Factors to Consider When Buying an Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic Guitar

As a beginner in the musical world, one of the best instruments to take up is the acoustic guitar. It can be ranked as one of the easiest instruments to learn as you only need to understand a couple of chords to be able to play a simple song. However, to be able to achieve this, you must first have the right guitar, and with many brands in the market, it can be a little difficult to choose the right one.

As a beginner, below are some of the factors to consider when buying an acoustic guitar:

The Size

It can be difficult to become an advanced guitar player if you are not comfortable with the size of your guitar. Guitars come in different sizes, and these sizes also tend to affect the sound. The Grand Concert guitar is about 13 inches in size, and it is fit for smaller musicians. The Auditorium guitar is slightly bigger than the grand guitar, and it offers a better volume as well. The Jumbo is another type of guitar, and it is bigger than the Auditorium. This guitar is also popular amongst country musicians. The Dreadnought guitar is about 20 inches tall, and it is great for bluegrass music and other similar genres. The Travel guitar, as the name implies, is best for traveling, and it comes in different sizes. If you are still confused about the size of the guitar that suits you best, learn more here.

The Tonewood

This refers to the wooden body of the guitar, and it plays an important role in shaping the sound of the instrument. As a beginner, you would want to pick a tonewood based on its feel and quality. There is a wide range of tonewood in the market, and Sapele is one of them. This is a lightweight yet durable tonewood popular for its high ranges. Another kind of tonewood is Maple. This tonewood is similar to Sapele, but it is known to work beautifully with other instruments. The Mahogany tonewood is somewhere between Sapele and Maple, and it is best for high and well-defined sounds. The Cedar is another type of tonewood, but unlike others, it produces a very soft sound that is easily comparable to flamenco. To avoid making mistakes while choosing a specific tonewood, it is important to have a good idea of the quality of sound you wish to achieve and make your choice based on that.

Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic Guitar

The Strings

The strings are the most important part of the acoustic guitar, and as a guitarist, it is important to give them lots of consideration before purchase. The strings can either be steel or nylon, and each of them has their unique advantage over the other. The Nylon strings offer a soft feel which is gentle on your fingertips. The sound produced by a Nylon string is not sharp; instead, it offers a warm melody. Steel,strings, on the other hand, can be really painful to handle during long practice sessions, but this pain is worth the crisp and high tones it produces. These two types of strings have their unique qualities, but before choosing any, you should seek professional advice to see which will serve you better in the long run. However, it is also important to know that when the string gets damaged, the steel strings of an acoustic guitar cannot be replaced by a nylon string and vise versa.

Special Features

This is another factor to consider when buying a guitar. As a guitarist, you would want to make a good investment in your guitar, and the presence of a special feature should also be a factor for buying it. Some acoustic guitars have features similar to electrical guitars, that is, it can be played through an amp. This kind of guitar is referred to as an acoustic-electric guitar and is one of the best options for recording sessions and live performances. Depending on the kind of musical career you are aiming for, you should choose your guitar in such a manner. If you plan on playing in a band or on the streets, the acoustic-electric guitar is a great option.

Cost

This is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a guitar. As much as you would want to go for a high-quality instrument, as a beginner, it makes no sense to go for extremely expensive ones. You can start from cheaper models and slowly advance into more expensive and high-quality ones as you become an expert.

Finally, as a Beginner, it is advisable to seek advice from professionals and people with more knowledge in this field before making huge decisions.