Choosing an appropriate guitar in order to learn how to play the instrument is always crucial. It serves a great purpose in honing your musical awareness. An exceptional guitar is also key in helping you sound better, thus inspiring you to play more.
This handy guide will lead you to hopefully the best acoustic guitar that will lead you to guitar-playing greatness, We will cover some of the basic factors that deal with guitars and along the way we will throw in plenty of helpful tips so you can score one that will serve as your musical best friend in your journeys so read on and absorb.
How to Buy the Best Starter Guitar
There’s a few things to consider prior to purchasing your first guitar so the first thing to remember is ‘dont rush the decision’.
Often times, and especially when it comes to choosing muscial equipment, a quick decision is the wrong decision and leads to the wrong choices being made for your skill level, your peformance ability or style of play.
While budget is a factor, playability and desired sound should also play a crucial role in your decision along with other aspects like the size & shape of the guitar also.
All of those factors plus a couple more will help determine your guitar needs.
Keep in mind that great sound doesn’t always mean purchasing an expensive guitar model and in fact i’d recommend not wasting your hard-earned cash on a guitar that doesn’t match your skill level – buy the best guitar for you right now as opposed to the best possible guitar ever made.
If you’re just beginning first start with an entry-level model.
1. Recognize the kind of guitar you need
There are 3 basic kinds of guitars. You can identify one simply by viewing its technical specifications.
Acoustic – The acoustic guitar is capable of generating crisp, vivid sounds because of its steel strings.Generally, acoustic types can play decently with all types of music but usually acoustic guitars play exceptionally well at folk, rock, soul and pop genres.
Electric – Electric guitars play louder (when plugged into an amplifier of course) and they can be abrasive. They are meant for rock music and all its umbrella genres, but they also blend well in some pop, soul and funk tunes.
Classical –This particular kind of guitar complements classic music for it produces a warm, cordial and full-bodied sound.
Beginners will benefit more with an acoustic model because they are easy to learn and the sound it provides leads students to learn more about the subtleties of sound.
However, because of the steel strings, they can be a bit harder to handle but with a little perseverance, you will eventually get the hang of it.
Sooner or later playing it will be a breeze and after a bout with the ‘harder’ steel strings, dealing with the electric guitar will prove to be a walk in the park for you.
2. Get into guitar details
In this portion we are going to talk about the model’s quality. The best acoustic guitar or the best electric guitar will have all these elements present.
The wood that a certain model is made of can contribute to the overall sound of a guitar. Wood of superior quality is responsible in producing pro-level, topnotch sound. The most popular among wood materials are Agathis, Mahogany, Nato, Risewood, Sapele, Sitka Spruce and Spruce.
Cost
As mentioned before, do not buy expensive models if you do not have the skills for it just yet. Once you have made progress, you can save up and buy that much-needed branded guitar. There are in fact, plenty of budget beginner models available.
The Internet is filled with reviews from experienced guitarists who have played such guitars and you can base your choices on these products. You can also ask for opinions from friends who play, salespersons, musicians and teachers.
Body
There are many kinds of body styles for guitars but among them the dreadnought is the most popular choice among amateurs.
It has a comfortable fit, its form is pretty common, can fit plenty of musical genres from pop music to rock ‘n’ roll and its design is known for enhancing the volume of the guitar.
Sound
To guarantee that you will get a decent beginner guitar model, make sure that you test it prior to a purchase and listen meticulously to the sound the guitar makes.
Also, remember that the surface of a soundboard does not automatically influence the overall sound quality of a guitar.
Checking Your Guitar
Check whether it has cracks, dents or scratches.
Make sure that all parts are on good working condition and are not damaged in a way.
Ascertain that the neck is not curved or slanted.
Make sure that the space between the fret board and the strings are not too far or too close to each other. If the strings are too far from the fret board, it will prove difficult to press on the strings. Too close and the strings will get into contact with the frets and will therefore produce unnecessary noise.
Inspect the steadiness of the sound—use a tuner to tune the instrument. If, for example, the pitch oscillates very much, the guitar’s sound is undoubtedly unbalanced. Make sure to play each note to examine whether they sound stable.
