Cheers for that.
Got a fairly varied taste in music, so might look at an electro-acoustic. A sort of happy medium whilst learning and figuring out what I want to learn more
I started on a dirt-cheap, no-name acoustic that made me curse all the existence after the first few days of trying to play the easiest of songs. I endured for a few months, learned the basic chords and then moved on to an electric - I found it much easier because of lower action and thinner neck but I thought that my relatively short experience with the acoustic proved invaluable for a few reasons (building callouses and finger strength, stretching your hand, adjusting your grip, learning to break the mental barrier that grows with early frustration, getting used to tone itself). For these reasons, I’d suggest the same to you or anyone who decides to start learning to play. I still learn to play without the amp and only when I think some song sounds half-decent when I practice it “unplugged”, I turn on the amp and check how it sounds then.
3 Likes
Just picked up the guitar Christmas present the night for the 1st time,
watched a Youtube video where they try and teach you the g chord,
and ready to give up already!
specially when the missus says to me that my fingers are all wrong!
maybe you could teach me then eh, i says to her!
she aint happy.
so cheers Nikola, your words make me feel better!
tomorrow is another day…
3 Likes
Well, you belong to a rather exclusive group of people I made feel better on TAN, you’re its only member actually! 
I’m full of regrets for not being able to pick up the guitar at least ten years earlier and I’m really unmethodical when it comes to learning. I get to practice for about an hour a day on average, I stopped studying basic theory and that is something that I need to motivate myself to go through, I believe it’s the only way to break my next barrier - which I can’t define, I only know it’s there and that it’s holding me back.
That said, there are moments when I can say “OK, I’m less worse at this than XYZ ago”, small breakthrough moments such as learning to play a chord for starters, to switch between chords without looking, to recognise that some note or chord is off, to even play a whole song, solo included - these moments are worth it, nothing material can make up for them. Remember this post when you experience one of them. 
1 Like
@anon59854308 its frustrating for the first few weeks. Simple things seem so hard then over time it starts to unlock. Half hour a day is fine to get going.
Don’t worry about playing songs yet just get the muscle memory in your finger for chords.
Then do simple 2 chord songs to start off with. Then 3, then 4 - just to get used to chord changes and strumming.
Once you are happy with a few chords then find songs you like by your fav bands I think that’s crucial. Don’t sit there for hours trying to play a song you don’t like. There’s no point. At least get frustrated then overjoyed when you can play a song you like.
Don’t worry about playing full songs at the start. Intro, verse and chorus is fine. You’re not joining a band anytime soon so don’t worry about learning a set list.
I know it seems a million miles away but over time you’ll get there.
I’ve been playing since April last year and I’m still not Jimi Hendrix but am pleased with my progress. It’s a long road. It won’t happen over night.
They’ll be days when you want to throw the guitar across the room. Just put it down go do something else and come back to it. It will be easier.
I find strumming the hardest. The strumming hand feeds the fretting hand and if the strum is poor it affect the chord change. I think a lot of people overlook that.
A lot of people give up after a short time but you have to realise it won’t happen over night.
My D chord is still annoying really shit and I dread them. My high E string sometimes doesn’t fret nicely and it doesn’t ring out. 9/10 I end up just using the 2 Fingered power chord. Little things still frustrate me like they did back in April.
Just take your time and enjoy the journey. Good luck.
@Nikola
I’m the same when it comes to a new song. I write the chords down, then practice my chords changes and look for what I call short cuts, can I leave any fingers down, can I play the chord elsewhere on the fret board etc. Once I know the chord changes I then start the strum without the amp then when I think I have it I plug in and see how it sounds. Then do it over and over ironing out any issues and getting it tight.
I tried learning guitar when I was 15 and gave up. Then again at 30 and gave up. This time was determined to stick with it so borrowed a guitar before lockdown last year and thought we literally have nothing else to do so don’t give up. Still doing it and loving it nearly 10 months later. I keep thinking how good I’d be if I’d stuck with at 15 or even 30 now. But I was impatient and cos I wasnt Slash after a day gave up.
I have an acoustic on order but it’s been delayed due to shipping and brexit. Should be here mid feb.
2 Likes
I have issues with major chords whose root notes rest on the fifth string, especially A#, so I try to work around that every time that I can. Exactly the same issue, I sometimes inadvertently mute the first string or don’t press the third string strongly enough, so it doesn’t ring out properly. Well, I’ll take that every day if I learn to play like Jerry Cantrell! 
1 Like
Looks decent. Apparently it’s classed as b stock due a tiny ding and the missing gold N on the tone button.
