FOAK: Acoustic guitars

Number one son has moved up to the local middle school this year and
has expressed an interest in fulfilling a long-held desire to learn to
play the guitar. Apparently he needs to provide his own instrument
for lessons (the school provide access to a variety of brass
instruments but not guitars) so I am now in the market for an acoustic
guitar.

He's a big lad for 9, more the size of an 11 or 12 year old, so should
I be looking at a full-sized instrument? Also what should I be
looking for in choosing either a new or second-hand one? Naturally I
would like to keep cost to a minimum as there are no guarantees that
he'll stick at it.

Any advise gratefully received.

--
Elly - a tired Pixie
ZX9R-E1 - <Giggles>
Spike - FZ400 - It's dead Jim!
MRO#32 ibW#25 BoTAFOT#46 BoTAFOF #46 GP#1 UKRMRM#00 TWA#3
http://www.garagepixies.co.uk
elly at garagepixies dot co dot uk

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Elly

<emailed>

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
and Ducati Race Engineer.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Wicked Uncle

<bounced>

Trying again to Pip's addie..

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets
and Ducati Race Engineer.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

Don't let anyone talk you into buying an expensive one as these things
can be a fad but not to put you off try and get a reasonable priced
middle to good one.Does he want to learn classical or more modern
pop/rock/folk?

 

I'll be only too pleased to give him a few lessons.

 

Odd

Received and replied.

he'll read it when he gets home

--
Elly - a tired Pixie
ZX9R-E1 - <Giggles>
Spike - FZ400 - It's dead Jim!
MRO#32 ibW#25 BoTAFOT#46 BoTAFOF #46 GP#1 UKRMRM#00 TWA#3
http://www.garagepixies.co.uk
elly at garagepixies dot co dot uk

 

S'wot I thought.

I suspect more modern pop/rock (wants to be like the Kaiser Chiefs)
<raises eyes heavenwards>

--
Elly - a tired Pixie
ZX9R-E1 - <Giggles>
Spike - FZ400 - It's dead Jim!
MRO#32 ibW#25 BoTAFOT#46 BoTAFOF #46 GP#1 UKRMRM#00 TWA#3
http://www.garagepixies.co.uk
elly at garagepixies dot co dot uk

 

They have a peripatetic teacher at school once a week, but any other
help will be gratefully received ... it's been a long time since I
played a guitar (badly), so it'll be the blind leading the blind here
when it comes to practicing.

--
Elly - a tired Pixie
ZX9R-E1 - <Giggles>
Spike - FZ400 - It's dead Jim!
MRO#32 ibW#25 BoTAFOT#46 BoTAFOF #46 GP#1 UKRMRM#00 TWA#3
http://www.garagepixies.co.uk
elly at garagepixies dot co dot uk

 

I'm no pikey teacher but I do teach and perform folk.

This is Cambridge Folk club last week.
http://www.mollyg.net/cambridge/02-09-05a.jpg

 

I get asked this a lot and am torn between advising them not to spend too
much (in case it's a fad they grow out of) and spending enough so that they
don't end up with an unplayable lemon (in which case it'll almost definitely
be a fad they'll grow out of).

Steel-strung acoustics are harder on the fingers than nylon strung ones so
the latter are a gentler introduction - however the nylon and/or classic
guitars often have a very wide, flat neck which can make it hard for a
smaller hand to reach around etc. Wider necks mean the strings are further
apart which *can* be better for learners as they're less likely to touch a
neighbouring string accidently.

I think you should seek advice from his guitar tutor.

I picked up an *immaculate* classical/student guitar that plays very nicely
for just £25 at a charity shop recently (for a friend's daughter).

And one bit of advice I never had but wished I'd had was to practice singing
whilst playing from the outset - rather than just noodling on the guitar for
20 years and *then* starting to sing. It's really difficult without
practice.

Don't buy any song-books (over and above what the tutor advises) as there
are zillions of sites with chords/tabs etc.

Hope you find something suitable!

 

A regular teacher (eg one session a week) is the best way. Every week. He
should be practicing every evening - this will probably be no more than
15-20 minutes. He needs to be doing the exercise set by the teacher. He
can dick around on the thing all evening, but make sure he does the
exercises first. Persistence is the key.

As to guitars, we've got a Yamaha F310:

http://www.yamaha-europe.com/yamaha...itars_western/40_f_guitars/20_F310/index.html

....which reviews well, is pleasant to play, and is readily available in
music shops and online. Online prices seem to be around ninety quid.

 

Apparently there is a little book and a letter that should have come
hme today but he's left it in his drawer.

I hated singing whislt playing the guitar during my brief flirtation
with it. He currently sings along to 'The Kaisers' and isn't too
self-conscious about it.

Fingers crossed and thanks.

--
Elly - a tired Pixie
ZX9R-E1 - <Giggles>
Spike - FZ400 - It's dead Jim!
MRO#32 ibW#25 BoTAFOT#46 BoTAFOF #46 GP#1 UKRMRM#00 TWA#3
http://www.garagepixies.co.uk
elly at garagepixies dot co dot uk

 

This is exactly what he's been told by his guitar teacher today at
their first meeting.

Noted, thanks

--
Elly - a tired Pixie
ZX9R-E1 - <Giggles>
Spike - FZ400 - It's dead Jim!
MRO#32 ibW#25 BoTAFOT#46 BoTAFOF #46 GP#1 UKRMRM#00 TWA#3
http://www.garagepixies.co.uk
elly at garagepixies dot co dot uk

 

Number one son has moved up to the local middle school this year and

Nice one! Hope he enjoys it.
I've spent 35 years enjoying it.

Someone else already said it:
There's only one make for a beginnerYamaha.

If its acoustic he's doing then get him an FG310 or 410 (can't remember
which number it is these days). They're about 100 quid and as good as
anything upto twice the price. I wouldn't really bother with a second hand
one - they aren't that much cheaper than new ones!

If its electric then get him a Pacifica 112. A bit under 200 quid .

With either instrument, budget for an extra 30 quid or so for a decent
gig-bag for it.

And its worth spending a few more quid on having a "proper" set-up done on
the guitar. Have it done by a professional (not a cowboy like me!)
It'll make the instrument play - and sound - better. A set-up will cost
anything from 15 quid up to about 30 quid depending what you have done and
who does it.

Cheers
Dave

 

At least he doesn't want to be like Busted.

 

Then head towards a budget electro-acoustic guitar.Their action will
not hurt his young fingers as much as say a,"Jumbo" folk acoustic and
yes I know he's young but acoustically Jumbos are loud and good but
large physically.

You have the net so do a bit of research,it's not hard,
http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aa072401b.htm
http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aabyb111401.htm

Also an Electro Acoustic can be put through a small practice
amp(Amplifier) which can inspire young-uns as they can then experiment
with more tonality

Just so you know,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/mpindex.html

HTH

 

Is there SWK who lives close that might go with you to a music shop?
You might find a nice second hand guitar. As others have said, Yamaha
or a semi-acoustic is probably the way to go - steel string rather
then a classical guitar (neck width, as sorby says).

It might be worth phoning a few big music stores within reach and
seeing if any will hire out a guitar for a few months. My local shop
does this for some instruments, and knocks the hire fee off the price
if you then buy.

 

Christofire says...

Out of work?

 

Cradle snatcher

 

The best way is to learn some chords, the basics

E A D G C

then try and play a couple of simple songs

Afterwards (a couple of weeks), when the fingers have recovered, get a
teacher.

A guitar can be really painful until the fingers have hardened up a bit

Email me if you want some help or pointers

and make him realise that air guitars are much easier to play than
wooden ones with strings and such