Choosing an Acoustic Guitar – Tips For Buying Your First Guitar: A blog about different acoustic guitars and which ones are best for a beginner.
If you’re a new guitar player, it helps to know what features to look for in your first guitar. Many new guitar players ask things like “What body style should I choose?”, “How much do I need to spend?”, and “What brand of guitar is best?”
This article will help you answer those questions and more so you can get the best acoustic guitar for your needs and budget. Keep reading to learn all about choosing an acoustic guitar.
Body Styles of Acoustic Guitars
There are three main types of acoustic guitars: dreadnoughts, classical guitars and parlor guitars. Each has its own advantages, so let’s take a look at each one.
Dreadnought-style guitars are the most popular type of acoustic guitar in the world today. With their large bodies and deep, warm tones, they can be used for almost any musical style. The first dreadnought was invented by Martin Guitars back in 1916, but dozens of manufacturers now make dreadnoughts in many shapes, sizes and colors. While some dreadnoughts have a cutaway (a slight indent
We are going to look at the process of buying a new acoustic guitar in three separate parts:
1. Choosing the right style and size of guitar – this first part will give you the information you need to choose the right size and style of guitar based on your musical preference, body type and experience level.
2. Testing a Guitar – this second part will give you guidance on how to test a guitar you are considering buying before making a purchase.
3. The Final Decision – this third part will give you some final tips on making that all important decision of what guitar to buy, including some valuable information on where to buy your new guitar from and how much you should be willing to pay for it.
Playing guitar is a great way to relax, feel inspired and have fun. If you’re buying an acoustic guitar as a gift, find out what kind of music and artists the budding guitarist wants to emulate. Then seek out a good beginner’s guitar that may help him or her work toward that goal. Browsing online or at your local music store can help make the choice easier by giving you a chance to see how different guitars look and sound when you play them.
The first step in choosing an acoustic guitar is determining how it will be used. Will it be used for strumming chords or fingerpicking? Will the guitarist be performing solo or with other musicians? Is it for singalongs around the campfire or for recording in the studio? Is the guitarist primarily interested in recording acoustic-based music or does he/she also want to amplify the instrument through a public address system?
The answers to these questions will help determine which style of acoustic guitar is most suitable. A flat-picking bluegrass player, for example, would probably prefer a small-body dreadnought-style guitar like the Gibson Dove ($5,999), Taylor 514ce ($2,949) or Martin D-15M ($1,999). A singer-songwriter
When people start playing the guitar, the first question they often ask is what kind of guitar to get. The answer: Buy an acoustic guitar. An acoustic guitar is one that makes sound acoustically – by transmitting the vibration of the strings to the air – as opposed to relying on electronic amplification (seeAcoustic vs. Electric Guitar).
Acoustic guitars are commonly constructed in several different body types and shapes. You’ll find classical guitars made from nylon strings, steel string guitars and 12-string guitars, but for a beginner guitarist, the most common type of acoustic guitar is a 6-string steel-string guitar with a dreadnought body style (called “dreadnought” because it was designed by the American manufacturer C.F. Martin & Co., which named it after a battleship). The most popular shape is called a dreadnought, but other shapes include jumbo, auditorium, concert and grand concert.
The type of wood used to make an acoustic guitar plays a major role in the kind of sound it produces. Many believe – and you can hear it for yourself – that solid wood produces a richer and fuller sound than laminate wood (which has thin layers of wood glued together). However, laminates can be just as durable
What is the difference between an acoustic and a classical guitar?
A classical guitar has a wider neck than a steel string acoustic or electric guitar which can be hard for beginners with small hands. The action (the distance from the strings to the fretboard) is also usually lower on a classical guitar which means that it doesn’t take as much pressure to press down on the strings.
The main difference between a classical guitar and other types of acoustic guitars such as the steel string, is that it uses nylon strings. This makes it easier to press down on them, however there is less sustain and volume.
Because they are easier to play, they are ideal for beginners and children who have smaller hands. However, the quality of sound isn’t always as good as steel string acoustics or electrics.
Acoustic guitars are constructed in a similar fashion to an electric guitar, but without the pickups. The sound of an acoustic guitar is created by the vibration of the strings and by resonance in the body of the instrument. An acoustic guitar has a hollow body, where the sound is created, and a solid top to help project that sound. The back and sides of the guitar are usually mahogany or rosewood. Often made of spruce or cedar, the top is what gives an acoustic guitar its unique tone.
An acoustic guitar can be either nylon string or steel string. Nylon string guitars are commonly referred to as classical guitars, while steel strings are called acoustic guitars. Steel string guitars have a brighter tone than classical guitars, which may be better suited to certain styles of music.
A capo is a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to raise the pitch. This allows you to play songs in different keys without having to change your fingering when playing chords.
The classical guitar is an acoustic guitar that has a body similar to a steel-stringed acoustic guitar, but the neck is longer and there is no waist or cutaway. The classical guitar is also known as the Spanish guitar because it originated in Spain.
The strings of a classical guitar are made of nylon or gut, rather than steel. Strings made from nylon or gut produce a softer sound than those made from steel. Strings can be purchased separately, but most people buy classical guitars with nylon strings already attached.
Classical guitars have six strings and twelve frets. The twelve frets are numbered from one to twelve starting at the headstock and ending at the body joint of the instrument. Classical guitars usually have three nylon strings and three gut strings.