Guitar for a newbie?

Firstly, welcome to GN.

I can't comment on any of the guitars you mentioned as I have no experience of them. What I will say though is visit your local music store(s) and talk to them. Tell them what you have in mind and try them out if you can. Let them suggest different guitars to you - things that you wouldn't necessarily have thought of - and try those. Something will leap out at you and it may not necessarily be what you first had in mind. Remember its not just about how a guitar looks but how comfortable you are with it and how playable it is for you.

When I bought my guitar I went into the shop with the sole intention of walking out with a specific model. After talking to the salesman he talked me into trying out a number of different guitars in my price range and I realised that the guitar I went in for did not feel right for me. I walked out with something I would never have thought of trying and I don't regret the decision. IMO I got a guitar which is more suited to me and than the one I had been lusting after. It just felt right straight away.

HTH

8)

Welcome!

I agree with Chuckster - but it's difficult to decide until you can play something, anything. At the very least though, just hold the guitar and strum the strings a few times to make sure it's not uncomfortable to hold (ie, I can't stand really thick acoustics, I can't hold my arm over the front of it comfortably so I've got a shallow one which fits like a glove). Don't worry about the sound when you're doing that - ask them to play something on a few afterwards, that's when you pay attention to the sounds.

Don't be too taken in by the 'more expensive = better' rule either - it's true in the bigger picture, but within each price bracket there can be huge variation.

I have an Ibanez electric/acoustic and I love it.

Thanks a lot guys. Yea, I think I will try holding it and see how it fits me but I can't play anyting so I guess I'll have to ask the salesman or get a friend to come with me. :D

Back with about a partial year under my belt, I wanted an accoustic. I ended up having the salesman play for me until I found the sound I was looking for. I coudln't have picked it up myself and gotten the same thing at that point with my limited playing skill.

I've played a few Ashton acoustics and they are excellent guitars for the price...
Never played them plugged in though so don't know about the pre's or pickups..

I also have a F310 and like it aswell.. (it's quite a bit cheaper too but no electronics)

Peace

J

Is that the Yamaha F310? I am also considering that one but I will definitely see how they sound first. I don't mind that much if it doesn't have electronics.

Don't fret much about the electronics as you are just starting out.

You first have to learn and then plug it in (to make the world hear you).So without all those hassles of plugging in etc, a simple acoustic with a decent action and tone is a good buy.

I have heard the Yamaha F-310 and it is one great sound git.(for the price)

Is that the Yamaha F310? I am also considering that one but I will definitely see how they sound first. I don't mind that much if it doesn't have electronics.

Yeah mate, the Yamaha F310... It's only a basic guitar (laminated top) but it sounds good, plays well (with a proper setup of course) and is almost unbeatable for the price.. Did i mention very cheap? :wink:

I've also heard that the F310 has a thiner neck which would do me good because I have small hands.

I've also heard that the F310 has a thiner neck which would do me good because I have small hands.
It's not exceptionally thin, but even with smaller hands you shouldn't have a problem.

I bought an acoustic/electric for $200. It's a brand called Renaissance. Having a pickup makes recording A LOT easier. And you don't have to plug it in to be heard, it has a sound hole like any other acoustic guitar.

Going a bit of topic here......but......what exactly is a pickup? :oops:

Sorry - you really begged for it, didn't you

A pickup is something that transform the oscilation of the strings to an electrical signal that can be amplified - or someting like that - the easy way: they make your guitar an electrical guitar.

Basically you have two types of pickup - on accoustics you often have a 'piezo' pickup that picks up the vibration from the string through the saddle. These ones you won't notice except from a input jack somewhere on the guitar. Alternatively solid body guitars have pick ups that pick up the magnetism from steel strings - you see them beneath the strings where you strum. Then you have various types of pick up with distinct sounds etc. ...

This is probably nothing more than roughly right, but you get the draft don't you?

lars