I've been playing for about 50 years and I've learned a few things along the way. What guitar should you buy? Three thoughts: One, stay inexpensive until you are sure this is going to be a lifetime thing. There are tons of really good guitars these days under $300, and it's best to stick with a major brand. My recommendation is always to go with Yamaha for a first guitar. The workmanship and sound quality rival guitars that cost three times as much. My first guitar was a cheap Sears Silvertone, circa 1968. Once I knew I would continue playing, I purchased a new Yamaha FG-300 in 1974. I think it was around $400 then. I still have it today, and it's still my favorite guitar. Two, realize that the odds are you will keep a guitar for your entire life. That old Sears Silvertone is long gone, but every guitar I've ever bought since (seven guitars in all) I still own and play regularly. So from that perspective, once you know you'll be a player, buy the best guitar you can afford. The extra $200 you pay for a guitar today will be meaningless in 40 years, but the higher quality of the guitar will be something you'll appreciate forever. I pushed my budget to the limit in the late 1980s to buy two of my favorites, an Ovation Custom Balladeer 12-string, and a Gibson Les Paul Studio. Thirty years later, I still feel a thrill each time I pick up one of those two guitars. And three, I recommend staying away from electric guitars until you're comfortable playing acoustics. Acoustic guitars are much more physically difficult to play, and learning to play on one will reap huge benefits by the time you're ready for an electric. If you learn to play on an acoustic, and become adept at getting the sound, chord shapes, and fingering techniques you desire, you'll be absolutely amazed at how cool it is to use those abilities on an electric.
I own a Yamaha FG401a. Very loud and clear but a bit too high on action. Maybe should I get it set up ? Many like it but to me not so comfortable like an Ibanez.
1:00 How much money do you want to spend? 1:49 Price tiers 2:30 What style of music? (Acoustic guitar types) 3:17 Your own body's size 4:04 Acoustic or electric? 5:04 Solid wood top or not? 6:14 Solid wood back and sides? 7:16 Don't forget to budget for accessories 7:41 Buy something you like 8:18 Try guitars to get the "feel" of the guitar
Only one piece of advice to everyone. Find people to play with, regardless of your skill. With Meetup groups, etc everywhere, find people to jam with who just want to play and make music. It's so much more fun with others.
The year was 1970, I was 19 and I went into a small music store and bought my first guitar. It was a used Grammer guitar for $325. I made payments because that's around $2 thousand in todays money. It was outstanding and had a sound like no guitar I've ever heard. Hard times came and had to sell it for $150.00. I've seen asking prices as high as $5 thousand for that guitar today. I still miss that guitar. Oh well, such is life.
I feel like if hard times came i wouldnt sell my first guitar for 10% of its worth....... i made more pan handling with NO guitar when i found myself homeless, so if i knew how to play guitar at the time and had one, id easily have made 150 over a week.....
Donald Lewis don’t feel alone. In 1972, a neighbor’s husband died, she sold his instruments. I bought a Chet Atkins gold plated country gentlemen acoustic/electric for 200 bucks in a custom case. Best guitar I ever had, but being a stupid teenager, when I got out of army basic training, no job.. sold it for 100 bucks. It was worth 3000.00 and I did not know it. Still miss it.
My little story starts as, I always wanted to learn to play guitar since i was a kid and couldn't afford it. Now at 55 years old I started oh boy ! Now I'm addicted and your in part to blame lol ! 1st Taylor 110E 2nd Taylor 150E 12 string, 3rd Taylor 314CE 4th Martin OMC 28E that is the acoustics. I absolutely love them all and use them all (now have 12 guitars) Why did I wait so long ? Any you guys are amazing I learn so much from you Thank you Thank you Thank you !! I surprised my wife with the first one a year and a half ago. As I played and sang her a song and she cried, (in laughter) yes you helped.
My number one piece of advice I would give to anyone buying a guitar for the first time would be to, buy the one you played. Don't ever get the one from the warehouse. I know, some people like the idea of getting the "fresh" one, that nobody has touched. But guitars are alive. They all have their own personalities. The one you played, quite often, will have different characteristics to the one nobody has touched. And it's exactly because nobody has touched it. You want the one that's been played, touched, maybe even dropped a few times. If that's the one that sounds good to you, buy that one, that EXACT one. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to people who bought a guitar and then complained that it didn't sound the same as the one they played at the shop. Or it didn't feel the same, or the action was off, or any number of things. And that's because it's not the same.
John Miller I’m not native eng speaker so I didn’t understand you. You said that it would be good if u buy guitar from the other person not from the shop?
For beginners, here's my own guide. To be technical, (Applies to all amount of budget). 1. Get a guitar with a light headstock to avoid "neck diving" - Neck diving happens when your guitar headstock is heavy thus requiring you to support it which reduces your play speed (Some players ignore it while I found it annoying when your headstock is heavy especially when I was still a beginner). 2. Get a guitar with a flat fretboard profile - Flat fretboard relatively makes it more playable than a Curve fretboard. 3. Get a guitar with "Low action" - Low action means that the strings are low and close to the fretboard and make it easier to play. This is based on my experience and it's the same guide I followed when I bought my electric guitar.
There are a few things to consider when purchasing a new acoustic guitar. 1. How is the action? If you want your guitar to be super easy to play, I'd go with a low action, but that's just me. 2. tuners. How well does the guitar stay in tune? This one is pretty straight forward. 3. Tone. How does the guitar sound compared to the other guitars at the store that you tried out? There's more than just this, but I'd say this stuff is very important.
Agree. Missing on these lists, and my experience is the nut width and neck radius/shape/finish. I went from a FG Yamaha to a low-range Fender and still struggled (muting strings unintentionally) until I picked up a 1 3/4" nut Alvarez at GC. Even the nut width doesn't guarantee wider spacing, depends where mfgr cut grooves. And then the shape (radius) of the neck, flatter vs rounder on your palm-side, is a matter of preference.
My first one was a low end dreadnought from Furch / Stonebridge. The quality for it's price was outstanding. It satisfied all my weekend guitar player's needs completely. I'd strongly encourage everyone not to glance over the unfamiliar brand name and try Furch guitars alongside your typical Yamaha and Taylor.
I really wish that I saw this before I got my first guitar. I was 9 years old and my pop got me a 3/4 frame Palmer steel string. It was awful. Red laminate. Those steel strings cut into me so much that I bled each time. It was not fun to learn to play on. I'm guessing that it was the cheapest one in the store. Ironically I became a bass player in my teen years. Nevertheless, this is a great guide for anyone to avoid making really common mistakes. Thanks!
I didn't personally buy myself my acoustic guitar but I got to pick it out. After getting my GED my grandmother bought me an epiphone hummingbird and im completely in love with it. Makes playing feel more personal and I've had her since I was 18. I'm 24 now and no complaints whatsoever.
got my first guitar about 4 months ago, bought a Guild M-20E, concert body, solid mahogany (top, back and sides). beautiful piece. following your video series Nate, thanks so much
its all about your personal preference, the feel, your style & how it sounds to your ear- there are so many variables like strings, action etc. - I've played a few expensive martins, taylors, guilds, etc. my main is a $300 used Epiphone super jumbo single cutaway electric acoustic. it even came with the case. a good cleaning and a set of 10 elixir polys and it works very well for me. it's all personal
similar story, my first guitar was crud, really hard to play. After a couple of years I got a much better one and it was night and day. I was much faster and fluid with my playing but I'm glad I did my time getting good on a bad guitar. You learn finesse, finger and forearm strength and strumming techniques that would take years to develop otherwise.
i have a very cheap one and expensive one but still like the one i started with and pretty much all the vids i have on my channel are made by the cheap one
I went to my music store with the intention of buying a Taylor 314ce after many months of research and store browsing. The salesman was very supportive but suggested that I try a Martin DCPA4. I played this Martin and fell in love with it. I’ve had it for about two months and love it.
