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View Full Version : Question: Guitars and how to play?


MikeH
01-07-2012, 10:08 PM
Any of you fucks play the guitar? Thinking about picking up an acoustic guitar but have no fucking clue about them or how to play. I'm going to assume there is plenty of videos out there to teach you how to play though, Im just unsure how hard it will be to pick up. Any advice/pointers/anything?

Cez★
01-07-2012, 10:33 PM
jaybo be bamf with le geetah

MikeH
01-07-2012, 10:53 PM
yaybo needs to get in this thread, NAO.

Cez★
01-07-2012, 11:03 PM
he rarely gets on during weekends i think

MikeH
01-07-2012, 11:07 PM
:jester: not a big deal. wouldnt have even started a thread but would have got lost in the shat thread since I rarely be in there.

theholycow
01-07-2012, 11:47 PM
I spent about 10 years failing to learn to play. My fingers cooperated but my ears and my mind didn't have what it takes. I can easily discern different notes, but I never know which note is the right next note. I could play a song by muscle memory, rote memorization...I could never listen to a song and play something like it, I could never improvise, etc. It just requires a different type of mind than I have.

The most important thing when choosing a guitar to learn on is comfort. You need a guitar that feels comfortable so you're not busy learning to fit your fingers around the neck and hold the body and building strength for difficult-to-fret strings and such. You can deal with that stuff later. A stratocaster-style body feels very natural. A slippery, shiny maple neck lets your hand move freely. I don't know how to define the fretboard and frets but easier fretting is better. Thin strings are easier to fret and are fine until you are a master guitarist performing for large paying crowds. I know you mentioned acoustic but it's better to learn on an electric, even if you don't use an amp (it's loud enough acoustically to learn with).

The most important stuff I can tell you is to take a music theory course if possible. Learn how music works and the guitar will be easy. It's simple to play basic stuff and easy enough to do advanced stuff with a guitar...the hard part is knowing what to do, not how to do it.

---------- Post added at 05:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 PM ----------

I don't try anymore partly because I've given up but mostly because of a fucked up finger. If I ever think I can learn again I'll either need to learn to play left-handed (ugh, no) or play only with a slide or something.

Manbearpig
01-08-2012, 12:21 AM
Isnt very hard to pickup

It would make it a whole lot easier to find a teacher around you to teach you

There are tons of lesson sites out there and youtube has millions of videos

MikeH
01-08-2012, 12:32 AM
I honestly have no time to actually take lessons. I would love to be able to though. I've just always wanted to play and figured I would finally get into it. And as far as starting with an electric guitar, I'd rather not. Don't have any interest in playing it later on and don't want to have to invest in 2 different guitars.

Manbearpig
01-08-2012, 12:49 AM
imo I would start off with a classical acoustic

I think they are much easier to play than regular big bodied standard acoustics

stonehenge
01-08-2012, 01:02 AM
Bought a Bass once and tried to play a few times but couldn't get the hang of it and had cao status brain that made me feel like

:derp:

So I never used it. I think its still in the closet at rents house lol

theholycow
01-08-2012, 01:05 AM
That might work.

Guitars don't need to be expensive. They're way cheaper than when I started in the mid-1990s, and I bet Craigslist is full of post-Christmas bargains. You should probably be able to get a basic strat-like electric or standard dreadnought acoustic for under $50. Classical acoustics are less common.

...ok, that was unexpected. I just checked local CL, all I found under $50, besides undersized guitars, was a classical acoustic. Neat.

---------- Post added at 07:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:03 PM ----------

I tried bass too, wasn't really any better at it.

