Here at TakeLessons, we book guitar lessons daily.  Many times our students ask us what type of guitar they should buy for their lessons. While some of our teachers have guitars for the students to use in lessons, many still want to buy their own. One of our Rancho Cordova guitar teachers, Robert (Bob) C. sent us the following advice when selecting a guitar for a beginner guitar student.

Bob C. writes:

Starting music lessons is a wonderful idea and can improve a person’s life.  It has been shown that students who seriously study music develop structures in their brain that MRI studies demonstrate are used for Math and Physics concepts.  In fact, Einstein credits his conceptual creativity on learning the violin at age four.  As you learn, your brain grows musically and you’ll enjoy music much more.

When my students start lessons, I am more than willing to help them obtain a reasonably priced, easy-to-play instrument.  Unfortunately students often show up with a guitar-shaped toy. Parents say “If he/she likes it, we’ll get a better one.”  Well, it rarely works like that. They are generally impossible to play; they hurt your fingers and the sound is not optimal. It might discourage the student to think they can’t play guitar when really it’s just the instrument.

My recommended starter guitar:

A steel string guitar has 220 pounds of pressure, and usually has a narrow neck.  It is much easier for the student to start on a nylon string, usually called a classical guitar. Nylon strings are much easier to play and there is more space between the strings making it easier to play chords.

Many children want to learn electric guitar.  However, electrics are a much more expensive proposition. You have to pay for a guitar, electronics, cables and an amp.

You also want to look for a solid top. Why a solid top?  That’s your speaker.  As it is played, it will quickly open up and sound better and better.  Plywood tops will never get the same sound, so look for tops made of quality woods.

I also recommend buying a tuner. Tuning is a fairly difficult task, and learning to tune a guitar with a tuner makes it much easier to do. Tuning is tricky since it involves listening and getting used to adjusting the pitch.   Tuning takes practice and is not easy to do, but an out of tune guitar can really sound terrible. Be sure to purchase a tuner that will let you set which string you are on.

If you go to a store to buy a guitar, there are a few basic things you can check.

1:  If you put a straight edge from the neck, it should hit the bridge, ideally, at the bottom of the saddle.  If not, the angle is off, and the guitar is not one you should buy.  A yardstick or ruler is ideal for this.  If the angle is wrong, the only repair is a neck reset which can cost about $150 or more.

2:  If you push the guitar string down on the top and bottom fret the string should come close to hitting every string, with no more than a 1/8th of an inch.  If not, it will be warped and difficult to play.  Sometimes you can adjust the truss rod and straighten the neck.

3: Play every note on the guitar and make sure that all of them clear the next fret and don’t buzz.

4: It should be as easy to press down on the 12 fret as the first fret.  The notes are closer together up high on the fingerboard.

I recommend that you go to a store to purchase a guitar with someone that knows how to play, whether that is your teacher or someone that works there.

In summary, a playable guitar is a musical instrument, not a toy.   If you buy a toy it may be money wasted and lead to discouraging your child from really playing.  A good student guitar is not very expensive, usually between $100 to $200.   I personally try and keep a few that I sell at cost to students as I want my students to be successful and have a great time.  One last thing to note is that a good guitar will likely appreciate in value over time.   So a good, used, solid-top guitar that is well taken care of can actually be a better investment than the toy option.

And once you purchase your new guitar, remember to always wash your hands before playing.  The acids and dirt on your fingers may ruin the strings and even the guitar itself. Washing your hands will prolong the life of your new investment.

Bob C. TakeLessons Guitar Teacher