The first ever acoustic I got was 11 years ago on Christmas! It was a fairly inexpensive one which sadly broke one day, the one I've been using for the past 8-9 years has been a $70 guitar we bought for my dad. It has served me well through the years. Although at times I used to wish and oogly over the guitars I see in the online catalogues, and sometimes I do admit at being frustrated for not having a good stage instrument for live playing, I really thank God for providing me with loving friends who were so willing to lend me their guitars for such occasions. I came to understand that in times when I really wanted to play but was staying in a place where there was no guitar at all, I used to think even having any guitar would be enough to let out the song inside. So I am thankful for that guitar being there by my bedside all these years! I do sometimes consider buying a semi-acoustic or maybe even an electric but I guess only time will tell about that. To anyone reading, I just wanna say don't get worried about getting the next best instrument, In the meantime I guess you just have to make do with what you've been blessed with. It'll be alright! Just keep playing and making music! God bless you!
I purchased my first guitar a year ago and chose an inexpensive Yamaha. It did the trick for a while but a year later, I purchased a Taylor 214CE deluxe. I'd been looking at this one for about 6 months and treated myself. I love it! I kept the Yamaha for trips as I won't worry about bringing it on a plane.
My first acoustic was a fairly inexpensive Washburn. Maybe 120$. Bought it while I was in the Navy. Was really good for a starter. When I got moved home, I bought a Jasmine, by Takamine, for around 350$, and I've had it for about 15 yrs. Really good guitar for the price I paid. I'm actually looking for a new acoustic now, which is why I watched your video. I have been looking at Martins, Taylors, and some higher end Takamines. Thanks for the info! Great video.
You guys nailed it. Tips exactly what i'm looking for. Very clear explanations for a acoustic guitar player like me. You deserve lots of credits! Thanks so much! All the way here in philippines.
@@booradely6423 Hey I bought mine for 116.82 from amazon however they must not have any more instock and sold now by third parties. Musicians friend and guitar center sister companies also sell it but out of stock.
My first acoustic was an Epiphone Hummingbird Artist. It listed for 200, was a demo at the store, and I paid 129 for it. Put new Elixir nanoweb medium strings on it, and, after a hand full of years, it still plays like a dream. :)
My first really good guitar was a 74’ D-18 Martin and it was and still is really great. I still have it and also just bought a Seagull w/ electronics and built in tuner for playing in church and it sounds great. I’ve had others but these are my favorites. Thanks for the video.
The law of diminishing returns does apply, especially if you are a beginner, or even an intermediate player. My question would be, "How much do I have to spend to get a quality instrument that has a perfectly straight neck with a good low action, that will stay that way".
My first guitar was some long forgotten brand classical guitar with nylon strings (I think). I could not play the dammed thing. I switched to bass guitar. Second acoustic was a Yamaha, it was cheep £70 or something, played better, but didn't feel right, sold that. 3rd and most recent one is a fender DG-60. This feels right, warm sounding, comfortable to play, and the action on it is great. Paid about £150 for it. Your right, the accessories do add up as well. Informative video, I like it.
Some additions and tweaks: - The most important thing is to hold it and play it. If you find yourself trying new things with it, find you can do things you could never do before, and/or not wanting to put it down, she's your guitar. Find a way to buy it. If you don't find this, keep going until you do. You may need to visit ones outside your budget. Better to save up for the right one. - If you live in a place where the humidity goes below 40%, invest in a hard case and cheap sponge humidifier, or humidify your room. A hard case really protects your guitar in several ways. A gig bag is a "nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there" place good for short stays. A good used case is okay. - Particularly if you are going for a sub-$500 guitar, I would look for no electronics. A good acoustic pickup can go for $200 and up. You are spending part of your small budget on the pickup, when you could be putting more into the guitar itself. You could always get that later and save for a good one. - Budget about $80 for a reputable luthier to do a good setup on it. You could wait a little while to get this done
I bought an Ibanez dreadnaught in a box for $79 at GC at their Christmas sale maybe 4 years ago. First time I ever bought a guitar without playing it, but for $80 I figured ok, i'll risk it. When I tightened the strings the guitar became an immediate player. low action with no buzzing, excellent intonation. I was blown away. It was originally going to be my campfire beater, but it quickly became as precious as my Taylor grand auditorium because it has it's own sound vs the Taylor. Moral of the story is give Ibanez a look if you are on a budget but want a nice guitar.
jj rusy almost the same thing happened to me on an art and lutherie guitar. Went in the store had 700$ to spend was looking at those guitars. Store owner tells me try this art and lutherie at 350$. It sounded better than the fenders, martins I picked up that day. Walked out with it. Loved it ever since.
rael His "english" sucks? The irony of your comment is laughable. My pity goes to anyone so unfortunate as to have you in their orbit. Go back to strumming yourself in your lonely pit and don't come out until ....
I agree with your like for Ibanez guitars. I presently own two and really like them. They are both acoustic electrics that I play through a Fender Acoustasonic 90 amp. These are not expensive guitars but feel great and sound great. I don't have a lot of money and if I bought again it would be Ibanez.
If you are a beginner the easiest guitar to learn on is a NYLON STRUNG classical acoustic guitar. SOFTER strings on the fingers, WIDER string spacing for learning open chord shapes and readily available in different sizes (depending on your age) .
I bought a really cheap first guitar about 3 months ago (I think it was about £75) and I love playing but I just want a new one (I'll probably spend somewhere between £500 and £600 on this one), so videos like these are halpful for me!
Okay, so that all sounded pretty good, but you missed a really important aspect, and it relates to the question you asked about the first guitar we ever bought. My first was a Yamaha FG-180. The action was very high and it was tough to play. I would play for hours on end and couldn't get any better because it hurt my fingers and I didn't enjoy the guitar. I thought the problem was me. My advice to a first time acoustic buyer is to check the action, see if it is hard to play, and decide if you want to find something that's easier to play or you want to spend the money to get the action adjusted. If you can't tell whether it is hard or not, try a bunch of different guitars and ask the guys in the store which guitars are easier to play. If you find one you like but it isn't easy to play, ask the guys in the store if they can adjust it, maybe lower the bridge. If it's a good store they will understand. For a new player, that is very important, or at least it was for me. I didn't know any better because I had never played a guitar before.
My rec is by a used guitar and find the sound you want. An older guitar that is in good condition has wood that has been aged and can have a superior sound.
I'm in a guitar class in college right now, and I had to buy a guitar. My first guitar ever. This video was perfect, because the Dreadnought was EXACTLY what I was looking for.
Hello from Africa! My very first acoustic guitar was an IMG; the I purchaed a Royal. Question please: Is it possible to replace the metallic strings with the nylon ones on an electric acoustic guitar? Thanks for an answer!
I wound't recommend putting steel strings on an nylon string guitar or nylon strings on a steel string guitar. They just are not made for that. There is a lot that can go wrong and a lot that would need to be done to make a guitar ready to accept the other type of strings. It's better to just buy a second guitar if possible.
I play a Fender, Squire and Epiphone and I was amazed to find out that my electric Fender had continued to stay in perfect tune for almost a year or so. Frankly, I wasn’t playing much on it at the time. Still, I have never experienced such a perfect tuning time with any other guitars I’d ever played. Since I’m merely an amateur - is this commonplace for a decent guitar to remain in tune for months ?
