guitars

[surferchik]

Ok, you may have read my earlier question, but i want to start playing guitar to learn namely Jack Johnson music. I have learnt he plays a Cole Clark FL1AC and FL2AC, but these are much above my price range, being a 17yr old student!

Could someone more knowledgable than me (not hard..) please give me some advice as to what guitars there are out there which are going to allow me to learn Jack Johnson songs but without the cost? What cheaper alternatives are there that still allow quality?

Thanks :) (ps. i am a complete beginner!)

[j2buttonsw]

As you know, you don't need a Cole Clark guitar to play like JJ. The CC guitars are not that expensive since �850 for a new acoustic is not that much (Gibsons and Martins are considerably more). Essentially you want a spruce top non-rosewood dreadnought (that is the size: smaller than a jumbo but bigger than a parlour) acoustic. A solid spruce top certainly makes a difference to the tone and all the best guitars have a solid spruce top. I like the Yamaha guitars and most music shops sell them. For example the Yamaha FG700S is a solid spruce top acoustic and is about �175. Having said that, I wouldn't buy an expensive guitar as you make get bored of trying to learn then give up. I would also not have a cut away unless you are planning soloing above the 14th fret since they spoil the sound (IMO). The best advice is to try some out and buy the one you like and endeavour to buy the guitar not the name. If you are near Stevenage then go to Coda music whole have a whole heap of guitars. A good luck, stick at it there is a whole lifetime of stuff to be learnt on it.

[AndrewHunt]

Go shopping dude. Try a whole bunch and pick one that is within your budget and feels and sounds good to you.

You can get Acoustics for under �100 but the more you pay the better the guitar, obviously.

[Octavius]

If you are just strting out I wouldn't spend more than �100 for your starter guitar. Just pop along to the music shop and try out a few to see if they fit with you (size, shape, width of fret board etc) you just need a simple acoustic to start out and get a Capo for Jack Johnson songs + many others. Learn some basic chord shapes and away you go. Tab & chord resources throughout the net for chords to songs and some of them you will need to use a capo to 'tune up' to the key of the song. Once you get good and you realise this is for you, then you can look at upgrading your guitar.

JackJohnson

Good luck.

[keeker33]

I,ve played guitar for over forty years. If you can get one that makes you sound like Jack johnson then could you let me know where..!!

[surferchik]

Thanks everyone! i guess I'll start trying out acoustics �100 or less to see what they are like. As for sounding lik JJ.. i dont want to sound like him i just want to be able to play his songs! But yes I'll let you kno how it goes ; ) !!