Guitar
Instructional Materials
We use a variety of current instructional materials which include CD and/or DVD accompaniments to make the learning process more effective, interesting, and enjoyable and to expose our students to a wide variety of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, swing, big band, rock, pop, and country.
Guitar Materials
Guitar – your choice of type and style
Extra Guitar strings to match your instrument
Electronic tuner – chromatic type
Guitar picks – flat picks and / or thumb picks (optional)
Lesson books and associated learning materials
CD player – used for playing recorded CD lessons and accompaniments (optional)
DVD player – used for playing recorded DVD lessons and accompaniments (optional)
Guitar polish – optional (do not ever use furniture polish to polish your guitar)
Guitar polishing cloth – optional (do not ever use paper towels to polish your guitar or any musical instrument)
Capo (optional)
Guitar strap (optional)
Music stand (optional)
Music stool (optional)
Guitar case or gig bag (optional)
Guitar Amplifier (as required)
Stereo headphones (as required)
Choosing Your First Guitar
Choosing your first guitar can seem like a daunting task, but it’s really not all that difficult.
There are two broad categories of guitars – acoustic and electric.
Note: An acoustic guitar with onboard electrics installed is still an acoustic guitar.
I recommend that you choose a guitar that matches the style of music that you like to listen to and are most interested in playing. If the performers of the style of music you like play a certain type and style of guitar then that’s the type and style of guitar you should buy.
You will enjoy it more which means that you will play it more and you will become a better player faster.
Watch your favorite performer on You Tube or elsewhere and see what type and style of guitar he or she is playing.
Every style of guitar is available in various levels of sophistication and cost. There are a number of very reputable guitar manufacturers that provide excellent quality instruments in virtually any type and style at very reasonable prices.
You can always move up to the specific brand and model instrument of your dreams later.
Choosing Your First Guitar Amplifier
If you choose to buy an electric guitar, or if you want to amplify an acoustic guitar, you will need a guitar amplifier.
Note: There is a difference between an amplifier that is specifically designed to be used with straight electric guitars and an amplifier that is specifically designed to be used with amplified acoustic guitars.
There are two broad categories of guitar amplifiers – vacuum tube amplifiers (the British call vacuum tubes “valves”) and solid state amplifiers.
Most professional players use vacuum tube amplifiers. Vacuum tube amplifiers are usually considered to be smoother and more dynamic and vibrant sounding than solid state amplifiers, but they do have some interesting quirks. They are more fragile – especially when they are hot – and they are more expensive.
Another unique characteristic of vacuum tube amplifiers is that they tend to sound better when they are operated in their mid to upper power range – called the sweet spot. This is typically in the 40% to 80% volume range.
For sound quality reasons it is better to use a smaller vacuum tube amplifier operated in its mid to upper power range than a larger vacuum tube amplifier with the volume control turned down.
Solid state amplifiers do not have this “sweet spot” characteristic.
There is a wide variety of excellent sounding solid state amplifiers. They require virtually no maintenance (other than good routine care) and are more rugged and less prone to damage from being transported. They can also have built-in capabilities that are not available on tube amplifiers such as amplifier modeling (they can be set to sound like a number of different amplifiers) and special effects such as vibrato, tremelo, reverb, chorus, etc.
Many solid state amplifiers also let you plug in a stereo headset which disconnects the amplifier’s speakers and lets you play to your heart’s content without interfering with anyone around you.
Solid state amplifiers are also less expensive to buy and maintain than tube amplifiers.
Some small solid state amplifiers also have the capability of being powered by either 110 volt electricity or by on-board batteries for use in places where 110 volt power is not available such as traveling, camping, hiking, boating, backyard BBQs, etc.
Guitar amplifier output is rated in watts. The higher the watt rating the more sound (volume) the amplifier will put out.
It is difficult to recommend a specific amplifier size, but a good general guideline would be as follows:
Small portable units that can be battery powered: 3 – 10 watts
Personal use in home-size rooms: 3 – 10 watts
Smaller venues and small groups such as basement and garage bands, etc.: 10 – 30 watts
Medium size venues: 30 – 60 watts
Larger venues and larger groups: over 60 watts
Guitar Manufacturers
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of guitar manufacturers. It represents a number of the commonly encountered reputable brand names.
