Buying your first guitar

The Guitar Page
Here is a good site to view popular Top 10 Beginners’ acoustic guitars

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If you are new to guitar playing and considering buying a guitar, this article will provide you crucial information that could help you decide which is best for you. Take your time to read through this. It will really help you to understand and appreciate the crucial points so as to minimize errors and regrets when selecting to buy your first guitar. Be excited.

Picking out your first guitar is an important step, so take your time in making your purchase. Once you have the right guitar in your hands you are going to spend a lot of wonderful time with this thingy. You should like it.

Before proceeding, you may want to watch a brief video on how an Acoustic guitar is made for a better perspective.

M A K I N G – O F – A N – A C O U S T I C – G U I T A R
(Courtesy by Godin Guitars)
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P R E A M B L E

Buying your first guitar or buying the first guitar for your child is not always an easy thing and can be an emotional ordeal, especially when you are unprepared for what you are looking for. Quite often many find themselves at the mercy of a salesperson at a guitar store.

Everyone will have a different set of criteria when it comes to choosing a good first guitar. Chances are that you may not be able to satisfy all of them at once. It pays just to have a little patience and look around as much as you can to avoid any regret later that you have bought a wrong guitar.

This is why it’s important to do a bit of thinking and investigating before even setting foot inside a music shop.

For those below 10-years old or have relatively small hands, consider getting a smaller than standard instrument most suited for you. Since all major guitar makers do produce different sized guitars you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one.

Again, as children are quite obviously smaller than adults and will generally get bigger as they grow older. A guitar that fits them at seven will be far too small to play when they’re eighteen.

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A C O U S T I C – OR – E L E C T R I C ?

This choice is largely determined by the type of music you want to play. You have to identify and decide on the type of music that you are most interested in playing.

First ask yourself these. What do the musicians you usually listen to play? Is that what you want to sound like? Pricing is not that much different between the two when you consider just the guitar. However, an electric guitar typically requires many more accessories (more on that) which can rack up the price.

Or you may want something that does both.

Surely any song can be played on either style of guitar, but it is smart to think about what you will be playing more of before choosing.

Then perhaps the next thing you need to consider is your financial situation. Like all things, guitars cost money, sometimes a lot of money. If price is an important issue, you’re going to have to weigh several factors.

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A C O U S T I C – G U I T A R

This is the instrument most people think of when they think “guitar”. Acoustics are wonderful if you are envisioning campfire sing-a-longs or relaxing playing sessions without the amplifiers to worry about. Or if your passion is in classical playing, then the clear choice is an acoustic guitar with nylon strings.

Although acoustic guitars are often associated with folk music and “mellow” music in general, in fact they are in all styles of music, from country to blues to heavy metal.

A “classical guitar” looks quite similar to an “acoustic guitar”, and is indeed still an acoustic instrument. Standard acoustic guitars have six strings made of steel, whereas classical guitars have six strings, three of which are nylon. This produces a sound quite different from an acoustic guitar.

Acoustic guitars are well suited for Folk, Religious, Jazz and Country styles of music. Acoustics are nice because you can literately grab it and play. With these instruments there’s no fussing with amplifiers and cords while the electric guitar will require a small amount of additional setup (cables, amp and power source). The drawback is that acoustic guitars are much harder to play. A low quality acoustic guitar can make it virtually impossible for a beginner to progress quickly.

Do note that acoustic guitar necks are usually thicker and wider than Electric. Their bodies are also wider. Generally, smaller people with shorter arms, smaller hands and smaller fingers will have a harder time reaching the strings. Chords formation can be difficult as well because the strings on Acoustics are usually heavier and harder to press down on.

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E L E C T R I C – G U I T A R

Unlike the more experienced player, generally, beginners find electric guitars to be a little more confusing than acoustic guitars – there are more knobs and buttons to deal with in order to arrive at the desired tone and sound plus there are also a few more things that can go wrong.

Most electric guitar bodies are not hollow, thus when you strike the strings the sound produced is considered very quiet. For an electric guitar to project a sound, a guitar amplifier is needed so it will take a little more space and you will also end up having some cables or chords lying around the floor.

Basically electric guitars are considered much easier to play than acoustic guitars in regards to pressing down the strings, moving your fingers up and down the frets picking and strumming.

This is largely due to that fact that most electric guitars are strung with lighter guage strings spaced closer to each other and having a much lower distance between the strings and the frets, therefore it requires less strength to press the strings to the fret board to produce a clean tone as well as providing easier ‘finger positioning’ of particular chord patterns. In short, minimal contact is all that is necessary to create a nice, clean sound.

Electric guitars are great if you want to be rockin’ and rollin’. They are a good choice if your intention is to play solos, riffs or distorted heavier music or just want to enjoy electronic devices then you will want an electric guitar with an amplifier and some effects. Oh don’t worry about your neighbors throwing bricks through your window when you ‘twank’ away past midnight. Most amps provide a head-phone input.

Therefore, choosing to begin learning on an electric guitar probably means your budget will have to be slightly higher, to accommodate buying an amplifier plus other accessories or gadgets. The advantage of choosing an electric guitar is that they are generally easier to play, so you’ll notice improvement more quickly. If the music you like tends to be more electric guitar oriented, you’ll probably want to start by playing one.

Watch this video showing how an electric guitar is made.

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M A K I N G – O F – A N – E L E C T R I C – G U I T A R
(Courtesy by Godin Guitars)

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F I N A L L Y

One last major consideration when choosing between an acoustic and an electric is the equipment needed and the convenience of use. Obviously, all of the setup required for playing an acoustic guitar is to take it out of the case. The acoustic guitar can stand completely on its own.

The electric guitar will require a small amount of additional setup. You will need an amplifier and whatever pedals you need to create your desired sound. You will also need cables to connect your electric guitar to these devices. Plus, you will have to have a power source for plugging everything in. That is why an electric guitar might not be best choice for playing around the campfire.

Remember. Regardless if you choose an acoustic or electric, be sure to pick a guitar that fits your own body size and is very playable. One that is too large or even too small can affect your posture, which will ultimately impact your ability to improve as a guitarist.

The Guitarist Page
Here is a good site to view popular range beginners’ acoustic guitars

I hope this simple guide helps. Share this with some friends.

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