N-lightMike
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I have a number of guitars in that price range @Salty . Of course, there are different styles of guitars, and you can get any type you want in that price range. Here are some amazing guitar companies who sell quality instruments at that price point.
Epiphone; Alvarez; Ibanez; Yamaha; Washburn.
I still own an Epiphone, an Alvarez, and an Ibanez. I had a Washburn, but it was a small scale travel guitar and though I loved it, I didn’t use it so I sold it. I have never owned a Yamaha, but they have a stellar reputation in this price range.
Ibanez, especially, makes many different styles and copies famous models and many of those offerings are $500 or less. Alvarez and Epiphone make a few amazing guitars at this price point, but don’t have the variety Ibanez does.
I hesitate to make suggestions beyond this because I don’t know what kind of gutiar you want. My PR-5E Epiphone is a standard 25 1/2″ scale length, and is a “Florentine” style cut-away with solid spruce top and rosewood sides and back. I love this guitar. But I also love my Alvarez AP66 parlor, all mahogany (solid top), 12 fret, open head stock, 24″ scale length. And then there is my Ibanez GA34STCE, nylon string, open head stock, solid spruce top, 25 1/2″ scale length, 1 13/16″ nut width, thin line, cut-away body. It is becoming my “go to” guitar. The Epiphone and Ibanez both have electronics with a tuner. The Alvarez has no electronics or cut-away. But it may be my most comfortable guitar. There are a lot of choices and a lot of differences.
MG 😀
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Welcome to the light of participation @BigMoge . It might be uncomfortable, but I hope you don’t go back into the shadows of spectating. We get much more out of the community when we participate, as you have done here.
I don’t know much about your condition, but it sounds like you have enough understanding to function. I’m sorry that you can’t play guitar as long as you would like. It turns out, no one can play for very long periods of time at the beginning. That increases, but it takes time.
In the meantime, there are other ways to be involved in your guitar journey. Music and guitar is a very large world.
You can practice strumming, finger picking and flat picking without ever using your left hand. The right hand has a lot to learn to get proficient at just one of these techniques. And there are “sub-categories” of these 3 general techniques. Folk finger picking isn’t the same as classical finger picking or flamenco finger picking. Then there are mixed techniques. Can you strum and pick together? Yes, but it’s a whole different technique. You could spend hours each day teaching your right hand various techniques.
How about music theory? There is a very large field there, and for me, it is very fascinating. I have learned a ton in the last 2 1/2 years and there is still much I don’t know or understand. And there is music theory as it specifically applies to the guitar fretboard. That’s a very cool study.
Speaking of the fretboard, maybe it would cause less pain if you were just fretting a single string at a time as is more common in lead guitar. There is another very large area that you could explore.
You talked about the community supporting and encouraging each other, and it’s true. However, all I can do is throw words at you. You must participate, which is what you have done here. I congratulate you for doing that. The sharing of knowledge and supporting each other through our respective challenges is another way to further your guitar journey without actually using you left hand. It turns out, playing the guitar is more and more challenging as we grow older. And if you started late in life, it is even more challenging. So you can help us as much as we can help you. Helping others on their guitar path helps keep our guitar desire burning bright.
I can’t thank you enough for putting yourself out there, BigMoge. Others will come by and give more support. If you will continue asking questions and contributing to other peoples challenges, you will find the strength to continue your own guitar journey no matter how hard it may be. And in time, you will realize it gets better. It may never be what you wanted or hoped for. But it can be a wonderful journey none the less.
And I forgot to mention another area of our guitar journey that you could explore that won’t tax your left hand. How about song writing. That’s a huge field that involves several other things I’ve already mentioned, like music theory. But it is so much more. It involves writing your thoughts and feelings. But putting them to music instead of just here on the forum.
Anyway, I wish you success and joy on your guitar journey and I hope you continue to participate. You are welcome, also, to come join the community over at justmusicgeeks.com. Most of the members there are current of former TAC members.
MG 😀
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This is awesome @Marty69 . I am so happy for you. I am so happy for me. I am so happy for all of us who found TAC.
Our stories are so similar. Except you’ve probably always been farther along than I am and you probably will be. But what’s important is that we continue to progress. It’s just wonderful.
