Acoustic guitar for a beginner

[harrykane140693]

I am currently living in Serbia, and I started playing my roommates guitar but I left the dorm and now I want to get one of my own. I don't really have a huge budget, mostly because all of the regular priced guitars are inflated when brought into the country so I am probably stuck getting an off brand guitar. I mostly want to play using the fingerstyle technique but I am not really sure what I should be looking for in a first guitar, I know that there is plenty of information online the thing is that there is an overflow of information and I just need the some rules of thumb. Thanks in advance.

[catscurlyear]

Hi there,if you enjoyed playing your roommates guitar get the same one.

[Samilyn]

Rules of thumb:

1. Comfort. Play it. Does it feel good? Neck too wide, too narrow? Dreadnought too big, need a smaller model?

2. Tone. Does it sound good? Could you listen to it for hours? Forget what anybody else says, it has to sound good to *you*

3. Build quality. Start with a reputable manufacturer and build quality pretty much takes care of itself. (we'll name names in a minute)

4. Wood. Most entry-level guitars are going to be laminate back and sides, and may have a solid or laminate top. Nothing at all wrong with laminate material - it's tough stuff. As for the top, tone woods vary. A spruce top will produce a brighter tone than cedar. Mahogany sounds deep and woody. Goes back to #2 - tone. Play several if you can, choose which one you love.

5. Price. Yes, it's a consideration for a first guitar. Do you think you'll keep it for a long time or will you want to upgrade soon? Or will you get sick of it and toss it in the nearest rubbish heap?

6. Unless you're in the market for a "high end" guitar such as Martin or Guild, look at these brands: Yamaha, Seagull, Crafter (more widely available in the UK and on the continent than in the US), Epiphone, Takamine.

 

So go shop and take home the guitar that sings to your heart. That is the one you will keep.

 

 

[DeepEnd]

What kind of guitar was your roommate's? As catscurlyear said, if you liked it go for something similar. Are there music stores near you? If so, go to one and see what they have, then let us know. If there aren't guitars for sale near you, you'll have to buy online. Thomann.de is good if you're in Europe. They sell Recording King and Tanglewood, both good brands, and others. What is your budget?

[daddymack]

Because of your particular situation, forget name brands and just go look at every instrument in your local area in your price range. Once you have done that, then we can lay down some rules...

1)Think of this 1st guitar strictly as a stepping stone.

2)You did not mention whether your roommate's guitar was steel string or nylon string. I would suggest starting with a nylon string guitar if you have no calluses built up...it will take longer, but will be far less painful, which I have found is a top 3 reason why people bury guitars in closets.

3) action and neck: if you can't comfortably fret all the strings at the ninth fret, pass on it. If the neck is uncomfortably wide, pass on it.[another top 3 reason why people bury guitars in closets]

4) tone: frankly, tone is not the biggest issue for a first guitar, playability is [see 3)]. I learned to play on a cheap nylon string classical, that had tone like a sardine can, which I sold nine months later to help finance my second guitar [which I still have to this day 47 years later]. Despite what Samilyn stated, don't worry about how it sounds for now. That is for your next upgrade.

5) construction: Obviously the guitar needs to be reasonably sturdy, because you will make mistakes, it will fall over, get dropped, get wet and so on...$#!+ happens, but don't get overly worked up about the kinds of woods, laminates etc. This guitar is your 'starter', not your 'keeper'.

6) hard case or gig bag: for your first guitar, strictly for home use? An inexpensive gig bag is a reasonable compromise.

7) price: set a realistic price range, but do not go over your budget. Keep in mind, you are going to need ancillaries...tuner, strings, strap, string winder, picks, humidifier/dessicant, gig bag...that can add up to another $100/100€/10,000 RSD pretty quickly.

8) dedication and expectations: you need to set time aside DAILY to practice a minimum of thirty minutes. Learn the cowboy chords, learn barre chords, learn some basic theory, learn some songs, watch some tutorials...don't expect to play like Yngwie Malmsteen in a month...maybe it will take three

 

Good hunting, come back and tell us what you found!

[Neal]

Something would be amiss if this link weren’t shared with you,

https://reviews.thedailymeal.com/reviews/best-acoustic-guitars

 

these are the BEST guitars. The rest of you can now slink into a corner with your worthless suggestions.

