Acoustic Beginner Guitars
There are a few things to consider before you purchase your new acoustic beginner guitar. If you are able to afford a high-quality guitar, by all means indulge yourself and get it. The price tag may be higher but you will find that the quality will be reflected in the ease of playing and in the tone of the guitar as well.
Two acoustic guitars stand out in the high end beginner guitar category. The Seagull S6 makes a fine acoustic beginner guitar of high quality, that plays well enough to take a novice guitar player well into advanced technique. It is priced in the $400-500 range. Also in this price range is the Washburn D10S. This instrument was ranked as #1 by Acoustic Guitar Magazine in a comparison of guitars under $500. While both guitars represent a significant investment for the starting guitarist, they are both very playable instruments of a quality that is capable of keeping pace with the new player’s ability as it grows for many years.
Excellent choices if you want to spend a bit less include Yamaha’s F310, Takamine’s G-240 and Fender’s DG7. For a rock-bottom price in an acoustic beginner guitar, you will want to look at Epiphone’s DR-100. You’ll have to switch to a more advanced instrument down the road, since it’s only meant for rookies, but you’ll get a really good buy for somewhere between $120 and $150.
Even if you are on a budget, you should try to avoid buying the under $100 guitars you can find at local discount stores. Surprisingly, a cheap, low quality acoustic beginner guitar is actually considered harder to play even by more experienced guitar players. The explanation for this has to do with the fact that they are cheaply made with an overly high action, which means there is too much space between the strings and the fingerboard. Beginners and experts alike find this flaw frustrating.
If you were planning on spending around $100 or less, a second hand acoustic beginner guitar is a good option,you get can a cheap guitar at ebay. One of the benefits would be the guitar having some character. Take for example, two second hand Yamaha F310’s. Try them both out as they will likely have distinctly different sounds. These sounds may even give you some insight on the personality of who owned the guitar before.
People say you should never buy a guitar from someone who’s a jerk. And while there may not actually be any esoteric elements inherent to the personality of a guitar, the way people treat their guitars tends to be a reflection of the way they treat people. A guitar that’s been cared for and treated properly is going to play better than one that hasn’t. So, even though it may sound fine, if you’re just not completely comfortable with the acoustic beginner guitar you’re trying out, find another one.
If you are a beginner and can’t play worth a dime, ask the store associate to play the acoustic beginner guitar you are considering buying. Any sales person at a guitar store will be able to figure out that you would like to actually hear the sound of the acoustic beginner guitar before making a purchase. Who knows, maybe they will be assisting the next great acoustic guitar player!
