Which Type of Guitar Should You Get First?

Choosing your first guitar is often a tough task for most beginner guitarists or even soon-to-be-guitarists. There’s just so many options. You can go with different kinds of acoustic guitars, electric guitars, or classical guitars.

So what to do? First of all, keep in mind that if someone manages to convince you into buying something you don’t actually want, then you won’t have the motivation to play your new instrument.

That’s why the most important lesson here is to always buy what YOU want to buy, not what someone else says you should buy.

Now, let’s go through some of the most popular types of guitars and the reasons why you’d want to buy them.

Electric guitars

Chances are that if you are a small boy, this is the guitar you want. Electric guitars are the cool ones in the guitar world. But there is actually more reasons for buying them than just “coolness.”

Electric guitars give much joy when you play them. You know, you can play standing up, do all sorts of poses, act like your favorite musician and stuff.

However, getting an electric guitar alone won’t work. You have to get some cables, an amplifier, and probably some effects too. So in the end, this is the most expensive choice here.

Also, all the effects and amps mean that there’s also a lot more stuff that you need to master apart from guitar playing itself. Additionally, your guitar will sound differently when plugged in, which forces you to learn how to play it on different amps and effects to get the best quality sound.

That being said, electric guitar is the most family-friendly of all guitar types. That’s because you can play with headphones. Let’s face it, you won’t be a guitar virtuoso right from the get-go, so using some headphones is probably a good idea.

On top of all that, electric guitars come in many different sizes and shapes. You are certain to find something that both suits you and looks great at the same time.

Classical guitars

Usually, classical guitar is not your first idea when you think about buying your first instrument. They just don’t seem that cool. But they are still great, and here’s why.

Due to the wider fretboard and nylon strings (a bit softer), classical guitars are great for learning how to fret notes and chords, and how to change them quickly.

Plus, classical guitar music requires a lot of skill in your both hands. Skill that comes handy later on when you switch to other guitar types.

Finally, a standard classical guitar is relatively small, so even kids can play a full-sized instrument. This is something parents often struggle with. They don’t want to buy a bigger instrument as they know that their child won’t be able to play it, but at the same time they don’t want to buy a smaller one because very soon the child will outgrow it.

In such a situation a classical guitar might be the perfect solution.

Acoustic guitars

Acoustic guitars are cool for at least 3 reasons:

1. you can take them with you wherever you want because you don’t need an amp to make it sound good,
2. if you buy an acoustic-electric, you can amplify it and get a truly remarkable sound,
3. there are many great styles of playing an acoustic, some of them really stunning.

About my reason #3, check out this video to see for yourself:

Acoustic guitars are also available in different sizes, so everyone can find something suitable. The most popular ones are: dreadnoughts, three-quarter, half size.

Whatever type of guitar you end up choosing, remember that you need to spend at least some amount of money. Don’t get the cheapest instrument in the store. It won’t be of much use, and you’ll simply have to buy another instrument soon, which means spending twice the money.

Getting a nice mid-rage instrument is often the best choice for a beginner. Talk to the clerk in your local music store and I’m sure you’ll find something interesting.

What’s the story of your first guitar? Feel free to share.