Initially, I had intended to sign up for WY on an 'individual student' basis - and that would mean a half-hour lesson each Sunday afternoon. Then, on the spur of the moment, I thought to myself, why not let WY have some company for the guitar lessons? It would be fun to have a buddy, wouldn't it?!
So, I called R on the hp and asked if he would be interested to be WY's buddy. He said no. So, eventually I offered myself, lor. Our 'group' lesson will now be a 45-minute session each Sunday afternoon.
The school is located in Toa Payoh, close to where 文化艺术团 is. So I guess from next month, we will expect to spend a total of another 2 more hours or so in Toa Payoh, eating (lunch after 文化艺术团 lessons) and strumming & plucking away! :)
Now that lessons have been scheduled, the difficult part which is left to be settled is buying the instrument. I say 'difficult' because unlike 2+ decades ago when buying musical instruments = automatically heading for 'yamaha', now we are faced with more choices. And I find it tough deciding which guitar to get. Plus, I really am out of touch with guitars.
We need to get only one guitar for the time being because the music school has agreed to lend me one for lessons. I think that offer of loan of instrument is very helpful, espcially since I am not sure yet whether this buddy-lesson is a sustainable arrangement.
I will have to choose very soon, one guitar amongst these choices I am considering:
from Yamaha (yah lah, cannot leave out this 'established' brand):
C40 at $124 (gloss finish) or C40 at $148 less 15% (matt finish);
C70 at $180 less 15% (gloss finish);
from Suzuki (heard of this brand before but not sure if it is as popular as the retailer claims it to be):
SCG-10 at $119 (on offer, UP is $169);
from Maestro (seems an 'exotic' brand which is also 'renowned' for acoustic/electric guitars, with established servicing network):
E-1 at $149.
1 comment:
Hi there, I have bought a second guitar (via Boon Kiat). It was very nice of him, but I have this advice for you, go and try out the guitar yourself.
TIPS
1. The gauge should not be too high (distance of string from the fretboard).
2. The strings should be nylon (plastic, and not metal) for classical guitar
3. Yamaha is an established brand, go for this (but make sure it is not made in China one, Indonesia still ok)
4. Gloss is good for cleaning
5. Sound should be sharp and "singing", not mellow and muffled.
6. Try bar-chord on 5th or 6th fret, the sound should still be the same.
7. Check the frets-bars, they should be smooth and equal in thickness (mine is worn out and uneven after fret 6)
8. check the head, and the tuning keys (they should be firm and not loose)
9. Try test and test try, before buying. Each guitar is "handmade" and not the same always.
The prize for a good guitar emsemble, will be a nice new guitar from GuGu. Pls tell WY. (and Weiwei too)
KAM
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