You should not use electric strings on an acoustic guitar. They will sound terrible.
Use any set of standard acoustic strings and you should be fine. A decent set is usually less than $5 individually or can be cheaper per set if bought in bulk.
These will work and are less than $5.
It'll work but it could get tipped over pretty easy. I'd personally stick with one of these.
I hate to say it, but a video of attempted tuning would probably help.
The worst case scenario is that you replace the tuners and the strings and are out $20 and some time.
The tuners you found aren't ideal for this guitar. These are very similar to what you have and will probably fit; you just need to measure what is on the guitar already and compare to the dimensions in the last image.
Once tuners are strings are replaced, there should be no other reason for it not to tune to pitch. Staying in tune for an extended period is a different problem.
Same here. I tried quite a few strings but I found these that I like when they are new and when they are old. Here they are: Elixir 16052 Strings Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings w NANOWEB Coating, Light (.012-.053) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000A6ASSS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DMkoFb0MXZT71
I just recently started down this path. The two things you really need to get started are a decent microphone and an audio interface.
I'd recommend the Focusrite Scarlett with the dual input. The 2i2.
Should do your own research on the microphone, there's a lot that goes into it. You can spend anywhere between $20 and $20000, so just depends on how serious you want to get with it.
I had same question and a friend told me to get one of these just to make myself feel better. It works. Not sure if it helps the guitar at all
It would be helpful to know what your budget is.
You stated you just want to use your phone. If that is the case, look into a Zoom Am7. Make sure your phone can take audio input via USB-C. Here is a promo video on the Am7.
If the cost of an SM58 is too much for you right now, I wouldn't worry about lighting and put all your money into the best mic possible.
But again, everything is dependent on your budget.
Just get a better humidifier.
I'm in Northern Colorado where it gets horribly dry in the winters. This humidifier keeps my entire house at 45%.
You may want to consider getting a sound hole pick up if you are looking for an inexpensive way to amplify your guitar. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Fishman-Single-Magnetic-Soundhole-Pickup/dp/B0002D0NRK There are many brands you can look at and they are easy to switch between guitars. For louder strumming and recording at home I have used the Shure SM57 with some success. Costs $100US though. I use the mic all the time to record cajon and shakers and have even used it as a back-up vocal mic. It is very versatile mic, but not ideal for picking up soft playing. I play in a bluegrass band and we have experimented with lots of microphones. At the end of the day I installed K&K pick ups in all of my guitars. They sound great and are foolproof. Good luck!
yeah, the d'addario half-rounds sound perfect on my guitar, a '78 Guild T-50, which is a similar body type and vibe. These give you a good balance of brightness and familiarity while also getting some of that flat-wound tone. I used 12 gauge, but honestly could go a gauge up or down as long as the G string is a wound string (my personal pref.)
Thank you for your answer ! I hadn't considered imperial. Maybe something like these ? https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B000VCZQ74/ref=sw_img_1?smid=A19PV2I1XB61DX&th=1
Also, there seems to be a hole inside of a hole, if that makes sense. I guess the end of those models would go in?
Not getting a lot of love here but I recently picked up the Dunlop Flow 4.2mm - it's really changed my playing. These picks are easily missed because they are so expensive, but the power that I get from a pick at this hardness is crazy, but the rounded tip and beveled edges of the pick overall allow for lighter strumming too.
Link here for ease of googling.
I often use Dunlap. But I've gotten addicted to these now:
the hole in the middle makes them much easier to hold on to.
As others have said, you need nylon classical guitar strings, and you'll want to change them all - they look totally shot.
Here is one example (and what I've bought before) of what will work on there: https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-EJ45-Pro-Arte-Classical-Strings/dp/B000EEL6J6
Check out a youtube video on how to change the strings on a classical guitar and you should be good to go, it's not very hard. When you make the loops at the bridge (the wooden piece in your photo they wrap around), give yourself a little extra slack and you can just cut off the excess after the string is on and tightened up to tune, that will help in case anything slides around as the string settles in.
Instead of paying for a costly fix, start saving for a Jasmine S35, or if you want something a bit nicer, save a bit longer and a Yamaha FG800 or FS800 (highly recommended) - Sam Ash has 0% financing.
This is the one we have, also because we have an upright piano: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I9YFXSS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's big and can be loud...but it works.
I'm also pasting a comment I made elsewhere re: humidifiers:
A hard case, and one of these humidity gauges, are money well spent.
