Guitar advice.

[FloaterSi]

I know a few of you pluck/strum (I am showing my lack of knowledge here aren't I?) My daughter has started guitar lessons at school, so we are practising/learning together. She has a 1/2 size guitar on loan from school which we take turns on. Anyway, I am looking to get a full size one for myself so am seeking advice. I would like to spend as little as possible as it is only going to be used to encourage my daughter. I am looking for the 'Baikal' of guitars or maybe a 'Miroku' if it will hold its resale value when I or my daughter get bored. I have seen lots of recommendations for a Yamaha F310, but its new price is about double that I wanted to spend.

So, I open myself up to your advice, can anyone tell me what to buy that is 'cheap' or should I get something better?

 

[Robo]

You won't go far wrong with the F310 ...I brought one years ago and still have it ..plays well and a nice tone .

I still play it when I get bored of the electric collection I have here ...easy to grab off the stand and sit on the couch and pick/strum

 

[no.1topdog]

Right here Kentskeet. I just type slow!!

Guitars can be compared to guns in that the "Baikal" equivalent will be an ill handling, poorly made, unbalanced and ugly pile of ****!.

It is true to say "you get what you pay for" and never more so than with guns and guitars.

I've bought cheap and I've bought expensive. I still have the expensive ones because they are good and they have stood the test of time. The cheap ones went when something better came along. In the long run I'd have spent less over the years if I bought decent gear first. We all live and learn I suppose?

I think the moral of the story is - buy the best you can. Good second-hand will be better than the same priced new. (But forget the really cheap new ones!).

 

[ehb102]

If you buy your child an inferior musical instrument they are much, much more likely to give up. Quite simply it's hard to learn on a difficult instrument. I never learned the guitar as the cheap one a friend gave me was awful, and I play enough musical instruments to know that this was a huge problem. 

Look at hiring an instrument. Most music shops do reasonable terms of hire, or rent-to-buy schemes. 

 

[ips]

I agree with the above, I used to play in me yoof and I remember cheapo guitars being very difficult to play mainly due to the height of the action (how far away the strings are from the neck) save yourself a whole heep of trouble and get a decent one to start with.

 

[FloaterSi]

Thanks for the advice guys - I think I will go for the Yamaha F310 (unless some more suggestions come in) - it seems to be the cheapest decent starter guitar out there.  As I say, I am only dipping my toe in actually playing music - so don't want to go overboard. Looks like I will be trawling ebay for a while trying to find one at a bargain price.

 

[Wonko the Sane]

If you buy your child an inferior musical instrument they are much, much more likely to give up. Quite simply it's hard to learn on a difficult instrument. I never learned the guitar as the cheap one a friend gave me was awful, and I play enough musical instruments to know that this was a huge problem. 

Look at hiring an instrument. Most music shops do reasonable terms of hire, or rent-to-buy schemes. 

+10!!

Check the resale values.  Yamaha almost always scores well that way.  And what Liz says cannot be emphasized too much.

 

[Skeet UK]

Thanks for the advice guys - I think I will go for the Yamaha F310 (unless some more suggestions come in) - it seems to be the cheapest decent starter guitar out there.  As I say, I am only dipping my toe in actually playing music - so don't want to go overboard. Looks like I will be trawling ebay for a while trying to find one at a bargain price.

It is great to hear you are joining in the fun and supporting your daughter

Two words for you "Thin Plectrums" much cleaner strumming for beginners. Thinnest white Dunlop ones 0.38 / 0.46 

Obviously, for the most part you will always do better, by spending more..to a point of course. So when buying at the lower end, you should take care to spend wisely and get as much "guitar" as you can, for your money.

What you really do want, if at all possible..is a "Solid Spruce Top".  It has to say exactly that on the description...if it says "Spruce Top", then it is plywood.  

The top of the guitar is where the strings transmit their vibrations to.  It moves with these vibrations and produces the amplified sound.  

So it needs to move!  Solid wood does this better.

The other thing that you should look into, is making the instrument playable.  Learning is tough on the hands and tough on your self motivation.

Even expensive guitars, will benefit from a good "setup".  This setup produces a nice "Action" to the guitar.  Action, is primarily the height of the strings away from the fret board (neck).  The higher the action, the further the strings have to be pressed to make a clean note and the harder it is to do it.

