Cheap ass guitar players?

Just wondering who all in the community plays guitar.  It's not fair to say I do.  I goof off with one. I got drawn in by Rocksmith, got a cheap little guitar from Monoprice that a co-worker tuned up and actually raved over, and will get one to add to his collection of high-end electric and acoustics.  I'm teaching myself a handful of chords, scales, and the like. Having fun just screwing around and trying to play parts of songs I enjoy.  Bought a decent little amp.  LOVING IT!

Anyway, if there is a big enough community of other beginners, novices, and pros, maybe this could be a thread where we can all share experiences. 

My current point of pain...literal and mental, is trying to play the opening of Yellow Ledbetter.  Effing thumb on E and A, while the rest are on strings and PO/HO's?  If you all find me hanging from a noose made of guitar strings, it will be that song that put me over the edge.

I too enjoy goofing off on guitar. Have been for around 22 years! Seriously, I just ain't real good! But it's fun. It's a stress reliever for me. I can sit and play for five minutes and let go of a lot of stress.

I just noodle around with a wide variety of music genres. Rock, bluegrass, blues, jam band, indie, old time - you name it.

I can't sing worth a flip. I think that's the reason I have trouble learning whole songs.

I've had a variety of guitars in my time playing (as well as other stringed instruments that I just couldn't find the time to really learn.) My main guitars - ones that I imagine I'll keep for ever - are:

early 90s Seagull cedar top - my first real acoustic (I had a crappy Ibanez acoustic/electric for a short time before this one) - It's got mojo.

early/mid 90s Epiphone Sherraton II natural finish - my first electric - this one has some mojo too.

2000 Fender deluxe Nashville tele - MIM - sunburst. I've played it a lot but just not sure it's got the mojo.

2005ish Fullerton small body acoustic. This was music123 house brand that got clearanced out and sold for real cheap. I bought several of their models both electric and acoustic and this little one is the only one that stuck. It's solid mahogany back/sides and solid spruce top. Sorta like a mini jumbo. Not sure it's really got any mojo and will likely be replaced within a couple years.

2010 Martin HD-28. Always wanted a Martin. I got it when my daughter was 2. Put it in her name. Sorta an heirloom for her. It's a monster - I'm still scared of it.

I have another daughter turning 2 in about 6 months. I'll likely get a small body Martin to put in her name.

I really have only had one real amp - a Fender Blues Jr. from around '95. And honestly I've played through a tiny, shitty Esteban amp-thing for several years now. Don't ask me why. I have a little tube Epiphone head and have had intentions of making my own cabinet for it. Maybe one day.

I've got an assortment of pedals. I use to play with an old Zoom delay, tube screamer and crybaby wah (but didn't use the "wah" feature...)

Now I generally play with a zoom g3 - neat multi-pedal for sure. I use headphones with it sometimes instead of an amp.

I like John Pearse strings (medium and lights) on my acoustics and SIT (lights) on my electrics. I play with thick picks. 1.5mm and up. Gravity guitar picks are nice picks!

I've been playing off and on since I was 16, I just turned 39.   I stopped playing when my wife and I had kids, sold off some of my stuff when we needed money.  I'll pick it up every now and again just for fun.

I have a bunch of guitars, both acoustic and electric.  One thing I bought myself when I was young was the Wayne's World Squire Strat, it has Wayne's World logo on the neck plate.  That's my favorite just because of the Wayne's World connection.  Funny story about that guitar, when I first got married we were a one car family, I was home alone with my daughter who was around 7 or 8 months old at the time.  I plugged the guitar in and was walking around playing it.  The strap came off the bottom, I wasn't wearing shoes, and in a split second I put my foot up to break the fall.  My kid was laughing at me and I was jumping up and down doing the Fred Flintstone dance.  I had to get a hold of my wife to take me to the hospital.  Wouldn't you know I broke my big toe right down the center.  Man that hurt, took months to heal.

My recommendation is to use guitar tab, it's helped me.  Guitar magazines and www.ultimate-guitar.com are my favorites.

-Bobert

I don't play, but it's always been something I wanted to learn. I bought myself rock smith earlier this year in an attempt to help me learn.

