You are about to buy your first guitar. For yourself or someone else (i.e: for your child). I know it can be confusing. There are so many variants. You have never played a guitar before. You don’t even understand any specs. You have no clue how to choose the right one. Many “how to buy a guitar” guides are hard to follow as a beginner. They assume some guitar-playing experience.
Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. By reading this article you’ll exactly know how to choose a guitar for beginners.
I created this step-by-step guide for people who know nothing about guitars. I will help you focus on the things that really matter in this process. Also, I will tell you to ignore the ones that would just confuse you. The “right guitar” is a personal choice. Even as a beginner. Here are the 6 steps that will help you choose the perfect guitar to get started:
As you can see, the involvement of the guitar user is essential. If you buy the guitar for someone else (i.e.: for your kid), you need to go through these steps together with them. I don’t recommend choosing a guitar as a surprise gift. Motivation is the key when someone starts learning. An instrument that the player really likes, can significantly boost motivation to play. Don’t ignore the importance of this.
Let’s get started.
Step 1 – Search for guitars you like visually the most
Your goal in the first step is to search for guitars based on their look.
Why search for cool-looking guitars?
Since you haven’t played a guitar before you don’t know what suits you, and no one can tell you that. This is an important thing to keep in mind.
As a beginner, your aim is to learn how to play that guitar, and it is all about motivation. The best guitar is the one that inspires you to pick it up and play whenever you see it.
So here is my number one advice that might surprise you. Aesthetics are very important. Even the color. A guitar that you think looks cool will inspire you to play every day.
You can find mixed recommendations for beginners about guitar types, necks, tone woods, different specs, etc… Skip all that. Otherwise, you will be just more and more confused. These opinions are all about personal preferences. That’s why they are very mixed. You can learn the basics on any type of guitar. Specs are not important at this level.
How to search for guitars that look good to you?
- Look at the artists you like
- Look at specific songs that you might want to play
- Check out live recordings
- Look for guitars based on the music style you want to learn to play
- Look for guitars that suit your personal style
Step 2 – Select the main type and style of guitar that you like
In this step, your goal is to narrow down your selection. You need to choose the main type, and style of guitar that you want to start learning to play. The two main types of guitars are electric guitars and acoustic guitars. There are also different styles within the main types.
Electric guitars
Electric guitars have a solid body that does not produce much sound on its own. It has one or more pickups that convert the string vibration into electric signals. These signals are sent to an amplifier to create the sound. It is important to keep in mind that you will need cables and a guitar amp for an electric guitar.
There are many styles of electric guitars. I can’t cover all in this article, but I would like to show you the most popular ones. Let’s familiarize ourselves with their look:
1. Stratocaster
2. Les Paul
3. SG
4. Telecaster
These are popular, but you can choose any other styles that you like. It’s all about personal preferences and inspiration.
Acoustic guitars
Acoustic guitars are made of wood. They produce sound through the hollow body of the guitar. Acoustic guitars are available in different styles with different body shapes and sizes.
Let’s see the most popular steel-string guitars. They are typically used by blues and rock guitarists. All these body shapes can be perfect as a first guitar.
1. Dreadnought
2. Jumbo
3. Grand Auditorium
4. Parlor
5. Concert
6. Classical or Spanish guitar
Spanish guitars differ from steel-string guitars as they use nylon strings as well. They are typically used for flamenco and classical music. They are also popular styles within acoustic guitars and perfect as a first guitar.
Acoustic or electric?
As you might noticed, a lot of guitarists use both of them. There are differences in playability and sound of course.
As a beginner, it’s better to stick with one style while learning the basics. Choose based on the music style that you want to learn to play. “Acoustic first” is bullshit. In my experience, you can learn the basics easily on either of them. Don’t worry, later you can also explore both worlds and develop your guitar-playing skills if you want.
Most guitar styles are available from different manufacturers, with different specs.
