What’s the first thing everyone needs when they set out to learn guitar? Well, they need a guitar. If they are lucky, they can use one at school. Some schools have programs that even let students sign the guitars out and bring them home for evenings and weekends. This is unfortunately less common these days. That means the first thing you’ll have to do is head out to the store and find a guitar to learn on. Don’t just pick any guitar though, remember, they aren’t all created equal.
First, make sure you choose the type of guitar you like. They come in all shapes and sizes, and you need one that looks and feels right to you. This can be the difference between an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar, but it can also be the difference between a natural wood colored one or a red one. The bottom line is, if you don’t like the instrument you choose, you’ll be a lot less motivated to pick it up and practice. You’ll also be less motivated to take care of it, and then it will just go to waste.
The physical size of the guitar is also a big deal. They come in different sizes because people come in different sizes. Our reaches are different, and our fingers are different. By choosing a guitar that’s too small you’ll feel cramped, and it will be hard to play. By choosing one that’s too big you’ll also have trouble playing, but you’ll also end up putting your arms and fingers through a lot of unnecessary pain. Remember this when buying a guitar for a child. Getting one for them to “grow into” is not the way to go.
If you’re like a lot of people these days, you’re on a bit of a budget and can’t spring for the best of the best. That’s okay. Still, shopping based on bargain prices won’t do you any good either. It’s not a good idea to learn guitar on an inadequate instrument. The cheaper ones are harder to keep in tune, they have a cheaper sound to them, and you won’t feel any pride in playing it. You’ll also likely end up blowing more money a few months down the road to get a “real one.”
Whatever you do, you should avoid packaged deals that promise to make it easy for you to learn guitar. You find these packages in department stores all the time. They come with a guitar, a capo, some how-to material, and so on. The price makes it feel like you’re getting a great bargain, but you’re really just getting what you pay for. In these cases, you should really trust your instincts and remember that a good guitar won’t need those gimmicks to help it sell.
The best thing you can do is go into a professional music shop and tell them you want to learn guitar. Tell them what you can afford, and what kind of things you want in your instrument. Let them give you a few to choose from and then pick the one that speaks to you. That way you get one that you know you can trust and you know you can love.