What type of Guitar should I get?

Question

Well, after playing 5 yrs. of trumpet and 2 yrs of piano my parents are finally letting me play the guitar. I have never played a guitar. I'll try to make this short and sweet... What kinds of guitar are there and what is your favorite. Oh, and why is that your favorite and why should i get it.

P.S.

I preferably don't what a electric guitar.

Answer 1

Well that leaves acoustic and classical guitar. Or a mandolin, or an acoustic bass. But seeing as you play piano I would say acoustic. It doesn't really matter what kind I say, it's up to you as the musician. Go to Guitar Center or someplace and try some out. Find the one that feels right and sounds good.

Answer 2

You probably want to start off with an acoustic 6-string guitar... that's pretty much self-contained if it comes with a case. I love the sound of 12-strings and Mandolins, but that's not something to start with -- you always fret two strings per finger with those, which is more painful, harder to get sounding right, harder to keep in-tune, etc.

There are two basic sorts of "regular" guitars... the Dreadnought is the standard full sized guitar, which is what most people play. Smaller people sometimes perfer a "Parlor" guitar, which is a bit down-sized, but still offers full sized fretboard. The difference is primarily in sound.. the large size of an acoustic guitar creates the resonant chamber that delivers the full sound. This is also influenced by the kind of wood used, which is one reason a more expensive guitar can sound better than a cheapie.

You would typically chose steel strings for rock, country, bluegrass, etc. and nylon strings (replacing catgut) for classical or Spanish styles. The guitars are made a bit differently depending on the style you intend... the fretboard is wider on a classical-style. Most people play steel, so that's where I'm going here.

I can recommend most anything from Martin, since that's what I usually play (I have a mahogany top Martin D-15). Guild and Taylor are also companies associated with some of the best acoustic guitars. Most of the guitar companies make them, though big guys like Fender and Gibson are more associated with electrics. You'll find the more expensive models are made in the USA, the lower cost made in Asia ... like most things I guess these days. There's nothing wrong with an Asian-made guitar, but you need to be careful.

If you have the idea that you'll eventually want to hook up to a PA system, you might consider an acoustic-electric guitar, which is just an acoustic with built-in mic or piezo pickups, to let you plug directly in. Of course,  you can mic a guitar on-stage too.

If you want to get serious, you should spend the money for a good guitar... that's $500-$1000 or so, though there are bargains. If you had a decent trumpet, you probably spent about as much (both my kids play silver Yamahas with monel valves). And as with any musical instrument, the only way to learn for real is to practice.

You're doing the right thing to start -- ask around. Everyone who plays has an opinion. I love my Martin, and there have a been a few guitars I've played that just stunk, so I don't recommend them, even if they might actually make something decent (Washburn, anyone). Get your hands on some guitars. Go to a guitar store as ask for advice, try a few out. If you can, borrow one just to get a little hand-on before you go shopping. If you have a friend who plays, take this person shopping (but of course, you might leave the metalhead friend home if you're shopping for an acoustic).

You probably want to get a tuner, too... there are dozens of basic electronic tuners that'll keep you in-tune for little cash (if you're one of those with perfect pitch, I hate you already). Spend around $20-$30 and you'll be happy.. I have a couple of Korg CA-30s.. you can find these online for ~$20.

When you start, your fret-hand fingers will be the first thing to cry "uncle". You need to build up some calluses on those fingers before playing for very long will be comfortable. The next obstacle is "muscle memory"... you may know the chords you want to play in your mind, but your body doesn't know them yet, and it'll take some serious practice before you stop thinking about them and "just know", which is where you need to be before your playing gets smooth. This can take around six months or more, but keep at it.. the first year is where most people give up on a new instrument, and you'll have a big advantage, particularly when you get to scales, from your prior musical experience.

Of course, if you find a good teacher, s/he'll tell you all this. Guitar is very popular, though, and it certainly is possible to learn without a teacher, particularly given the vast array of resources on the web. For example, every time I'm having a little trouble with a specific technique, I can find a dozen or so YouTube videos on that technique, so I just play through them until something clicks.