# did i get ripped off, and how to learn



## XxJoeBlowxX (May 22, 2008)

I recently (about a month ago) purchased an acoustic guitar, which was originally for my sister, but she found it too hard so I took it and tried my best to learn as well as I could.

now I was wondering whether I got ripped off for the guitar I purchased. From what I know (using images from the jasmine website and the Internets) I believe I purchased a jasmine S35 http://www.jasmineguitars.com/S35.html 

I purchased it from Walters in square one (Mississauga) and the professional guitarist there, I think his name is Jay or something like that suggested it and believe I paid around $200 for it and a carrying case (really good one, lots of pockets and well padded) and a book that I believe is pretty good. Could someone please tell me whether I got a good deal or not.

another thing I would like to know is how I should learn how to play guitar, and about guitars in general. Should I go by books, try to find as much stuff as I can on the internet, or get lessons. If get lessons could you please suggest a school, or classes available in Mississauga.

By the way I'm 14 years old and I already tried learning from the book I purchased its called hal leonard guitar method complete edition and it comes with cds with the songs in the book. I am also trying to learn songs from tabs over the internet and the program guitar pro, which shows tabs in both fret numbers and notes, it also plays the music for you so you know how it sounds. In my opinion this is a godly program and I will try to post up the full version, not a trial, I know it is piracy and promotion of it (I legally purchased it), but if it's allowed I would like to assist my fellow guitarist to get better. (I felt I should mention that I am proud to be able to play the canadian anthem very well, I don't know why but I thought I should)

Thank you for taking the time to read this ridiculously long post :zzz: :smile: :smilie_flagge17:

EDIT:
Ya I think I got a fairly good deal because I checked on LA music and they r selling it for 195 with a hard case, I got a book with it for 200 so I think it's ok, but I'm gettign a feeling it's used


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## gibson335 (Dec 7, 2007)

YouTube mate. Type in (rock, blues, jazz, etc) guitar lessons & off you go....Good luck.


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

I don't know much about the brand of guitar you bought.but...Lessons are useful....Here's my opinion (drawn from experience) that may or may not be shared by others....

The unfortunate part of it is - there are not a ton of good teachers out there....My first teacher was a 16 year old kid - (I was 35 at the time)...and he was great - pointed me in the right direction on everything....Besides him, I found many of the teachers out there to be great players who can't tell you how they're doing what they're doing.....my advice..learn about notes - where they are on the guitar neck....and some background as to what a note is....some great reading - "your brain on music"....and check out "guitarnoise.com...it has some great content (free) on guitar basics....learn your scales - Major, Minor, Pentatonic..and where they appear on the neck in each position...memorize the patters - memorize where the root notes are in the patters.....this will get you far. 

In parallel - learn open position chords - as many as you can - especially for an acoustic....then learn bar chords rooted on the 5th and 6th string...you'll be able to play a great many things once you get these principles down....focus on these basics...and you'll sound like pro in no time

and - practise practise practise......learn songs by tab, listenning, breaking them down into chunks and playing them over and over again - to backing tracks or along with the song itself

go to the lessons when you want to learn a technique - not a song - not a scale - not chords.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

thats takamines entry level tier of guitars, like fender- squier, gibson- epiphone.
for $200 i think you didnt get ripped off. i picked one up a few years ago, with pickup, eq and gig bag for $200. i got it to cart around on drunken missions and stuff. beat the hell out of it for a year, then sold it for $200. the guy who bought it recently traded it in, on a newer guitar, and got $200 for it.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Sounds about right. I wouldn't have paid $200 for it though, but it'll get you started. 
Best advice you can get though is go find a teacher, otherwise you'll flail around for years on your own (unless you're just naturally insanely gifted...it does happen). I speak from experience (the flailing part, not the insanely gifted part)  

Go get a teacher.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

XxJoeBlowxX said:


> I am also trying to learn songs from tabs over the internet and the program guitar pro, which shows tabs in both fret numbers and notes, it also plays the music for you so you know how it sounds. In my opinion this is a godly program and I will try to post up the full version, not a trial, I know it is piracy and promotion of it (I legally purchased it), but if it's allowed I would like to assist my fellow guitarist to get better.


