My friend Anthony recently started playing the bass guitar.
He had been wanting to learn for some time, and he finally asked me to go down to the local Guitar Center to help him decide what to buy.
Although I am primarily a guitarist, I can play passable bass (and banjo), and I’m familiar enough with basses to help a brother out, which is what I did.
With my help, he was able to pick out a shockingly nice bass/amp combo for not a ton of money.
It’s great fun to be able to help a friend out like this, but unfortunately, if you’re reading this and looking to get into playing guitar, you’re probably not anywhere near me, so I can’t meet you at your local guitar shop and help (as awesome as that would be).
So while I can’t coach you through your first guitar purchase in person, what I can do is lay out some broad concepts that can help you narrow down your options and make a good choice you will be happy with for the long term.
Looks matter
Although I don’t consider myself a vain or shallow person, this is one area where looks definitely matter. I can’t stress this enough: you must love how your guitar looks.
If your guitar doesn’t catch your eye — if it doesn’t make you want to pick it up every time you walk by — then you aren’t going to practice on it as much as you should. It’s just how it is.
I can’t stress this enough: you must love how your guitar looks.
Take the time to look at a bunch of different guitars online. What styles do you like? Which guitar makes you stop and drool a little? Which ones can you see yourself playing and it just feels right?
I remember walking into a guitar store several years ago and seeing a PRS Vela on display. My heart immediately skipped a beat and I almost bought the thing right then and there without even playing it, but at the last minute my sensible self reminded me that I didn’t have a spare $1,200 to spend. (It’s still my dream guitar, though.)
This is the kind of weak-in-the-knees connection that you would ideally like to find, although admittedly for me that’s rare. But at the very least you need to narrow down your search to instruments you find sexy, beautiful, or eye-catching.
Feel matters
Once you’ve narrowed down the list to aesthetically pleasing guitars, you need to find one that feels right.
Guitars are funny, though. Two identical Fenders may feel worlds apart. One might feel inspiring in your hands, while the other feels flat. It’s extremely difficult to quantify feel, of course, but you’re looking for a connection with your instrument.
And the best-feeling guitars I own aren’t necessarily the highest-quality or most expensive ones. I have a cheap Seagull S6 Folk acoustic and a cheap SX Strat copy (both of which cost under $200) that won’t win any beauty contests, but they just have something special about them. I like to say that they have “the mojo.” I can’t explain it, but I can feel it.
The best-feeling guitars I own aren’t necessarily the highest-quality or most expensive ones.
If you’re a complete beginner, you would do well to befriend a player you trust and have them help you with this. But to the extent that you can, try to put your hands on as many instruments as possible and just see which ones you connect with and leave you wanting more. And if a guitar doesn’t resonate with you, put it down and move on.
Price matters
We are conditioned as consumers to expect more from a more expensive item than from a less expensive one. But with guitars, the law of diminishing returns is a real phenomenon.
It’s true that, in general, a $2,000 guitar will be better than a $200 guitar, but it will not ever be ten times better. Likewise, a $4,000 guitar might only be 5% better than one costing half as much. And, there are $200 diamonds in the rough as well as $2,000 duds.
Over the years, I have noticed a few truths about guitar prices. First, you can expect more value for your money for guitars priced up to around $500–600. After this, the differences in quality really start to get minimized, and you begin paying for “upgrades” that may or may not enhance your playing experience. (And oftentimes you’re simply paying for the logo or name on the headstock.)
Second, lower-priced and entry-level guitars have seen drastic improvements in quality in the last 20 years. With the mass adoption of the CNC machine and the rise of quality factories in Indonesia, Korea, and even China, there are some absolutely killer $200 guitars on the market today — so good that I’m not sure how these companies are making a profit.
When it comes to budgeting for your first purchase, just know that you can get a very good guitar that will last you up to a lifetime for $500 or less. Of course, if you’ve always wanted a real Gibson ES-335 and you have the money, then by all means, go for it! But otherwise, $500 seems to me to be the sweet spot — the biggest bang for your buck — with plenty of even lower-cost guitars that have tremendous quality and playability.
With the mass adoption of the CNC machine and the rise of quality factories in Indonesia, Korea, and even China, there are some absolutely killer $200 guitars on the market today.
At the end of the day, if you are looking to get into playing the guitar, you need to take into consideration how the guitar looks, how it feels, and how much it costs. If you are willing to do a little research, try out some guitars, and know your budget ahead of time, you can find a guitar that will bring you tremendous joy and fun in your journey.
Good luck and happy hunting!
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