Probably the first obstacle you will have to face when you decide to learn to play the guitar is buying one to start with. If you are not all that clued up about the genre, or if you have no friends who can play to ask for advice, then it can be a difficult task.
A lot of people take the advice of the shop assistant, make the mistake of buying a nice economical purchase to start learning on, and find that it does not even come close to meeting their needs. The advice can also turn out to be a little misguided and driven by desire to make a sale rather than getting the best deal for yourself.
The following are all questions that you really need to know the answers to before you step foot into a guitar shop. If you are in this situation, and are looking seriously into the possibility of buying a guitar in order to learn, then there are a few things that you should be considering before you depart with your hard-earned cash.
1. What style of music are you going to be learning?
What is very important is to make sure that you don't get pressured into buying something that you don't really want, and will not be able to satisfy your needs and goals. You are in charge - you know what you want to learn, and you know what you want to play! An electric guitar is more suited to rock-style music, whereas an electric guitar is better for singing along, or just strumming. This might sound really obvious - but you'd be amazed at how many people make this mistake!
2. What sort of budget do you have?
What you are doing when you buy your first guitar is investing - you are investing in yourself and your own musical development. This should be considered as you set about finalizing exactly how much you want to spend. If you have never played guitar before, then spending thousands of dollars on a top quality instrument is probably not the way to go. Realistically, to begin with, you should be looking at paying somewhere in the region of $250-$300 (US) for a decent electric guitar, and around $150 (US) for an acoustic.
This is often a fraught step, and will take a little time to get it right, but the time is well invested to make sure that you get the right instrument. When you decided on the style of music that you want to play, and the budget that you can afford, then it's time to make the decision on which guitar you buy. Bear in mind your answers to the questions above, and consider the following.
· Try before you buy. Buying your first guitar is a little like buying a new car - you wouldn't just take the first one you see, right? Try as many guitars as you want! There's also no reason why, at this stage, you shouldn't be looking at guitars that might be outside of your budget - by doing this you will be getting a good idea of the range available to you, and the big differences that exist from one guitar to another.
· Pay special attention to the playability of the frets. Take a look at each fret, and play a note on each. Look at the condition of the frets - are they worn out? Do they show signs of excessive usage? You may find that there is a small buzzing sound - if this is the case, then it means that the action of the guitar is not set properly. It could even point to a case of poor workmanship on the instrument.
· A quick and easy way to purchase your first guitar can be online. If you do decide to go down this route, then make sure you check out as many user reviews as you can in order to find out whether this particular guitar is right for your needs. . Online guitars can often be a lot cheaper than the store on the high street, with the added advantage that it will often arrive straight to your door.
· Be comfortable! If you find one that fits you like a glove and makes a sound that you genuinely enjoy, then there is a much higher chance that that guitar will stay with you for a much longer time. Make sure you select a guitar that you like, and that you feel comfortable with.
Whatever you do, do not get pressured into spending more than you want to append, as this will breed resentment before you have even begun. For the beginner attempting to learn to play the guitar for the first time, then you should be considering all of the above before you start. Playing the guitar really can be a wonderful pastime, always rewarding and great fun to boot.
Liam Gibson of ReviewsMetro.com/LearnGuitar, specializes in helping aspiring guitarists get the info that they need to make the right choices. Liam, a stage guitarist himself, leads his team of guitar experts to constantly review new courses and products in the market and make sure you get the best value products that work for you. Check out his honest and unbiased independent reviews of the best guitar courses and products at ReviewsMetro.com/LearnGuitar. You can also get his free guitar lessons online there too.
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