Basic Guitar

Posted in Uncategorized by admin on October 31, 2008

Basic Guitar
What is a good basic beginner guitar?

I have never played the guitar before and I don't want to spend a ton of money around $100-200. However I want to enjoy my learning experience but I don't have the money right now to get a really good guitar. Any suggestions? I have been looking at the Jasmine and the Johnson beginner.

The Jasmine is a solid choice (and one of the only real choices) in that price range. The most important things for you to consider when you buy the guitar are how it sounds (to you) and how it feels when you play it. Don't listen to any salespeople trying to sell you on the finer points between the finishes and materials. Go to a music store and have a salesperson play the same riff for you on a few instruments in the same price range. Close your eyes and listen to the sound. Which sounds better?

Next, take the guitar yourself and play a few notes with your hand up high and down low on the neck. Pay attention to how far the strings sit above the surface of the neck. This is called the "action". A higher action can be more difficult to play. The action can be adjusted slightly, but not too much, so pay attention to how the guitar feels. Is the neck too wide or too thin? Some people have big hands or play blues and prefer a thick neck. Some people play jazz and like a thin, smaller neck so they can grab tough chords and play with their thumb under.

Once you've chosen a guitar, don't feel bad about leaving and looking it up online for a price. Sometimes you can get more than half off this way! If you choose to buy a guitar online, remember: the sound varies even between identical acoustic guitars (since chances are they are made from different trees). At your level it shouldn't make too much of a difference, but it's something to keep in mind when buying online in the future.

Good luck!