I finally did it!

I recently purchased a Tanglewood Semi Acoustic for just under £300, it sounds great on its own or through an amp. The guy in the store I bought it was very helpful, and whilst I played it in store myself (fairly poorly) the sales man picked it up and played a few tunes which really helped too, although I can't help feeling that he played the cheaper guitars a little worse than the Tanglewood I eventually bought to help sway my decision!

Congrats on getting over the fear of embarrassment and trying out some guitars...don't worry about the player snobs...most will sit around and work up a fast lick or two to play at the stores. Few can actually sit down and play something. I hang out at Charley's Guitar shop in Dallas and have never heard any of the staff say anything embarassing or disparging about players and are always helpful...plus any one of the staff are serious players...  I used to be intimidated going in there knowing how good these guys are and now thoroughly feel at ease and enjoy going in and asking questions, playing stuff, and most of all...learning. The best way to find your guitar is to hang out at the various shops and play...then get someone else to play it for you...not only are the other players better players than me, it also gives me a chance to get in front of the guitar and really hear how it sounds... I've got a mandolin that I was disappointed with even though everyone loved the sound...finally someone else played it and I was blown away!

<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

More guitar hunting this weekend!!!!!!!!!

Hey Ken,

I was in Glasgow and decided to have a wee swatch. Biggars was utter pants. McCormacks was where I had a go but they don't really have a big range. Wife says she'll take me to guitar guitar this weekend. I like the look of a Yamaha APX500 Electro Acoustic. Just over the 200 quid.

Worth a look,eh?

Hey I'm English and I did not understand that neither!!! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

Roger

Is this a good time to mention that I'm still hankering after a Yamaha APXT-1 electro acoustic travel guitar? Anyone have one?

Hi there!
Nice to see another guitar wannabee in midlife crises  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_razz.gif" border=0 alt="Razz"> I'm turning 40 next year.
I had the same problem as you. Bought a real cheap guitar in a food market for 500 SEK (Swedish crowns) which should be about 40 £. It was almost unplayable and the strings really ate my fingertips off.

BUT I have always wanted to play and the piece of wood woke my interest. Went to the music store (there is only one) in my small home town. Agony and pain to go in to the young guys in the store and ask for some advice. The guys were everything that I didn't expect... They helpt me big time, and when they understood that I was a comlplete rookie with a music knowledge of about 5 chords they almost competed in teaching me easy licks to try out on the guitars. Ended up buying a Tangelwood for about 170 £ and I love it. They had another Tangelwood for around 700 £ and sure, maybe its a bit better than mine, but not enough to match the prize.

Now I've been playing since cristmas (about 3 month) and I have swore to myself (and my wife) that im going to be decent guitarist. She looked a bit sore when I took my return tax-money and bought an electric Ibanez RG but she'll get over it (she's a bit tired of the smoke on the water intro).  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_biggrin.gif" border=0 alt="Very Happy">

I visit my new young buddies in the music store almost every week (always need som new picks or something), trying out expensive guitars and learning stuff from the former frightening guys... 

Just cos they work in a shop doesn't much of anything!!  I have a Tanglewood and I love it.  nice clear sharp sound mmmmmmm!

<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

Al, I jist saw yer post ye done on the 16th, pure dead braw man  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

Good to hear ye got a new guitar. So can you recommend the yamaha then? I keep thinking next time I am in the big Co am gonna go buy a semi acoustic.

Like you said about the same guitars sounding different in different shops. It depends if they have been tuned properly in the shops and how old the strings are etc.

I tihnk I might take my electronic tuner next time I go into one of these shops, keep it in my pocket and ask the assistant to tune the guitar for me, and they will if they think they will get a sale, just like having your own roadie for 5 minutes in a shop  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">  then once he gives it back to me and asks me to try it, I will then get my tuner out and test how good his tuning abilities are  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

I canny have anything better to d owit hmy time just now apart from think of things up like this  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_biggrin.gif" border=0 alt="Very Happy">

Ken