Starter Guitar Buyers Guide
If you're reading this, chances are that you've decided to learn to play the guitar –
congratulations! The guitar is an incredibly versatile instrument, and even though it can be a
little bit of a challenge at first, the feeling of accomplishment you'll have as you become more
and more proficient at the instrument will make it all worthwhile. However, you need the right
starter guitar, since having a high quality instrument makes it all the easier to become a skilled
player.
Whether you're in the market for a beginner's electric guitar or a starter acoustic guitar,
quality really does matter. You can't just go with the first cheap guitar you see and expect it to
meet all of your needs as a beginning player. When you're just starting out, playability is the
name of the game. Especially as a beginner, your guitar has to be easy to play; something which is
lacking in many of the low end models of acoustic and electric starter guitar that you'll find at
big box stores and other retailers who don't specialize in musical instruments.
What is the best starter guitar for me?
You'll want to look for relatively low action on
your starter guitar – this term refers to the distance between the strings and the fret board. In
poorly made guitars, the action is often set far too high, and as a newcomer to the instrument, the
last thing you need is to have to fight with your strings.
Another reason to choose a little more carefully and avoid the very cheapest models of
starter guitar on the market has to do with tuning. A low quality guitar is difficult to tune and
even harder to keep in tune. Basically, when you decide to choose low price over quality, you could
end up with a guitar that is so frustrating to play that you may be tempted to give the instrument
up entirely.
If you really want a starter guitar that won't hinder your efforts to learn to master the
instrument, it's best to be careful not only about which model of guitar you choose but where you
shop. You'll be much better off looking for a beginner's electric guitar or a starter acoustic
guitar at a store or website which deals in musical instruments and equipment exclusively. These
retailers stock the highest quality guitars, including models which are perfectly suited for
beginning players.
There are a lot of different models which make an excellent starter guitar, but if you're
simply overwhelmed by the enormous number of choices out there, here are a couple of
recommendations of instruments which make for a great beginners guitar:
Beginner's Electric Guitar: Ibanez GRX20
Ibanez is well known for producing solid,
all-purpose and highly playable guitars which are suitable for players of all skill levels. Whether
you've never picked up a guitar before in your life or you're looking for an upgrade from a lesser
quality beginners electric guitar, you'll find that the Ibanez GRX20 model is a great choice for
learning to play on. It features the same, quality setup as the most expensive Ibanez guitars,
including a lightning-fast maple neck, dual Ibanez humbuckers, and the FAT6 tremolo system.
Starter Acoustic Guitar: Epiphone AJ100
This ideal beginners guitar offers quality
construction with a traditional spruce top, mahogany back and sides and of course, the beautiful
sound that players of every skill level have come to expect from Epiphone. The Epiphone AJ100 is a
starter acoustic guitar that feels and sounds like a professional grade instrument.
Whether you're looking for an acoustic or an electric guitar as your first instrument,
remember that quality comes first. You can find excellent instruments at affordable prices; in
other words, you don't have to sacrifice quality construction or sound in order to get a good price
on your first guitar. Learn more by reading our starter acoustic guitar and beginner's electric
guitar buyer's guides.
