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Original poster

Any guitar teachers on Mumsnet please?

9 replies

mckenzie · 31/01/2007 21:24

I started a course of guitar lessons yesterday and bought my first guitar. I had my lesson on one that was selling for about £300 but didn't want to pay that much and instead I bought one for about £70 which my teacher (doesn't work in the shop) said was a very good guitar for the money.
When I tried playing it last night it didn't sound or feel anywhere near as nice.
DH suggested I went back and perhaps bought one for somewhere in between price wise.
While I was mooching in the shop today i got talking to a husband and wife and the husband has been playing regularly and semi professionally for about 30 years. He companred a £150 guitar with the one that i had bought and thought that the cheaper one was actually a better guitar but advised me to get it "re-set".
The unfortunately rather shy and therefore slightly unhelpful sales assistant in the shop wasn't forthcoming with how much this would cost. I'm just after a ball park figure (I assume each technician will vary) about the cost so that i can decide if it is worth it.

Any advise most welcome.

TIA.

ps. How long will it take my fingers to harden up and stop hurting? And will my left arm always ache in the crease of my elbow????

OP posts:
Original poster
mckenzie · 31/01/2007 22:03

bump

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pointydog · 31/01/2007 22:25

You coulda got yourself a pretty fine guitar for £150. I'd've thought £70 would be a rubbishy one. I'm only speaking second hand though. Dh has been researching guitars for last year or so and even after buying a new one is still researching 'cause he wants another 'cheap' one soon (£150 mark).

I can ask him (when he's in from guitar club!) if no one better comes along.

(Your fingertips will end up hard as nails.)

MerlinsBeard · 31/01/2007 22:33

DP is a guitarist, he wouldn't touch a £70 guitar but did say that its what you feel comfortable playing that matters. You can get guitars re set for next to nothing near me at least i think its next to nothing. but it may be the strings that need swapping for different thickness, depending on which way it feels uncomfortable.

DP used to saok his fingers in spurgical spirit to harden them when he was first learning, this is going back nearly 20 years tho

Original poster
mckenzie · 02/02/2007 19:41

thanks for the replies. It's now been re-set but the technician is now telling me that I should think about changing the strings. They had my telep[hone numbers so i;'m a tad cross that they didn't call me before doing the re-set as I would [robably have changed them now.
Never mind, I'll get it back tomorrow and see how I get on.
Surgical spirit sounds delightful . and just when I was getting my nails to a nice length I'm having to trim them back

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southeastastra · 02/02/2007 19:46

i have a yamaha f310 which is really nice and cost about £150 a few years back now though. your fingers will toughen up the more you play! have fun

Original poster
mckenzie · 02/02/2007 21:50

Did you find it hard to start with to get your hand to stretch across so that all your fingers could reach? I'm hoping that it's a bit like riding a bike and it will suddenly come to me the more I practice but i found it really quite tough in that first lesson. I didn't make it to the shop in time tongiht before it closed so I'll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon before I can practice again.

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pointydog · 03/02/2007 10:40

Pointydog's Husband here:

Is it a steel-stringed acoustic or a classical (nylon-stringed) guitar?

Not sure what you mean by a "re-set" but usually guitar shops have a technician who can set-up your guitar. This normally involves mucking about with the neck to make sure it's straight and make sure the action (distance from strings to the fretboard) isn't too high. A change of strings is generally included in the price of this (about £30-£50), but if the guitar is new and they haven't charged you anything for the "re-set" then they probably wouldn't put new strings on.

You can pick up a new set of strings for a steel-string for about five quid and they're pretty easy to change - your teacher ought to be able to show you how (and advise on what type of strings you should get). If it's a steel string then you need to change them every so often anyway as they start to sound bad after a bit.

I wouldn't advise spending a lot of money on your first guitar and you get a lot of decent, playable instruments in the £100-£150 range these days. For £70 I'd guess the whole guitar is made of laminated wood so it probably won't sound as good as a guitar with a solid wood top, but so long as it stays in tune it'll be fine for learning on.

Happy playing! Your fingers will firm up in no time if you practise...

southeastastra · 03/02/2007 11:59

yes i found it really hard at first but eventually your fingers will get more used to it! i gave up lessons about 10 years now but can still stretch them.

Original poster
mckenzie · 04/02/2007 11:21

thanks Pointdog's DH and SEA.
I got it back yesterday and just having the strings dropped that fraction has made a lot of difference. The shop didn't charge me.
I've had one practice today. DH laughed just a tad too much but the children thought I was GREAT

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