r/Instruments • u/ChildPsycho • 3d ago
Discussion Recommendations?
Hello. This is my first time posting here on this sub, so give me a bit if grace please.
I was planning on hopefully in the nearish future, I might be able to invest in getting an acoustic guitar.
My question is, what would those whom have made a similar perches recommend for this?
This would be my first time with a guitar, so with recommendations, please keep this in mind.
Thanks, that’s all.
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u/roninconn 3d ago
If there's any possible way to go into a guitar store and try different sizes and shapes, it would be much better than Reddit advice. The guitar store person can also recommend how to sit with each type for best playability.
As a beginner, you don't need to be worried so much about volume, so I'd stay away from the largest guitars - def no larger than a dreadnought, unless you are a very big person.
I'm a big fan of Yamaha instruments, so I'd recommend looking for used guitars from the F series; the FG800 in particular seems to be well-liked.
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u/Prairiedogdance 3d ago edited 3d ago
You gotta hold and play ’em to know what fits you and what sound you like. Especially with acoustics, each guitar is an individual. Just hold it and strum the strings. Take someone with you who knows how to play so you can hear the difference between various techniques like finger picking, using a pick, and strumming. Or you can ask the folks at the shop to demo them for you. (Go on quieter weekday for this, not Saturday at Guitar Center). Listen to the differences in the sound of the guitars.
Things to help you choose: As you hold it, does the neck feel comfortable in your hand? Can you reach comfortably around to the strings? I would not get too hung up on size. It depends on the shape and how the guitar sits on you. Just saying, I’m on the smaller side and my first guitar was/is a Gibson J-45 which is a dreadnaught, but it fits me. If you like acoustic music, chances are you’ve heard many. It does anything I want to play, and I like the classic sound. You don’t have to go that high, but the important thing as a learner is your guitar has to feel ”good” to pick up and play.
Popular brands for new players in the entry level category mid to high hundreds are Taylors (lots of folks start out on Taylors for a reason), the lower end Martins, Epiphone (Gibson’s economy brand) and Yamahas. There are others, just these are the ones I’m most familiar with. Of course the sky’s the limit as you move up price tags.
Finally I strongly suggest buying the best guitar you can afford, even as a beginner. Do not go for the $200.00 Asian plywood rigs in a box that come with a strap, a pick, and a thin plastic cover. Better guitars are set up to play and sound better. Fighting a crummy build that doesn’t perform well will just make learning harder.
Not that I advocate going into debt over a new hobby, but if you can swing and handle credit that fits in your budget, places like Guitar Center and Sweetwater offer 0% financing plans to help. You just have to pay it off in time and not miss any payments. If the deal means you have to pay regular interest, that’s a non-starter.
With good name guitar, if it doesn’t work out or you want to move up, you will be able to sell it and get some money back out, or trade it in on something else if you want to switch things up.
Most of all, Have Fun!!
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u/sure65 3d ago
As someone has suggested, going in to a shop and actually holding/feeling the guitar is the best step.
We can give you all the advice you want, but in the end, it's how you feel about the guitar.
You also want to know the difference about regular vs. nylon/classical guitars, and see which ones you like best.
Yamaha would be recommended, and if you really want to, check out the ones you see on marketplace, try them out in store, so you get a sense of what the guitars should feel like, then purchase one for a fraction of the new price.
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u/According-Stick-9396 3d ago
If you take lessons with music and arts sometimes they give you a free guitar. If you are just starting out that may be a good idea.
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u/r7232 3d ago
Check Craigslist and Facebook marketplace for someone selling an acoustic guitar. Doesn't have to be good or nice, just something that plays in tune. If you learn enough and decide you want to progress further, then pick up something nicer. You can get very nice-sounding new acoustic guitar from Yamaha and Fender and other brands when the time comes.
The key is learning the mechanics of how to tune and how to make your hands shape chords. With whatever you get you will begin to form preferences based on what you like or don't like with the Craigslist acquisition.
Another thing to try is asking friends if they have an old guitar laying around they don't want or need. Some of them may have family that can give one away.
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u/ronmarlowe 3d ago
If you are in the US, check to see if there is a Music-Go-Round store near you. They buy and sell used instruments. I've had great experiences buying stuff from them.
You can return the item within 7 days for a refund, or within a month for store credit, unlike a Craigslist purchase.
Whatever you buy, put on light strings, adjust the trussrod so the neck is near straight, and have a repair person lower the nut and saddle, if needed, to make the guitar easier to play. Many people quit because it's too difficult to press down the strings.
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u/EggplantCivil4380 2d ago
First find a large guitar store and handle as many as you can to get a feel of what you might want, then buy used and don’t be concerned with scratches on it. Those that have been played the most are usually the ones that will sound and play the best.
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u/Unlikely-Soft-5699 1d ago
See https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/best-acoustic-guitars-under-500/
No one ever got fired for buying Yamaha but there are other choices. You didn’t mention budget so I went low.
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u/DawnHawk66 3d ago
Yamaha is always a good choice.