First and foremost, thank you for the video. Very instructive and inspirational for someone looking to buy an acoustic guitar. OK.... About me. I am now 46 years old and received my 1st acoustic guitar as a xmas gift when I was 17. Its a Celebrity Ovation model CC11. So this makes this guitar almost 30 years old ! I know wow! I consider myself an amateur and play as a hobby. Eventually real life took over and got married, had 2 kids, you know the deal. So my guitars took a back shelf (yes plural, I also have an electric !) So that special "it" factor that made me want to play came back and so I am in the market for a new acoustic guitar. I am 5' 7" so I thought that triple O might feel better on my body type and also smaller hands/fingers for gripping. Thanks again for the video and hope to buy something real soon! AL
I am on the search for my next acoustic guitar. I believe that I am definitely going to need to spend some money and invest in something suitable. The one thing that I have not been able to find on RUclips is a video where somebody talks about strumming And how it relates to the guitar brand and make. I hope that I can find a versatile guitar. I’ve tried out many different kinds of martins. I hope I can find one that really stands out. I am not going to rush this process. I am going to continue to try out different guitars and keep watching videos like yours until the right guitar finds its way into my hands! All of that being said great job have a good one see ya!
my first own acoustic guitar was a Ibanez AVN6 DTS. I really like it for its size while it still has quite a full sound for its smaller body. It’s nice for fingerpicking. Playing it since a year now and I don’t regret getting it at all. I like its warmish sound!
I've been playing guitar for forty years and professionally I played for 25. I found the best way to buy an acoustic guitar is, you don't even have to take it off the rack you just take a pic and you pluck on the strings and you listen. You can tell right away. I look for deep body on the low strings and gingle on the high-strings. You can tell quite easily with this exercise you don't even have to take the guitar off the rack.
Everything they say is irrelevant. The most important thing is the sound how deep it is and how high the jingle is It doesn't matter what the guitar is made of your ears will tell you what's important. It's also surprising you could have ten guitars of the same make the same model and every one of them will sound different.
@@waynespeirs1024 If you are suggesting that feel is not important, I disagree. Using your method to choose the guitar to pick off the rack THEN check the feel makes a perfect sense - neither of which you can do from a catalogue order.
@@ernestbrennecke3660 when I park a guitar while it's still on the stand that's the beginning when I have what I want I took up the guitar and then play it often I'll put it back discouraged.
Personal 😂 I'm a type of person that wants to go kinda "cheap" so I can learn the basics because I know I'm going to be learning and kinda rough with it. And I don't want to get a really expensive instrument for my first one for fear of damaging it and not wanting to breaking it.(just so you know "rough" means I'm going to be being it with me to and from school and just general student use.) So I really want a smaller guitar for folk music .
The best thing to do is buy a good guitar..a,super cheap guitar you might lose interest..if you really want to play,,buy something good..3oo..to 500. Sometimes you can find a fender for 200 plus..that are good ones
My very first acoustic guitar was an Ortega concert guitar. I bought it back in 1992, so there was no internet, and I couldn't afford lessons, so I bought a book that taught the basics. I learned to strum and finger-pick open chords and bar chords. I sold that guitar to a friend in 1995, then I bought a no-name steel-string with a folk-sized body with a glossy sunburst finish from my local luthier. He had bought a whole shipping container full of factory rejects from Asia, which he then personally fixed up and customized, making sure the quality was top of the line. I love that guitar and still play it to this day. Both my sons learned to play on that guitar. Ten years ago, I bought an LAG Auditorium guitar with a curved fret-board but nylon strings. It has such a warm sound, especially hooked up to an acoustic amp.
As a beginner I chose a rather plain looking (early model) Takamine GS330S based purely on its sound. The sales rep kept steering me toward other brands. But, nothing in that price range came close to it’s open sound. It’s light weight, has a cedar top, a matt finish and no pick guard. But, it sounds wonderful. The cedar top is “soft” and will ding easily if abused, but it’s well made and has held up very well over the years. That was many years ago, and I have moved on to very expensive guitars, but that Takamine GS330S is still a joy to play and sounds wonderful. I have no plan to sell it either.
My first acoustic guitar was a Lag tramontane and really it sounds amazing for the price like I still play it these days even so now I have a more expensive one from seagull
I just got a Yamaha FGX800C, hard case, guitar stand, extra pack of strings, pack of picks, and Kliq ergonomic strap. I'm definitely very happy with everything and feel it was a great deal.
My first guitar was a 2nd-hand, early '70s model Epiphone - unfortunately, the original owner had very amateurishly installed a pickup, and at some point dropped it, cracking the bottom edge of the face, so the action got higher and higher... But it still lasted a good 15 years before it finally turned into basically a big wooden spoon and wouldn't hold a tuning, so I couldn't even play slide on it. I loved that guitar andmiss it terribly - but I recently got another Epiphone, which holds a lot of promise!
My first was a super cheap Jasmine guitar, I think I paid around $125 for it. I hated it so much that it turned me off to acoustic guitars for over 10 years, I just stuck with playing my electrics. Then one day about a year ago I decided to give acoustic another try and I bought a much better quality Washburn and I fell in love! I enjoy playing acoustic so much now that I recently bought a PRS as my second one.
I'm feeling to buy Fender CC 60 SCE electro-acoustic guitar. So, I wanna know whether this guitar is made of good material & one of the best within that price range??
Enjoyed the video. My first guitar was a Yamaha back in the 1970's. Great guitar, but the action on it was quite high and it was hard to play, at least until i developed callouses on my fingers. One thing I would recommend to new guitar players is to spend an extra 50$ or so and get the guitar set up by a competent tech at your local guitar shop. It will be so much easier and enjoyable to play.
best guitars to buy gs mini taylor easy and nice sounding . than sigma d41 easy to play lovely sounding . than big baby taylor . very easy to play lovely sounding . easy to play i mean easy to hold the fret hand down and make the strings ring out
I bought my first guitar over 15 years ago. It is an Alvarez RD-20SC and I love it. I don't remember why I chose this one specifically but it is my baby although I would like to get another.
I was watching to see if anyone else would mention Alvarez . I have a 5041 , a 3/4 model 5014 and a 12 string forget the model but all Alvarez. I love them All !
Fender DG20CE (Korean made) was my first and only acoustic guitar and its over 20 years old. I love the dreadnought sound. It has the sound potential to control the whole room, even if you're the only in it. I still think im still using the stock nut, saddle, and bridge pins haha.
Wanted to start playin guitar. Checked on ebay and bought a Montaya W-15 (built somewhere 1969-1972) for about 90$ For my beginner ears it sounds good. The d-shape of the neck is a bit big but it's ok. One day when I think that I have reached intermediate level of playing and enough money I'll go to a store and look for "the next level" guitar.
I recently spoke out about wanting to learn and play guitar. My father and grandfather both play and play well. So it was just a matter of time before I became interested. I was recently gifted a Woods W92 (I'd never heard of them either) as a learner and if it becomes something I really want to pursue then I'll be ready to go and purchase a "Real" guitar. I have no complaints about the Woods. It's cheap and it shows but for learning purposes it does the trick. All it needed to be a decent learner was a new set of Elixir Nanoweb strings and it was ready to play properly. And for anyone reading this. I can't put it down! I have it sitting by my side table in the living room. I'll have a show on that I'm interested in, and I'll just grab the guitar and work on finger positions and clear sounding chords. I forget all about the show, and by the time I realize that it's still playing its moving on to the next episode. I'm sure this is a good sign, as it means I really do want to learn and won't get tired of it.
I know this is an old vid, but you asked... My first guitar was an inexpensive small blonde accoustic my Dad brought home for me to learn on (me: age 6). I traded for an inexpensive Goya accoustics (still is my all-time favorite go-to guitar, with my setup on it). As a very young teenager, I acquired a Teisco solid body electric, an amp (etc.), a couple more accoustics, etc. Started doing "mods" on those (learning all the time). Again, very young, turned pro, and Dad brought home a Gibson J-200 (NOT SJ-200), in the tooled leather case, and fur-on-leather interior. Nice. Too much guitar for me & Dad helped me swap it for showroom-new 1970 'Cuda...had plenty of cars, too. Years passed, gigs, touring, studio/recording, managing bands, and all the rest happened, college degrees, marriage and kids (20 years), moving all across the country, etc. --- now, I professionally compose and write songs...tons of guitars, keyboards, etc. etc. Simple life, now. --- pretty solid video for anyone considering that first step. Well done, guys.
