Topic: Anyone here play the Guitar?

[The Gulleysucker]

Turns out its a Vox Escort 50 Lead. Isn't this from the 1980's?
He can go whistle for £250. Thinking of offering him £100.

Yes, it's an all transistor amp and came out in '80 in the dark days when Vox were owned by Rose Morris.

That particular model can go for around £100 at a push on ebay, but it really isn't that good and you can get far better amps for that amount on the 2nd hand market.

The old HH IC100 VS combos are much better, serious industrial strength professional kit back in their day and going dirt cheap these days, I've seen them for around £70 and they give you an incredible bang for your buck, though they are heavy so lugging them round to the Spanked Secretary for a gig can be a bit of a chore.

If you want a Vox at that price, you could get a much better AD50VT these days for slightlly more that would also do a better job.
Here's one for only £149. 

[Rox]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vox-AD50VT-Vox-VFS2-dual-footswitch-/280834975503?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item416311a70f

Here's one for £125 Buy It Now with the footswitch.  Like I said, I have the 30w version of this, and it's great.  With the footswitch, this is a very good price. 

[meff]

My lad has got the AD50VT, it has a very nice clean sound. The effects section is a bit hit-and-miss, especially some of the preset templates you're given but for the price you can't go wrong especially if you already have some decent pedals.

[Rox]

The Clean Boutique and Boutique OD settings are great.  I also love the AC15 one too.

[sidlfc90]

If you wanna start off playing i would use an acoustic nylon guitar very easy to play and not tough on your fingers and its  not expensive if you decide guitaring is not for you

[Mad Max]

A Punk Rock electric guitar?

[Sir Harvest Fields]

Anyone got a Marshall TSL100 for sale here?

[The Gulleysucker]

Anyone got a Marshall TSL100 for sale here?

Get a Mesa. You know it makes sense.....
 

[williamson84]

Started learning about a year ago, bought myself a cheap acoustic and got a few lessons to see what like.  Stopped after about 6months and picked it up again after noticing this thread about a month back.  Started with the basics i'd learnt and can now play the Drugs Don't Work by the Verve.  No big deal I know cos it's an easy one but it's a good starting place for me and hopefully stick at it this time.

Anyone know any songs that are easy(ish) to learn for a beginner??

[pepe_carra_stevie_nando]

Anyone know any songs that are easy(ish) to learn for a beginner??

Last Kiss by Pearl Jam is quite good for beginners.

http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/p/pearl_jam/last_kiss_ver4_crd.htm

The strumming pattern I use is: down, down, up, up, down, up

[Juan Loco]

Anyone got a Marshall TSL100 for sale here?

Got the combo. Could probably be persuaded to part with it, but then it hasn't worked in about 6 years and I need to get it fixed

[SteLFC91]

Been playing for a couple of months now, getting fairly okay and can play a few songs. However, I've always just had the stock strings on my guitar. Decided to try change them the other day for the first time and man did I mess up! Luckily, I didn't try to replace them all at once. It was just my high E string. Not even too sure where I was going wrong either. Was watching a couple of videos on what to do and was copying them exactly, I just couldn't get the string to wrap around the tuning peg?

So my guitar is left with 5 strings at the minute. Worried about leaving it like that though as I heard that can do bad things to the neck? Anyone any tips on how to properly change strings?

Apologies for how beginner-ish and stupid this post sounds by the way!

[Rox]

Don't worry mate... stringing can be a challenge if you've not done it before, and everyone has their own technique. 

Do your tuners have the 'slot' you find in vintage style Fenders, or are they holes that go through the post?

If they're holes through the post, you put the string through the hole, pull it all the way through.  Then, I usually pull the string back about 2 frets worth, then put a kink in the string the other side of the tuning post (it helps the string not pop back through when you turn the tuner).

It's also worth getting a string winder - they're only a few quid, and make stringing a guitar much quicker.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jim-Dunlop-guitar-String-winder-Peg-puller-New-/330694315731?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item4cfeeaced3

I also tend to hold the string either side of the nut (pressing down) to help keep the string winding well round the post.

If you have a friend or a friendly local music shop, it's worth watching and learning from people who can physically guide you through it.  Videos (and people trying to describe it on a forum) can be very difficult to follow.  I have no doubt my instructions may not make complete sense!

Don't worry about the neck on your guitar - if it can't handle having the lightest string missing for a few days (or weeks even) it's a particularly dodgy guitar.  I've bought plenty of old guitars that have had many strings missing for years before I've bought them, and they've been fine.  It's more important how you store your guitar, really.  Keep it in damp conditions (or next to a hot radiator) and the neck will warp horribly.

I hope that helps.

