Birthday Best Beginner Electric Guitar? - Page 3

**AustinChief** · 05-10-2010, 03:56 PM

My nephew's bday is this week and I have a quick question...

What is the best electric guitar for a kid to begin with?

Yamaha? Epiphone?

Suggestions?

RedNFeisty · 05-10-2010, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booger

do the parents a huge favor and get him an earphone output on the amp. Make sure the amp has one anyway, some don't.

Yes, yes, yes!!! You must get earphones to go with it!!

booger · 05-10-2010, 08:48 PM

http://austin.craigslist.org/msg/1733825469.html

booger · 05-10-2010, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedNFeisty

Yes, yes, yes!!! You must get earphones to go with it!!

depends on how much he likes the parents.

**Bugeater** · 05-10-2010, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booger

depends on how much he likes the parents.

Very true, and if he doesn't like them I'd recommend a Marshall stack.

booger · 05-10-2010, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Very true, and if he doesn't like them I'd recommend a Marshall stack.

might need to recommend a good drywall contractor too!

MoreLemonPledge · 05-10-2010, 10:19 PM

Squier Strat. It's what I learned on. Cheap, but effective.

**petegz28** · 05-10-2010, 10:24 PM

Do your nephew a favor, as much as he probably won't like it, get him an acoustic. Get him a cheap electric and cheap amp if you must to keep him happy but I would strongly encourage that if lessons are going to be involved that he take them on an acoustic. Trust me. It will pay off for him and he will recognize that quickly as well. Make him take the lessons and practice on his acoustic. When he grabs the electric he will shred a lot easier.

**DaneMcCloud** · 05-10-2010, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petegz28

Do your nephew a favor, as much as he probably won't like it, get him an acoustic. Get him a cheap electric and cheap amp if you must to keep him happy but I would strongly encourage that if lessons are going to be involved that he take them on an acoustic. Trust me. It will pay off for him and he will recognize that quickly as well. Make him take the lessons and practice on his acoustic. When he grabs the electric he will shred a lot easier.

Terrible advice.

Most likely, he won't play due to pain to his fingers and wrists, not to mention the fact that unless he's into campfire songs, it's not too much fun to learn an AC/DC song (let alone Van Halen or Stone Sour tune) on an uncomfortable acoustic guitar.

If he wants to learn how to play, get him a nice playing electric with low action to make it as easy as possible to learn and stay interested.

MoreLemonPledge · 05-10-2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Terrible advice.

Most likely, he won't play due to pain to his fingers and wrists, not to mention the fact that unless he's into campfire songs, it's not too much fun to learn an AC/DC song (let alone Van Halen or Stone Sour tune) on an uncomfortable acoustic guitar.

If he wants to learn how to play, get him a nice playing electric with low action to make it as easy as possible to learn and stay interested.

This. I tried learning on an acoustic and it just hurt. Your fingers aren't strong enough and your callouses aren't built up enough to really do anything, let alone barre chords.

Break in and learn finger placement and such on an electric, then switch to the acoustic. Otherwise he'll probably just give up because it's too hard.

**petegz28** · 05-10-2010, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Terrible advice.

Most likely, he won't play due to pain to his fingers and wrists, not to mention the fact that unless he's into campfire songs, it's not too much fun to learn an AC/DC song (let alone Van Halen or Stone Sour tune) on an uncomfortable acoustic guitar.

If he wants to learn how to play, get him a nice playing electric with low action to make it as easy as possible to learn and stay interested.

Bullshit. First off I said get him an electric to go with the acoustic if that's what the kid wants.

Secondly anyone who has ever played a guitar will tell you that learning on an acoustic makes playing an electric a lot easier. Training your fingers on an acoustic is one of THE BEST things any guitarist can do. Learning your chords and scales on an acoustic will make playing AC\DC and Van Halen a ton easier on an electric.

**petegz28** · 05-10-2010, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreLemonPledge

This. I tried learning on an acoustic and it just hurt. Your fingers aren't strong enough and your callouses aren't built up enough to really do anything, let alone barre chords.

Break in and learn finger placement and such on an electric, then switch to the acoustic. Otherwise he'll probably just give up because it's too hard.

The problem is most kids won't switch to an acoustic. We can fundamentally disagree here if need be. I think the best thing anyone can do when wanting to learn the guitar is to learn their chords and scales on an acoustic. Exactly for the reason that it does make you stretch more and work harder for chords. Thus when you grab the axe suddenly that 3-5-7 stretch is being done with your index, middle and ring finger instead of index, middel\ring and pinkie. Suddenly those power chords are being barred with two fingers instead of 3.

Plus I would add you learn a lot better picking technique on an acoustic. It's easy to cheat on electric. Especially with the distortion cranked up.

**DaneMcCloud** · 05-10-2010, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petegz28

Bullshit. First off I said get him an electric to go with the acoustic if that's what the kid wants.

