Learning Beginner Acoustic Guitar

May 22nd, 2008 by Rhia

When you’re out looking for a beginner acoustic guitar, you have to know what kind of music you’ll be playing on it. Latin and certain kinds of pop and folk melodies sound right on a classical guitar with nylon strings. Rock, bluegrass, and other kinds of pop and folk tunes work better on a guitar with steel strings. The only way you can really determine which of the two is right for you is to actually play both of them.

Many instructors recommend a guitar with nylon strings as a first beginner acoustic guitar. The reason is that those strings are not so hard on the guitarist’s fingertips. However, if your idea of great music is rock and more rock, a guitar with nylon strings will never produce a tone that will satisfy the rock idol in you.

If your goal is to learn to play steel-string music, you should definitely start by practicing on a steel string guitar. At first, your fingers will be sore, but with time you will develop protective calluses. If, however, you want to learn classical music, don't be enticed by a steel string guitar.

If you are shopping for a more classical nylon-string guitar, you should remember that these guitars are called classic for a reason - they all have the same relative dimensions. Their bodies are smaller and their fingerboards wider, which produces a distinctive classical sound. It is the feel and the tone to these classical guitars that varies. As is true when buying any guitar, you need to try out several of them before choosing the beginner acoustic guitar that you are going to buy. The steel-string model of beginner acoustic guitar that people usually start out with is the six-string dreadnought guitar. There is only a slight variation between dreadnought guitars and they provide a sound that novices are often seeking.

The wood your beginner acoustic guitar is made of is significant as it will affect the tone of the sound the instrument makes. You will soon learn that most beginner acoustic guitars consist of a spruce top. Make sure your new guitar has a solid spruce top rather than a two-piece one. This will increase the durability of your new guitar. Your choices of wood for the back and sides will likely include mahogany, rosewood and spruce. Mahogany produces a light tone. On the other hand, rosewood results in a heavier tone.

When buying a beginner acoustic guitar, another thing you want is a fairly low action. The "action" is the term for the area between the neck and the strings. An action that is too high can slow your progress by shifting your focus and causing you to lose your concentration.

An accessory you need to buy along with your beginner acoustic guitar is a good electronic tuner. As a novice you haven’t yet developed an ear. If you have the ability to easily tune your guitar using the tuner it will give you more time to spend practicing and playing.