iPlayMusic.com resources

How to buy a beginner guitar

Buying a guitar for the first time can be an intimidating experience for the beginner. But with a few simple tips you will be able to find a buy a good beginner guitar for less than you may think.

Acoustic or Electric?

We focus on acoustic guitars in this article, as most people prefer to start with acoustic guitars. There is no disadvantage to learning on an electric guitar, but electrics tend to be higher-cost and require the purchase of an amplifier. Using an amplifier requires some additional knowledge and limits the portability of the guitar, thus most beginners start with an acoustic guitar. We suggest that beginners start with an economical acoustic guitar and move to an electric guitar after they build their basic skills.

Where was it made?

Today a majority of guitars are made in China, Mexico, the US and South Korea. At this point, high quality instruments can be made in any of these countries; in fact the quality of instrument will vary more by manufacturer than by country. Many US brands build manufacture their guitars in Mexico and China without any decline in quality. In general, guitars made in China have the lowest cost, but are also of increasingly high quality. Most starter / beginner guitars sold today will be manufactured in China, but buyers should look more to the individual guitar than the country of manufacture.

What size?

Adults and children will have different needs from their guitar. Most children up to their teen years may want to start on a ¾ size guitar. These guitars tend to be 2-3 inches shorter than full size guitars, will have a smaller body and will have 1-3 less frets on their fret board. The main advantage of these guitars is that the smaller size allows children to get their arms around the body of the guitar and the shorter fret board allows children an easier view of their hands. A quality ¾ size guitar will normally sound very good, but have a less “full” tone than a full-size guitar. Many adults will also choose a ¾ guitar because of its small size and easy portability.

Most adults will choose a full-size guitar. Most full size guitars will be 37 to 38 inches in length and have a fret board with 21 frets. The most common style is the “dreadnaught”, the traditional acoustic shape. But many acoustics will be “cutaway” guitars that have removed some of the body below the fret board to allow easier access to the upper frets of the guitar.

What to look for?

A quality guitar has a number of easy features to look for.

• Wood construction: Different woods have different properties, but all-wood construction is key to good tone.
• Solid Bridge: The bridge is where the strings attach to the body of the guitar near the soundhole. The bridge should be made of wood, not plastic, and be firmly glued to the body of the guitar. The white piece should also be of solid construction, these can be plastic or wood.
• Quality fret board: The fret board should be wood, the metal frets should be well placed and have no sharp edges.
• Clean finish: Guitars will come in a shiny “lacquer” finish or a “satin” finish. In either case a good finish protects the instrument and improves tone.
• Quality tuning pegs: Tuning pegs should be metal or high- quality wood. Plastic should be avoided.
• Overall fit and finish: These should be no visible glue or stains on the wood. There should be no cracks in the finish of the guitar.

What to listen for:

A good guitar will have full tone and produce a clear sound. There should be no rattling or buzzing sounds coming from a properly played instrument. You will be surprised how different guitars will sound, and most people will have their own preferences. Make sure to play the guitar all the way up the fret board, as some poor-quality guitars will have buzzing strings on higher notes. In the end, the tone will have more to do with personal taste- be sure to buy something with a sound you like.

Final notes:

iPlayMusic does provide beginner guitars on our products page. We looked at dozens of guitar before finding ¾ and full-size guitars with good quality, sound and price. Our products page will show you detailed images of the guitar and a demo of the guitar being played- so you can hear the sound. We offer a full money-back guarantee on all of our instruments.