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Post by HenryJ on Jun 9, 2020 14:01:32 GMT -5
One of my grandchildren is about to turn 14. I think he should learn to play guitar. He is left-handed. For years, my philosophy was that everyone should learn to play righty. I am easing up on that notion.
After deciding that he should start out on acoustic, and that a left-handed acoustic would be okay, what do y'all recommend for a 14-year-old beginner? Something playable of reasonably good quality and sound. I would prefer that it cost less than $300, and under $200 would be even better. (He might not stick with it, so how easy would it be easy to sell a lefty guitar?) Thanks!
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jun 10, 2020 9:26:33 GMT -5
Ibanez makes some affordable, high-quality acoustics. And even the low-range guitars from Yamaha are really good.
A standard hard case is a good thing to deliver it in. Soft bags are little more than doilies for acoustic guitars.
Also--this is important--get the guitar to a competent tech to have it set up so it plays easily and in tune and sounds great from day one. Even new guitars from big names usually need some tweaks to the nut and the action to play their best. A good setup costs around $70-$100 depending on where you live, and it is worth the cost because a guitar that hurts the fingers (more than it should) will discourage a new player in a Noo Yawk minute.
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Post by Lefty Rev on Jun 10, 2020 11:34:23 GMT -5
Everything Peegoo said. In the $200 - $300 price range, they're all going to be pretty similar in quality and tone. At that price you should be able to get one with a solid top (Yamaha sells a solid top lefty new for around $329, but I'm betting you could get it for $3 bills even).
Definitely get the set-up Peegoo mentioned. Guitars at this price point are notorious for being pretty well made, but poorly set up, ESPECIALLY at the NUT, which makes them very hard to play and to play in tune. Lowering the nut slots is the most important way you can encourage a beginner to stick with it. This can be done be someone competent with the right files in about 5-10 minutes. Then make sure it's set up for light gauge strings (12-53/54).
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Post by HenryJ on Jun 10, 2020 14:20:44 GMT -5
Thanks, guys! That gives me something to work with. I appreciate it very much.
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Post by larryguitar54 on Jun 12, 2020 20:58:46 GMT -5
I really think the budget is a bit too tight. If you can go to $500 then you are in some entry level Taylor models. I think the key to developing the interest is to get something that actually sounds good but is always easy to play. You can almost play those things professionally.
Respectfully the sentiment "I don't want to spend money it might become trash" is a self fulfilling philosophy. You can fill your life with the detritus of failure that way.
When it comes to guitars it's the one thing you don't scrimp on. I would sit the 14 year old down and let him know you are making a commitment and you expect him to honor it.
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Post by hushnel on Jun 13, 2020 13:58:08 GMT -5
I’d consider a used higher end instrument, then take it in for a set up and conversion, if it needed to be switched to lefty. If you go with a classical you wouldn't need to be concerned about the pick guard.
I learned right handed when I was 8, left handed was not an option. The only thing I do right handed is play instruments. I can’t say it was any harder for me, in fact most of the initial work, violin in this case, was the fingerboard, strong hand on the fingerboard weak hand holding a bow.
Because of a partial paralysis of my right arm, if I was playing left handed I’d be done, the right arm doesn’t rotate and I can’t really lift it, ruined my ability to strum the guitar, but I’m pretty decent finger picking and can strum flamenco style . Being primarily a bass player the right arm paralysis had no effect.
Their are a lot of advantages to playing right handed. Though I understand some people just can’t do it.
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jeffscott
Wholenote
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Post by jeffscott on Jun 13, 2020 19:19:14 GMT -5
I really think the budget is a bit too tight. If you can go to $500 then you are in some entry level Taylor models. I think the key to developing the interest is to get something that actually sounds good but is always easy to play. You can almost play those things professionally. Respectfully the sentiment "I don't want to spend money it might become trash" is a self fulfilling philosophy. You can fill your life with the detritus of failure that way. When it comes to guitars it's the one thing you don't scrimp on. I would sit the 14 year old down and let him know you are making a commitment and you expect him to honor it. Yep. Many decades ago, when I started playing bass at 14 years old, my parents bought me a Jazz Bass. |
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Post by LesTele on Jun 13, 2020 20:34:48 GMT -5
HenryJ
You say “ I think he should learn to play guitar.”
Has he expressed any desire to play guitar?
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Post by Leftee on Jun 15, 2020 8:56:53 GMT -5
I concur with the afore-mentioned Ibanez or Yamaha. Also, a good setup. Nut slots are often too high. A properly-cut nut and teamed truss rod is a must for a beginner.
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Post by Lefty Rev on Jun 15, 2020 12:17:11 GMT -5
"teamed truss rod"?
