Songwriters can use the iDea guitar to record and save the songs and riffs that they are developing as they pop into their heads. In a way, it lets you more solely focus on the inspirational aspects of songwriting. They can also use the preloaded rhythm tracks to accompany them in developing their music. The Ovation iDea can record from the guitar itself, from the built in microphone and from the auxiliary input jack.

Beginning guitarist can load their favorite songs to the MP3 player from their computer and play them back as they learn. Even better, the Ovation iDea comes preinstalled with jam tracks and audio lessons to aid in the development of the budding guitarist. Ovation has teamed up with WorkshopLive to fully integrate an online learning experience with the guitar. The training website features both video and audio lessons, jam tracks to load into the guitar's recorder and training and backing tracks specifically geared to the aspiring songwriter.

Files in the Ovation iDea can be deleted, rearranged, renamed and moved the same way that you can manipulate files on your computer. Complete songs, rhythm tracks and mixes from your other recording software can be downloaded and played from the guitar or through the headphones via the headphone jack. Several of the jam tracks and lessons come preinstalled on the guitar and others are available online.

While this guitar is not intended to replace your high-end, quality acoustic guitar, it is meant to be more of a niche product for several markets: a learning tool for the new guitarist and a utility device for the aspiring songwriter.

Ovation iDea Acoustic-Electric Guitar Features:

• Model: CC54i-PL
• Type: 6-string acoustic-electric
• Finish: PL satin platinum
• Top: Laminated spruce
• Bracing: Modified X
• Body: Mid-depth cutaway
• Sound holes: iDea elliptical
• Neck: Nato
• Neck finish: Satin platinum
• Fingerboard: Rosewood with black satin
• Inlays: 12th fret "i"
• Scale length: 25-1/4"
• Bridge: Rosewood with black satin
• Tuners: Black Ovation
• Preamp: Ovation iDea
• Pickup: Ovation slimline

Ovation iDea Acoustic-Electric Guitar Specifications:

• On-board controls:
• USB connection
• headphone jack
• Mic input jack
• Record button
• Repeat button
• Play/stop button
• Backlit menu screen with jog control
• Volume, bass, mid, and treble slider controls

Here are some deals on the Ovation iDea acoustic-electric guitar:

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Ovation iDea CC54i Acoustic/Electric Guitar - w/ MP3!    US $299.00

Ovation iDea CC54I-5 Black Acoustic Electric Guitar New    US $299.99

Ovation iDea CC54i Acoustic/Electric Guitar - w/ MP3!    US $299.00

NEW OVATION IDEA MP3 PLAYER RECORDER ACOUSTIC GUITAR    US $298.00

NEW OVATION IDEA MP3 PLAYER RECORDER ACOUSTIC GUITAR    US $298.00

Ovation CC54 Idea Acoustic A/E Guitar w MP3 Recorder    US $424.99

1

The first is that a cheaply made acoustic guitar is just that; a cheap acoustic guitar. The reason that it is lowly priced is because it is mass produced from inferior wood and components. There's also a lot of variability in the same model of a cheap guitar because of the poor construction practices and inferior labor that produces these guitars.

The second, and more important, point is that an acoustic guitar devalues right after it is purchased. This is analagous to the purchase of a used car. A new car is worth thousand less as soon as it's driven off of the lot. A used acoustic guitar is worth less as soon as it's taken out of the store. But that is great for the informed shopper because he or she is able to get it at a lower price. The added advantage, as mentioned here, is that the guitar is broken in and is more playable than when it left the store.

The point that I'd like to make is that when you go shopping for used acoustic gutars your object should not be to find one that is dirt cheap because it is used but to find a guitar that provides value. In a high-end, quality guitar that will generally result in a savings of 20%-40% depending on a number of factors.

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Vintage guitars can be an investment that will only increase in value if you target and build your carefully. This reasoning parallels collectors in more well know areas such as coin collecting and stamp collecting. However, you may wonder whether a guitar can really be a good investment and increase in value. After all,  most guitars seem the same to the uninformed guitar afficiondo. However, the well chosen guitar could be worth a lot of money to a collector. For instance, guitars that have been owned by popular guitarists or which are rare, collectible or unusual in their own right, can fetch very high prices in the collectible market. If you've done your research and priced the used electric or used acoustic guitar properly, you most always will realize a solid return due to its value appreciating.

