180digi's Guitar

[180digi]

Hey guys. So I got aguitar for my birthday right? It's almost six months later but i figured it was time to show you guys the kind of guitar i got, so i took a picture of it. It's a newbie's guitar, a black Stratocaster made by Aria. The music store a couple of towns over sells all kinds of instruments at different prices. The guitar i got came as part of a 'Beginner's package' that included the guitar, a small one foot by one foot or so amp, an electronic tuner, a bunch of picks etc. It's basically been sitting in it's case/bag for six months, except when i took it out a few times to try a few chords and notes. I have a 'Teach Yourself Guitar' book but i dont really have the time to sit down with it and figure stuff out, seeing as how I have school and a bunch of extra curriculars that take up my time. This summer im going to be taking private lessons for it.

Anyway here's a picture.




I have a question though for people who know how to play guitar. Can anyone tell me some tips on how to tune my guitar right and not break the strings? Like a month after i got it, i broke the 6th string trying to get it to sound right. I want to try playing some notes again, but i dont want to end up having to pay for new strings. Can anyone help?

P.S. I ****ed up. I called the 6th string the 1st string. It was the 1st string that I broke.

[Tps222]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

Well, I suggest buying a tuner. You can probably get a decent one for $40. It's your best option. Other than that, google up a tuning program, and tune by ear, or, just tune the low E string. Plenty of guides will show you how to take it from their. Just be easy with it.

[180digi]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

Well, I suggest buying a tuner. You can probably get a decent one for $40. It's your best option. Other than that, google up a tuning program, and tune by ear, or, just tune the low E string. Plenty of guides will show you how to take it from their. Just be easy with it.

Well, I know you can tune it by ear after you've been playing for a while. Take my saxophone for example, I can figure out if something's off just by listening to all the notes i can make. It's just that ive never really played guitar before, and i dont know how it's supposed to sound like. Thanks for your advice though.

[mattyohh]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

If you broke the 6th string just trying to tune it i suggest you give up now.

[emccky]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

you tune the low E then the 5th fret on that tunes the next string, 5th on that tunes the next, 5th on that tunes the next, 5th on next, then the 4th on that tunes the last.

[mattyohh]

Re: 180digi's Guitar


Me and my small horde of guitars.

[180digi]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

Four guitars hardly counts as a horde.

[ckj846]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

My sister has that exact same guitar digi except she painted it red and black and drew a skull on it. I'll try to get a picture later.
O_o

[Fusion4]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

hey digi, almost everyone has that same problem when they start

tune slower and always tune up to the note, not down to it
if that doesnt work, get thicker guage strings like 10's or 11's

oh and check for sharp edges at the bridge [thats the part where you put the ball end of the string]

i have two guitars and ive custom painted them both myself

[mattyohh]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

Four guitars hardly counts as a horde.

yeah i spose, but i am investing in a new 100 watt amp which and reach up to 116 decabells and a new SG guitar.

[Mindfields]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

Well, I suggest you start calling the strings by their names in regular tuning. From top to bottom the order goes EADGBe. My way of remembering it is "Easter bunnies get drunk after Easter".

[BluE_MeaniE]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

you tune the low E then the 5th fret on that tunes the next string, 5th on that tunes the next, 5th on that tunes the next, 5th on next, then the 4th on that tunes the last.

Close, but no cigar.

Either way, if the string broke that easily, there are a few possibilities. The string could have been about to break anyway, there could be sharp frets in places, or you could have accidentally tried to tune an octave higher, or other things. But it seems like a fluke, so don't worry about it.

Remember, also, that the lowest sounding string is called the 6th string. But I think you got that with your post script.

[Controid]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

You must have been tuning crazy high for a six string to break...
or you didn't feed it right... or you're using lame strings like Silvertones or something.
I use a nice Boss tuner that I can plug into. Or you can tune from a piano. The five interval tune is probably the best non-tuner way. Getsomeone to hit you an E or just start from whatever pitch it's at. It doesn't really matter if you are jamming by yourself. The fifth fret 6th string, will match up with open A. So tune A to that pitch. Then fifth fret A matches open D, fifth fret D matches open G, FOURTH fret G matchs open B, and fifth fret B matches open high E. It's a pain sometimes. And the G can be a real bitch to tune because it has that odd two whole step interval.
But you could be in my position. I have a seven string Samick (it's an off brand, but plays real nice) with a low B. It's really sensitive... I use it for classical playing.
And if you want a real guitar horde, my instructor's house contains over 250 guitars. Many are custom made 8-strings he has made for him.

[180digi]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

My sister has that exact same guitar digi except she painted it red and black and drew a skull on it. I'll try to get a picture later.
O_o

Well yeah its like a complete newbie's guitar. In fact, and i realized this after i had bought it, that it's the exact same guitar that is used as a model in a lot of the pictures of the teach yourself guitar book i have. The other two guitars are a Fender Telecaster and a Larivee acoustic.

[SpookG]

Re: 180digi's Guitar

well, if we're gonna brag about guitars..



From left to right

1982 Musicman Stringray
2003 dean martin del sol with the wiring redone and new pick ups installed, as well as the intuation professionally set.
1971 Fender jazz precision combo
1994 fender Jazz with EMG pick ups and goto bridge. I put a p bass neck on it, as well.

Then there is the Martin DM acoustic, a 1970s Tokai P bass (my first bass, it is a japanese rip off of fender that went under) and a 1974 Fender Telecaster .




As for learning guitar, i think newbie guitars are fine until you are serious about it, because a lot of people just buy them and drop them and what's the point of putting so much money into it then.