What's a good guitar to buy for a beginner?

[ihatesissycars]

Hey guys, what would be a good guitar to buy for a learner?

Acoustic, not electric.

[Stu R]

I started with a tanglewood, been through many since and although I'm not a huge fan of acoustics it's the only one that's stayed with me.

[bga]

crafter are fantastic value for money. Yamaha also do good acoustics as a first guitar

[dilbert]

ihatesissycars said:

Hey guys, what would be a good guitar to buy for a learner?
Acoustic, not electric.

Being a mean old scrote, I'd say anything secondhand. Especially with an acoustic, by the time you've bashed it a couple of times, you'll have a handle on the sort of care you have to treat the instrument with.

Go for steel strung, and get something with an "action" that is about 5mm at the bridge end of the fretboard, but that still does not buzz when you strum it at moderate sound levels.

When you get better at it, then buy the Fylde.

Edited by dilbert on Saturday 12th April 22:41

[miggy man 3]

bga said:

Yamaha also do good acoustics as a first guitar

+1

[gbbird]

My advice would be to not go down the second hand route, and go for something new. You can get a lot for your money nowadays (some good makes already mentioned in this thread). Because this is your first guitar, it will always be special to you, so go for a brand new one - that way you will also know it is set up properly to your liking (you may want to get some lighter strings on it). Try out a few in the shops before you buy, as they will all feel a bit different.

g

[miggy man 3]

gbbird said:

My advice go for something new. You can get a lot for your money nowadays (some good makes already mentioned in this thread). Try out a few in the shops before you buy, as they will all feel a bit different.

g

[glazbagun]

Whats your budget? Taylor Big Babys are great for the money, but not the cheapest. Tanglewood are good as a cheaper range. Yamaha make great guitars and not so great ones.

[ihatesissycars]

Good advice guys keep it coming!

Regards to budget as with most things I would spend alot of money to ensure good quality however I need to take into to consideration that I may be complete and utter ste at playing one which could mean I've just spent alot of money on something thats quite useless to me.

Would £200 get me something half decent to start with?

Edited by ihatesissycars on Monday 14th April 10:46

[Chris71]

Unless you want to there is absolutely no reason to spend more than £300 on a (purely) acoustic guitar.

Yes, you can spend thousands on something that sounds sublime, but I've quite happily played gigs on a mic'd up £290 Art Lutherie acoustic - it sounds like a good quality guitar and you'd have to be something of a connosieur to detect whether or not I'd payed ten times that amount. If you just want something to learn the ropes on I'm sure you could get something for considerably less.

[craggers]

Looking for one for my little boy - he is obsessed with his father in law's guitar (he got load of guitars). Alway asking me for guitar when at home/car (he only 2 years old).

Will children's guitar good ? most say from 3 onward. Any recommendation ?

[Stu R]

i think at 3 years old guitar hero would probably be a better idea.

Seriously though, anything will be fine at that age as long as it's the right size for him. Certainly wouldn't bother with anything expensive!

[dilbert]

ihatesissycars said:

Good advice guys keep it coming!

Regards to budget as with most things I would spend alot of money to ensure good quality however I need to take into to consideration that I may be complete and utter ste at playing one which could mean I've just spent alot of money on something thats quite useless to me.

Would £200 get me something half decent to start with?

Edited by ihatesissycars on Monday 14th April 10:46

I paid £40 for mine, secondhand, when I was at university (15 years ago). I've never been any good, but I've heard a few people who can play it, and it sounds great to me.

It's an old Gibson J45 copy, by Hohner.

Edited by dilbert on Monday 14th April 13:41