# Buying My First Acoustic Guitar (Help!)



## Catastrophe (Sep 7, 2012)

Hello, this is going to be my first acoustic guitar and i am learning FingerStyle. My Budget is only around 250-350. Apparently i don't know how to pick one yet, I have went to a guitar shop and asked for recommended and tried a few and apparently i found one where it sound really great.

its the Yamaha FG700S Folks Acoustic Guitar (does the "Folk" mean its only good to play folks song or something?)

Would this be a good starter for a fingerstyle guitar??
many have told me to get a Seagull S6 but I don't like the low tone of the sounds, i prefer brighter and more rich sound. If you have any recommended that is good within my budget, Please post em with the pro's and con's.

Please go easy on the guitar language and explain it simple yet detailed in a way i could understand since im a starter.

I Highly Appreciate All Your Help And Time 

Thank You


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## Greg Ellis (Oct 1, 2007)

It really is tough to beat the Yamaha's in that sort of price range. And if you like a brighter sound, then FG700S is a good option. I prefer the matte finish "MS" version, myself, but that's a different sort of sound.

Don't worry about the "folk" tag - it usually means a smaller body size, that's all. If you check the Yamaha website, they don't even use the word "folk" in association with this guitar. Go figure, lol.

Be sure to play a few different examples of the same guitar, and check them over carefully for rough/sharp fret ends and other "dress" and cosmetic issues, sloppy glue, anything loose, etc. Listen carefully for any buzziness or rattle. Play each string at every fret, all the way up and down the neck and listen for fret buzz. Tune every string down a bit and then back up again - if the nut is pinching a string, it won't change pitch smoothly and/or you'll here a "ping" sound as you lower or raise the pitch. 

The price of any kind of work (to clean up poorly finished frets, or adjust the nut or saddle) is going to be pretty close to the retail price of this guitar, so it's definitely worth taking the time to find the very best one in the store.

I'm not sure what price you were quoted, but it's common to see these right around $200. Case costs extra. If you check Craigslist and Kijiji, you might find a deal in the used market - lots of people pick these up as first guitars and then leave them rotting in the corner. All the same advice applies to used - you have to check it over carefully.

Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of guitars!


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

The mistake that a lot of people make when buying their first acoustic guitar is that they buy one that is too big, i.e. a dreadnaught, in most cases. As Greg said, "folk" refers to the body size, and it's a good size for fingerstyle. 

Yamaha is a reputable brand, and you should definitely trust your ears as far as tone goes. The Godin brands: Seagull, Norman, Simon & Patrick, and Arts & Lutherie are all good value as well, so if you find something that is pleasing to your ears you'll probably be happy with your purchase. Seagulls are nice for fingerstyle because they have a slightly wider fretboard, though the S6 is a dreadnaught (I think) so probably a bit on the large side unless you are pretty tall. The large size also accounts for the lower tone that you noticed. 

If you like "brighter" sounding guitars, check out some with maple on the back and sides.


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## Catastrophe (Sep 7, 2012)

Ahh, ic thanks for the help

seems like the yamaha fg700s folk acoustic guitar is on the top of the list haha, anything else i need to buy with the guitar besides the case?
cuz i asked them and they said they will only give 1 year warrenty and a few picks and thats pretty much all

should i learn fingerstyle using my fingers or get finger picks/nails?? cuz i seen many guitarist especially good one using fignerpicks/nails, if so wat type of brand?

like strings,amp,tuner,soundhole pickup, capo? (even tho i dont know wat most of em do beside the tuner xD)

someone wanna tell me wat these do? and should i go for Self-Taught with a guide book/Online Lessons or Guitar Lessons


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## rick0415 (Jun 15, 2011)

My first guitar was a Yamaha FG700 and I really loved it. I would suggest taking it in for a professional setup though. The action is a bit high right out of the box.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Catastrophe said:


> Ahh, ic thanks for the help
> 
> seems like the yamaha fg700s folk acoustic guitar is on the top of the list haha, anything else i need to buy with the guitar besides the case?
> cuz i asked them and they said they will only give 1 year warrenty and a few picks and thats pretty much all
> ...


Get some fingerpicks and try them. I ended up using nails because they are harder to lose.

The only thing you should need immediately is a tuner, assuming that you can't tune by ear. A capo might come in handy, but isn't absolutely necessary. Hold off on the pick-up and amp until you can play well enough that you are thinking about performing and you'll probably have a better idea of what you want. Buy strings as you need them - they'll give you an excuse to go to your local music shop and try out some amps and pick-ups

I would suggest getting a teacher, but I am biased - being a teacher. One of our forum members wrote a good blog post on deciding whether you should get a teacher: Six String Obsession: Should I get a teacher? Or learn online?


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## Catastrophe (Sep 7, 2012)

bw66 said:


> Get some fingerpicks and try them. I ended up using nails because they are harder to lose.
> 
> The only thing you should need immediately is a tuner, assuming that you can't tune by ear. A capo might come in handy, but isn't absolutely necessary. Hold off on the pick-up and amp until you can play well enough that you are thinking about performing and you'll probably have a better idea of what you want. Buy strings as you need them - they'll give you an excuse to go to your local music shop and try out some amps and pick-ups
> 
> I would suggest getting a teacher, but I am biased - being a teacher. One of our forum members wrote a good blog post on deciding whether you should get a teacher: Six String Obsession: Should I get a teacher? Or learn online?


okay, so which type of brands should i pick for the fingerpicks/nails,tuner,pick-us,capos, and strings??


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## Catastrophe (Sep 7, 2012)

Hey, i have been asking around and people have been telling me that Seagull s6 is very close to the sound that i want to hear but i also think that Yamaha FG700's is close too. so i will need help on this, i will be posting a vid of the sound i hope to have and, i guess we can have alittle vote? ahaha 

(2ne1) Ugly - Sungha Jung - YouTube

Thanks


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

Don't agonize too much over the brand or model of the guitar. It will only be your first guitar (with luck, the first of many). The most important thing is that it be comfortable to play, it is also important that it plays in tune. The shop should do a set-up for you to fine tune the playability. Any of the clip-on tuners will do the job for you. Find a good teacher. If you don't feel good about the teacher after the first lesson, then find another and keep going till the 'fit' is good.
Picks, etc. I like Pro-Pick the best, though there are others. Avoid spring loaded capos. (There is no adjustment). You can always add a pick-up when you need one, and I suspect you'll have moved to a better guitar by the time you need one.
Above all, find people to play with. The best way to learn music is from and with other folks.
Good luck and welcome to the land of obsession.


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