Self taught guitarists(acoustic)

[glitch]

What guitar did you start out with? What should I be looking as far accessories go?
I want hands-on opinions...not some google.com link please, and thank you.

[Number6]

First things first, your choice of guitar will ultimately or should be a function of a variety of factors including the type of music you want to learn/play, how much you want to spend and as odd as it may sound your physical size. Accoustic guitars tend to vary more in physical size than do electrics so both your size and hand size relative to the guitar is an important comfort/playability consideration. I'm 6'4" with large hands but I prefer smaller guitars....my accoustic is a Yamaha APX 7 (electric accoustic with a single cutaway). It's relatively small as accoustics go and is very playable particularly when strung with electric guitar strings. As for price, as a beginner you can get some nice entry level instruments for $200 but make sure you get it at a reputable store i.e. Long & McQuades. As to the type of music you want to play, a good accoustic with properly selected strings can cover a wide range of musical styles blues, jazz, rock, folk, country. I select different guages of strings made from different materials for each instrument to tailor the sound I'm looking for.

Don't be afraid of a used instrument, just make sure you take someone along who plays to have a look at it. Take your time and use your ears. Have the sales person play it as well, if it turns out that the sales person doesn't play ask to speak to one who does. Take your time, there are lots of guitars and lots of stores, there's no need to hurray and maybe make a mistake......this can be something that will give you pleasure for the rest of your life but you need to feel comfortable with the instrument. Oh yah and don't be afraid to consider a nylon stringed guitar, they sound very nice. As for what
my first accoustic was .......lets see that was about 40 years ago........I think it was a Kent. Basicaly a $40 piece of junk that literally made my fingers bleed, not even sure if they make them any more. Have fun.

[MOOGLY]

I started out on a Vantage that was allmost as old as me if not older cost me $200 back in the day and my amp was a stereo my dad had rigged up to take a guitar jack.

When I blew that my mom helped me buy a tiny little peavy amp.

I now play a Les Paul through a Mesa Triple Rectifier and a marshall 4X12. Took me years to find "my set up"

Don't be ashamed to play through crap learning all the way.

To buy great stuff right off the bat is a waste as you do not know if you will really take to it buy cheap come out strong.

My 2 cents.

[Number6]

I now play a Les Paul through a Mesa Triple Rectifier and a marshall 4X12.

Nice rig....very reminicent of Jeff Beck and Clapton in the late 60's. I've got a few other guitars but the matched setup is a Les Paul studio and a Fender Vibrolux Reverb amp. I swapped out the Gibson pickups and replaced them with Seymour Duncan Antiquity humbuckers but had the neck one custom built with the magnet flipped over 180 degrees so it would be magneticly out of phase with the bridge pickup. You actually get a warm ringing sustain by dialing the neck pickup volume down to 8 with the bridge wide open. Check out John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Peter Green and you'll hear the sound it took me 30+ years to find. I read an interview with BB King many many years ago and he said that Peter Green was the only guy that made him sweat when he heard him play..........quite an endorsement. Enjoy your playing.

[T_Totler]

My very first guitar was a Harmony acoustic when I was a kid.

My first electric was a pre CBS Fender Mustang, which I sold back in 1972. I then bought a 1957 "baby blue" Strat that I played for years until I lost interest in playing. I sold it for big bucks as it was all original.

I had that puppy running through a Marshall 100-watt head with 2 x 4/12" enclosures when I played in bands. Sweet sounds :)

[Glen]

My son's first guitar was a Godin. Reasonably priced and not too shabby. He replaced the pickups with Seymor Duncans (SP). He now has an Ibanez with EMG active pickups.

[sargpep]

My first was a Strat copy, then my father saw how much I was playing and bought me a Fender F15 American made, when I was 16 I still have that guitar today.

[Shaker™]

...my first was a Harmony Sovreign...have owned a 1963 Martin D-18 for almost 40 years...

