If you have no friends who can play to ask for advice, or, like I was, you are not all that clued up about the genre, then buying your first guitar can be a difficult task. Probably the first obstacle you will have to face when you decide to learn to play the guitar is buying one to start with.

A lot of people take the advice of the shop assistant, which can often turn out to be a little misguided and driven by his desire to make a sale rather than getting the best deal for yourself. Many people, me included, make the mistake of buying a nice economical purchase to start learning on, and find that it does not even come close to meeting their needs.

The following are all questions that you really need to know the answers to before you step foot into a guitar shop. If you are in this situation, and are looking seriously into the possibility of buying a guitar in order to learn, then there are a few things that you should be considering before you depart with your hard-earned cash.

1. What style of music do you want to play?

You will know what you want to play, and what you want to learn. Make sure you keep this in mind so that you don’t get pressured into buying something that will not be suitable for your needs. It may sound quite obvious to say that an electric guitar is more suited to rock music whereas an acoustic guitar is better for strumming and singing along. However, many people make this mistake.

2. What sort of budget do you have?

If you have never played guitar before, then spending thousands of dollars on a top quality instrument is probably not the way to go. Realistically, to begin with, you should be looking at paying somewhere in the region of $250-$300 (US) for a decent electric guitar, and around $150 (US) for an acoustic. What you are doing when you buy your first guitar is investing – you are investing in yourself and your own musical development. This should be considered as you set about finalizing exactly how much you want to spend.

When you decided on the style of music that you want to play, and the budget that you can afford, then it’s time to make the decision on which guitar you buy. Bear in mind your answers to the questions above, and consider the following. This is often a fraught step, and will take a little time to get it right, but the time is well invested to make sure that you get the right instrument.

Try before you buy. At this stage, it is even a good idea to try some guitars that are outside of your budget – that way you will get a sense of the differences in sound and playability that exist. If you were buying a new car, you wouldn’t buy it without first taking it for a test drive, right? Buying a guitar is no different – try as many guitars as you want. You will soon see the differences that exist from one guitar to the next.

Pay special attention to the playability of the frets. Look at the condition of the frets – are they worn out? Do they show signs of excessive usage? Take a look at each fret, and play a note on each. If you listen to the sound that this produces, you may find that there is a small buzzing sound – if this is the case, then it means that the action of the guitar is not set properly. It could even point to a case of poor workmanship on the instrument.

Many people buy guitars online, and it can be a quick and easy way to purchase your first guitar. If this is a road you wish to go down, then make sure that you fully check out the reviews of that particular guitar, and look at the user reviews as well to get a better idea of whether this guitar is right for you. The advantages of this are that it can be cheaper than a high street store, and it will often arrive straight to your door.

Be comfortable! If you find one that fits you like a glove and makes a sound that you genuinely enjoy, then there is a much higher chance that that guitar will stay with you for a much longer time. Make sure you select a guitar that you like, and that you feel comfortable with.

Playing the guitar can be a wonderful pastime, full of reward and great fun. Don’t get pressured into spending more than you can afford, as this will only produce resentment on your part, and you are therefore much less likely to continue. If you are a beginner, and are trying to learn to play a guitar for the first time, then you should seriously consider all of the above before you even start.

Copyright 2009 Liam Gibson