Sunseed Music

Probably the first obstacle you will have to face when you decide to learn to play the guitar is buying one to start with. If you have no friends who can play to ask for advice, or, like I was, you are not all that clued up about the genre, then it can be a difficult task.

A lot of people take the advice of the shop assistant, make the mistake of buying a nice economical purchase to start learning on, and find that it does not even come close to meeting their needs. The advice can also turn out to be a little misguided and driven by desire to make a sale rather than getting the best deal for yourself.

Before you part ways with your hard-earned cash, take a look at the list we have compiled for you. If you are currently seriously looking into buying a guitar in order to learn to play, then you should know that there are a few things you need to be aware of.

1. What style of music are you going to be learning?

What is very important is to make sure that you don’t get pressured into buying something that you don’t really want, and will not be able to satisfy your needs and goals. You are in charge – you know what you want to learn, and you know what you want to play! An electric guitar is more suited to rock-style music, whereas an electric guitar is better for singing along, or just strumming. This might sound really obvious – but you’d be amazed at how many people make this mistake!

2. What sort of budget do you have?

What you are doing when you buy your first guitar is investing – you are investing in yourself and your own musical development. This should be considered as you set about finalizing exactly how much you want to spend. If you have never played guitar before, then spending thousands of dollars on a top quality instrument is probably not the way to go. Realistically, to begin with, you should be looking at paying somewhere in the region of $250-$300 (US) for a decent electric guitar, and around $150 (US) for an acoustic.

This is often a fraught step, and will take a little time to get it right, but the time is well invested to make sure that you get the right instrument. When you decided on the style of music that you want to play, and the budget that you can afford, then it’s time to make the decision on which guitar you buy. Bear in mind your answers to the questions above, and consider the following.

· Try before you buy. Try as many guitars as you want! Buying your first guitar is a little like buying a new car – you wouldn’t just take the first one you see, right? There’s also no reason why, at this stage, you shouldn’t be looking at guitars that might be outside of your budget – by doing this you will be getting a good idea of the range available to you, and the big differences that exist from one guitar to another.

· Pay special attention to the playability of the frets. Take a look at each fret, and play a note on each. Look at the condition of the frets – are they worn out? Do they show signs of excessive usage? You may find that there is a small buzzing sound – if this is the case, then it means that the action of the guitar is not set properly. It could even point to a case of poor workmanship on the instrument.

· Many people buy guitars online, and it can be a quick and easy way to purchase your first guitar. Make sure that you fully check out the reviews of that particular guitar, and look at the user reviews as well to get a better idea of whether this guitar is right for you. The advantages of this are that it will often arrive straight to your door, and it can be cheaper than a high street store.

· Try and find one that fits like a glove and plays a sound that you personally find pleasing! Do this and there is a much higher chance of you staying with that guitar for a longer time. Make sure you select a guitar that you like and that you feel comfortable with.

If you are a beginner, and are trying to learn to play a guitar for the first time, then you should seriously consider all of the above before you even start. Playing the guitar can be a wonderful pastime, full of reward and great fun. Don’t get pressured into spending more than you can afford, as this will only produce resentment on your part, and you are therefore much less likely to continue.

Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson (Pro Guitarist)