Electric Guitar

pavey

Likes Dirt
yeah if thats an option i totally agree i would be ten time better than i am if i did that at the start.

but if that isnt an option then it will be a long but fun time.
Yeah I take lessons, have for three years but if I was paying then I wouldn't be having them... If hes got the money then he should go for it but there pretty damn expensive, my parents pay $18 for half hour lessons every week.

Also this hasn't been mentioned yet, learn to alternate pick!!! once you master it things become so much easier. If you learn it now believe me everything will be easier, it's unbelievable how hard it is to change something as big as your picking a year down the track.
Which brings me to bad habits... If you feel your doing something wrong then don't leave it another minute. Get onto a guitar forum, www.ultimate-guitar.com is a good start and explain what it is you think you might be doing wrong, bad playing habits can haunt you for ages if you don't pick up on them straight away!
 

Customjimmy

Likes Dirt
$200 squier strat?

Did I read that correctly? Stop looking. Even the Mexican or Korean ones are great value at that money.

As far as lessons go, they aren't essential but can save you time. If money's an issue, get a lesson every couple of months and spend the rest of the time practising. Go to book exchanges and get yourself a bundle of old guitar mags, they'll be full of handy lessons (and a lot of bullshit) and will probably have accurate tabs for some songs you know. Practise is more important than anything else.
 

NoFearNick7

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I'm thinking of starting to learn the electric guitar.

I'm almost 17, is it too late to learn from scratch?

Lessons aren't really an option, can't afford them and don't have time for them. Can I teach myself? Any books? Websites?

Whats a price for a half decent but not bank breaking electric guitar and amp? New? Second hand?
I've been playing bass since I was 12 and I started acoustic guitar when I was 15, if thats any insight for you. I really reccomend getting a teacher, no book/magazine/dvd can give you the training or tell you what your doing wrong.

You can get cheap combos for begininers that start at $500 for a guitar and an amp, but thats entry quality. You can expect to pay $500+ for a second hand guitar and $200+ for a fairly decent amp.

Seriously don't try teach yourself, my mate tried and I learnt 10x quicker than him with a teacher, unless you have way too much time on your hands, not getting lessons isn't an option.

Regards, Nick
 

|Matt|

Banned
Did I read that correctly? Stop looking. Even the Mexican or Korean ones are great value at that money.
Do you mean I should buy the Squire?

Thanks for the input everyone, oh and Liam I know it will take a long time to learn anything from Avenged Sevenfold, have you heard the solo for M.I.A or I won't see you tonight part 2!?

I guess I'll try and get lessons, if only once a month. I'm still wondering whether I should buy it or not, I'm currently in the middle of buying a new bike too.
 

Customjimmy

Likes Dirt
Do you mean I should buy the Squire?

QUOTE]

Yeah, assuming there's no major damage or missing bits, you won't get a better deal anyplace. It's an ideal learner guitar I reckon. Spend another 50 and get it set up properly at a reputable music store with new strings and you're away.
 

Randy Rhoads

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Did I read that correctly? Stop looking. Even the Mexican or Korean ones are great value at that money.

You can get them for like $200 new or $250 in a amp and guitar with accessories package.:confused:

I say get a Yamaha Pacifica. They are a nice guitar for their price (~$350) and dont sound too bad. You can keep it for ages too unlike a crap $170 guitar that you realize sucks after about half a year when its falling apart.

Anyway, I suggest getting a LEAST 10 lessons. That about a term. You will learn all the basic stuff and not start off with a crap technique and so on. You can then know some basic stuff to start teaching yourself. There are also some really good programs you can get off eBay for like $15. I don't know if the beginner ones are as good as the more advanced ones but if they are similar they are easy worth $10. Oh, and dont bother learning note until you really want to get into it. Its mega boring to start of with learning the notes.
 

Customjimmy

Likes Dirt
You can get them for like $200 new or $250 in a amp and guitar with accessories package.:confused:

QUOTE]


Duly noted. They were over 500 bucks (and worth it) when I last looked (probably 10 years ago) and I didn't realise they had extended the lower end of the range. Apologies. Guess I stopped taking notice when I got my Les Paul Custom:D. Didn't mean to mislead.
 

andrew_o

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Well i started last year and I have learnt a lot since then, So hell no you are not too old, and I was 15 last year. Well lessions is the best way to learn your basics such as fret work. Learning through music is the best way to progress really.
 

|Matt|

Banned
Hmm, I might try getting some lessons at school using their guitars so I don't drop big cash on one and realise I hate it.
 

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
All those people telling Matt that "not getting lessons isnt an option", pull ya head in!