My 3 steps when buying a new guitar. 1. Ask the store guy to show you their left-handed stock. 2. Take a look at 1% of the guitars they have because only those come in Left-handed. 3. Cry in a corner because you were born and learned left-handed. :(
Southpaw guitars man. Look them up. If you live in the states it’s worth the drive, not a single right handed instrument in the store. My dad loved that place.
Another way to tell if you have solid back and sides is if the back doesn’t have any bracing on it then it is laminated, because solid wood needs bracing.
I bought my first two at the same time, a Fender American Professional Telecaster to get loud, and a Martin 000-15M to master the skills and to enjoy the warm tone.
Ive been wanting to play guitar my whole life. I'm now 52 and just now picking it up for the 1st time....for fun I wanted to play in a talent show with some of my friends so I made myself learn a song and it was hard and the fingertips did nearly bleed and OH the callouses, but I love it so much, as I knew I would.and now I'm hooked. I'm like a sponge soaking up any and every tip I can find on youtube. Thank you all so much! Oh, and my son initially bought a small Yamaha to fit my freakishly small hands but I recently went to a music store and asked the owner to pick one out for me with a bigger sound than my Yamaha and he picked out and Alvarez RF28 stating it was slightly above a beginner level guitar. Any thoughts?
Should probably go for an Alvarez AF30 instead. Quality solid spruce top (RF models have laminated wood tops, hence the "select" term used for them as opposed to "solid"), forward-shifted scalloped bracing for better sound projection, real bone nut/saddle (RF models use synthetic bone, which is better than cheap plastic but not quite as durable as actual bone or TUSQ), and is a more suitable long-term option by comparison. Only drawback is the nut width is about 1mm larger than the RF models so that might impact your play style somewhat. Still, Alvarez is a very well-respected brand name for affordable acoustics-right up there with Yamaha and Seagull for that matter. Nearly bit on an AD60L myself before settling for the more available Yamaha FG820L as my first official guitar. Good luck with yours, whatever you decided on! ;-)
I have a Yamaha. I want a new one. I saw a martin that was 700. Then I heard some were made on Mexico. Are they less quality. ? I would love a Taylor. I love my guitar. I am about to come out of the desert and be on internet so see you soon.
I've had two Big Baby Taylors that were both made in Mexico. They were both very well crafted and sounded rich and full like guitars twice their price.
A Made-in-Mexico guitar is less quality simply because is made in Mexico? Currently Fender makes its guitars in Mexico, and they are better than the made-in-USA Fender guitars. Check out the comparison on RUclips.
I own a Martin drs2. Solid wood all around,made in Mexico,sound great. Around 800$. Have also played the drs1.also solid wood, around 800$ and sounds fantastic. Highly recommend these two.
There is nothing wrong with the Mexican Martins. Before you get rid of that Yamaha though, See if you can get it set up. It may be a great guitar yet. Take it to a local shop and discuss this option.
first acoustic, nylon string piece of crap. second acoustic, steel string piece of crap. third acoustic, Cole Clark FL1A12. she's a beautiful looking and sounding guitar, BUT, one more tip. only buy a 12 string if you hate your fingers and want them to suffer accordingly. EDIT, oh, just purchased fourth acoustic, Takamine P3NC, also a gorgeous looking and sounding guitar.
Don't hesitate to to explore the used market. You can often get a lot more guitar for your $. I find the avarage guitar across all price ranges tend to sell for about 50% of their new value. $300 Takamine or Fender-$150. $5400-$6000 Martin 40 series $2700-$3000 if you really shop and bide your time. I could never have afforded my Santa Cruz OM new-barely sort of afford it used.
My first guitar was around 400$ with a rosewood laminate back and side and a solid spruce top. I still play it and still love it. I went to my local music store twice and tried out guitars until I found the right one.
Hahaha my first guitar was a black shiny one that I bought off of Amazon for $60. 😂 The day it came in the mail was the best day of my life but I quickly realized that it was probably the cheapest one I could find. It may have been a piece of crap, but it was my piece of crap❤️
Don't sell them short. Sigma's are Martins. They're were just built in Japan. At least the original ones where. Martin sold the rights a few years ago.
Hello Nate and Andrew, My first guitar was a jumbo cut-away with a pick-up which my tutor helped me to buy. It was a basic model of Indian brand- Givson, which helped me to get started. After a long gap of almost 10 years, I am beginning once again and am in process of buying a new one. My initial idea was to go for f-cut (so that I can play higher notes) and also with pick-up. But now I am having second thoughts: as I rarely play higher notes and never play on stage. So, I guess I can go for regular dreadnought without pick-up. I have shortlisted following 2 which cost similar and within my budget: 1) Fender FA125 (Fender FA125CE is cut-away electric, which I considered initially, but its beyond my budget & comes with feature which I feel I do not need) 2) Yamaha F310 Really appreciate any feedback you may provide. Regards, Nrupal
The guy in the blue shirt, i think his name is Andrew, what guitar is he using. I'm in love with the sound it makes and I've been seaching for guitar and i think his guitar might be it.
The first acoustic i bought was a Ibanez F-360 BK in 1983, i think. I had some guitars before that was given to me before that, but the Ibanez was the first i bought myself. I upgraded the Ibanez in 92 with piezo pickups. It sounded fantastic. My daughter is still using the guitar performing live... I have bought several acoustic guitars the last years, but I still miss that guitar...
I got my first guitar when i was about 10 years old. Used all my "christmas and birthday money" to buy a fender c60. I eventually, like a lot of kids, got tired of it, but never wanted to get rid of it. Couple of years have passed, got back into music in highschool playing bass, drum, piano (trying a little bit of everything). I am now almost 20 and starting to re-learn guitar all over again. That feeling when playing, as if the guitar "grew up with me".. I just can't describe it 👌
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I've been playing for about 50 years and I've learned a few things along the way. What guitar should you buy? Three thoughts: One, stay inexpensive until you are sure this is going to be a lifetime thing. There are tons of really good guitars these days under $300, and it's best to stick with a major brand. My recommendation is always to go with Yamaha for a first guitar. The workmanship and sound quality rival guitars that cost three times as much. My first guitar was a cheap Sears Silvertone, circa 1968. Once I knew I would continue playing, I purchased a new Yamaha FG-300 in 1974. I think it was around $400 then. I still have it today, and it's still my favorite guitar. Two, realize that the odds are you will keep a guitar for your entire life. That old Sears Silvertone is long gone, but every guitar I've ever bought since (seven guitars in all) I still own and play regularly. So from that perspective, once you know you'll be a player, buy the best guitar you can afford. The extra $200 you pay for a guitar today will be meaningless in 40 years, but the higher quality of the guitar will be something you'll appreciate forever. I pushed my budget to the limit in the late 1980s to buy two of my favorites, an Ovation Custom Balladeer 12-string, and a Gibson Les Paul Studio. Thirty years later, I still feel a thrill each time I pick up one of those two guitars. And three, I recommend staying away from electric guitars until you're comfortable playing acoustics. Acoustic guitars are much more physically difficult to play, and learning to play on one will reap huge benefits by the time you're ready for an electric. If you learn to play on an acoustic, and become adept at getting the sound, chord shapes, and fingering techniques you desire, you'll be absolutely amazed at how cool it is to use those abilities on an electric.
David Craine thank you for sharing your experience.
Agree with Yamaha as excellent guitars
thank you for sharing, I was incredibly hooked by Ana Vidovic's "Asturias", and now I want to learn to play!
Agreed Yamaha the best company for most of the instruments
I own a Yamaha FG401a. Very loud and clear but a bit too high on action. Maybe should I get it set up ? Many like it but to me not so comfortable like an Ibanez.
