Acoustic Guitar Talk

The fourth-most popular search in Google for “Acoustic Guitars” is for Free Acoustic Guitar Lessons. I understand the motivation – people want acoustic guitar lessons, for free. But, don’t you almost always get what you pay for?

I had Free Acoustic Guitar Lessons, and when I get together with by guitar playing buds who paid for their lessons, it’s pretty clear that I got what I paid for. I taught myself, which is the free-est kind of free there is. And, I am here to tell you that there are things about playing guitar – sometimes little, sometimes not – that you don’t get from books or software or internet sites.

Of course, I’ve picked up things from my friends, and eventually, I’ll be where they are today. They’ll be that much further ahead as well, but my goal is not to be better than anyone, but just to be able to pick up and play when we get together without feeling like an amateur.

My point about Free Acoustic Guitar Lessons is that, if it is at all possible, you should invest in yourself (or your kids) and pay for some decent lessons – at least while you are starting out. I wish I’d done so – I think much of what I struggle with would come more naturally, and that I would be more confident in my ability.

This is where I should be giving recommendations, but I have none. I’d check out the board at your local music shop or Mega-Music store. There are lots of folks out there willing to share their guitar knowledge with you. But, keep in mind that it took them years of hard work and practice to be able to play effortlessly. If this is something you value, then you might consider compensating the person for their time and knowledge. It’s just the right thing to do.

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I have always loved the sound of a 12 string guitar. Two years ago my wife bought me one for Christmas, and it has been my main guitar since then. This weekend while I was changing the strings on my 12 string I remembered back to when I first received the guitar. Obviously I was in love with it immediately, but I did fear that the first time I had to change strings I would be sorry for not trading it in on a 6 string.

Time proved me wrong. It does take a little longer to tune a 12 string, and a little longer to change strings, but this extra time is minute in relation to the hours of enjoyment I get from the unique and beautiful sound.

The 12 string guitar is not a Labrador Retriever, it is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. It does the same job, but looks and acts just a little different. The neck is a little wider to accommodate for the extra strings, but not as much as you might imagine, since the strings are really in pairs. It is just a touch tricky to finger pick a 12 string and get both strings at once, but with practice, it comes naturally after a while.

While I would not recommend a 12 string to everyone, I would recommend it to most folks who love the guitar and want to incorporate the unique and beautiful sound into their guitar playing. I learned most of the basics on an old beat up six string, but I’ve done most of my beginner to intermediate learning on the 12 and I’ve never felt hindered by it. If anything, the effect of the extra sounds hides a few of my mistakes and has allowed me to play in public sooner than I might have with a six string guitar. I think it sounds great, so I am confident, and all my friends seem to think it sounds great too. So really it is a win-win.

I’ve included a list of some great 12 strings below – in a pretty wide price range. Since I am a middle of the road guy, I have the middle one – the black Takamine. I HIGHLY recommend it because it is a perfect guitar. But then, I might be a little biased. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these.