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GETTING STARTED WITH GUITAR EQUIPMENT PART 1

In this video series we want to demystify the dizzying world of guitar equipment for beginner guitarists.

This is for you if you want to save 17 trips to the music store and turn up like a boss prepared and in the know about selecting the right guitar styles, in the right guitar sizes and with the right guitar equipment when starting out for yourself or your children.

In the first part of this video series we will be looking at the following aspects of choosing the right equipment (timestamp included if you want to skip ahead):

• What the video series is about (0:00-1:45)
• What are the different styles of guitar? (1:46-5:10)
• What are the different sizes of guitar and how would you choose based on age? (5:11-6:20)
• Beginner's guide to amplifiers (5:12-8:44)
• 5 (or so!) Different products to get when starting out with guitar (8:45-11:25)
• What's next in the video series. (11:26-11:47)

Guitar Types & Sizes:

Acoustic:

• Requires no form of amplification.
• Steel/metal strings.
• Wooden with a larger body.

Sizes:

• Ages 4-6: 1/2 size
• Ages 7-8: 3/4 size
• Ages 9+: Full size

Classical/Spanish

• Requires no form of amplification.
• Nylon strings..
• Wooden with a larger body.
• Can be cheaper than acoustic.

Sizes:

• Ages 4-6: 1/2 size
• Ages 7-8: 3/4 size
• Ages 9+: Full size

*This is a general guide- sizes depend on the student.

Electric Guitar

• Requires an amplifier and lead
• Metal strings.
• Slim body style.
• Can be slightly easier to play than acoustic for beginners.
• Appeals to pop and rock music.
• Most common with our younger students.

Sizes:

• Ages 4-8: 3.4 size
• Ages 9+: Full size

*This is a general guide- sizes depend on the student.

Bass Guitar

• Requires an amplifier and lead
• 4 thicker strings and longer neck.
• Slim body style.
• Different instrument entirely than guitar.
• It's the lowest instrument in the band.
• Many different styles of music apply.

Sizes:

• Ages 4-6: 1/2 size
• Ages 7-10: 3/4 size
• Ages 11+: Full size

*This is a general guide- sizes depend on the student. Keep in mind that a bass guitar has a much longer neck than a guitar.

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Amplifiers:

If you have chosen electric guitar you will need an amplifier, often there are starter packs which comes with everything that you need.

• Watt = Sound output / volume. 
• Does it have a headphone socket.
• Does it have an "Aux In" or bluetooth capabilities for music playback.
• Start out with a practise amp.
• You'll need a "Jack lead" (instrumental cable) to connect amp to guitar.
• How many channels foes it have? If it has 2 channels you'll be able to get two different sounds such as clean and distortion (typically associated with rock music 🤟) Check how many volume control knobs the amp has to find out how many channels it has.

Brands:

• Fender
• Marshall
• Blackstar
• Peavey

*When getting started, don't worry too much about finding the perfect amp, when you reach an advanced level, you will have a better idea about the type of sound you want (and we will have a video for that too!)

Additional Products To Consider:

Additional products to consider for your guitar practise.

• Guitar Stand: Store in a safe place with regular temperatures.
• Guitar Strap: Keep your guitar on you.
• Strap Lock: Keeps your strap securely attached.
• Music Stand: Keep your music / tablet on a stand in front of you.
• Aux Lead: To plug your backing tracks into your amp (or bluetooth)
• Guitar Pick / Plectrums: For playing in many styles of music.

Next Video Series:

Video Series 2: Guitar & Amp Controls.

• All the parts of the guitar.
• The controls on guitar and how they affect the sound.
• The amp controls and what happens to the signal flow as it goes in and out of your guitar.

Video Series 3: Guitar Maintenance

• How to change guitar strings.
• How to properly clean and oil your guitar plus which products to use.
• How to extend the life of your guitar.
• How to adjust your pickups, the guitar action (string height) and adjust the neck to make sure your guitar tuning is accurate.

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