Acoustic Or Electric Guitar?

There are a few sensible things to consider here, but ultimately this really is completely up to you. Think about the sort of music that you listen to from day to day. What are the songs that really get you going? Is your iTunes full of bands like Guns & Roses, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC or do you love the sounds of Jack Johnson, Oasis and Coldplay? If you are only ever going to be happy when you are playing heavy rock, then an electric guitar is for you… BUT…… I do find people that start of with their first guitar as an Acoustic do tend to have a more well rounded and easier learning experience. Most people that really get into guitar find they end up having one of each after a year or two anyway.

Acoustic Pros and Cons

Pro

• Cheaper Price at Beginner Level.
• Doesn't require any Amplifiers and cables.
• Easy to take to the beach or on camping trips etc.
• Easier to learn good strumming technique and more forgiving.

Con

• Harder to push fingers on strings and to produce a clear chord sound.
• Doesn't have the rock sound of an electric.

Steel Or Nylon Strings?

*Note "Nylon String" refers to the 3 higher sounding strings, there will still always be 3 Steel Strings

One is not necessary better than the other, they just have different sounds about them. Although most of the guitar songs you hear on the radio will more likely be performed using a steel string guitar. So what would be best as a beginner guitar ? ? ?.... I would definitely say that for most people starting out, a nylon string guitar is a lot nicer on the fingertips of a new player, but very quickly you will hear the sound of a full steel string guitar and want to emulate that sound! I would recommend a street string for an adult.

What Is The Correct Size?

As an adult its simple, A Full Size Guitar will be what you want 99% of the time. There are however slightly different shapes/varieties of full size guitars.

Here you can see some of the different Acoustic Guitar shapes that are out there. The most common choice of shape would definitely be the Dreadnaught, then probably the Grand Auditorium. These make great guitars as a first guitar, and chances are you will stick with these shapes all throughout your life. I would recommend getting one of these. You may also find these guitars with a 'cut-away". This is a cut out section of the body allowing your hand easier access to some of the higher frets. While you wont be playing anything up there when you first start out, you will be moving your hand all over the fretboard in no time! So this may be a good option to look at.

*For a child getting the correct size guitar is very important. Please see the article on choosing a child's guitar for more information on this*

The Price, How Much Will I need To Spend?

The normal price for an entry level acoustic guitar for a beginner is between $250 - $650 and for an electric it's similar but starting more around $350/$400 (keep in mind for an electric you will need an amp too. Basic Amps start around the $200-$300 mark). 

Both Acoustic and Electric Guitars have a similar price once you start looking at the more Pro Line models between $2000-$6000+

The level of quality and what you're getting greatly increases at the lower end of the price point compared to the higher end. For example…
You would notice a huge difference in the sound, feel, and construction of a $1000 guitar compared to a $500 guitar. But there would only be a very small difference for most people when it came to a $3000 guitar compared to a $6000 guitar. If you haven't been around guitars for years you most likely wouldn't even be able to tell at all.

You may be able to pick something up 2nd hand online but you will just have to be careful that there is no damage or parts of the guitar that are not really in good working order. A common problem with older used acoustic guitars that have been negotiated or mistreated is the the bridge coming away a bit and the strings sitting very high! These types of guitars are extremely hard to play, and in most cases the money needed to fix them end up making the guitar cost more than a new one.

*Note - Try to avoid guitars on sale at places like KMart, Big W, JB HiFi, and other large multi product department stores. These places tend to stock cheaper, but poorly made instruments. They are fine for kids under 5 to be used more as a "toy" but should not be used by someone seriously learning.

What Are The Best Brands Of Guitars For Beginners?

The most common brands of beginner Acoustic guitars would be Yamaha, Ashton, Tanglewood, Cort, Fender, Gibson, Aria, Sigma and Eastman to name a few.

My top pick for a beginner steel string acoustic would probably be a Sigma, Tanglewood or Eastman. But I have a nylon string yamaha that was my grandfathers. 70 years on and its still going strong! The team at your local guitar shop may have something new so make sure you ask about others, even something amazing that me be made locally?!

For an electric your most common Brands to start with are Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Ibanez. There are some great guitars right across the range there but Fender and Gibson are pretty hard to beat!

Does the wood the guitar is made out of change the sound?

Yes! it actually does! In fact all aspects of the construction of the guitar play a small-large part of the overall sound/tone and feel of the guitar. As we are looking at what to get in a beginners guitar this is something to discuss a little further down the road. We will be covering this in future articles.