Advice needed-cheap learners guitar

16 Feb 02 - 11:45 PM (#651903)
Subject: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: GUEST,Just Wondering

Can anyone help me with the following problem. What would be a good cheap guitar to buy for someone who is interested in seeing if they want to learn how to play this musical instrument? Where can they get help on learning how to play this instrument? This person has no musical education at all, and limited financial resources. Their goal is to try it out first before making a major (for them) financial investment. Any advice would be appreciated.

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17 Feb 02 - 12:15 AM (#651915)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Kaleea

is this for a child, teen, adult? Electric or acoustic? Remember that a cheap guitar is going to be poor quality which will be difficult to play, and have the effect of discouraging the student. Cheap guitars are also quite painfully awful to a child's fingers! If you are an adult & this is for yourself, why don't you go to a pawn shop & look around. Are you in college? Perhaps your music dept has one they will loan to you. Do you have a friend or relative who might loan you one? A "cheap" guitar can be a couple hundred bucks in a music store or a catalog or even Sam's Club around Christmas for a basic dreadnought "kit" with a strap, a couple of picks, & extra set of strings. Then again, one might run across a guitar for $25 in a garage sale. Without knowing the actual situation, it is difficult to advise. Steel strings will be harder on the fingers, and if you get a guitar with nylon strings, although they are more difficult to keep in tune, they are easier on the fingers. A student model guitar-sometimes 3/4 size- with mylon strings can be found sometimes in catalogs for under a hundred bucks. When in college, one of my friends was wanting to learn guitar, but she didn't have the $, so I suggested that she blink her eyelashes at a cute guy in one of her classes & ask him to show her how to play his guitar. She ended up being a better guitar player than he was.

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17 Feb 02 - 12:32 AM (#651922)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: JustWondering

Kaleea, Its for an adult who would probably cringe at doing the eyelash thing - this person is a senior with limited resources - not wanting to make a major investment, realizing that cheap means compromising quality, just wanting to explore their options without making a major financial commitment at this time until they know they want to commit more financial resources ....

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17 Feb 02 - 12:40 AM (#651924)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: AndyJim

If "cheap" includes up to about $350, you can't go wrong with a Seagull Folk, in my opinion. Mine is just fabulous for its price. Doesn't sound like a cheap guitar.

All the best, Andrew

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17 Feb 02 - 12:45 AM (#651927)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: DonMeixner

Buy a cheap guitar and guarranty failure. Better to borrow one from a friend for a month to get your feet wet. Then when you do decide, go for the Seagull or its equall to start with.

Don

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17 Feb 02 - 12:53 AM (#651931)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: GUEST

Some music stores offer guitar rentals, and some offer lessons.

In many areas there are informal local groups who get together to make music. They often tend towards particular types of music (e.g. bluegrass, folk, blues, etc.). The ones I'm familiar with are generally encouraging and helpful to beginners, and those folks could be a good source of advice. You could probably find out about this by asking at music stores or talking to local performers at clubs, coffeehouses, etc. who do the type of music you're interested in.

As Kaleea mentioned, there are so many variables it's hard for us to offer much in the way of specific advice. Nevertheless, we could give it a try if we had more info--age, dollar amount available, type of music being considered, etc.

Proper adjustment of the guitar can be critical in its playability. This should be checked by someone knowledgeable whether the instrument is new, used, or borrowed. If a setup (pertinent adjustments) is needed, it's generally money well spent. Music stores can recommend a luthier to do this. (I would assume that a rental guitar would be set up correctly, or that the store would take responsibility to do it.)

Formal music education is not necessary, although it can be helpful. A number of us learned some, much, or all of what we know from books and friends. Having someone to help at least with getting started is a huge advantage over doing totally by oneself. A local school or church may have someone who could give some guidance.

I believe that a lot of the info you're looking for is best provided by someone in your area. Ask around anywhere you see music going on, surely somebody knows somebody who could help.

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17 Feb 02 - 12:56 AM (#651933)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Gary T

Twas I above as "GUEST." Cookie now reset.

