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Guitars & Supplies
What You
Need For Lessons.
-
CLASS
(ages 12 to adult)
- Required: full size nylon string classical, acoustic
or electric guitar (without amp in class only), Belwin's 21st Century Guitar
Method Book 1, Belwin's 21st Century Theory Book 1,
guitar footstool, picks, one inch 3-ring black
binder with five tab dividers named - chords,
scales, songs, technique, helps. Recommended:
music stand, tuner.
-
PRIVATE (ages 8 - 11)
- Required: Yamaha nylon string
classical guitar, soft-shell guitar bag with pocket,
guitar footstool, picks, Mel Bay's Children's Guitar
Book 1. Optional: music stand, tuner.
-
PRIVATE
& INTENSIVE (ages 12 to adult)
- Required: full size guitar, guitar footstool,
picks, one inch 3-ring black binder with five tab
dividers named - chords, scales, songs, technique,
helps. Books to be determined by the teacher.
You use the teacher's amp, cables, music stand and
tuner at the lesson. Optional: music stand,
tuner.
-
Skype
ONLINE
WEBCAM
GUITAR LESSONS (ages 12 to adult)
- Required:
(1) high speed
internet (broadband or DSL) (2) webcam with a built
in microphone and USB connection (Skype
webcams shop), (3) Skype video
call software (free
download),
(4) guitar, footstool, tuner,
book to be determined, and a
one inch
3-ring binder with five tab dividers named
- chords, scales, songs, technique, helps. The
Lessons page lists tuition & schedules.
Once you have registered for lessons, download the
free Skype software and click on the "New" tab to request
Somers Guitar as a contact.
Purchase guitars and supplies from Rieman
Music. Call the Urbandale store at (800)-962-3658 or in
Creston at (641) 782-5121. Order
online by clicking the
just the accessories
link. Pay with your credit card and they will deliver
what you need via UPS.
Rental
Guitars. Rent
quality name brand instruments from Rieman Music (Iowa's
leading music store retailer with 6 locations).
Rieman's provides Somers Guitar students with
quick, convenient, all-in-one
rent-to-own packages and UPS delivery to your
home. Call Rieman Music in Urbandale at (800)-962-3658
or call the Creston store at (641) 782-5121. Rent classical, acoustic, electric and bass guitars with case
and insurance for only
$32.50 a month. You will need: (1) A credit card or (2) a debit card + credit card or
(3) a
cancelled check + credit card to establish the automatic
monthly payment. Three
rental/ownership options are available at any time during the
contract:
- Rent
month-to-month with no commitment to buy.
- Rent-to-own
and receive 20% off the balance due when you are ready
to pay it off.
- Rent-to-own
until the instrument is paid off.
Repairs.
Leave your
instrument with Somers Guitar after your lesson and
Rieman Music can pick it up from us on Wednesday.
They will call when it is done. You pay by credit or
debit card. Rieman's will deliver it back to Somers
Guitar or ship it to you. We also recommend
The Lutherie
Shop in Des Moines (515) 277-2255 or
Russo's Guitar
Center in Omaha (402) 493-2116.
Restringing. Somers Guitar can restring your
instrument anytime. We also have instrument
RESTRING WEEK three times a year (November, March &
June). Restringing includes D'Addario strings,
installation time,
string stretching, body polishing, truss rod adjustment
and lubricating
gears as needed ($18 for electric, $20 acoustic,
$28 classical, $30 bass, and $40 for a 12-string). We bring 30 years of
experience to the job so we will do it once and do it right.
String manufacturers are correct to say that strings
lose their vitality after about 15 hours of play. Who
can afford to change strings that often though?
For those who play weekly, we recommend changing the
strings every month at best and every 6 months in the
least. Once strings start turning dark from dirt,
oil and sweat buildup they oxidize and are hard to tune.
If you do not string your instrument correctly, it will
not stay in tune, sound as good or sustain as long.
Fretboard Cleaning
and Reconditioning. Manufacturers recommend
this be done annually. For $10 we clean the wood
fretboard of all dirt and sweat residue buildup and
recondition it with oil. The benefits are many. (1) It keeps the fretboard dirt from transferring to your
new strings as they rub against a dirty fretboard
causing new strings to last longer. (2) Helps
prevent fretboard lightening, drying and cracking. (3) Makes for a slightly smoother feel to play against,
leaving the fretboard looking dark and brand new again.
Why Nylon
String
Classical Guitars Are Better For Beginners
Visit Somers Guitar
in Atlantic,
Carroll & Red Oak, IA
before
purchasing an instrument. We will correctly size the
instrument to the student's body, arm and hand size.
Classical guitars come in 1/2, 3/4, 7/8's and full size.
We recommend beginning
guitar students
start on a nylon string classical guitar. Nylon string classical
guitars -
-
Cost
less than buying an electric guitar with an amp,
effects and cables.
-
Are the
easiest
to play with a
slightly smaller body and softer, nylon strings.
Nylon classical guitar strings only require 60
psi to make a note sound verses 165
psi to make a metal steel string
guitar sound. In other words, nylon classical guitar
strings are
two and
a half times easier to hold down verses a steel
string acoustic guitar.