1:00 How much money do you want to spend?
1:49 Price tiers
2:30 What style of music? (Acoustic guitar types)
3:17 Your own body's size
4:04 Acoustic or electric?
5:04 Solid wood top or not?
6:14 Solid wood back and sides?
7:16 Don't forget to budget for accessories
7:41 Buy something you like
8:18 Try guitars to get the "feel" of the guitar
Thanks Robert.
Robert Gandy your the real mvp
not much advise besides solid tops, dude!
Go ahead, ask all of those questions of a beginner. Then watch their head explode.
Robert Gandy thank you
Only one piece of advice to everyone. Find people to play with, regardless of your skill. With Meetup groups, etc everywhere, find people to jam with who just want to play and make music. It's so much more fun with others.
Patty Jeddy good tip thank you
you mean real people? I can't do that I lack of social skills
Lol dude no
You need actual skills to play with other people though
2020 says hello
The year was 1970, I was 19 and I went into a small music store and bought my first guitar. It was a used Grammer guitar for $325. I made payments because that's around $2 thousand in todays money. It was outstanding and had a sound like no guitar I've ever heard. Hard times came and had to sell it for $150.00. I've seen asking prices as high as $5 thousand for that guitar today. I still miss that guitar. Oh well, such is life.
I feel like if hard times came i wouldnt sell my first guitar for 10% of its worth....... i made more pan handling with NO guitar when i found myself homeless, so if i knew how to play guitar at the time and had one, id easily have made 150 over a week.....
Donald Lewis don’t feel alone. In 1972, a neighbor’s husband died, she sold his instruments. I bought a Chet Atkins gold plated country gentlemen acoustic/electric for 200 bucks in a custom case. Best guitar I ever had, but being a stupid teenager, when I got out of army basic training, no job.. sold it for 100 bucks. It was worth 3000.00 and I did not know it. Still miss it.
E
@@umbralveritas haha so true
oh bro. I feel bad
My little story starts as, I always wanted to learn to play guitar since i was a kid and couldn't afford it. Now at 55 years old I started oh boy ! Now I'm addicted and your in part to blame lol ! 1st Taylor 110E
2nd Taylor 150E 12 string, 3rd Taylor 314CE 4th Martin OMC 28E that is the acoustics. I absolutely love them all and use them all (now have 12 guitars) Why did I wait so long ? Any you guys are amazing I learn so much from you Thank you Thank you Thank you !! I surprised my wife with the first one a year and a half ago. As I played and sang her a song and she cried, (in laughter) yes you helped.
Try the electric
Nice collection! I started at 46... but yea... I've spent a little bit now. 😅
Scott Camire , I’m 53 and I’m where you were at...
My number one piece of advice I would give to anyone buying a guitar for the first time would be to, buy the one you played. Don't ever get the one from the warehouse. I know, some people like the idea of getting the "fresh" one, that nobody has touched. But guitars are alive. They all have their own personalities. The one you played, quite often, will have different characteristics to the one nobody has touched. And it's exactly because nobody has touched it. You want the one that's been played, touched, maybe even dropped a few times. If that's the one that sounds good to you, buy that one, that EXACT one. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to people who bought a guitar and then complained that it didn't sound the same as the one they played at the shop. Or it didn't feel the same, or the action was off, or any number of things. And that's because it's not the same.
Agreed. I would buy an electric from an online store but never an acoustic.
I'm not just talking about buying online. Even when you go in to the store, you should buy the one you play.
I never would have thought of that
John Miller I’m not native eng speaker so I didn’t understand you.
You said that it would be good if u buy guitar from the other person not from the shop?
@@Nicolas_Cage525 no, they basically said that it's good to buy the exact guitar you actually tried in the guitar store.
Anyone about to buy one during Corona Pandemic 2020?
@Divine Big Dark happy birthday next month!🥳
Divine Big Dark happy early birthday
Just bought one.
Everything closed here🥴
Yeah I just got enough money to buy one
For beginners, here's my own guide. To be technical, (Applies to all amount of budget).
1. Get a guitar with a light headstock to avoid "neck diving" - Neck diving happens when your guitar headstock is heavy thus requiring you to support it which reduces your play speed (Some players ignore it while I found it annoying when your headstock is heavy especially when I was still a beginner).
2. Get a guitar with a flat fretboard profile - Flat fretboard relatively makes it more playable than a Curve fretboard.
3. Get a guitar with "Low action" - Low action means that the strings are low and close to the fretboard and make it easier to play.
This is based on my experience and it's the same guide I followed when I bought my electric guitar.
First guitar I purchased was a Fender CD60CE. Still sounds great to this day.
Fenders are good beginner guitars I got a fender cc60s as my first guitar now own a gibson songwriter deluxe
There are a few things to consider when purchasing a new acoustic guitar.
1. How is the action? If you want your guitar to be super easy to play, I'd go with a low action, but that's just me.
2. tuners. How well does the guitar stay in tune? This one is pretty straight forward.
3. Tone. How does the guitar sound compared to the other guitars at the store that you tried out?
There's more than just this, but I'd say this stuff is very important.
Agree. Missing on these lists, and my experience is the nut width and neck radius/shape/finish. I went from a FG Yamaha to a low-range Fender and still struggled (muting strings unintentionally) until I picked up a 1 3/4" nut Alvarez at GC. Even the nut width doesn't guarantee wider spacing, depends where mfgr cut grooves. And then the shape (radius) of the neck, flatter vs rounder on your palm-side, is a matter of preference.
My first one was a low end dreadnought from Furch / Stonebridge. The quality for it's price was outstanding. It satisfied all my weekend guitar player's needs completely. I'd strongly encourage everyone not to glance over the unfamiliar brand name and try Furch guitars alongside your typical Yamaha and Taylor.
Mom: I’ll buy you no more than 150 dollars!
Video: under 150 dollars are poor quality
Me: gg
I-Love Me relatable asff. Starting to play at 13 is a struggle
Try to get additional 50 dollars and look for the Yamaha fs-800. Add another 25 dollars for a cheap gig bag and some picks
my budget is 300...
wp
Epiphone Pro-1 is 130-140 dollars
I really wish that I saw this before I got my first guitar. I was 9 years old and my pop got me a 3/4 frame Palmer steel string. It was awful. Red laminate. Those steel strings cut into me so much that I bled each time. It was not fun to learn to play on. I'm guessing that it was the cheapest one in the store. Ironically I became a bass player in my teen years. Nevertheless, this is a great guide for anyone to avoid making really common mistakes.
Thanks!
My first guitar is an Art & Lutherie Legacy with the bourbon burst finish. Absolutely fell in love with it the moment I saw and heard it.
I love my Art & Lutherie. I bought it back in 96', right when they first came out. It was my first, and still gets some love, now and again.
I didn't personally buy myself my acoustic guitar but I got to pick it out. After getting my GED my grandmother bought me an epiphone hummingbird and im completely in love with it. Makes playing feel more personal and I've had her since I was 18. I'm 24 now and no complaints whatsoever.
Difinitely solid wood top. Also you can add a bone nut & saddle and bone or hard wood pins very cheaply and this will help improve sound.
got my first guitar about 4 months ago, bought a Guild M-20E, concert body, solid mahogany (top, back and sides). beautiful piece. following your video series Nate, thanks so much
its all about your personal preference, the feel, your style & how it sounds to your ear- there are so many variables like strings, action etc. - I've played a few expensive martins, taylors, guilds, etc. my main is a $300 used Epiphone super jumbo single cutaway electric acoustic. it even came with the case. a good cleaning and a set of 10 elixir polys and it works very well for me. it's all personal
The acoustic I learned to play on was a 40ish year old Kay brand acoustic with a way out of whack truss rod and some terrible frets.
