While choosing first guitar for learning, many questions come to our mind, “Should I start with a professional guitar?”, “Budget?”, “How can a novice test any guitar while buying?”, and so on. We will try to answer some of these questions here.
You may try learning with an acoustic guitar before moving to electric one. While acoustic guitar is simple in construction, it is more challenging to learn. It contributes to the development of skills and
competences that are required to be a professional guitarist. To learn more about different types of guitars, read the article on popular guitar types for beginners.
2. Playing Comfort
You may be practicing for hours, so it is extremely important that you are comfortable with the instrument. You should be able to maintain a comfortable, natural posture while holding the instrument. It will allow you to focus on learning without distraction. It would be ideal to try different bodies and models of guitars until you find one that does not generate tension in your body.
3. Testing a Guitar
Even if you still do not know how to play, you can test a guitar using following guidelines for all strings:
- Start playing from the top string, the sixth (thickest). Lightly step on the twelfth fret, as you pluck the string. Hear the sound carefully.
- Now play the same string using thumb but this time press and hold it, maintaining the pressure. Again hear the sound.
- Compare both sounds. If they sound similar and free from distortion, you are good to go. If they are slightly off, try another guitar.
Following video from our Guitar video book demonstrates the method:
Also checking the finish of the metal frets. Make sure that no metal frets overhang the mast. When you move your finger towards the bottom of the mast, it should not scratch while rubbing the surface. Following video will help you learn about parts of acoustic guitar.
Your first guitar should be easy to learn. Avoid buying cheap guitars which make learning difficult, making you quit in some time. You can get a variety of options between $120 to $300. In case you do not have enough capital for a new guitar, you can always opt for a second handed one.