You could try something like this. It's a plugin amp, but it has an acoustic modeling feature on it. I've messed around with it a bit in terms of different amps and effects for electric, and it's worked pretty well for messing about, but I've never messed with the acoustic settings so I can't speak directly to that.
I love UncomfortablyNumb43’s guitar Mojo comment from above. That’s gonna be my new perspective and can even be applied to other things in life. :)
If you really have to, I’ve heard of using furniture touchup markers for covering dings. Have not tried myself.
https://www.amazon.com/Furniture-Repair-Kit-Wood-Markers/dp/B07PHQCH4C
There are a lot of variables in a setup, but in general you want the action for fingerstyle at the low E 12th fret to be around 6/64", from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string, and the high E around 4/64". Find yourself a ruler that measures in 32nd or 64ths, and give it a look. I use this one in the shop:
https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-308-Pecision-6-Inch/dp/B0015AQMSS/
Wasn't a big deal for me doing it on an inexpensive Fender acoustic. This is what I used:
I don't. I just started looking at them and was going to pick up one to try out. I have a couple piano/guitar books and they are more like notes to music. For example, I've seen Buffet play Come Monday. He plays cords. The piano style has notes for every word. Kind of like this one.
This would be another option.. . I personally like the strap going to the headstock. If the guitar is a little unbalanced this is more stable that a button on the upper bout .... https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B077NGLRMT/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_8W5XNBX9TQT15QA0PF8M
https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Strings-Acoustic-Guitar-41Y18MA550T/dp/B07GTCQD9N?th=1
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Here is the link to those strings that jaqattack02 mentioned
Its body reminds me of Martin’s Backpacker guitar. But that’s the only resemblance. The three strings make a dulcimer call.
https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Portable-Backpack-Sustainable-Certified/dp/B0002IL37Y#
Don't get an amp -- there will always be somebody sleeping in your house for 3+ years that you can't wake up. I have the Yamaha silent guitar and I LOVE IT. Yamaha SLG200S NT Steel String Silent Guitar with Hard Gig Bag, Natural https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XPHLBJY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_B0W1YW0AFPY0B9HWV6NX?psc=1
It doesn't match anything, but this is the best capo I've ever used. Screw tension instead of spring. Tighten it down until the strings all ring and that's enough. No retuning. It supposedly conforms to the strings like your fingers so you can get it tight enough with no buzzing but not tight enough to increase the pitch.
D'Addario Pro Plus Capo, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084T39QVZ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
There's a great app called Smart Chords for android that has a like 30 different tools for learning scales, chords, arpeggios, progressions, ear training, intervals, fretboard, tuner, metronome etc. There's a free version or the paid one is like $25 for the whole thing forever. Was definitely worth it for me, and it was the best one I found after trying a lot of different apps.
I like Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze Medium Light Acoustic Guitar Strings - 12-54 Gauge (P02566) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00JPSXCV2/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_3DAGR62BENHQZF5P9WE8 and Elixir 16052 Strings Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings w NANOWEB Coating, Light (.012-.053) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000A6ASSS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_FKGRT70GPQ8NBRH38Z6M?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I once bought one of these and it seemed to do a good job when I fixed my bridge.
In my cat it had just come a bit loose, but the same principle will apply.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blesiya-Durable-Acoustic-Guitars-Bridge/dp/B07J63BKZ9
I personally like Elixir strings on my acoustic, specifically 80/20 phosphor bronze 12s (meaning .012 is the size of the thinnest string). They sound great and last a long time
[https://www.amazon.com/Boveda-Double-Sleeve-Humidity-Instruments-Cracking/dp/B08M2HZV57/ref=sr_1_21?crid=2CZL3GHXNH2JA&keywords=boveda&qid=1642863362&sprefix=boveda%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-21](Here are the empty pouches)
(and here are the humidity pouches)[https://www.amazon.com/Boveda-2-Way-Humidity-Control-Humidification/dp/B00FEZNXP0/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=boveda+72&qid=1642863470&sprefix=boveda%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-10]
This will be the best solution for you.
I live in a very dry climate as well and started using this humidifier a few years ago. It actually keeps the whole house at 40 - 45% humidity. This has the bonus affect of making the house very comfortable, keeps my skin from drying out, helps to keep clothes from having too much static, and there's a host of other benefits.
