Learning how to play a guitar can be a life changing experience. As you practice and improve your guitar skills, you will start to get more out of all types of musical experiences. You start to appreciate the guitar and before you know it, you find yourself wanting a new guitar!
Shopping for your first guitar
If it is your first time owning a guitar, the experience can be exciting but overwhelming. Of course, you want to get the right type of guitar that will suit your taste and needs. Since it is your first time, you will have doubts. You will be faced with different choices like what size you should buy, should it be acoustic or electric or whether you should buy a new guitar or second hand. There are a lot of things you need to consider and that can affect your decision. However, the most important thing is to find a guitar that sounds good, looks good and especially – feels good to play.
What to look for when buying a guitar
If you are shopping for a new guitar, there are some things you need to know first. Here some tips for buying your first guitar:
If it is your first time owning a guitar, the experience can be exciting but overwhelming. Of course, you want to get the right type of guitar that will suit your taste and needs. Since it is your first time, you will have doubts. You will be faced with different choices like what size you should buy, should it be acoustic or electric or whether you should buy a new guitar or second hand. There are a lot of things you need to consider and that can affect your decision. However, the most important thing is to find a guitar that sounds good, looks good and especially – feels good to play.
What to look for when buying a guitar
If you are shopping for a new guitar, there are some things you need to know first. Here some tips for buying your first guitar:
- Go for a guitar with a straight neck. For first timers, a straight neck guitar prevents the strings from hitting the frets as you play. Back bow guitars are more difficult to play. If you are unsure about the guitar’s neck, ask a professional to identify it for you.
- Buy a brand new guitar. If you have the budget, choose a brand new guitar – unless you have a very experienced player who can accompany you to check a used guitar for you to make sure that the instrument’s neck isn’t warped or there aren’t any other things that would cause the instrument to be harder to play.
- Select the right guitar size for you. Guitars come in many sizes and finding something that feels good and “fits” your hand perfectly is very important. Incorrect guitar sizes can affect your ability to play so it is always important to go with the standard size. Generally, experts recommend a half size guitar for ages 5 – 7, three quarter guitar for ages 7- 10 and a full size guitar for ages 11 and beyond.
- Decide what type of guitar you want to buy. Guitars come in three different styles: Electric, Acoustic (Steel String) and Classical (Nylon String). The style of music that you want to learn and play might determine what type of guitar to select. If you want to learn rock licks and solos then an electric guitar might be a good fit for you. Acoustic guitars are versatile and will make a perfect instrument for a singer/songwriter. Classical guitars tend to be the easiest for beginners to play because the strings are softer on the fingertips than electric and acoustic guitars. Beginner classical guitars are also generally cheaper making them a perfect instrument for kids and young students.
- Buy from a guitar shop. Ordering a guitar online may seem easy and convenient but for aspiring guitar players, they should be able to see, hold, feel and hear the instrument in person before making any purchase.
- Choose a guitar that appeals to you. If a guitar’s appearance inspires you or you feel like you like it based on its appearance, give it a shot. Wouldn’t it be fun to play a guitar that you like? It’s like you get a chance to buy a guitar especially crafted just for you.
The last thing you want is to own a guitar that you don’t like to use at all. Follow these tips and you will get a guitar that you will love and enjoy playing as you continue to improve your guitar skills.
