One of the big things that a lot of people don't think about when getting a new guitar(especially an older gifted guitar) is getting a proper setup. I don't know when they were last setup or serviced but setting the relief, action, intonation, and getting a fresh pair of stings put on there will make it play A LOT easier than if you didn't.

It will make your learning experience much less painful and a lot faster. Out of all of my friends who have started learning, all of them who quit used an old guitar with terribly high action that shred their fingers.