Only me Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 My 17 year old dd would like a guitar for Christmas. She doesn't know how to play but has always wanted one and is hoping to teach herself. (Is this possible). She plays the piano so she can read music, etc. I don't know anything about guitars. What kind would I buy her? Where is a good place to get one? Can I find a reasonably priced on (under $150) that isn't a piece of junk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 It depends on what price range you are thinking. I would not go with a cheap-o. Spend just a bit and go for a guitar in the lower - middle price range and yet a reliable name, such as ibenez or fender acoustic. You can even find guitars with built-in tuners and electric amp pick-ups for a very reasonable price. There are two schools of thought on the built-in tuner. 1. Don't get it--learn to tune by ear, it's a valuable skill. 2. Get it...a beginner with an out of tune guitar (who can't tune) is a miserable person. You can decide for yourself which school is yours. talk to a salesman at Guitar Center...they tend to be very nice guys who love guitars. I have a Takamine guitar that is in the mid-price range and I love it. Guitar Center will has great prices and deals if you bargain a little and / or have an old instrument to trade in. I got a great deal on mine. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 We bought a Baby Taylor once for one of our kids. It is a 3/4 travel guitar with a beautiful sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetobeme Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 my daughters are "taylor gals" and we got one from ebay ($100) and one from a pawn shop ($75). i never would have thought about pawn shops but apparently they can be a good source of musical instruments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbsweetpea Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I was going to suggest a Baby Taylor as well. Of all of the guitars I have played it is my favorite. It has a beautiful sound and is so much more comfortable to play. I also have a Fender and old Martin. The Martin is preferred by my brother. The Fender is a nice guitar but I still LOVE the Baby Taylor. She totally can teach herself. Get her a few books that teach cords. If she enjoys it she may want to take a few lessons but she should be fine on her own. My mom, brother and I all learned on our own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 When I told ds's guitar teacher we were planning on surprising ds with a guitar for Christmas, he recommended we not surprise him, but let ds "try on" guitars before choosing one. Ds already has a nice acoustic guitar but we want to get him an electric acoustic also. Evidently, guitars feel different (what do I know, I've never picked one up) so he thought keeping ds involved in the selection would be smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devotional Soul Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Cheap guitars are usually made out of plywood, which works fine for a while, but usually ends up warping over time. More expensive guitars are usually made with nicer, aged woods that won't bend over time. A cheap $100 Costco generic guitar will still play great, and would be fine for several years depending on the climate, but probably won't make it to be passed onto grandchildren. Taylor and Martin make some great guitars, but there are plenty of no-name guitars that play nicely. I think baby Taylor may be kind of small. I tried one, and they are made for small kid's hands. I was using a full size guitar by 14 with no problem. Nylon strings are easier on a beginner's fingers. Steel strings may make blisters until calluses are developed. Definitely ask her which she would prefer. Electric acoustic is nice for recording and amplifying for performing, but you can also buy a pic up that hooks onto a non-electric guitar if she ever needs it. Tuners are helpful for beginners, the ones with a needle that tells to go higher or lower, but since she plays piano, she can probably tune it with the piano if she has a good ear. Definitely check out used music stores, pawn shops, craigslist, and Guitar Center. Because guitars get better with age, used is actually a good thing to see if it has stood the test of time. If you buy a used one, the most important things to look for is the action. This is how close the strings lay on the neck. If the neck is warped, the strings will not be touching the neck. You want to be sure that the strings are close to the neck for easier playing. Some steel string guitars have a metal rod that goes through the neck that can be adjusted with an alan wrench, to tighten or loosen and adjust the angle of the neck. If you get a steel string, this is the best for if the action changes, you can fix it easily. She can teach herself with a chord book or a song book with tabs that show where to put the fingers, or even just from the internet. Start with one chord and practice the different ways to strum, then practice going back and forth between two chords, then add more when ready. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk17 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Classical, country, blues, popular, rock etc. Nylon string also known as classical is played best with fingers, steel string usually a pick. Lots of trade-offs. I'd go to guitar center wityh her and let her try out some. It's a bit like getting a pet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 My 17 year old dd would like a guitar for Christmas. She doesn't know how to play but has always wanted one and is hoping to teach herself. (Is this possible). She plays the piano so she can read music, etc. I don't know anything about guitars. What kind would I buy her? Where is a good place to get one? Can I find a reasonably priced on (under $150) that isn't a piece of junk? I would buy locally. A local, privately owned shop will stand by their guitars, and fix them if anything goes wrong. If you get it online, you have no guarantees. Plus, the prices aren't much better (I looked last spring). Start with a classical guitar. It will have nylon strings which are much easier on the fingers. Steel strings are kind of sharp, and cut into fingers. The nylon will allow her fingers to develop callouses, which are necessary for extended play. You should be able to get a very decent guitar for about $130. Our local shop sells Ibanez guitars for beginners, and includes four lessons for free. They also guarantee to fix anything that goes wrong. We bought two of them (one for each kid). Nothing has gone wrong. They love guitar! I'd recommend talking to your local guitar shop, if you have one. Also, definitely get a full sized guitar, not a child's small one. She's 17, and I assume she's fully grown. :) A thinner body will be more comfortable, but the larger bodies give a fuller sound. In your situation, I'd go in by myself first to see what there is. If they only have one or two in your price range, get the thinner one, or the prettier one. :) If they have a large selection in your price range, and you don't know what she's going to like, get her a gift certificate, and take her in to pick it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 We're probably getting Yacko a guitar online. No one else can even come close to matching the price (at least that I've found) at samashmusic.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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