1 Like
That will come with time but I think he key thing for anyone starting is to get into playing songs you want to play. It’s hard but when you have that added interest from songs you enjoy then its easier. When I started doing that and actually playing along with the songs (what a racket but hey) I progressed far more quickly. Things like timing etc. start to happen. I still do that now.
Furthermore, the greatest leap I took was when me a couple of friends were considering putting together a band. Having a list of songs to learn, but we also had to adjust them slightly and was I also looking at other possible songs to add to the mix was a fantastic driver. For example we had one guy on an acoustic and for some songs he’d play with a capo. I learned my parts without it. We also had one guy in the group that was pretty amazing on almost any instrument you put in front of him. He started to open doors with regard to keys, scales etc. Something I was guilty of paying nowhere near enough attention to previously.
That’s why @Walshy07 is in a great position with his tutor. He’s being pushed to play songs but the tutor is also able to guide him with a bit of extra knowledge here and there but also songs he likes to play
2 Likes
Yeah agree on timing.
I can’t get on with counting something like 1e+2e+ etc
Best way to learn…listening to the original.
You’ll hear the pushed notes, the changes, the pauses etc.
Yes but also playing with a drum beat, or even a bass line.
1 Like
I’m in a dilly of a pickle.
I really want that 80s sounding guitar and have been put onto to Kramer’s as you know.
My issue is the tuning. Looks annoying dealing with the floyd rose whammy system.
Any other 80s hair metal sounding guitars out there without the annoying tuning system?
Edit - seen a few vids on YouTube re the tuning . Don’t seem that bad just a bit longer than normal way.
These are meant to be decent…
The sound is the humbuckers, so you could look at Strats with humbuckers and Les Paul types.
Note those trems systems are ok but IMO you need to spend a decent wedge to get a good one. For the same money you’d get a superior sounding guitar (better pickups) with a standard trem.
1 Like
Any brand in particular. I’d like a strat shape as I already have the les Paul shape.
Cheers
Edit…like this?
I couldn’t agree more, though I think that covering your favourite songs should perhaps come after you’ve learned a few basics, mostly “mechanical” ones, rather than “sonic” ones. For example, I played power chords using my index and ring fingers - I went to have my guitar set up and there was this guy who was trying out his guitar and he played Pantera and Dream Theater songs like a breeze. I had a chat with him and he noticed that I was a beginner, asked me to play anything that I know and he politely stopped me for a moment and told me “try using your pinky instead of your ring finger when you play power chords” and showed me some other methods of his. I can’t tell you just how much he made playing easier for me, even if it were only basic songs.
I’ve already mentioned Jerry Cantrell, trying to cover his songs actually made me learn some chords that I didn’t and still don’t really know how or why they came into existence and what scales they belong to etc. For example, various sus2 and sus4 chords, Cadd9, Fmaj7… I have no clue about them but when I play some songs, I know they should be there. Having a guitar teacher would really help me with that but I don’t really have time for that, unfortunately, so I try to practice on my own, albeit without any direction.
1 Like
That’s a decent option I think. Charvels, Jacksons were all top guitars in that period. Even Fenders or Yamahas. There were certainly plenty using super strats in that period. Sambora for one.
Good thing with that trem is you can actually do things to it if you dont like particular aspects of it. More springs, make so it can only drop the tone down, or even block it off.
1 Like
I play power chords with index and pinky fingers where it allows. Feels really comfortable.
I’m awful at the proper way - index, ring and pinky. I just cannot get the two little fingers comfortable and to stay together.
For something like nirvana I will use index and ring finger as cobain fretted an extra string with his ring finger so ring finger lays across extra strings nicely.
I’m in a similar mess!! But I’m slowly dragging myself forward but I cold really do with the structure and direction of a tutor or even a band / playing with others. You cant beat direction.
I also play power chords with my pinky but I’m now exploring alternative chord shapes so I can bring them into my over play and solos. I love this style of playing over chords with single notes etc. Hendrix was a genius at it. It also helps with fretboard knowledge
George lynch
Decent price but I’m not one for the mad colour schemes.
To my mind a HSS or HSH strat would suit you really well. Even similar from another brand. Like that Charvel for example.
Which brings to a question.
What are peoples thoughts on Schecters? Touched on earlier in this thread but not much otherwise.
1 Like
I’ve never owned a Schecter, and ESP or an Ibanez so I can’t comment on them to be honest. I’m not into “Metal” style guitars to be honest so if I was buying something from those brands I would steer towards a more traditional style of instrument.
1 Like