[Delmont]

If possible, find someone who knows guitars to go shopping with you. If you can't, her are some things to keep in mind:

 

COMFORT:

 

As Samilyn says, comfort comes first. Way first. It's by far the most important thing to consider. If playing it doesn't feel good, you won't want to play it. It's true that you can always get another guitar later, but that doesn't mean you should get something you don't like now.

 

LOOKS:

 

I also wouldn't let my mouth say yes if my eyes say no. Almost as bad as feeling bad is looking bad. If you can't look at the axe and smile, move on. You won't be very motivated to play it, and playing it is the point, right?

 

NECK:

 

If you don't have a friend to check out a guitar for you, the most important feature to check yourself is the neck. It should be straight. Sight down it from the headstock. Do the frets line up? There should be no bowing or warp.

 

After sighting down it, play each fret on each string, at least up to the twelfth fret. Do they all ring clearly? There are a lot physical issues involved in inspecting a guitar, but the neck is the most important, and it's easy to check.

 

AGE:

 

The most expensive word in the sales vocabulary is new. Buying used will allow you to get a better guitar. You can go online to compare prices.

 

ELECTRONICS:

 

Likewise, built-in electronics drive up the price. Since clip-on headstock tuners are cheap and pickups can be added later, you'll save money by getting a guitar without them.

 

PLYWOOD VERSUS SOLID:

 

The age-old question: solid wood or laminate (a.k.a. plywood)? Solid sounds better. Laminate is cheap and strong. (Hey, come on! PT 109 was plywood!) Higher-end guitars are solid wood. I can't think of any exceptions.

 

But since tone mainly comes from the guitar's top, a popular compromise is a solid top and laminate back and sides.

 

TONE WOOD:

 

There's a lot of talk about which woods sound good for what. For your purposes (and I'd say for most people's), it doesn't matter. Any kind of wood can sound good or bad. Trust your ears and let the connoisseurs fight the tone war.

 

As Duke Ellington said, if it sounds good, it is good.

 

MORE BRANDS:

 

The Daily Meal article is interesting, but though it mentions several makes from across the Pacific, it leaves out Canadian brands Seagull and Art & Lutherie. That's surprising, since they get great reviews for entry-level instruments. If you find either, it would be worth considering.

[DeepEnd]

A few other points:

 

• You haven't said whether your roommate's guitar was a nylon or steel string but I'd stick with the same thing since you're used to it.
  
• If it comes to a choice between two guitars, go with the one that's easier to play or most comfortable. If both are equal in that regard, go with the one that sounds best to you. Tone isn't necessarily your first consideration but it's on the list.
  
• Certainly buy a guitar you like but bear in mind that extra bling, a fancy finish, cutaways, electronics, etc. costs money and the more spent on looks the less spent on stuff that matters more like better wood.
  
• Frankly, I wouldn't recommend a used guitar to a beginner because you don't know what to look for. If you have a knowledgeable friend who can go with you, you can look at used but if you had a knowledgeable friend available you wouldn't be asking strangers on the Internet, would you? That means don't buy used unless you're willing to cross your fingers that you're not buying someone else's problem.
  
• As for specific brands, many brands are good, most are at least okay, but some are just junk. The two I mentioned are good and they should be available where you are but they're not the only choices.
  
• Finally, remember that I asked you to see what was available where you are and report back to us. We're still waiting. Or at least I am.
  

 

[Neal]

Does anyone else wonder if these 1 posters asking beginner/son questions are actually alts just trolling to see who will waste the most time providing the largest PowerPoint presentation on cheap guitars? I mean, a simple search..

 

I went on and on once to a girl on the phone years ago and found out she had hung up about 10 minutes earlier...this is kinda like that. But maybe not.

 

It’s a thought.... BTW, those bullet points are impressive!

[DeepEnd]

Does anyone else wonder if these 1 posters asking beginner/son questions are actually alts just trolling to see who will waste the most time providing the largest PowerPoint presentation on cheap guitars? I mean, a simple search..

 

I went on and on once to a girl on the phone years ago and found out she had hung up about 10 minutes earlier...this is kinda like that. But maybe not.

 

It’s a thought.... BTW, those bullet points are impressive!

Of course. In fact, it's probably the most likely explanation. And no, it's unlikely we'll ever hear from any of them. But heck, who doesn't like expounding on what he/she knows? I mean, a stranger just asked for your opinion. For that matter, my very first post a dozen years ago was a question about what material to choose for a new nut. Not quite the same but I could've been a bot myself for all anyone knew. And it's not like it's a huge investment of time. A couple of minutes, tops, if your thoughts are in reasonable order. And, as you pointed out, given that most of us have replied to these questions before it's not like we don't have an essentially "canned" responses ready to post. As for the bullet points, they're built into the Forum software. Select the text, click the icon, and you've got bullet points.