Vintage guitar collections have consistently out-performed the stock market. This has proven to be an excellent strategy for several reasons: they are a real or tangible product, unlike the piece of paper that is a stock or bond; they can be fun to collect and a hobby that is enjoyed by a small by growing number of collectors; and they serve as attractive display pieces. For the most part, collectible vintage guitars don't lose value over time and in fact, gain value as they age providing that their condition is maintained and they possess collectible qualities to begin with. This generally means that they were superior guitars at the time of their production.

The superior action and tone of a real vintage guitar will most definitely be recognized by a knowledgeable player. This is truly the case with one of the most popular vintage guitar sought by collectors; the Gibson Les Paul. Gibson invented the modern electric guitar and  the Les Paul was one of the best electric guitars available in the sixties. While the Les Paul is still being produced today, they don't have the same quality of the original models that are made from mahogany, oak and other fine woods. You can also find original models made with mother of pearl and gold inlays.

Fender is also another popular brand being sought by guitar collectors. The Fender Telecaster, Stratocaster, and Mustang are all great models that remain in demand. The most collectible and valuable of these models were made in the fifities and sixties. Fender guitars made after that time are often less valuable. Make sure that you research the guitar's value before you buy to make a decision that will perform as an investment.

Martin Guitars is the most noted acoustic guitar brand as far as vintage guitars go. Some of these original issue acoustic guitars are among the finest ever made due to their superior craftsmanship. Martin was an innovator and introduced the use of the X-bracing system in acoustic guitars. That added greatly to their durability and means that Martin Guitars have lasted for a longer period of time than the competition. Some original Martin guitars are almost a hundred years old now. Collectible Martin Guitars are sought by collectors through the sixties vintage. Guild guitars are great vintage instruments, but that are not as valuable on the whole as Martin acoustics because they are not as well known. However, older Guild acoustic guitars that are rare have and will continue to appreciate the same as the Martin guitar line.

So the next time you walk into a music store, a pawn shop, flea market or yard sale and see some used electric and used acoustic guitars, take a closer look. You may have stumbled across a piece of guitar history that will increase in value.

The strings on an acoustic guitar are also a little harder to properly fret so you can be sure that if you can play a chord on an acoustic guitar then you will also be able to play it on an electric guitar. The necks and string spacing are also generally a little bigger on acoustic guitars so your hand positioning and fingering technique will develop more quickly by the exercised dexterity that you will gain on an acoustic guitar.

Used acoustic gutars are a great way to start with and learn on because you will get a better quality guitar for your money. A used acoustic guitar will also be properly broken in and set up if you take care in your purchase and buy from an experienced guitar player that has properly cared for their acoustic guitar. Instead of paying a couple of hundred dollars for a new guitar that will be made of lower quality woods and components, the same amount of money will allow you to obtain a quality used acoustic guitar that will sound better and play better than a lower quality acoustic guitar.

Most serious acoustic guitar players will tell you that Martin and Taylor are the best acoustic guitars, followed closely by recommendations for Guild and Gibson acoustic guitars. Most of these companies offer low to mid-level guitars in their lineups that can be purchased new for $500-$1,000, but you can often find these same models selling for up to half of the cost of  new guitars by buying used acoustic guitars.

You will find Martin, Taylor, Guild and Gibson acoustic guitars being used by professionals at most music festivals and concert arenas. They are being played  because of the quality construction and the great tone that they possess. Spend your money on a lower entry model from these manufacturers and buy a used acoustic guitar, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have a quality guitar to learn with that will lead to a more enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

Although there are other quality acoustic guitar brands out there than the brands that I mention, their boutique nature and lack of availalbility will generally result in a higher price in terms of both new and used acoustic guitars in these lines. Stick to a quality brand that is in ample supply in the secondary market and you will be able to play what the pros play at a fraction of the cost.

You will probably become frustrated along the way when learning to play an acoustic guitar, so take a step back and take a break when you need one. Just recognize that this is a challenge for almost everyone, have patience and enjoy the learning process.