It works so well, I stopped using in-case humidifiers. I just leave the cases cracked and they acclimate to the same humidity as the house and act as humidors for the guitar when I take them out of the house.
Get yourself one of these, D'Addario Pro-Winder String Winder and Cutter, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002E1G5C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_3M1G20JTPBTAA025ZCCE helps pull bridge pins, wind strings and cut the excess string.
I have been playing for 17 years and don't consider myself a guitarist. But I do say I play guitar. Its something I do, not something I am.
I do say I'm a singer-songwriter though, because I have written a few songs. Here are some examples http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/artist/6960935
If you want capture acoustic tone on the cheap, just get whatever acoustic you want (doesn't need a pickup) and then a $50 USB microphone and record directly into your computer.
A USB mic is just a regular mic plus a built in preamp, so you don't need a DI box in between. For home recording on the cheap, the sound quality of a mic is going to be much better than a cheap pickup (under-saddle piezos that all sound the same).
I’ve been playing for almost 40 years. I bought this guitar because of the reviews. Right out of the box it sounds and plays excellently. It sounds as good as many $1,500 guitars I’ve played. I did later replace the plastic saddle and nut with bone, and I upgraded the machine heads AKA tuning keys. This guitar cost only $97. I have 2 daughters, one has a fender acoustic and that other has a Yamaha, and this guitar is way better than both.
Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar, Natural https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002F58TG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_X3FWBFBX1WZX0BB6SXHT
Ernie Ball Earth wood Medium Light Phosphor Bronze .12ga-.54ga They are good sounding cheap strings. $7 a pack and like $15 for a 3 pack. I have tried several other strings (Daddario, Martin, Elixers) and I keep coming back to the Earthwoods. I use these on all my acoustic. Eastman, Ibanez, and my Taylor. They are great strings for the money. Im really surprised they are not more popular.Earthwoods on Amazon
I will say I don't find any of my guitars to go dead with a capo. That kind of issue is usually caused by too little capo tension (buzzing or weak notes) or by not enough neck relief (or saddle height) and thus there is buzzing from the strings on the frets.
Too much tension from a capo can be corrected by retuning the guitar after putting the capo on. With a capo, better to err on the side of too much tension than too little. You'll see that all the "pros" who use capos on stage touch up their tuning after putting them on. An adjustable capo can help but you'll still want to retune for best results. I use a D'Addario NS Artist capo that's about $20 and has adjustable tension. A good capo does NOT need to be expensive. There are also capos that adjust tension on each string individually but I've found that to be overkill for my needs.
The thing about brand-new guitars is that they tend to "open up" in the first year or three of ownership as the wood, bracing, and glue dries out. Primarily this enhances the low-midrange and bass response (because the guitar top becomes a bit more flexible, which is what generates those lower notes (moves more air)). So, an older guitar tends to sound a bit more "responsive" and less "tight" than a brand new one. That said, don't buy a brand new guitar that sounds bad on the hopes that it will open up and sound better. Rather, buy a great-sounding one and if it gets even better, that's good luck.
That said, for a brand new guitar on a £1000 budget that I'd consider "great sounding", I would not be going with a Gibson J15. It's a really tough price point for a good-quality US or Europe built instrument. I'd instead be looking at high end Chinese (Eastman, Blueridge) or Japanese (Yamaha, Alvarez) guitars, or maybe an eastern Europe brand like Furch. Or, I'd look on the used market, as you tend to get a lot more for your money there.
Here you go:
I bought the same ones from Stewart MacDonald in Athens, OH. Best $35 I ever spent on my old 1970s Takamine.
Brand: Seagull5.0 out of 5 stars 4 ratings 1 Price ChangePrice:$479.00
It looks fine. Main thing I'd do is put new strings on it. Partly for sound (old strings sound dull) but also for comfort.
To save your fingers, get some silk and steel strings. Sore fingers are the main reason why people give up on guitar, but they can be helped a lot by putting softer strings on until you build calluses. Silk and steel strings also have a lovely warm, folksy sound.
If you don't know how to change strings, it's pretty easy.
If $100 is truly your max. then buy anything you find that you can afford. At that price point the differences between guitars won't likely make them better or worse.
That being said, this one has mixed reviews, but overall seem positive. Reading through a few of the reviews, it seems quality control is lacking so one unit might be significantly better than another. Since it's through Amazon, if you do get a real bad one, you can easily exchange it, which seems like a pretty good idea when dealing with low-budget guitars.