Before you go to the next step you need to have your favorite. Choose one style that interests you the most. For example telecasters or dreadnought body steel-string guitars.
Step 3 – Set up a budget & choose a brand
Your goal in this step is to find a brand that makes your favorite style of guitar. You need to also decide how much money you want to invest.
Avoid cheap guitars
Many people think they need a cheap beginner guitar to learn the basics. But cheap guitars are cheap for a reason. The result of bad-quality components and craftsmanship are major construction issues. These guitars cannot be set up even by a professional luthier. This means they will be difficult to play. 9 beginners out of 10 give up out of sheer frustration. If you have a cheap guitar, you will not be able to learn properly the basic playing techniques. You will likely quit.
Get the best one you can afford
You need a guitar that meets basic quality standards at least. The well-known guitar brands all have affordable product lines as well. You can’t go wrong with them. These are usually good enough to get started.
But, there is no such thing as a “beginner guitar”. Higher-quality guitars are better for pro guitarists and beginners as well. If you have the budget, don’t be afraid to invest in a quality instrument. The more you enjoy your guitar, the more you’ll play. As a result, you’ll develop and learn faster. I recommend getting a more expensive version of the guitar style you like.
Consider the resale value
Good guitars hold their value very well. A quality instrument is a great investment. You are not spending but rather investing your money if you do it right. Read reviews online. Check used guitar marketplaces for prices, before you buy a guitar. Make sure you know which guitars have a good resale value. You’ll be more confident to spend more and pay for quality.
As you develop, you might realize that you prefer other guitars to play. That’s completely normal. Guitarists tend to change their guitar gear quite frequently. Likely, you will also sell your first guitar at one point. That’s fine. Yet, another reason to keep an eye on the resale value when you buy.
Popular guitar brands
As long as it’s a decent name brand, you can assume proper quality control. I collected the most popular ones for your reference. You can buy with confidence from these brands. Yet, these are not comprehensive lists. You can do your own research and find other great guitars.
Popular electric guitar brands:
Popular acoustic guitar brands:
There is one important spec in the case of acoustic guitars that you need to keep an eye on. Choose a guitar that has a solid wood top. The top is responsible for the majority of the sound quality of an acoustic guitar. Solid wood resonates much better than laminated wood. In my experience the difference is huge. I find it very important to highlight this. Even the best brands offer budget instruments with laminated wood tops. Skip all that. A solid top is a minimum quality requirement you shouldn’t compromise. You will enjoy practicing way much better with a good-sounding solid top guitar. If you look at the highest quality instruments, the back and sides are also constructed from solid wood.
Step 4 – Plan with the accessories
When you are planning your budget, you also need to consider all the accessories that you will need.
Guitar amps
In the case of electric guitars, you will need an amp. Cheap amps will most likely disappoint you. Most of them are completely uninspiring and can kill your desire to play. If you are practicing in your house or room you will need a practice amp. It’s not that loud and most of them have a headphone output. If you want to play some rock music make sure to choose one that has clean and distorted channels as well. A practice amp is good enough to start out.
However, I encourage you to play on decent stage amps as early as you can. You’ll enjoy it much more even as a beginner. Get the feeling right from the beginning if you have the chance.
Instrument cables
You will need a guitar cable to connect your electric guitar to your amp. Avoid cheap cables. Make sure the cable is long enough. You will not want to sit next to your amp all the time.
Headphones
As I mentioned most practice amp has headphone outputs. By using headphones you will not bother your family members, or neighbors while practicing. Make sure to choose headphones with long enough cables.
Guitar tuner
Some say it’s important to learn to tune the guitar by your ears. I agree but a good clip-on tuner will help you with that. It’s a must-have item for a beginner. Later as you develop it will be even more useful. For example when you start exploring alternate tunings. Avoid cheap tuners. Check reviews online and make sure to choose one that is accurate.