[Danocoustic]

This is why I don't spend too much time on n00bs. Just like the guy who asked about a guitar for his son---one post and gone.

 

Maybe I'm overly skeptical, but I been around.

[RebeccaUTB]

Best advice is if you have a shop nearby, to play as many guitars as you can until you find your guitar. You'll also be able to try out different body sizes this way to find one that feels right as well as sounds right.

 

With regard to models..

 

My brother has an Epi Hummingbird dreadnaught, so it's big. Very nice guitar for the money. Not sure if it available in smaller sized bodies?

 

Alvarez makes really nice guitars. My first guitar was an Alvarez based on my son's recommendation. Never regretted buying it and would suggest you test play them if you can.

[Neal]

Oh Rebecca...you are nice.

[Gerald Cooper]

Regardless of whether or not you’ve simply set to select up a stringed instrument or if you’ve been taking part in for years – everybody will agree that finding a decent guitar is incredibly, very hard. What’s a lot of, finding the simplest may likewise appear not possible on condition that we’ve such a lot to settle on from today.

 

We’ve scrounged the market way and wide in search of the simplest guitar underneath $1000 and have come back up with some terribly tasty surprises – Yamaha, Ortega, Martin, Seagull, and in fact Fender have all found their place in our review, therefore if you’re trying to shop for a high-value guitar, chill and browse away.

If you're a veteran, jump right below to our high list and cross-check our favorites. If you would like a small amount of facilitate learning what to seem for, see our purchasing guide at the top.

 

Best Acoustic guitar

Best twelve String

Best little Body

Best Jumbo

Best Solid Wood

Best Left bimanual

 

[garthman]

. . . . . everybody will agree that finding a decent guitar is incredibly' date=' very hard. . . . [/quote']

 

I don't agree. Quite the contrary: if you disregard the very low end of the market - and you should - I think it's very hard to buy a dud. There are so many very decent guitars around these days that it's hard to go wrong. And you really don't have to spend more than $500 to buy a very decent one.

 

. . . We’ve scrounged the market way and wide in search of the simplest guitar underneath $1000 and have come back up with some terribly tasty surprises – Yamaha' date=' Ortega, Martin, Seagull, and in fact Fender have all found their place in our review, therefore if you’re trying to shop for a high-value guitar, chill and browse away. If you're a veteran, jump right below to our high list and cross-check our favorites. If you would like a small amount of facilitate learning what to seem for, see our purchasing guide at the top. . . . . [/quote']

 

No need, thanks all the same.

[Fradierk]

I like the Yamaha f310. Inexpensive and high-quality guitar for a beginner.

[FretFiend.]

The original poster posted his question last October. He hasn't been heard from again. Are there any guitars in Serbia?

[garthman]

The original poster posted his question last October. He hasn't been heard from again. Are there any guitars in Serbia?

 

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C2CHBF_en-GBGB795GB795&q=serbia+guitar+store&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=45025788,20165534,35117&tbm=lcl&ved=2ahUKEwjusvz2wNXjAhXSi1wKHZLoDN8QjGp6BAgKEDk&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:10&rldoc=1#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:!1m2!1d46.47007959023537!2d25.447553953124952!2m2!1d42.45797283979661!2d15.054487546874952!4m2!1d44.498521273088514!2d20.251020749999952!5i7

[DeepEnd]

The original poster posted his question last October. He hasn't been heard from again. Are there any guitars in Serbia?

As I mentioned originally, there's always Thomann.de, which ships to Europe--presumably they deliver to Serbia? You might also notice this thread was dead until another new poster bumped half a dozen threads and then disappeared. (Of course, I got flamed for pointing that out--by someone who's supposed to be ignoring me, no less--so maybe I should keep my opinions to myself?)

[Neal]

As I mentioned originally, there's always Thomann.de, which ships to Europe--presumably they deliver to Serbia? You might also notice this thread was dead until another new poster bumped half a dozen threads and then disappeared. (Of course, I got flamed for pointing that out--by someone who's supposed to be ignoring me, no less--so maybe I should keep my opinions to myself?)

 

Usually best. Did you get flamed? Now we know, and I, personally, am sorry that happened. In regard to the OP, I refer you to post #6.