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17 Feb 02 - 08:24 AM (#652026)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Tweed

Better to get a decent guitar early on to learn with. Later, buy cheap guitars and see if you can make them sing;~) I've got a j45 that stays in it's case while the plywood construction CHRIS brand "x" with (lions airbrushed on the pickguard) gets most of my attention these days. Get a fairly good one, or better yet, "borrow" one for a couple years as probably many of us out here did.

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17 Feb 02 - 02:53 PM (#652239)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Louie Roy

Just Wondering,if you are near a college town go to a pawn shop as Kaleea suggested and you will be able to pick up a good name brand name guitar for less than $100:00 especially this time of the year due to the fact that many college students are hurting for a little extra money and all the pawn brokers wants is his money back that he loaned plus probably $20:00 Louie Roy

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17 Feb 02 - 08:05 PM (#652364)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Grab

Reasonable nylon-string classicals can be had second-hand for not very much money at all. Pay £30-50 from a private seller and take a chance, or pay £50-75 for an el-cheapo one from a music shop and know it's been set up OK (you can probably make those numbers into dollars for the US, since guitars are cheaper over there). It won't sound wonderful, but it should be good enough to start with. Double or treble the price and you can get a much nicer guitar from the music shop, but that may be too much of a risk for your friend.

Graham.

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17 Feb 02 - 10:04 PM (#652429)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: DougR

My mother ordered me my first guitar from Sears & Roebuck while I was recovering from an illness. A friend down the street, who knew a few chords taught them to me as I recovered. The distance between the strings and the fingerboard was about six inches. The strings cut my fingers to the bone. The point is, as others have pointed out, it's best, I think to go with a better guitar for which you will pay more money. Mine cost about $30, I think, in about 1945.

Rick and some of the pros can offer best advice about which one to buy, but my point is, get one (rent or buy) that can be played comfortably, or the pupil is likely to become discouraged from the start. Fortunately I kept plugging away anyway and got a better guitar later.

DougR

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18 Feb 02 - 12:02 PM (#652711)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: JustWondering

Phew JohnInKansas!~! What is a bone eater - the mind boggles! is it what DougR refers too?

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18 Feb 02 - 12:06 PM (#652715)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Spartacus

Who ever mentioned the Seagull guitar early on is right. Those are fantastic cheap guitars....and they sound alot better than your garden variety Fender, Washburn, Epiphones..etc

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18 Feb 02 - 12:27 PM (#652724)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: 53

My first guitar was a Stella and it played just about like yours Doug, if you can afford it, Go for a better guitar in the beginning, and in the end you will usually have better results.

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19 Feb 02 - 12:22 AM (#653166)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Mark Cohen

Amen! When my D-18 disappeared a couple of years ago, I had to play the guitar I learned on, a Harmony ("by Selmer"). It was so difficult to play that I pretty much stopped playing until I finally broke down and got a new Martin. I couldn't believe I'd actually learned to play on that thing! It's unfortunate that so many people buy or are given "cheap learner guitars". It's certainly possible to learn on a bad guitar (I did), but a good instrument makes it so much more enjoyable. I'd definitely suggest that your friend go the rent/borrow route to learn and try out the instrument.

Aloha,
Mark

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19 Feb 02 - 01:00 AM (#653175)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Benjamin

Blueridge make great guitars for a great price.

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19 Feb 02 - 01:27 PM (#653470)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: MichaelAnthony

I second grab's mention of nylon string guitars. More sound quality and ease of play for the few bucks.

Also second benjamin's blueridge suggestion. It's what I play.

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19 Feb 02 - 02:25 PM (#653508)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: berk

I like my old $200 Yamaha (although it has no pick up) as much as my new $800 Ovation.

