Is my acoustic guitar any good????

Pearl Juli

I've got a question. Ok, so I've been playing guitar for about 6 months now. I took my sister's guitar since she didn't really use it and I'm now learning on it. It's an Ibanez Jampack. So, the question is: is that guitar a good guitar, or is it just a piece of crap? lol I know there are major differences as to the quality and sound of the different brands of electric guitars, but I was wondering how that applies to the acoustics. What brand/model of acoustic is considered a good guitar, what's the best value for the money, etc.
Am I playing the acoustic version of a fender squier??? lol Should I get a better acoustic guitar?

Your help and input will be greatly appreciated!

Peace & Love,

Juli

UpHereInMyTree500

Juli,
I'm not sure about your guitar but Ibanez is a quality label. The best acoustics, in my opinion are Washburns and also Martins. But they are fairly pricey. Stick with your guitar until you get better then buy a new one. I used a cheap acoustic (Fender) for ages until I got better and when i bought a new one I found it really really easy to use. I use a Martin but there is nothing wrong with Ibanez, apart from the fact that they aren't that well known for their acoustics, mainly for electrics.

Dirty_Frank

The Ibanez jampack is a beginner guitar, but that does not mean that's a piece of crap. IF you're just getting going, I think it's a fine guitar to have: reliable, stays in tune, sounds alright.

If the guitar is working out for you now and you like it, there is no reason to really get a new one as of yet. There are some really awesome acoustic guitars out there (Martin, Washburn, Larivee, Takamine etc.), but these will cost a real bundle and are of professional quality.

If you decide to get a new guitar, then look at Epiphone acoustics, they're pretty good and budget friendly for an beginner/intermediate player. Also if you can look at a brand called Art and Luthier; I think they only sell them in Canada, but they have an amazing value!

I've had my acoustic forever. It's of a Sigma brandname, which as far as I know is the cheaper brand of Martin. I'm not sure how much it's worth, but it looks and plays nice.

Thumbing My Way

Hey,

I learned on acoustic, and started about a year ago. Same with me, my brother never played it so i picked it up, it was a Denver acoustic? It was like $130 at Long & McQuade (Canadian) anyways, and just recently bought an Art & Lutherie (previous spelling was wrong) (no offence) LOL, and it was around $270 but i plays so nicely, i absolutely love it, and i played some of the Gibson ones and other higher priced ones and liked this the best.

I don't think there's much point to buying something expensive to learn on, i would get to know the guitar and then maybe invest in something a little nicer.

UpHereInMyTree500

We have Art and Luthier's in Australia too I think. I played one the other day. It was $600 Australian and sounded amazing. They have a really deep sound. They are the ones made with that Canadian dark drift wood aren't they?

Dirty_Frank

Thumbing My Way wrote:

Hey,

just recently bought an Art & Lutherie (previous spelling was wrong) (no offence)

oops...

Thumbing My Way

10 characters

Thumbing My Way

Mine's made of Cedar and it is an absolutely beautiful guitar.

http://www.guitarsuperstore.com/images/products/lrg_10471.jpg (SUNRISE)

http://www.guitarsetc.net/guitar_acou/a_l/al_14309wcab_f1_lg.jpg (ANTIQUE BURST)

I went with the Sunrise but in the store the Antique Burst was alot darker than that, more brown, whereas mine is darker than that picture and not as orange, but still, it gives you an idea.

That is my guitar though, it just looks a little different than the pic.

UpHereInMyTree500

What have u been learning lately 'thumbing my way' ???

Thumbing My Way

What do you mean...like what songs???

Pearl Juli

Thanks everyone for your comments! :D:D I shall continue playing my Ibanez then. I don't think there's anything really wrong with it, but I was curious as to how it would compare to other brands and stuff. I'll definetly get myself a nicer one eventually, but I need to learn a bit more and master this one first

Again, thanks for your input! It was very helpful

Peace & Love,

Juli

mccreadyisgod

There's a point where every musician thinks that the piece of junk they learned on is unsuitable for them, and they need to get a better instrument to keep progressing as a musician. And there's a point soon after where that person realizes that they regret selling/trading/pawning their first guitar on such a premise.

Your acoustic will not be displayed in any museum. It's nothing special. But it's an instrument, and it serves the same purpose (and suffers the same problems) that instruments ten times it's value will. The only thing you have to ask yourself is, does it play well? Does it fit my body, my arms, my hands, my style? If you have no problem, no need to run out and buy a new one. Music isn't something that money can buy... Jimi learned on a piece of crap just like the rest of us.

Stick with your current guitar. Eventually, you might want to play shows, so an upgrade to an acoustic/electric (an acoustic you can plug into PA systems) might be warranted. And if you have problems with the way your guitar plays, find a good guitar technician who can adjust the guitar to your playing style (a "setup"). And eventually, a few years down the road, you might find that a good guitar would be a good investment.

