Advice from experienced guitar players needed.

[hittman]

Being retired and having the time and money to spend, I’m thinking about an entry level acoustic guitar and some lessons.

There must be a thousand or more guitar brands and styles on the market. My small town only has 1 guitar / music store. They sell Teton brand that have some pretty good reviews on line. Seems this brand has some “entry level” units which is ( I think ) the direction I should go. Nothing used in stock, only 1 left hand model and I am left handed.

Store owner recommended I learn to play LEFTY. Says maybe trying to learn RIGHT handed be nothing more than another obstacle to overcome. He does 30 minute lessons for $20.00.

Ok, let me have it! Your comments and suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.

 

[nrobe50]

Good luck. Also started trying to learn guitar upon retirement. I did figure out that I will never be able to play well bu.t I can entertain my cat and myself. Should have started when I was young. Don't know what your guitar budget is but if there is room, I would go online and buy a low end Martin for around 700 bucks. I now have 3 guitars from a couple of cheap clunkers to a Martin HD28. You only have to please yourself. good luck and happy picking.

 

[A.J.]

I'm a long-time drummer. I'm proud to say I haven't touched a guitar in decades! That said, here's some advice:

I'm 59 and have been playing since I was 19. I'm OK, but not really that good, just OK. It really doesn't matter. I absolutely LOVE playing drums in a band and will do it till the day I die. All my equipment is beautiful, top-of-the-line, professional stuff with all the cases, hardware, cymbals and accessories. I still love playing drums, love being on stage and love practicing with a band. A band is a family.

My advice: Buy online! I haven't darkened the door of a music store in DECADES. I just bought a BEAUTIFUL, brand new, Pearl Music City Custom bass drum off of Ebay, brand new for 1/3 of the cost if it were new. Even if you buy stuff brand new, off the shelf online, you're still WAY ahead of any brick and mortar store. And... you don't have to deal with the people who sometimes aren't that pleasant. Online is the way to go.

I learned 100% on my own and I'm still learning. That's half the fun: learning new stuff. Don't ever pay for lessons. Just buy a really nice guitar, like an American made Fender strat, a top-of-the-line amplifier, a bunch of pedals, and start figuring stuff out on your own.

I'm about to sink 12-15K into a "practice barn" on my property. It's probably gonna be another year before it comes to fruition, but it serves as a testimony to music. It causes a 59 year old "codger" to want to sink a ton of money into a structure just to flail away on his drums? Yeah.... That's what it's all about. Guilty as charged.

In Summary: Buy a really nice guitar and amp. Get a guitar in a beautiful color; the one you've always loved. Get a cool amp. Get all sorts of ridiculous effects pedals (that never seem to work for you clowns). Learn to play by strumming along to songs. Join a band of similarly affected gentlemen. Have fun.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

I agree with nrobe50. Go buy a decent guitar. I’ve owned Martin and Ovation. There are a few others, mostly Martin look alikes. It’s the old saying you get what you pay for. You get better tone, better neck and better frets at the right level. They tune better, just generally easier to play. Decide you like old country music, get some books with the keys shown and go for it.

I haven’t played in years but I used to be pretty good. Not great, never really had the ear, having the ear is what determines how good you will ultimately be.

I got lucky and met the guy that took care of Lyle Lovettes guitars and had him work over my Martin D 35. Good as it was and most people thought it was good, he made it amazing.

 

[krw]

What Gilmore, Felder, Lifeson can do with a guitar is amazing. Ifn I were younger I would give playin a guitar a whirl. Its hard to driving down the road when the solo on ‘Comfortably Numb’ plays and not play air guitar too!!

 

[peachhead]

So far the best guitar for the money I've found is a Mexican Martin (the DX series, solid top and laminate sides). It ain't a D28 but it didn't cost me an arm and a leg either. Sounds very good and works well for me. I wouldn't hesitate to play it out somewhere, it's a/e so it has a jack, sounds good with or without an amp. I don't know what they go for now. It sounds better and plays better than most any other inexpensive guitar I've ever played. Just my .02.

