Leaderboard

As Kiwi has gone to all the trouble of setting up this section, it seems churlish not to use it so I’ll ask the first question - and although I’m no longer an absolute beginner, it’s one that I’m not sure of the answer as I can see pros and cons of each. Anyway, my question to the panel is; What’s the best choice for a complete beginner - electric or acoustic or classical? Obviously, with an electric you have the added complication of an amp but I wonder which is the easiest for a beginner to get to grips with in the very early days when it’s all about learning some chords and getting your fingers toughened up?

I initially used what pick felt right as a beginner, but eventually moved to what gave me the best tone, which meant thicker for my purposes (at one point I played with a 2mm Tortex). I still mess around with various picks, but always seem to come back to a Dunlop Jazz 3 (as used by Eric Johnson and Joe Bonamassa). It’s a personal choice at the end of the day, as is how you hold it; Robben Ford uses a conventional shaped pick but uses it upside down (as does Dave Kilminster IIRC). Invest in a pack of various gauges and see which one you like to the tone & feel of best, but be prepared to chop and change as you develop as a player or as the song or guitar dictates. Then there’s fingerstyle, hybrid style, thumbpicks, fingerpicks, metal, plastic, GAH!

Some players choose plectrum gauge to compliment their playing technique e.g. thinner, blunter plec if they strum hard. Or a harder, pointier plec if they want to play fast with a lot of control. Everything else kind of fits somewhere between those two extremes. Most common gauge is about 0.6mm but I tend to play with 0.5mm because I'm still a little heavy handed and weak fingered on my right hand. Heavier plecs tend to move around in my fingers too much. I would suggest finding something that works for you and sticking with it. Being used to a plec, whatever it is, is important for developing your touch.

I don't suffer with this condition or anything like it, so I can offer no first hand advice I'm afraid. However, I'm thinking a way forward might be to try using a thumb pick, but hold it like it's a normal pick until the tremors kick in and then use it whatever way will allow you continue playing until they subside or develop a style of your own with said device, part Oldfield/Knopfler, part you.

Ivor Mairants have some of the daisy rock guitars heavily discounted : https://www.ivormairants.co.uk/guitar-and-bass/brands/daisy-rock.html Andy

Start a Coronavirus thread and don't let @Dad3353 moderate it. Things will soon perk up

If we're open to other guitars than the high-flying Usual Suspects, I could present some of my guitars, just for their own sake, and recount a little of their story (how/why got them, what they're good or less good for etc...). Similarly, I have been learning, on and off, for decades, some aspects of guitar-playing; specifically trying to get to grips with chord/melody, and testing my receding memory with 'Misty'. I put the guitar down for a couple of weeks and it's gone; I have to start again (old age, you see...). Would a Beginners Guide to Guitar Pro or Drop 3 chords be useful..? Just a few from the top of my addled head...