Some of the guitars with these brand names on them are made in Japan, South Korea, China, or Mexico. The companies listed (and others) have design and quality control functions in the manufacturing process. I have owned a number of these foreign made guitars from several of these companies and have found them all to be of excellent quality.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of guitar manufacturers. It is a list of the makes that I have used and can recommend.
Alhambra, Alvarez, Big Lou, Blueridge, Breedlove, Collings, Cordoba, D’Angelico, Eastman, Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Godin, Gretsch, Guild, Ibanez, Larrivee, Lowden, Martin, Mitchell, Ovation, PRS, Rainsong, Ramirez, Rickenbacker, Rodriguez, Santa Cruz, Seagull (Godin), Squier (Fender), Takamine, Taylor, Traveler, Washburn, Yamaha.
Guitar Amplifiers versus PA Systems
A guitar amplifier is exactly that – a guitar amplifier. It is designed and intended to amplify a guitar.
If you get to the point where you want to play in larger venues, either for pleasure or for profit, a PA system may be preferable to a guitar amplifier. This is especially true of you add multiple instruments, voices, and effects.
Amplifier and PA System Manufacturers. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of guitar amplifier manufacturers. It is a list of the makes that I have used and can recommend.Acoustic, AER, Behringer, Bose, Dean Markley, Fender, Fishman, Godin, JBL, Marshall, Peavey, Roland, Schertler, Vox, Yamaha.
Finger Picking Guitars for People with Large Fingers
Finger picking is a valuable and enjoyable skill for a guitar player, but it can present challenges for some people.
If you have large hands and large fingers like I have, fast accurate fingering on a standard six string steel string guitar can be a challenge.
The nut (spaces and supports the strings at the tuner end of the neck) on most six string steel string guitars is 1 11/16 inches wide. Finger picking on a guitar with this string spacing can be challenging for people with large hands and large fingers. Some 6 string steel string guitars have a 1 3/4 inch wide nut which does make finger picking a bit easier. There are also 6 string steel string guitars that have a 1 7/8 inch wide nut which makes finger picking much easier.
Full size nylon string classical guitars have 2 inch wide nuts. A finger pickers dream!
Technique can greatly affect a player’s ability to play the guitar. The standard method of holding a non-classical guitar (assuming a right handed player) is to balance the guitar on the right thigh and strum and / or pick the strings with the right hand while fingering the strings to produce chords and / or notes with the left hand. The problem with this arrangement is that proper right and left hand / finger / guitar geometry is more difficult to achieve.If you have large hands and fingers try this:
Sit down in a chair or a stool with no armrests and put something (books, boards, etc.) about 3-5 inches think under your left foot. Now spread your knees apart a bit and balance the guitar on your LEFT thigh with the neck pointing upward to your left. With the guitar in this position bring your right hand over to the instrument positioning it over the strings just slightly below the center of the sound hole. With your right wrist bent very slightly your fingers will be perpendicular to the strings which is the perfect right hand playing position.
Raise your left hand to the neck just below the nut. Place your left thumb on the center of the back of the neck, reach your fingers around the neck, and use your finger TIPS – not the finger pads – to press down on the strings. No part of your left hand should touch the neck except your thumb and finger tips. The guitar should be balanced on your thigh and your left hand should not be supporting the instrument at all.
This is the playing position that classical guitar players use because it provides a nearly geometrically perfect hand / finger / guitar geometry. You will probably find that this hand position makes it easier to finger and play both individual strings and chords.
Now place the guitar in the more usual playing position on your right thigh and place your hands and fingers in the same position relative to the guitar that they were in with the guitar on your left thigh. This is more difficult to do in the right thigh position but it is absolutely necessary for good technique.
If this change in playing technique doesn’t solve your finger picking issues, there are some other options that you can consider.Have a custom guitar built with a wider neck and a wider nut designed specifically for finger picking. This can be very expensive and the resulting custom guitar may be difficult to sell later.
Buy a classical guitar. These guitars have wider necks and the standard nut width is 2 inches (remember that a standard six string steel string guitar has a 1 11/16 inch wide nut). What steel string guitar players call “finger picking” is what classical guitar players do all the time, so these guitars are specifically designed for this type of playing. Classical guitars also have nylon strings rather than steel strings. Nylon strings are under less tension than steel strings (about half as much), are noticeably easier to depress, and have a wonderful soft melodic sound. Classical guitars are available both with and without on-board pickups and electronics for direct connection to a guitar amplifier designed specifically for acoustic guitars.
