Which guitar is right for me?
We Can Help!
As one of the UK’s largest independent Guitar retailers, our website lists literally thousands of guitars in every shape and size imaginable, with something for every genre and style…
…but if you’re just starting out, or buying for a beginner, then that doesn’t help you much, which is exactly why we’ve put together these handy tips on what to look for to make sure you buy the guitar that is right for you.
Guitar Types
There are 4 main categories on our website that break down the different types of guitars. It’s important to understand them in order to make sure you pick up the one that’s right for you.
You’ll sometimes hear these instruments referred to as Spanish Guitars, the origins of this type of acoustic lies in traditional Spanish folk music, but today the Classical Guitar is generally considered to be the best beginners style acoustic guitar on the market. There are a few reasons for this; at their entry level they are more affordable than most other guitars, they are available in a range of sizes including 3/4 and 1/2 making them ideal for young children, they have softer nylon strings (in comparison to a Western style steel strung Acoustic), and they have a wide flatter string spacing and scale length, making them ideal for beginners to easily differentiate the strings and hand shapes.
A difficult category to define, as they come in so many varieties of shape and size, the Western style Acoustic Guitar is characterised by steel strings and a closer string spacing to it’s Classical cousin. The most popular shape (pictured here) is the Dreadnought, available at incredibly affordable prices from companies like Epiphone, the Dreadnought Acoustic is generally larger and bulkier than a classical, so may be more difficult for a child or beginner, but smaller sizes are available; the Parlour size for example is extremely popular in modern pop music, brought back to the mainstream largely by Ed Sheeran.
Electro-Acoustic guitars are the same format as Western style acoustics, the difference is that they are fitted with an internal pick-up, similar in concept to an electric guitar, which allows the guitar to be plugged into an amplifier or PA system. The advantages of this are that they can be used for stage performance easily, and they can be used in conjunction with effects pedals such as reverbs, delays and loopers.
The most popular type of guitar that we sell, maybe not the most practical for an absolute beginner, but certainly the most fun. Electric guitars come in many shapes and sizes, and require the use of an amplifier to be heard at a relative volume. Fortunately most of the more affordable brands offer convenient Starter Packs that include everything you’ll need to start playing, like an amplifier, cable, plectrum, tuner, strap and stand.
There are lots of essential accessories to consider when purchasing a guitar, whether it’s an Electric, Acoustic, Electro-Acoustic or Classical, your going to need to consider a few additional elements.
- Strings (Note that string types are different for Electric, Acoustic and Classical)
- Straps
- Plectrums
- Tuner
- Cable (Electric and Electro-Acoustic only)
- Guitar Stand
- Case/Carry Bag
- Roadie (Normally a Parent will suffice)
Hopefully this selection of our own recommended products will set you well on your way, but if you’d like a bit of help and advice then give us a call on 01273 665400.