[Sir Harvest Fields]

Get a Mesa. You know it makes sense.....
 

I never got on with my Mesa for some reason. It was a great head but something about it didnt sound right. A Powerbreaker may have helped as it never got up to speed to be honest. Never going to get a decent sound from a tube amp at bedroom volumes.

[SteLFC91]

Don't worry mate... stringing can be a challenge if you've not done it before, and everyone has their own technique. 

Do your tuners have the 'slot' you find in vintage style Fenders, or are they holes that go through the post?

If they're holes through the post, you put the string through the hole, pull it all the way through.  Then, I usually pull the string back about 2 frets worth, then put a kink in the string the other side of the tuning post (it helps the string not pop back through when you turn the tuner).

It's also worth getting a string winder - they're only a few quid, and make stringing a guitar much quicker.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jim-Dunlop-guitar-String-winder-Peg-puller-New-/330694315731?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item4cfeeaced3

I also tend to hold the string either side of the nut (pressing down) to help keep the string winding well round the post.

If you have a friend or a friendly local music shop, it's worth watching and learning from people who can physically guide you through it.  Videos (and people trying to describe it on a forum) can be very difficult to follow.  I have no doubt my instructions may not make complete sense!

Don't worry about the neck on your guitar - if it can't handle having the lightest string missing for a few days (or weeks even) it's a particularly dodgy guitar.  I've bought plenty of old guitars that have had many strings missing for years before I've bought them, and they've been fine.  It's more important how you store your guitar, really.  Keep it in damp conditions (or next to a hot radiator) and the neck will warp horribly.

I hope that helps.

Only saw this post now, mate! Cheers for the reply.

Think getting someone to guide me through it could be the best idea to be honest! Although I never tried holding the string down either side of the nut. I was putting pressure on the string but not too much. Tempted to have another go myself, purely 'cos I think I could do it this time around, think that's just my ego talking though and getting someone to help may be my best option.

 

[idontknow]

Thinking of giving it a go!

how difficult is it to learn?

A guitar is easy to learn, unless you want to copy other people - then it's impossible.
If you want to strum songs, easiest to write them.
C-G-F over and over and over - every book has those chord shapes - and don't let ANYONE charge you money for those chords - because they will.
Hit them, bang them, get a cheap acoustic, or anything you can, and sing along to it, and do them in any order, until your fingers do them easily.
It is not hard, but books tell you upstrokes, shapes, boxes, and it is all bullshit until you can smash out those basic chords. I'm presuming you don't want to do classical, or jazz, or anything like that.
Make your own words up, and use your little finger as soon as you can. Just slam it down on a string, cos it's spare, and essentially, with your basic open chords - C - G - F - your little finger, anywhere that it can fit, is playing funky music - you would be surprised.
C - G - F, then Am, Dm
E - A - B
D
They are all hard when you start, but it's just a matter of listening, hitting the strings, and keeping on till the next chord, so just carry on. And listen, because if you like it, then it is good.
All those chord shapes are easy to find, but if you need any help I will either find a link, or more fun, figure out a way to put up on here.
Anyway, good luck, and write your own tunes, never copy, it's already been done.

[hesbighesred]

Started learning about a year ago, bought myself a cheap acoustic and got a few lessons to see what like.  Stopped after about 6months and picked it up again after noticing this thread about a month back.  Started with the basics i'd learnt and can now play the Drugs Don't Work by the Verve.  No big deal I know cos it's an easy one but it's a good starting place for me and hopefully stick at it this time.

Anyone know any songs that are easy(ish) to learn for a beginner??

Mate, there's tons.

Basically anything by Oasis at all is relatively easy to learn.
There's a lot of countryish stuff (like Jolene) that's relatively easy.
If you like Beta Band 'Dry the Rain' is easy if you can do barre chords.

There's a set of books called "The Big Acoustic Guitar Chord Songbook: Platinum Edition"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Acoustic-Guitar-Chord-Songbook/dp/0711986533/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331738295&sr=1-1

They're not expensive, have a ton of popular hits with 'dumbed down' chords so they're really easy to play and learn. You could learn a good few songs without even having picked up a guitar before from these.

Other than that I usually just go with the internet, type in a song you like and the chances are it's pretty easy.

Coming to think of it, Green Day are generally easy to play (as are a lot of bands in that ilk, a lot of 3/4 chord stuff). I've also recently learned 'Englishman in New York' which was also much simpler than I expected.

Key to looking on the internet for simplicity is to look for the 'chords' rather than the 'tab' of a particular song. For example, I didn't realise until recently that 'Hey Joe' is just 5 very basic chords (C, G, D, A, E) - it's all the twiddly bits that are difficult.