Secondly anyone who has ever played a guitar will tell you that learning on an acoustic makes playing an electric a lot easier. Training your fingers on an acoustic is one of THE BEST things any guitarist can do. Learning your chords and scales on an acoustic will make playing AC\DC and Van Halen a ton easier on an electric.

This is ****ing laughable.

When you're talking about a child who wants to play guitar, LET HIM PLAY THE ****ING GUITAR.

Don't stick him with some cheap ass acoustic with high action and say "You'll thank me for this some day".

You truly are one of the dumbest humans to ever post on the 'Planet.

**DaneMcCloud** · 05-10-2010, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petegz28

The problem is most kids won't switch to an acoustic. We can fundamentally disagree here if need be. I think the best thing anyone can do when wanting to learn the guitar is to learn their chords and scales on an acoustic. Exactly for the reason that it does make you stretch more and work harder for chords. Thus when you grab the axe suddenly that 3-5-7 stretch is being done with your index, middle and ring finger instead of index, middel\ring and pinkie. Suddenly those power chords are being barred with two fingers instead of 3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by petegz28

Plus I would add you learn a lot better picking technique on an acoustic. It's easy to cheat on electric. Especially with the distortion cranked up.

Really? Are you telling us that by turning up the gain on your amp, thus inducing a large amount of harmonic distortion, you'll fool the listener into believing that you're a good player, when in actuality, you're not?

Please, keep 'em coming!

Huffman83 · 05-10-2010, 10:58 PM

I learned on an electric and had only bought an acoustic a good 12 years after I started playing. So I see what a lot of you guys are saying. But yeah. if you want the little bastard to actually play and keep an interest.

Buy an electric, a small little marshall combo and a subscription to Guitar World.

Little Timmy wants to rock and rock now. I understand how physically it could benefit him in playing on an acoustic. But let's think of the social issues you could bring up for the kid if he gets an acoustic. Say he uses an acoustic and he ends up being that douche bag at parties who learned enough 3 chord songs to serenade girls at a party. While yes...that will get you laid but the only thing he'll need his acoustic finger strength is for when he starts finger banging little miss Mary rotten crotch.

If he gets an electric...he may rock. And no girls pay any attention to him.

Plus there are way too many guitar players.

So buy him a drum set instead.

**petegz28** · 05-10-2010, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

This is ****ing laughable.

When you're talking about a child who wants to play guitar, LET HIM PLAY THE ****ING GUITAR.

Don't stick him with some cheap ass acoustic with high action and say "You'll thank me for this some day".

You truly are one of the dumbest humans to ever post on the 'Planet.

One day I'll be as dumb as you.

05-10-2010, 03:56 PM
AustinChief Administrator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Austin Casino cash: $2189112	Best Beginner Electric Guitar? My nephew's bday is this week and I have a quick question... What is the best electric guitar for a kid to begin with? Yamaha? Epiphone? Suggestions?
Posts: 19,601

05-10-2010, 08:48 PM	#32
booger Don't Tug on Superman's Cape Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: clear out in the sticks Casino cash: $948550	http://austin.craigslist.org/msg/1733825469.html __________________ 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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05-10-2010, 10:19 PM	#36
MoreLemonPledge M-I-Z S-E-C Join Date: Apr 2009 Casino cash: $10004927	Squier Strat. It's what I learned on. Cheap, but effective. __________________
Posts: 6,039

05-10-2010, 10:24 PM	#37
petegz28 Supporter Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Olathe, Ks Casino cash: $2234127	Do your nephew a favor, as much as he probably won't like it, get him an acoustic. Get him a cheap electric and cheap amp if you must to keep him happy but I would strongly encourage that if lessons are going to be involved that he take them on an acoustic. Trust me. It will pay off for him and he will recognize that quickly as well. Make him take the lessons and practice on his acoustic. When he grabs the electric he will shred a lot easier.
Posts: 128,431

05-10-2010, 10:58 PM	#44
Huffman83 Veteran Join Date: Mar 2007 Casino cash: $10008077	I learned on an electric and had only bought an acoustic a good 12 years after I started playing. So I see what a lot of you guys are saying. But yeah. if you want the little bastard to actually play and keep an interest. Buy an electric, a small little marshall combo and a subscription to Guitar World. Little Timmy wants to rock and rock now. I understand how physically it could benefit him in playing on an acoustic. But let's think of the social issues you could bring up for the kid if he gets an acoustic. Say he uses an acoustic and he ends up being that douche bag at parties who learned enough 3 chord songs to serenade girls at a party. While yes...that will get you laid but the only thing he'll need his acoustic finger strength is for when he starts finger banging little miss Mary rotten crotch. If he gets an electric...he may rock. And no girls pay any attention to him. Plus there are way too many guitar players. So buy him a drum set instead.
Posts: 2,240