Learning to play the guitar is fun, and can be a hobby to pursue for a long time. It can become the first step to join a band, or to become a rock singer. The first time you approach the guitar, your best bet would be to get a guitar to learn, a beginner's guitar, that is inexpensive. Follow these simple steps to find the right guitar for you.
Steps
Step 1. Determine your budget
As long as you are a beginner, try to keep the budget low. Approximately € 200-300. A used guitar is also a great idea, so check the ads in trade magazines and instrument shops selling used instruments. Just because a guitar is expensive doesn't mean it's a good guitar, but beware of guitars that cost less than $ 150, some may have been built on a budget. Such cheap guitars are often poorly built and will produce very poor quality sound.
Step 2. Search
Find someone near you who has been playing guitar for a while. Ask which brands and types of guitars to look for and which ones to avoid. For example, Fender, Taylor, Martin and Gibson are famous and high quality brands.
Step 3. Decide if you will play an acoustic or an electric guitar
Choose the base for your style.
Step 4. Try before you buy
Always play a guitar before you buy it, so you know what you are buying. Not doing this can be a huge mistake. Get a guitarist friend to accompany you to instrument stores in your area and get advice on your choice. Your beginner's ear may not appreciate details about the sound quality that your friend will notice. This is probably one of the most important tips you need to follow.
Step 5. Ask the clerks
Grab a pick and a shoulder strap and ask to let you try the guitars that fit your budget.
Step 6. Have the shopkeeper check that the guitar is tuned correctly
This will allow you to better compare the guitars with each other.
Step 7. "Feel" the guitars
Try different guitars sitting and standing. If you don't feel natural, even mildly, they may be wrong for you. Try different guitars until you find the one that "feels" good in your hand.
Step 8. Place your index finger on the first fret of the thickest string (E6)
Pinch the string with a fair amount of force. Listen and look for hums, hisses, or strange noises in the sound. Check each fret of each string by pressing hard. If you notice even the smallest "non-musical" noise, ask the dealer to tune and re-tune the guitar. Try the guitar again, if the problem persists, don't buy that guitar,
Step 9. Judge each guitar by its feel, sound, and charm
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Step 10. When you buy:
ask for a guarantee, a new set of strings, a case, and a tuner. You will DEFINITELY need a case and tuner, so it is advisable to purchase them now. Most retailers leave the original strings on their guitars for years. Replace them with new strings to get back a brilliant sound.
Step 11. If possible, try to take private guitar lessons
While books are very useful, they can't teach you the correct technique (the precise way to position your fingers, hands, arms, back, and how to play), they can only teach you theory. If you can't take private lessons, the help of books and the internet may be enough.
Advice
- The factor that most affects the price of acoustic guitars is the material with which they are made and to some extent the workmanship. Cheap guitars are made of laminate, (plywood) and the best ones are made of solid wood. The front can be solid wood and the bottom and sides laminate, or all the wood can be solid. The type of wood used also affects the price. The fronts are usually made of evergreens such as cedar or spruce. The back and sides can be built with many varieties of hardwood. A common choice is rosewood. You can check the inside and outside of the guitar to see if the bottom and sides are the same material on both sides. You should ask the dealer for wood specs if you don't have an eye that can recognize types of wood or plywood. If you buy a used guitar often you will get better materials for the same cost.
- If an acoustic guitar buzzes and hum cannot be attributed to poor technique of the player, the distance between the strings and the neck is probably too low or there is a contact point in the neck. Inexpensive guitars sometimes have a fret that protrudes too high and interferes with normal string vibration. Sometimes this happens at the junction of the neck and case. This is not an easy defect to repair and the guitar is no good. If the distance is very short, a higher bridge or mechanics can be installed. If you decide to try to modify the guitar yourself, do it at least under the supervision of an expert. If you don't feel safe let an expert do it. Better to spend € 50 for the help of an expert than to ruin the instrument altogether.
- Unless you are an experienced musician, avoid buying guitars online. Even the most experienced will tell you that it is best to buy in a store. Use the online sites to learn about the different features. Local music stores often have experts who can help you. Just be clear about your budget.
- It is best not to buy a super-expensive electric guitar as your first guitar. Think if you realize you don't want to keep playing? You would have thrown away a figure between € 600 and € 4,000. Borrow a friend's guitar and try to figure out if you like playing and are willing to practice for a long time. Ask your friend what it's like to play the guitar, and how difficult it is. Once you're convinced you like it, go to a guitar store and try some. When you have found a good, durable one, buy it. Learning about guitars. If you are interested in an electric guitar, try some at a guitar store, and if you decide to buy it, buy the necessary accessories as well.
- If you decide to buy a used guitar, make sure the neck and body are not deformed. Look for bulges on the body of the guitar that coincide with the bridge (the bridge is the part of the guitar where the strings meet the body). Check that the handle is not bent by looking along the handle. If the frets are uneven, but some of them feel uneven, higher, or lower to you, don't buy that guitar.
- In online music stores you will usually find guitars for beginners even for € 50 less than in a traditional shop. It's not cheap, but you'd better buy the guitar from a local dealer. At least you will know who to bring the guitar to in case of need.
- The parts of the guitar on which you don't have to spare are the mechanics. Great tuners will be more precise in tuning and will hold it longer.
- Take lessons. There is nothing more frustrating than realizing that you have learned a bad technique. Taking lessons, even for a short period of time, will speed up your learning process a lot.
- Once you become more experienced you can buy used parts, pedals, amps and other accessories.
- Many people stop playing because they are bored in class! Make sure you learn to play the music you like in addition to what they teach you in class, using tablature or sheet music. The right balance of lessons and playing for fun is the key to having fun while learning to play the guitar.
- If you have a friend who works in a guitar shop, things can get a lot easier!
- Remember to budget for an amplifier and cables if you decide to buy an electric guitar, as well as a case and a tuner.
- Visit different stores in your area, each of them is likely to have different brands available.
- Playing the acoustic guitar is more difficult than an electric one. By learning with an acoustic, you will train your finger strength, and if one day you decide to switch to the electric guitar, all the little scratches and creaks you hear will disappear!
- If you are really serious about learning to play the guitar, it is a good idea to invest in a really good guitar. It will be worth it in the end, and your guitar may even increase in value in a couple of years.
- Guitar manufacturers have sub-brands that produce the same guitars at a cheaper price. For example, Epiphone is the sub-brand of Gibson and Squier is the sub-brand of Fender.
- Pickups can have a drastic effect on a guitar's sound. Single-coil pickups create a clean, distinct sound while dual-coil (humbucker) pickups create a warmer, fuller sound.
Warnings
- Be careful when you are in some music stores. Some sellers can be very pushy and push you to buy an inexpensive guitar or one that doesn't fully convince you. Try not to make it clear that you have money and have already decided to buy a guitar.
- Don't be silly and don't buy a 6000 € guitar as your first guitar! A beginner acoustic guitar can cost less than $ 100.
- Be careful with guitars that don't feel solid, and if something feels fragile, don't buy that guitar.
- Buy a guitar that goes well with the music you want to play. Don't buy a metal guitar if you will play mostly pop or blues.