A guitar is easy to learn, unless you want to copy other people - then it's impossible.
If you want to strum songs, easiest to write them.
C-G-F over and over and over - every book has those chord shapes - and don't let ANYONE charge you money for those chords - because they will.
Hit them, bang them, get a cheap acoustic, or anything you can, and sing along to it, and do them in any order, until your fingers do them easily.
It is not hard, but books tell you upstrokes, shapes, boxes, and it is all bullshit until you can smash out those basic chords. I'm presuming you don't want to do classical, or jazz, or anything like that.
Make your own words up, and use your little finger as soon as you can. Just slam it down on a string, cos it's spare, and essentially, with your basic open chords - C - G - F - your little finger, anywhere that it can fit, is playing funky music - you would be surprised.
C - G - F, then Am, Dm
E - A - B
D
They are all hard when you start, but it's just a matter of listening, hitting the strings, and keeping on till the next chord, so just carry on. And listen, because if you like it, then it is good.
All those chord shapes are easy to find, but if you need any help I will either find a link, or more fun, figure out a way to put up on here.
Anyway, good luck, and write your own tunes, never copy, it's already been done.

I personally think this is really good advice. I've been playing for over 10 years now, and technically I'm still pretty awful - if I'd had lessons for all that time and practised hard I'd be nigh on flawless now.

But for me the point isn't to be able to execute other people's songs flawlessly. The key is enjoyment for yourself. If you teach yourself then you will inevitably develop your own style, you will also develop an instinct for things that work which really helps you when you jam.

I've often found that when playing with new people I can always pick out something that fits even if it's really simple, where I've met a lot of technically amazing guitarists who actually have sod all creativity and can't jam or write a song worth a shit at all. That's not to say I'm Mozart but I've written a couple of tunes (one in particular) that I'm genuinely proud of and it's a fucking great feeling to like, and for other people to like, a genuine product of your heart and soul. It also means you can put your own spin on other people's songs which is always more interesting than just playing them parrot-like.

[DanFromMars]

www.songsterr.com

Very good place to learn songs.

[jimmyjr86]

Any bass players about who fancy being in a band? Link below if its your cup of tea.

[Surprise me.]

Planning on learning the basics by trying to get this set/piece whatever it's called down on the acoustic. I said the exact same thing in here about 1-2 years ago and did a bit of it and stopped so I'm back to start all over again.

C F C G x3
F    G

First few chords of Laid by Matt Nathanson.

Can't even get past the first C, I can only just get my finger up to the 3rd fret A. Going to need a shit load of practice. Done about 30minutes today so I'll get it eventually. I guess it is a hard song to start off with too. I'll have a look in songstarr.

[Calciotore]

Planning on learning the basics by trying to get this set/piece whatever it's called down on the acoustic. I said the exact same thing in here about 1-2 years ago and did a bit of it and stopped so I'm back to start all over again.

C F C G x3
F    G

First few chords of Laid by Matt Nathanson.

Can't even get past the first C, I can only just get my finger up to the 3rd fret A. Going to need a shit load of practice. Done about 30minutes today so I'll get it eventually. I guess it is a hard song to start off with too. I'll have a look in songstarr.

A few words of advice mate.

If you class yourself as a beginner on the guitar then trying to play a song with more than a couple of chords in can be extremely difficult and frustrating too.

The chances are that you've got the song playing in your head and you're trying to play along with it and keeping up with the chord changes...with pretty poor results.

It's a very easy and common mistake to make that when you're learning you just see a song with not many chords in it and think "that looks easy,I'll play that"..when the reality is that because you're a beginner ABSOLUTLEY EVERYTHING is difficult to do!

Basically,there's no quick way to learn how to play the guitar and the first few months of learning can be very,very boring BUT if you master the basics trust me THERE WILL BE A MOMENT...when all the practice comes together and all of a sudden you'll find that you're a guitarist!

Take your time,learn at your own pace and most of all be patient.

Good luck!

[Not Bob]

Any bass players about who fancy being in a band? Link below if its your cup of tea.

Yes, I take it you boys can sort out the visa and accommodations, etc?

[Surprise me.]

Anyone know how to play this? I'm slowly learning how to read tabs. It's just the 0-0 at the front that's got me confused. Doesn't that mean you should play the string open? How are you supposed to play 2 open strings at the same time?



If you play the song here: http://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/beatles-yesterday-acoustic-guitar-tab-s89500t0

It sounds like one strum.

[DanFromMars]

I'd play both notes with my thumb and index finger at the same time in a pinch like way.  Look up fingerstyle/picking for some tips. Gets really easy and natural after a while.

[Surprise me.]

Damn I've gotten used to using a pick. I can try and use my ring finger to play the G. I'll see how it goes.

