Buying a guitar is confusing and stressful, especially when you’re a beginner and unfamiliar with the technical specifications of a guitar. Guitar specifications are usually not visible to every individual, and only a specialist can recognize them. Since not everyone is a specialist and nor does every individual knows a specialist, shopkeepers tend to charge higher rates and take advantage of an individual’s lack of knowledge.
If you love to play the guitar but are a beginner, we have compiled the following steps to help you recognize the kind of guitar you require. This saves you from the confusion of selecting the best one and also from being overcharged. So if you are looking to purchase one, run down through the tips because they might come in handy when you go to buy a guitar.
THE TYPE OF GUITAR SUITABLE FOR YOU
There are two types of guitars. One is the Acoustic guitar, and the other one is an Electrical guitar, with a never-ending debate of which one is better.
Acoustic Guitars
Acoustic guitars utilize acoustic intends to move the vibrational energy of its strings to deliver a sound. The fundamental is that the vibration from the strings above the hollow chamber in the guitar’s body produces a subsequent sound. Furthermore, there are two categories of Acoustic guitars; nylon-stringed classical guitars and steel-stringed classical guitars. Both types create different types of sounds and vibrations, making each of them suitable for a different type of music taste.
Electric Guitars
Electric guitars use a magnetic pickup to signal the vibration of its strings into electrical driving forces. This force is passed to an output jack, where the quality of the force is intensified. This is then, passed through a cable to the speaker, which is connected to the guitar. Now even after knowing the difference between an Electrical and Acoustic guitar, you might still be confused over which one to buy. To overcome the confusion, it is best to be aware of your music taste and the kind of music you would like to play on the guitar. For instance, an individual with a preference for rock music should purchase an electric guitar.
PLANNING A BUDGET
Guitars come in a variety of price ranges. You can spend loads on purchasing one, but it’s not worth spending so much on your first guitar. A reasonable amount to spend on your first guitar would be around $250-$500. You can also buy a cheap guitar for around $100-$200, but that would mean that you will have to compromise on quality because they are not manufactured professionally. The firewood used to make these guitars are not of high quality and are not even durable. It’s not necessary to ordain to the price range recommended above. You can always go for a guitar that you can afford. But obviously, an expensive one is of a higher quality and would provide better tones and sound quality. Also, the guitar will be more durable with a better feel when playing. But if it’s just a casual interest, it’s not wise to get yourself an expensive guitar. You might use it for a couple of months before you lose your interest in playing an instrument.
WHERE TO BUY A GUITAR
You may be motivated to purchase your new guitar on the web since costs will be lower, but you can’t test the guitar in person nor, can you talk about your requirements with a specialist.
It is profoundly recommended, to purchase your first guitar at a nearby vendor, ideally a guitar shop.
BUYING A USED GUITAR AS YOUR FIRST GUITAR
A used guitar should not be bought by beginners, because it would be a risky bet. Amateurs don’t have the foggiest idea of what to keep an eye on in a pre-used guitar. It takes loads of knowledge and experience to judge whether a pre-owned guitar is good to go.
Unless you have a friend who is familiar with guitars, avoid pre-owned ones from the start.
HOW TO CHOOSE A GUITAR
Go to a guitar shop and speak to a salesperson. Take a look around and discuss your budget with the salesman and inform him whether you want an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar. This will narrow down your choices and help you pick one. Also, you can try playing a few before purchasing one. Make sure your guitar is in tune and ask the salesman to inform you about its technicalities. It’ll cost $25-$50 extra, but it’s best to get it set up in the store by a specialist. You might be wondering why to tune your guitar in the store itself. Well, when a low-end guitar is shipped from the factory, it is not in its optimal playing condition. The intonation might be way off and, the fret edges might be sharp. By setting up, you’re getting all these things fixed so that the guitar plays better. This is a practice everyone should follow, not just beginners.
HOW TO LEARN TO PLAY THE GUITAR
You could either learn through private lessons or teach yourself how to play it.
Get Private Lessons
Private guitar lessons often cost around $45-$50, so having two lessons per week will approximately set you back around $4700-$5200 annually. However, with the ongoing pandemic, most musicians, including guitarists are turning to Zoom music lessons. Learning through Zoom music lessons would mean that you can record the lesson and get back to it whenever needed and you can learn music at the comfort of your home.
Learning it By Yourself
On the other hand, you can opt to learn it yourself through the internet. YouTube has got a ton of free guitar lessons. This is a suitable option for the ones who like playing the guitar as a hobby or if you are on a budget constraint. By now, we must have taken you from a zero to a hero. So what are you waiting for? Your chance to become a great guitarist starts today!