Sold my Les Paul, my bass, and my acoustic. All I have left is a POS used-to-be-electric and a Vantage 12 string that sounds like angels singing even if it's out of tune and someone who's never touched a guitar before is playing...not that it ever comes out of its case.

stonehenge
01-08-2012, 01:05 AM
Mike needs geetar that is compatible with ******

theholycow
01-08-2012, 01:24 AM
My boss bought a multi-effects-pedal program for his iph0ne. Good idea. :imo

Dubyagee
01-08-2012, 01:46 AM
d9NF2edxy-M

MikeH
01-08-2012, 11:19 PM
imo I would start off with a classical acoustic

I think they are much easier to play than regular big bodied standard acoustics
Any particular brand to look at? Obviously not looking to spend much.

Dubyagee
01-09-2012, 12:15 AM
http://www.amazon.com/BLACK-Classical-Acoustic-Guitar-MODEL/dp/B003CS2OZG

Manbearpig
01-09-2012, 12:20 AM
Heres a nice little starter pack

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/dean-nylon-stringed-guitar-pack

MikeH
01-09-2012, 03:10 AM
http://www.amazon.com/BLACK-Classical-Acoustic-Guitar-MODEL/dp/B003CS2OZG
Reviews say that thing is a piece :jester:

Heres a nice little starter pack

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/dean-nylon-stringed-guitar-pack
:shake:

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:09 PM ----------

Saw Costco has this, any good?

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11136307&search=guitar&Mo=3&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=guitar&Ntt=guitar&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

Dubyagee
01-09-2012, 03:12 AM
But its made in China with REAL lead. Cant go wrong.

Manbearpig
01-09-2012, 03:25 AM
Never heard of that brand but its highly reviewd :shrug:

theholycow
01-09-2012, 03:28 AM
:shrug: Looks ok enough to start if you want, but it looks like a standard dreadnought acoustic...very awkward to hold and play until you get a bunch of practice, and never as comfortable as other shapes/types.

MBP implied that a classical acoustic is less awkward. I don't know, never used one.

MikeH
01-09-2012, 03:30 AM
good thing about costco is I can return it no problems if I dont like it.

Manbearpig
01-09-2012, 03:57 AM
Tis just my imo

Classical guitars have smaller bodies and are easier to handle


Have a guitar center around you?
Go check shit out there

stonehenge
01-09-2012, 02:09 PM
geetar center lets you hold everything and there's a room in the back that is soundproof that you can fap test instruments in

JayBo
01-09-2012, 04:40 PM
K. Is here Nao.

what you want?

---------- Post added at 10:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:37 AM ----------

I has grazed through this thread (lulz)
and if you want good geetar to start learning with, and you want acoustic. Get a Jasmine. It is made by takamine. Around $100.
I have had mine for 15 years and I still play it.
It mostly sits in my corner b/c it's tuned to open E and I only use it for 2 songs.

Classical guitars are cool, I'm just not a fan of nylon strings unless you're wanting to start right off the bat learning to fingerpick and personally, I think that is a bad idea, unless classical music is what you want to learn..

First things first. Learn to keep it properly tuned. You'll never learn to play if you can't keep it in tune!!! ThaT is something I stress to everyone very heavily when they say they want to learn.

stonehenge
01-09-2012, 04:53 PM
I has grazed

cao gonna be pissed

JayBo
01-09-2012, 05:08 PM
Yah, thats why I lulz'ed :cheeky2:

stonehenge
01-09-2012, 05:16 PM
:repz:

theholycow
01-09-2012, 05:59 PM
I like fingerpicking. Possibly the only music I ever created was a nice fingerpicked C arpeggio.

shootermcgavin003
01-09-2012, 06:49 PM
Any particular brand to look at? Obviously not looking to spend much.

buy a epiphone........... mexican made gibson same parts same design half the price.

---------- Post added at 05:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 PM ----------

i got where i could play a little and just quit cause i dont have the time really. my dad can play the shit out of one though. ill prob start back here once i get free time.

MikeH
01-09-2012, 07:01 PM
K. Is here Nao.

what you want?

---------- Post added at 10:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:37 AM ----------

I has grazed through this thread (lulz)
and if you want good geetar to start learning with, and you want acoustic. Get a Jasmine. It is made by takamine. Around $100.
I have had mine for 15 years and I still play it.
It mostly sits in my corner b/c it's tuned to open E and I only use it for 2 songs.