 

[RC44Mag]

Just my personal opinion as a total duffer on guitar and a southpaw as well. Being left handed has had challenges in our lives which we have overcome because it’s a right handed world, ie, using scissors in 2nd grade. We overcome and adapt. I learned to golf righty because those were the older clubs we had from dad and grandpa. I couldn’t pick up a lefty club today and hit a ball straight to save my life. Some are ambidextrous but not me, for most things.

Thing with guitar in my opinion, we’re usually more dexterous with paw we do most things with, our left. Im also a duffer on guitar but find using my left hand for chords and bending notes or anything on the neck I’m much more comfortable and natural using my more sensitive hand. The right is relegated for the easier job, strumming and picking. That’s my take on it.
There are a good number of left handed virtuoso axe guys who a lefty to play right handed Including Duane Allman, Mark Knoffler, Johnny Winter to name a couple. Pretty good company.

saw this online. You might want to check it out.

 

[Kevin]

I have wanted to learn to play the guitar also. I too am left handed. But without any training, wouldn’t it be just as quick to learn to play right handed? Even quicker because you strum with your right hand and the left hand does more of the finger work, correct?

Have you looked at pawn shops for a decent guitar? We have two acoustic guitars and one electric here at home. They aren’t fancy, but the electric is a cheaper model Fender. It’s my daughter’s, as she wanted to switch from violin a few years ago.

$20 for 30 minute lessons seems about average for what it costs here in Dallas. I bet the teacher would have a loaner just to get started. Let you figure out what to get and all.

Good luck!

 

[gunzo]

My potential instructor told me NOT to buy a cheap(poorly made guitar) as one out of spec would only slow the learning process. Incorrect bridge heights, random fret heights, twisted or bowed necks hinder the best players, a new player doesn't need the added frustration.

 

[hittman]

I have a friend in another state who’s made his living playing guitar for the past 30 years. He also suggested I play LEFT handed. So now my trusted friend with experience, the music store owner and the teacher all say LEFT. I’ll go with their thoughts at least for now. If I struggle more than some, store owner has RIGHT guitars I can play for free during the lessons.

Store owner said he doesn’t care where I get the guitar and I can still get lessons there. Sounds like a stand up guy to me and leaned me to buying the guitar from him ( locally ) too.

Thanks for all the input so far, I appreciate it. We’ll see where this goes.

In my 30s I took golf lessons. Instructor said I’d have more power if I’d golf RIGHT handed. I’m so dominate LEFT that I never could get my hips to move in the right ( proper ) direction on the backswing. Even that instructor told me to give it up and continue LEFT.

 

[hittman]

Oh, and that was a great video, thank you.
I’m very LEFT according to that.

 

[Kevin]

My potential instructor told me NOT to buy a chear(poorly made guitar) as one out of spec would only slow the learning process. Incorrect bridge heights, random fret heights, twisted or bowed necks hinder the best players, a new player doesn't need the added frustration.

I agree with this. With anything, the cheap introductory model often times has limited features and it’s a struggle to get it working correctly.

Think about a red dot for a pistol. A good red dot will hold zero, the cheap model won’t (usually). So if you start out cheap, the shooter will struggle to get good accuracy.

 

[arcticruger]

Good for you, you are never too old to learn to play guitar. Personally I would start with an inexpensive Yamaha. Either with the dread size FG800 or their concert Yamaha size FS800. The FG series is equivalent to a dreadnought in size and the FS series is on par with a 000 size. These guitars are great solid beginner guitars with a solid Sitka spruce top. Either of these will run you $200-225. Personally I recommend the FG/FS 820 for a couple bucks more. Most Important thing on any new guitar is to take it to Luthier and have it properly set up. I have both of those guitars and that’s what I recommend the Yamaha to my wife’s beginner students.

If you find that the guitar is for you, you can’t go wrong with the Martin. I’d start with their Standard series line. I have a D-35 and a 000-18 and they are keepers. Their are many other find brands out their once you start playing and you start coming into your own, you will figure out what you want to make YOUR sound.

Oh, and learn right handed, that way you can pickup most any guitar anywhere and play it, either to try it for potential purchase or just to play it.

Btw, be very carful with the guitars, they are every bit as addictive as guns!

 

[Dave P.]

Are you related to Joe?

 

[arcticruger]

No, is Joe a member here?