Randy Epp Do you regret starting on that one? Do you think it helped you in the long run?
similar story, my first guitar was crud, really hard to play. After a couple of years I got a much better one and it was night and day.
I was much faster and fluid with my playing but I'm glad I did my time getting good on a bad guitar. You learn finesse, finger and forearm strength and strumming techniques that would take years to develop otherwise.
i have a very cheap one and expensive one but still like the one i started with and pretty much all the vids i have on my channel are made by the cheap one
Wish I still had the one I started with. :)
I went to my music store with the intention of buying a Taylor 314ce after many months of research and store browsing. The salesman was very supportive but suggested that I try a Martin DCPA4. I played this Martin and fell in love with it. I’ve had it for about two months and love it.
thats crazy..Salesman scored$
The first ever acoustic I got was 11 years ago on Christmas! It was a fairly inexpensive one which sadly broke one day, the one I've been using for the past 8-9 years has been a $70 guitar we bought for my dad. It has served me well through the years.
Although at times I used to wish and oogly over the guitars I see in the online catalogues, and sometimes I do admit at being frustrated for not having a good stage instrument for live playing, I really thank God for providing me with loving friends who were so willing to lend me their guitars for such occasions.
I came to understand that in times when I really wanted to play but was staying in a place where there was no guitar at all, I used to think even having any guitar would be enough to let out the song inside. So I am thankful for that guitar being there by my bedside all these years!
I do sometimes consider buying a semi-acoustic or maybe even an electric but I guess only time will tell about that.
To anyone reading, I just wanna say don't get worried about getting the next best instrument, In the meantime I guess you just have to make do with what you've been blessed with. It'll be alright!
Just keep playing and making music! God bless you!
I purchased my first guitar a year ago and chose an inexpensive Yamaha. It did the trick for a while but a year later, I purchased a Taylor 214CE deluxe. I'd been looking at this one for about 6 months and treated myself. I love it! I kept the Yamaha for trips as I won't worry about bringing it on a plane.
That's quite a step up. I'm looking into a new Taylor for my wife.
I just love how it sounds and it looks great!
My first acoustic was a fairly inexpensive Washburn. Maybe 120$. Bought it while I was in the Navy. Was really good for a starter. When I got moved home, I bought a Jasmine, by Takamine, for around 350$, and I've had it for about 15 yrs. Really good guitar for the price I paid. I'm actually looking for a new acoustic now, which is why I watched your video. I have been looking at Martins, Taylors, and some higher end Takamines. Thanks for the info! Great video.
Man I’m tryna go below 100$😂
Anthony Kane find pawn shops or used guitar stores. You can get a Rogue brand new for about $60
@@danielmartin9851 rogue isn't that good
Same
Got my Used Epiphone C 30 for 45 bucks. Got a little hole and scratches, but worth it for my first guitar!
same ahaha!
You guys nailed it. Tips exactly what i'm looking for. Very clear explanations for a acoustic guitar player like me. You deserve lots of credits! Thanks so much! All the way here in philippines.
This video is a couple years old, but my first guitar I ever bought was a Jasmine S34C and, by the way, still have it as well.
William Middleton I have the same guitar 😂
How much did you buy it for? I am planning on buying one but am confused.
@@booradely6423 Hey I bought mine for 116.82 from amazon however they must not have any more instock and sold now by third parties. Musicians friend and guitar center sister companies also sell it but out of stock.
My first acoustic was an Epiphone Hummingbird Artist. It listed for 200, was a demo at the store, and I paid 129 for it. Put new Elixir nanoweb medium strings on it, and, after a hand full of years, it still plays like a dream. :)
Ibanez ae10 wonderful guitar I've been extremely happy with my purchase
My first really good guitar was a 74’ D-18 Martin and it was and still is really great. I still have it and also just bought a Seagull w/ electronics and built in tuner for playing in church and it sounds great. I’ve had others but these are my favorites. Thanks for the video.
"i mean..look at my arm.." yeah cant get my eyes off of it 😂
The law of diminishing returns does apply, especially if you are a beginner, or even an intermediate player. My question would be, "How much do I have to spend to get a quality instrument that has a perfectly straight neck with a good low action, that will stay that way".
My first guitar was some long forgotten brand classical guitar with nylon strings (I think). I could not play the dammed thing. I switched to bass guitar. Second acoustic was a Yamaha, it was cheep £70 or something, played better, but didn't feel right, sold that. 3rd and most recent one is a fender DG-60. This feels right, warm sounding, comfortable to play, and the action on it is great. Paid about £150 for it. Your right, the accessories do add up as well. Informative video, I like it.
At 12-13 I quit after 1 month . I had a squire . I just bought a seagull mahogany s6 .. and now I’m obsessed
Some additions and tweaks:
- The most important thing is to hold it and play it. If you find yourself trying new things with it, find you can do things you could never do before, and/or not wanting to put it down, she's your guitar. Find a way to buy it. If you don't find this, keep going until you do. You may need to visit ones outside your budget. Better to save up for the right one.
- If you live in a place where the humidity goes below 40%, invest in a hard case and cheap sponge humidifier, or humidify your room. A hard case really protects your guitar in several ways. A gig bag is a "nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there" place good for short stays. A good used case is okay.
- Particularly if you are going for a sub-$500 guitar, I would look for no electronics. A good acoustic pickup can go for $200 and up. You are spending part of your small budget on the pickup, when you could be putting more into the guitar itself. You could always get that later and save for a good one.
- Budget about $80 for a reputable luthier to do a good setup on it. You could wait a little while to get this done
I bought an Ibanez dreadnaught in a box for $79 at GC at their Christmas sale maybe 4 years ago. First time I ever bought a guitar without playing it, but for $80 I figured ok, i'll risk it. When I tightened the strings the guitar became an immediate player. low action with no buzzing, excellent intonation. I was blown away. It was originally going to be my campfire beater, but it quickly became as precious as my Taylor grand auditorium because it has it's own sound vs the Taylor. Moral of the story is give Ibanez a look if you are on a budget but want a nice guitar.
jj rusy almost the same thing happened to me on an art and lutherie guitar. Went in the store had 700$ to spend was looking at those guitars. Store owner tells me try this art and lutherie at 350$. It sounded better than the fenders, martins I picked up that day. Walked out with it. Loved it ever since.
jj rusy your english sucks...buy a grammar book, no more guitars.
rael His "english" sucks? The irony of your comment is laughable. My pity goes to anyone so unfortunate as to have you in their orbit. Go back to strumming yourself in your lonely pit and don't come out until ....
I agree with your like for Ibanez guitars. I presently own two and really like them. They are both acoustic electrics that I play through a Fender Acoustasonic 90 amp. These are not expensive guitars but feel great and sound great. I don't have a lot of money and if I bought again it would be Ibanez.
Agreed! My first guitar was an Ibanez Talman TCM-60 and I would liken it to a Martin dreadnought in quality and tone.
First, let's buy him knee covers!
Jeffrey Rivers It’s 21 century, grow up please
Haha 😂 it's funny tho
Dang I just laughed out loud
Nobody plays guitar with knee covers.
You are so 1880
If you are a beginner the easiest guitar to learn on is a NYLON STRUNG classical acoustic guitar. SOFTER strings on the fingers, WIDER string spacing for learning open chord shapes and readily available in different sizes (depending on your age) .
I bought a really cheap first guitar about 3 months ago (I think it was about £75) and I love playing but I just want a new one (I'll probably spend somewhere between £500 and £600 on this one), so videos like these are halpful for me!