You're right, this program is awesome, but I don't think the admins here would appreciate you posting this program in it's full version. Your heart's in the right place, but if you really dig the program, just let us know and we'll go about our merry way trying to get a copy for ourselves.

As for learning, I started out with tabs from the internet and youtube videos, but now I feel like I've plateaued and I don't think I'll get much further without a good teacher. I wish I had a good one from the start. Sorry, I can't recommend one from Mississauga, but I'm sure someone will be able to.

As far as the Jasmine goes, it seems to have a solid spruce top, so I would guess that $200 isn't a bad price at all for it, though I don't have any direct experience with that model. I've played a few Jasmines in my time, though, and they're great back-for-the-buck guitars.


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## Doctor Blind (Oct 17, 2008)

Theres nothing wrong with learning on your own, heck look at Hendrix! Getting lessons/instructor just makes it easier to comprehend stuff. 

I've been going to a music school and I believe there is also one in Mississauga.
Give them a call 905-278-5661

The more you play the more you'll learn about guitars in general

The guitar you bought is an entry level guitar not the best deal but certainly not a rip off. 

:rockon:


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Doctor Blind said:


> Theres nothing wrong with learning on your own, heck look at Hendrix! Getting lessons/instructor just makes it easier to comprehend stuff.


Agreed. Nothing wrong with it _if_ you're Hendrix. For most of us though, a teacher is a good idea. I've made huge improvements in the past when I've had teachers, and really stagnated or regressed without. Right now I have so little time I'm surprised I can still play at all. A 14 yr old with a will to learn and a good teacher could be pretty great by the time they're 20. Same kid without the teacher might do quite well too of course, but chances are better with IMO.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

It's not an either/or proposition. Use the resources you mentioned *AND* a teacher to coach you. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Good luck Try about.com/guitar They have some good basics for a beginner. And get a teacher. I wish I did.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

*Might have been*

It was probably a tad more than you needed to pay for it the blue book lists it for MSRP ( manafactures suggested retail price ) of $200.00 so for a used guitar, might have been, BUT at least you got one and thats what really matters is that you are starting, search the internet and find sites where ever you can and try to find friends that play ad can get you started and lessons, well that will never hurt your progress, just asdk a ton of questions and don't be intimidated by whatever he tells you, trust your instincts and just because he played for so or so doesn't make him a good teacher for you, feel comfortable with whom ever you choose and don't be discouraged with sore fingers or what ever it does get better and one day you are on the road of making music so enjoy the ride and welcome to the world of music.Ship


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## Doctor Blind (Oct 17, 2008)

devnulljp said:


> Agreed. Nothing wrong with it _if_ you're Hendrix. For most of us though, a teacher is a good idea. I've made huge improvements in the past when I've had teachers, and really stagnated or regressed without. Right now I have so little time I'm surprised I can still play at all. A 14 yr old with a will to learn and a good teacher could be pretty great by the time they're 20. Same kid without the teacher might do quite well too of course, but chances are better with IMO.


Agreed, a passionate student and a good teacher the great formula for excelling in music and anything in life.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

XxJoeBlowxX said:


> I am also trying to learn songs from tabs over the internet and the program guitar pro, which shows tabs in both fret numbers and notes, it also plays the music for you so you know how it sounds. In my opinion this is a godly program and I will try to post up the full version, not a trial, I know it is piracy and promotion of it (I legally purchased it), but if it's allowed I would like to assist my fellow guitarist to get better.


As mentioned earlier not a good idea to link to bootlegged software on here, but if you really want there's a Free Software open source project called DGuitar that will play those files too. Might not be as polished, but it works, it's cross-platform, it's free as in freedom and free as in beer, and legal. 
http://sourceforge.net/projects/dguitar/


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## rbbambino (Oct 10, 2007)

XxJoeBlowxX said:


> I recently (about a month ago) purchased an acoustic guitar, which was originally for my sister, but she found it too hard so I took it and tried my best to learn as well as I could.
> 
> now I was wondering whether I got ripped off for the guitar I purchased.


