Newby Yamaha A600

[NickNSD1978]

I’ve been learning to play for about 6 weeks now on a hired electric Stratocaster. My aim has always been to transition to acoustic at some point but I wasn’t sure where this journey would take me. Six weeks in and I love it. I know I still have a long way to go. I visited GuitarGuitar yesterday and tried a Yamaha APX600. Feels very different to electric. Am I best sticking with electric for the moment or move over to something like this sooner rather than later. Didn’t know if it would step me back in my learning.

[Dad3353]

19 minutes ago, NickNSD1978 said:

I’ve been learning to play for about 6 weeks now ...

 

Good evening, @NickNSD1978, and...

 

 

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

 

There is no 'downside' to learning on different guitars, quite the opposite. A Good Acoustic (this would include the one you mentioned...) will stand you in good stead for a lifetime, and will complement your prowess, not hinder it. If you have space at home and the budget for it, I highly recommend having both 'on hand'; play and learn on whichever one takes your fancy that day. It's All Good. 

[NickNSD1978]

Tbf, I just want to keep things as simple as possible. That’s why I like the idea of acoustic for its simplicity.

[NickNSD1978]

And thank you for the welcome

[ezbass]

There’s nothing wrong with learning on electric. However, it is generally easier to play than an acoustic and learning on an acoustic will help with your fingering strength and technique more, which can be very easily transferred to electric, not so much the other way around.

 

And… 

[NickNSD1978]

So really then you are better learning on acoustic? Having tried it (just for a matter of minutes) it felt totally different. Whereas I’m always looking at where I am placing my fingers on the frets with an electric, I found i couldn’t see my fingers on the APX600 without either tilting the guitar or leaning really forward. I only tried it for a few minutes and it’s the first time I’ve ever held an acoustic. 

[Dad3353]

5 hours ago, NickNSD1978 said:

So really then you are better learning on acoustic? Having tried it (just for a matter of minutes) it felt totally different. Whereas I’m always looking at where I am placing my fingers on the frets with an electric, I found i couldn’t see my fingers on the APX600 without either tilting the guitar or leaning really forward. I only tried it for a few minutes and it’s the first time I’ve ever held an acoustic. 

 

If you learn nothing else from your musical endeavours, learn Patience. It's a long-haul exercise; we are all learning still, decades later. That is why it's so worthwhile.

Allow me, if you will, to advance my often-quoted words of encouragement when learning guitar (they apply to many other domains, too...)...

'It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things may, sometimes, tend to get very slightly easier'. 

Edited yesterday at 00:55 by Dad3353

[NickNSD1978]

Is a 3/4 guitar out of the question? Was just looking at the Taylor GS mini. Thought these were more of a kids guitar rather than for a 47 year old male. I struggle fitting all three fingers on the same Fret for the A cord now so with the frets being closer together on a 3/4, would this cause any issues? I know it would be a case of trying it, i’m just bouncing around ideas.

[Dad3353]

9 hours ago, NickNSD1978 said:

Is a 3/4 guitar out of the question? Was just looking at the Taylor GS mini. Thought these were more of a kids guitar rather than for a 47 year old male. I struggle fitting all three fingers on the same Fret for the A cord now so with the frets being closer together on a 3/4, would this cause any issues? I know it would be a case of trying it, i’m just bouncing around ideas.

 

A lot to unpack, there. Nothing wrong with 3/4 guitars, for children or for strapping six-foot adults. One gets used to whatever (think ukulele, mandolin, acoustic bass, six-string electric bass, 3/4 or full-size double bass and more...), and I, personally, hold it to be a Good Thing to swap instruments and enjoy the difference.
As for the three fingers vying for space on the fretboard : it all comes with practice. There are also 'techniques' (a.k.a. 'cheating'...) for many issues. An example could be to not play all three strings at once, or use a 'half-barre' to play an 'A' with one finger across those strings. It comes as a surprise to many to find out that it is not always necessary, nor even desirable, to play all of the six strings at once. For my part, for instance, I most often use 'drop two' or 'drop three' chords, which only use four strings at any one time (usually one of the two bottom strings and three others...), so there are seldom three fingers crowded onto the same fret. I don't 'strum' chords, I 'pluck' them with more of a 'claw' right-hand fingering, with the thumb for the bass notes. Finger-picking is great fun, too.
Enough for now; don't over-think all this stuff, and, if you find something difficult, let it rest before coming back to it. If you have any way at all of taking even a few lessons with a Good, Experienced guitar tutor, you'll learn a lifetimes-worth of Good Habits and Good Technique, in whatever style you're interested in. Well worth saving up for.
That's my tuppence-worth; others may chip in with complementary, contrasting, or even contradictory approaches. Keep it all fun, though. 

[NickNSD1978]

That’s great thank you, extremely helpful. Over thinking is what I do best hence just keeping things simple with the acoustic. Don’t get me started on the C major chord I was trying last night. Oh crikey, what I hash I made of that. Think I’ll just stick with the the two fingers easy C for now