I am wanting to learn how to play a electric guitar but dont know where to start?

Question

I was at a friends house a day or 2 ago and he had a electric guitar and I tried to play it but had no luck but am really wanting to learn how to play. I dont have one of my own but I have lots of friends who play but seriously play too much to lend it out. I was wanting to buy my own but didnt know if online or in-store was better? I dont wana buy something online and not get what I thought I bought but I dont wana feel stupid talking to a guy at a guitar store who probably knows everyhint about one. I have played guitar hero 1, 2, and 3 and fell in love with guitars and am fairly good at it (4 starred beast and the harlot, six, yyz, and carry me home on hard). if guitar hero helped at all, im in good shape. ifit didn't, im pretty much screwed. Any help at all would be nice. I would prefer a black one with the whammy bar or if I can just simply attach it to any guitar I can get one off a friend. hope someone can help me out

Answer 1

Well for starters don't buy a guitar online....go to a music store or someplace like the Guitar Center. Your not going to believe this but months ago I saw a guitar on E-bay that went for a penny...can you imagine what that sounded like !!!!!!!!!! I don't think anyone should buy a guitar without playing it first, and at the gutiar center you can take it home for thirty days and still return it...I think a person has to feel the action, listen to the sound, and make sure that this is the best one that you can buy for the money that your willing to spend on it . Go sit in the Guitar Center for a couple of hours and play all the guitars in your price range...and then make up your mind !!!!!! Sam Ash is another store that has nice instruments...and I'm sure that both have second hand instruments....or you could even try a pawn shop. Don't feel stupid in the guitar store...I think their great people, they also give great deals !!! The Guitar Center also has private little rooms where you can go if you feel funny to play in front of people. Well good luck to you....just remember don't buy an instrument unless you get a chance to play it first....you might get screwed !!!!!! A friend of mines daughter bought one off of the Internet...one of those package deals...and before you got out of the third position there were buzzes...the frets were not set right....and what ever you do don't buy one of those Estabans....someone in my family bought one...(after I told them not to) and I had to call the music store to see what they could do to make it playable...and when I first started the conversation he said, "don't tell me it's an Estaban", and I said, "how did you know", he said, "everyone who has bought one has said the same thing it was to hard to play....mice could walk between the strings and the fingerboard !!!!!!! He said that most of those that were brought in could be fixed, it was either the frets or the bridge, the action is just rediculous !!!!!!!! Well good luck to you.

Answer 2

OK. Work out what U can afford. U will need a guitar and an amp, so it can get pricey, but go to your local music shop and see what's on offer. Fender and Peavey both do starter packages, and they will soon be in the shops ready for Christmas. Take one of your lnowledgeable friends with you, and get him/her to play a few and give you an opinion. Hold the guitar yourself in playing position and see if U can hold down some strings, maybe even a chord. Playing guitar will hurt your fingers at first, but it does wear off after a while. Hope this helps. PS Do NOT buy off the net.

Answer 3

Well... sorry you're screwed. ha ha
Guitar Hero is nothing like a real guitar. Yeah, there are beginner electric packages, Fender Squier has one.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Affinity-Series-Strat-Ultimate-10Piece-Kit?sku=515218

That would be a good starter guitar. Many recommend beginning on an acoustic guitar, it's tougher on the fingers, so when you move to the electric, it is a piece of cake.
If you want to start with a electric though, I'd recommend a Fender or Fender Squier. Good luck!