[T_Totler]

...have owned a 1963 Martin D-18 for almost 40 years...
Nice! :bsu:

[Exmortis]

My first guitar was a Takamine. Ahhh the memories. :)

Buy yourself a tuner along with the guitar. You won't have the ear yet to tune it on your own. A capo is fun too for some tune. And buy a stand for your music sheets. I quickly got irritated of looking down at the table everytime. :)

[T_Totler]

Buy yourself a tuner along with the guitar. You won't have the ear yet to tune it on your own.
I've never used a guitar tuner. The best way to tune a guitar is by using harmonics. If you have a perfect, warp-free neck, you get your guitar in perfect tune every time using harmonics.

It's not hard to learn either :)

[Exmortis]

I've never used a guitar tuner. The best way to tune a guitar is by using harmonics.

Sure. Works fine for open E tuning. I do it too. However, try that for songs like "She Talks To Angels" from the Black Crowes and you'll have problems.

[Tim]

I've never used a guitar tuner. The best way to tune a guitar is by using harmonics. If you have a perfect, warp-free neck, you get your guitar in perfect tune every time using harmonics.

It's not hard to learn either :)
If any guitar player walked in without a guitar tuner for a gig, he doesn't get called back. They're a nightmare.

I know one guy is considered a stellar player and plays some high profile gigs. He's one of the few guys who has 'perfect pitch', he can tune without one. He has a tuner in his rack.
;)

[Exmortis]

And get an analog tuner. I never liked the digital ones. :)

[peavyjay]

As you can see from avatar, I play an old 60's harmony, my main axe, and a Kramer as my back-up. I plug into a peavey. My acoustics are a Yamaha and a VERY cheap Citation. My advise is, play with as many people as you can, you will learn more form playing with people than you ever will with lessons.

Cheers

[T_Totler]

My advise is, play with as many people as you can, you will learn more form playing with people than you ever will with lessons.
Excellent advice, especially when you play with accomplished players that are way better than you. I learned more licks and technique from watching and jamming with accomplished guitar players with years of playing experience than with any books I read or lessons I took.

[T_Totler]

If any guitar player walked in without a guitar tuner for a gig, he doesn't get called back. They're a nightmare.

I know one guy is considered a stellar player and plays some high profile gigs. He's one of the few guys who has 'perfect pitch', he can tune without one. He has a tuner in his rack.
;)
Well, I suppose times have changed because when I was playing (in the seventies and eighties), guitar players that needed tuners were considered wimps :d

Then again, the tuners back then were pretty bad. I'm sure the technology is much better today.

On a number of Hendrix's live recordings, you'd often hear him tune his guitar using harmonics in between tunes. He had to after giving his whammy bar such a workout.

[Tim]

Well maybe if you're Jimi Hendix... :)

A guitar player with no tuner live is one who will be 'bong-bonging' in between songs holding things up. Most of the acts I play with, I count in songs often with 5 seconds in between. You better be ready or you're out of tune. Even with breaks in between every few songs, no one wants to hear 'bong bong wa waw waw waw waaaaaa' for 30 seconds. If you don't have a tuner, how are you going to tune? So that's why I advise, get used to a tuner. It'll also assist you in learning what's in tune, and you'll quickly develop an ear for when it's out.

- Great advice to play with others. Single best way to improve.
- A good coach will show you what to practice, and how to practice. You don't nessecarily need to see one once a week all the time, although intensives are good. If you don't like the teacher, find another one.

- play with a metronome. (or drum machine, there's plenty software ones)
did I say, play with a metronome? If I didn't, play with a metronome. As a drummer nothing annoys me more, than a guitar player who has a poor sense of time. And there are many. They usually boast they have a good sense of timing. Something about 'feelin it' or some crap. A metronome will embed time into you, and if you're smart and slow down exersices like real slow (40 on the metronome!), you will actually improve faster. To this day, I use a metronome. I have to use one live for some of my shows with headphones. No one is above using one. Practicng without one is like learning to run in lead workboots.

Did I say use a metronome? :)

I don't know alot about guitars, except for what I observe from band mates etc., and I play at home. I have a cheaper Yamaha acoustic I paid about 200 used for. It sounds great, and a couple times was borrowed for recording. Unless you have cash to spend, you don't need to spend big dollars. Find a couple guitar players who'll help you out here.

[Mouse]

Speaking of self-taught, anyone present catch Don Ross on APTN last night??

