Starter Acoustic Guitar
The primary choice you have to make when purchasing a starter acoustic guitar is deciding what kind of music you’re going to play. A nylon-string classical guitar is best suited for playing classical, Latin and some kinds of folk and pop music. A steel-string guitar works best for playing rock, country, and some pop and folk music. Its up to you to play the various kinds in order to decide the sound you want for your starter acoustic guitar.
Most teachers will recommend purchasing nylon guitar strings for the person just learning to play as they are a little easier on the fingers. However, this may not be a good idea if the student wants to learn to be a rock star or if they don’t care for the classical style music as the nylon string will never sound just right.
If your goal is to learn to play steel-string music, you should definitely start by practicing on a steel string guitar. At first, your fingers will be sore, but with time you will develop protective calluses. If, however, you want to learn classical music, don’t be enticed by a steel string guitar.
If you are shopping for a more classical nylon-string guitar, you should remember that these guitars are called classic for a reason - they all have the same relative dimensions. Their bodies are smaller and their fingerboards wider, which produces a distinctive classical sound. It is the feel and the tone to these classical guitars that varies. As is true when buying any guitar, you need to try out several of them before choosing the starter acoustic guitar that you are going to buy. The steel-string model of beginner acoustic guitar that people usually start out with is the six-string dreadnought guitar. There is only a slight variation between dreadnought guitars and they provide a sound that novices are often seeking.
23" Childrens Pink Acoustic Guitar :String Instrument | US $10.04 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 20:32:47 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
1970s-1980s ACOUSTIC CONTROL MODEL 117 GUITAR AMP 21" T
 | US $100.00 (5 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 20:34:02 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
Seymour Duncan Woody HC Acoustic Guitar Pickup Humbuck
 | US $44.00 (16 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 20:47:00 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
New CARVED TOP Scrolled Abalone Inlaid Acoustic Guitar
 | US $331.55 (2 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 20:47:31 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
Old Crestline Model CR20M Classical Acoustic Guitar
 | US $34.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 20:49:24 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
The wood your starter acoustic guitar is made of is significant as it will affect the tone of the sound the instrument makes. You will soon learn that most beginner acoustic guitars consist of a spruce top. Make sure your new guitar has a solid spruce top rather than a two-piece one. This will increase the durability of your new guitar. Your choices of wood for the back and sides will likely include mahogany, rosewood and spruce. Mahogany produces a light tone. On the other hand, rosewood results in a heavier tone.
Looking for a starter acoustic guitar with relatively low action is something else to think about when you are a new guitarist. The space between the string and the neck is called the action. An action that is too high it can be a distraction and a hindrance to learning.
While you’re out purchasing a starter acoustic guitar, you’ll want to pick up a decent electronic tuner at the same time. You haven’t had enough experience yet to develop the ear of an expert. If you can spend less time in tuning your new guitar, you’ll have that much more time for practicing on it and actually playing.
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
