Article by Gemma Lee
Tips to Buying a Beginner Guitar
The first thing to consider when buying a guitar is which type of guitar you want to play. If you know what sort of music you wish to play, then you can purchase a guitar according to the genre of music you wish to play.There are a range of 6-string guitars that can play a variety of music genres. The basic one that most beginners start off with is the acoustic guitar, because they are used in a plethora of different music genres. There are also two types of acoustic guitars- steel stringed guitars, which use metal strings and have smaller necks, and classical guitars, which use nylon strings and have wider necks.Steel stringed acoustic guitars are most often strummed and used primarily to play country, pop and rock music. Classical guitars are more often played using finger picking for blues, ragtime and folk music.Electric guitars always use amplifiers when played. They are most often used to play rock and pop, but also blues and jazz. They have a different sound and feel to acoustic guitars. Archtop guitars have an arch top body which creates a unique resonance different to other guitars. They can be either acoustic or electric, and are usually used to play jazz music, because their thicker strings tend to add tone.Bass guitars normally have 4 strings and are used to play the bass line with their longer scale line and thicker strings. The bass guitar is part of the rhythm section of the band. It is not strum, but there are specific fingering types related to the bass guitar such as 'walking' and 'running'. There are both acoustic and electric bass guitars, but the electric bass is more common. It also comes in 5 or 6 strings for more advanced players.Now that you know what types of guitars there are, you can start looking for stores or sellers to buy your guitar. Asking a teacher or someone who has played guitar for a while is a good place to start. They can also recommend what brand would be suitable for your budget and style, and might even go with you when you go to buy your first guitar.A beginner guitar does not have to be brand new or expensive. You can find a good quality second hand guitar for a reasonable price. But don't fall into the danger of buying a cheap guitar that you do not particularly like, and then end up not playing it because you dislike it. Many people who do not like their instruments will end up losing interest much quicker than people who are satisfied with their instruments.When buying your guitar, whether new or pre-loved, always inspect it for major dents and scratches that might affect sound quality or playability of the guitar. If there are many dents on the guitar, that could be an indication that it has not been well cared for. If you are buying online, make sure you can see and play it before buying. A big aspect in playing the guitar is the feel of it, as well as the sound, so don't be afraid to ask if you can have a go and try it out.Buying a beginner guitar is not difficult, so make sure you know what you are looking for when buying one.
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registered teacher and musician