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19 Feb 02 - 02:45 PM (#653521)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: M.Ted

I rarely see decent instruments in pawnshops, but I do see junky new ones--the best bet is to do the rental thing from a music store that offers lessons, and if it "takes", go the "Tradin' Times" "Classified Flea Market" or whatever the supermarket classified tabloid is in your area--get the one that has tons of musical instruments, you will find all those Seagulls and Yamahas, Takemines, Squires, Fernandez, that people bought and never learned to play, as well as the ones that the rotten ex-boyfriend left under the bed, and many, if not most, will be less than $200--

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19 Feb 02 - 04:17 PM (#653576)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: 53

I bought a Takamine GS330S at a local music store here in town, it was a factory second, I spent about 40 bucks in a good set up job, and now I have a great guitar. I think that it plays as well as my Takamine LTD-90 which cost me 2 grand at the time I purchased it. Since then some Tak LTD's have gone up in value, some down. So look around for the better guitar and avoid the barbwire beaters that only send you away from playing instead of wanting to play.

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19 Feb 02 - 07:45 PM (#653698)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Bert

Take a guitar player with you when you shop. A new Yamaha can be had for around $150, so I would expect to be able to pick up a used one in good condition for around $80 - $100.

Walmart has new guitars for around $80, but you'd probably need to try a few to get one that is reasonable.

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20 Feb 02 - 11:57 AM (#654039)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Steve in Idaho

And the Seagulls come with a Lifetime Warranty. $200 for a brand new S6 with cedar top.

Steve

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20 Feb 02 - 12:34 PM (#654062)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: C-flat

Yamaha,Seagull,Fender,all make great "entry level" guitars.The "bargains" found in pawn shops are rare and never made by someone who doesn't know what to look for.You don't need to break the bank,these days a standard production "cheapie" is superior to anything I could afford when I first started playing.Playing an old "plank" like I did shouldn't keep you from achieving your ambition but the more you can afford now the faster you will develop. That said,I bet most seasoned players began collecting guitars by hanging on to the stuff they'd "outgrown"

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20 Feb 02 - 01:13 PM (#654089)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: GUEST,Extra Stout

Borrow or rent. Any player will probably be happy to advise or go shopping with you. Good luck.

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21 Feb 02 - 09:01 AM (#654572)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: HuwG

I picked up a second-hand Yamaha, in mint condition, for £60 in Britain. (That would be $90 - $100).

The same shop (in Stockport) is offering Tanglewood and Takamine models in the same pristine state for £75 - £90 (say $120 - $150).

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21 Oct 02 - 10:43 AM (#807788)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: wilco

My suggestion would be to talk to various musicians who play the type of music that you want to play. Tell them you're looking for a good, used learner's guitar. I have eight kids, and we've bought dozens of insturments this way. I have $2500.00 guitars, but I like to play my very used $100.00 Yamaha FG-160. With most decent used guitars, you'll be able to re-sale them for what you paid for them, when you step-up in quality. Elderly Insturments usually has a whole bunch of thes used, inexpensive guitars. They're on the net.

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29 Mar 09 - 01:31 PM (#2599895)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: GUEST

I'm an old retired sax man after 50 years of great fun playing on weekends, but can't take the late hours in clubs anymore. So I decided to take up guitar late in life just to satisfy the craving inside. I bought an Ibanez PF 4 at a pawn shop for $100 and took it home expecting good things, but it hurt my fingers. My son is a dentist and helped pay for college playing guitar. He is good. I took the Ibanez to him and ask him to look it over. He kept it a day and brought it back advising that he had adjusted the strings which were much too high. I am enjoying this guitar now and suggest that it doesn't hurt to get someone who knows to look a guitar over. It is also good to know someone who can help you pick out a guitar. I know saxophones but only know what guitars are, but I'm having fun learning.

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29 Mar 09 - 03:47 PM (#2599980)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Richard Bridge

Shop second hand with a truly expert friend. Then get a good guitar tech to sort the action.

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30 Mar 09 - 10:56 AM (#2600428)
Subject: RE: Advice needed-cheap learners guitar
From: Eve Goldberg

I don't think anyone's mentioned that the same company that makes Seagull guitars also makes two other brands, "Simon & Patrick" and "Art & Lutherie" that are also very good low-end, basic guitars. Many of my guitar students have them and are perfectly happy with them. They are playable, they sound good, and they stay in tune.

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