I, too, am a lifetime member. This is my last “paid” year; next year will be my first “free” year. This was your first “free” year. I would not have been able to sign up for another year this past summer if I hadn’t bought the lifetime. It’s so worth it. I was very sure that I wasn’t going to master everything Tony teaches in 2 years, and 3 years is the breakeven, so I dug deep and came up with the coin. But that’s just the simple math. I was actually pretty sure I would never master everything Tony teaches, so I will be able to learn as long as I am able to do the lessons.
As far a jamming, we live in the same state. Yeah, it’s a long drive and wouldn’t happen very often, but I’m sure it could happen once or twice. I have driven the hour to Norman Lake and jammed with Jack Salistad ( @Guitargeezer-Jack ). It would be very cool if the 3 of us could get together.
Let me know if you would be interested in that.
Oh, one more thing; I loved the video. Very nice job on that song, Marty. Very impressive.
MG 😀
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Hey @ScottyMac
Sometimes tacsongs.com doesn’t seem to work. This is where is points to:
https://app.searchie.io/hub/254V7grV3m/
MG 😀
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Wow, again, Jack. @Guitargeezer-Jack
You are so much more talented musically than I am. You are able to sing and play these songs so well. You don’t do them like the original artist. You may protest that you can’t play them like the original artist. Yeah, but you do something far more special when it comes to music. You use what skill you do have with the guitar to interpret the song in a very interesting way that still is faithful to the original. And then you sing it in a style that fits what you are playing. Again, you don’t do it like the original. But you do it very well. It’s a great interpretation of the song. Very heartfelt and moving.
All three of the songs I’ve listened to tonight are wonderful examples of making really good interpretations of songs with what you can do. I try too hard to make songs like the original, and it doesn’t sound bad… too bad it doesn’t sound good either. Because I’m not the original artist I can’t do what they can do. But you have made songs that are great because you accurately recreated the song within your style and ability. I am really blown away by how well you have done all these songs. Bravo, Jack, Bravo.
MG 😀
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Wow, Jack, @Guitargeezer-Jack that was really fantastic.
I think you have some natural talent in music. You seem to understand how to use the guitar in a very musical and intuitive way. You did a great job of “outlining” the song and giving a lot of texture and variety. And of course, like others have said, your voice is able to stay in key and present the song in your own way. This was very enjoyable and entertaining. For your first video, wow. Great job.
MG 😀
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Wow Jack, @Guitargeezer-Jack you have done a great job with this. I missed the other 2. I hadn’t realized you posted some songs.
You seem to be the opposite of me. I gain more and more talent, yet can’t do anything with it. You start to gain just a little bit of talent and you put it to use making something very entertaining and thought provoking. Excellent performance.
MG 😀
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Hey @That_Guy ,
The Yamaha FG 830 is definitely one of those great guitars for the money. However, it won’t work for someone who doesn’t want a dreadnought. That’s why I pointed out that @Salty needs to figure out what type of guitar he wants.
I don’t have any dreadnoughts in my guitarsenal. And that’s because the one I bought I sold shortly afterwards. They don’t work for me. At all. I will never own a Jumbo either. There are a lot of really good guitars I wouldn’t want if you gave them to me. You can get pretty much any size and type guitar you want for $500 or less. There are a ton of good guitars in that price range. First, you have to know what you want.
There is body size and shape. There is the tone wood used. There is scale length. There is nut width. There is 12 or 14 fret, or something else. Open head stock or closed head stock. Electronics. Cut-away. And that’s just the basics.
I’m just trying to help @Salty to get what he wants and not have to buy and sell as many as I did to find what I wanted.
MG 😀
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Hey Mark @mkjohnsons
I am really happy to hear you have found your direction and reason… again. And we helped you? Or did we receive help?
So many times, when I lost my way and thought “what’s the point?”, someone else was asking for help. I found new purpose by helping the other person. I have been through this feeling so many times from both sides, asking and helping. And every time, no matter if I felt lost at the time or not, I was helped.
Thank you for asking and starting the conversation. I will remember what I said/figured out: my attitude is have fun, my action is make beautiful noise.
MG 😀
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It seems I mostly misunderstood your original post Mark @mkjohnsons My bad.
As far as why: I frequently figure out a way to use tools I have. I rarely, if ever, think of how I could use a tool I don’t have. If I do think of how I could use a tool I don’t have, I always know that tool exists.
Mg 😀
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Sounds good Jack @Guitargeezer-Jack
You’ve gotten so good I’m gonna be a little intimidated playing with you. But hey, I’ll never be any better than I am at the time. 😅
MG 😀
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