Guitar Selection – How to Find a Guitar That is Right For You
Are you about to buy a guitar? Does the selection intimidate you? Here are some tips on finding a guitar that is right for you.
Style
The first thing you have to ask yourself is what kind of music do you plan on playing. Do you like flamenco, speed metal, or campfire music? After figuring that out then you will at least narrow your selection down a bit. Speed metal and rock music lovers will likely be heading to the electric guitars and the others will be looking for some sort of acoustic guitar.
Size
I personally like to play my guitar while I am sitting at my desk working on the computer. This had a big influence on the type of guitar I bought. I needed something small and I was also interested in plugging it into my computer somehow. I found a really cool guitar that easily fit on my lap while sitting at my chair. It is one of those headless types that have the tuners near the base of the guitar. It was ideal for me. So you have to think to yourself where you will be playing your guitar and also about the room needed to store it near where you play it.
Volume
Chances are that when you get your first guitar that you are going to be pretty bad for quite some time. Think of those around you. Do they really want to hear you practise? Maybe you live in an apartment building with intolerant neighbours. Figure it out — maybe an electric guitar would be a good choice in this case as you can plug it into headphones and not bother those around you.
Pain
Do you have soft tender hands? If you are a beginner then there will be some pain involved as your fingers get used to pressing strings. Some people find this discouraging and quit. One solution is to find a guitar that has easy to press strings. Some models have the strings very close to the fretboard, and others even have a scalloped fretboard which makes it easier to press the strings. I personally find that most electric guitars have strings that are easier to press than the traditional acoustic guitar.
Brand
Everyone has a favorite brand of guitar. I personally recommend that you just walk into a music store and try out several guitars and find one that you like. Why be swayed by other peoples opinions when you can make your own decisions.
