Burlap and Blues, The Blues Blog

The real fact about effects pedals is that they are probably one of the most distracting things to new guitar players. To properly learn to play the guitar, there is little need for anything other than a good guitar, a good teacher and a good amplifier. I learned this the hard way when getting my daughter started on guitar. What effects do you use for what? I started her out with a Line 6 Pod 3 live with many great presets. None of them were used. The tuner was confusing and the effects were really never used.

lesson learned.

The new guitar player manifesto.

Okay, I am always saying my peace about stuff and I was sitting at the guitar store last week talking to an old friend who was starting her 12 year old at guitar lessons. She had found this beat up guitar at a rummage sale that would hardly stay in tune. She was proud that she bought him a guitar and she was paying for lessons. The sad thing was she was going to pay more in the first week than she paid for the guitar, hence the reason for the new guitar player manifesto.

Selecting a guitar.

Don’t start out on a guitar that is crap. You would not teach someone to drive a car with a flat tire that doesn’t drive straight. Be reasonable and invest in the proper tools the first time. A playable guitar will be easier to learn on and maintain, that’s just the way it is.

Don’t start on a guitar that is super tricked out. In the same manner, if you start to learn to drive with a Porsche you might find yourself in a wreck. The same manner with guitar, if you are flying without any training you will crash hard. Unfortunately, with guitar the hard crashes can be enough to quit playing.

Read more