Classical guitars are cool, I'm just not a fan of nylon strings unless you're wanting to start right off the bat learning to fingerpick and personally, I think that is a bad idea, unless classical music is what you want to learn..

First things first. Learn to keep it properly tuned. You'll never learn to play if you can't keep it in tune!!! ThaT is something I stress to everyone very heavily when they say they want to learn.
will look into them thanks :shake:

any "guides", so to speak on how to keep them tuned?

theholycow
01-09-2012, 07:09 PM
Being Mexican-made doesn't make Epiphones lame, but often they have cheap materials and parts and that makes them lame. That's more relevant to electric than acoustic, though.

My Les Paul was an Epiphone, as were my amps. Decent enough stuff.

The Les Paul sounded ok and I think it was at least real wood instead of particle board or plywood. The pickups were kinda crappy and I didn't love the unvarnished rosewood fretboard. It was as pretty as any Les Paul, with a nice sunburst finish.

The bass amp sounded great with a guitar coming through it. They should have sold it as a guitar amp. The guitar amp was a slightly smaller version of the same unit with a few extra controls, mainly for distortion, but the distortion on it sounded terrible, like modern crap rock distortion.

---------- Post added at 01:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:07 PM ----------

There's not much to keeping it tuned, you just tune it each time you use it. Good quality equipment stays in tune better but nothing stays perfectly in tune all the time. $20 should buy a decent enough electronic tuner. You pluck a string and look at the tuner, it tells you whether it's low or high, you turn the tuning peg until it's perfect...then you tune the next string.

stonehenge
01-09-2012, 07:09 PM
buy a epiphone........... mexican made gibson same parts same design half the price.

:mexitroll:

JayBo
01-09-2012, 08:05 PM
Yeah. Invest in an electronic tuner. Cheap Insurance. Its quicker/easier for me to tune by ear now, but without a tuner, I would have never learned how.


My stratocaster is a MIM model. Nothing at all cheap about it. I have an Epiphone Les Paul jr right now that I love. The sound is great! Cheap tuners that won't hold tune, but the pickups and playability are just as good as any other guitar. I have guitars that range in price from $100 to over $600. The only reason I have/kept the ones I have is because they play like I like.

My $200 Squier stagemaster is by far my favorite guitar as far as feel and sound. I wouldn't give it up for anything.

theholycow
01-09-2012, 08:34 PM
My Squier P-bass seemed great, but I never really knew much about bass and couldn't tell a good bass sound from a lame one.

For those who don't know what Jay and I are talking about, Squier is Fender's Mexi-cheap line like Epiphone is Gibson's Mexi-cheap brand.

stonehenge
01-09-2012, 08:46 PM
rofl i think thats the same one in the closet at my rents house cao

let BIL use it for a while but now its back in there

---------- Post added at 12:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:44 PM ----------

yep, thats the one i have:

http://www.pittsburghguitars.com/Resources/FMI/fender/basses/squieraffinpbass.jpg

Need to put it on CL or pawn shawp it for extra ke$h since I never use it and never will.

theholycow
01-09-2012, 08:47 PM
Yup, that's exactly what mine was. I think I changed the knobs out for some nicer looking ones.

Sold on Craigslist to nice dude buying it for his brother for Christmas 2010 IIRC.

stonehenge
01-09-2012, 08:48 PM
Mine isn't gift quality. I think I bought it used (but almost perfect condition) and put a few nicks in it. Then BIL thought I gave it to him and covered it in fgty stickers and shit. Need to remove them and clean it up before selling. :nono:

theholycow
01-09-2012, 09:08 PM
Mine had a few nicks too but no fgty stickers and shit.

JayBo
01-09-2012, 09:29 PM
what you want for it wan?

shootermcgavin003
01-09-2012, 09:37 PM
martin has a mexi brand too still like 600 bucks at least

but damn the sound of a martin is sex

stonehenge
01-10-2012, 12:56 AM
what you want for it wan?