-
Have wider
strings which makes for a bigger target for the
fingertip to control.
-
Have a
wider nut (the thin, white rectangle by the guitar
head that the strings rest in) than electric and
steel string guitars. More space between the strings
(string spacing) promotes better finger
independence and helps a beginner with fine motor
skills. By the way, avoid putting wide nylon strings
on a steel string guitar. It defeats the purpose.
-
Are mellow sounding and quieter. Parents, siblings
and neighbor's will appreciate that!
A
Beginner's Instrument
A quality
beginner instrument prepares your student to succeed. Look for a reputable
dealer with good beginner's instruments, excellent service and a qualified,
in-house, repair
person. Do not buy from a
department store or pawn shop. These
instruments are poorly made, hard to play, don't
stay in tune, need frequent repairs, discourage
practice, increase student frustration and drop-out
rates. You
definitely get what you pay
for when buying an instrument or finding a teacher. A good beginner's guitar
or bass costs between $120 and $500 depending on the size, wood
type and quality. A
poorly sized instrument develops bad habits as will many
inexperienced or self-taught teachers. Below are
things you should look for when purchasing your first
instrument.
-
Nylon &
electric strings - only require 60 psi to make a
note sound verses acoustic steel strings requiring
165 psi.
-
Children
need 1/2 or 3/4 size nylon string classical guitars.
Teens and adults typically use full-size
instruments. Check the finger width, string & fret stretch,
hand size and arm length with
the instrument in the hands of your student to
determine the correct instrument size.
-
A straight neck
with no warp. Hold the instrument in front of you
and look at the side. Compare the straight
line of the string against the angle of the neck. It should be straight with no curves. If it has a
truss rod your dealer can adjust the neck to the
proper angle.
-
Low action.
A proper neck angle allows the strings to be close to the neck and easy
to hold down.
-
Good quality
tuners. They should not be loose or have a lot
of play in them when you turn them.
-
No cracks where
the neck meets the body or where the bridge attaches
to the instrument's top.
-
Cloudy looking
finish at the neck joint or the edges of the bridge
may be signs of stress or poor quality.
-
Ask the dealer to
stretch the strings to get the slack out or your new
instrument will not stay in tune!
-
Don't forget
accessories - picks, strap, footstool, tuner, music
stand, extra strings, cord, amp & capo.
-
Shubb brand capos
are recommended because of their quality and ease of
use for kids & adults.
-
For more
information see our
"Resources" page. Check the
"Before You Buy," "Beginning Guitar," "Dealers," and
"Guitar Care" sections.
Types of Guitars
Classical
guitar.
This guitar is used in many genres, but is often
associated with classical, flamenco & jazz music.
It looks just like an acoustic guitar without a pick
guard. It's distinguishing marks are a sound hole
in the center of the guitar body and six strings - three
of which are made of nylon. Nylon strings require
about 60 lbs. of pressure to hold the string down and
are much easier to play. They offer a softer, more
soothing sound especially when played with the fingers
instead of a pick. Classical guitars come in 1/2 and 3/4
size for the "little" guitarist and full-size
models for the "big" guitarist. A full
size classical guitar typically has a smaller body than
a steel string acoustic guitar. The
wider string spacing on a full-size is perfect for those
with large fingers.
Acoustic
guitar.
This guitar is used in many genres,
but is often associated with old-time country, folk,
gospel, blues, ragtime & Celtic music. It's
distinguishing marks are a sound hole in the center of
the guitar body with a pick guard below and six steel
strings that help to project sound. It's perfect
for intimate settings like the campfire or small group
and can be played with a pick or fingers. It does
not require an amp which is easier on the budget.
Steel strings need 165 lbs. of pressure for a note to
sound making it the hardest guitar to play. This can make it uncomfortable for some to hold a
string down until they develop calluses.
The smaller string spacing than a
classical guitar also makes it harder to control
fingers.
A full size, dreadnought
body style, steel string, acoustic guitar typically has a larger
body than a classical guitar.
Electric
guitar.
This
guitar is used in many genres, but is often associated
with rock, blues, jazz & modern country music.
It's distinguishing marks are a thin body and a
rectangular-shaped magnetic device called a "pickup" in
the center of the body. Electric guitars project a
louder string and body sound through the "pickup" and
into the "amplifier." Electric guitars are well
known for playing "lead" or solos using a pick.
They are usually equipped with lighter gage strings
making them easier to play than acoustics.
Bass
guitar.
Bass is used in many genres to provide
the rhythmic and melodic foundation that other
instruments in a band build upon. It is often
associated with bass emphasizing styles like hip-hop,
R&B, rock, blues and jazz. It's distinguishing
marks are a longer neck, pickups and four steel strings
that are larger and wider spaced than those on an
acoustic or an electric guitar. Therefore, the
bass is well suited for those with large hands and
fingers. Although, Ibanez and other brands make a
shorter neck (scale length). An amp is required to hear an electric
bass. Bass players can use either a pick or their
fingers to strike the strings with. Good bass players
are in demand for school, church, garage and pro bands.
Bass is easier to play than guitar when you consider
that you typically play one note at a time verses four,
five or six strings.
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