Quite a player, even though he chooses to go his own way with original material.

I just wonder what he could do with Little Wing.

[T_Totler]

A guitar player with no tuner live is one who will be 'bong-bonging' in between songs holding things up. Most of the acts I play with, I count in songs often with 5 seconds in between. You better be ready or you're out of tune. Even with breaks in between every few songs, no one wants to hear 'bong bong wa waw waw waw waaaaaa' for 30 seconds. If you don't have a tuner, how are you going to tune? So that's why I advise, get used to a tuner. It'll also assist you in learning what's in tune, and you'll quickly develop an ear for when it's out.
Well, I didn't play professionaly to the extent you do (we played high school dances and the odd bar) and eventhough I had a tuner, I always managed without using it back then. I do agree with you that some players spend an inordinate amount of time tuning between songs and that does interrupt the flow of the show. Staying in tune also depends on your style of play and the strings you use. When I played, I used Fender light gauge strings on my strat, and I always stayed in tune unless I went nuts with the whammy bar or really stretched the top E, B and G strings. Like I said, I haven't played for years and have been totally out of the loop with today's technology.

- Great advice to play with others. Single best way to improve.
- A good coach will show you what to practice, and how to practice. You don't nessecarily need to see one once a week all the time, although intensives are good. If you don't like the teacher, find another one.
I only took lessons at the very beginning when I was about 13-14 years old, because I wanted to learn to read music. I started with a spanish guitar with nylon strings playing classical stuff. By the way, I would highly recommend learning finger picking technique. It really comes in handy and you can do so much more than with just a pick.

- play with a metronome. (or drum machine, there's plenty software ones)
did I say, play with a metronome? If I didn't, play with a metronome. As a drummer nothing annoys me more, than a guitar player who has a poor sense of time. And there are many. They usually boast they have a good sense of timing. Something about 'feelin it' or some crap. A metronome will embed time into you, and if you're smart and slow down exersices like real slow (40 on the metronome!), you will actually improve faster. To this day, I use a metronome. I have to use one live for some of my shows with headphones. No one is above using one. Practicng without one is like learning to run in lead workboots.
Totally agree. When I practiced, I always used one to time my lead solos and a metronome is a must. I've seen a lot of guys play great licks but with bad timing with the rest of the band. Although there are many great examples of guitar players maintaining perfectly timed lead solos, one of the best is Al Dimeola. Jimmy Page's lead solo on Stairway to Heaven is another great example. Too bad he often had difficulty replicating it live though lol.

I don't know alot about guitars, except for what I observe from band mates etc., and I play at home. I have a cheaper Yamaha acoustic I paid about 200 used for. It sounds great, and a couple times was borrowed for recording. Unless you have cash to spend, you don't need to spend big dollars. Find a couple guitar players who'll help you out here.
Yamaha makes great guitars for the price, and they have a wide variety as well.

[glitch]

Ok I think I've found the guitar in the price range I'm willing to pay.
Are there any guitar stores you would recommend in the mississauga area? I want to see if they have it so that I can try it out before I buy it online...unless the store has a good price. But going by what we have have to pay for things usually, I wouldn't be surprised if it's twice the price compared to US based online stores.

It's the Alvarez RD8.

[Number6]

Ok I think I've found the guitar in the price range I'm willing to pay.
Are there any guitar stores you would recommend in the mississauga area? I want to see if they have it so that I can try it out before I buy it online...unless the store has a good price. But going by what we have have to pay for things usually, I wouldn't be surprised if it's twice the price compared to US based online stores.

It's the Alvarez RD8.

Not quite Mississauga but not that far away.......try these:

Long and Mcquade http://www.long-mcquade.com/ I suspect their closest store for you is the one on Bloor which is a good store, Ive bought a couple of guitars there and,

The Guitar Shop in Port Credit http://theguitarshop.ca/ . I've bought a lot of stuff from this store over the past 15 years. Their pricing is as good as Long & McQuade or Steve's.

Be careful with online guitar purchases........it's always best to actually play the instrument before buying it.

[T_Totler]

Long & McQuade gets my vote :)

They've been in business for many many years and really know their stuff.