Tuning and Learning to play a guitar?

Question:

Tuning and Learning to play a guitar?

I just got a Gibson beginners guitar for chirstmas, so far I know the basic notes to play, but Im having trouble with the sound, the guitar is tuned but the strings sound bad, even when I hit the sweet spots, but yet its tuned, is there a way I can fix this so when I hit the strings it wont make that fuzzy sound so much, or am I just not playin it right, and whats the best way to learn with out having an actual instructor, whats the best DVD or manual I can buy that will teach me to play?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Well, from a distance, it sounds like the guitar may not be "set up"properly. You have to check to see that, when you fret a string, you're not getting a buzz from a higher fret, or from the pickup, or whatever, that should be in the "open" part of the string.

In other words, the string should be able to vibrate clear of any obstruction between the bridge and the fret you're using. Sometimes, if the angle between the neck and the body is not set correctly, or if the bridge itself is set too low, it's impossible to get a clean note. The string vibrates against frets and things that it should not be touching.

So, pluck the open string, and assure yourself that you're getting a clean note. Then fret at the first fret and see if that's good. And so on for each fret and each string.

You should also be sure that you're fretting the string close to the fret - not in the middle of the board between the two frets, but closer, actually, to the fret that determines the pitch.

There are so many online lessons available you won;t have any problem finding one. Also, CDs and DVDs are available for purchase, and you might want to take some actual lessons.