Original Articles

One reason is because they are generally less expensive than electric guitars. Another reason is that some people just believe that you should start with an acoustic. That is not necessarily true but since most people do start with an acoustic guitar, we’ll learn some beginner tips to get you playing.

When you buy your first guitar, I highly recommend going to an actual musical instrument store. There are so many bad to horrible guitars out there that go for really cheap. You do not want one of these guitars. You can get a good quality acoustic at your local music store for around $80 to $100. That’s a pretty small investment to get a nice starter guitar and you’ll get your money’s worth. Avoid any $10 deals on online auction sites and stores. They are always poorly built and don’t stay in tune.

Make sure that when you buy a guitar, whether for you or your child, that you get the proper size. Guitars come in Jumbo, dreadnought, 3/4 size, and 1/2 size. There are also many “travel guitars” on the market today. One of these could be the right size for smaller students to start out with.

One problem with many inexpensive acoustic guitars is the the strings are too far away from the fretboard. This can make a guitar even harder to play. This results in less enjoyment for the student. Another downside to this problem is that the further away from the fretboard the strings are, the further from being in tune your guitar will be. The worst side effect of having strings that are too far from the fretboard is that it will really hold the student back from improving at a decent rate.

When you buy that guitar, make sure that you buy some picks, extra strings, and I recommend getting some guitar polish as well. It’s good to develop the habit of taking care of your new instrument. All kinds of bad things can happen to your acoustic guitar if it is not properly taken care of. A hard case is best but you can also get a soft shell case for much less. This is fine for many beginner guitars. You shouldn’t spend more than 25% the cost of the guitar on the case.