I'm probably the "burst your bubble" guy !!! You will know what I mean if you are in fact that person. I really didn't want to make you feel badly about your purchase; however, I'm now feeling guilty about telling you that you were asking too much for your guitar. I wish I had kept my opinions to myself. As for value. It is in the eye of the beholder and $200 for the guitar and case was a fair price considering that you bought it at a music store. You will find someone who will pay you at least $200 if you keep it advertised long enough, so are you willing to wait for the right person to buy it from you?
As to learning guitar. You need to enjoy whatever you do. Find the right guitar for you and then look for whatever it takes to keep you interested in your instrument... a good teach, interesting music, other friends who share your interest in guitar... whatever it takes to keep you involved and passionate about making music. Never lose your passion for making music.


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## noobfret (Nov 25, 2007)

I don't know much about the guitar but it's the usually the player that counts. I would suggest you get used to some of the basic chords and try to strum along while switching among them. Do that until you get somehow used to where your fingers should go. Then, get a guitar teacher, he should teach you some basic stuffs. You will progress much faster with one.


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2008)

gibson335 said:


> YouTube mate. Type in (rock, blues, jazz, etc) guitar lessons & off you go....Good luck.


Absolutely! I only started playing again after about ten years off, and I'm finding so many good clips to learn from...players starting out now have it made. Resources galore on the net, affordable guitars and amps that are actually halfway decent (unlike the Lero I started on), and communities like this one where ideas can be shared!


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Mooh said:


> It's not an either/or proposition. Use the resources you mentioned *AND* a teacher to coach you.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


Good call!


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## mrgnomer (Oct 23, 2008)

Me and my wife are just wanting to start down the road of serious guitar study. We followed the aboutGuitar.com free lessons for a few weeks and progressed pretty well. There's a lot of free on line stuff as well from song tabs to instruction in different techniques. I found Travis picking to be fun.

When I've asked what's the best way to learn the majority of the advice is to find a good instructor. I've been reading around that while a good instructor is a worthwhile investment all instructors aren't good. I guess unless you know an instructor by reputation or recommendation it'll be hard to know if they're good.

Because we're just starting out I took a chance and spent some money on Legacy Learning System's Learn and Master the Guitar course. I found the course recommended on this forum.

We took delivery of the course a few weeks ago and are 3 sessions in. So far I'm finding the course more comprehensive, challenging, fun and worthwhile than the About.com free lessons and other free lessons I surfed. Free lessons I found were not bad but tedious and without the discipline and dedication to really follow the lessons faithfully I felt that it would be easier to plateau or hit a wall and stall. I haven't been finding that with the Learn and Master the Guitar DVD course so far.

I've got a piano and electric organ background as well as being self taught on the recorder. I can read music and am not to bad of a musician with practice. I'm finding the DVD course is teaching the basics of music theory very well and is laying out a very good foundation to progressive advancement to a higher mastery of the guitar. Me and the missus are really pleased with the course, so far.


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## Raven (Nov 8, 2007)

XxJoeBlowxX said:


> I recently (about a month ago) purchased an acoustic guitar, which was originally for my sister, but she found it too hard so I took it and tried my best to learn as well as I could.
> 
> now I was wondering whether I got ripped off for the guitar I purchased. From what I know (using images from the jasmine website and the Internets) I believe I purchased a jasmine S35 http://www.jasmineguitars.com/S35.html
> 
> ...


If you bought the guitar and are now wondering if you got ripped off, it means that you didn't do your homework prior to buying it. You didn't find out what was available at and what it was going for. Next time you'll know better and you'll be better informed.

Learning how to play the guitar is not easy. I started seriously about three years ago and while I have progressed, I'm still not happy at where I am. I plan on taking lessons in the very near future or just as soon as I can find someone that is good at teaching as opposed to showing me scales and the like.

Practice your chords and changing from one to another. Practice scales. When you can do chords and your fingers are agile enough, get a teacher. Oh and practice. I suggest half an hour twice a day every other day in the beginning. That will give your fingers some time to adjust.

Practice....kjdr


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