FOAK: Acoustic guitars

Elly, when you are ready to buy call me. There is so much to look out for
and it's not down to price. For example, I tried out most of the 12-String
guitars at Machine Head in Hitchin before I got my new 12-String. It was one
of the cheapest and it suited me. Learning to play a guitar can be painful
until the fingers harden so it's important that a guitar is easy to play
without having to press the strings down very hard [1]. It's also important
for the guitar to be able to hold tune between lessons.

One of my most used guitars for about 20 years was an old 3/4 size nylon
strung jobbie. It kept tune very well, the action was good and more
importantly it was small enough to pop behind the settee so I could practice
fingering techniques [2] while watching tele. Also, it wasn't very loud.
This got repossessed. However, he may think a 3/4 guitar might be a bit
girly.

[1] Action - the distance between the strings and the fretboard
[2] Yeah, yeah.

 

Having read futher down the thread get him an electric guitar, that's
what he wants [1].

Buy the cheapest combo (guitar and amplifier) that you can find and he
can hold comfortably. With cheap chinese imports just buy new, then you
have a years warranty. He's 9 years old and will do Van Halen style
acrobatics with it and it will get battered so, really, don't spend the
extra just yet.

My son started off, like yours, with a shared lesson at school although
he doesn't bring the amplifier to school.

Now I'm having to fork out £10 a week for half an hour lesson in the
evening as well.

I hasten to add that I bought a new electric guitar at the same time
(£50)[2] for myself. Which I still don't know how to play but at least
when sons friends come round they can jam with him.


[1] We got a cheap accoustic but it didn't get touched.
[2] "I've always fancied learning to play the guitar, unfortunately son
is left handed so I can't just borrow his". Shopkeeper does a deal and
throws in a cheap guitar to keep dad happy.

 

This rings true with me.

I wanted to learn to play lead guitar at the age of about 9 so that I
could play 'sexy tunes'. For some reason my dad was convinced that you
had to learn chords on an acoustic before getting an electric. I'm not
really sure why.

If he wants to play lead or even rhythm on stage then an electric is
most sensible option imo. They mostly have small necks which is good
for small hands and if you stick some light strings on it his fingers
wont get too cut up either.

I'd recommend starting with a small headphone amp because a) they're
cheap and b) you wont have to listen to it until he gets good!

You don't have to spend loads on one - just take someone who knows to
look over the specific guitar you buy to check over the basics.

I admit I'm no expert but I don't think this is unreasonable advice.

 

Yamaha F310. Cheap enough, good enough.

 

A guitar with bad action can put someone off for life

Cheap and nasty is not the way to go

Cheap and good is hard to find

 

Get a full-sized one. If it is a bit big, he'll grow into it soon enough.

There's no point in shelling out for a new one. You can get good second hand
ones for virtually nothing at car boot sales.

It is not difficult to tell a good one from firewood.

I bought one recently for a fiver at a car boot sale from a pitch just a few
cars along from ours. It was in pretty good shape. Within 20 mins I'd sold
it again for over twice that.

 

Amen to that.

But can be found.

 

Because it's wrong?

You advise someone by giving advice.

 

They're all to busy actioning things for that kind of mallarkey.

 

It was indeed ... I only noticed it after I'd posted it.

--
Elly - a tired and distinctly fed up 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

 

<grins> Yup, I know that feeling.


--
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