I have a LTD (cheap ESP) and after I put some proper pick ups in it, it sings.
If you know how to at least hold a guitar, feel out the neck really well,. Depending on what music you want to play, put better pick ups in it and it'll sound a lot better. I got a couple EMG's and they are sick, but they are for metal almost exclusively (tone).
Check out LTD, a good cheap brand. They are ESP's cheap guitars (ESP's are all over $1000), would be cheaper than a Ibanez (which I'd suggest as well).
Last edited by 3 Justin 3; 07-01-2011 at 10:24 PM.
I have a LTD (cheap ESP) and after I put some proper pick ups in it, it sings.
If you know how to at least hold a guitar, feel out the neck really well,. Depending on what music you want to play, put better pick ups in it and it'll sound a lot better. I got a couple EMG's and they are sick, but they are for metal almost exclusively (tone).
Check out LTD, a good cheap brand. They are ESP's cheap guitars (ESP's are all over $1000), would be cheaper than a Ibanez (which I'd suggest as well).
This. Pickups make a huge different. You need good pickups to have a good sounding guitar.
Gibsons are nice but are quite a bit more expensive than Fenders. Ibanez makes nice guitars including some Les Paul "copies" (similar body types but different hardware and placements). I have an early 1990s vintage RG550 that served me well in the bands I played in in high school. They take a lot of abuse but still can sound great.
I'd recommend an Ibanez if you want a guitar that can really play all different kinds of music - blues, rock, jazz, or metal all sound great on my 550 - or at least they did when I played a whole lot more.
Ibanez action seems to be pretty low so it makes it pretty easy to play - especially fast.
To whoever said the cheap acoustic guitars with high action are terrible learners, you're probably right but I learned to play on an old Yamaha classical with what must have been 1/2 inch high action - gave me some serious finger strength that helped play fast later on. Hard to learn though!
SRV used 13's. Strings so thick they are more like cables. Bending strings that heavy can do a number on callouses.
That's right. 15's didn't sound right, but I knew they were heavy. They ripped his fingers up pretty bad. It's to bad he's gone, one of the greats. Rude mood is my favorite tune by him, that and Lenny.
Just to bump this thread again instead of starting a new one.
I've ALWAYS wanted to play, but never seriously started because of exactly what Scott mentioned on the first page. I didn't want to suck.
But I've finally convinced myself to try.
Anyone have any Youtube channels that can help? And websites that explain scales and basic tabs? Any resources are appreciated.
I've never used the site myself, but http://www.justinguitar.com seems to have a good reputation on some of the guitar forums/boards I visit.
One tip I'll say is this, get a guitar stand & keep the guitar next to the couch. Get into the habit of just noodling around while watching tv. If you're not learning a specific song just practice simple exercises like switching between chords or running a few scales.
And just to start a flame war, Les Pauls are better than anything fender ever put out.
The Following User Says Thank You to Regular_John For This Useful Post:
Just to bump this thread again instead of starting a new one.
I've ALWAYS wanted to play, but never seriously started because of exactly what Scott mentioned on the first page. I didn't want to suck.
But I've finally convinced myself to try.
Anyone have any Youtube channels that can help? And websites that explain scales and basic tabs? Any resources are appreciated.
Seriously, as a guitar player who just bought Rocksmith for the PS3, give that a try.
It won't teach you how to read tabs but tabs are very similar and just visually simple. The thing is that there are good lessons that will teach you all the basics about various guitar techniques and concepts in a gaming type way that will help you train them.
For a new person who doesn't want to invest in lessons and a teacher yet, try the $60 and get Rocksmith. The song selection is kind of sucky but they do teach you the techniques in a good interactive way.
I was self-taught with tabs for many years, but until I really started learning theory, I did not improve as quickly as I am now. Now, I like to tear a song apart, and understand why certain notes and chords are used. These books are excellent in that regard, for more advanced players:
Just to bump this thread again instead of starting a new one.
I've ALWAYS wanted to play, but never seriously started because of exactly what Scott mentioned on the first page. I didn't want to suck.
But I've finally convinced myself to try.
Anyone have any Youtube channels that can help? And websites that explain scales and basic tabs? Any resources are appreciated.
Just to repeat what others have already said and stress them for emphasis:
Buy a guitar stand and keep it in a high traffic area. This is the single most important thing you can do to improve as a guitar player.
www.justinguitar.com is a fantastic resource. He has dozens of written and YouTube lessons for absolute beginners all the way up to experienced guitarists. I've been playing for 19 years, have been in bands and played gigs, and I've still learned a thing or two from Justin's site.
www.songsterr.com is great if you want to learn how to play a specific song.
I also suggest taking lessons from an in-person instructor. Justin is fine to get you started, but the non-interactive nature of his videos means that you might unknowingly develop bad habits that won't be corrected.
Don't ever use the excuse that your fingers are too "fat" or "big" to play properly. I've had friends who quit because they realize their hand size won't change. Flexibility is the problem, not the fatness of the fingers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hack&Lube
Seriously, as a guitar player who just bought Rocksmith for the PS3, give that a try.
It won't teach you how to read tabs but tabs are very similar and just visually simple. The thing is that there are good lessons that will teach you all the basics about various guitar techniques and concepts in a gaming type way that will help you train them.
I was going to mention this. My buddy brought it over the other day and we messed around with it. He claimed there was a little lag and that made it difficult... I didn't notice much lag at all, so there's a chance the lag he was experiencing was due to the fact he's a beginner.
I didn't find it fun at all, but I did find it useful. If you're just starting out I think it's a great resource.
Don't ever use the excuse that your fingers are too "fat" or "big" to play properly. I've had friends who quit because they realize their hand size won't change. Flexibility is the problem, not the fatness of the fingers.
I was going to mention this. My buddy brought it over the other day and we messed around with it. He claimed there was a little lag and that made it difficult... I didn't notice much lag at all, so there's a chance the lag he was experiencing was due to the fact he's a beginner.
I didn't find it fun at all, but I did find it useful. If you're just starting out I think it's a great resource.
You fix the lag by hooking your audio up via analog cables rather than through digital HDMI.
I've been using "Learn and Master Guitar" - while I used to mess around on the guitar this course has taught me the fundamentals and really improved my playing. There is a lot of emphasis right from the start on learning to read music and understand music theory, which was all new to me. The course seems to be quite well put together and well-taught - not as good as having real lessons from a good teacher, but better than having real lessons from a poor teacher and easier to fit into a busy schedule. I haven't looked at justinguitar.com so I don't know how they compare - the Learn and Master course is not free for the basic course, but there are free "live lessons" on specific topics and a fairly active user forum. If you do go this route definitely get it directly from Learn and Master with the bonus lessons.
Been playing off and on for the last few years, I would encourage everyone to learn some sort of instrument as music is a wonderful way to spend your spare time. I'm now trying to sing and play at the same time and it's not easy. I'll be strumming fine until I throw in my voice and it just goes to hell from there. Practice makes perfect!
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