General

[quote=BanditZ1234]Hey. I'm thinking about learning to play the guitar over the summer. I'm mostly interested in playing fingerstyle guitar which i think is playing like [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFF0eh_lu8c]this[/url] compared to [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsZcNVjijkg]this[/url](just strumming?)
I have a few questions though.
-What are some good guitar brands? I'm willing to spend maybe $150-200 max on a guitar (acoustic).
-How do I go about finding a guitar teacher? Do I just go to craigslist or something(lol?)? Do you think I can find lessons for $20-$30 / hr?
-If I can't find a teacher, I heard self teaching yourself guitar isn't too hard (although it would be beneficial to get a teacher to develop good habits). Can anyone link me to some good places to start learning? Learning tabs, basics, strumming etc. Some youtube links / other guitar sites?

and also post some good acoustic covers of songs :o. I really like [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_xFh7XFC_w]this song[/url] (yes I know he's really good and I probably won't ever be able to play that good )[/quote]

Yamaha. Make sure you talk to a guy in the store and have him find a nice one for the price, because Yamaha is one of those brands where you can sometimes get a really good quality guitar for cheap.

Don't bother with a personal teacher, I taught myself guitar by ear and I play like sungha jung there. You can learn all your good habits from something like howto dot com or a quick google search. Most of it is pretty common sense. For more advanced techniques, like traditional flamenco for example, you can learn from Youtube videos. Said technique is the only one I've actually needed outside help to pick up.

To start with, just learn easy songs.Catchy pop tunes usually are based around a 3-4 chord progression with the occasional change in progression for a bridge or breakdown. Chords are required for fingerstyle playing, so you should get your secondary hand comfortable with the string positions and changing between chords first. From there, start strumming the same songs without a pick, using your nails, and from there, pluck some of the strings..see what sounds good. You'll end up like Sungha in no time.
I write tabs on ultimate-guitar.com, it's pretty good and most of the tabs people write are pretty close, but keep in mind that they're written by average joes like you and I.

I could post my covers of songs, but they're all years old and are not very good...mostly because I sing in them.
My channel is here: www.youtube.com/azimuth457 , message me if you need a tab for a song you can't find elsewhere, and mention you're from basil.

Edit: As someone said, you should get a classical. They are easier on your fingers for picking as well as playing chords, and the wide neck will help your fingers stretch and find strings properly.
Move to a steel string later.

Also, that cover of River Flows in You is nice eh. I can tell he JUST bought those strings before uploading the video.

Yea, before you learn to fingerpick. You have to learn your chords which will teach you to strum.

Can anyone answer how I can find a teacher? I was thinking of walking into a guitar / music store and asking but I'd think that it'd be a bit expensive so yea.

No matter what style you want to play, you'll have to learn it all.
Learning to play rhythm is essential. It also gives you a better feel for music, especially since you're obviously just beginning. It's also easier to learn than the type of fingerpicking in the video, so you would have to learn it first anyway.
I would most definitely get a guitar teacher. I had one for about two years before moving on. You won't need one forever, but it definitely helps you get a head start, and makes the music MAKE SENSE.

Sungha was just an example of fingerstyle. I dont expect to be as good as him haha.
For reading tabs, what kind of different notes(?) are there? I mean like when reading tabs there's something called a hammer I think and what else is there?
Also, this might sound like a nooby question, but when you're strumming, you strum all the strings right?

Any ideas for going about looking for a teacher @above?

you need to try them out for yourself
guitars have different feels and tones (on top of prices)
you should get a guitar u feel comfortable with

sungha is an excelent instrumentalist but too difficult to start off with
i recommend starting off basic like learning to read tabs quickly
after that its a matter of moving your fingers fast enough for more complex and faster playing

its all practice

as for styles of playing
im also a self taught guitarist
its beneficial to learn both fingerstyle and strumming bc strumming helps with rhythm for fingerstyle

ALSO dont go to walmart or costco for a guitar
theyre low grade in my opinion
go to a legit music store and ask for advice
if you live in canada steve's music store and long and mcquade are both excellent music stores

just get the cheap yamaha from costco

Thanks! Any suggestions for guitars?