Nothing in this world is free.
Maybe sometimes, but it’s quite rare, especially on the Internet.
When someone offers you a free gift online, or free lessons, they generally have some sort of product they will eventually try and sell you.
This is exactly what came to my mind when I started researching for this JamPlay vs. Justin Guitar article (and the Guitar Tricks comparison).
One of the main differences between these two is that one is a membership website (JamPlay) which you pay for access to the lessons, while the other (Justin Guitar) offers free lessons.
But as I mentioned above, things on the Internet are never totally free. And these so called “free lessons” are never as good.
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”
Is Justin Guitar Totally Free?
Access to the website is free, however the website does state that if you can afford to make a donation, then you should not consider it to be a free resource.
That being said, most people probably don’t donate.
The other thing you’ll find is that there are many products, books and DVDs promoted on the website. This is not a bad thing, but a beginner who watches a few free lessons will probably be tempted to buy a book for DVD set.
So technically the site is free to use, but you will most likely need to make a purchase to really get better at the guitar in my opinion, and these purchases can really add up quickly.
What you will also notice is that Justin Guitar actually promotes the JamPlay program on the website. So they clearly see the value in the membership.
Comparing the Quality of the Lessons
At the end of the day, Justin Guitar can’t compete with the quality and size of JamPlay. You can read the full JamPlay review here.
JamPlay has over 5000 HD video lessons produced by close to 80 professional teachers and they're growing.
They have lessons for beginners to advanced players and cover how to play all the most popular songs and styles of guitar.
Justin over at JustingGuitar.com has produced a ton of great work and content which is extremely impressive and many people have benefited from the lessons.
However when you really compare the two products in terms of content and quality, JamPlay comes out on top.
But I’m a Beginner…
Many beginners will be drawn into the “free” lessons, but will soon find that to progress and really get better, they’ll need to buy a book or DVD set from Justin.
On the other hand, JamPlay and some other recommended online courses have fantastic step by step beginner programs that cover all the fundamentals. These are offered by many different instructors.
And even for those who aren’t sure if the guitar is something they want to pursue and want to try some free lessons, JamPlay has a free trial offer you can sign up for at no charge.
Final Thoughts
I remember when I was buying my first computer, a man in the store gave me some good advice which has stuck with me.
He said: “When you buy something high quality and pay a premium price, you often cry just once (when you make the initial purchase). When you buy something cheap, you will often cry many many times in the future.
I believe this can be applied to these online learning resources. Yes JamPlay is a membership site with a monthly or yearly fee (extremely affordable when compared to real in person lessons), however the quality of content is superior in my opinion.
I truly believe you will get way more value from JamPlay, but it’s not free.
That being said, they do have a FREE TRIAL which will allow you to test the website and video lessons out to see if you like it.
I recommend you sign up for a free trial and test JamPlay out first. Click here.
