Rob
01-14-2007, 12:06 AM
Folks,
If you don't know me, you're new. If you hate me, you're old. Doesn't matter, I wanted to throw this back for all of the beginner guitar posts I've seen here.
As the "old" timers will know, I've always recommended that a prospective guitar buyer goes to the store and plays everything in their price range, as well as having the guitar played for them to get an idea of the projected sound. I still feel that's good advice and wouldn't recommend bypassing those steps in favor of "so and so plays one" or "so and so says it's awesome!"
That said, I've been in the market for a beater. The last instrument that served that purpose was given away for a good cause, and I needed a replacement to save my more expensive guitars from the trials associated with a student learning a new style and method.
As a beginner, nothing is more frustrating than fighting the instrument. Most of us learned on cheap, mass-produced pieces of trash. I'm a firm believer that if you start two aspiring guitarists with the same musical potential guitars from different "tiers," (say, a D-28 or 714 to one and a Rogue eBay special to the other), the player with the higher level instrument will develop faster. It's much simpler to learn when you don't have to combat a difficult instrument (especially if you assume it's your level that's the problem, since you're new). However, few are willing to shell out a few grand on an instrument without any knowledge of how they'll do with it long-germ, so we landed with entry-level Fenders, Alvarezes, and Yamahas. The lucky ones end up with something like a Seagull.
My search of several guitar shops bore fruit today in a Takamine EG544sc. This might be one of those perfect beginner guitars.
Let's face it, most beginners aren't concerned about the perfect unplugged sound. That suits this Tak perfectly- "shoebox with strings" would be an understatement. The low E on this thing puts out less bass than Justin Timberlake after a kick in the ballbag. However, the action and playability of this guitar is unparalleled at this price point (I picked this up for $350). If you're looking to learn, this isn't something you must fight to fret, sound, or prevent buzzing. If I had one of these at the beginning rather than the crappy Alvarez I started with, I'd be a far better player today. Top it off with a built-in (and accurate) chromatic tuner, and this thing is a beginner's wet dream. The plugged-in sound won't have people running for the hills, either.
So, as promised, I'll slink back into the shadows again, but hopefully I've typed something worth reading to somebody. Best of luck.
If you don't know me, you're new. If you hate me, you're old. Doesn't matter, I wanted to throw this back for all of the beginner guitar posts I've seen here.
As the "old" timers will know, I've always recommended that a prospective guitar buyer goes to the store and plays everything in their price range, as well as having the guitar played for them to get an idea of the projected sound. I still feel that's good advice and wouldn't recommend bypassing those steps in favor of "so and so plays one" or "so and so says it's awesome!"
That said, I've been in the market for a beater. The last instrument that served that purpose was given away for a good cause, and I needed a replacement to save my more expensive guitars from the trials associated with a student learning a new style and method.
As a beginner, nothing is more frustrating than fighting the instrument. Most of us learned on cheap, mass-produced pieces of trash. I'm a firm believer that if you start two aspiring guitarists with the same musical potential guitars from different "tiers," (say, a D-28 or 714 to one and a Rogue eBay special to the other), the player with the higher level instrument will develop faster. It's much simpler to learn when you don't have to combat a difficult instrument (especially if you assume it's your level that's the problem, since you're new). However, few are willing to shell out a few grand on an instrument without any knowledge of how they'll do with it long-germ, so we landed with entry-level Fenders, Alvarezes, and Yamahas. The lucky ones end up with something like a Seagull.
My search of several guitar shops bore fruit today in a Takamine EG544sc. This might be one of those perfect beginner guitars.
Let's face it, most beginners aren't concerned about the perfect unplugged sound. That suits this Tak perfectly- "shoebox with strings" would be an understatement. The low E on this thing puts out less bass than Justin Timberlake after a kick in the ballbag. However, the action and playability of this guitar is unparalleled at this price point (I picked this up for $350). If you're looking to learn, this isn't something you must fight to fret, sound, or prevent buzzing. If I had one of these at the beginning rather than the crappy Alvarez I started with, I'd be a far better player today. Top it off with a built-in (and accurate) chromatic tuner, and this thing is a beginner's wet dream. The plugged-in sound won't have people running for the hills, either.
So, as promised, I'll slink back into the shadows again, but hopefully I've typed something worth reading to somebody. Best of luck.