[jimmyjr86]

Yes, I take it you boys can sort out the visa and accommodations, etc?

I have a tent you can borrow. sorted

[Sir Harvest Fields]

Hit the E with the pick and the G with whatever finger feels comfortable at the same time.

[Juan Loco]

Damn I've gotten used to using a pick. I can try and use my ring finger to play the G. I'll see how it goes.

Keep the pick between the thumb and index finger for the first and then use your middle or your ring finger to play the G. Might take a bit of getting used to at first, but you'll get it.

[tubby]

Evening, chaps.  Does anyone here happen to have an easy reference chart for piano chords?

I'm *ahem* laying down some phat beats and want a bit of keyboard in there, and I want to use some piano chords which would be the equivalent of the same chords on a standard tuning guitar.  I don't know anything about pianos/keyboards but I can find stuff that tells me which notes are in the chord, just not whereabouts on the piano I should start on a proper size piano.  Because there's, like, a million keys.

[The Gulleysucker]

 

[Sir Harvest Fields]

Could have done with one of those a few times during gigs

[Lenin.]

Been offered a Danelectro Danoblaster for £50. Know fuck all about them, apart from the obligatory google. which didnt turn up much.
Deal or no deal?

[keano7]

I bought myself an acoustic guitar last week and struggling with moving my fingers from chord to chord quickly. I usually have little patience with things I can't do but willing to give it time to get used to it and hopefully in 6 months or so I'll be able to play a few songs from start to finish.

[KERRYKOP]

Been offered a Danelectro Danoblaster for £50. Know fuck all about them, apart from the obligatory google. which didnt turn up much.
Deal or no deal?

50 quid, pick it up, if its in good nick, could be useful someday. I think Cobain played one in the early days of Nirvana.

[The Gulleysucker]

Been offered a Danelectro Danoblaster for £50. Know fuck all about them, apart from the obligatory google. which didnt turn up much.
Deal or no deal?

They have their fans, but they are a bit of an aquired taste.

While they are definitely not high end luthier stuff, they are more low end quirky shape plank, £50 does seem very cheap since there's a fella here asking just over £200 for one...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DANELECTRO-DANOBLASTER-INNUENDO-BROWNBURST-SPARKLE-SURF-BEAST-W-4-EFFECTS-/270955833407?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f1639e83f

(This is the Innuendo version with built in effects, don't know if this is the one you've been offered but from the photo it seems to indicate it might be with the little push buttons above the volume and tone controls)

Like most stuff, it's mass produced to a price in China these days so might be a bit iffy, don't expect much from the effects for instance, and it will probably need a lot of fettling to get it to play ok, but if it's all working and hasn't got a warped neck, and provided it's the Innuendo version as in that listing, snap it up and if you don't like it, stick it on ebay for £75 or more...you should at least get your money back.

[Lenin.]

50 quid, pick it up, if its in good nick, could be useful someday. I think Cobain played one in the early days of Nirvana.

Dont think Cobain played a Danoblaster as they were first made late 90's/ early '00's?
Probably a Danelectro though. Jimmy Page played one as well.

They have their fans, but they are a bit of an aquired taste.

While they are definitely not high end luthier stuff, they are more low end quirky shape plank, £50 does seem very cheap since there's a fella here asking just over £200 for one...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DANELECTRO-DANOBLASTER-INNUENDO-BROWNBURST-SPARKLE-SURF-BEAST-W-4-EFFECTS-/270955833407?pt=Guitar&hash=item3f1639e83f

(This is the Innuendo version with built in effects, don't know if this is the one you've been offered but from the photo it seems to indicate it might be with the little push buttons above the volume and tone controls)

Like most stuff, it's mass produced to a price in China these days so might be a bit iffy, don't expect much from the effects for instance, and it will probably need a lot of fettling to get it to play ok, but if it's all working and hasn't got a warped neck, and provided it's the Innuendo version as in that listing, snap it up and if you don't like it, stick it on ebay for £75 or more...you should at least get your money back.

Yeah mate, its the Innuendo but the one ive been offered is black. Wondering if they were ever released in UK as most references are US as are the ebay listings.

[KERRYKOP]

Dont think Cobain played a Danoblaster as they were first made late 90's/ early '00's?
Probably a Danelectro though.

This is the one I was thinking of

[Rox]

Unless it's knackered, you'll get that £50 back easy.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Go for it, I'd say, nice quirky one and for that price it will at least hold it's value even if it's jarg!

[pepe_carra_stevie_nando]

Anyone else seen this video? Damn impressive and it's done in one take.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/xiC__IjCa2s?version=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/xiC__IjCa2s?version=3</a>