Looking for some tips and advice on buying a guitar

[Exsaris]

Hey all, 1st post!

So, I've been playing guitar for near 14 years since I was 11, it's always been rock, metal, punk I played, but lately having bought a seagull acoustic I've been playing lots of new music, and have just started playing basic classical music!

So onto my problem, having used a pick for 99% of my guitaring life, I'm now attempting to finger pick, I can do it pretty good with just thumb, 1st and 2nd finger, however, to progress I feel I gotta get that 3rd finger going!

I learnt a flamenco scale on YouTube, and also a style of picking, thumb the scale and after each note pick the b then high e with 1st and 2nd finger, and I can do this pretty rapidly while getting a nice sound from each note with good timing!
So in my quest to include the 3 rd finger, I've started playing this same pattern with 2nd and 3rd finger, and I'm getting some results,

So I'm really after some tips that I can use to practice, exercises to make my 3rd finger stronger, will my brain accept it into my playing in time? I have to think to stop my hand trying to just use 1st and 2nd finger!

So yea, practice and exercise tips please!
Also some nice basic pieces to try and learn would be appreciated, and some good albums to buy to listen to!



So now that's out of the way, my acoustic just cost me £430, I'm now after cheapish classical, I use the term cheapish as I'm not so naive that I think I'll find a solid top solid body 30 pound wonder guitar, but I'm after something that will age well and hold tune and have that nice sound, any recommendations of guitars and also places to buy? I live in inverness and although the 2 music shops here are great, the selection of classical guitars is pretty dire!

So that's it, cheers for reading!

Dave

[FloridaGull]

I play primarily fingerstyle - try using your thumb on the low E, A, and D strings - index on G - middle on B - and ring on high E. That, IMHO, will get your ring finger going!

If you like your Seagull, realize that Godin (the parent company of Seagull) has a classical line - La Patrie - http://www.lapatrieguitars.com/guitars.html - I've played a few, and they are quite nice.

Also, check out Walden guitars - www.waldenguitars.com - I own one of their classicals, and they have come out with a new line called the Sollana - try them out!

[Exsaris]

Cheers for the reply!

Yes I've been using that fingering already, was looking for some exercises to improve strength in my 3rd finger

And those guitar sites don't show any prices lol, I like the cut away look tho, is there any disadvantage to getting that instead of the full body?