subject: The Guide to Buying Your Very First Electric Or Acoustic Guitar [print this page] Buying a first guitar can be quite confusing, especially if you have no beforehand knowledge of brands, models and how they work. Ultimately, guitar buying is quite similar to car buying: every model has its upsides and its flaws. However, if you do a little bit of research before you go ahead and purchase your first guitar, you should be "in the safe".
First of all, you should decide upon what kind of guitar you want to buy: an electric or an acoustic one? Maybe you don't want either, but want to start grooving on a bass guitar altogether (Mind you, bass players are hot product, when it comes to finding a band.). To help you decide, ask yourself what kind of music you intend to start playing. For example, it is almost mandatory to invest into an electric guitar if you intend to play styles like metal, rock or blues. However, if you intend to play folk, classical or country music, an acoustic guitar would be much more practical to have. Beginners may find having an acoustic more beneficial, as it is slightly more challenging to play, but will make mastering the electric guitar far more simpler in the future. Acoustics are also more practical in the sense that they are cheaper, more portable and easier to carry around. Moreover, electrics will have many more extra expenses, for example an amplifier or effects (Which may cost more than the guitar itself!).
It is recommended that the first guitar you purchase is a fresh one right from the store. The reason why I would recommend this is that you will almost be guaranteed to get your instrument in perfect working order and will also have a warranty in case something breaks or fails. The only downside to this is that it costs more.
However, buying a used guitar isn't a bad idea either. It is good to avoid buying a used instrument online, if it's your first one, unless the seller is a known dealer and promises to set up the instrument before shipping. The only used guitar I have ever bought was a Japanese Aria Pro II Fullerton and it was by far the best guitar I have ever owned (I have a collection of Fender guitars) and I bought it from a well known Japanese dealer on ebay. If you buy a used guitar face to face, it would be crucial for you to bring a guitar savvy friend with you to the transaction, as he will probably know what to inspect before you buy your very first axe. Buying a used guitar definitely has it's monetary benefits, but you need to make sure you know what you are buying before you buy.
I recommend you visit one of the largest guitar communities online on http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum and ask for advice on the forum before buying a guitar. There are extremely knowledgable and helpful people on that site, so don't hesitate to ask anything guitar related (and unrelated).
Recommended beginner electric guitars: Squier affinity series, Epiphone Les paul standard and G-400, anything by cort guitars, Mexican Fenders (If you have the money), probably any guitar made in Japan.
Stay away from: Squier Bullet (My first guitar, one of the worst made guitars out there), Harley Benton guitars, low-end Ibanez (400$ or less), low-end ESP-LTD (Models 400 and less), low-end Gibson. Furthermore, just about anything made in China.
Recommended beginner acoustic guitars: Anything by Yamaha, anything made in Japan. You also want to make sure that your guitar isn't made of plywood, so anything that has a "solid wood top" is great. Also, Cort Earth acoustic guitar is in my opinion the best (It's also very affordable).
The Guide to Buying Your Very First Electric Or Acoustic Guitar
