Buying Your First Guitar: Key Things to Keep in Mind

Purchasing your first guitar is a sacred step in a lifelong journey of inspiration and learning music. It’s all things beautiful, but it can also be very confusing, as guitars come in a wide range of models and makes. 

When buying your first guitar, you’re looking at critical decisions like choosing between different sizes, going acoustic or electric, and whether you need to spend big or start small. An obvious choice would be to go for something beginner-friendly and affordable, like Monterey Guitars, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Here are the key considerations to keep in mind when you’re making this purchase.

1. Deciding Between Acoustic and Electric

One of the first things you’ll need to consider is what type of guitar you want—an electric or a classic acoustic. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide: 

• Electric guitars are easier to play than their acoustic counterparts. 
• Acoustic guitars have a brighter sound, which is excellent for playing chords. 
• Acoustic guitars don’t need additional accessories like amplifiers and connector cables. However, electric guitars can produce versatile music, especially contemporary tones. 
• Acoustic guitars typically need thicker strings, making them harder for beginners. 

2. Check if the Guitar is in Tune

Ask someone at the store to put the guitar into standard tuning and play some chords. This will help you in two ways: you’ll know if that particular guitar suits your style, and you can check how good it plays. 

3. Check the Distance Between the Strings and the Fretboard

The distance between the strings and the fretboard is what determines how the guitar plays. If they are very far from each other, to the point where the guitar’s neck is noticeably curved, you might want to pass that particular model up. It might have some problems and foil your experience completely. 

4. See if the Guitar’s Neck is Correct

Like the earlier point, you must check whether the guitar’s neck has bends or curves. Ideally, a guitar should have a straight neck, preventing strings from hitting the frets when you play chords. If it has a back bow, it can make playing chords more challenging, especially if you’re new to it. The best approach here is to get a professional’s help identifying potential problems with your guitar’s neck. 

5. Can You Reach the Full Fretboard?

Once you’ve checked the guitar, played it, and confirmed it doesn’t look out of place, check if you can reach the entire fretboard. The best way to do this is by running your finger along each side of the guitar’s neck to see if you can feel any of the metal frets protruding. If you feel they aren’t level with the wood, it doesn’t mean the model is bad, but you can probably look for another guitar that doesn’t have that problem.

6. Choosing the Right Size

There are primarily three different sizes of guitars you can choose from—half (34 inches), quarter (36 inches), and full (40 inches or higher). Choosing the right size depends on the age for whom you’re buying the guitar. For ages 5-7, the half-size guitar is recommended, while the quarter-size is for ages 7-10. The full-size is for ages 11 and up. While these are recommendations based on average age ranges, you should also consider the height of the person, or yourself, when choosing the right size. 

7. Get a Feel for the Guitar

Although the technical aspects like size, fretboard, neck, etc., are important, ultimately you need to see how the instrument feels in your hands. Is the body shape comfortable enough? How does the guitar’s neck feel? Are there any fret ends sticking out that can bother you while playing? The best way to answer these is by simply sitting with the guitar and playing for a few minutes. This will help you get a complete feel for the model and how comfortable you are with it. It’s best to put it back and look for something better if you aren’t completely comfortable.

Sometimes, even the most iconic guitars or reputable brands aren’t the ones you like best. Or, they might not be the best starter guitar to help you learn the instrument and progress through your musical journey. 

Wrapping Up

Buying a guitar is a vital step, and getting it right lays the foundation for your learning experience. Hence, keep these important considerations in mind and choose your guitar carefully.