Every guitar lover wants to buy the best guitar according to his requirements and budget. Beginners will not use the guitar for their entire career. However, your first guitar would be one of your favourite guitars. Buying an acoustic guitar is like a small investment for beginning your career.
You need to do some research on your end before choosing your first guitar. Every guitar has a different sound, and it feels different from others. Here are some factors to keep in mind while picking your first acoustic guitar.
Purpose of buying
The first important factor is the purpose of buying an acoustic guitar. Some people buy a guitar for practice to improve their playing skills. Some buy just for the sake of purchase and place it in the corner of their room. Some have a hobby of playing the guitar. The guitar you choose depends on the purpose for which you want to buy a guitar and its use.
Budget
Before buying a guitar, determine how much you are willing to spend. The costlier guitars are higher in quality as compared to the low-cost guitars. The professionals recommend not buying the cheapest guitars as they are inferior in quality and can make your first experience bitter.
Skill level
You might be looking for a guitar to learn to play it and you don’t need to buy an expensive acoustic guitar. There are a variety of guitars available in the markets from low to mid range. On the other hand, if you are a professional or have some experience in playing the guitars, you might want to upgrade to a high-end acoustic guitar.
The material of body and strings
If you want an acoustic guitar, you must understand the design and features of its construction before choosing the right instrument according to your requirements. The quality of sound depends on the material of strings and body of the guitar. Most guitars come with nylon and steel strings. But the bodies of guitars come in various materials like maple, mahogany, basswood, alder and swamp ash, etc. The tone and sound depend significantly on the material of the body.
Laminate and Solid wood
If you have a low budget, you can buy an acoustic guitar having a laminate top. These guitars make a moderate level of sound that is not too rich and loud, but suitable for beginners. On the other hand, the guitars with solid wood tops are expensive than laminate tops but provide a rich and loud sound. If you are ready to spend some more money, it is best to go for solid wood guitar.
Acoustic or Acoustic-electric guitars
The acoustic guitars need a microphone and amplifier setting to amplify their sound. If you want to use them in the bands or concerts, you might need a lot of settings that are difficult to arrange. The musicians and professional players use the electric acoustic guitars that come with electronic systems which allow the users to plug into the amplifiers directly. If you are a professional and want to play in bands, or a large audience, you must choose an electric acoustic guitar.
Body style
The guitars come in various body styles like the classic, dreadnought and jumbo style bodies.
Classical guitars – The classical guitars have a small body, but they are good for finger picking. Classical guitar is well known for their small size and inverse symmetry. Some people also know it as the mini guitar due to their small size.
Dreadnought guitars – This is the most common type of guitar among professional players. The dreadnought guitars are the best to play any style from folk to pop to rock music. They project more loud and vibrant sound as compared to the classical guitars.
Jumbo style guitars – As the name suggests jumbo style guitar have a large body due to which their sound reverberate and blast out perfectly. Its shape is similar to a classical guitar, but the body is large in size.
Parlour style – The parlour style guitars have a small body that comes with more intimate settings. The style is most suitable for beginners and users who want to use it for folk music. The shape of shoulders is similar to that of a dreadnought guitar but small in size. Both the classic and parlour style guitars are a type of mini guitar.
Final Words
It is not difficult to choose an acoustic guitar for a beginner. However, you need to consider your requirements and the purpose for which you want to use the guitar. While buying a guitar, it is important to take the guitar in your hands, and check how it feels to play the guitar. Considering the above-given factors can help any beginner or professional to choose the right guitar.
