First Guitar


u2andwho
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Joined: 12/11/07
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u2andwho
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Joined: 12/11/07
Posts: 8
12/12/2007 1:11 am
I'm new to the whole guitar playing experience and was wondering what a good starter guitar would be. I was looking at a Yamaha F325 acoustic guitar. Do you think this is a good starter guitar?
Thanx
# 1
Sasuke199
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Sasuke199
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12/12/2007 12:15 pm
If I were you I would stay as far away from yamaha as possible. Look into the epiphone or Ibanez starter packs.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-SG-Special-Electric-Guitar-Players-Pack?sku=518745

That is a good guitar, and it comes with an amp, a strap, picks, a cable.. Everything you need to get started.
My first electric guitar was an Ibanez Gio starter pack. I played that for 4 years..... Now I have an Ibanez RG (a discontinued model the RG320DXQM)
and an Epiphone Les Paul in heritage cherry sunburst. That is an incredible guitar. You should really look into epiphone or Ibanez. Depending on what you choose could dictate what type of guitars you use from now on.
# 2
Geeetar4Life
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Geeetar4Life
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12/13/2007 5:58 pm
If you don't want to spend that much money which I'm guessing you don't, then try a Squier Strat. If you want a beginners amp and everything also then you can get the Squier Strat pack which comes with the amp, strap, picks, cord, learn how to play book, etc. Go to Music123.com to check it out.
"I suggest we learn to love ourselves before it's made illegal." - Incubus

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# 3
looneytunes
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looneytunes
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12/14/2007 11:51 am
If I were you, I would not get a starter pack. I don't think those are such good guitars. I may be wrong, but those that I checked out for my grandson were junk.

I would save up some money and get a decent acoustic guitar and good beginners song book and go from there. If you can't keep the guitar tuned or if it doesn't sound good, you will lose interest pretty quick. I like the Martin, Taylor, or even Blueridge line, but to get a good one you are looking at $2000 and up. All though I found a nice Blueridge in a little guitar shop in TN for $250. My last Martin cost just under $4000 and this is a mid-range price.

I suggest an Ibanez. They are are pretty good sounding guitar. These run around $300 and up. I think anything less would be a waste of money. Of course, I know a guy that bought a really good used guitar for $65. I don't remember the name of it, but it had a great mellow sound and it was in good condition.

I don't know if I mention this, but you can buy almost anything at craigslist.com Be careful though. Make sure you cover yourself.

Good day!
# 4
Grambo
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Grambo
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12/18/2007 8:00 pm
I prefer electrics - easier and more fun to play.
i wouldn't buy a Yamaha
I bought a brand new Fender Squier Strat 6 years ago and it's brilliant !
if you always take the lazy route
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# 5
sphefx
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sphefx
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12/21/2007 9:01 am
If you want an acoustic, I would look into the Seagull S6.

Otherwise the Yamaha is good.

If you want an electric, stay away from the Squier Starter packs. If you want a Squier, buy a Squier Standard Strat and get a decent amp.

Don't be afraid to look into used guitars - if you don't like them, you can always sell them for the same price you bought it.
# 6
hunter1801
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hunter1801
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12/21/2007 6:08 pm
Do you have a specific budget that you are looking at? It would make it easier for us to suggest something if we know how much your willing to spend. One piece of advice I would give though, is that spending more now will save you a lot more in the future. My first electric guitar was a $500 Fender Strat, and it's in my lap as I type right now. Still good as ever, and well worth the investment.
# 7
jkuervo
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jkuervo
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12/23/2007 11:38 am
My first real acoustic was a seagull. I really enjoyed that thing and it was built quite well. I dropped it all over the place and I still have it... although it sounds terrible after all of the abuse I put it through.

I'd say definitely check out used guitars. Much better bang for the buck, and there are so many cats that buy a guitar play it a few weeks and sell it a year later it shouldn't be hard to get a decent one in your price range. Better than you could afford new anyway.
# 8
koppandson
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koppandson
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01/04/2008 3:34 am
Check out alvarez acoustics. they are amazing.

i am too a new guitarist. ... i bought a cheap acoustic from best buy(one of those starter packs).

i'll tell ya that it's harder to learn how to play on those crappy guitars. i did a ton of research and ended up buying an Alvarez RD20-SC. They are listed at $329 at musiciansfriend.com. I was able to get mine at the local shop for $269...brand new in unopened box.

The thing sounds so deep and rich. The looks on it are incredible. When I first picked it up at the guitar shop it didnt have a tag on it and i though it'd be thousands of $$$ ...

It's got a built in tuner and you're able to plug it up to an amp if you want.

Check it out. If you get it ... let me know how you like it.
# 9
cocamycola89
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cocamycola89
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01/08/2008 11:29 am
You should be a bit weary when gettin your first guitar. you should get it cheap somthing like a squire starter pack. or if you want to get an acoustic then it should be one of reasonable price. always keep in mind that guitars mite not be your thing and you might just drop it after a while. its unfortunate but it happens
# 10
light487
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light487
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01/08/2008 12:25 pm
Well I have purchased some very nice acoustic guitars recently. Both were amazingly cheap for the quality. One was a Martinez brand parlor-size guitar that I bought for a friend at work so she could give it to her daughter for Christmas. This thing was the little guitar they always had on display underneath the electric guitars. One day months ago I picked it up as I was waiting for Steve (the owner of the store) to come back from serving a customer. I was stunned at how beautiful the sound was. I had tried parlor-sized guitars before and didn't really think much of them.. they never sounded like a proper guitar.. but this.. this resonated exactly like a full size guitar.. beautiful! Anyway.. has a decent electronic tuner built in but is not wired up with a pick-up. Later, when I enquired on the price I was shocked that it was only $119.00 (about $99 USD). It made the perfectly priced gift for that lady's daughter.

The other was a Ashton Music brand classical guitar that I gave my Dad for Christmas. I don't mind classical guitars but having grown so attached to the stratocaster electric guitar feel, it just doesn't interest me. I still know a nice guitar when I hear it though and it had all the 21st century features: 4 band EQ + sweeping mid-range resonance freq knob and of course the pick-up system to go with it. Not only that but it has both a XLR jack and a 1/4 inch jack!! Built into the EQ section is a proper chromatic auto and manual tuner with a proper bypass. And even though the body has a cut-away, it still resonates beautifully as if it was the traditional shape. This was an amazing $199 AUD (which would be about $169 USD)... so cheap.. yet so good. I attached a picture of it.. though it looks awful in this picture.

The moral of these stories is that you can find some very nice guitars for very reasonable prices if you ignore the brands and look at the price tag first. That's what I do.. because there's no point over buying when there is a beautiful guitar sitting right at your feet that just doesn't happen to be a Fender, or an Ibanez or a Gibson..
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# 11
hunter60
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hunter60
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01/08/2008 12:46 pm
My first guitar was a Washburn "House of Blues" special issue. Actually purchased at an electronics retailer. It was being discontinued and I purchased the floor model. It's got a great sound, decent action (for an acoustic) and it remains one of my very favorite guitars. I think I paid like $79.00 for it. One of the best deals I've ever found. :)
[FONT=Tahoma]"All I can do is be me ... whoever that is". Bob Dylan [/FONT]
# 12

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