Guitar Buying Guide for Beginners and How to Choose the Best Guitar

A lot of the people that I come across who want to take up guitar-playing seem to be confused about the kind of guitar they should buy. This is one of the biggest problems beginner guitar players seem to face, they want to know how to choose the best guitar for themselves, and often end up buying the wrong type of guitar, or the most expensive one.

When it comes to guitars, price is irrelevant. Yes, the more expensive guitars are often better than cheaper ones, since they use better materials and electronics, and have better build quality (generally-speaking), however there is a whole list of other things that need to be considered when buying a guitar.

Acoustic or Electric

First off, it is essential to know the fundamental differences between the two main types of guitar.

An acoustic guitar is a wooden, hollow-body guitar with a large body, and which produces its own sound, without the need to be plugged to or hooked up with any electronics. Variations include classical guitar and the steel string guitar (most acoustic guitars are nylon-stringed).

An electric guitar, on the other hand, is much smaller than an acoustic guitar, but does not produce any sound of its own. Instead, it relies on on-board electronics which help convert string vibrations into sound. Electric guitars, therefore, need to be plugged into amplifiers. As a result, the sound of an electric guitar is amplified and can be changed easily as well.

There are many other types of guitars, such as the bass guitar, the semi-acoustic/acoustic-electronic guitar, etc.

Most beginners start off with acoustic guitars, and then move on to electric guitars at some point in their life. However it is not unusual for guitar players to start off on electrics and try their hand at acoustics at some point later. Acoustic guitars are generally harder to play, and hence make for a perfect entry-point for beginners.

New vs Used

Another important decision that you will need to make during this process would be to whether go for a shiny new axe, or stick with a used one.

It all depends on the kind of guitar you want to purchase, as well as your budget. The advantages of buying a new guitar over a used one are quite obvious: with a new guitar, you’ll be the first owner and you’ll have the assurance that the guitar has not been misused or repaired because of some reason. A new guitar will be backed by a warranty, and you can expect it to perform well for many years. However new guitars will be more expensive, and depending on your budget, you might find yourself priced out of buying the one you wanted to.

The used sections of a guitar store (or online guitar stores or the classifieds, for that matter) can provide you with some excellent instruments. You can score some brilliant deals on used guitars, especially if you’re looking for vintage guitars. You can also find many signature models on the cheap, which might just be in your budget too! It is however essential to inspect a used guitar carefully for damages (not just cosmetic ones), and if you haven’t done this before, it might be a good idea to take someone with you.

How the Guitar Feels, Plays and Sounds

As a rule of thumb, always check the guitar by playing it before buying it. Regardless of how proficient you might be with your guitar-playing, this is essential. It gives you an idea of how the guitar feels while playing, whether you’re comfortable and at ease playing it, and most importantly, how it sounds. Check the guitar’s action, and if you’re comfortable with it. Are the guitar curves comfortable? Is it, in any way, awkward when you play the guitar?

Once again, it might be a good idea to take someone along with you who can test out the guitar extensively. Or ask someone at the store for advice.

Test out the guitar extensively at the store (take your own pick) – and take your time during this process. In case of an electric guitar, hook it up with a good amp (more on this later), preferably an amp which you’re already using at home, or the one you intend on buying. Make your decision once you’ve played a bunch of guitars and know what you like.

If you’re buying a used guitar, or making your purchase online, ask if you could use a couple of days to test the guitar and what their return policy would be in case you’re not satisfied.

Brands and Models

There’s plenty to choose from here – tons of brands, well know and otherwise, each with many different product lines.

I always recommend choosing guitars made by some of the more well-known models. Branded guitars, while more expensive, will almost always guarantee a better guitar-playing experience as well as better acoustics. However that is not to say that non-branded guitars (or some of the lesser known brands) don’t make good guitars.

Once more, your budget will be an important factor here, since branded guitars such as those made by the likes of Gibson, Yamaha, Fender or Jackson cost quite a bit. However their less expensive line-up of guitars (such as Epiphone line of guitars by Gibson) don’t cost an arm and a leg, and provide an experience which matches up (or at the very least, comes close) to their more-expensive counterparts.

When it comes to brands, make sure you do your research before taking the plunge. Ask around and get opinions, ask online on forums, ask your peers or your instructor for advice and read up on some reviews.

Accessories

In addition to your guitar, you might also want to look into getting accessories and some additional items, depending on the kind of guitar you bought.

If you went for an acoustic guitar, you will also be required to buy an amplifier. Make sure that your total budget has room for this purchase. Always get a good amplifier; too many beginners make the mistake of spending the majority of their budget on an expensive guitar, and settling for a crap amp with the remaining money. Remember that your $600 electric guitar will sound like crap (and probably worse than a $50 one) if you hook it up with a cheap amplifier. If you’re short on funds, it might be a good idea to settle for a cheap electric and a good amp to go with it.

Most amps come with effects processors built into them, but I suggest checking if you need to buy a standalone unit or not.

In addition to the amp, you’ll also need cables to connect your amp with guitar.

I would also recommend buying extra strings and picks, regardless of whether you bought an acoustic or an electric guitar. It is a good practice to keep spares with you at all times.

It would also be a wise decision to get a guitar case and a stand in order to protect your investment. This will be especially useful – not to mention essential – if you travel with your guitar!

Additional Read

An excellent article on EssentialGuitar if you’re going for an electric, check it out here.