The price is higher than you are setting your budget for, but right now I see a "used - very good" one for $111.
I mean... you could use silk & steel strings which are all silver looking, but that’ll give a different sound.
EDIT: not all silk & steel strings are silver, but these D'Addario ones are.
You don't need to worry about playing in a bone dry room. It's more of a long term effect. The only major concerns as far as immediate effects have more to do with temperature (e.g. taking a guitar out of a case in a warm room after having been in the extreme cold) which could damage the finish moreso than the actual structure.
For some peace of mind, I would recommend one of these to put in your case and make sure the humidity is staying around 50%. I've been using the same humidipaks for YEARS despite the manufacturer telling you to replace them every 2-6 months. They did dry out a bit during the New England winters, but I would kind of "recharge" them by putting them in a humid environment for 24-48 hours to reabsorb some moisture. Worked like a charm and all three of my guitars have stayed at a comfortable 45-51% humidity level.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086PC5962?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I bought these. they come with a battery, and stay on all the time. I keep one in the case and one in the room near the case. With the D'addario humidipaks I've only seen my case humidity drop to 47%, and that was in the middle of a cold snap here in the northern US.
Humidify the room with one of these. I have one. They're great.
https://www.amazon.com/AIRCARE-H12600-Whole-House-Console-Style-Evaporative/dp/B0000D8EJV/ref=mp_s_a_1_38?dchild=1&keywords=humidifiers+for+home&qid=1613429143&sprefix=humidifier&sr=8-38
This book is old fashioned, but it's got all the basic techniques...
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guitar-Player-Chord-Book/dp/0711901597
It's full of Dylan, Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, but it has a great way of introducing you to different types of playing, like bass-strumming and finger-picking.
And it's not too long. You can decide where you want to go next after you finish... jazz, blues, pop, rock. It's a great foundation.
I have a Bluetooth hygrometer like this one:
Govee Smart Hygrometer, Wireless Thermometer, Mini Bluetooth Humidity Sensor with Notification Alert, Data Storage and Export, 328 Feet Connecting Range https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R586J37/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_.pm8FbPSHEFH8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
in my case to make sure the actual levels. Check it out.
They're Gotoh 510s.
https://www.amazon.com/Gotoh-line-Antique-Locking-Tuners/dp/B004MNB5TG
Taylors usually have two little nibs at the back of the tuner to line it up, so you'd have to fill those in and then drill a hole for the Gotohs.
Here you go. These ones are $4.95 with free shipping.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ZO3P6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabt1_R9bTFb4FQ6SNZ
If you want to drive out to my house I'll give you an nice set of elixirs. Scrapping up 5 bucks though is easier then someone else driving to the post office and paying postage to send it to you.
You might want to try out something like this. Its a set of picks that slide onto your fingers and you can get metal or plastic tips.
Ahhh, you're in the UK!
You know better than anyone that you will constantly be fighting humidity. To dry out the Humidipacks, you could try placing them in the oven at it's lowest setting for 5 or 10 minutes, maybe, but you are probably asking too much from those Humidipacks. They are really intended for environments that fluctuate above and below 50% humidity depending on the time of year. For the UK, I would look into products that only dehumidify.
The best solution is to climate control the room that you store the guitars in. When the guitars are in that room, you can leave the guitar case open, so it acquires the proper humidity level. When you take the guitar out of that room, the case acts as a humidor for the guitar keeping it at the proper level.
My first acoustic guitar was this, it's straight acoustic though.
Fender FA-115 Click Here Because OMG Amazon Links Are Huge (that's not what she said). Might be a bit over your price range, but it's a solid guitar made by one of the best companies.
You can also check around locally for a used one, sometimes you can get a good deal on a guitar to try and see if you like it. Can always resell it later if it's not your thing.
If you’re really sticking with $100 and buying on Amazon, I’d say this: https://www.amazon.com/Jasmine-S35-Acoustic-Guitar-Natural/dp/B0002F58TG/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?keywords=takamine+guitar&qid=1574042645&sr=8-9
But my suggestion (esp if you’re serious about continuing with it) would be to raise your budget to $200 and go to a store and play a bunch. Guitars are cheap these days, so even at that price you’re going to have lots of choices and you can pick a guitar that sounds, feels, and looks good to you. That’s a guitar you’ll want to keep for years. If you just buy the cheapest decent one, you’ll probably want to replace it pretty soon.