My first guitar was a Kalamazoo arch-top acoustic, which is probably worth a lot of money these days. I thought it was an old, obsolete piece of garbage. I got a Yamaha beginner's guitar after that, brand-new, and thought it was great. The Kalamazoo was a much more collectable, expensive instrument, and I loved the way it played, but I didn't know what I had. It suffered an untimely death, and not a day goes by that I wish I didn't still have it. Most of us lost our first guitar too soon, and have regretted it ever since. I still have that crummy Yamaha, and will own it for as long as it lasts. I've even thought about fixing it up lately... I've had the damn thing for 11 years this Christmas.

Don't worry about your guitar, just worry about learning all it can teach you.

Pat H

I agree with not worrying about your guitar. Ibanez makes decent guitars for thier price, so you will be good.

who's_pearljam?

Juli,

Two things:
1) Listen to everybody above. When you're starting out, as long as your guitar is in playable shape, with a straight neck and good string action, (Strings close to the frets so you don't have to wrestle with them!) you're good to go. A lot of starter guitars get warped necks on them so that the strings are too far away from the fretboard. Sometimes that can be adjusted, sometimes not.
If you're enjoying playing it, then you're fine! :cool:

2) That guitar you have is great! They have a solid spruce top and are pretty well built. I've bought a few of them before. When I get a guitar for a beginner, that's the one I get. It comes with the tuner and gig bag and all.
You might want to get some new strings on it if they haven't been changed for a while. That will bring that thing to life, too.
I like having guitars like that around. When you get around to getting higher end stuff, you want to keep that Ibanez for the beach parties and campfires, so you don't have to worry about the top burning off on the $40,000 Martin you'll buy!

Have fun, Juli!

nick1977

When you are just learning, you don't need a top of the line guitar. What you have is GREAT for learning. In looking for a good beginer guitar that will last awhile, I always suggest one with a solid wood top, but not necessarily a solid wood back and sides. From what other have written, you have a good solid top guitar. That will do just fine for quite a while.

My first guitar was a pretty cheap guitar that had a solid top. I still have it, and it still plays wonderfully. It is the guitar I take around to places where I'd be scared to death to take my new guitar! After 15 years of playing, I decided to invest in a top of the line guitar, and bought an all solid wood handmade guitar. But, you don't need that for many years to come.

If you like your guitar, and it sounds good to you, that is all that matters. Have fun learning....it is a journey without an end. After 15 years of playing, I'm STILL learning. I don't think one ever is as good as they want to be!

There is one more thing: Change the strings often. New strings will make a world of difference!

Pearl Juli

Thanks again for all the advice guys!!!

You know, I think the problem, what made me doubt my guitar's greatness may be the strings, lol. I might need to change them. Could you please tell me approximately how often I should change them? Right now, my strings look kinda rusty, are kind of discolored, and don't sound as bright. I've heard something like I should change them every 3 months or so, but the thing is I'm afraid of changing strings that are perfectly usable for a little while longer Last time I changed my strings was also the first time I changed them, after being used for about 6 months, being completely rusted, and sounding like crap (although, keep in mind the guitar wasn't used on a daily basis throughout those 6 months, unlike now...)

Anyway, my point is, what are the signs I should look for to change my strings. Should I do so at the first sign of rust, or loss of brightness in the sound? Or is it a little bit longer after the first appearance of those?

Thanks for your help!

Pacomc79

Depends how much you play and what you prefer.

I let mine go for far too long. Some say change them when they get rusty, feel bad or lose brilliance. Others don't like strings until they are like that.

Pearl Juli

Also, the action on my guitar is 0.1875 inches (or 0.5 cm) lol I just measured it myself, haha, I don't know if that helps but, I just wanted to know if I should make the action lower or if that's fine.

Thanks!

lezcuff

if your strings are rusty... that may be a problem.

I find that my strings can withstand about 20 hours of serious play before they start to go flat (because I play like a savage), but I tend to use them well beyond that point because I'm thrifty (aka cheap). New strings will take a little while to stretch out so tuning will be an issue after you change your strings for the first little while.

Rust is not a good thing.

I echo the advice you've been given. If the guitar feels good to you and if you like the sounds it makes, then it is a good guitar. Price tag is not the issue. I have played $3000 taylors that have not sounded as good as my $500 Garrison.

who's_pearljam?

Ha ha! You're measuring the action already!
A future gearhead! I can see it now! :cool:

That sounds high for action. Usually you measure from the 14th fret to the bottom of the string, and it should be maybe 2.5 to 3 millimeters. Your neck may be bowed out a bit and need adjustment.

Regarding strings: I would change them now, then just use your intuition for the next time. The do get dull after a while, and they wear where they rub the fret, which causes more buzz,,, and of course they get rusty. Always wipe them down after you play for a while. Pinch a rag around the bottoms of the strings and clean along them, too.

