Choosing the right guitar for beginners needs a lot of considerations. Music preference and budget are two major things you need to think about. Once you’re done with these two, the next thing to do is to decide on the size, shape, and build of the guitar.
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Know Your Needs and Preferences
You might have known that there are different types of guitar. Randomly picking one isn’t the best move, unless if you’re that lucky. The first step is to examine yourself.
What kind of music do you want to play? Who are your guitar idols? What songs do you want to play on a guitar? Do you want a guitar for home use or you want to bring it to gigs and performances? These are just a few questions you should ask yourself with.
If you want to be the next John Mayer or want to play like the South Korean guitar prodigy Sungha Jung, an acoustic guitar is perfect for you. However, if you are amazed by how cool Eddie Van Halen is with his electric guitar, you should get one, as well.
For beginners, the inspiration and motivation you get from your idols or from the songs you want to play on guitar will push you to practice hard. And, it’s only fitting to get the right instrument that makes you want to play more.
Check Your Budget
You’ll get a guitar from under $100 to over $3000. And, it’s up to your budget. However, for beginners, it’s not advisable to immediately get an expensive one. Chances are, if you’re not serious, you’re just throwing your money away.
On the other hand, if you’re low on budget, perhaps get something around $200, or those that come in value packages for starters. Getting an even cheaper guitar might cause you some trouble. You might need to bring it to a music shop and have it adjusted – and, cost a lot.
Size and Shape
As you’ve noticed, acoustic and electric guitars come in various sizes and shapes. While these are not all for the sake of the design, they affect the sound and performance of the guitar.
If you have a small profile, don’t get a bigger instrument. It’ll be very uneasy for you, especially for long hours of playing. The same goes for a bigger profile player getting a small guitar. You must get just the right size guitar with the comfortable shape.
Tonewood Matters
Don’t just pick the right size guitar that fits your budget and preference, check the wood used. The top, back and sides, neck, fingerboard and bridge may be made with different materials. And, each material has different tonal characteristics.
For the top, you might want to get a solid wood than a laminate, if your budget allows you to. For cheaper guitars, you’ll get a Spruce top or Cedar. The former is a little brighter while the latter is warmer.
The back and sides of a guitar are usually made of rosewood and mahogany. Rosewood is slightly lighter and sweeter, while Mahogany is darker. The neck is usually made of Mahogany while the fingerboard is of rosewood.
Play It
If you can, it’s better to play the guitar yourself. You’ll know if it’s comfortable with just the right size and weight. You can hear the sound first hand, and you can compare it to other models before bringing the guitar home.
Conclusion
Choosing a guitar for beginners is not a straightforward process. There’s so much to consider when buying your first guitar. However, it’s not that daunting if you start by asking yourself with the right question about your music preferences and your budget.
Even though you’re still a beginner, it’s very important to have a quality guitar. Hence, you should handpick your first instrument. Consider the size, the materials used and the sound it produced.