I still have yet to find a guitar for myself though, I'm not sure if since I'm a lefty I'm better off trying to learn like a righty or not.

qbanita said:

I don't play, but it's always been something I wanted to learn. I bought myself rock smith earlier this year in an attempt to help me learn.

I still have yet to find a guitar for myself though, I'm not sure if since I'm a lefty I'm better off trying to learn like a righty or not.

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Well - I can offer my opinion because I, too, am a lefty. If you are real serious about wanting to learn and plan on taking lessons and spending some real time with it - go lefty. I took a few lessons about a year after I started righty and the teacher really wanted me to switch. I didn't. Just was already set in my ways I guess. I didn't want to have to re-train myself. He said I'd be infinitely better in a years time if I switched. Even just as recent as a couple years ago I strung up a guitar lefty and tried for months but just couldn't do it. My uncle, who was a music major, originally taught me and he taught me righty. I don't think this old dog is up for learning any new guitar tricks... Righty is nice though because anywhere you go if there is a guitar lying around - you'll likely be able to play it because it'll likely be a righty. Righty guitars are a tad cheaper/easier to come by but in this day and age acquiring a lefty wouldn't be any problem. If I had it to do all over again I'd go lefty. Just my opinion though and you'll probably hear just as many lefties tell you the opposite. There are many awesome lefties who play righty - Mark Knopfler, Paul Simon, Billy Corgan, Duane Allman, etc.

More opinion regarding guitars for beginners - I would suggest learning on an electric (unless you are adamant about acoustic - in which case you want light or even extra light strings) because it's easier on your fingers. I've heard nothing but good things about those Monoprice guitars that berzirk mentions. Monoprice is always running some sale or another and they should be had for under/around $100. I've been tempted many times by them myself!

bordjon said:

Well - I can offer my opinion because I, too, am a lefty. If you are real serious about wanting to learn and plan on taking lessons and spending some real time with it - go lefty. I took a few lessons about a year after I started righty and the teacher really wanted me to switch. I didn't. Just was already set in my ways I guess. I didn't want to have to re-train myself. He said I'd be infinitely better in a years time if I switched. Even just as recent as a couple years ago I strung up a guitar lefty and tried for months but just couldn't do it. My uncle, who was a music major, originally taught me and he taught me righty. I don't think this old dog is up for learning any new guitar tricks... Righty is nice though because anywhere you go if there is a guitar lying around - you'll likely be able to play it because it'll likely be a righty. Righty guitars are a tad cheaper/easier to come by but in this day and age acquiring a lefty wouldn't be any problem. If I had it to do all over again I'd go lefty. Just my opinion though and you'll probably hear just as many lefties tell you the opposite. There are many awesome lefties who play righty - Mark Knopfler, Paul Simon, Billy Corgan, Duane Allman, etc.

More opinion regarding guitars for beginners - I would suggest learning on an electric (unless you are adamant about acoustic - in which case you want light or even extra light strings) because it's easier on your fingers. I've heard nothing but good things about those Monoprice guitars that berzirk mentions. Monoprice is always running some sale or another and they should be had for under/around $100. I've been tempted many times by them myself!

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Thank you for the advice. I greatly appreciate it

I'm torn because some things I can do good lefty and some, like holding a mouse pad, I can do righty. I'm thinking of visiting s guitar store soon to see how they feel in my hands, I'm just holding off because I'm sure when I go I'll want to buy and I'm trying to wait for a good sale

I did want to learn electric guitar, I grew up listening to classic rock so that's probably why it's my preference.

I had a friend tried to teach me once, but as soon as I started going out with someone those lessons stopped, I did learn how to play the beginning of iron man though :lol:

wow, I thought I was the only guitar play who has been playing a LONG time and not gotten really good. I noodle around. I can learn most songs chords pretty easily and that is usually enough for me.  I always say I will try to get better but never do (I spend much of my free time running and playing games).

I have a Hohner Acoustic and a Fender Strat electric. 

I liked learning on an acoustic as it makes going to electric so much easier.  I would also recommend one of the many tuning apps. Yes you can learn by ear but having an idea what a low e or a is supposed to sound like helps! If you have a Mac you can plug that guitar right into Garageband too.

