Best guitar to buy for a beginner?
Its an important question, and for many it’s the first guitar decision that has to be made. It can be daunting to jump into the deep waters of guitar retail, walking into the music store with floor to ceiling, guitars glittering with every colour and shape, electric, acoustic, nylon string, ukelues. What is best for a first guitar?
I aim to break it down a bit for you, with some advice and give you some things to consider.
As with things in the creative arts, your choice of guitar is a subjective one, there’s no right or wrong, there is however, a few practical considerations, and its also about what you feel when you pick a guitar up. They’re special things, and as far as innate objects go, guitars have a unique character and vibe.
They are made of wood, which gives each one their own character, tone and personality. There’s many examples of the world’s best guitarists, who have access to any guitar and make, stick with their old faithful battle axe for their entire career. These deep bonds might not happen with a first guitar, but if one does tickle your fancy, don’t ignore this unique attraction guitars can have – If you like a guitar that’s a bit over your budget, or you like something thats cheaper or beaten up, but it speaks to you, buy it, it will be motivating, and inspire you or your child to want to pick the thing up and spend time with it.
I’m not going to talk about ukulele’s. This is a Ukulele free zone. Why? Well I don’t like them, they serve a purpose I guess (bank and insurance ads..), they can be a gateway into playing an instrument, being easier and cheaper… But my opinion is, for a little bit more effort in learning a six string guitar, the outcome is much greater! When did you last crave listening to a ukulele album?
So now all the uke people have left, let’s continue, let’s look at your choices, an acoustic, or an electric guitar?
You will see acoustic guitars subcategorised as Steel string acoustic and Classical or nylon string guitar, and sometimes electric acoustic guitars.
They all have a hollow body, the internal space behind the sound hole, which enhances and increases the volume of the vibrating strings. The difference in acoustic steel string and Classical or nylon string guitars is -as you guessed- the type of strings they use.
Classical guitars
The six string classical guitar we know today was born from earlier classical instruments and developed in the 19th century, and also used in the Spanish art form of Flamenco which began in a similar timeframe.
Compared to a steel string acoustic guitar, they have a smaller body and a wider neck, the nylon strings are softer than steel strings, and need less string tension. These factors make the classical guitar easier on the fingers than a steel string, which make them a popular choice for beginners. Compared to a steel string acoustic, their sound is less bright, warmer and rounded, more of a folky sound than a steel string. Again this is subjective. In classical music and flamenco, they are not strummed with a pick, their plucked with fingers, but there’s no rules, do what you like with it! I think the three quarter sized nylon string is the best option for kids under ten.
Steel string acoustic guitars
A steel string acoustic guitar has greater tension on the strings, so the body consists of more bracing and normally larger than a nylon string guitar. They are louder and brighter than a nylon string guitar, and I’d say they are more conducive to strumming, and more suited to contemporary styles of music.
Yes a nylon string guitar won’t hurt your fingers as much as a steel string guitar, when you first begin. But it doesn’t take that long for the ends of your fingers to toughen up, so not much of an issue really.
The other types you might see are electric acoustic and 12 stringed. Electric acoustics have electronics in them that can be plugged into an amp or a PA. I wouldn’t really worry about this type when your first starting out, you won’t have much need to plug in when your first learning. Leave the 12 strings for now, 6 will be enough starting out.
Electric guitars
As for electric guitar’s they come as solid or hollow-body, or semi-hollow body. Hollow bodied guitars as the name suggests, have an internal cavity thats smaller to acoustic and classical guitar For a first guitar I’d suggest leaving semi or hollow bodied electrics out of the equation, they are more intricate to manufacturer, I think you’d get more bang for your buck in the starter guitar market with a solid body. They have steel strings with the same tension as acoustics , but the string action (the distance between the string and the surface of the guitar neck) are normally lower than an acoustic guitar, and thus a bit easier to play. They are designed to be plugged into an amplifier, they have magnetic traducers called “pick ups” that convert the vibration of the strings into an electrical signal, that is then sent to an amplifier.
There’s a duality with electric solid body guitars which I’d like to point out for beginner guitarist. When unplugged, they make little noise as they dont have a hollow body that nylon, acoustic and semi hollow body guitars have that allows the sound of the string to resonate and project out. Plugged into an amp, they can growl, scream and soar. This quiet/loud aspect of electric guitars is–in my opinion–something beginners should consider when deciding what to buy.
The quietness of an unplugged electric guitar is great for not bugging anyone when your learning, but it can hide the mistakes your making, not fretting that string properly, or clunking an unwanted string or note, these all get a bit hidden, and when its plugged in, these mistakes get exposed completely. An electric guitar plugged into even a tiny amp, is noisy and unforgiving, and requires technique to handle, it can get messy and can be off putting for a beginner.
But hey far be it for me to discourage anyone wanting to start belting into any guitar (except ukes, you know my feelings on these four string buzzkills) If you or your child craves the awesomeness of an electric guitar BUY IT.
Overall I’d have to suggest the acoustic guitar for overall best guitar for a beginner, because it offers a bit more scope and range than a nylon.
But in saying that, I recently house sat for a friend, and there was a lil nylon string guitar (I’ve put a link below) that I fell in love with, I ended up writing a bunch of songs with it.
When I first started, a cheap guitar was a cheap guitar, they were horrible and unplayable, and those type-o -guitars are still out there , but I’m amazed at the standard of cheap guitars now. I’d suggest sticking to the big names such as Gibson, Fender, Yamaha, they all have great starter range that’s affordable and great quality, and will offer better attraction if you need to re sell later for an upgrade.
Best shop to buy your first guitar in Perth?
We have some great music retailers in Perth. I’d get a few miles on your guitar clock, before diving into the second hand market. These are my personnel favourites
Sound centre
Concept music
https://www.conceptmusic.com.au/
To summarise-
Nylon string (classical) guitars :
-If you are learning classical guitar, this is your baby.
-Nylon strings are easier on beginner hands.
– In most case’s, the best option for kids under ten.
– A warmer, less rock n roll sound, folkier (I made that word up, but you know what I mean) sounding.
-The weapon of choice for flamenco guitarist, who are absolute guitar monsters, so don’t under estimate their bite.
– Overall cheapest entry into the guitar market
I’d recommend Yamaha, Fender or Cordoba.
The little Yamaha ¾ guitar CS40 is the model I mentioned earlier, they are great, and perfect for under ten year olds too.
https://au.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/cl_guitars/cs/index.html
Steel string acoustic guitars
– the common garden variety of guitars, there’s one collecting dust in most houses.
– they offer more scope of genre and style in how they sound.
– Overall they are what I suggest to buy for your first guitar.
-You can’t go past Yamaha’s beginner range, Fender have some nice cheapies too.
– For kids under ten i’d recommend the Yamaha JR. Three quarter size, also a great couch guitar!
(A brand new spruce top guitar for under 500 bucks? Amazing)
https://au.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/ac_guitars/jr/index.html
Yamaha’s three quarter size option.
Electric guitars
– The bedrock of popular music for nigh on seventy years.
– They are one of the most amazing things humans have ever created.
– Can be a tad off-putting to the learner, when amplified, as they make a lot of noise and show up mistakes. These issues can effect humans in the immediate vicinity.
– I’d recommend Fender Squirer’s and Gibson’s Epiphone range, both do a starter pack that’s bundled up with a lil practice amp to get going.
https://www.fender.com/en-AU/squier-series/affinity/?start=0&sz=24
https://www.epiphone.com/en-US/Electric-Guitar/EPIS5Q712/Ebony
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