[beccabooey]

Hey everyone,

I've been reading all of your wonderful information about buying a guitar and I'm still undecided. When I say I'm a novice, I mean, not ONE lesson... yet. I just have no clue what kind of guitar to buy. I know I'd like a steel string, and am looking to play a variety of music (but my ultimate goal is to play anything by John Mayer!). I'm about 5'6", average size female, mid-30s. NEVER played before. Ever. BUT, I have played piano, so I have a slight musical background, I guess.

Anyway, I went to two music stores. One tried to sell me a Yahmaha (about $150), the other was an Alvarez (about $190). They both felt comfortable and the strings were fairly easy to press, but I don't want to get a guitar that will make learning harder for me. I currently had a hand-me-down Yahmaha, but soon discovered it's a 3/4 size and has nylon strings and classical guitar (the fret is waaaay to wide for me -- can't reach around it).

Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated! Also, thinking of taking lessons from "Musika" teachers -- anyone ever hear of them?

Thanks again -- this forum is so helpful!!!

-Rebecca

[krissovo]

I would beg, steal (Ok maybe not steal) or borrow one until you can play a simple mellody or a couple of chords and look to buy one.

Failing that just slowly pluck the strings and listen to the tone of each one, most Yamaha's I have had a go on have played well and they get good reviews I cannot answer about the Alvarez. You could also get the assistant to play some chords and pick a melody and do it that way.

[coldethyl]

Hi Rebecca

Welcome along!

Yes most, if not all nylon string guitars have wide necks but are perhaps easier on the finger tips than steel strings.

Obviously steel string guitars will come with narrower necks than the nylons, but I guess you have to weigh up the stretching that you'll have on the nylon string guitars verses the finger-tip pain that you will have with the steel string guitars.

Although having said that, the pain you'll get on your finger tips will go in time after your fingertips harden and form callouses. I hope this hasn't put you off, but don't fear 'cause I'm sure that someone in the know may have more helpful advice for you. So stick around!

[Rockerbob]

At the beginner level, ease of play is probably more important than tone. Low end guitars (under $1000) are just fine for learning, but they tend to be inconsistant. Actually, so do the high end guitars. It would be best if you could find a friend that knows a bit about guitars to help you choose.

Years ago I bought a 3/4 nylon string guitar for my son. It was a cheapie, but I knew the store and they let me look through all they had in the warehouse. I got to try about 20 of these before I chose one. $50! and not too bad. Not great tone, but it plays well.

[lorispencer]

it would be great to take someone with you that could play the guitars for you so that you could listen to both. Either of those guitars woud be a resonable beginning guitar. In the Yamaha i guess you are looking at the 325 model which is included in a beginning pack of stuff. The Alverez is probably a Regent model. both get decent reviews for their price range. try them both to determine if one is easier to depress the strings and that both fit you sitting down (you can reach over the body).
to watch out for:

Each individual guitar is different - buy the one you play and like. If you get one in the box for the storeroom still in plastic it may play and feel very different and may also have undiscovered problems.

My experience with music stores and female clients has not necessarily been good. probably experience you may have had dealing with car salesman as a female can be similar. very nice to you but don't give you much information and don't want to spend much time with you. just let them know you have a serious interest which is more than sitting around the campfire playing kumbiya.

as suggested before, if you could wait until you had at least begun playing and better still, get your instructor to go with you. Your instructor has a vested interest in getting a guitar that won't discourage you from playing

Your fingers will hurt at the beginning but you will get over that soon. also as a female, if the nails on your left hand are too long so that they push against the fretboard when you play, you can discomfort at the bottom of the nail. charo learned to play with massivly long nails so you can adjust your hand position somewhat if you like to keep your long.

good luck with your lessons and with your shopping

[dougp23]

See if you can't rent one from somewhere for a week or so. But I would imagine that either would suit your needs. I am a novice as well, just getting chords and notes down is more important to me than the (admittedly) better sound I can get from a higher end guitar....for now!!

Welcome!

[guttertrashsingalong]

dosent mayer play a strat?

[lorispencer]

yes he does play a strat. he also does acoustic work

[bluesguy]

Hi and nice to have you here with us. Please check out the following link http://www.jcdisciples.org/guitar/howtobuy.html on how to buy your first guitar. You have already gotten some good advice with other folks posts.

[SprayTech]

I have heard people rave on the Baby Taylors , not cheap , from $350 to $600 .
Alot of musicians like them for when they travel , small and compact but still performs like a full size .

[Ola]

There are quite some models of nylon guitars with narrow necks, very close to steel string guitars in geometry. The one I have (Cort, see link below) is really REALLY easy to play.

Not the best sound but I have it mainly for practicing new songs. What I have seen, at least Fender and Ibanez have narrow-neck nylon guitars models. I don't know why this guitar segment isn't very popular, all people who tried my Cort finds it very easy to play compared to a wide neck nylon.

(sorry, to few posts to attach URL's, just copy and paste in web browser)

cort.co.kr/english/products/acoustics/view.asp?product_id=50

[T-ride]

I started with a yamaha, it was a pretty good little guitar it stayed in tune well. after about a year i moved up...but that is a great one to start on. I think it was an eg-112 or something like that

[nostraits]

Hi Rebecca
I asked a friend for advice and he told me to get a solid-top if I could afford it. I went to my local store and asked to hear them being played, which the salesman was only too happy to do. In the end I bought a Yamaha FG700MS, with bag and strap for around £200. That was about 10 months ago, and I think I would have progressed quicker if I had discovered this fantastic website sooner! Many thanks and well done to you all!