New to Guitars.. Help required please..

Admiral Huddy · 22 May 2006 at 14:44

.. well not for me, for my 12 year old daughter.

She has been playing woodwinds for years and reads music beatifully but she wants to turn her hand to a Guitar.. well in fact she wants an electric guitar but i'm not sure if she is best off learning on a traditional guitar first, then move up to electric later..

What would you guys suggest?

And can you recommend any particular guitar?

Thanks for the help.

Gilly · 22 May 2006 at 14:47

An electric is going to be easier to pick up the basics. It doesn't have to be played so hard and it has an easier action. I reckon it'd be better for her.

There are better, cheaper electrics too

Look at the Yamaha and Squire range.

Sic · 22 May 2006 at 14:49

i learned on a cheapy nylon-string acoustic. was about £30. at the early stage, you're not bothered about the quality of sound, or even how comfortable it is to play...it's more of an "am i going to like this?" thing. Argos (competitor?) have a pretty decent selection of low-end stuff, or your local music shop. i'd leave the electric for now, and get it as a treat if she starts getting into it and enjoying it

edit: hehe, Gilly and i dont differ that much then. i just found that after learning on the nylon string (i was only 13 at the time, so i'm not overestimating her ability, and she's already going to be pretty dextrous) an electric became a lot easier to play; better action, nicer neck, nicer strings. she might find that the thin metal strings on an electric will be a little abrasive.

chino · 22 May 2006 at 14:49

I started on a cheap 2nd hand strat copy (electric guitar), which was ridiculously hard to play.

My suggestion is to get a entry level guitar from someone like yamaha and take it from there. I'm not sure which is best to start on... although I've played mainly acoustic for the last year and when I bring the electric out I find it much easier to play, take from that what you will.

Zefan · 22 May 2006 at 14:49

Well, I borrowed an acoustic off my ex's parents and got very quickly bored and got an electric. I got an Ibanez electric and returned the acoustic - but quickly got an acoustic again as the freedom of sitting around the house not having to lug around an amp is fantastic. Try to borrow an acoustic at first, as if she really doesn't get on with it you haven't wasted money.

G|mp · 22 May 2006 at 14:51

If shes serious about learning and continuing with the guitar get her to learn
on an acoustic first, the ammount of people i know that sound fantastic on an
electric but sound utter rubbish on an acoustic is ridiculous

Gilly · 22 May 2006 at 14:52

G|mp said:
If shes serious about learning and continuing with the guitar get her to learn
on an acoustic first, the ammount of people i know that sound fantastic on an
electric but sound utter rubbish on an acoustic is ridiculous

That doesn't make any sense. Surely if you can sound good on an electric and bad on an acoustic the electric would be easier...

G|mp · 22 May 2006 at 14:57

Yes easier, the right way to start learning i dont think so

I personally would rather be able to play the guitar to the best of my ability
rather than sound good on it when its going through various pedals and an amp

Gilly · 22 May 2006 at 14:59

Right, so you graduate to an acoustic. Once you learn how to play the electric.

G|mp · 22 May 2006 at 15:02

If you like an easy life aye

But from what i read in Huddy's first post she seems to know her music anyway
being able to read music and play various instruments

So i should think it would be better for her if she serious about learning the
guitar to do it the hard way, she will learn more that way and when she does
pick an electric up once shes got the hang of it all she will sound much better

This is all imho of course

Admiral Huddy · 22 May 2006 at 15:03

I was thinking if she can tackle an Acoustic, then the electric would be easier..?

Gilly · 22 May 2006 at 15:05

Admiral Huddy said:
I was thinking if she can tackle an Acoustic, then the electric would be easier..?

It would indeed.

Thing is, playing the acoustic first off is much harder, because there's some physical strength required, it hurts your fingers and hands, etc.

Without effects pedals the same level of skill is required for an electric IMO. Its just physically easier to play.

Would she be put off learning if she didn't get along with the acoustic?

Admiral Huddy · 22 May 2006 at 15:07

Gilly said:
It would indeed.

Thing is, playing the acoustic first off is much harder, because there's some physical strength required, it hurts your fingers and hands, etc.

Without effects pedals the same level of skill is required for an electric IMO. Its just physically easier to play.

Would she be put off learning if she didn't get along with the acoustic?

good point and as i've just read in the sticky..

The benefits of starting on an acoustic over an electric are negligible and any plus points of finger strength will be eliminated by the fact it'll hurt more, and possibly put you off.

Sic · 22 May 2006 at 15:10

i'd still say that it's an investment in your playing ability to play acoustic first.

G|mp · 22 May 2006 at 15:10

I was thinking more of half nylon half steeley classical acoustic though

And in my experience new electric strings cut a lot more than acoustic ones
at first anyway, until you get some nice fat callouses(sp?)

Gilly · 22 May 2006 at 15:13

G|mp said:
I was thinking more of half nylon half steeley classical acoustic though

Thats what I started on.

Worst choice imaginable IMO.

G|mp said:
And in my experience new electric strings cut a lot more than acoustic ones
at first anyway, until you get some nice fat callouses(sp?)

I very much disagree with that.

G|mp · 22 May 2006 at 15:15

Gilly said:
Thats what I started on.

Worst choice imaginable IMO.

Not if you get a good one

Gilly said:
I very much disagree with that.

Im used to it

Gilly · 22 May 2006 at 15:17

G|mp said:
Not if you get a good one

Spent 70 notes on mine. Might as well get an electric if you're going higher than that.

G|mp said:
Im used to it

Well if you will keep spouting nonsense

If I was still a mod I'd be checking yours and Carzy's IP history

G|mp · 22 May 2006 at 15:19

Gilly said:
If I was still a mod I'd be checking yours and Carzy's IP history

How dare you !

You see the thing is i play the bass, i can play a cheese wire guitar and not feel
anything, if your all gonna be girls and start talking about your fingers hurting then im not gonna indulge you

M0T · 22 May 2006 at 15:31

When I was 15 I wanted to play the guitar and had played trumpet and trombone so my parents knew I wasn't musically inept. I was given an accoustic guitar and absolutely hated it. I couldn't play anything that I knew because my fingers weren't long enough to play a lot of the frets used in pop/rock songs.

My dad bought me an electric anyway and it took me about an hour to learn something recognisable and although I am not very good I have a lot of fun with the guitar.