If ever you come across technical issues, do not attempt repairing those issues yourself. Ask help from a professional because any further attempts to fix or provide solutions on the guitar might harm it even more.You can either get into contact with the seller or store and use the warranty or see a professional for cases like this.
Common Acoustic Guitar Terms
At first, you might get intimidated with some new terminologies that you will encounter while learning the guitar. Here are some of the basics.
Frets
Frets separate the fret board into sections that rise up and break with every next fret. When it comes to guitars, every fret rises up to one semi-tone.
If for example the guitar you have on hand has a normal tuning, the sixth string’s open sound will be an E, the initial fret will be an F and the second fret will be an F# and vice versa.
Action
Action translates to the height of the string to the fretboard. The lower the action on the instrument, the simpler it is to press on strings against the fretboard.
Pickup
Pickups are capable of boosting the sound of an acoustic instrument. Standard pickups are fixed underneath the bridge saddle of the guitar and plugged into an amplifier or mixer to improve the sound.
Preamp
The preamp or preamplifier functions like a pickup when it comes to boosting the guitar’s overall sound. It receives a modified signal then pushes it throughout the amplifier. This process then improves the signal level throughout the speaker.
Important Things You Should Know Before Learning the Guitar
Before plunging yourself headfirst into the world of guitar strings, amps and gadgets, you have to know some realities of said pursuit first.
Some of these might quash your rock and roll or pop star dreams, some might encourage you to push yourself even harder. Good luck on your quest.
Your fingers are going to get sore — for a while.
Your fingers are going to be in pain and you will get callouses from all your effort. The aching will come and go but remember, with plenty of perseverance, you will breeze through it. All great guitarists in history did.
You will experience hand cramps
All that constant practice will leave your hands screaming. But do not fret (Excuse the pun) for there are exercises and solutions to ease the pain and improve hand mobility.
The strings will break
Get accustomed to tuning and replacing the strings because you are obligated to do it. A lot. It comes with the territory; with guitars, you are going to break strings, lose them or replace them with better ones. It can be mind-numbing at times but you have to get used to it.
Have realistic expectations
You are a beginner, so have realistic expectations. In the beginning, you are most probably going to suck at the game. However, take it all in like a pro. You are here to learn and surpass that level.
Get plenty of practice
Thankfully there are budget models that will prove as the best acoustic guitar for you. Practice good, if not every day and once you can play the heck out of that instrument, even budget ones will sound like the real deal.
Play music with other experienced people
By playing music with experienced folks—people in bands, people who are now writing their own music, you will gain plenty of wisdom from them.
Acoustic guitars are more difficult to handle than electric ones
Acoustic guitars in general possess broader necks, heftier fret boards and higher action meaning it will be hard for you to press down strings and keep them in that position when you’re new to the whole thing. Then again, you have to persevere and love everything if you want results.
Choose the right method for you.
There are a myriad of ways to learn the instrument. Select one that fits your needs.
Be open to all genres.
Do not stick to just one kind of genre. Embracing different genres will gain you new insights and who knows, you might be able to create a new musical genre yourself.
Remember two words: Be patient
It takes a lot of trial and error to be a champ. Practice a lot, and you will eventually see the fruits of your hard work. Best of luck! GM x
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Product
Price
Rating
Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar
$$
4.4/5
Fender Squier Acoustic Guitar Bundle
$$$
4.4/5
Rogue RA-090 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
$$
4.6/5
Disney Frozen FR705 Acoustic Guitar
$
4/5
41-Inch Full Size Black Handcrafted Steel String Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
$$
4.1/5
38″ Black Acoustic Guitar Starter Package
$
3.4/5
Crescent MG38-CF 38″ Acoustic Guitar Starter Package
$
3.6/5
Oscar Schmidt OG2SM Acoustic Guitar – Spalted Maple
$$$
4.7/5
Epiphone DR-100 (Dreadought), Ebony
$$
4.4/5
Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar
$$
4.4/5
The 5 Best Beginner Acoustic Guitars
Looking for a good starter-type acoustic guitar for yourself or your kid? We all need something that will suit our needs, something that is sturdy and comfortable, possesses great sound quality and affordable.
