So, you want to learn to play the guitar? Congratulations, you're now at the beginning of a fun and rewarding journey.
Now, one of the most important things to decide before you begin is what kind of guitar should you get? This is dependent on what type of music you're looking to play. Do you prefer rock, country, funk, metal, etc.? Whichever type of music you prefer, there's pretty much a range of guitars to suit it.
As an example, if you enjoy listening to harder rock, like metal, then buying an electric guitar by such companies as Ibanez, Washburn or Jackson would be ideal. However, if softer rock is more your thing, a better choice would be a Gibson, Yamaha or Fender guitar.
The best piece of advice I can give you is to go into a guitar store and simply try some out. I'd be lying if I said you only buy guitars based on their make, they've got to look and feel comfortable too.
Many players stick to one make or model of guitar simply because it's their favourite in terms of look, feel and sound. In fact, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, two of the greatest guitar players of all time, played Fender Stratocasters almost exclusively. Jimmy Page played a Gibson Les Paul as does Slash from Guns n Roses. A good tip is to look at what type of guitar your favourite guitar players use and look for similar ones whilst at the store.
Another piece of advice is to look out for and ask the store employees about the 'action' of any guitars that interest you. This term refers to the space between the strings and the neck. Basically, the higher the action, the harder you have to press down on the string, and the harder the guitar will be to play.
A fair percentage of guitars are made with an action that is too high for the those just learning to play the guitar to get to grips with. This can easily put beginners off learning the guitar after a few weeks of learning because it hurts too much to play. Simply ask the the assistant in the store to check the action for you and you can't go far wrong.
Now, one of the most important things to decide before you begin is what kind of guitar should you get? This is dependent on what type of music you're looking to play. Do you prefer rock, country, funk, metal, etc.? Whichever type of music you prefer, there's pretty much a range of guitars to suit it.
As an example, if you enjoy listening to harder rock, like metal, then buying an electric guitar by such companies as Ibanez, Washburn or Jackson would be ideal. However, if softer rock is more your thing, a better choice would be a Gibson, Yamaha or Fender guitar.
The best piece of advice I can give you is to go into a guitar store and simply try some out. I'd be lying if I said you only buy guitars based on their make, they've got to look and feel comfortable too.
Many players stick to one make or model of guitar simply because it's their favourite in terms of look, feel and sound. In fact, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, two of the greatest guitar players of all time, played Fender Stratocasters almost exclusively. Jimmy Page played a Gibson Les Paul as does Slash from Guns n Roses. A good tip is to look at what type of guitar your favourite guitar players use and look for similar ones whilst at the store.
Another piece of advice is to look out for and ask the store employees about the 'action' of any guitars that interest you. This term refers to the space between the strings and the neck. Basically, the higher the action, the harder you have to press down on the string, and the harder the guitar will be to play.
A fair percentage of guitars are made with an action that is too high for the those just learning to play the guitar to get to grips with. This can easily put beginners off learning the guitar after a few weeks of learning because it hurts too much to play. Simply ask the the assistant in the store to check the action for you and you can't go far wrong.
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