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So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:10 pm
One of my biggest regrets in life is I never learned to play a musical instrument. I have decided to remedy that situation. Never being one to go half assed on anything I bought a Fender Standard Stratocaster and Mustang I amp. Most of the music I like best is played on the Stratocaster so why not? On the recommendation of a friend that plays I also downloaded Fender’s Fuse software and plan to do most of my practicing using my computer and headphones. For the sake of the neighbors. 
My friend suggested that the first thing I needed to do was take the guitar to a pro and get it setup properly. Well fuck that. I enjoy piddling with stuff too much for that and plan to learn how to set up my own guitar. Which brings me to this post. Anybody have any recommendations on resources for setting up and tuning a guitar?
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RE: So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:13 pm
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
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RE: So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Hmm.. the only time I've ever needed to set up my guitars is when I started playing in lower tunings. I went to a shop for that because if you don't know what you're doing, you can do some serious damage to the guitar...
Tuning is obviously more straight forward. You're most likely going to be playing in standard tuning which is (from the lightest string) E-B-G-D-A-E.
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RE: So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:17 pm
(This post was last modified: March 31, 2013 at 12:21 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Honestly, any tuner is going to be fine. Dropping massive coin on an instrument (or accessories) you're just picking up is meh. As a beginner, you're unlikely to get much out of the highest end of this and that. Get a reasonably priced tuner, play with tuning it by ear (and remember, you can tune the guitar to itself or your voice or both with no problems whatsoever - may even help produce a pleasant sound that will encourage you to keep going - standard tuning only becomes really important if you want to play with other people and their instruments......). Start with rhythm and scales, standard chords...I know everybody wants to go straight to the badass licks, but meh. Folk songs and whatnot are usually pretty straightforward, you can find tab or sheet all over the web.
I'm a complete noob myself, but I have a stable of about two dozen songs I like to play and sing (faithfully - I'll play my own version of anything on a whim..lol), using 6 or 7 standard chords and 3 strumming patterns. Keeping it simple keeps me engaged with the results.
(I do a little finger picking too - moonlight sonata and shit light that).
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:27 pm
(This post was last modified: March 31, 2013 at 12:46 pm by popeyespappy.)
(March 31, 2013 at 12:13 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: http://rocksmith.ubi.com/rocksmith/en-gb...index.aspx
Already got it...
(March 31, 2013 at 12:15 pm)FallentoReason Wrote: Hmm.. the only time I've ever needed to set up my guitars is when I started playing in lower tunings. I went to a shop for that because if you don't know what you're doing, you can do some serious damage to the guitar...
Tuning is obviously more straight forward. You're most likely going to be playing in standard tuning which is (from the lightest string) E-B-G-D-A-E.
Like I said, I enjoy tinkering with stuff so I plan to give the setup part a try anyway. If nothing else it will be a good way to learn what things are and how they work. As far as screwing things up that's why I'm looking for a guide. Besides, I don't think there is anything I can do that can't be fixed by somebody that knows what they are doing...
(March 31, 2013 at 12:17 pm)Rhythm Wrote: Dropping massive coin on an instrument (or accessories) you're just picking up is meh. As a beginner, you're unlikely to get much out of the highest end of this and that.
Massive coin is a matter of perspective. I'm in my early 50's, single with no kids, a good job and no bills to speak of. The standard strat is the entry level stratocaster, and the Mustang I amp is a low end but highly rated amp. If things don't work out I can sell them and get most of the $500 I spent back.
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RE: So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:47 pm
(This post was last modified: March 31, 2013 at 12:49 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
Oh there are things that you can do.....you can warp/fracture the neck and fretboard...lol, for example (though I don't know that that's as much a concern for you with your instrument as it is with me and mine). Pliable material under tension subjected to environmental pressure and all that.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:51 pm
(March 31, 2013 at 12:47 pm)Rhythm Wrote: Oh there are things that you can do.....you can warp the neck and fretboard...lol, for example. Pliable material under tension subjected to environmental pressure and all that.
Aren't warped necks a standard feature on of a $75 pawn shop Squier Affinity?
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RE: So I bought a guitar
March 31, 2013 at 12:52 pm
(This post was last modified: March 31, 2013 at 12:58 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
LOL, probably. Wish I could expect to get a reasonable amount of my investment back (not that I imagine I'll be looking to cash in) but my kids have taken chunks out of most of my instruments. The only thing their grubby little hands have left unmolested is my dulcimer (they did so much damage to my violin that I only got 25$ in trade for it when I went guitar shopping...I bought them a couple of tin whistles with the proceeds - lets see em fuck those up...hehehe)...but I'm sure they'll get around to her eventually. On the other hand, regarding damage, my guitar looks like it got hit by an IED but it still throws fine, sweet notes into the aether...so, there's always that.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: So I bought a guitar
April 5, 2013 at 12:11 am
I got my new guitar today!
![[Image: 20130403_212627_zps30237787.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=i47.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff158%2Fpopeyespappy%2F20130403_212627_zps30237787.jpg)
Now all I have to do is learn how to play...
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RE: So I bought a guitar
April 5, 2013 at 1:00 am
Nice axe. American standard? Or is it one of the Mexican or Japanese models?
I've got pretty much the same thing (American standard) in cherry red.
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