Buying your first guitar is a prerequisite when learning because you will need to have your own guitar and not depend on a guitar that will be in your possession on a periodic basis. Each guitar is different as the more you play a single guitar and grow comfortable with it, the more you will gain confidence in the guitar istself and your ability to play it. There are two kinds of acoustic guitars that you can get; either a classic guitar that uses nylon strings or a more popular steel string acoustic guitar. Your choice is a matter of taste and music style so your choice will depend on the sound that you are trying to obtain. However, as a beginning guitarist you will probably find that a more contemporary steel stringed guitar may be a bit easier to learn with becasue the neck is somewhat smaller and easier to 'work'. On the downside, the strings may be a little more difficult to fret...so recognize that there is a trade off in your selection of a steel string guitar. Today's popular music across many genres is probably more associated with the steel stringed guitar since the sound is brighter and louder.

You'll also need to consider the body style of the acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitar body sizes are characterized by terms that extend from small to jumbo. Each size has a unique sound. A smaller body guitar will have more treble and midrange tonal characteristic and they are easier to hold. Lead guitarists also favor smaller or midsized acoustic guitars because they have a more balanced sound. Larger bodied guitars have more bass and are a little harder to hold for the average person. Since you are learning to play acoustic guitar, a midsize body shape is a great place to start with your first acoustic guitar because it has a balanced sound and is relatively comfortable to hold and play.

The quality of acoustic guitars varies by brand and model. Minor tonal characteristics can also vary slightly within the same model, but this is usually not noticeable to the human ear. After you have decided on the type and size of the acoustic guitar that you wish to play, try out some guitars in your price range to see which one you like and are most comfortable with. Also, take along someone that is an experienced guitar player and get their opinions on the guitars sound and quality.

Look to purchase the best acoustic guitar that you can afford. Try to avoid purchasing a new guitar that costs less than $200 since the cheap price reflects its' cheap quality. Save your money until you can budget at least $200 for your first guitar.  A quality guitar will be easier to play and will sound better. You will enjoy playing a good guitar more and this will result in your looking forward to practice and an increased desire to learn. You can find many quality acoustic guitars for under $500 new. Some quality brands to consider are Seagull, Ibanez, Alvarez and Yamaha. Higher quality guitars such as Martin and Taylor may also be available used in this price range.

Actually, used acoustic guitars are highly recommended because you can save a significant amount of money over the cost of a new acoustic guitar. It is not uncommon to find used acoustic guitars selling for half of their retail cost. You can stretch your dollar further by buying a basic or lower entry model acoustic guitar. You do not need to spend the extra money for an electronics package, exotic woods or upgraded cosmetics. Avoid most models labeled as Artist versions since the extra money that you will be paying for them will not translate into a better sounding or playing guitar, although the cosmetics and details will generally be upgrades. Again, take an an experienced guitar player with you before you purchase your first guitar, whether it be new or used.

A good guitar teacher can be an invaluable resource in your guitar learning process, but this can also be an expensive proposition. You may also simply prefer to learn on your own at your own pace. This is actually a reasonable approach for many 'students' because the fundamental chords and scales are easily self taught from instructional books. When you have 'mastered' teh basics, you may then give further consideration to a guitar teacher because some of the more advanced subjects are not easily learned from books and visual tips and help with technique can more easily be garnished from an instructor. However, for those that are learning on their own I will provide some tips and guidelines to help you get the most out of your practice time.

Practice as many times that you can for at least thirty minutes at a time. Learning guitar is a process by which you learn a new note, chord, scale, progression, song, etc. and then you practice it until you care comfortable playing it. Therefore, the more often that you practice and play, the sooner you will learn. Take your time when you practice and ensure that you are correctly playing and understanding the material that you are trying to learn. Don't practice or repeat bad or incorrect methods as you don't want to ingrain these into your brain. So, take your time when you practice and accept this as a challenge that will be overcome through your diligence.

Finally, before you even start your study and practice of  the acoustic guitar, take some time to learn about the individual parts of your acoustic guitar, how the guitar is constructed and how the different parts of the guitar work together to produce sound. Also, make sure that you know how to tune your guitar before you start. You can either buy an electronic tuner or use one of the online tuners to get this done. You can also match the low E string and use a fretting method to tune the rest of the strings off of this one.

When you are learning and practicing the acoustic guitar, learn the different major chords and then the variations of that chord. To break up your study of the chords and to introduce another topic, learn and practice your scales. This will give you a well rounded familiarity with the frets on the guitar and it will build up strength in your fingers and hands.

These are just some basic pieces of advice for the newbie wishing to learn to play the acoustic guitar. I hope that you find this information useful as an introduction to your learning process and that your guitar study is both rewarding and pleasurable.