For those looking for a "cheap" guitar, Monoprice has one for $70 right now.  I have the Sunburst model and think it's fantastic.  My review shouldn't mean anything though because I don't know crap about guitars.  A couple of professional musicians I know played it, and couldn't believe the steal it was at $80.  For a starter guitar, these things kick ass.

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=610101

I keep fighting the urge to buy another one.  Why?  I have no idea.  I just like mine that much.

I had always wanted to learn guitar since I was young.  Finally after watching Scott Pilgrim one night I decided to start out on a bass.  Picked up a used Washburn Taurus T14 at a flea market.  Seems to be in pretty good working condition; a few minor scuffs.  I've now had it for two years with little time on it.

You are talking to someone that had no prior knowledge of musical instruments before picking up a guitar.  I took Piano lessons for a few weeks back in my early teens but forgot all that stuff at this point.  I've been trying to learn from Billy Sheehan on Youtube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3iCSlPbLxQ

I'm still trying to get the three finger pluck down; I have trouble transitioning between strings (I always bump one of the strings i'm not trying to pluck).  A guy at work said to skip that and only use two, you don't need to learn three fingers.  As far as I'm concerned anything worth learning is worth learning right.

Any suggestions for a novice?

One more thing.  Before I picked up the Washburn, I passed on a light blue Ibanez hollow body complete with chrome whammy bar for $200.  I still regret that decision since the thing was a work of art.

I also happen to be left handed so I can feel the pain of any new lefty as far as trying out new gear goes. Most shops in my area have the same left-handed models, so many times you're stuck buying blind without getting a feel for it yourself which really sucks. When you first start you won't know what you're looking for in terms of handling but really obvious stuff like a shitty neck with splinters, frets that are coming out of the wood, and even just the overall balance means that even a noobie can benefit from physically handling a potential buy. 

Once you have played for awhile and you become used to how the guitar handles it becomes that much more important because then you can try a different guitar and notice things like, "oh I really like the extra space between these frets" or "cool this neck grips and slides a lot easier for me" or "the weight on this one makes it feel more solid and I like it!"

As far as gear goes for me, I started with a cheap Johnson strat and a Fender bullet. Picked up a MIM fender acoustic not too long after which remains my sole acoustic guitar and the one I typically play if I'm just messing around for convenience sake. Bought and destroyed an epiphone les paul within the course of a year (super strong breeze came through open door and blew the stand over, head snapped right off the neck... I don't use stands anymore). Tried as many left handed guitars as I could find and settled on a Godin Exit 22 which, ironically, I ordered blindly. To me it plays better than the full on 1000+ fender strat so I am very very pleased with that purchase.

I also have a ton of other instruments and have collected lots of "prosumer" recording equipment over the years. I like to play, record, and produce and am always learning new things so it has been a fantastic, though pricey, hobby for me.

I've been wanting to learn how to play a guitar.  I guess I just didn't have time to study. Last year, I asked my daughter if she wanted to learn, she said yes and I enrolled her.  Now, I listen everytime she plays.  She good and still getting better.

Invicta 61 said:

I had always wanted to learn guitar since I was young. Finally after watching Scott Pilgrim one night I decided to start out on a bass. Picked up a used Washburn Taurus T14 at a flea market. Seems to be in pretty good working condition; a few minor scuffs. I've now had it for two years with little time on it.

You are talking to someone that had no prior knowledge of musical instruments before picking up a guitar. I took Piano lessons for a few weeks back in my early teens but forgot all that stuff at this point. I've been trying to learn from Billy Sheehan on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3iCSlPbLxQ
I'm still trying to get the three finger pluck down; I have trouble transitioning between strings (I always bump one of the strings i'm not trying to pluck). A guy at work said to skip that and only use two, you don't need to learn three fingers. As far as I'm concerned anything worth learning is worth learning right.

Any suggestions for a novice?


One more thing. Before I picked up the Washburn, I passed on a light blue Ibanez hollow body complete with chrome whammy bar for $200. I still regret that decision since the thing was a work of art.

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Learning to use 3 fingers is tough! It took me about 6 months to be as good with 3 as with 2. But once you get it down its fun to play around with and it has a totally different feel to it. Probably the fastest way to learn it is scales even if its just one or two