You would think that basic guitar information for beginners was widely available on the Internet in this day and age. However, you would be sorely mistaken.
All he wanted was some acoustic guitar information…
My cousin was looking for a new guitar for his son recently and could not find any decent websites covering the topic.
He was telling me about it the other day. He said that he couldn’t find any classical guitar information, there was no electric guitar information, in fact there was no beginner guitar information – of any kind – to be had anywhere. Not a sausage!
Personally, I think his internet must have been broken because when I looked there was a fair bit of information available. But then I suppose I know what I’m looking for, and that always helps.
How I decided to help
In any case, I sympathised with the very sad state of affairs that my cousin found himself in and pledged that I would do my bit in resolving the situation. I’m seeking to address his pain in a modest way with this article, so get ready for an acoustic guitar information beginners-bomb!
I’ve been playing the guitar for years and have tried every kind of guitar you can imagine, from a beaten up second-hand electric guitar with no amp, through nylon strung classical guitars, folky steel strung acoustics, and even a rather nice Antoria electric guitar that I found in a bargain basement store in Liverpool.
I’ve played stiff old guitars that you can barely squeeze the strings to the frets on, and I’ve played sleek electrics with the lightest strings you can imagine. You name it and I’ve played it, and that puts me in a good position to offer a little bit of advice about what to look for when you buy a new guitar.
First, I’m going to talk about acoustic guitars and what you should look out for when buying those. There are a few things that you really must know before embarking on a shopping trip to pick one of these guys up. It’s best to do a little bit of homework before you turn up at the store. You don’t want them to know that you are a complete novice, even though most shop assistants are very knowledgeable and quite happy to share their insights with you and give you advice so that you make a well-informed purchase. Maybe it’s just me but I tend to feel uncomfortable going into a situation like that with no background knowledge whatsoever.
What’s your budget?
The first consideration that you need to give some thought to his what is your budget. If you have plenty of money it gives you far more options, but if you need to be a little bit more careful with your spending, you need to give some thought to what’s important to you in a guitar.
You probably have a number in mind that you can afford. In my opinion it’s worth spending that little bit more to get a better guitar. If you have a nice guitar to play, you are far more likely to practice on a regular basis because it will be more enjoyable.
So know what price you’re willing to pay, that is the first thing to get straight.
How does it feel and what does it sound like?
The other two things need to think about are “feel” and “sound” (or tone).
The best thing to do is to get yourself down to the nearest guitar store and try playing several different guitars within your price range. It’s quite possible that the best guitar for you could be one that isn’t a named brand but is just set up perfectly for your playing style and body.
There are different sizes of guitar available. Dreadnoughts are the basic guitar shape for acoustic guitars, jumbo guitars… Well, the clue is in the name! There are also a type called parlour guitars. Try each of these out and decide which is best for you.
The distance between the strings and the fretboard is known as the action. This has a significant impact on the feel of the guitar and how easy it is to play. Generally, the higher the action the more difficult it is to press the strings fully onto the fretboard, which can cause fatigue in the fingers for a beginner, especially with steel strings because these tend to have higher tension.
The next thing to consider is make sure that the guitar sounds good. And that means what sounds best to you. Not what the salesman says sounds best!
As I mentioned earlier, salespeople are often very knowledgeable especially in the more reputable music shops. Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions and allow them to educate you. But always remember it is your decision. It’s your money you’re spending and you need to be comfortable with that choice.
Next up, I’ll be giving you some information on the electric guitar. If you’re interested, check out my article providing electric guitar information for beginners.