I got my first real 6 string ....

[braders]

I brought an electric guitar a few years back but gave up as I just could not play it, I then brought a cheap acoustic guitar off ebay and had it re-strung and after trying to teach myself for a year I gave up and started having lessons, I pay �10 for 30mins at a local guys house, and it was the best thing I ever did, I can now make sounds that sound like songs lol, still a long way to go yet though, but I would reccommend taking lessons and never give up

Can you please tell me what level you are at..?...and what he is teaching you..?..been playing for 40 years plus...I dont want beginners to be ripped off.!...its so hard when you are first learning..!..I will do all I can to help..!

Cheers
braders...

[Helgalush]

Give it time for your fingers to get used to the inevitable blisters and hardening of skin from holding down the strings, it does get easier once they are used to it.

From experience I have found that it pays to have strings that are very close to the fret board, if they are too raised it makes it much harder to play (and more sore fingers!). A good guitar should have them very close to the fretboard. You can always get someone to lower the bridge/re-string it for you if you feel this is a problem at all. As suggested above, a local music shop is normally invaluable for this sort of stuff.

I wouldnt know about France, but in the UK you can get cheap Adult Ed classes at local schools. My brother started to teach himself via You Tube and DVDs, though I think you pick up a lot of good tips and techniques at classes.

Good luck & enjoy it.

Helen

[bobleponge]

My fingers hurt!!!!

You Tube guitar lessons are what I have currently, just learning the chords. What comes out of my guitar sounds NOTHING like what comes out of my computer, although I am borrowing a tuner this evening which will hopefully help.

Braders, if you want an all expenses paid holiday to France in exchange for some lessons get yourself over.

Oh, and my fingers hurt.

[Flummery]

I've been playing since I was 17 - only chords and folky stuff but I play every week at church. Consequently my left hand finger ends are like iron. It's a 2 string too, so I get 'tramlines' not just single grooves. It's useful for hand quilting because I don't even notice if I stick the needle in them!

[mrdinkle]

Your finger tips will harden in time. Learning on acoustic is best as you get the painful stuff out of the way and strengthen your fingers.

On a serious note: remember to give your fingers a break every now and then - don't be tempted to over do it.

I'd recommend a cheap chord book and learning the chords in the main keys and moving between them.

[bobleponge]

I am in some pain this morning with my poor fingertips.
You Tube is brilliant for learning chords, thousands of peeps teaching numpty's like me what to do and how to do it.
I tuned it yesterday as well, properly with a digital tuner that I borrowed, even to my Van Gogh ear I could tell it sounded it better.

[mrdinkle]

If you are after a digital tuner and are prepared to wait for it to arrive you could try Deal Extreme.

DealExtreme: $10.30 Cherub Mini Guitar Digital Tuner

I had one off of there and it is good for the money, they also do cheap capo's etc....

DealExtreme: $5.99 Boston Steel Guitar Capo for 6-String Guitar

Hth

[Flummery]

Whoops, I meant 12 string! Hence the tramlines.

[bobleponge]

Managed to get the afternoon off work due to some nonsense, the benefit of which is that I can now play 2, yes 2, riffs.
Check me out.
And they even nearly sound like what they're supposed to. I'm so chuffed with myself its beyond belief.
It is actually hurting now though, just typing this.
12 strings Flum? My very small mind boggles.

[HeyWayne]

You need to check out Seasick Steve bob. The dude only has 3-4 strings on his geetarr, but he sounds 'mazin.

Fantastic album - both in content and name. "I Started Out With Nothing And I've Still Got Most Of It Left".

[Flummery]

12 strings Flum? My very small mind boggles.

Not as bad as it sounds - they are in pairs. All but the higer two pairs are tuned in octaves. Just play as 6 string (but it's harder to pick a tune out!)

[oldie]

I earned my living for a few years playing guitar and bass. Get a few lessons to start with, it is very difficult to unlearn bad habits. The problem with very cheap guitars is that the height of the strings above the fretboard is often far to high - hence very sore fingers and tuning problems. It is best to get a professional to fix this as it is easy to get it wrong.

[lindyloo]

was learning how to play last year in my spare room ( gave up when it became too cold in there) and just starting again now. nylon strings are kinder to fingertips; my guitar has 3 nylon and 3 steel. as oldie said, the hieght of the strings makes an enormous differance, so i had mine altered on one string. and i also found the width of the neck was important. a friends husband gave me some quality help- far better than the lesson i paid for, which frankly was a waste of time and money, and i found a fantastic man on the internet- mike herbert - where you can get lots of free lessons and videos. and the best thing is that if, like me, you have stiff arthritic-y fingers, it really does make them more flexible.

[bobleponge]

I learned myself a new chord yesterday (A minor) and can now play the riff for "Knocking on heavens door". It might not be a 10 minute riff in the original form but it certainly is chez moi for the moment.
I'm still finding it amazing that I can watch Justin on You Tube playing a simple refrain, and a few minutes later my guitar seems to make a similar noise.
Loving it, but its taking time for my little digits to get used to it.

[oldie]

lindyloo I just want to clarify about the strings on your guitar. You have 3 plain nylon and three steel covered nylon strings. They are not steel. If you put ordinary steel strings on a guitar designed for nylon ones you will bend the neck, pull the bridge up or even cause the top to bow. I have seen many of these as a result of mixing the strings - it is a common mistake as the strings look as if they are steel but they have a nylon core with a winding of steel or bronze on top. Forgot to say to bobleponge that Justin is rather good.