Guitar picks
In the case of guitar picks the important feature to look for is their thickness. I recommend buying at least three or four picks with different thicknesses. Avoid very heavy and very light picks. Choose a couple of medium ones. It will help you develop your skills faster if you try more picks while you are practicing.
Guitar straps
You will need a strap if you want to play your guitar in a standing position. Make sure to choose an adjustable one. Choose a style that you like the most.
Strings
As you will see in my article below the most important step is to get a professional set up for your new guitar. A good luthier will set up your guitar with strings that will give you the best playability as a beginner. After that in every two or three months, you will need to change your strings. Make sure to buy strings with the same gauge that your guitar was set up with. Different gauge strings will change the playability.
Guitar case
You will need a case if you travel with your instrument. Soft cases are much better for portability if you are a commuter. You can use them as a backpack. Buy one that offers sufficient protection for your instrument. High-end soft cases offer similar protection to hard cases. Hard cases are good for transportation with a car or plane.
Step 5 – Buy your new guitar
In the previous steps you’ve learned how to choose your first guitar. In this step, I talk about how to buy it.
New or used
You can find very good deals on the used guitar market. Many great guitars are not available as new. A used guitar kept in good condition has no downsides compared to a new one. However, if you buy a used guitar you must see it in person and you need to be able to judge the condition. As a beginner you can’t do that so make sure you have trustful help with that. It can be a friend who plays the guitar. The best idea is to show it to a professional luthier before you buy.
As a beginner, it’s easier to buy a new guitar. You don’t need to judge the condition. You will have a wider variety (i.e.: color options) to choose from. It’s a much faster process. You can safely buy online as well. You will have the manufacturer’s guarantee. You can better focus on which one you like the most.
Consider trying it in person before you buy
Don’t be afraid to pick the guitars up if you’re visiting a guitar store. See how they feel first, even if you don’t know how to play them. Take a friend with you, or ask the person who’s selling you the guitar to play them for you. Try more types and styles. Find the one that looks great to you, and feels great to hold.
Online stores or local instrument stores
It’s always a good idea to try an instrument in person before you buy. Yet you can find a much wider selection online. If you already know what style of guitar you like the most, you can safely buy it online. Make sure the retailer has a good return policy if you buy online.
Choose a brand, color, and style that you like the most. You need to fall in love with a guitar, wherever you buy it.
Guitar sizes
In the case of acoustic guitars, there are several sizes available. Full-size guitars are appropriate for all adults. You only need to consider buying smaller sizes for children. These are the available sizes:
- Full-size guitars (age: 11+)
- ¾ size guitars (age: 8 – 11)
- ½ size guitars (age: 5-8)
- ¼ size guitars (under the age of 5)
There are no such sizes available in the case of electric guitars. The solid body is much smaller. Full-size electric guitars can be playable for everybody, even for children. But, there are differences in sizing between the different models. Consider the weight and the scale length of the guitar, if you are buying an electric guitar for a child. Look for lightweight guitars that have shorter scale length. Some brands offer “mini” versions of their popular styles, designed for kids.
Step 6 – Get a professional setup for your guitar
It’s the last step but it is the most important one. Quality guitars are constructed in a way that they are adjustable for individual playing needs. It’s like when you set your driving position in a car. You adjust the seat height, the steering height, or the mirrors. You do it according to your individual needs and preferences. Everyone does that before driving. You need to do the same with your new guitar too.
Well, you don’t know your playing preferences yet. But no worries. A professional luthier will know how to set up a guitar for a beginner. He will choose lighter strings that fit the instrument. He can set up your guitar with low action that will make practicing easier on your fingers.
Don’t skip this step. I can’t emphasize this enough. Trust me, it’s hard to concentrate on learning anything when it hurts to do so.
What’s next?
Here you are. 6 easy steps and you have a cool-looking guitar that is set up for easy playability. That’s all you need to get inspired and start learning your first chords and songs.
Find new influences. Read about the best female guitarists or the most influential rock albums. Pick up that guitar every day. Enjoy your guitar journey.
