what is the best guitar for a beginner thats not very rich?

OKAY, people. I'm sure by this time, our "lady friend" has probably already bought a guitar, so this is probably useless. But I need to talk about some issues you all have created.

First, I'd like to say that you all had some pretty nice ideas and I support you all with your ideas behind them.

But I must contest. YOU NEED A CHEAP, PIECE OF CRAP ACOUSTIC GUITAR!!!!!!!! Now, lemme explain.

Learning on an acoustic guitar is the best way to learn for MANY of reasons. You get better caluses(however you spell that) on your fingers, you get a feel for the guitar, you are pretty much stuck with simple things at first to play anyway. When, or if, you get an electric guitar...you will sound GODLY! I am dead serious. It is such a huge skip in difficulty. Then, if you play with distortion, when you throw that on(and master it) you will become a rather excellent guitarist.

And WHY should it be cheap?

That's EASY! If you can play a cheap guitar and make it sound good...you can make a big, fancy, expensive guitar sound nearly perfect. The slick neck, smooth distortion, reverb effects, good pick-ups, and everything else that you get out of new equipment will make you in awe of how good you can actually sound.

At least, that is what my experience is. I started on a 36" Lauren acoustic guitar(some off-brand). I couldn't play a damn thing. I started with simple, one-note songs 'til my fingers got accustomed to the thing. I then purchased a Silvertone off-brand Stratocaster and a Peavey Rage 158 amp. The amp had incredible distortion. My equipment sucked(but I didn't know that). Now that I have decent equipment(still can't afford that good stuff) I sound about 16,000 times better than I did 4 years ago when I started. I dunno. Maybe I'm just an idiot...but that's my advice. Hasta lasagna,

I agree with a lot of the points that you (TimE) make about starting with an acoustic over an electric, but some of the 'cheap' guitars have gotten so poor in quality that trying to make them sound good would be nearly impossible. I've seen brand new guitars with warped necks, new guitars that would not stay in tune, new acoustic guitars which were coming apart at the seams internally, etc... I just think if it is a matter of saving $100.00, you are better off putting out the extra money to get something of decent quality that can be played and that you will want to play.

The other thing that comes into play is that some people have small hands and a big bulky acoustic would be very difficult for them as a starter guitar until they built up some strength and dexterity in their hands. But I agree that if you are a beginner, you should practice without any effects, reverb, etc... because it forces the player to make the instrument sound good on its own.

I would recommend getting a crappy nylon acoustic if you're just starting off. Then just go from there, if you hate it you won't have wasted hundreds of dollars on an eletric.

IBANEZ RG 270 XL.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

I just bought my first guitar last year (US$180). A used Yamaha steel string accoustic.
It had better tone than the cheaper new guitars. The only disadvantage to it is its hard for me to get good bends.
And there isn't a cut-out making "Summer Time" very difficult.
But if I ever get an electric my finger strength will be spot on. Besides the only thing worse than a bad guitar player, is an amplified bad guitar player. :-)

In summary, a good-ish used accoustic is great to learn on.
IMHO

...Besides the only thing worse than a bad guitar player, is an amplified bad guitar player. :-) [/B]

[i]Exactly!

Originally posted by Lordathestrings

...Besides the only thing worse than a bad guitar player, is an amplified bad guitar player. :-)

[i]Exactly! [/B]

Three words:
Bad Bag Piper.

Try a fender squire. I picked one up third hand for £80 and it is amazing, try to get one with a humbucker in the bridge position if you like rock and new metal, if you don't then stick with a single coil. I have upgraded mine a bit and it still sounds great.

The person with the acoustic Yamaha is right on! Especially about the bad distorted guitar player. I have heard so many....let's not get into that. I just wanted to say that I like the person's signature that reads "Have axe, Will travel" That is one of the funniest things I've seen. Hasta lasagna,