 

[Dave P.]

No, is Joe a member here?

Sorry, I was just reading something about Joe Bonamasso who has over 400 guitars and about that many amps in his personal collection.
Seeing your collection pictures sparked my comment.

 

[arcticruger]

Sorry, I was just reading something about Joe Bonamasso who has over 400 guitars and about that many amps in his personal collection.
Seeing your collection pictures sparked my comment.

Ahh… lol

 

[hittman]

I’m so green on guitars and music some of the terms y’all use are like a foreign language!

Just got home from my first 30 minute lesson. That’ll make a fella in his 60s feel really stupid. My teacher is younger than my kids. Has his masters in music theory and he said don’t sweat that ….. we just gonna learn how to play guitar. Says he prefers numbers over letters.

My fingers were a little tender on the way home. Whole new position of hands and fingers to learn. Have a couple fingernails I need to trim for sure.

 

[Fox Mike]

I wouldn't classify myself an expert but have been making noise with a guitar since highschool. First don't expect Les Paul results after a few weeks playing. I have a 6 string and a 12:string acoustic. Not into the electric/amplifier route. Both my instruments are Yamaha. Both have good sound. I tune down for little softer tone but all in all I can't complain about the sound and cost. One thing I try to do daily is play a minimum of 15 minutes straight. Keeps the calluses tough on the fingers.

 

[Cholo]

Is he going to teach you to read music, just strum, or both? I wish I'd have learned how to read music because it all would have made sense rather than me just figuring it out on the bass guitar. All I could do was memorize finger positions. I still have a Fender Jazz bass, but don't mess with it much anymore.

If you set your mind to it, you'll do it!

 

[hittman]

Is he going to teach you to read music, just strum, or both?

I asked him that in the first few minutes. He says either or both, my choice. Since I did play trumpet in high school he figures maybe a refresher on music reading not be as tough as I think. He says for now, let’s work on a couple chords, finger positions and repetition.

 

[Cholo]

You're making me reconsider selling my bass. What would it hurt for me to take professional lessons and learn the right way to what I've been doing wrong? I hope you make this a continuing thread regarding your guitar choice and progress

My Fender Jazz bass. It's Made in Mexico, not the USA.

 

[hittman]

Too bad that bass is “wrong handed”

 

[Cholo]

Maybe that's been my problem. I took the above test and when I clapped both hands I clapped my left hand into my right Maybe all these years I've swung both ways. I know I do a lot with my left hand others do with their right. I just never knew it could have doubled my chances for a date on a Saturday night

 

[BBarn]

I didn't learn much guitar until somewhat later in life. It requires dedication to get much beyond beginner level. I started with a cheap guitar that didn't sound very good, and neither did I. It wasn't until I purchased a nice guitar with a good sound that I was truly motivated. Then I chose a simple song that I really wanted to learn to play and got to work. Many years later my playing remains only intermediate, but I can play a few songs.

I'm not sure what to suggest as far as left or right. Coordination and new muscle training is required with either, and it will likely feel awkward either way. I do know that the selection of left hand guitars is very limiting.

 

[protoolman]

Surprised no one mentioned Gibson guitars. What do all of you think of those?

 

[A.J.]

Back when I was 19 years old, I bought a guitar and amp. I tried real hard to learn it, but it never clicked. I sold it after a few months, bought a set of drums and never looked back.

 

[hittman]

My teacher recommended the You Tube channel “Marty Music”. I just watched his “Beginner Lesson 1” 16 minute video. Lots of practice to follow.

 

[hittman]

I’ve bought a brand nobody here mentioned yet. Teton Guitars. Sold at this locally owned store which is important to me in our small town. This company only been around since 2010 according to their web site. Made in Idaho Falls, ID. And contrary to many here, I got the left hand model.

I sit in a chair, the teacher ( right handed ) sits on a stool facing me. Super easy to catch what he’s doing. I just mirror his hand and finger movement. This is the model I now have, along with a nice soft case.

https://tetonguitars.com/sts105nt-l/
My lessons are Thursdays at 4. Maybe Cholo is right about keeping the thread going ….. reporting here be incentive to keep practicing and keep going to the lessons.

 

[Cholo]

Yes for keeping it going!