Need to find a good instructional book...

I am a beginner myself so I can't speak with any authority but I found that books with accompaning DVDs or videos really help alot. You can then actually see and hear whats suppose to be done.
Hal Leonard books have been a help.

I brought home pretty much everything that my local library had on the Guitar, and I can honestly say that none of the books really compare in usefulness to the Beginner Lessons here in GN.

David Hodge rocks this world, and somebody should create a Nobel Prize especially for him.

Go through a few GN lessons first - not only will you be more motivated (it's interactive, after all!), but you'll be better prepared to choose books, since you'll actually understand what you're looking at when you flip through them in the bookshop.

You should invest on a good Theory book. Even though GN has many theory lessons, it's always good to have a reference book at hand - especially for those moments when you're not online. ;)

Yeah, GN should seriously come out with a book or somthing.

If you are looking for a CD to go with the lessons here. You can get the GN CD.

This a Quote from that page.
This CD-ROM has almost everything that has ever gone up on this site: more than 350 lessons, all the MP3s, charts, TABS and notation.

I've found the Skeptical Guitarist series to be very helpful. I played for about a year or so 30 years ago. I remembered the basic opens chords and some notes, but I really wanted to start over. I tried the Mel Bay Method Book and I think it's good for learning where the notes are, but it has old, non-copywrited songs, so younger guitarists get bored fairly quickly.

I then found the Skeptical Guitarist series. Bruce Emery writes in simple, but sometimes amusing language. He gets you playing some easy open chords to songs you've heard. He eventually adds the single strings/notes, so you eventually learn it all. I felt like I was making more progress with the Skeptical Guitarist series, although in the end, they both get you to about the same place. The key is practice daily, even if you can only get in 15 minutes. Some practice is better than no practice and 15 minutes four times a week is better than an hour once a week. Eventually, certain things start to settle in and click.

Here's a link to the Skeptical Guitarist's web site:

http://www.skepticalguitarist.com/

I have all but the Blues and Jazz book and I intend to get it when I get through the others. As a beginner, I'd start with Guitar from Scratch and Guitar from Scratch, The Sequel. If you want to learn some theory, try both Music Principles volumes. There is some overlap with the GFS series but there is more detail in the MP series. Of course, Noteboat hear on GN has a great book: Music Theory for Guitarists, that I also recommend.

P.S. I have no affiliation with anything recommended here. I just think the Skeptical Guitarist series is very good for self-taught beginners. As for the need for videos, frankly, I think they just get in the way at first. You spend too much time reaching for the remote and rewinding, banging your headstock against the coffee table, etc. I like watching how more advanced players play and finger certain passages, but for the beginning stuff, I think it's overkill. Good luck!

I would suggest trying the eMedia CD series. The good part is that the lessons are all small, easily digestible pieces that are accompanied by sound files (many at both normal and slow speed). I wrote a review that can be found here:

eMedia Review

Thanks for all the replies you guys. Your advice has been really helpful. I agree that the MF lessons are great, but I would like another book to go along with that so I don't have to run over to the computer ever 10 minutes while trying to do a lesson.

Thanks for the suggestions Jim, I'll check out some of those books and see how they work.

Go to http://www.guitarforbeginners.com !!!!!!!! You can watch the video of the guy playing the tune/chords. Its got a new lesson every week! Iy's free!!!!!!!!!

i just checked out http://www.guitarforbeginners.com and i think im gonna follow there lessons. Very Nice thanks Terminator

Theory book-Basic Elements of music theory for guitar by Aron shearer or sumthing like that.

Sight reading book-I find that the entire berklee line of books are very effective for learning to sight read and read music in general.

repetoire book-Find an artist that tickles your fancy and buy on of their music books. MAKE SURE IT HAS TAB AND SHEET MUSIC!

A book I think every guitarist should have just for reference is the guitar grimoire scales and modes.

And thats all u should ever really need i think, until u find a teacher of course, and he can tell u what he thinks are good books.