Any one know a good place to get information on a vintage electric guitar that has no identification marks ?

I purchased this used in 1980 from my Uncle who sang in bars in Northern Michigan. It's mint and quite unique, yet to see another Les Paul copy that looks like this one.

You might want to take it to a local guitar luthier "Repair shop" They should be able to tell you about your guitar, or point you to someone who would know.

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For any beginner starting to play guitar the question is often raised whether you should start on acoustic guitar or electric guitar. For some, this will be a simple choice as they will be drawn to one or the other based on the type of music they like.

But the question still stands about which provides a foundation in technique that will form a basis for improving guitar skills? If you are going to teach yourself guitar then which guitar type does not hide your faults?

There are advantages and disadvantages to both at different stages of a guitarist learning so any assessment needs to take into account the short and long term benefits of each. Over the years I have taught other guitarists using whatever guitar they had to hand. I noticed that you can nearly tell from a guitarist's technique whether they started on electric or acoustic just by watching them play.

So here are the pros and cons we saw of each approach.

Beginning On Electric Guitar

Pros

* Easier to play using the narrower gauge strings and narrower guitar neck.

* Develop a subtlety of playing. Amplification of what you play highlights various effects and nuances in your play (for hammer ons, vibrato, etc.).

* It is possible to practice using earphones (neighbors will appreciate this).

Cons

* Muscle strength in the fingers does not build up as strongly as when playing acoustic.

* Using effects/distortion hides a multitude of sins.

* Strong tendency for incorrect placement of the left thumb on the guitar neck.

Beginning On Acoustic Guitar

Pros

* Lower startup costs.

* An amp is not required, which allows you to play and practice anywhere.

* Finger muscle strength builds up from day one.

Cons

* Temptation is there to strum through all songs. Beginners should take the time to learn finger picking styles.

* Guitar solos can get 'lost in the mix' if playing in a group which may put off some beginners.

* Using earphones with an acoustic guitar is not an option.

From my perspective, guitarists who start out on electric build up a speed of playing (solos, chord changes, etc.) which is admirable, but it is often at the cost of good playing technique. Playing the electric guitar hides a number of faults such as incorrect placement of the thumb and not holding down strings solidly that results in strings buzzing or being muted during play (this is highly noticeable when recording an electric).

In comparison, the acoustic guitarist builds up the finger strength, learns better hand placement on the frets and fosters clear sounding play.

That said, if you can handle the bill for buying both electric and acoustic guitars then you could split out the beginners training on both instruments and they will benefit from both approaches.

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If you have not selected a guitar for yourself yet, the following information can virtually save you from a "disaster."

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The quality of the instrument you choose for your practice and performance if often underestimated by most beginners. It is crucial to understand that half of the success of any musician lies in the quality of his/her instrument (this claim is not valid 100%, but in general we can assume this is the case).

So, what is that incredibly important about the guitar that I choose for my playing?

First of all, there are many different types of guitars. Some guitars are better for rock or heavy metal music and some others work better for blues or folk, for instance. Yes, it is true that a good musician can play almost any style using any instrument, but we are talking about beginners or intermediate players here.

Hence, your very first step is to decide whether you want an acoustic or electric guitar. Both could be used for playing blues music, but I would advice on choosing an acoustic guitar for this particular style. It is a little bit harder to learn to play acoustic guitar, because it is more difficult to press and hold down the strings than it is on electric guitar. However, once you learn to play acoustic guitar it is virtually a piece of cake to switch to electric guitar later on. If you try to do the opposite you will be unpleasantly surprised how difficult it is to play acoustic after learning electric guitar first.

O.K., we know that we want an acoustic guitar. What is next? Your next consideration is the type of acoustic guitar. There are classical, Spanish, and regular acoustic guitars available. For the purpose of learning blues guitar, I would recommend picking a regular acoustic guitar, which will usually have six metal strings and slightly narrower neck than classical guitar. Acoustic guitars could be made of wood, plywood, or laminate. I would strongly encourage you to spend few more bucks and go for all wood guitar as those instruments usually have much better sound (the quality of resonance) and in my personal opinion, wooden instruments have souls of their own.

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The next characteristic you should examine is the size of the instrument. There are generally three sizes, two for kids depending on their age and size, and one for adults. Do not buy a small guitar unless you are a really petite individual.

Now, one of the most overlooked aspects that should determine your selection is how the guitar feels in your hands. You should hold it in all possible positions (sitting, standing) and feel absolutely comfortable with it. As a matter of fact, you should fall in love with it. I am not kidding. I treat all my instruments as the most cherished lovers.

Finally, we are getting to the most important characteristic, which is the sound of the instrument. You should love the sound of the guitar you want to play. Moreover, if you plan to sing while playing, the sound of your guitar should be complementing your voice. Most importantly, there should be no strange sounds, such as clinking or buzzing, coming from the instrument when you play it. The best advice is to go to the store with someone who knows how to check the quality of the guitar.

If you select the right guitar for your practice, you are more likely to succeed with your effort to progress in learning blues music. You will enjoy your blues guitar lesson more, play more often, and in case you decide to buy a more expensive instrument, you will be able to resell your guitar easily, as the quality instruments hold their value better.

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