Beginners Guide To Getting Started Playing Guitar

Buying A Guitar For A Child

Everything You Need When Choosing The Best Guitars For Kids

If you are still not sure how to choose a guitar for a child, acoustic or electric, see Part 1 – How To Choose An Acoustic Guitar or Part 2 – How To Choose An Electric Guitar. These are articles explain the difference between an acoustic and an electric guitar and why you would choose one over the other. Choosing between an electric or acoustic or nylon guitar is the same no matter what your age. However, keep in mind that nylon-stringed guitar or classical guitars are much easier on the fretting fingers so many people chose this style for a child because of this. The size of nylon-stringed guitars is also a bit smaller than other acoustic guitars. So in summary, these are the things to keep in mind for a child.

• Guitar quality
• A Guitar that is easy to play.
• Guitar Size.
• Which Body Style or Shape?
• Is your child left or right-handed?
• Should I get a starter pack?
• How much does it cost?
• Which brands are best?
• What accessories do I need?

Guitar Quality And Easy To Play

If you get a guitar that doesn’t play well or sound right, your kid will hate it, and they will become frustrated and discouraged. It’s not hard to find an affordable quality guitar. A lot of people are calling today’s market the era of the affordable guitar. That being said there are still a lot of terrible guitars out there so you should be aware. Avoid department store guitars or something just because it is a kit. Kits are great and useful, but they are usually offered on entry-level instruments that are of poorer quality. Reviews are great if they are legitimate reviews. You can also check out some Facebook Groups or forums and see what other people are playing and like. This will give you an idea of what is out there when you start looking.

A good quality guitar should also be easy to play. This is true of most of us, but especially for children. Everyone’s body is different so different styles may suit different children. An easy-to-play guitar should be the right size and shape for your child.

Should I Get A Guitar Starter Kit?

Starter packs are great, especially with beginner electric guitars. Starter packs provide basic necessities for any guitar owner. At a minimum, they should provide a strap, a tuner, picks, and a case. If it is an electric guitar the kit should include a small amplifier and cable. There are lots of great starter packs out there, just avoid the department store packs with unknown brands. Stick to well know good brands like Fender, Epiphone, Taylor, Ibanez, Schecter, or Yamaha to name a few. Some lesser know brands that are also good quality include Harley Benton, a German brand, Firefly, Wolf. The key here is to try them out and make sure they play and sound good.

How much does it cost?

It is no secrete that guitars cost a lot of money, however, a good starter guitar shouldn’t cost you a fortune. At the same time, you should buy your child a toy guitar just because it is cheap. Get them a real guitar that they will enjoy for a few years until they are ready for an upgrade to something nicer.

Which brands are best?

Here are a few guitar brands and models that have a great reputation and also have some 3/4 sized guitars. While I don’t own all of these, I have played them in music stores and think they are good guitars at a great price. These also have great reviews on Amazon and other online retailers.

What accessories do I need?

If you get a kit then you are much, if not all of what you need is provided in many kits on the market.

Conclusion For How To Choose A Guitar For A Child

In conclusion, the most important things to consider when figuring out how to choose a guitar for a child are guitar quality, size, and shape which correlate with comfort, and price. Other considerations are accessories as well as whether your child is right or left-handed. Armed with this information you should be able to make a great choice for your child’s first guitar.

Pros and Cons Of Choosing An Acoustic Guitar

When Figuring out how to choose an acoustic guitar, the first thing you should consider is the pros and cons of choosing an acoustic guitar.

Pros Of Acoustic Guitars

• Great for folk, country, and rock guitar – Steel-string acoustic guitars just sound great. That’s one reason they are used in popular music. Not only that, if you want to play for friends around a campfire, at church, or just accompany your own voice, but they are also the standard. They are also awesome for writing music.
• Less gear to get you started. When you start with an acoustic or nylon guitar, you don’t need to worry about buying an amplifier and chord in order to hear the guitar.
• Portability. Since you don’t need a lot of other gear, you can take an acoustic guitar anywhere and play anything, anytime. You also won’t annoy other people with your loud music.
• A great way to learn – When you learn to play on an acoustic, moving to an electric or nylon guitar is really easy in comparison. If you start with an electric, you will quickly realize how hard it is to move to an acoustic because it is harder to press down on the strings.

