So, you’ve decided to start playing the guitar! Congratulations! We hope you find this guitar buying guide useful, be it electric, acoustic, or classical. You are about to embark on a very rewarding musical journey that is going to change your life for the better.
If you are passionate about becoming a great guitarist like Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton, then you have landed at the right place for guidance. Well, maybe you are not so ambitious, and you just want to play your favorite tunes with your friends around a campfire.
Learning to play the guitar is a very enriching and fun experience. However, with so many models to choose from, choosing a guitar can be very difficult.
The first is the first. Before you start playing … you need the instrument! Surely much of your decision will be based on your personal preferences and your musical idols. What type of guitar best suits your style? In this guitar buying guide, you can choose between electric, acoustic or classical.
Guitar Buying Guide for Beginners
Here are some important factors to consider when buying a beginner guitar:
- Shop place
- Price
- Guitar type
- The quality of the guitar
Where to Buy a Guitar From?
This is a difficult matter, as there is always the possibility that you will find some real bargains. Unless you know what you are doing, buying a second-hand guitar is always a very risky venture.
If you are a beginner, it is best to avoid second-hand instruments, unless you do it with the help of someone more experienced. Keep in mind that you may not know if the guitar is of good quality or if it is damaged. In this sense, betting on well-known brands is always a plus.
Therefore, a music store is always your best option. Keep in mind that choosing a guitar always takes time, so choose carefully and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. You can also buy a guitar online with a reputable company, although you should be sure to review their policy and conditions.
How Much Should I Spend When Buying a Guitar?
There is always the temptation not to spend too much money on your first guitar. You could change your mind or even stop playing. However, you have to know that budget guitars are generally more complicated to play.
This can be seen for example in the height between the strings and the frets, so you would have to tighten the strings more strongly. Or the low quality of the wood.
There are many respected brands such as Fender, Ibanez, or Gibson with a long tradition in guitar making. No matter what type of guitar you are looking for, all of these brands have low-priced models of acceptable quality.
These prices start at around $150 for the most basic models. Some professionals suggest that a beginner guitar can cost between $300 and $500. However, there is a wide range of attractive guitars for around $250. In addition, there are starter packs, especially for electric guitars. They usually include the guitar, the amplifier, cables, and a bag.
First-Time Guitar Buying Guide
This decision is always based on the musical tastes of each person. If you like to listen to rock, blues, jazz, or heavy metal you may prefer to have an electric guitar. Or if you’re more of a singer-songwriter, you might prefer an acoustic guitar. Or maybe what you like are rumbas, tango or classical music and you prefer to play the Spanish guitar. The important thing is that you learn to play the guitar while having fun and practice, practice, and practice.
Don’t be surprised, but we have to tell you that each type of guitar has advantages and disadvantages. Our experience tells us that taking a closer look at acoustic guitars is always a good idea.
The reason is very simple. If you are thinking of playing the electric guitar later, you can choose an acoustic guitar with a robust and thin neck to practice without the need to disturb the rest of the house.
Differences Between Types of Guitars
Here we explain the differences between these types of guitars.
1. Classical Guitar
Many people start by buying a classical guitar with nylon strings. If you are a beginner, you are in luck, since they are usually at a reasonable price.
Whether you are starting your path as a guitarist or if you are already an expert.
Classical guitars are known for their simple, clear sound. The design of this guitar is very particular since it has a wider fingerboard than its sisters. Also, if you are starting, the nylon strings are great to avoid damaging your fingers too much.
Like modern acoustic guitars, the sound from the strings is amplified by the soundboard and vibrates through the body.
However, there may come a time when you want to add an extra sound to your guitar. For this reason, if you are already in the phase of amplifying the sound, you should consider buying an electro-acoustic guitar. This way you can easily connect it to an amplifier or sound mixer.
Advantages of the Classical Guitar:
- It has nylon strings, more comfortable.
- Thick neck, ideal for big hands.
Disadvantages of the Classical Guitar:
- Thick neck, really uncomfortable if you have small hands.
2. Steel String Acoustic Guitar
Known simply as an acoustic guitar, the steel strings are stronger and brighter than those of the classical guitar. These types of strings will come in handy to develop your fingertips.
The most notable difference is that acoustic guitar models do not need an electrical power source or plug-in to be heard. However, there are also electro-acoustic guitar models, through which you can plug them into an amplifier.
Acoustic guitars are built with a hollow chamber so that the resonance increases and the sound is more powerful.
It is a more versatile instrument to play and adapts to different musical styles, be it folk, rock, pop, or jazz.
Advantages of the Acoustic Guitar:
- Good sound without the need for an amplifier.
Disadvantages of the Acoustic Guitar:
- more challenging than an electric guitar to play.
3. Electric Guitar
In this guitar buying guide, we are adding the Electric Guitar due to different reasons. An electric guitar is a great option, as long as you don’t disturb your neighbours. This type of guitar is characterized by being accompanied by an amplifier or software to be able to play.
Electric guitars generally are easier to play due to the width of the neck. At the same time, the frets are narrower than other types of guitars, requiring a higher level of skill to perform accurate fingering.
They are guitars that rely heavily on pickups, as they produce a cleaner and clearer sound. You can also use a lighter string gauge than acoustic guitars. However, we recommend that you review our Guitar String Buying Guide.
If your dream is to be a true rock god, this is your guitar model.
Advantages of Electric Guitar:
- Variety of sound, through amps and pedals.
- Slim neck, easy to play.
Disadvantages of Electric Guitar:
- For extras, you need cables and amplifiers as a minimum.
8 Tips for Checking Guitar Quality
When buying a new guitar, you must make sure it is of quality. In this guitar buying guide we give you some tips to follow to check the quality of a guitar, as well as its parts:
- Check the neck of the guitar for sharp edges and chips. This can be done by passing your hand up and down over each of the frets to check their smoothness.
- Make sure the fingerboard wood is sturdy and not laminated.
- Pay attention to the back of the guitar and look at the part that joins the neck and the soundboard, the heel. Make sure there are no openings or holes.
- Check the bridge of the guitar. Use a pick to make sure there is no gap between the bridge and the body of the guitar. Like the fingerboard, the wood must be strong and durable.
- Press down on the first frets to check the height of the strings. Now go to fret 12 and do the same. It needs to be simple for you to accomplish. If not, the guitar likely has a crooked neck, or you may need to lower the bridge of the guitar.
- Press all the guitar frets down to twelve, starting with the 6th (thickest) string. Make sure there is no vibration.
- Check that the tuners are secure and keep the strings taut.
- Play a few chords making sure the sound is pleasant to your ear.
This was all for this guitar buying guide. Hope that you found this guitar buying guide useful. Be with us for more awesome content.
FAQs
How much money do you need to pay on a nice guitar?
For a new guitar, a newbie should budget between $100 and $300. Many high-quality offers range between $100 and $200, but you might want to spend a little more on a package that includes other necessities, like a protective case to protect your instrument from damage.
Is Piano easier than guitar?
The guitar is generally easier to learn than the keyboard. If you consider the layout, learning songs, self-learning ability, and a few other things, it’s an easier instrument. However, it is on average the easiest for everyone. It refers to all age groups.
How many types of guitars are there?
There are 3 basic types of guitars. Classic, Acoustic, and Electric.
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