You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Guitars and accessories → How much should I invest in a guitar as a new player?
I just started taking lessons eight weeks ago and have been renting a guitar. My initial thought is to continue renting for the next eight weeks and see if I am going to stick with it. But I would like to have my own guitar. What should I get and how much should I invest, if I buy?
Invest whatever you can comfortably afford.
Remember that the 2 Grand guitar of your dreams wont make you sound any better than a beat up number at a fraction of the cost to begin with though. So start with a cheapish one. Once you get that sounding sweet move onto something better.
I wouldn't know what to go for as a starter tbh, but I've heard Yamaha are pretty good value in the 'less than £200' bracket if it's an acoustic your after. As for electric, I got a Mexican Strat thats proved to be good value for money.
Craig.
Hello Bobhoops,
Welcome to Chordie it is nice to have you aboard.
Whist agreeing with everything that Moddish has said I would also suggest that you have your new guitar checked by a professional to ensure that the action is set correctly. Make sure you know what gauge strings are fitted first as changing the gauge later can have a detrimental affect on the work done.
By having the action checked/adjusted, the strings will be the correct height from the fret board making sure that they are not too high which makes it harder to play or too low which will create a buzz or a muffled sound.
Good luck,
Roger
Do continue renting bob, as you get better at playing you'll become more demanding or the sound and feel of guitar you want to buy. You'll also develop a list of niggles that you'll want to rid of on your own instrument. You'll also feel more confident in the guitar shop and take more time to sit down and play before settling on any one guitar (everyone's fingers turn to rubber in guitar shops of course!). I reckon as a rule of thumb under £400 ($220) is a good price start in.
First of all welcome to chordie and don't know where your from Bob. As mentioned go play a few and see what you like in a guitar. If there are pawn shops you may find the same guitar you tried new that maybe half the cost. Keep all options open.
Bootlegger.
Price isn't the thing (although you will often get what you pay for) the set up is.
A badly set up instrument will retard your progress immeasurably.
Get someone very experienced (not an enthusiastic amateur friend) to check it out for you.
Don't buy something that has a "ski jump" neck that needs a re-fret that would cost more than you are paying for it.
You are more likely to find a nylon string that represents a safer bet than an electric and finally a steel string acoustic.
If you are in Australia I can recommend Chris Melville who not only makes world class guitars (Tommy Emmanuel has a couple), but has spent many years restoring and setting up (both used and new) guitars.
http://www.melvilleguitars.com/contactUs.asp
I am not connected in any commercial way to Chris, but am fortunate enough to own one of his guitars (I have 7 guitars in total and they are all good or excellent and his is by far and easily the best in both sound and playability).
Good Luck
yNot (Tony) Mitchell
i say you should spend no more then 300$ i spent 250$ on mine
from kingjosh55
I think it's very important to find a guitar shop you can trust and stick with. I 've been playing for two years and have been going to the same shop whenever I have a problem. It's a good feeling to know I'm not getting ripped off. Plus, the employees there have been playing guitar almost their whole lives, so they're always willing to hand out a few tips and tricks.
About the price, I spent about $160 on my first guitar. It was an Alvarez beginner acoustic. About a year after that I bought an electric, then soon after bought an acoustic-electric. Even though the Alvarez still has a sentimental value, I hardly play it. I'm glad I didn't spend much on it, but also glad I spent enough to buy a good solid guitar that sounded good and inspired me to keep playing!
Good Luck!
Kori
if you stick with playing, start off with a cheap one so you can mess around with it changing strings and tuning then if you want a new guitar the more you pay the better the sound try elec accoustic. cookie ov pompey.
I just started taking lessons eight weeks ago and have been renting a guitar. My initial thought is to continue renting for the next eight weeks and see if I am going to stick with it. But I would like to have my own guitar. What should I get and how much should I invest, if I buy?
When I first started on the guitar I made a decision that I was going to learn how to play the guitar. My theary at the time which for me was right was to invest in a quality instrument. I spent actually more then I could afford. I spent $650.00 a lot back in 1976. The fact is with a quality instument you will enjoy playing more thus you will practice more. Truth is paying a quality instrument is a true pleasure. And a quality instument will go up in value over the years. I disagree with the buy cheap now and upgrade later mentality. My advise is buy something really nice now. If you dont have enough money now there is always lay-away. And buy the way I still have that old guitar and I have never ever regreted buying it. My guild retails today for $2,800.00 for a new one that is
You can get a quality instrument for about $300 nowadays. Don't spend less than $100, they are junk.