Cons of Acoustic Guitars

• It hurts to play more compared to electric or nylon guitars – While this is true, once you are able to play acoustic, you can switch to any instrument with ease.

Acoustic or Nylon, what is the difference?
Acoustic guitars have steel strings, this creates a more treble-like tone. The steel strings are wound to soften the tone. Steel-string acoustic guitars are used in country, rock, and folk styles. Nylon guitars are easier to play because nylon strings hurt the fingers less. These are typically played in classical guitar but many folk players also use them. Nylon string guitars give a warm relaxed tone. The one drawback to nylon or classical guitars is that the neck on some models can sometimes be very large. For those players with small hands, this could be a problem.

Acoustic Guitar Body Styles

You may find a few other varieties of these styles when figuring out how to choose an acoustic guitar, but these are your main considerations.

• Parlor – These are the smallest-sized guitars you can get. Often set up for students who are younger or players who want a smaller size. They have a bright tone where the low bass tones are not as pronounced. If you are buying your first guitar for a student, then you might consider these.
• Concert – Are slightly larger than parlor guitars are the concert guitars. Both work great for fingerpicking and have a brighter tone with less emphasis on the lows.
• Auditorium – The auditorium has a great balance between highs and lows with good volume and projection. These are also great for fingerstyle playing and are often used by solo singers/songwriters for performance.
• Dreadnaught – One of the more popular styles of a body for guitar. These achieve a great balance of highs and lows and are versatile in the style of music they are used for. Many of us started our guitar journey with a dreadnaught.
• Jumbo or Super Jumbo – These guitars are great for getting out the volume. Their jumbo-sized bodies were designed for volume and they produce a big bold sound. Be aware that the body size may be harder for smaller people to play.
• Classical – these are usually smaller than the steel-stringed guitars mentioned above but have a warm inviting tone and since they use nylon strings, it can be easier to play than their steel string counterparts. Be careful though, even though the steel strings are easier, many of these styles of the guitar have very wide necks which can make things more difficult for smaller hands.
• Travel Guitars – In recent years, travel-sized guitars have been popularized by Taylor Guitar and Martin Guitar companies. These are smaller guitars that fit more easily in compartments when traveling, hence the name. If you are looking at buying your first guitar and are of smaller stature, these are a great option and have great tone and playability. I have one of these on my list of guitars to get.

How To Evaluate An Acoustic Guitar

Here are some things to consider when figuring out how to choose an acoustic guitar.

Price

While you don’t want to go expensive, don’t go too cheap either. Don’t order your guitar from Walmart because it is cheap and comes with a bunch of starter stuff. On the other hand, don’t spend a grand on your first guitar. A good starter guitar with a decent tone will run you around $150 to $200. The old saying you get what you pay for is true.

If you go super cheap you will get super cheap and you will probably end up discouraged by the tone and quality of the guitar. This is why I recommend spending a little bit more and getting something you really like. Never buy a guitar because it is pretty. If it sounds great and is pretty, that’s a bonus. I would rather play an ugly guitar that sounds great than a pretty guitar that sounds like shit. Does it sound good? If it looks pretty but sounds like crap, put it back and move on.

Feel

Play Some Guitars And See What You Like – Bring a friend who plays to help you determine the sound quality and playability. The first thing you should consider is the tone of the guitar. How is the action on the guitar? Is it easy to play? This is where it might be good to bring a friend with you who can play who can help you with these things. Also, most store employees can play too, but since they are trying to sell you a guitar, you might find more reliability from a friend.

How does the size feel? Small-scale vs large-scale. Do your fingers fit in the frets? Some people recommend full-sized guitars no matter what. They believe that you will adjust your playing to suit the guitar. While this is true, there may be reasons for considering a 3/4 sized guitar, especially for smaller children.

Sound

The most important thing to consider is how does it sound? Does it sound good? If it looks pretty but sounds like crap, put it back and move on. You will enjoy playing much more with a guitar that has a good tone. Again, this is where an experienced guitar player can help you evaluate the sound. They can play it, you can hear how it sounds. Many acoustic guitars come with pickups. Plug it into the same type of amp you plan to use. If you plan to buy both at the same time, make this a consideration. Are the pickups working and do the switches work? How is the tone when plugged in?