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jun 16, 2020 6:42:53 GMT -5
Perhaps autocorrect grabbed it when Leftee fatfingered 'tuned' on the teensy buttons of his vintage 1999 blackberry  |
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Post by LTB on Jun 17, 2020 2:17:08 GMT -5
Yamaha Acoustic
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Post by thefarmcaster on Jun 22, 2020 21:42:33 GMT -5
As a music teacher I have played hundreds of starter acoustic guitars, I think the best bang for the buck, by far, is the Eastman acoustics. They have a few solid top models that sell new for less than $300. I think they make them in lefty models.
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Post by HenryJ on Jun 25, 2020 11:42:18 GMT -5
Thanks for the responses!
We were unable to find an available left-handed acoustic guitar for my grandson. Neither in stores nor online.
His birthday came and went, but not before we just gave him some money.
I don't know if it was on Moe's or somewhere else, but somebody said or posted that most people who play guitar left-handed are self-taught. So, we are going to look for a right-handed guitar for him to play. But the first thing we will do his get him to our house so I can teach him on mine. He lives 4 blocks away and can walk or ride his bicycle. So he is going to learn right-handed. If he is not interested, no money was invested.
As far as budget being too tight, you may have a point there. My Yamaha FG-160 sold for $166 in 1972. Mine was built in May, 1974. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI calculator, $166 in 1972 is $1,035 today. I got it for $50 second-hand (or later) in 1982, which is $135 today. It's not a Red Label Yamaha, so the CPI calculation could very well be overstated. But it's still worth over $500.
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Post by stratcowboy on Jun 25, 2020 13:26:33 GMT -5
Definitely know other lefties who learned righty from the start. Certainly makes for a broader range of choice, not just now but into the future.
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Post by Lefty Rev on Jun 26, 2020 13:59:40 GMT -5
Agree with stratcowboy. Even though I'm a lefty who plays lefty (right-handed felt totally wrong and unnatural to me when I started), I'm betting that way over half the lefties who play guitar play right-handed. It might even be as high as 75%, although I have nothing to corroborate that with other than what I've heard from players over the years.
Have him give it a go right-handed. Then, if he REALLY wants to play but just can't get it to work right-handed, find him a lefty guitar to try and see if that's actually a better fit for him.
He's young, so he's got the flexibility of youth on his side in this!!!
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Post by hushnel on Jun 27, 2020 11:56:01 GMT -5
It kind of makes sense that so many of us lefties do play right handed. Particularly us older guys. When I first expressed the desire to play guitar around 1962, my option was learn music through the Duval public school system, Jacksonville FL.
I was lucky that Duval County School’s Fletcher High had an orchestra. I‘m sure dad thought “free Music Lessons” anyways I started on the violin. When I mentioned to the Orchestra leader that I was left handed he said, good, it’ll be easier for you, you’ll have your strong hand on the fingerboard and the weak just drawing the bow, he said it’ll be awkward either way. I’ve thought about this ever since. When I observe electric guitarists using a pick it seems that a majority of the work is being done with the left hand. I’ll tell right handed guitarist that guitars are left handed instruments, our payback for scissors. You get into classical guitar and that’s were being right handed makes sense, and from which the modern guitar evolved.
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Post by Lefty Rev on Jul 1, 2020 11:47:12 GMT -5
You get into classical guitar and that’s were being right handed makes sense, and from which the modern guitar evolved. ^^^This has definitely got to be a big part of the reason for the orientation of guitar playing. Not sure about violin and other bowed instruments, though... |
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Post by HenryJ on Aug 20, 2020 15:40:46 GMT -5
Well, I gave up on my idea of teaching him guitar. He was rather lukewarm on the idea. So I am teaching him and his brother piano, and they are doing very well and really liking it. I've decided to get their family either a Yamaha P125 digital piano or a Casio Privia S1000 digital piano. I have to go south of Lake Pontchartrain for the Yamaha, or just 8 miles for the Casio. I have to play and hear the pianos myself before I buy. Leaning toward Yamaha.
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Post by Lefty Rev on Aug 21, 2020 11:13:34 GMT -5
Having a keyboard foundation is a good thing, musically. Maybe later he'll/they'll realize it would also be good to know some guitar...
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Post by HenryJ on Aug 21, 2020 15:28:55 GMT -5
Having a keyboard foundation is a good thing, musically. Maybe later he'll/they'll realize it would also be good to know some guitar... Oh, absolutely! I agree 100%. The first instrument I learned to play was the piano. My grandsons have also been playing trumpet in their schools' bands. One of the also plays the violin. They are coming along very well on the piano, both of them. |
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Post by 69tele on Aug 24, 2020 8:49:10 GMT -5
I bought a Casio CDP 100 recently and very pleased, good sound and nice action with matt finish keys, and I am comparing it to a Yamaha YDP 164 which we have in our other house.
The Yamaha is triple the price and is obviously better quality but the Casio does a good job on a budget.
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Post by LTB on Aug 25, 2020 5:15:54 GMT -5
I concur with the afore-mentioned Ibanez or Yamaha. I agree! Both are solid guitars for a beginner or even intermediate player |
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