I just picked up a Squier Telecaster Special. 130.00US
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ … sku=519586
Was just bored and got tired of almost destroying my Mexican.
Great guitar right out of the box.
Also, my 2005 Mexican was same. I picked that up for 300.00 dollars US
Absolutely no headaches with either of these.
Note:the Tele is a has no tremolo. It's probably a good idea not to deal with one if you are just starting out in my opinion.
I BROUGHT MY FIRST ACCOUSTIC IN 1978 IT COST £45 ,THAT GOT DAMAGED .SO MY NEXT WAS AN ENCORE £99, ALSO I GOT A 15 WATT AMP £99 ,A PICKUP FOR A £10,MY DAUGHTER BROUGHT ME AN ENCORE ELECTRIC LAST YEAR OFF EBAY ,I PLAY THAT IN MY BEDROOM AND TAKE MY ACCOUSTIC TO WORK ,IT ALSO DEPENDS HOW COMMITTED YOU ARE ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR LESSONS .I CAN'T SEE THE POINT IN PAYING FOR LESSONS IF YOU ARE NOT FULLY COMMITTED TO PLAYING...
How much do you spend on a guitar? As much as you can afford – and a little more if you can. Just make sure it is really want you want and desire. Value for money is important – but there is also passion. You need to love the thing. The most important factor as far as I am concerned is a low action that doesn’t buzz on the frets. I play a National Resolectric – but I play it acoustic. Unconventional I know – but it suits me. An acoustic with an electric neck is a fine thing for beginner. There was a fashion for them once – but I don’t know whether they are still easily available. Maybe someone out there knows about this?
How much do you spend on a guitar? As much as you can afford – and a little more if you can. Just make sure it is really want you want and desire. Value for money is important – but there is also passion. You need to love the thing. The most important factor as far as I am concerned is a low action that doesn’t buzz on the frets. I play a National Resolectric – but I play it acoustic. Unconventional I know – but it suits me. An acoustic with an electric neck is a fine thing for beginner. There was a fashion for them once – but I don’t know whether they are still easily available. Maybe someone out there knows about this?
Dr C , how do you like that National and did you check out any other resonator guitars. Have you tried and if so what do you think of Goldtone. Any recomondations on any other resonator guitars that dont cost as much
Don't spend too much cause, as was mentioned before, a more expensive guitar wont make you sound any better but at the same time a crappy one will make it difficult to learn. Just make sure the strings aren't too high off the fretboard and there is no buzzing noises on ANY of the frets for every string. Finally, check to see if the intonation is good (do this by playing an open string and then holding the 12th fret of that string and seeing if they are the same note, you may need help checking this). Depending on where you live you can get a Guitar that will give you years of service for about $200, just check a few stores to compare.
I agree with all the other posters. You have to be a dedicated player, but for starters it's best to go cheap then you haven't wasted you money if you decide you don't want to play anymore.
Keep plucking away at it mate you'll be right in the end, then you can go for something better later on.
My first guitar cost me all of 2 guineas (2pounds 2shillings). LOL.
I'm now playing much more expensive guitars.
Do you think fellow chordians, that the answer on this question is not easy? I know one thing for sure, that maybe you will spend today about 300$ for a guitar, but the guitar is like a drug, yep addiction, you start meeting people playing on better and probably more expensive guitars, so the answer is not easy. If you go electric, these days you can have great brands, yes even Gibson with low priced guitars, if you go acoustic, it is more difficult to give you a good advise, as I play and COLLECT guitars. I have the impression that in CANADA, there are luthiers, producing real nice sounding guitars.
