Buying your first guitar is a very exciting event that will change your life forever. However, you may not know what to look for or what questions to ask when you go on this mission. Making a large purchase and considering all the options related to that purchase can be overwhelming.

Read on for a few tips on buying your first guitar. Learn about the options that are available to you, discover the important factors and features, and go to the music store with confidence. Soon, you will be walking out their doors with an instrument that will become not just a tool for you to use for years to come, but that will also become one of your very best friends.

Don’t Buy Online; Go to a Store

Although it may be tempting to buy a guitar online, this is one purchase you will want to make in person. Even if you have little experience in playing a guitar, you’ll want to know how it feels in your hands before buying. Also, you’ll want to be able to check out a few things that you simply cannot gauge from looking at a guitar on a website.

If you have a favorite guitarist or two, keep him or her in mind when you go to purchase your first guitar. Even though it will be quite some time before you sound like a rock star, telling the salesperson about these people will give him or her an idea of the type of sound that you like, and this can help that salesperson match you with a guitar that you will love.

Also, be aware that guitar manufacturers often cut corners when it comes to putting the finishing touches on their products. You will want to inspect your prospective guitar all over before making your purchase. Check to make sure the guitar neck is straight and that you can reach all of the strings on the fretboard, too.

Electric or Acoustic?

There are two basic types of guitars and each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Take your time to determine which is best for your first-ever guitar lessons. You can always try the other style later on.

Electric guitars are the most popular style used in modern music and they are easier to play than the others. They are very versatile and work in a wide variety of genres. On the downside, they do require additional equipment like an amplifier and they need to be plugged in for best results.

Acoustic guitars are preferred by some because they do not require an amplifier; they produce rich sounds with no outside help. They are great for playing chords, and you can play an acoustic guitar almost anywhere. However, the range of sounds and tones is far smaller than that of an electric guitar, and many musicians find them more difficult to play due to their thicker strings.

New or Used?

There are also pros and cons to buying your first guitar brand new or used, but a lot of this depends on preference alone. A used guitar will often be more inexpensive, but not always, and may have a pleasant vintage look and sound to it. A new guitar may instead include technology not available in older models, and may also come with a manufacturer’s warranty, which is a nice bonus.

Enjoy Your First Guitar

If you’re in the market for your first guitar, congratulations. You are about to embark on a lifelong journey of making music. Your guitar will become your constant companion and will be a reflection of your personality, so choose wisely, and then get started on practicing right away.

How to Learn to Play the Guitar 

There are several ways to get started playing after you make your purchase.  Your familiarity with music will also have a lot to do with how you should learn to play the guitar.  If you know how to read music and have at least a basic understanding of music theory than you will be able to learn at an accelerated rate than if you are unfamiliar with music at a technical level. Lately, online tutorials are plentiful and there is an abundance of skilled musicians making educational and entertaining content.  Most of these, however, will teach you a routine rather than teaching you how to truly play the instrument.  If really learning the guitar is a goal of yours, then private guitar lessons by a qualified instructor is the best way to go.  Especially with teaching your child how to play the guitar, a solid foundation in music will go much further than learning the tabs for a single song at a time.  With children’s guitar lessons, the concepts taught by an experienced guitar instructor will teach them the instrument in a way that they are less likely to forget and better enable them to pick up other instruments in the future.

Interested in taking guitar lessons in the San Antonio area? You came to the right place. Give us a call today. We can’t wait to hear from you.