Types of Guitars

There are 3 main types of guitars which are acoustic electric and classical which is also known as a Spanish Guitar . The first thing to know is it doesn’t really matter which you start learning on because all the fundamentals and basics are the same for each, so if you can play an acoustic guitar you can also play electric or classical and vice versa. Its only once you get to a certain level that you have to decide which road you want to take with your playing. The answer to that lies in what type of music you want to play if your favorite artists are Jimi Hendrix Led Zeppelin go with an electric guitar. If you love playing folk music then get an acoustic and obviously if you are more interested in classical and flamenco music buy a classical guitar.

Acoustic Guitar Verses Classical Guitar

There are a good few differences between an acoustic and a classical guitar. The first difference is the strings, a classical guitar has nylon strings which is like a type of plastic and is a lot easier on your fingers when holding down the strings as opposed to steel strings which are on both acoustic and electric guitars. Do not let this influence your decision however as the calluses that occur on your fingers when you first start playing will quickly disappear.

Another difference is that the a classical guitars neck is usually larger in height so for the majority of people it is harder to play a classical guitar as opposed to an acoustic. You generally never use a plectrum on a classical Guitar either

Guitars For Children

If you are buying for a child and they really want an electric guitar get them an electric Guitar. You should also buy them some headphones for the amplifier you can thank me later. They will still be learning all the basic fundamentals its only once players get to a fairly high level that there is a deviation and even then it is not a huge one. A lot of people are surprised to hear that it is also easier to play electric guitar than acoustic especially for children. This is mainly because the height of the neck is smaller than other guitars and the action which is the distance between the strings and fretboard of the guitar is smaller which makes the strings easier to hold down. If you end up buying them the guitar they do not want you could end up diminishing there enthusiasm for learning it.

Another thing to keep in mind if buying for a child is the size of the guitar there are half size three quarter size and full size. To find out what size suits, a good tip is to get the child to hold the guitar and ask them to reach the very top of the guitar if they are struggling to reach it the guitar is to big for them. If you do end up needing a half size or 3/4 size don’t spend a fortune as they will grow out of it fairly fast.

Acoustic and Electro Acoustic Guitars

The Acoustic guitar is definitely the most versatile of all three. You can play pop, blues, country, Irish, acoustic rock, reggae, funk, folk and even classical guitar on it. One other consideration to take into account is whether to get an acoustic or electro acoustic guitar. The difference is you can plug an electro acoustic guitar into an amplifier. If you are just starting out you really do not need this and you will pay more for an electro Acoustic guitar. However if one of your goals is to play in open mics or a band you will eventually need an electro acoustic so it may be worth considering getting one. Do not let anyone tell you that you can just mic up your acoustic guitar, the quality is terrible and you are inviting a recipe for disaster in a live setting with your chances of feedback ten fold. If you do decide to get an electro try to get one with an inbuilt tuner they are a life saver especially if you are gigging. I once made the mistake of buying an electro acoustic 12 String guitar without an inbuilt tuner.

How Much Money Should I spend

If you have no option but to buy a guitar and cant borrow an unused one i would recommend not spending a fortune. Its your first guitar which is really exciting but trust me you will buy more in the future. For Example I do not have a tattoo myself, however when I talk to someone who does they always have a 2nd or a 3rd and if not they are thinking about what to get next. Something similar happens when you become a Musician. Everyone has different preferences with guitars, for example the shape, size, sound, even the color. You will only learn your own preferences when you have played with one for a while. Even if you borrow a guitar and hate absolutely everything about it, you can ask yourself what you do not like about it or vice versa if you love it. It will enable you to learn your own preferences. If you do have a guitar in mind, get on the internet and read all the reviews you can find about it basically read what other people have bought it are saying about it not what what the brand maker is saying about it.

Summary

Just remember any guitar will do when you are starting out. A happy medium is an acoustic. The great thing about guitar is it is very versatile and allows you to play a huge amount of different genres. If you really want to play rock guitar get an electric if you really want to play classical buy a classical guitar. If you are not sure buy an acoustic.

In summary if you have any guitar you can get your hands on start with that as it will help you learn your own preferences and if you can’t get access to one and are still not sure buy an acoustic.

Deciding on a Guitar Teacher

Now you know a little more about what guitar to start on, it is now time to ask yourself the far more important question which is what guitar teacher you should get. It is a critical factor on whether or not you reach your goals. You can teach yourself but you will eventually hit a wall and you should also be very careful as you may pick up some bad habits which can be very difficult to rectify. Make sure you get a professional guitar teacher not someone who is teaching just to have extra pocket money or to support themselves playing music which unfortunately is the case with a huge amount of guitar teachers.

If you are serious about learning guitar you are going to end up paying a lot more for lessons than you are for the guitar. However most people spend far more time researching what guitar to buy as opposed to what teacher to go to. Do your research check their reviews and do not be afraid to ask questions to any potential teacher. You can even come across cases that you have a great teacher but the student and teacher just do not click. I offer 1 to 1 online lessons at W ishicouldplay.com where you can sign up for a free trial lesson with absolutely no obligation to sign up afterwards.

If you have any questions you can let me know in the comments

What kind of guitar should I buy and how much should I spend