How to choose a Beginner Acoustic Guitar

It is important that you keep in mind the style of music you are wanting to play before you go shopping for a beginner acoustic guitar.If you are wanting to play country, rock, pop or folk music, then a steel-stringed guitar works best. For classical, Latin and certain types of folk or pop music, then you want to get a nylon-stringed guitar. Experts recommend that a beginning guitar player play different types to see what sound you prefer, before making your final decision.

Because nylon is gentler on the fingers, many instructors recommend going with a nylon-stringed beginner acoustic guitar. This isn’t always the best recommendation, because not everyone wants to play the type of music that a nylon-string guitar produces. Some want to play like a rock star, or simply don’t like the tone that comes from a nylon-stringed guitar.

Music intended for steel-string guitars obviously sounds better when played on a steel-stringed guitar. On the other hand, if you are dreaming of learning how to play classical guitar music, a steel-string guitar is not the right instrument for you to begin practicing on. Either way, you’ll eventually develop calluses on your fingers after about one to two months of steady practice.

If you are shopping for a more classical nylon-string guitar, you should remember that these guitars are called classic for a reason – they all have the same relative dimensions. Their bodies are smaller and their fingerboards wider, which produces a distinctive classical sound. It is the feel and the tone to these classical guitars that varies. As is true when buying any guitar, you need to try out several of them before choosing the beginner acoustic guitar that you are going to buy. The steel-string model of beginner acoustic guitar that people usually start out with is the six-string dreadnought guitar. There is only a slight variation between dreadnought guitars and they provide a sound that novices are often seeking.

The kind of wood your beginner acoustic guitar is crafted from affects the tone of the guitar. Many beginner acoustic guitars come with a spruce top. Make sure you select a model made from solid spruce and not one with a two-piece top. A solid top is long-lasting. When it comes to the back and sides, your options will generally be mahogany, rosewood or spruce. If you want a lighter tone, look for guitars that have back and sides of mahogany. You will get a heavier tone from a guitar that features rosewood back and sides.

Looking for a beginner acoustic guitar with relatively low action is something else to think about when you are a new guitarist. The space between the string and the neck is called the action. An action that is too high it can be a distraction and a hindrance to learning.

An accessory you need to buy along with your beginner acoustic guitar is a good electronic tuner. As a novice you haven’t yet developed an ear. If you have the ability to easily tune your guitar using the tuner it will give you more time to spend practicing and playing.