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Post subject: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:23 am
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I'm teaching my little brother guitar and he wants one of his own for his upcoming birthday. What is a good cheap beginner guitar for him?

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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:45 am
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Mike, there are many Squier models that would be good for a new guitarist. What are you looking to spend?

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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:57 am
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Would this be for a electric or acoustic guitar? Fender, Gibson, squier, epiphone Etc?


For electric guitars I agree that the squier is the way to go. It's also always best to allow him to try whatever guitar you plan to get. As others have mentioned in other threads, if he is not comfortable playing the guitar it is more likely that he won't want to practice. This goes for both electric and acoustic.

Hope this helps.

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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:31 pm
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phantom_mike: Is your brother "little" enough that he might do better with a 3/4 scale guitar for the next few years?
A friend of mine has a Taylor GS Mini acoustic, and it's great, even for my fat fingers.

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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:44 pm
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Squier is a good way to go since it IS aimed at beginners and if the person loses interest the cost isn't too high.
Also you might consider the style of music he's into and look into pickup configurations available, i.e. HSS (Humbucker, Single, Single), 1H, HSH---so if the desire to "crunch" is there, it can be a bit easier to get there.
Good luck!
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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:46 pm
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If you can set it up properly for him, any Squier ought to do. Or a used Mexi depending on your budget.


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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:25 pm
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I would try to stay at least with a more premium Squier (Classic Vibe, Vintage Modified, or signature models, preferably) if it is within the budget. If not within the budget, then consider expanding the budget. These are ridiculously good guitars for the money and worth a few more bucks.

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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:05 am
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I recommend an acoustic guitar.

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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:16 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I recommend an acoustic guitar.


I agree with this. Starting off on Acoustic will definitely build up the strength in his fingers and make him much more versatile. I would recommend a Fender FA-100 which only costs around $120.00 brand new and also comes with a gig bag as well. Just adjust the action and restring it with some Elixirs and he'll have a quality guitar which won't cost a arm and a leg. Once he gets better , then he can step up to the electric and maybe onto one of the Squier packs.


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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:05 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I recommend an acoustic guitar.

It depends on the student, I would think. An acoustic guitar can be so hard on the fingers that the student might become an ex-student. If he or she has the discipline to practice despite pain and apparent lack of progress, yes, I agree that an acoustic will teach technique better, and give an ear for nuances that an electric easily can drown out.
But if the point is to motivate a student, an electric of the proper size is easier on the fingers and gives quicker results.

Starting with acoustic can, depending on the teacher, also lead into the trap of only playing "classic style" with the thumb only used for bracing. That can be a problem when later switching to blues guitar, and having to use the thumb for fretting.
But on the flip side, it is far more likely that the student will learn finger picking, and not become restricted to playing with a pick only.

Why not both, and see what direction the student takes?


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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:32 am
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01GT eibach wrote:
I would try to stay at least with a more premium Squier (Classic Vibe, Vintage Modified, or signature models, preferably) if it is within the budget. If not within the budget, then consider expanding the budget. These are ridiculously good guitars for the money and worth a few more bucks.

^Agree

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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2015 11:06 pm
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How "younger" meaning "big" is he? Some years ago friend got son a Fender dread, which was almost as big as he was. When visiting 5 years ago, mother and I went to GC, had some Squier strats for $99. Said I'd get one for him: not such a reach around, easier to play (he already had an amp). She said "But he would want to play that all the time!" My reply: "And the problem is....?" A few years later visit he was still playing, getting pretty good, so I gave him my Squier 50's classic vibe (insane value imho).
I learned on electric first, and glad I did. Have to suffer enough learning to play, at least fingers don't suffer quite as much...


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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2015 6:00 am
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I started taking guitar lessons at age 6. (1960) to top it off, I have small hands-and still do to this day.

after a few lessons on a rented acoustic, my instructor suggested to my dad that he get a guitar that was easier for me to play. a 3/4 size musicmaster became mine, and I used it for a while until I got my strat. in my opinion, if you have to keep fighting to play, you may just give up. I definitely agree on the idea to get a smaller guitar.


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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2015 7:08 am
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A shorter scale also means less string tension for the same tuning, and the strings will be softer on the fingers. So even if the student is physically big enough for a full-sized guitar, a shorter scale length can help during the first few painful months.

Renting a guitar is also an option. Swap it out if it doesn't work, and buy it if it really does. But it doesn't give the same attachment as to an instrument one owns.


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Post subject: Re: Best Guitar for a New Student
Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2015 2:30 pm
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I'd recommend a Ron Emory "Loyalty" Parlor. Sounds great, looks great, good price and a shorter scale.

http://www.fender.com/acoustics/parlor/ ... ml#start=1

I've got one myself in Butterscotch and love it


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