Learning guitar at 58yo - any advice?

[West Coast Birder]

I'm planning to retire in August at the ripe old age of 58! Just informed my management and set the wheels in motion with HR at my workplace.

I will have plenty of free time after August to finally do something I have always wanted to do - learn how to play the guitar. Between playing music, reading, photography, and birding, hopefully I'll have enough physical and mental stimulation to ward off decline as much as possible. I learned classical piano and violin for a few years when I was younger, so I am not new to music theory and hopefully, that will come in handy. But I have never played guitar, so it will be completely new to me. I am most interested in electric blues - think Buddy Guy, BB KIng, etc.

I was thinking of picking up a Telecaster clone, maybe a G&L, something in the range of $500-600. Something decently built but not going to break the bank. I think there are many good learning resources online, so I am planning to take a structured course that will systematically take me through the basics and to more advanced topics.

Any advice on instruments? Lessons? Other advice? I would love to hear from guitar experts here or from anyone who has picked up a challenging hobby at an older age.

Thanks!

 

[Richard]

Well, I fit the older part nicely, but I've been playing since I was 15 or so. And I'm from Chicago, so I also play blues. Practice, practice, practice is the main thing. Don't get hung up on the equipment, but I suggest not skimping on the instrument because a good one will last your whole life. I picked up a Mexican Fender Strat a couple of years ago for about $1k new and I love it. I played an American one in the 60s and I think this one is better. I never took lessons, just learned to play along with records by ear. There are a million lessons online, some of them are quite good. If you're really interested in blues, don't spend a lot of time on theory--I'm pretty sure Robert Johnson knew nothing about the circle of fifths. Play music you like. If you can find some other musicians in your area to play with, that's ideal. Turns out to be more than the sum of its parts. Just don't let it become a chore. Enjoy the music.

 

[Garnerfoto]

I just wanted to congratulate you on getting your ducks lined up to be able to retire at 58.

 

[davidedric]

I'm almost 20 years older than you, and been retired since 2008.

A few years ago, after a lifetime of non musicality (like many growing up in the sixties I'd had a guitar and got nowhere), I decided it was time to get a grip. So, I decided to take up the ukulele. Much easier that a guitar - four strings and four fingers - but decidely less cool

Anyway, I now play and sing in a band, and it's the best thing I've done in years. So I suggest, if you can, find some others to play along with. In my case at least, making music together is so much better than sitting alone. I do still practice on my own, though !

 

[Capn Jack]

I learned to fly later than most student pilots.. As @Richard said, practice a lot! Be patient! I could take off & fly the plane well, but it took me a while to learn to land consistently* and safely, mainly because in the small planes I used, the ground tends to fill the windscreen and I don't care for heights. Consider recording your sessions and listen for things that sound off, then practice until you fix it.

You should gain some useful things:

• Maintain or improve dexterity- always useful in life
• Help maintain mental acuity by learning something new.
• Something to do rather than watching TV or getting riled up by BS posts on the internet.

*Note I didn't say I mastered landings. Very few pilots, even pros, do.

 

[West Coast Birder]

Thanks, everyone! Really looking forward to starting soon. Last day in the rat race is Aug 8. Freedom is just 119 days away, but who's counting?

 

[Nick5]

West Coast.
Go for it.
As you know music theory, you are much ahead of the game as us drummers don’t deal with sharps and flats etc unless playing tympani and other percussion instruments like Marimba and others.
I have an Ibanez Jam Kit if I remember correctly that included guitar and Amp. Have locate the amp is it is in our other home….I hope.
If I had to learn another instrument, I think I would buy an electric bass. A little more in the rhythm section like drums, it may be an easier way for me to progress. My cousin is an accomplished Jazz player playing Electric and Upright.
I do have a friend who can play instrument, you name it, he can play it.
What a gift he and you have.
Enjoy the ride.

 

[Richard]

West Coast.
Go for it.
As you know music theory, you are much ahead of the game as us drummers don’t deal with sharps and flats etc unless playing tympani and other percussion instruments like Marimba and others.
I have an Ibanez Jam Kit if I remember correctly that included guitar and Amp. Have locate the amp is it is in our other home….I hope.
If I had to learn another instrument, I think I would buy an electric bass. A little more in the rhythm section like drums, it may be an easier way for me to progress. My cousin is an accomplished Jazz player playing Electric and Upright.
I do have a friend who can play instrument, you name it, he can play it.
What a gift he and you have.
Enjoy the ride.

If I could turn back the clock, I think I might have learned bass rather than guitar. It's right there at the intersection of melody and rhythm. Nothing flashy, but essential.

 

[Joedlh]

I've been playing the acoustic guitar since I was 18. So your experience will be different in some ways from mine. I can't say I'm gifted, although non-musicians say I'm good. I didn't rely on lessons, but did use instructional books, LPs and CDs. I also bought a Great Courses CD collection. It had the kind of good advice that you get from a live instructor. I tried lessons some ten years ago to fill in what I missed. I didn't stick with it because my instructor kept urging me to go electric and I didn't want to. However, lessons with a good instructor are inarguably the fastest way to go. Today, there's a plethora of instructional videos on the net.

You have a leg up due to prior experience with the piano. I have an Ibanez PF-16, which I bought for $800 years ago when it was all my budget would tolerate. I bought a Martin D-28 when I retired. It has the best sound quality. Also, like the Stratocaster, it has a renowned history. So my advice is to get the best guitar that you can afford. You won't regret it. And, yes, at 75, I can attest to the fact that learning and playing an instrument does keep you mentally alert. This year, I decided it was time for another challenge and took up the flute. It's hard. I had a friend who was a music teacher and who played the sax professionally. I asked him once if there are any instruments that are easy. He told me, "No. If they were easy, everybody would play them." Another anecdote is from a nephew who told me that his guitar "sucked". I asked to see it. As I said, I'm not gifted, but I was more experienced than he was. His reaction was enlightened surprise when I strummed a few chords and fingered some arpeggios. "Dang! My guitar doesn't suck," he said. So don't get discouraged. You don't have to pound in the hours practicing. But play a little every day you can.

 

[joayne]

I learned to fly later than most student pilots.. As @Richard said, practice a lot! Be patient! I could take off & fly the plane well, but it took me a while to learn to land consistently* and safely, mainly because in the small planes I used, the ground tends to fill the windscreen and I don't care for heights. Consider recording your sessions and listen for things that sound off, then practice until you fix it.

You should gain some useful things:

• Maintain or improve dexterity- always useful in life
• Help maintain mental acuity by learning something new.
• Something to do rather than watching TV or getting riled up by BS posts on the internet.

*Note I didn't say I mastered landings. Very few pilots, even pros, do.

Any landing you walk away from, is a good one!

 

[Capn Jack]

Any landing you walk away from, is a good one!

It's a great landing if the plane can be flown again