Guitars and accessories

When buying gear, it makes sense to get decent equipment.  This will help make learning more enjoyable and the educational process a smooth one.  If the equipment is low quality, then playing it is often less enjoyable and the student is disadvantaged, and often for a little more money you can get something decent. This is especially true for beginning guitar students.  While there are a few exceptions, you want to avoid $30 “First Act” guitars if you’re going to get lessons.  These little guitars are more suited for a three year old who wants to pretend to play the guitar and strum away.   You want something that will be easy to tune, will stay in tune, and is in tune with itself (i.e. has good intonation).  Also some hand-me-down guitars may be great, but others may have action (the string height) so high that it would take a herculean 8 year old to persist in learning on one.

Below are my recommendations for beginner guitar  equipment. It should cover the basics without breaking your wallet.

Electric or Acoustic?  That depends.  If you are older and know what kind of music you want to make, then get the guitar that is more suited to that kind of music.  If you’re going to play CSNY and Neil Young songs, then get an acoustic.  If you want to play Rush and Metallica, then get an electric.  For beginners, I think a good acoustic is a nice choice because they can experience natural resonance and also develop a little more hand strength.

Acoustic Guitars

Hands down my favorite instrument for little people (up to 8 or 9 years old) is the Yamaha FG JR1 3/4 Size Acoustic Guitar. It comes with a gig bag for about $130, and even an experienced player can bring it to the beach or on a camping trip.  It sounds great and is relatively easy to play.  The smaller scale is especially suited for a smaller child.

For an older child or an adult, a nice full-size guitar is the Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar with Polishing Cloth, 4-pick Pick Card, Levy Strap, and Strings.  This kit sells new for about $200.  The thing that I love about Yamahas is that they improve in with age if you take care of them.  The wood actually changes over time and gets a full, warmer sound (warmer than when you first buy them).  I have a Yamaha FG from the 1970s that my dad passed down to me, and it sounds wonderful now.  If you want to upgrade, I recommend any Martins, Takemines and Taylors.  But at that level, you really should try it in the store first.  More expensive instruments tend to each have their own feel, and I think it’s helpful to try it out in a store and then go home with it.

Electric Guitars

For an older beginner, I recommend any of the Fender Squier Strats if you want an electric guitar. They sound and feel  good and are a nice way to start out.  When I was a kid I had one of these for years, modding it and tweaking it as I advanced.  Later I found out that the pickups in my model (which I don’t have now) were desired and considered “vintage”.  If you’re going to get an electric, pick up a kit that comes with an amp (or just look on craigslist).  In the beginning, don’t get anything fancy.  Just pickup something of good quality and take good care of it.  Then keep it as a backup or sell it when it’s time to upgrade. You’ll know you’re ready for a new instrument. Generally it’s when you try one out and discover that can make more subtle, varied sounds, that you can’t make on your current guitar, or with your current gear.  Then, it’s time to upgrade, not before.

A final note on guitars:  I’m wary of small-size electric guitars for beginners.  There are some decent ones out there, but I haven’t come across any that are consistent enough for me to recommend.  If you have a small child, go with the Yamaha FG Junior.