I think those guitars come with 12 gauge strings, so if you're comfortable with them, you can stick with that size.
If you know someone in a music store that knows guitars, you would do well by learning how to string a guitar, too. When you string it right, the guitar stays in tune MUCH better. A lot of people think they need new tuners, but really don't string'm up right.
Have them check the truss rod. (there's a rod in the neck that is accessed right behind the nut.) You take the cover off and there's an allen screw that you tighten to straighten the neck backward, loosen to let it bow outward a bit. That would be worthwhile to have checked, too.



Allllso,,,

Winter is here, and houses are drier when they're heated. You should have a guitar humidifier in there to keep it from drying out and warping or cracking.
I see you're in sunny Florida, so you might not need one.

Then:



Rock out, Juli!!

Pearl Juli

who's_pearljam? wrote:

Ha ha! You're measuring the action already!
A future gearhead! I can see it now! :cool:

That sounds high for action. Usually you measure from the 14th fret to the bottom of the string, and it should be maybe 2.5 to 3 millimeters. Your neck may be bowed out a bit and need adjustment.

Regarding strings: I would change them now, then just use your intuition for the next time. The do get dull after a while, and they wear where they rub the fret, which causes more buzz,,, and of course they get rusty. Always wipe them down after you play for a while. Pinch a rag around the bottoms of the strings and clean along them, too.

I think those guitars come with 12 gauge strings, so if you're comfortable with them, you can stick with that size.
If you know someone in a music store that knows guitars, you would do well by learning how to string a guitar, too. When you string it right, the guitar stays in tune MUCH better. A lot of people think they need new tuners, but really don't string'm up right.
Have them check the truss rod. (there's a rod in the neck that is accessed right behind the nut.) You take the cover off and there's an allen screw that you tighten to straighten the neck backward, loosen to let it bow outward a bit. That would be worthwhile to have checked, too.



Allllso,,,

Winter is here, and houses are drier when they're heated. You should have a guitar humidifier in there to keep it from drying out and warping or cracking.
I see you're in sunny Florida, so you might not need one.

Then:



Rock out, Juli!!

Thank you VERY VERY much for the info!! That was very helpful. I'm going to check my local guitar stores and see if they do setups and how much they would cost. I guess the action might have been making it that much harder for me to learn on the guitar, no wonder I was having trouble, haha.

Thanks again!!!!!

Peace & Love,

Juli

nick1977

I change my strings about once every 1-2 months. I play my guitar almost everyday. Ideally, I would change them once a month, but many times it goes every two months.

If the strings are discolored, change them for sure. They should look bright, and sound good. If they sound dead, you a changing is long overdue.

You will be amazed by the difference new strings make.

who's_pearljam?

Pearl_Juli wrote:

Thank you VERY VERY much for the info!! That was very helpful. I'm going to check my local guitar stores and see if they do setups and how much they would cost. I guess the action might have been making it that much harder for me to learn on the guitar, no wonder I was having trouble, haha.

Thanks again!!!!!

Peace & Love,

Juli

A set up and some strings may make the whole world of guitar change. It's like getting a tune up on the old clunker car. You never know how bad it ran, until it runs good!
If that doesn't do it, and you're still disappointed with it,,,,,, then we talk about different guitars.

Think about taking a couple of lessons, too. People tend to avoid lessons, but spending a little time with someone who knows what they're doing can save a lot of time looking at books and tabs and chord charts and put you on the right track to learn.

Peace and love to you too, and good luck Juli!

Bob

mccreadyisgod

Chiming in once more...

D'Addario makes a line of coated acoustic strings called "EXP". They sound great, play well, and feel natural against your fingers. They're coated with a tiny layer of plastic wrap which keeps the metal isolated from humidity and skin oil, which cause your strings to get grungy and rust out prematurely. If you don't like replacing your strings often, you might look at these strings... could buy you some extra time.

I replace my EXP's every 6 months or so, but could probably leave them on longer if I wanted... I like the sound of strings that have aged a month or so, anyways.

Elixer has been making coated strings for a while now, and lots of other manufacturers are catching on to the trend. I find the Elixers to feel plastic-y, and I don't care for the feel, so I'm a bigger fan of the D'Addario's. But keep it in mind...

ThumbingMyWayToNFLD

Best brands? Without a doubt Taylor and Martin. Taylors play better out of the box, but Martin is more hit-or-miss so they sometimes need a lot of tinkering before they sound the way they're supposed to. And never pay anything under around $1250 US for a Taylor or Martin. Their lower end guitars are getting better, but they're still not up to par with more exclusively low-end manufacturers like Washburn.

Ibanez is pretty good, but for quality for the price, I'd recommend the aforementioned Washburns. Cheap, but good quality and nice sound. For a nice little D10-S, you'd pay about $350-400 US. Be warned that they probably require some attention from a guitar tech to get things such as the action raised/lowered (depending on how it came from the factory), the bridge filed down etc.

And yes, as mccreadyisgod said, D'Addario EXP's are very good. I use their medium-light gauge.