Have you at last made a decision to learn how to play guitar? Well, if you have and you’ve also decided that those boisterous electric guitars are not for you, then the next step is to decide what sort of best acoustic guitar to acquire.
Buying an acoustic guitar, however, is not as easy as it may appear. There are many types of gibson acoustic guitar available and a vast range of prices.
Be ready to pay about $100 for a newbies guitar and do not be shocked if you discover instruments costing $5,000 or more. You may pay less for an foreign, factory-made guitar than for a North American hand-made guitar.
This extreme price range is due to the quality of the materials used and the level of craftsmanship. It is important to understand however, that there are several outstanding guitars constructed that are generally relatively inexpensive. The level of guitar production has improved significantly over the previous few years and many outstanding guitars can be had for under $500. Though it is tempting to buy a more costly guitar, the average newbie does not really need a guitar of that grade and may not even be able to value it.
Here are some guidelines with regard to buying an acoustic guitar:
1. Make a decision on your budget. Before you walk into your favorite guitar retailer determine exactly how much you are ready to pay in advance. The following chart will give you a basic idea of what to expect:
Up to $500 – good beginners guitar
$500 – $1,000 – intermediate range
$1,000 – $2,000 – serious student
$2,000 – $5,000 – semi-professional or professional
$5,000+ – professional guitarist or you just love fine guitars and can afford it.
2. Decide if you want a soundboard created from genuine wood. Quite a few low-priced guitars have plywood soundboards. The better guitars have soundboards built from spruce or cedar. Spruce or cedar soundboards generate a much better sound than plywood. There are a handful of guitar companies that manufacture low-priced guitars with real wood soundboards.
3. Try out various styles. Each guitar manufacturer will have many styles of guitar, many in the same model category. Different styles may include dreadnaught, jumbo, grand concert, etc. These styles are somewhat generic but vary a bit between manufacturers. These titles refer normally to the shape and size of the guitar which will determine the sound of the guitar to a certain extent. You may also have to determine if you want a cutaway design or a more traditional non-cutaway style.
4. Do you want to get a nylon string classical guitar or a steel string? Nylon string guitars are easier on the fingers if you are a newbie, but their necks are wider which means you have to stretch your fingers a bit more. Steel string acoustics possess a more narrow neck but the steel strings are a bit painful if you have not yet developed calluses on your left hand.
Classical guitars are best used for fingerstyle playing and are suited to classical, jazz and latin styles while a steel string acoustic is better suited to strumming chords and using a pick.
5. Do you want to amplify your guitar? If you think that you may want to amplify your fender acoustic guitar then think about obtaining an acoustic guitar with a built in pickup and preamp. This will permit you to plug your guitar into an amplifier without the need for a microphone.
You are now ready to visit your local guitar retailer and try out a few guitars. In the long run, the final decision on which acoustic guitar to purchase should be dependent on getting a guitar that you appreciate playing and that has a sound that is pleasing to you. After you get that new guitar, then the only thing left to do is to learn how to play it.
I’m a keen amateur musician, playing guitar for over thirty years. Since the early nineties I’ve gotten into music production using computers but my real love is the guitar.
As a keen guitarist I have a growing collection of guitars both old and new. My favourite is a genuine 1931 National Triolian that has clearly been well played in its near eighty years of life. This old guitar has clearly been well played with deep grooves worn into the fretboard and all the paint chipped from the body. But all I need to do is strum a chord and slide up the neck with my bottleneck and I am in the Delta with Robert Johnson looking over my shoulder.
But this fantastic vintage instrument would have been way out of my price range when I was first learning to play. Back then I could only dream of owning a real Stratocaster or Les Paul. Then Japanese manufacturers Tokai and Squier started to produce guitars. These were Japanese copies of the great Fenders and Gibsons. I managed to buy myself a nice black Squier Telecaster that was excellent to play. Someone once told me that a good guitar almost plays itself and there is a great deal of truth in this statement.
My Squier Telecaster served me well for many years when I played out in several blues bands. Then I managed to save enough to buy a genuine Fender Stratocaster. But, to be totally honest, I preferred my old Squier telecaster which I’d sold to a friend.
There aren’t many young people who have the cash to buy a top of the range guitar. Luckily these days there are plenty of alternatives many of which are equally as good as the guitars they are copying. There are manufacturers, like Epiphone and Squier, who make some great guitars that play really well, sound great and don’t cost a fortune.
if you are out looking for a first guitar always get the best you can afford as this will inspire you to play. There are many guitar stores that offer sometimes unbelievable deals so look out for these. Also, do consider buying second hand as you can often find a really good guitar that has been set up brilliantly for a fraction of what it would cost to buy new. Its always a good idea to shop around and then take a guitar playing chum along when you go to check out a guitar. And remember that a good guitar can really help to make it easier to learn to play.
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