How to Select a Starter Guitar

Playing the guitar is a great way to increase dexterity and creativity. Not many things are more calming than a relaxing time playing the guitar after a bad day at school or work. For a novice, finding a starter guitar can be difficult because of the many options and the potential monetary investment.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Determine which type of guitar to buy; Electric or acoustic? The generally accepted logic says that a starter guitar should be an acoustic guitar. However this is not a must and is up to the individual.
2. Set a budget. Guitars can cost thousands of dollars. Good starter guitars can be bought for well under $500 (see resources for pricing info).
3. Decide if the starter guitar is going to be used or new. Often a person can find good deals on used guitars at their local pawn shop. However with these guitars, the buyer should beware of faulty guitars.
4. Select the guitar with the size and age of the user in mind. If the user is under 10 or is small in stature, then a starter guitar must be able to be handled by younger and smaller hands.
5. Test a friends or relatives guitar if possible. Most everyone knows a person that has a guitar. Ask this person if you can borrow the guitar, or just stop by and test it out. Some people do not have the manual dexterity to play the guitar.
6. Go to a local music store and try as many models as possible. This will give the player a better idea of how the starter guitar fits his body type and hands and, more importantly, if he likes the sound of the given model.