Quality

Check the frets, fretboard, and body for flaws. The frets should be smooth and the ends should not be sharp. Run your hand along the top and bottom of the fretboard. Is it sharp? The frets should not be sharp. The fretboard should not have nicks or other flaws and the fretboard should be a size that fits your hand. Are the seems and joints snug and put together well? Are there scratches? Look down the length of the neck, is it straight? Does it stay in tune and do the tuners slip when you are trying to tune?

Buy the guitar not the brand.

Conclusion – Choosing A Good Guitar

How To Choose An Electric Guitar For Beginners

When Figuring out how to choose an electric guitar, the first thing you should consider is the pros and cons of why you would choose an electric guitar.

Pros Electric Guitars

• Want to play the same as a guitar hero. Your motivation might be to play like your favorite rock star. In this case, you may want to start with electric guitars. 
• I don’t want that mellow crap. You hate acoustic guitars and just want to rock out. That’s fine. Have fun with it.
• Looks really cool. Electric guitars do look really cool. But don’t ever choose a guitar just because it looks cool. There are many other things to consider.

Cons Of Electric Guitars

• Needs additional equipment. An electric guitar needs to be plugged in to be heard properly. Consider a good amp with your electric guitar to get the most out of it.

Chosing An Electric Guitar Body Style

• Solid-body guitars are very popular for rock and country guitar playing.
  • Fender Stratocaster’s – Popularized by Fender Guitar Company, Strats have a distinctive style that has been copied over and over again. They have a great variety of sounds that you can incorporate and are fun to play.
  • Fender Telecaster – Another great guitar by Fender. This style is used a lot in country music.
  • Gibson Les Paul – Popularized by heavy metal and hard rock bands, Les Pauls is another versatile guitar that can really get a raunchy sound.
  • Gibson SG – Another great raunchy-sounding guitar that has been played by greats such as Jimmy Page. This guitar has a double-cutaway design that is great for playing higher notes on the fretboard.
  • Gibson Flying V – I’m not a big fan of this style but some people love them.
  • Gibson Explorer – This model looks like a lightning bolt. The SG, Flying V, and Explorer all make playing high notes more accessible and easier.
• Hollow Body Or Archtop Guitars
  • A very resonant instrument with a top that is arched and set up for playing amplified.
• Semi-Hollow Body
  • These are popularized by Gibsons ES Series guitars and Rickenbacker. These guitars have a tone block that runs down the center of the guitar that helps to reduce feedback, while still retaining a deep tone. These instruments are often used in jazz-style guitar but you can find them in rock and country as well.
• Other
  • There are lots of other variants of these main styles out there. Play as many guitar styles as you can so you can decide for yourself what you like, what feels the best, and what gives you the sound you are looking for.

How To Choose An Electric Guitar – Electric Guitar Pickups

Active vs Passive

• Active Guitar Pickups – Active guitar pickups also use copper wire coils but they use fewer coils than passive. Instead, these use a preamp to boost the signal which is usually powered by a 9-volt battery.
• Passive Guitar Pickups – Passive guitar pickups use simple transducers, built by wrapping many coils of copper wire around a magnet. The location of the magnet in proximity to the strings causes the strings to magnetize. So when the strings move, they disturb the magnetic field and cause an electrical current to pass through the copper wire. A lot of popular brands use this type of pickup.

Benefits And Drawbacks

• Passive guitar pickups tend to transmit more hum and interference. Also, since the pickups and strings are magnetized, it can cause the strings to bend enough to cause intonation issues. Passive pickups can also cause a lot more feedback. Passive pickups tend to have a higher dynamic range than active so they are praised for this. They also enhance lower frequencies and have a warmer tone.
• Active pickups are less susceptible to background noise. They are sometimes described as tonally “cold” meaning the tone dynamics are much lower than that of passive. However, these are sought after for their ability to articulate lines for shred or jazz guitar.

