Guitar beginner?

Question

I want to learn the guitar. I have an electric guitar with no strings. I don't know what gauge strings to use, or how to tune it properly once I have it strung. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

**Vinyl strings"??????? Lisa B has has no idea what she's talking about. There is no such thing.

As was suggested earlier the easiest thing to do would be to take the guitar into your local guitar shop and ask them to recommend a brand of strings, and ask them to show you how to put them on and tune them.

While you're in the music store buying strings and having them put on, get an electronic tuner as well. I personally like the Intellitouch, but there are several other good brands as well. You really should learn how to tune your guitar by ear eventually, but an electronic tuner will make it a LOT easier in the beginning.

Answer 2

Like everyone else has said, take it to a music store and ask them to restring it and tune it. As far as string recommendations go, I prefer Ernie Ball Rock N Roll Slinky strings. They are wrapped with pure nickel wire instead of nickel plated steel wire like a lot of other strings, and this gives them a nice warm tone that lends itself nicely to most any style of music. The gauge is really up to you. Personally I think 10's are a pretty good all around gauge. They sound fairly full while chording and aren't too rough on your fingers while bending during solos. I like 9's for solos that require a lot of bends, and they work ok for power chords. Of course that's all personal preference and the fullness of the sound will depend on the pickup types that you have in your guitar. Changing string gauge will have a dramatic impact on both action and intonation, so no matter what you choose, make sure that in addition to simply re-stringing and tuning the guitar, the person at the music store sets the action (the distance from the string to the frets) and the intonation (this assures that each string is in tune at every fret and not just in the open position). Some stores include this in a string change, but most don't.

Answer 3

Going to your local shop is the best advice. Learn to tune without tuner also good advice, but don't be put off as guitars are by design notoriously difficult to tune. Cant remember which issue of a Guitar magazine years ago highlighted the intonation problems and a fretboard modification around second fret G/B strings. Use the 5,5,5,4,5, fret positions from top E string down to get next string pitch. Repeat the process as, each adjustment to each string changes tension on the neck consequently altering pitch of other strings.

Have fun.....

I would recommend a medium/lite guage.

Answer 4

i also agree. what the bloody hell are vinyl strings. anyway i give guitar lessons. if you live near LA i can give you lessons. im not actually in LA but near it you know lol. jsut email me at [e-mail]. cool cool

oh yeah to answer yoru questions. yeah if you dont want lessons then the best thing to do is to go to a store and ask them to string your guitar. jsut buy a cheap set like Di Adario. those run for about $3. the stings i buy run for $15 but i get them for 6. lol

Answer 5

Take it to the guitar store, say "Hay, what strings do I need, and can you string it for me?"

SMALL guitar shops will do it free, big ones don't care who they hire and will charge you for it.
Small guitar shops also have more dedicated employees, anyways, they'll hook you up, get vinyl strings.

Answer 6

if you got ur guitar over the net and (assuming that there is no music store in your area) then you can always look for the you tube video.. and order strings off ebay.

p.s. learning to tune for yourself is good for your ears.