Eager for music stores to open again!


DavesGuitarJourney
Registered User
Joined: 02/23/20
Posts: 323
DavesGuitarJourney
Registered User
Joined: 02/23/20
Posts: 323
05/23/2020 12:59 am

I am really itching to go into GC and play a bunch of different guitars now. I want to experiment with different sizes and models now that I feel like I will be able to tell what feels good and what doesn't. I have been playing a cheap acoustic since I started learning 7 months ago. I have only really played this one guitar and it was a gift so I had nothing to do with the choice. I have been reading reviews and really want to try a few out, especially a Taylor Academy series. I am still not "good" at playing this thing but at least I feel like I can sit down and play enough to get a feel for it now. If someone in the store gives me the stink-eye because I suck, they can kiss my grouchy old #$&@$#$. I would have been too intimidated to play the guitars in the store 6 months ago.


It takes as long as it takes unless you quit - then it takes forever and you will never get there.

# 1
William MG
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Joined: 03/08/19
Posts: 1,631
William MG
Full Access
Joined: 03/08/19
Posts: 1,631
05/23/2020 1:14 am

Go get em Dave lol.

I miss my haunts as well. Hope you find the right guitar.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 2
mjgodin
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Joined: 11/23/19
Posts: 455
mjgodin
Registered User
Joined: 11/23/19
Posts: 455
05/23/2020 12:30 pm

It's getting closer. I was at my local GC just the other day to get some strings I ordered online and they were taking customers in by appointment. Another store I had bought my recent guitar let me in to play, but a week earlier I had to try them out in the parking lot behind the building which was a weird feeling. I would have waited but my current guitar at the time needed repairs and technicians were back logged for weeks and I didn't want to go that long without playing.

As for being intimidated as a beginner, I understand cause I felt the same way, but I felt good enough in things I had learned to that point that I felt more at ease once I sat down and started playing. Trust me they've heard it all. Just let them know where your abilities are at and what you are looking for and they will point you in the right direction without any attitude and if they do well there are other stores that will take your business. When you go bring a tuner, picks and a capo. I was lucky that the salesman who helped me tuned the guitars I was trying, but bring one just in case if you can. Pretty much all the guitars hangin on the wall will have crappy strings and be way out of tune so bear that in mind when you play them.

Whatever ability your playing is at you should at least know certain things about guitars that will let them know your not too rank of a beginner.

You want to look for solid spruce or mahogany tops. If it's solid all around your in another price point, but at least make sure top is solid wood. Sitka spruce gives a bright tone where mahogany is warmer. Know the difference sizes too like dreadnaught, grand auditorium, concert, things like that. This way they'll at least know you've done some research and that while your playing might indicate your a beginner you at least know what your talking about and not a complete noob to be swayed in any direction. You mentioned Taylor Acadamy Series so your probably in the same budget as I was. Those are great guitars by the way but I just didn't find them visually appealing. Find something you really love the look of and will want to play it everyday.

Good luck and enjoy the process.

Fun side note:

While my salesman was finalizing my purchase he let me try out a Taylor 814. I told him I needed to know what a $2200 acoustic guitar sounded like and he jokingly said you'll know the first chord you make and boy he wasn't kidding. The clarity and fullness of the tone was amazing. Not that what I got was junk, but I've listened to enough acoustics that you develop an ear for it after a while. Will be looking at those in the future, but at over 2 grand I better be able to play like Clapton.

Make sure you take pics and share them with us when you finally get one.

Moe


# 3
DavesGuitarJourney
Registered User
Joined: 02/23/20
Posts: 323
DavesGuitarJourney
Registered User
Joined: 02/23/20
Posts: 323
05/24/2020 3:30 am

Fantastic advice, Moe. Really good points about bringing some knowledge into the conversation. I am probably not going to be a buyer really soon but just itching to try different shapes and sizes, neck profiles, tone woods like you mentioned. Having said that, if I fall in love I will be very motivated to "earn" it. I don't really have enough money in my discretionary fund just yet, and the wife and I agreed that it is not a good idea to buy anything that we don't have in the budget right now, so I will save like a good little boy. 🙂

I will share my experience with you guys.

Dave...

ps. I know what you mean about the Academy not really having much visual appeal. I just want to try one out, and if it really is as easy to play (relatively) as it is touted to be I might like the look better.

pps. Playing in the parking lot sounds a bit surreal!


It takes as long as it takes unless you quit - then it takes forever and you will never get there.

# 4

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