How To Buy Your First Acoustic Guitar | Tips To Help You Make A Confident Purchase

Yamaha Guitars

Are you a newer guitar player or just wanting to learn, but don't know where to start? If you already have a guitar, but would like to upgrade and get something better to help you get more serious about your guitar playing, I am going to show you some things that will help you with the process. This is a process! Don't just go out and see a guitar that looks cool and buy it. You want to check things out and get a feel for what you are buying. Trust me, delaying your purchase by a few weeks will keep you from wishing you had a different guitar for a long time.

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Buying your first guitar is something to take seriously. Anytime you are spending money on something, you want to make sure you are getting a good value on your purchase. Acoustic guitar prices range from less than $100 up to several thousands. As a beginner guitar player or someone looking to buy your first guitar, I don't recommend being on either of the extreme ends of this range. There are plenty of good guitars for beginners in the $200-$600 range. 

For most people, money is an issue so only purchase what you can comfortably afford. If you have plenty of money, go check out some expensive guitars and buy what you want. If you have a budget and know how much you want to spend, get to your nearest guitar shop and do some looking around.

Do you want a classical guitar acoustic or a steel string acoustic? Do you need and acoustic electric with a pickup so you can plug it into an amp as well? Think about these things before you begin your search because these factors can narrow down your choices a bit.

Keep in mind that each guitar is unique. Because of the natural materials and woods used to make guitars, even the same models can have differences in them. So just because you see someone playing a guitar and you think it's great, remember that is THAT guitar. 

Most guitar shops allow customers to sit down and play guitars and test them out. If you are a new guitar player, you may not have much experience and that's ok. Spend some time sitting down and playing a few chords or whatever you can play on some different guitars.

Pick up a cheap one and play it. Notice how it feels, is it light or heavy? Is it comfortable to hold? How thick is the neck? Do the strings press down easily? Do you have to push really hard on the strings? Is it loud or quiet? Does it have a nice tone? How many frets can you use on it? What brand is it? How big or small is it?

Pick up an expensive one and play it. Notice all the same things. Notice any differences between the guitars you are holding.

I recommend playing as many different guitars as you can before you make a purchase. I also recommend playing them over a few weeks time so that you become better at knowing what different guitars sound like and what sounds and feels good to YOU. Play some one day, go back a few days later and play some others. If you have access to other stores, visit them. If a friend or family member has a guitar, ask if you can play it. Get used to how different they sound and feel. Play as many different guitars as you possibly can.

After a while of doing this, you are going to start noticing what you like and what you don't like. You will notice what sounds good to you and what feels good to you. Once you get a feel for these, you have a much better chance of buying a guitar that you will enjoy playing for many years to come! You can always add to your collection as you develop as a guitar player.

Over 20 years ago, I bought my first guitar. I have played many guitars since then and have owned a few others as well. I still love the first guitar I purchased. It feels and sounds better that so many I've played. Maybe it's because I'm so used to it, but many people comment on how great of a sound it has. My guitar is a Yamaha FG441C that isn't made any more, sadly. Yamaha makes a similar guitar now but I haven't played it. You can view it here on Amazon:

Yamaha FGX800C Solid Top Folk Acoustic-Electric Guitar

There are many great companies that make acoustic guitars and you should check them out yourself. Fender, Martin, Taylor, Yamaha and Takamine are some favorites. Get out there, play them, learn them and you'll have the confidence to make your purchase when you are ready! 

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Hope this helps you!