Always wanted to learn how to play guitar and I think it's about time I get going on that. Probably go electric since it fits my style more and probably go with an online self taught method such as Fender Play as that will work with my schedule better. Any tips for a newbie staring out on the ground floor?

I know it won't be a fast process and it will take time, effort, and money but I am prepared for that.

Get some superglue.

Fender play is ok, but others out there that are better. I think Guitar Tricks is the one I liked.

I've only been trying to learn to play for 6-7 years and I still suck.

I'd start with Acoustic.

I'm assuming this is for the fingers?

EADGBe

Learn scales. Major and Minor scales. Practice with a metronome.

Starting with electric is not the best idea. You can be messy with an electric. Learn on an acoustic and you will learn to be precise. But if thats what your heart is set on then go for it with the electric.

Its a lot of fun! Takes practice but its fun.

Eddie ate dynamite good bye eddie.

Don’t get hung up or bogged down with theory. Just learn a few chords and some simple scales and have fun.

Good advice here, I second starting on an acoustic. Or get something like an Ovation acoustic/electric with a cutaway that you could play similar to a full blown electric.

Once you kind of figure out some cords you can find online tabs for songs you like and go from there.

Speaking of, does anyone know a good app or website, one could put on an ipad or phone with a big library of songs with cords and lyrics? Something you could pull out at a party and look up songs to play.

look up and find a "fake book". They are not exact, but close enough to get you playing a lot of songs in that type of scenario.

G C D

That will learn you about 200 songs right there.

Whatever you do..................do not join the Guitar a month Club...................its extreamly hard to get out of and when you loose interest in playing you have a room full of guitars you just look at.

I may start back up once I retire. Work, guns, reloading, hunting/deer lease, bass fishing, dirt bikes have really put gutiars and getting better on the back burner. And beer drinking too, its hard to learn to play guitar with a hangover!!!

Scales...major and minor? If you’re wanting to learn music sure...but you wrote “learn how to play guitar”. It’s been my experience that the scales-knowers are either top tier players, or terrible guitar players that know all the theory but have little/no feel. Most folks in the middle categories, such as...have fun, decent, good, pretty darn good...etc. aren’t really scales cats.

I would suggest you learn to form some basic chords (G,C,D,A,E, Em, Am) first. Then learn how to switch between chords. Take a very simple 3-chord song (that you know how it goes) and learn to change the chords fast/smooth enough to support the melody. Then expand the songs you can do that with. Then do it with songs that have 4 or 5 chords...including minor chords.

Next, learn how to make barre chords. They’ll sound terrible at first, but stay at it. Practice them until they sound decent (e.g. no buzzing, all notes sounding...etc.). Then proceed as above...but with barre chords. Pretty soon you’ll be proficient enough to have some fun playing a bunch of different tunes.

Once you can do all of that, it’s time to try out your new skill and see if it can get you some chicks.