I suppose this is as good a place to put my questions as any. I am kicking around the idea of taking up the guitar, but I have a few concerns.

First of all, is one ever considered too old to learn an instrument? I am quite long in the tooth to be wanting to do this.

Second, if I should attempt this, what type of guitar should I begin with? If I go acoustic to begin, can you recommend me a guitar that would be best for a beginner to tackle? If I go electric, what is a good one to go with, and what type of amp should I use?

Third, lessons are probably a great idea. Do you have any recommendations on what I should be looking for, or where, in terms of learning to play?

'Do! or do not...there is no try....'

Yoda is always right...

Guitar is piss easy..go for it!! Pj songs are really simple..especially Ed's tunes...get into it:)


get a GOOD guitar-takamine/lauden/martin...spend GOOD money to get a good guitar..otherwise youll get a shitty guitar that wont stay in tune and therefore youll eitgher give up or youll sound shit...

its NEVER too late to learn!!!

Never too late to start, Lysander. I would get an acoustic to begin. Like dime said, get something good. Not over the top, though. Past a certain point, you're paying for vanity. If you know someone who plays, take them with you when you pick it out. Good luck. Oh, and get a tuner like this. Train your ears from the start.

Thank you. This is kind of the direction I was headed and it is nice to know I was on the right track.

you are not too old to learn it. my dad learned it in his late 30s, early 40s.

i say buy a wholly decent acoustic guitar -- i'm talking $200 or less; what kind of stores do you have around you? yamaha makes decent cheaper guitars -- and work your way up. my first guitar was a complete piece of shit. i now own a guild dv-6, worth about a grand, and it's so pleasurable to play it having all the guitars i've had over the years (4 or 5 acoustics).

lessons can be a good idea depending on what you want and how serious you want to be. i think it'd be a waste if you want to learn chords, and you could probably even learn the fretboard from one end to another on your own.

My advice is not to go over-the-top on a new guitar because if you don't stick with it then you're stuck with a bigger investment collecting dust in the closet. In fact, i'd say don't go new at all. A well-loved and cared for used instrument is a far better way to spend your money. Yamaha and Epiphone both make good entry level instruments - and there are lots of "knockoff" brands out there that make cheaper versions of expensive guitars that would be a good buy for a beginner as well. El Degas and Cort have both been good in my experience. Or better yet, if you know someone who plays and wouldn't mind lending you a guitar for a few months until you decide if it's something your into or not that would be prime. I've done that for several friends over the years.

That being said, these are the two things that should be considered when deciding acoustic vs electric:

-from a startup point, acoustic is cheaper than electric (for an equal quality instrument) because all you need to buy is the guitar. with electric you need an amp, instrument cables, etc. you can get package deals for relatively cheap, but they're usually bottom end guitars.
-acoustic will be more difficult on your soft newbie fingers. the neck is usually thicker and the action is often higher off the fretboard (meaning you have to work harder to push down on the strings).

As Self Polluted said, if you know someone who can help you, get them to take you out to a store to try a few instruments and get a feel for what you think you might be most comfortable with and then go from there. And don't let the guitar store crowd intimidate you. Everybody likes to showoff in there and play the fastest licks they know. Just remember that they all started where you are now, even if they've forgotten that fact. Just plunk your ass down and strum the shit out of whatever guitar is in your hand.

Honestly there are dozens of little tidbits of advice I could give you, especially once you've narrowed your scope to acoustic or electric. So feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

that's good advice. i'd add to not be intimidated by, or impressed by, the guitar store employees. they just want to sell you something.

With the right appetite you can become competent in just a few years. I used to get people who had been playing guitar for 5-10 years flip out when I told them I had only been playing the bass for 2 years. I wasn't that good, but I did play every day with a lot of enthusiasm. Go for it.

I might get shouted down for this, but a good way to get into it is to find maybe three songs you like, and get the chords online or in a tab book from a store and go about it that way..it worked for me..

Eddie's songs are really easy & rewarding as a start point.
Just an idea...

it might be a good way to get into it, but i wouldn't recommend it for everybody. you're apt to develop a lot of bad habits that way.

I'd strongly suggest people get some form of instruction, be it from a friend or professionally. Once you've built up the strength in your hands and learned some of the theory behind what you are doing success will come much quicker. Personally i took a few basic lessons from my aunt and once i had learned some chords and strumming patterns i took a couple months worth of professional lessons. I probably should have stuck it out longer but i was a kid. Even still, i learned a LOT in those lessons that i still use today. Of course, i've got plenty of my own bad habits but i still feel i have a good knowledge base to work from.

And yes. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. if you're just sitting in front of the tv, pick up the guitar and do some scales or finger strength exercises.

i learned guitar myself, and when i went in for lessons, i learned that a lot of the stuff i taught myself was bad, bad bad.

Thank you to everyone who answered this thread. I think I will go with an acoustic to start (such as a Yamaha), and I am certainly not too proud to take a few lessons either.


Thanks again.

one of the first things you'll experience, likely, is finger pain. that goes away after a little while.

Well, one thing I have is very calloused and tough hands, so I am not sure if that will help or hinder me.

Yamaha is makes excellent budget guitars but i would caution you against their cheapest guitars. That pretty much goes with out saying for all instruments, but on the surface a $150 Yamaha can look just as nice as a $300 one but the playability and sound is light years apart. You should be able to find a reasonably priced new FG series guitar for around $300.

You should read this to get an idea of the things you should look for - http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document?doc_id=99529

The best advice i can offer you is to take an acoustic guitar and while sitting, hold it up against your body and just strum all the strings. A good guitar will have a nice, deep resonation that you should be able to feel through your chest. Cheaper guitars will sound alright, but they won't have that nice resonance and sound projection. Play a cheap guitar and then a pricey one and you'll see what i'm talking about.


good luck

what kinds of stores do you have around you? guitar center? sam ash?