I have owned nylon string classical guitars by Alhambra, Cordoba, Guild, and Yamaha, and they have all been excellent. You can also get nylon string electric guitars with 2 inch nuts such as those from Godin.
There are a number of 7-string guitars being made. Select one of these and have a new nut installed with the proper string spacing for 6 strings. This will result in a six string steel string guitar with a wider neck and a wider nut with a more comfortable string spacing for finger picking. If the nut work is professionally done, the guitar can always be returned to its original 7-string configuration later by reinstalling the original nut.
Find a 12-string guitar with a 1 7/8 inch nut and have a new nut installed with the proper string spacing for six strings. This will result in a six string steel string guitar with a wider neck and a wider nut with more comfortable string spacing for finger picking. 12-string guitars are available in several acoustic body styles both with and without on-board pickups and electronics for direct connection to a guitar amplifier designed specifically for acoustic guitars. They are also available in several electric solid body and hollow body styles.
I have done this conversion a number of times on both acoustic and electric 12-string guitars and I have had good results. If the nut work is professionally done the guitar can always be returned to its original 12-string configuration later by reinstalling the original nut.
What About Guitar Body Sizes and Shapes
Solid body electric guitars: The body size and shape actually have virtually no effect on the sound of a solid body electric guitar.
Hollow body electric guitars: The body size and shape does have some effect on the sound of a hollow body electric guitar, but other factors such as pickups, strings, picks, and amps have a much greater effect.
Acoustic guitars: Acoustic guitars come in a wide variety of body sizes, shapes, and wood types, Those body sizes, shapes, and wood types are what primarily affect the sound that is produced by an acoustic guitar.
An in-depth discussion of acoustic guitar body sizes is beyond the scope of this website, but there are some general comments that apply.
Body size determines sound depth and volume with larger body sizes producing more depth and volume than smaller body sizes.
Body shape determines the relationship between the bass and the treble output of the guitar.
Example: the dreadnought (D) body shape was designed by Martin to accompany singing groups and to produce relatively stronger bass than treble while the 000 / OM / M / J body shape produces a more even bass / treble relationship.
What About a Guitar Body Cutout
The purpose of a cutout on a guitar body is to allow greater player access to the upper frets. A cutout has virtually no effect on the sound produced by the guitar.
Scale Length (the actual vibrating length of the string between the bridge and the nut).
Guitars come with various scale lengths (the distance between the bridge and the nut). There are primarily four guitar characteristics that are affected by the scale length: string tension, fret spacing, neck length, and bridge position.
Shorter sale lengths have lower string tension, closer fret spacing, and tend to have shorter necks.
Longer sale lengths have higher string tension, wider fret spacing, and tend to have longer necks.
Finger pickers generally tend to prefer guitars with shorter scale lengths, shorter necks, and lower string tension.
12-Fret Necks versus 14-Fret Necks
You will see the terms “12-fret neck” and “14-fret neck.” These terms refer to the position where the neck is attached to the guitar body.
A 12-fret neck is attached to the guitar body at the 12th fret while the 14-fret neck is attached to the guitar body at the 14th fret.
There are some differences between the two,
The 12-fret neck places the nut closer to the body and places the bridge farther away from the sound hole / center of the body. These guitars generally tend to have a sweeter and more balanced sound. Many finger pickers prefer 12 fret necks.
The 14-fret neck places the nut farther away from the body and places the bridge closer to the sound hole / center of the body. These guitars generally tend to have a brighter sound with a relatively stronger bass.
Record Yourself: A Very Positive Learning Experience
Seeing and / or hearing yourself play is a very enlightening and worthwhile experience. It gives you the opportunity to see and / or hear what other people see and / or hear rather than what you think and / or hope they are hearing.
Audio Only: I use a portable battery-powered Zoom H2N Handy Recorder. Sony, Tascam, and Yamaha also make excellent battery-powered portable recorders.
Audio and Video: I use a GoPro unit to make music videos of myself and my students. These units are very high quality, are very easy to use, and produce excellent quality videos with excellent quality audio.
Traveling and/or Silent Playing
If you travel and/or have a need to be able to play without disturbing anyone around you, there are a number of excellent options.
“Travel guitars” are designed for easy transport and some of them will fit in airline overhead cargo bins. They come in both hollow body acoustic and solid body electric varieties.