Lessons are good, but not the be all and end all.

I played for 2 years before getting lessons, in that time I had taught myself vast amounts so when it came time for lessons, they were actually useful!

Get a guitar and play the damn thing, turn up metallica and jam along, loud as fuck, jump around, enjoy it, get your head into it go nuts.

You'd be very surprised actually how much you can teach yourself from scratch....


Jamo - you're a fucking drummer, what would you know about music?:p

EDIT - Matt - hand strength IS a big thing, you may think you have strong hands, but play me a 2 octave scale for 5mins straight and then tell me it isnt an issue!
 

mtb_slipknot_fan

Likes Dirt
Im no guitar guru matt, but I can tell you that Avenged Sevenfold is not beginner and you would not be playing that anytime near when you start off, But i would give the 'Squire' a go!
Hahaha:rolleyes:

Im far from even an intermediate guitarist and can play a bit of a7x.

Make sure you learn alternate picking ;)
 

Matt H

Eats Squid
As 'ghey' as it may sound, you really should learn how to read music as well as even some broad theory knowledge. At first while you're just learning how to thrash out some powerchords it mightn't be that necessary, but as soon as you start writing your own stuff, as well as improvising, it will really seem like a godsend.

I personally started out getting taught classical guitar around 4 1/2 years ago, that taught me a LOT of stuff about what I'm actually playing, and not just how to play it. Luckily my teacher wasn't strictly classical and taught me a fair bit about jazz and blues improv.

IMO you should get a teacher for all this, mainly because if your doing something wrong to begin with, you probably won't pick up on it - and you could develop a lot of bad technique.

As for a guitar? If it's your first then you can't really go wrong with one of those little 'strat packs' with an axe an a little 10 watter or something. A lot of people would say that you'd be better off starting on an acoustic guitar as the higher action (distance from the strings to the fretboard) will help build hand strength and control for when you get and electric but meh, do whatever.

That's all I got for now... picking up my Gretsch and Vox AC30 from the shop tomorrow... cant wait...
 

dsquared

Likes Bikes
Guitar and Bass are the easy instruments to pick up compared to classical eg piano, violin, cello.

I'm 14 and can almost teach piano and play 7th grade cello, this is because my parents literally trashed me up to it, now i love it and praise them for pushing me. Being able to play music is truly a gift, don't worry about the actual guitar. I play guitar, have been for about 2 years and am still going good with a Squier strat, it is an awsome package. If you want metal sounds, either try find a minimum 15 WATT amp or get yourself a JACKHAMMER distortion pedal. You don't really need music, I haven't yet had to find myself using music. Just learn your tabs and you'll be fine! As for alternate picking, you definately need this skill. I regret not practicing it earlier, and now I have to work on it, it makes solos like Avenged Sevenfold songs 10x easier. If you guys don't believe that being self taught is effective. Look at Steve Vai or Herman Li (phenomenal guitarist) their both self taught ;)

Good luck !

dann
 

|Matt|

Banned
Guitar and Bass are the easy instruments to pick up compared to classical eg piano, violin, cello.

I'm 14 and can almost teach piano and play 7th grade cello, this is because my parents literally trashed me up to it, now i love it and praise them for pushing me. Being able to play music is truly a gift, don't worry about the actual guitar. I play guitar, have been for about 2 years and am still going good with a Squier strat, it is an awsome package. If you want metal sounds, either try find a minimum 15 WATT amp or get yourself a JACKHAMMER distortion pedal. You don't really need music, I haven't yet had to find myself using music. Just learn your tabs and you'll be fine! As for alternate picking, you definately need this skill. I regret not practicing it earlier, and now I have to work on it, it makes solos like Avenged Sevenfold songs 10x easier. If you guys don't believe that being self taught is effective. Look at Steve Vai or Herman Li (phenomenal guitarist) their both self taught ;)

Good luck !

dann
Thanks for that, and I agree, Herman Li is phenomenal.

I'll see how I go, if I can afford my new bike AND afford the guitar I'll buy both.

What does this pedal actually do?
 

dsquared

Likes Bikes
Its called the jackhammer distortion pedal, puts a very dirty distortion for all those hard rock and thrash metal songs you want to play, makes pinch and artificial harmonics easier (those squealy noises you hear) all with adjustable settings, goes from clean to distortion with the touch of a button. Very nice, every metal guitarist could do with one!
 

dsquared

Likes Bikes
Sorry, not Vai

Vaughn I meant. Its confusing.

The only reason why Herman is so shit live is because he gets terribley drunk his studio work is absolutely amazing
 
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