for what I'm doing, getting back onto playing after a 20-30 year gap.
Check local Facebook marketplace, I got a squier strat for £30 since flipped to upgrade but if your quick there are some great bargains.
