Whats the best acoustic guitar for a beginner?

There's not really any such thing as a one-size fits all guitar, so the best thing you could do is go to a music store and test drive a bunch of different brands. Each brand tends to have its own feel, which explains why most guitarists are brand loyal. As a beginner, you'll probably do better playing a guitar that has a thin neck and low action (strings close to the fretboard), since those things make it much easier and more comfortable to move smoothly between chords and notes. You definitely don't want to buy a guitar that's sold at Target, Best Buy or any other retail store, since you can get a much better one for the same price or less at a music store. The ones sold in general merchandise stores are more toys than musical instruments and they tend to have really fat necks and high action (strings far away from the fretboard), which makes them nearly impossible to play. But even the inexpensive guitars sold at music stores are manufactured by companies that specialize in musical instruments, so they're built to be played. Ibanez makes fantastic guitars that are built like rocks, sound amazing and are often nicer than instruments costing twice as much. They're also famous for having really thin necks and low action, which makes them favorites among beginners, females and players with small hands. Jasmine by Takamine guitars (made by Takamine, a great guitar company) are also very user-friendly and the prices are shockingly low for the quality of the guitars. If you go to a guitar store, you'll be able to compare the brands side by side and see which one feels most comfortable and natural in your hands. Be sure to try them while sitting, since that's probably how you'll practice. Guitar bodies vary in size, so huge ones that may be ideal for playing concerts can be cumbersome to play while you're seated. I'll post some links to guitars worth considering, all of which have thin necks, low action and overwhelmingly favorable reviews. Even if you plan to buy online, it's worth comparing brands at a music store so you'll know how the different brands feel. Jasmine by Takamine guitars, for instance, aren't widely available at music stores. But you should be able to test drive some Takamine guitars, which feel pretty much identical to their less expensive cousins. So if you love the feel of Takamines, you can order a Jasmine guitar online and be pretty certain that it will have a similar feel. http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Jasmine-by-Takamine-S35-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=516451 (Don't let the low price scare you. This is actually a great guitar.) http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Jasmine-by-Takamine-S34C-NEX-Cutaway-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=516458 (A different body style, but another great $100 guitar.) http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-SGT120NT-SAGE-SERIES-Acoustic-Guitar-?sku=512326 (A bit more expensive at $180, but this is the sort of guitar you'll be able to use for years and pass down to your own children. It would be a bargain at twice the price.) The only brand I'd recommend against buying is Epiphone, at least while you're still learning to play. Epiphone makes fine guitars, but the necks are really chunky, which makes them challenging for beginners and players with small hands to play. Trust your instincts, since they'll serve you better than anyone else's opinion. If you find a guitar that feels comfortable and natural in your hands and sounds nice, that's more important than the name on the headstock or the price. I've been playing for more than 20 years and the first guitar I bought (a second-hand Ibanez that cost me next to nothing) is still my primary guitar for both recording and playing live, since it sounds beautiful and feels like it was custom made for me. And my brother, who owns a recording studio and swears only super-expensive Gibson and Martin guitars are worth owning, sometimes borrows my clunky old guitar for recording sessions because the sound is so pristine. Good luck!

The best guitar for a beginner is the one that he/she feel comfortably holding and with a fret board that is easy for the fretting-hand fingers to reach horizontally to the six string and vertically over three frets apart. More than a few new buyers of guitars make the mistake of buying an instrument that is going to be too difficult to handle by either being too-big in the scale-length - the distance of the strings from the Nut or Neck to the saddle - the white piece inserted into the bridge of the guitar. The longer the distance the wider the separation of the frets from each other,Or too wide a fret board (horizontally). People with small hands/fingers regardless of age can have difficulty playing clear notes because of a wrong "fit". I recall one guitar teacher at a music school stating that buying a guitar is like buying pair of shoes. Not One-Size fits all. The best solution to avoid these mistakes: Try as many guitars that you can find within your guitar budget. You don't have to start with the most expensive one, price alone does not make a guitar better than another. Neither does the "label" when you are in the lower cost market.Many different labels are manufactured overseas by the same machinery and often at the same time. One example: Takamine's second line guitars "Jasmine" is a twin to the "Montana" labels guitar and in the market place is priced higher due to name recognition. As mentioned above and by others, you have to find the one that "fit" you in Comfort and ability to reach strings and frets without straining. I hope these few observations will be of help. Good Luck and Enjoy your guitar

go to your local music shop and try out different guitars, start with the least expensive and work you're way up to the top of your price range. the one that is the most comfortable is the one for you and if you really care about beginner vs. the rest of the guitars 100-200 dollars, but if you or someone you know is really gonna play the guitar get what is most comfortable for the player. Good luck!

I agree with the music teacher. It's a common question: "What's a good beginner guitar for under $100?" I understand that you don't want to spend a lot, but what you need to understand is that A CHEAP GUITAR IS PRACTICALLY UNPLAYABLE, sounds horrible and won't stay in tune. Beginners don't need to be starting with two strikes against them...even an experienced player has a hard time playing those instruments. Don't buy from Walmart, Target, or online. Go to a real music shop and look at brands like Epiphone, Yamaha, and Ibanez. You don't have to be concerned about size. The bodies vary, but the necks are fairly standard in length. If you don't have a guitar playing friend who can come with you, ask the sales person to play the guitar. If they struggle to make it sound good, choose another. You'll probably need to spend a little more...maybe $150, but if you buy a cheap guitar you might as well flush the money down the toilet...the end result is gonna be the same. If you need to think of it in economic terms look at it this way ...if he ends up giving up on guitar, the cheap guitar will be a wall hanger. You can sell the more expensive guitar and get half your money back. Best of luck to you.

The best guitar for a beginner is the one that he/she feel comfortably holding and with a fret board that is easy for the fretting-hand fingers to reach horizontally to the six string and vertically over three frets apart. More than a few new buyers of guitars make the mistake of buying an instrument that is going to be too difficult to handle by either being too-big in the scale-length - the distance of the strings from the Nut or Neck to the saddle - the white piece inserted into the bridge of the guitar. The longer the distance the wider the separation of the frets from each other,Or too wide a fret board (horizontally). People with small hands/fingers regardless of age can have difficulty playing clear notes because of a wrong "fit". I recall one guitar teacher at a music school stating that buying a guitar is like buying pair of shoes. Not One-Size fits all. The best solution to avoid these mistakes: Try as many guitars that you can find within your guitar budget. You don't have to start with the most expensive one, price alone does not make a guitar better than another. Neither does the "label" when you are in the lower cost market.Many different labels are manufactured overseas by the same machinery and often at the same time. One example: Takamine's second line guitars "Jasmine" is a twin to the "Montana" labels guitar and in the market place is priced higher due to name recognition. As mentioned above and by others, you have to find the one that "fit" you in Comfort and ability to reach strings and frets without straining. I hope these few observations will be of help. Good Luck and Enjoy your guitar

go to your local music shop and try out different guitars, start with the least expensive and work you're way up to the top of your price range. the one that is the most comfortable is the one for you and if you really care about beginner vs. the rest of the guitars 100-200 dollars, but if you or someone you know is really gonna play the guitar get what is most comfortable for the player. Good luck!