Guitar Pricing

[sp1814]

I'm about to start learning the guitar, and am looking for a decent instrument for a beginner to learn on.

How much is a reasonable amount to pay?

Looking for an acoustic guitar, not electric.

[wolf63]

sp - can you read music? I thought about getting a guitar to play with but I have never mastered the art of reading music and at 52 I don't think it will be easy to learn.

[AB Editor]

A few hundred quid will get you a nice enough guitar...

... although it looks like prices have come down somewhat since I went shopping...

Have you tried any at all? Different neck shapes feel different.

Also, do you have a particular style of guitar you want to play? I.e. do you want to play classical "spanish" guitar (where you would have very high strings), or more pop stuff (where you would have less), or slide (where you'll need a bottle of beer to make the twangy noise!).

I like crafter guitars, because they tend to have wide shallow neck shapes (a D rather than a C) with lower string travel from the fretboard.

Epiphone and Squier are the budget version of Gibson and Fender, consider what you'd like at the top end, and then work your way down.

[AB Editor]

Hi Wolf - there's a big community of non-reading guitar players out there who put together "tabs" which tell you where to stick your fingers. Give it a bash!

[AB Editor]

This looks fun to me: http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/acoustic_guitars_detail.asp?stock=13010410271658

and I know a lot of people who started with something like this happily:

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/acoustic_guitars_detail.asp?stock=12081410385331

[Svejk]

Dave Gilmour can't read music.

[AB Editor]

I should answer the question really....

"How much is a reasonable amount to pay?"

As much as you're willing :)

[michaelmph]

You don't need to be able to read music to play the guitar. I've been playing over 50 years and can't read music. Not sure Eric Clapton can! You should be able to pick up a good second-hand Epiphone or Fender acoustic for a hundred or so, though I'm somewhat out of date on prices.

[tamborine]

Here is a beginners reasonably priced till you learn more. There are lessons on Youtube & song lyrics with chords on web. Good luck

http://tinyurl.com/hwsxc2z

[jomifl]

Nylon strings are easier on the fingers for a beginner, but you cannot retrofit steel strings on a guitar intended for nylon strings as it will break.
A solid top (spruce or cedar) will sound better, you can get a guitar built with these for about £150.

I would suggest a modestly priced spanish guitar for starters. If the bug gets you you may want to get another style of guitar. You don't need to be able to read music, once you have learned some chords and strumming /finger picking techniques your ear will develop so that you can play accompaniments and solos by ear.

[jomifl]

Cheap guitars will sound dull with a poor bass and short lasting high notes. They will also have cheap tuners and usually do not stay in tune.

[cupid04]

An air guitar would by far be the cheapest...

[sp1814]

Thanks everyone...lots of interesting links to go through.

wolf63...no I can't read music, but I can read chord tabs...that's as 'hardcore' as I need to get at this point. I had a guitar bought for me for my birthday a few years ago, and last week I picked it up to start practicing again...and broke it.

That's where I am right now!

[retrocop]

You can get guitars quite cheap in most places nowadays. No strings attached.

[sp1814]

Thanks retrocop.

[sp1814]

tambourine

Those are way cheaper than I was expecting.

[melv16]

I bought a tanglewood acoustic many years ago. It's still in fine fettle, with no warping of the body or twisting of the neck, which you'll find with cheaper guitars.
Google Justin Sandicoe for on line lessons.

[bazwillrun]

"I would suggest a modestly priced spanish guitar for starters."

ive been playing 40 years and teaching for around 25 of them, and that is possibly the worst advice i've ever seen...

[Svejk]

What would you recommend, then, baz?

[Gromit]

My mate bought this for £100 before Christmas.

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/acoustic_guitars/fender/cd-60/index.html

It sounds terrible, but I don't think that is the guitar.