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My sister's got a resonator that I gave her, but she never plays.  So she's going to give it back to me.  It's a steel plate front in a wooden body.  I'm eager to get it, but probably will use it for fingerpicking and strumming same as any other guitar.  Playing slide is going to be over my head for a long while yet, I think. 

- Zurf

Thanks Doc.  I'm not so worried about other guitars, but at present looking strictly for comments on the Yamaha F300 or F310 specifically.  I've got the opportunity to get one as a bonus from work (or I can get other things), but NOT other models.  If I get a guitar as a bonus it WILL be a Yamaha F300. 

What I am wondering is whether this guitar is worth having even at the low, low price of free (or essentially free, I'd still have to pay a negligible fee for taxes on it).   I've had some free stuff that wasn't even worth that price.  I'm wanting to avoid one of those.  It would be a secondary guitar.  I'd still be saving for a "good" guitar. 

For guitars I'd have to pay for, my leading contenders are Blue Ridge guitars and Breedlove Atlas series.  And Martin has begun making a lower end composite guitar that still sounds like a Martin.  And I'd have to toss Taylor into the ring.  They're least expensive guitars are still quite good.  The Blue Ridge guitars blow me away for roughly a $500 price tag (American).  Full, rich sound, lots of projection.  They have a Gospel version that is designed specifically for the sort of Country Gospel and folk music I like to play.  The only problem is that it includes a cross in the decorations, and while I'm a Christian I don't like to wear a cross.  Jesus said Christians should be known by their love, which is decidedly different from being known by wearing an insignia.  Not against it for others, but it's just not my style. 

Back to guitars...   I had been sold on Breedlove, Martin and Taylor, but am thinking now that when I buy it will be a Blue Ridge.  Then I will definitely have more guitar than guitar player!   Plus, I'm a true blue honest-to-goodness born and bred Appalachian.  Having a guitar with the nickname of my beloved Appalachian Mountains seems right and just somehow. 

- Zurf

Guitarmania_1 - Take that as a blessing!  It opens things up for you to exercise your creativity.  You can work a bass line into your guitar playing, or rhythmically strum or tap on the guitar case some of the purcussion, or combine lead and rhythm in new ways. 

You can't do a five or ten piece band cover on a single instrument and play it exactly the way the guitar player plays it on the record.  So, you're off the hook from having to duplicate anything.  Get the chords and then work out how YOU want it to sound, how YOU think the music enhances the lyrics and the tone of the song.  Have fun with it, rather than letting it bother you.

- Zurf

I have an Ibanez double humbucker electric.  The body is ash wood and has double cutaways.  The cost was $200 used (American).  It sounds great when used by someone who knows what to do with it (which is not me).  It has seen a stage only once, when the lead guitarists axe died just before a gig and my house was closest to the venue.  We called and asked my funny little honey to grab the guitar and bring it over immediately, which she was kind enough to do.  The guy liked it well enough to make an offer on it, but I decided to keep it. 

- Zurf

Done.

- Zurf

Well, you probably have heard the old saying, "If you can't play something good, play something we know." 

Decide if you're going to do covers or originals.  I presume by asking here that you're talking covers. 

I like 1970's era folk/pop music and country music.  So my answers will go in that direction. 

James Taylor stuff - easy to mix it up, old or new.  If you need the name of a particular song it's tough to wrong with Sweet Baby James.  But you've got Steamroller and a million other tunes.  Copperline is another good one. 

Cat Stevens - Zero, Father & Son, his cover of Another Saturday Night, plus about a zillion others

Tough to go wrong with John Denver.  Everyone knows Take Me Home Country Roads, I'm sure you can get some folks singing along with that.  But he's also got a million songs to go with.

I like Land of Canaan by Indigo Girls, but the part I like best about it is the interplay of guitars in the instrumental section, and you'd have to be talented beyond description to play both parts simultaneously.  So maybe go with Galileo. 

Can't go wrong with Beach Music at the end of summer.  Up on the Roof, Under the Boardwalk, 60 Minute Man, whatever. 

Have I got to ten yet? 

- Zurf

Or maybe they're self-taught and didn't spent the 200 years of practice it takes to put your hand into that unnatural position quickly and effectively.  Seriously, I think some of those people playing that amazing stuff on YouTube have eight or nine fingers on their left hands.  Sheesh. 

Can you tell I'm getting a little frustrated with trying to do barre chords on a classical guitar?  Time to practice more with the electric until I can afford a comfortable steel-string folk guitar. 

- Zurf

Can't help you on most of your questions.  But I have a Yamaha classical guitar typically used by young students (I'm a student but hardly young).  It has a decent sound. 

The difference between Spruce and Cedar is one of personal taste. 

At the $150 range, I don't expect that you'll find significant differences in production quality when sticking with the brand names that you mentioned above. 

- Zurf

Kathy,

I'll take it.  I have lived among alcoholics my entire life.  I grew up in the situation that your children are in.  But for the grace of God and a good woman's love, I expect that I'd have become an alcoholic myself.  That's no credential, but is letting you know you're not alone.   

You and your husband need outside support.  Competent counselling almost certainly, but almost as surely a support group as well.  It is possible that his jealousy of your passion for music has nothing to do with you and much to do with him.  But it might have something to do with you too.  You are correct that you are a person who is alive and who needs to feel alive, but you are also wed to and therefore have a responsibility to someone whose needs will interfere with your typical everyday living.  Like nearly everything in life, it's a balance.  A disinterested third party who is familiar with the peculiar needs of a family that includes a recovering alcoholic will help you to strike that balance, with patience and kindness and love with and for one another.   The company of other families dealing with the same issues will give you some hope.   Your passion for music may have turned into an escape from your situation.  That may or may not be a bad thing, and has a great deal to do with the particulars of your situation.  If your family can handle this situation without the help of knowledgable and compassionate third party assistance, you would be a very unusual family. Get help. 

A challange for you all of you.  You have my sympathy, compassion, and prayers. 

- Zurf

For modern slide guitar, be sure to check out some of Bonnie Raitt's albums prior to her 'overnight' success.  She had a twenty year recording career behind her before her 'overnight' success, and there's some awful slick slide guitar work in it. 

There's a tribute album to Stevie Ray Vaughan that has Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, and Bonnie Raitt all playing SRV songs.  The last song is a jam that started with a Jimmie Vaughan lick where the others jumped in.

Also, for a particular beachy/minor blues sort of feel check out Booker T and the MGs.  Steve Cropper on rhythm and lead guitar and Duck Dunn on bass - yowzer. 

- Zurf

No. 

- Zurf

"Video killed the radio star."

Sure, more emphasis on video means less emphasis on music.  On the other hand, we have another technical marvel that is allowing music to excel.  CDBaby and other similar independant music internet sales sites!