Playing guitar is one of the most fulfilling hobbies. For children, it is reported to improve fine motor skills and develop focus and concentration. Of course, it’s a great idea for adults too, as it can keep your creativity sharp and give you something worthwhile to do. If it’s your first time buying your own guitar, know that it’s not always cheap.
For those who want to commit to learning this instrument, it’s important to do your research and find the model that fits your preference and budget. You can get an entry-level acoustic guitar for under $100 or even lower if you’re okay with buying secondhand. However, the more elaborate ones can go for thousands of dollars. Don’t feel overwhelmed with all the options and features you have at your fingertips. Below, we enumerate some tips to help you buy your first guitar.
Decide Between Acoustic or Electric
There are two main types of guitars: acoustic or electric. As a beginner, you’re going to want to invest your money in something that you can use in the long run. Be sure to think about the style of music you want to play and perform before choosing between acoustic and electric guitars.
If you want to have a good foundation for guitar, an acoustic guitar would suit you best. For one, you can play it anywhere without plugging it in. However, acoustic guitars tend to be harder to play as most come with steel strings — but this will strengthen your hands and fingers quickly. Plus, they’re convenient to practice with since its neck is thinner and the strings don’t have a lot of tension. On the other hand, electric guitars tend to be on the more expensive side since it needs additional equipment like amplifiers.
But as we’ve mentioned, the type of guitar that you’re going to need largely depends on the style of music that you want to play. When in doubt, be sure to ask musicians or guitar instructors, so they can help you figure out the guitar that’s ideal for you.
Consider Your Budget
Once you’ve figured out what type of guitar you’ll need, you have to consider how much you’re willing to spend. When it comes to guitars, the price is often indicative of their quality. This means that buying cheap will likely get you a guitar with a lousy build and bad sound quality. For this reason, it’s important to look for a model that fits your budget the best without compromising quality. Besides reading reviews on the internet, it’s also a good idea to interact with and ask experienced guitar players for recommendations. For starters, you can peruse online guitar forums and discussion groups and reach out to people there.
Don’t Forget the Accessories
Certain guitar accessories can impact how a beginner guitar player develops their skills. As such, be sure to create a checklist of various guitar accessories that you need alongside your guitar. One example is a guitar tuner, which allows beginners to make accurate adjustments for intonation. Besides that, guitar tuners can also help beginners train their ears. For acoustic guitars, a clip-on tuner will do. For those using electric guitars, it is recommended that they get a tuner pedal. These accessories are an invaluable tool for electric guitar players, as they allow you to tune up without any distractions or ambient noise. It can also be integrated into your pedal chain for easy adjustments, so it’s worth learning how to use them even when you’re just starting out.
Other accessories that beginner guitar players need is a pick, a guitar maintenance toolkit, a capo, and a metronome. By having these accessories, you cover all your bases and can have a smoother journey to becoming a master player.
Buy In-Store
Lastly, it may be best to buy your first guitar in-store instead of ordering online. Even if you’ve done your research, visiting a store allows you to actually try out your instrument. After all, the best way to know if a guitar is a good match for you is by taking it on a test drive. Moreover, you may find it very helpful to talk to someone at the store who can answer any questions you have about the guitar.
Your first guitar can dictate how enjoyable and fulfilling the rest of your guitar-learning journey is — whether you choose to learn from video tutorials on Youtube or a guitar teacher. So, be sure to follow the tips we’ve listed above if you want your first guitar to be well worth your time and money.