I personally wouldn’t buy an instrument without playing it first. I think what makes a “good” instrument is really subjective. I’ve tried $1000 guitars I don’t like half as much as my $250 LAG.
Hello, I have been playing for about a week and have picked up on it very quickly.
I can help if you'd like.
An app that I use btw is called ultimate guitar and it shows tabs and chords for songs.
Message me and I can help you out more though!
ops, sorry i was referring to the venecemat bone bridge pins, but dont buy that bc it wont fit.
Heres the correct link to the bone saddle : Bone saddle
Depends where you live and the humidity in the house. They recommend guitars be around 45-55% humidity for acoustic guitars. For example my house during the summer even with central cooling is around 45-55. But in the winter central heater drops my hudumity to around 30-35%. A little too low for an acoustics. So I store my guitar in its case and take it out when I play it during winter and use this:
Music Nomad MN300 Humitar Acoustic Guitar Humidifier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DKAQGTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ta-rFb10NV395
It has helped my guitar star around 45-55%. I also put a Bluetooth humidity and temp sensor in the case to monitor it sometimes.
If it's in the hard case with humidipak 24/7 except while playing, you are in great shape. The case does an incredible job of keep a stable environment. Maybe buy a cheap hygrometer to put in the case, just to check on. My apartment swings from 30 to 70 RH all the time, but the case hygrometer is always reading 45-50, and that's even without a humidipak.
​
I bought a handful of these, have them littered around the apartment and in various cases. Congrats on your guitar, and welcome to the life of constant humidity awareness.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QC7JRDP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Good book to get is Ted Greene's chord chemistry. It will never cease to be useful. It's incredibly overwhelming. But not meant to be worked through start to finish like a normal book.
Thinking of ordering this one because it looks very durable, and it has a lock on it which is nice since I was eventually planning on bringing this with me to my dorm, and dont want to risk someone stealing it or just picking up and dicking around with it while im not around. It may not be a $3k guitar but its still mine and I dont want people to mess around with it while im not around.
My questinon is, do you think it will fit the guitar? Martin only has the scale length of the guitar which is about 25", and the other one has the length of a guitar and lists it up to 22" ish. Not sure if it will fit.
Thanks!
I picked up one of these about 7 years ago. It was meant to be a cheap semi-beater my wife could use in her classroom. But it's a very solid instrument. It's got a good tone, stays in tune, the action is reasonable with no fret buzz.
It's good enough I've used it on some live gigs. I still play it now and currently keep it tuned to open D for slide stuff and delta blues style finger picking. I absolutely love recommending it to people. There are a lot of cheap "toys" you can get out there, but this one is amazing guitar for the price.
Biggest issue for guitars is rapid temp and humidity change. If I were you, I'd put the guitar in it's hard case along with one of these.
That will protect it from humidity. Then I'd go to your local UPS store, box it up, and ship it to a friend/family/neighbor. Tell them to put it in an interior climate controlled room (i.e. not out in the cold/heat) and not to open it. Put shipping insurance on it, so if something does happen, UPS will buy you a new one.
I've shipped 3 guitars this way and haven't had an issue.
Yamaha FG700S Folk Acoustic Guitar Bundle with Hard Case, Strap, Stand, Tuner, Strings, Picks, Capo, String Winder, and Instructional DVD - Natural https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0046IQ43O/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_8apqwbZJ5W559
You should probably go with light gauge, that's probably what it came with and anything heavier might mess up the action. You'll hear lots of opinions about different brands, but I was recently turned on to these Elixir Nanoweb strings. They seem to be lasting longer than the D'Addario EXPs I used to use.
There are some reviews on Amazon, where it's currently selling for $464. $400 seems like a good but not exceptional deal for a guitar that needs to be moved for whatever reason. Just be sure that you examine it thoroughly for any issues with neck angle, saddle height, action, fretwork, etc. and can return if necessary. I've had an entry-level solid-top Alvarez for close to a decade now, and it has really opened up nicely.
Elixir strings, friend. Nanowebs...#.10, extra light. I have been playing acoustic guitar for about 8 years now, and I have spent hundreds of dollars on different strings, and after all that trying, these are my personal favorite. I used to prefer a heavier gauge of strings, but I've always used Elixirs.
I can't stand D'Addario strings.