Choose the Right Guitar

Choosing the right guitar

As a multi instrumentalist (cough cough, not trying to be cool here) I’ve come across many good and bad purchasing decisions.  One of these is the choice of guitars.  I have more guitars than I have space, but not as many guitars as Mark Knopfler.  Choosing the right guitar is very important, get something too big, too small, too heavy and you’ll find it very tricky to play.  So, here are some clues as what to look for…

Type

Obvious one, but do you want  a classical, acoustic, electro-acoustic, or electric guitar?  The question I hear most is ‘what is the difference between a classical and acoustic guitar?’. The answer – classical guitars have nylon strings and acoustic guitars steel strings.  Also classical guitars are widely used among younger players in schools etc as the nylon strings are softer on the fingers, and classical guitars come in all sizes from ¼ size to full size.  Acoustic guitars do not have electronics in them whereas electro-acoustic guitars can be plugged into an amplifier – good for the gigging musician.  Electric guitars have a totally different sound and need to be amplified.

Size

The size of guitar is dependant on the age / size of the player.  A young beginner of 6 years old would choose a ¼ size guitar and an adult would choose a full size guitar, be it acoustic or electric.  If you can, try a friend’s guitar first – if it feels comfortable and you don’t have to stretch or lean over the instrument you should be OK.  Daisy Rock make guitars designed for girls in that they have narrower necks and lightweight bodies, and play very nicely.

Price

As with anything, the more you spend the better you’ll get.  You can get a nice guitar for £80 which will play fine for a beginner but it won’t feel or sound as good as an £800 guitar.  Decide on your playing level first and then plan your budget.  Forget cheap guitars from supermarkets, they are crap.  Go to a music store.

To end, there are thousands of guitars out there, choose one that is a fairly well known brand, and do accept the advice from friends and the salesperson at the music shop.  Now, get playing!