Ensure that you allow a few quid at some point, to have someone set the action for you...it makes a world of difference and can often be the deciding factor on "Lifetime hobby" and "Lifetime sat in a corner/shoved in cupboard/loft".  I have spent a fair amount of money and a great deal of time learning how to do this and have saved many a waning new guitarist

The Yamaha you mention, does not have a Solid top...does have Yamaha written on it though . . .

Look at the;

Tanglewood TW28 

Washburn WD10S

Crafter Lite

Avoid anything with electronics in it, unless you are doubling the budget that you need to double...and still you don't need them.

If you can get your budget into the £200 mark, then you really can buy a NICE instrument

http://www.eaglemusicshop.com/6-string-acoustic-guitars/crafter-ga-6-acoustic-guitar.htm

Really, there is a point where spending too little,is simply a waste.  Ebay is good, but go local and collect.

GAK http://www.gak.co.uk/en/gakfinance do interest free credit...well worth it. 

If you want any advice, let me know.  

Check these guys out; amazing teachers 

Marty Schwartz 

 

[RobertBeard]

Looks a world different to when I had a go at school years ago and never persevered.  Oh to have been able to play those Dylan and Baez songs on the beach!  YouTube is fantastic!

Really great helpful post for them Skeet!

 

[Skeet UK]

FloaterSi?

 

[FloaterSi]

So an update - am still looking at various options.  So far have purchased some thin plectrums .38, .46 and .60 (2 of each, hope that is enough) and a music stand - mainly to stop my daughter wanting to do her practice sitting under the dinning room table with the music sheets next to her.  I have had an incredibly generous offer of a guitar from a forum member (many thanks), I am just waiting to see if I can get to a shoot to pick it up.  After many recommendations I have spent a lot of time on justinguitar.com an amazing resource.  So thanks for all the help everyone (keep it coming) and stay tuned (like what I did there?) for my youtube music channel and blog showing my progression (just kidding).

 

[Skeet UK]

If you have any smart phones or whatever around the house, download a guitar tuner app and get into the habit of always tuning the guitars before you play them.

 

[Guerini Guy]

Hi Simon  -  this is a subject that interests me greatly having owned dozens of guitars over the years, and have recently whittled my collection down to just eight most of which I am still using at various gigs !!! Despite my age, and like a few others I know of on this forum, I am still rocking it and playing lead guitar in a rock blues band. Just love it.

However, I am assuming from the thread that you are discussing acoustic guitars rather than electric, and I am genuinely curious of the style that your daughter is being taught at school?

Is this just part of an all round music curriculum, or is it aimed for a specific purpose, such as being part of a school band?

Never had such an opportunity in my school day, so just really interested ! 

 

[FloaterSi]

It is amazing the number of closet guitarists on the forum.

My daughter is learning acoustic guitar, to be more precise classical. This is an extra-curricula and voluntary activity at lunch time by the County music service at the cost of about £50 for a terms worth of lessons (one 30 minute group lesson a week) and a loaner guitar thrown in. At her age (6), she could chose from guitar, keyboard or violin.

I think when I was at school (Kent), that we could do music too, I do remember doing recorder lessons a few times and being demoted to triangle for one school production.

 

[no.1topdog]

It is amazing the number of closet guitarists on the forum.

I think when I was at school (Kent), that we could do music too, I do remember doing recorder lessons a few times and being demoted to triangle for one school production.

I went to that school too!!

I wasn't allowed a guitar as a kid. I made up for that later. Still the worst guitarist in the world though. They look great hanging on the wall.  :fie:

 

[Guerini Guy]

Simon, that is a fantastic opportunity for your daughter. Hope she sticks with it.

And as for guitars looking good on the wall . . . . . . . . . . without a doubt, guitars are the sexiest musical instruments on the planet   :wub:

 

[Andy S]

And as for guitars looking good on the wall . . . . . . . . . . without a doubt, guitars are the sexiest musical instruments on the planet   :wub:

They do don't they..

Sadly NOT mine though

 

[Skeet UK]

I have one of these, amongst others.  Faith Venus, all solid materials.  Rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard, bridge and tuner buttons,real Grovers, Englemann Spruce top, Maple binding...lush!  They now cost almost double what I paid for mine, defo one to watch.

 

[paulos]

+1 for having your guitar set up properly. It might seem a bit excessive, especially if you're just beginning, but will make the guitar a lot easier and more enjoyable to play. I'd have some new, lighter strings put on straight away. They'll be slinkier and easier to fret than the factory ones that are on it.