Welcoming the Enya Nova Go Guitar
Posted on December 5, 2022 by Aywren
During the Black Friday sales on Amazon, I happened past a very good price for the Enya Nova Go carbon fiber acoustic guitar. I believe these were released earlier this year as a 1/2 sized travel guitar – I’d run across them before and was instantly interested because this looks exactly like the carbon fiber Nova U ukulele I’ve owned for a few years – you can see them both pictured above, in fact.
I’d been thinking about getting back into guitar (despite having too many instruments I haven’t practiced enough lately as it is), and had been poking around the idea of a parlor guitar. These are smaller than normal acoustic guitars, which is appealing to me due to my smaller hands and shorter arms. Usually, however these are more along the lines of a 3/4 sized instrument (which I already do own).
The Nova Go was even smaller – often a 1/2 size guitar is aimed at children, in fact – but is marketed towards adults despite its size.
And despite its size, all the reviews I’ve watch have said that it has good sound. It’s not going to compete with a full-bodied wood acoustic, of course, but that’s not what I need it to do. All I want is an instrument that’s easier for me to handle so that I can pick it up and practice.
It’s been over 20 years since I last practiced guitar. Back when I did, I used the Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method Grade 1. I still have the book, in fact, though it’s falling apart from use. The problem I always had with it was that it was book only – I’ve learned I really need some backing tracks and to hear the songs played to get the most out of it.
Well, the newest version of the book comes in PDF form with downloadable sound files and videos. I’d picked this up a few years back for some reason, so this is what I’m using to get me started again. I’m using this along with some chord guidance from Justin Guitar.
Mel Bay teaches individual notes first, and teaches how to sight read without tabs. It’s how I learned before, so it’s how I want to learn again. Meanwhile, Justin Guitar is more into teaching chords first and putting together strumming tunes. Chords on a guitar are my biggest hurdle – it’s why I need a smaller instrument, in fact.
Of course, the even bigger challenge for anyone starting out guitar is the finger pain. While strumming uke causes all sorts of pain for my strumming finger, playing steel strings on a guitar puts the fretting hand to the test. And the strings often win the first few weeks – it’s just a fact of playing.
The other issue I have – and I will be frank – I’m not the much more slender me that I was in high school. So wrapping myself around a guitar with a body the size of me is not as feasible anymore. Having to work around my own body shape in trying to find a comfortable way of holding the guitar has been a thing I didn’t have to fight with when it came to uke or fiddle.
I did pick up a foot rest based on some suggestions in videos I watched. Even for regular-sized folks and guitars, elevating the playing leg when sitting brings the neck closer to the hand and prevents the need for having to hunch over or lean further. I just got mine yesterday, so I’m going to see how it works for me!
I also followed some advice from Justin Guitar and bought a variety pack of guitar picks that had different thicknesses. I have guitar picks, but they’re all either medium thickness or super thick. He suggested to start out with a thinner pick. So I’m going to try that, too.
I think I’m all set up for proper practice going forward now. Time to face the finger pain!