:uhohshrug: no idea what its worth

Manbearpig
01-10-2012, 01:07 AM
buy a epiphone........... mexican made gibson same parts same design half the price.



Mines made in S.Korea

---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 PM ----------

I want a bass

shootermcgavin003
01-10-2012, 11:40 PM
whatever sheap labor

still sounds good

---------- Post added at 10:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 PM ----------

my 335 has the same parts even as a the gibson counterpart

JayBo
01-11-2012, 03:00 PM
me played last night w the band. First practice in over a month.

Played le Strat straight through my amp. Only pedal was a tuner.

I need pedal board now. It would be simpleeeeee.
Chrous
Delay
TS9
Tuner
maybe a wah.. doubt it. I rarely use one.
and a TALKBOX!!!!!!

Manbearpig
01-12-2012, 01:35 AM
:secret:

Cez★
01-12-2012, 04:35 AM
you can join ho-kago tea time brah :cheeky:

wait its an all girl band :okay:

JayBo
01-13-2012, 10:13 PM
I played yesterday for alittle while. I must say, and I'm ashamed to say it. My LUNA Telecaster sounds TONS better than my strat. I either has to replace pickups in Strat..
or just accept it.

:emo:

Manbearpig
01-14-2012, 12:35 AM
Isnt Luna made by Dean guitars? :troll:

---------- Post added at 05:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:28 PM ----------

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/395282_10150543714123217_19059968216_9044614_19758 69477_n.jpg

:skeet:

---------- Post added at 05:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:33 PM ----------

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/381077_10150485669403217_19059968216_8803115_14579 38463_n.jpg

That fucking grain! ARGH :skeet:

MikeH
01-14-2012, 12:40 AM
hopefully can sell some shit and pick up a guitar soon :cheeky:

theholycow
01-14-2012, 01:44 AM
You need this guitar. :imo
1fkGKTq6SIQ

theholycow
09-11-2014, 04:15 PM
Bump.

Did you ever get a guitar? The guitar market is different than it was in 2012. CL is full of guitars for $30-50, and you can get a direct-from-China acoustic with proper full-size neck but smaller body (more comfy, less loud) for something like $40 shipped complete with accessories.

Wife got one of those, and wanted me to help teach her, and of course that got me fooling around with guitars and now I have one too. Something's going on with my body, a lot of things are less sensitive than they used to be (mostly a good thing), and that includes my finger injury...I doubt I'll ever be able to do hammerons with it but it seems I can successfully fret strings with it now. I'll probably use .008 ultra-light string sets on everything and try to put together such a set for my 12-string to see if I can manage to fret double strings on that with my frankenfinger.

shootermcgavin003
09-11-2014, 11:36 PM
you can buy like squiers(fender made by cez's family) and epiphones (gibson's made by cez's family) for like a 150 bucks or less. they are quality guitars made by the top of the line companies only difference is they are put together by cheaper labor in mexico. be nice if gm did that with the trucks rather than charge full price for one that cost them half as much to build. anyhow they arent knock offs they are made by fender or gibson and even say it on them (ie epiphone by gibson on the tag). i highly advise that rather than getting a generic. bad thing about a generic is the necks warp they wont hold tune etc....

i own a epiphone studio 335 semi hollow body electric. wife got it for 120 bucks on musicians friend on a scratch and dent sale. it didnt even have a scratch on it the box was just tore and they stuck it in another box. i can play the basic chords ok but i never get time to practice so i cant play shit really.

theholycow
09-15-2014, 01:46 PM
Scored this bass for $17 via CL. Needs wires resoldered, maybe electronics replaced.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FsUmNnMUjOs/VBbbQ4P_zBI/AAAAAAAAIpM/7T2ka7j__Uk/s800/image.jpg

stonehenge
09-15-2014, 02:03 PM
I have one of those in a closet somewhere at parents house lol

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