“Silent guitars” are designed to be silent to anyone around you. Some are also designed for easy transport by airline travelers. They do not have acoustic hollow bodies so they produce very little acoustic sound. They have solid bodies and some have on-board battery powered pickups and electronics for use with a pair of stereo headphones or an amplifier. With headphones they can be played without being heard by anyone who is more than a very short distance away.
The Yamaha SLG series is unique and very functional. The SLG200S has steel strings and a standard width 1 11/16 inch wide nut. The SLG200N has nylon strings and a 2 inch wide nut.
Traveler Guitar makes some very interesting silent / travel guitars – some with built-in amps for use with a stereo headset. Some of the Traveler Guitar models look a bit strange at first but they are very well designed and feel and play great.
Some Great Steel String Guitars
Big Lou: A small firm that makes several solid body electric guitars with wide necks and 1 7/8 inch nuts. I personally own and play four of their wide nut models and I can highly recommend them,
Eastman: Eastman makes an excellent line of guitars. Their arch top electric guitars are wonderful and many have 1 3/4 inch nuts.
Gretsch: Gretsch is a very historic company that makes excellent products.
Martin: Martin was founded in 1833 and is the acoustic guitar company by which all others are most often judged. They are excellent and some are available from the factory with 1 3/4 inch nuts. The entire Martin line of guitars is excellent. You can’t go wrong choosing any of them.
Seagull: Seagull guitars are beautifully made in Canada by Godin, are wonderful playing and sounding, and are very economical. Some models are wonderful finger picking guitars due to their wider than standard width nuts.
Taylor: I have owned several Taylor guitars and I think very highly of them. They are on par with Martin guitars.
Traveler Guitar: Several steel string models. These are very cool silent / travel guitars that are very well designed. They have an onboard battery-powered amp that works with a sterio headset. They look a bit strange at first, but they feel and play great.
Some Great Nylon String Guitars
Alhambra: Alhambra makes an excellent line of nylon string classical guitars. Any model Alhambra guitar you choose will be excellent.
Cordoba: Cordoba makes an excellent line of nylon string classical guitars. Any model Cordoba guitar you choose will be excellent.
Godin: Godin is an excellent guitar company from Canada that also makes the Seagull line of acoustic guitars.
Traveler Guitar: Traveler Classical. A unique and very functional travel / silent guitar with nylon strings, a 2 inch wide nut, an onboard tuner, and battery powered onboard electronics. A very unique and very cool guitar. I use this guitar often for traveling as well as just relaxing around the house or by the pool, the local park, camping, etc.
Yamaha: Yamaha makes an excellent line of nylon string classical guitars. Any model Yamaha guitar you choose will be excellent.
Some Great Guitar Amplifiers
AER: Compact TE, Compact 60
Behringer: Ultracoustic
Fender: Mustang I, Mustang II, Mustang III, Mustang IV, Mustang V, Blues Deluxe, Deluxe Reverb, Twin Reverb, Acoustasonic 90, Acoustasonic 150, Acoustic SFX, Acoustic Pro
Fishman: Loudbox Artist, Loudbox Performer
Marshall: AS50D, AS100D
Roland: AC33, AC60, AC90
Schertler: New Jam Acoustic
VOX: AC15, AC30, AGA150
Yamaha: THR-5A
Some Great Portable PA Systems
Bose: S1
Fender: Passport Venue
Fishman: SA330X
JBL: EON 1
Peavey: Escort 6000
Yamaha: Sagepas 600i
Some Great Acoustic Guitar Preamp / DI Boxes
A DI box is used between an acoustic guitar and the amplifier or PA system. It allows you to taylor the exact acoustic sound you want before the signal is sent to the amp or PA system.
Fishman: Aura Spectrum DI, ToneDEQ
L. R. Baggs: Venue DI Acoustic Guitar Preamp
Some Great Special Effects Boxes
Effects in music are like spices in a kitchen. Spices can add a lot to a well designed, well prepared, and well presented dish but they can never make a poor dish acceptable.
Effects can definitely enhance a well designed, well prepared, and well presented performance but they can never make a poor instrument, poor technique, or poor performance acceptable.
Acoustic guitar players tend to use effects less than electric guitar players do, but when used appropriately, effects can definitely enhance an acoustic performance.
Effects can be especially beneficial in providing rhythm for solo performers. Sometimes called drum machines, these boxes generate a synthetic percussion section and are a great enhancement for solo players and small groups.
Effects can also be beneficial in enhancing the solo voice. These boxes generate multiple voices in harmony with the performer and are a great enhancement for a solo singer.