Okay, so that all sounded pretty good, but you missed a really important aspect, and it relates to the question you asked about the first guitar we ever bought. My first was a Yamaha FG-180. The action was very high and it was tough to play. I would play for hours on end and couldn't get any better because it hurt my fingers and I didn't enjoy the guitar. I thought the problem was me. My advice to a first time acoustic buyer is to check the action, see if it is hard to play, and decide if you want to find something that's easier to play or you want to spend the money to get the action adjusted. If you can't tell whether it is hard or not, try a bunch of different guitars and ask the guys in the store which guitars are easier to play. If you find one you like but it isn't easy to play, ask the guys in the store if they can adjust it, maybe lower the bridge. If it's a good store they will understand. For a new player, that is very important, or at least it was for me. I didn't know any better because I had never played a guitar before.
My rec is by a used guitar and find the sound you want. An older guitar that is in good condition has wood that has been aged and can have a superior sound.
I'm in a guitar class in college right now, and I had to buy a guitar. My first guitar ever. This video was perfect, because the Dreadnought was EXACTLY what I was looking for.
Hello from Africa!
My very first acoustic guitar was an IMG; the I purchaed a Royal.
Question please:
Is it possible to replace the metallic strings with the nylon ones on an electric acoustic guitar?
Thanks for an answer!
I wound't recommend putting steel strings on an nylon string guitar or nylon strings on a steel string guitar. They just are not made for that. There is a lot that can go wrong and a lot that would need to be done to make a guitar ready to accept the other type of strings. It's better to just buy a second guitar if possible.
I play a Fender, Squire and Epiphone and I was amazed to find out that my electric Fender had continued to stay in perfect tune for almost a year or so. Frankly, I wasn’t playing much on it at the time. Still, I have never experienced such a perfect tuning time with any other guitars I’d ever played. Since I’m merely an amateur - is this commonplace for a decent guitar to remain in tune for months ?
First and foremost, thank you for the video. Very instructive and inspirational for someone looking to buy an acoustic guitar. OK....
About me. I am now 46 years old and received my 1st acoustic guitar as a xmas gift when I was 17. Its a Celebrity Ovation model CC11. So this makes this guitar almost 30 years old ! I know wow!
I consider myself an amateur and play as a hobby. Eventually real life took over and got married, had 2 kids, you know the deal. So my guitars took a back shelf (yes plural, I also have an electric !) So that special "it" factor that made me want to play came back and so I am in the market for a new acoustic guitar. I am 5' 7" so I thought that triple O might feel better on my body type and also smaller hands/fingers for gripping. Thanks again for the video and hope to buy something real soon! AL
I am on the search for my next acoustic guitar. I believe that I am definitely going to need to spend some money and invest in something suitable. The one thing that I have not been able to find on RUclips is a video where somebody talks about strumming And how it relates to the guitar brand and make. I hope that I can find a versatile guitar. I’ve tried out many different kinds of martins. I hope I can find one that really stands out. I am not going to rush this process. I am going to continue to try out different guitars and keep watching videos like yours until the right guitar finds its way into my hands! All of that being said great job have a good one see ya!
I'm 5'5", been playing guitar for 13 years, dreadnaught 6 years. I tried a concert body and my world has changed. I wanna buy one!!!!
James, I highly recommend playing a Breedlove Concerto... They are amazing... Smaller then dred bigger then concert... You'll love it
@@TheK7aloha I ended up buying a Timberidge 3 series small body electric acoustic! Love it :)
my first own acoustic guitar was a Ibanez AVN6 DTS. I really like it for its size while it still has quite a full sound for its smaller body. It’s nice for fingerpicking. Playing it since a year now and I don’t regret getting it at all. I like its warmish sound!
I was gifted a Yamaha FS 800. I love it! I'm still learning though.
Great guitar to start with Suezelle.
Wow that's awesome
So jelly rn
FS800 is a lot of guitar for the money.
E
my first, was the fs 700 . you got the improved fs 800 ... but, i'm not complaining .
I've been playing guitar for forty years and professionally I played for 25. I found the best way to buy an acoustic guitar is, you don't even have to take it off the rack you just take a pic and you pluck on the strings and you listen. You can tell right away. I look for deep body on the low strings and gingle on the high-strings. You can tell quite easily with this exercise you don't even have to take the guitar off the rack.
Everything they say is irrelevant. The most important thing is the sound how deep it is and how high the jingle is It doesn't matter what the guitar is made of your ears will tell you what's important. It's also surprising you could have ten guitars of the same make the same model and every one of them will sound different.
@@waynespeirs1024 If you are suggesting that feel is not important, I disagree. Using your method to choose the guitar to pick off the rack THEN check the feel makes a perfect sense - neither of which you can do from a catalogue order.
@@ernestbrennecke3660 when I park a guitar while it's still on the stand that's the beginning when I have what I want I took up the guitar and then play it often I'll put it back discouraged.
Personal 😂 I'm a type of person that wants to go kinda "cheap" so I can learn the basics because I know I'm going to be learning and kinda rough with it. And I don't want to get a really expensive instrument for my first one for fear of damaging it and not wanting to breaking it.(just so you know "rough" means I'm going to be being it with me to and from school and just general student use.) So I really want a smaller guitar for folk music .
The best thing to do is buy a good guitar..a,super cheap guitar you might lose interest..if you really want to play,,buy something good..3oo..to 500.
Sometimes you can find a fender for 200 plus..that are good ones
Get a Yamaha or a seagull. You won’t regret it.
My very first acoustic guitar was an Ortega concert guitar. I bought it back in 1992, so there was no internet, and I couldn't afford lessons, so I bought a book that taught the basics. I learned to strum and finger-pick open chords and bar chords. I sold that guitar to a friend in 1995, then I bought a no-name steel-string with a folk-sized body with a glossy sunburst finish from my local luthier. He had bought a whole shipping container full of factory rejects from Asia, which he then personally fixed up and customized, making sure the quality was top of the line. I love that guitar and still play it to this day. Both my sons learned to play on that guitar. Ten years ago, I bought an LAG Auditorium guitar with a curved fret-board but nylon strings. It has such a warm sound, especially hooked up to an acoustic amp.
El Kabong was my big musical inspiration so I am looking for one that you can hit someone over the head with :D
As a beginner I chose a rather plain looking (early model) Takamine GS330S based purely on its sound. The sales rep kept steering me toward other brands. But, nothing in that price range came close to it’s open sound. It’s light weight, has a cedar top, a matt finish and no pick guard. But, it sounds wonderful. The cedar top is “soft” and will ding easily if abused, but it’s well made and has held up very well over the years. That was many years ago, and I have moved on to very expensive guitars, but that Takamine GS330S is still a joy to play and sounds wonderful. I have no plan to sell it either.
For me, that's the way to choose and buy a guitar!
My first acoustic guitar was a Lag tramontane and really it sounds amazing for the price like I still play it these days even so now I have a more expensive one from seagull
I just got a Yamaha FGX800C, hard case, guitar stand, extra pack of strings, pack of picks, and Kliq ergonomic strap. I'm definitely very happy with everything and feel it was a great deal.
This video was exactly what I needed. Thanks!
My first guitar was a 2nd-hand, early '70s model Epiphone - unfortunately, the original owner had very amateurishly installed a pickup, and at some point dropped it, cracking the bottom edge of the face, so the action got higher and higher... But it still lasted a good 15 years before it finally turned into basically a big wooden spoon and wouldn't hold a tuning, so I couldn't even play slide on it. I loved that guitar andmiss it terribly - but I recently got another Epiphone, which holds a lot of promise!
Seagull s6 Slim, easy to play sounds amazing.
My first was a super cheap Jasmine guitar, I think I paid around $125 for it. I hated it so much that it turned me off to acoustic guitars for over 10 years, I just stuck with playing my electrics. Then one day about a year ago I decided to give acoustic another try and I bought a much better quality Washburn and I fell in love! I enjoy playing acoustic so much now that I recently bought a PRS as my second one.
I'm feeling to buy Fender CC 60 SCE electro-acoustic guitar. So, I wanna know whether this guitar is made of good material & one of the best within that price range??
It is not the best guitar but your skills are most important. If u play well, u can make any guitar sounds good
@@parrotbrand2782 Thanks for replying.