Better check out these models and see if they deem fit for your requirements. Included in this list are some of the most recommended and commented-on.
Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar
Beginner acoustic guitar models like the S35 are easy to handle and also offers plenty of bang for your buck. It has the brand’s Advanced X Bracing and its excellent satin finish contributes to the whole timbre of the guitar for an exceptional quality of sound.
It features a dreadnought style form with a spruce top, agathis sides and back, a bridge and frets that are made of rosewood. It comes in a conventional 25.5 inch scale length for comfortable plays. Because of its smaller neck and close frets, the model is ideal for players with short fingers.
Fender Squier Acoustic Guitar Bundle
All of the basics are covered in this wonderful package; a guitar, stock strings, a gig bag, tuner plus an instructional video for a great start. The model features a dreadnought style for great sound quality and comfortable size.
Recommended for beginners, the model is sufficiently big and produces plenty of punch typical of big-name brands like Fender. Excellent action and an overall good tone; they’re all here.
Rogue RA-090 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
If you are on a budget but need a good entry-level guitar, there are models that will cater to your limitations yet provide a good sound.
Models like the Rogue RA-090 are worth checking out. Besides the fact that it’s reasonably-priced, it is also considered by some amateurs and even professionals as a beginner guitar with all the trimmings. It is a dreadnought model with a whitewood body that offers a lot of mid-range power.
The nato neck backs up the model without scrimping on pitch quality. Its painted maple bridge and fingerboard adds clearness to each and every note and furthermore lends a striking look to the guitar’s appearance.
The fit and finish of the guitar is exceptional and inside you will come across its favorable X bracing, an element that reinforces most acoustic guitars. It features a balanced sound, from its middle, treble and bass, you won’t see any discrepancies. Strum or fingerpick any chord and you will never hear a note that is out of place.
Disney Frozen FR705 Acoustic Guitar
Promoting creativity on kids can be a daunting task. But music is one of those universal languages that everybody appreciates.
There is joy and pleasantry a favorite song provides thus musical instruments are a good way for kids to hone their imagination and increase their awareness to the arts. One of the most popular musical instruments that a child can get into is the guitar.
Disney’s Frozen Acoustic Guitar is a model built for children’s use and it has good things on it that can pull in the youngsters. The size is just right for kids and has features that a genuine guitar has so it’s far from a simple toy. Your kid will actually learn how to play the notes.
The model is decorated with characters from one of Disney’s biggest hits, Frozen. Its body with its blue finish features the 3D extravaganza’s major characters like Princess Elsa, Princess Anna and Olaf.
It is a low-stringed instrument, meaning it is easy and simple to play plus it contains string post covers as well to protect your kid’s small fingers. The guitar’s strings are also laid out with stickers which serve as labels so children will easily identify each note.
41-Inch Full Size Black Handcrafted Steel String Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
The 41-inch Black Handcrafted Steel String Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar with its DirectlyCheap guitar pick is a welcome choice for individuals who have small hands, thus is an ideal guitar for teens and children.
The guitar assures players of excellent sound quality together with righteous tones without unnecessary noise. What about its price then? Budget-conscious folks will be happy because this baby has a low price tag.
This dreadnought-style handcrafted model is built with a Calputa fretboard, resin nut and chrome tuners. This is an old model by the way—it has withstood over 30 years of good service to the beginners who loved it.
The guitar features a shiny black handcrafted body and finish and majority of guitar players who have used the model all agreed that it was a nice unit for a starter guitar. It provided good action and seemed durable.
This steel string dreadnought unit is a nice choice for those who want to get a suitable guitar without compromising sound quality and the fact that it has been around for years proved to be a nice testament to this particular model’s allure.
The guitar comes with its own DirectlyCheap pick and it’s a nice addition to the whole package since you won’t have to buy one.
Picks are necessary for acoustic models because of its stronger strings thus to add it on the item is great bonus. For folks who are keen on learning the intricacies involved with guitar-playing, this is worth checking out.