Hi there Phil, Yes it is true there are great luthiers here in Canada, but no more than any other places. I recently was at a luthiers show here in Canada at the Montreal Jazz Fest. Actually most of the luthier artist (and they are artist) were frome the US and other places of the world.I would have never imagined how impressed I could become looking at some of the creations I saw there. Any way I have come to the conclusion after doing research of my own. (i have been shopping for a new acoustic) that an acoustic guitar of what I call quality is at least $1,000.00 Dollors. That by the way is just my opinion
Invest how much you want. If you want maybe $100-$200 for an okay guitar just to learn on then get a better guitar for about $500 if you get better and stick with it. Don't go out and buy a $3000 Gibson guitar and find out you don't like playing guitar and just let it sit in a corner. Get a better guitar as you get better at playing guitar.
Hey bob, thanks for posting. I read many posts yet have never felt compelled to reply. This is a subject near to my heart. I started playing many years ago on a junk fender that was made in Korea. It sounded so bad that i almost quit. Thank god a friend turned me onto the Taylor Big Baby. It cost me $400 9 or 10 years ago. They still make them along with the Baby, which is a smaller model fit perfectly for children or beginners. They have also come out with the 110 since i last bought from them. All Taylor guitars are made in the USA. The Big Baby still retails for around$400. I now own 7 guitars, yet still play my Taylor everyday. Check them out man you won't be disappointed. rapidsavage
Hey bobhoops. Wow...there are so many really good replies here and many are right on the money. I would add that I started out with a dirt-cheap electric and crappy amp. I learned a lot on those bad boys and then moved up a little every so often. I'm still not all that good, but I have good equipment and good friends to play with, although I started out with really low-end stuff for many years. And I know people that have really cheap, crappy stuff, that I've heard a really awesome player make sound like the most expensive amp/guitar in the world. It does make a difference to have top-notch equipment, but it will not make you a good player overnight. Poor stuff can always sound good with a great player and great stuff will sound just like you sound on the stuff you have now. You can learn on a mediocre set-up and then, when you get better, you can buy yourself a great set-up...and you will know more stuff so trying it out will be better too. Not knowing what you like to play, there are too many things out there to suggest something just for you. I think you should keep playing and when the time is right...go to your nearest guitar place and start playing (also start making a lasting friendship) and find the guitar of your dreams. Rock on!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-twMy33FRbU
Click this link from Wiki How.
$200 is a good #. You want to make sure the string height is not excessive, that will discourage you from playing. Shop around, penny saver, yard sales, etc... I just picked up a Yamaha FG 335 (acoustic)/With hard case/ in mint condition for $150 at a yard sale.
Had the the strings lowered for $60, and I'm happy as a pig in dong.
Good Luck, Peace, Joe Fitz
i haven't been playing for too long but i do know that it was best that i bought a cheaper one. i spent about $100 US on mine and it has been pretty good. i do recommend taking it to a Luthier of some sort so that it can be properly set up. Having it so inexpensively means that i can learn on it and not worrry too much about what damage may happen to it. even better is now that i have learned a few songs i have gone down my local guitar Center and tried out all kinds i like the sounds of some of them but some of the more expensive ones i don't really care for the sound. It is a matter of your own taste I ended up getting mine at a local target store. took it down to the Luthier to have it set up and put better bridge pins on it and it sounds great. the best part is that i plan to learn to make my own guitar. and what better way to learn than on a cheaper one? I will probably buy a more expensive one once my first year of playing is up.
i haven't been playing for too long but i do know that it was best that i bought a cheaper one. i spent about $100 US on mine and it has been pretty good. i do recommend taking it to a Luthier of some sort so that it can be properly set up. Having it so inexpensively means that i can learn on it and not worrry too much about what damage may happen to it. even better is now that i have learned a few songs i have gone down my local guitar Center and tried out all kinds i like the sounds of some of them but some of the more expensive ones i don't really care for the sound. It is a matter of your own taste I ended up getting mine at a local target store. took it down to the Luthier to have it set up and put better bridge pins on it and it sounds great. the best part is that i plan to learn to make my own guitar. and what better way to learn than on a cheaper one? I will probably buy a more expensive one once my first year of playing is up.
Lilliepop,
Your correct in getting your guitar setup by some one that knows how. However you did not specifiy if it is an electric or acoustic. From your statement "and put better bridge pins on" I take it is an acoustic guitar. The work you had done was probley half if not 2/3's the cost of your guitar? You still have a $100.00 guitar but now it plays good and your happy that's what counts.
Bootlegger.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Guitars and accessories → How much should I invest in a guitar as a new player?
