subject: Easy Guitar for Beginners - 3 Tips for Buying Your First Guitar [print this page] Easy Guitar for Beginners - 3 Tips for Buying Your First Guitar
If you have decided that you would like to learn how to play the guitar then you are probably wondering what is an easy guitar for beginners. Not all guitars are the same and some types and styles of guitar are in fact easier to learn with than others. In this article I will tell you what I feel is the best guitar for the beginning guitar player. Here are some tips for buying your first guitar:
1. Go Electric ... If You Are So Inclined
Unless you really have your heart set on playing acoustic guitar I would recommend that you start off by buying an electric guitar. Electric guitars are easier to learn with because the strings are typically closer to the fret board and the neck is more narrow. This makes it easier to hold down the strings and train your fingers for the correct chord and scale positions. A skinnier neck will allow you to change positions faster and will be more forgiving when stretching your fingers for the more difficult chord positions like bar chords. If you really want an acoustic guitar for your first guitar then consider buying an Ovation. They're guitars have a shallow bowl and the fretboard plays a lot like an electric.
2. Avoid Anything Fancy
This is going to be your first guitar and it's probably going to take a beating so keep it simple. You don't need a Gibson Flying V with locking Floyd Rose tremolo. Trust me, changing the strings on a guitar with a Floyd Rose tremolo is a lot more difficult then you will be interested in dealing with for your first guitar. Go with a standard model for now and upgrade later. Get a Fender Stratocaster or an Ibanez. Ibanez makes an easy guitar for beginners. The neck is a bit thinner than your average Fender Stratocaster. Go to a local music shop and see what feels right.
3. Avoid Big Box Retailers
My first guitar was a Sam's Club knockoff and it ended up having a warped fretboard. I ended up returning it and took my refund money to a guitar shop and got a really nice beginner Ibanez. Even though you will want to avoid anything fancy you should still get a quality brand of guitar. Most of the musical instruments sold at Wal-Mart, K-mart, etc. are truly junk. Don't waste your money. Instead, go to a local music shop or check out MusiciansFriend.com. They have great deals and you won't have to worry about your first guitar being a dud.
Once you have found the right first guitar for you, consider investing in some lessons. Most local music shops offer affordable music lessons or you can learn from the comfort of your own home by taking an eCourse. I found a website called Jamorama that offers a great deal on internet guitar lessons. I definitely recommend checking them out. They offer a free 6 day course. For more information on Jamorama Click Here!