More About Pickups

• Single Coil Guitar Pickups – Single-coil pickups are just that. A single coiled pickup controlled by electromagnetic copper wiring. Passive pickups tend to be single or double coiled pickups. These produce
• Humbucker Guitar Pickups – Humbuckers were created by combining two single-coil into one pickup and wiring them so that their magnetic poles oriented in opposite directions. This canceled or “bucked” the electric hum. Hence the name humbucker.
• Why choose single coil-over double coiled guitar pickups? Because single coils tend to be brighter and crisper with more not definition between strings. Humbuckers are usually darker, heavier, and louder.

How To Choose An Electric Guitar – Evaluating A Guitar

When looking at how to choose an electric guitar, first and foremost, go out and play a bunch of guitars and see what you like. This is the best way to get a feel for what you prefer.

Guitar Price

You do not have to spend a ton of money on a decent electric guitar. At the same time, too cheap can be devastating. Don’t order your guitar from Walmart because it is cheap and comes with a bunch of starter stuff. On the other hand, don’t spend a small fortune on your first guitar. A good starter guitar with a decent tone will run you around $150 to $200. Some makes and models even come as a kit with a strap, tuner, and case among other things. A used guitar can be good too, just be careful and know what you are looking at. Plug it in and make sure the pickups work, if sounds and feels good, and plays well.

Guitar Quality

The old adage “you get what you pay for” is true. If you go super cheap you will get super cheap and you will probably end up discouraged by the tone and quality of the guitar. This is why I recommend spending a little bit more and getting something you really like and that you will enjoy.

Check the frets, fretboard, and body for flaws. The frets should be smooth, the fretboard should not have nicks or other flaws and the fretboard should be a size that fits your hand. Are the seems and joints snug and put together well? Are there scratches? Look down the length of the neck, is it straight? One of the most important questions to ask is whether the guitar can hold the note when it is tuned? Do the tuners slip when you are trying to tune?

Take a look a the pickups and plug it into the same type of amp you plan to use with the guitar. If you plan to buy both at the same time, make this a consideration. What type of amp do you want, need? Are the pickups working and do the switches work? How is the tone when plugged in? Does it plugin from the side of the guitar or the top. This may change which chord you choose. Do you want or need a tremolo?

Buy the guitar not the brand name and buy the best you can afford, you will enjoy it more. Mostly do not buy a guitar just because it’s pretty.

Feel Or Action

The action is the distance between the fretboard and the strings. The strings too far from the fretboard make the action hard. Closer is better, but not so close that the strings buzz on the frets. The closer the action the easier it easy to play. This is where it might be good to bring a friend with you or consult with a store employee who can play who can help you with these things. Another consideration is ergonomics, is it a comfortable guitar? Is the headstock heavy and does it experience head dive? A guitar should be balanced so that you don’t have to hold up the neck when playing. Head dive is really annoying especially when you are trying to learn.

Tone

An important consideration in how to choose an electric guitar should be the sound. How is the tone of the guitar and the pickups? Make sure you plug it in and listen to how it sounds through an amplifier. Use the same or similar amplifier as you plan to use at home. When it comes to electric guitars, you will find that having a good amp will make a huge difference in the tone of the guitar. If you have a cheap amp, it will be frustrating because it will likely sound bad. Don’t spend $800 on a great guitar and plug it into a crappy amp. Practice amps don’t have to break the bank but make sure it sounds good. You can also plug the guitar into a computer with a computer interface. This will allow you to use digital amplifiers which is a great option when you are just learning. We cover computer interfaces in Guitar Accessories For Beginners.

Size

How does the size of the guitar feel? Do your fingers fit in the frets? Some people recommend full-sized guitars no matter what. They believe that you will adjust your playing to suit the guitar. While this is true, there may be reasons for considering a 3/4 sized guitar, especially for smaller children. The more comfortable the guitar is the more you will want to play it.

Conclusion On How To Choose An Electric Guitar

How to choose an electric guitar can be overwhelming, however, when you know what to look for it becomes much easier. So in conclusion, look at the price of the guitar, the overall quality, action, tone, and size. How a guitar feels is one of the most important considerations when choosing a guitar. When this information all comes together, you can make an informed decision and pick the right guitar for you!