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Sea Jay
I'm going to buy my first acoustic guitar. I've never played any instrument before, so I have no experience at all with musical instruments.
What should I look at when playing it? What do I have to have in mind before buying it?
I'm going to go with an experienced player, but I want to know as he may like something I don't, or viceversa.
Thanks! :)
***Detailed answers please!
Answer
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that fits you, as obvious as that might seem. You'll want a guitar that you can play comfortably while you're sitting, so make sure you ask for a chair or sit on an amp when you're handling guitars. Dreadnought-size guitars (the most common size for acoustics) have gigantic bodies that throw a lot of sound, but which can be very cumbersome. Beginners and not-especially-tall players often have a much easier time learning on guitars that have bodies that aren't terribly deep. And some guitars have bodies that are sized down especially to make them comfortable to play. "Concert grand" is a guitar size that most people find very user-friendly. Basically, it's a full-length guitar with a body that's a bit smaller than standard. I know many players who use those exclusively when they're at home, but who use gigantic guitars for live shows and in the studio, where they'll be standing.
The width/depth of guitar necks varies greatly from brand to brand, too. Most beginners (and people with small hands) find it easier to form chords and move smoothly between them while playing guitars with thin necks and low action (strings close to the fretboard). If you don't have large hands, you'll do well to avoid Epiphone guitars. Epiphone makes nice guitars and all, but the necks are incredibly chunky, which makes them challenging for a lot of beginners to play. Ibanez acoustics have probably the thinnest necks of all acoustic guitars, so it's worth test driving some Ibanez guitars. Most guitar necks fall somewhere in between Epiphone and Ibanez as far as neck size.
A solid wood top is preferable to a "laminate" or "select" top guitar, though that shouldn't be a deal breaker. Solid top guitars tend to cost quite a bit more than laminate top guitars and they sound richer and warmer, but there are a lot of great, entry-level guitars that do not have solid tops. Most guitars priced under $200 will have laminate tops. Ibanez has a model called the Sage, however, that's priced at about $180 and it has a solid spruce top. If that's not out of your price range, it's worth considering. The Sage would be a bargain at twice the price and it's the sort of guitar that will serve you well for decades.
Since you're going with an experienced player, I'm guessing you're going to a store like Guitar Center or one that sells only musical instruments. That's a very good idea, since you won't pay any more for a guitar at a guitar store than you would at a place like Best Buy or Walmart. You'll get a much better guitar, though. The guitars at general merchandise stores are more toys than guitars and many of them are unplayable. Guitar/music stores, however, won't carry guitars that aren't designed and built to be played. They're hoping to earn your lifelong business, so they'll want you to be happy with your first guitar so you'll come back in a few years, when it's time to upgrade.
The most important thing is to choose a guitar that fits you, as obvious as that might seem. You'll want a guitar that you can play comfortably while you're sitting, so make sure you ask for a chair or sit on an amp when you're handling guitars. Dreadnought-size guitars (the most common size for acoustics) have gigantic bodies that throw a lot of sound, but which can be very cumbersome. Beginners and not-especially-tall players often have a much easier time learning on guitars that have bodies that aren't terribly deep. And some guitars have bodies that are sized down especially to make them comfortable to play. "Concert grand" is a guitar size that most people find very user-friendly. Basically, it's a full-length guitar with a body that's a bit smaller than standard. I know many players who use those exclusively when they're at home, but who use gigantic guitars for live shows and in the studio, where they'll be standing.
The width/depth of guitar necks varies greatly from brand to brand, too. Most beginners (and people with small hands) find it easier to form chords and move smoothly between them while playing guitars with thin necks and low action (strings close to the fretboard). If you don't have large hands, you'll do well to avoid Epiphone guitars. Epiphone makes nice guitars and all, but the necks are incredibly chunky, which makes them challenging for a lot of beginners to play. Ibanez acoustics have probably the thinnest necks of all acoustic guitars, so it's worth test driving some Ibanez guitars. Most guitar necks fall somewhere in between Epiphone and Ibanez as far as neck size.
A solid wood top is preferable to a "laminate" or "select" top guitar, though that shouldn't be a deal breaker. Solid top guitars tend to cost quite a bit more than laminate top guitars and they sound richer and warmer, but there are a lot of great, entry-level guitars that do not have solid tops. Most guitars priced under $200 will have laminate tops. Ibanez has a model called the Sage, however, that's priced at about $180 and it has a solid spruce top. If that's not out of your price range, it's worth considering. The Sage would be a bargain at twice the price and it's the sort of guitar that will serve you well for decades.
Since you're going with an experienced player, I'm guessing you're going to a store like Guitar Center or one that sells only musical instruments. That's a very good idea, since you won't pay any more for a guitar at a guitar store than you would at a place like Best Buy or Walmart. You'll get a much better guitar, though. The guitars at general merchandise stores are more toys than guitars and many of them are unplayable. Guitar/music stores, however, won't carry guitars that aren't designed and built to be played. They're hoping to earn your lifelong business, so they'll want you to be happy with your first guitar so you'll come back in a few years, when it's time to upgrade.
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