Enjoyed the video. My first guitar was a Yamaha back in the 1970's. Great guitar, but the action on it was quite high and it was hard to play, at least until i developed callouses on my fingers. One thing I would recommend to new guitar players is to spend an extra 50$ or so and get the guitar set up by a competent tech at your local guitar shop. It will be so much easier and enjoyable to play.
best guitars to buy gs mini taylor easy and nice sounding . than sigma d41 easy to play lovely sounding . than big baby taylor . very easy to play lovely sounding . easy to play i mean easy to hold the fret hand down and make the strings ring out
I bought my first guitar over 15 years ago. It is an Alvarez RD-20SC and I love it. I don't remember why I chose this one specifically but it is my baby although I would like to get another.
I was watching to see if anyone else would mention Alvarez . I have a 5041 , a 3/4 model 5014 and a 12 string forget the model but all Alvarez. I love them All !
First act kid guitar that my grandpa got me when I was about 7 years old.
Fender DG20CE (Korean made) was my first and only acoustic guitar and its over 20 years old. I love the dreadnought sound. It has the sound potential to control the whole room, even if you're the only in it. I still think im still using the stock nut, saddle, and bridge pins haha.
My first guitar was xtag 40 c
Wanted to start playin guitar. Checked on ebay and bought a Montaya W-15 (built somewhere 1969-1972) for about 90$
For my beginner ears it sounds good. The d-shape of the neck is a bit big but it's ok. One day when I think that I have reached intermediate level of playing and enough money I'll go to a store and look for "the next level" guitar.
hey, i´m thinking the Fender CD-60SCE Black it´s going to be my first guitar. Any thoughts on that one?
Looks like a good one for that price to me.
@Carolina Gimenez Did you get the Guitar? If so, what do you think of it?
I recently spoke out about wanting to learn and play guitar. My father and grandfather both play and play well. So it was just a matter of time before I became interested. I was recently gifted a Woods W92 (I'd never heard of them either) as a learner and if it becomes something I really want to pursue then I'll be ready to go and purchase a "Real" guitar. I have no complaints about the Woods. It's cheap and it shows but for learning purposes it does the trick. All it needed to be a decent learner was a new set of Elixir Nanoweb strings and it was ready to play properly. And for anyone reading this. I can't put it down! I have it sitting by my side table in the living room. I'll have a show on that I'm interested in, and I'll just grab the guitar and work on finger positions and clear sounding chords. I forget all about the show, and by the time I realize that it's still playing its moving on to the next episode. I'm sure this is a good sign, as it means I really do want to learn and won't get tired of it.
That was my longtime question. Thank you very much
My first acoustic was a Kona Dreadnought. And honestly, it sounded really good to me for many years, until I started playing more expensive stuff.
I love my Taylor K24ce Best buy of my life!
I know this is an old vid, but you asked...
My first guitar was an inexpensive small blonde accoustic my Dad brought home for me to learn on (me: age 6). I traded for an inexpensive Goya accoustics (still is my all-time favorite go-to guitar, with my setup on it). As a very young teenager, I acquired a Teisco solid body electric, an amp (etc.), a couple more accoustics, etc. Started doing "mods" on those (learning all the time). Again, very young, turned pro, and Dad brought home a Gibson J-200 (NOT SJ-200), in the tooled leather case, and fur-on-leather interior. Nice. Too much guitar for me & Dad helped me swap it for showroom-new 1970 'Cuda...had plenty of cars, too. Years passed, gigs, touring, studio/recording, managing bands, and all the rest happened, college degrees, marriage and kids (20 years), moving all across the country, etc.
--- now, I professionally compose and write songs...tons of guitars, keyboards, etc. etc. Simple life, now.
--- pretty solid video for anyone considering that first step. Well done, guys.
My 3 steps when buying a new guitar.
1. Ask the store guy to show you their left-handed stock.
2. Take a look at 1% of the guitars they have because only those come in Left-handed.
3. Cry in a corner because you were born and learned left-handed.
:(
I'm left handed too but only with writing or eating, is there actually fully left-handed?
Southpaw guitars man. Look them up. If you live in the states it’s worth the drive, not a single right handed instrument in the store. My dad loved that place.
Another way to tell if you have solid back and sides is if the back doesn’t have any bracing on it then it is laminated, because solid wood needs bracing.
Yamaha FG180 was my first guitar.
Great way to start.
My first guitar was a Harmony Sovereign, evolved to 00018 Martin, then D35 Martin, now the last one which is a keeper Martin 045JB.
I believe they are about $12,000.00 but very hard to find anything close to that sound, probably for even more money.
Buy a Yamaha , they have their own factory, their own wood, their own QC. You'll be glad you did
I owe Yamaha accoustic guitar!!! One of my favorite!... you can't go wrong with a YAMAHA!
For the money, my opinion,
" It's the best you can get"!
@@kenmanx1298 You are right Ken. For the money you can't beat Yamaha.
Bill Green Orangewood play and sound better for less.
I bought my first two at the same time, a Fender American Professional Telecaster to get loud, and a Martin 000-15M to master the skills and to enjoy the warm tone.
Nice combo.
Ive never played a guitar worth more than 50 pound and i been playong for 2 years
@Follow the howl im saving up for a piano rn so idk
@Follow the howl thanks ill check out the guitar for sure
Ive been wanting to play guitar my whole life. I'm now 52 and just now picking it up for the 1st time....for fun I wanted to play in a talent show with some of my friends so I made myself learn a song and it was hard and the fingertips did nearly bleed and OH the callouses, but I love it so much, as I knew I would.and now I'm hooked. I'm like a sponge soaking up any and every tip I can find on youtube. Thank you all so much! Oh, and my son initially bought a small Yamaha to fit my freakishly small hands but I recently went to a music store and asked the owner to pick one out for me with a bigger sound than my Yamaha and he picked out and Alvarez RF28 stating it was slightly above a beginner level guitar. Any thoughts?
Should probably go for an Alvarez AF30 instead. Quality solid spruce top (RF models have laminated wood tops, hence the "select" term used for them as opposed to "solid"), forward-shifted scalloped bracing for better sound projection, real bone nut/saddle (RF models use synthetic bone, which is better than cheap plastic but not quite as durable as actual bone or TUSQ), and is a more suitable long-term option by comparison. Only drawback is the nut width is about 1mm larger than the RF models so that might impact your play style somewhat. Still, Alvarez is a very well-respected brand name for affordable acoustics-right up there with Yamaha and Seagull for that matter. Nearly bit on an AD60L myself before settling for the more available Yamaha FG820L as my first official guitar. Good luck with yours, whatever you decided on!
;-)
I have a Yamaha. I want a new one. I saw a martin that was 700. Then I heard some were made on Mexico. Are they less quality. ? I would love a Taylor. I love my guitar. I am about to come out of the desert and be on internet so see you soon.
I've had two Big Baby Taylors that were both made in Mexico. They were both very well crafted and sounded rich and full like guitars twice their price.
I like the Martins and Taylors you are talking about. To me, they sound great but a bit different from the higher end ones.
A Made-in-Mexico guitar is less quality simply because is made in Mexico? Currently Fender makes its guitars in Mexico, and they are better than the made-in-USA Fender guitars. Check out the comparison on RUclips.
I own a Martin drs2. Solid wood all around,made in Mexico,sound great. Around 800$. Have also played the drs1.also solid wood, around 800$ and sounds fantastic. Highly recommend these two.
There is nothing wrong with the Mexican Martins. Before you get rid of that Yamaha though, See if you can get it set up. It may be a great guitar yet. Take it to a local shop and discuss this option.
I usually recommend a nylon Yamaha C40 or a Cordoba.... most are quite nice. I'm a classical player though.
first acoustic, nylon string piece of crap. second acoustic, steel string piece of crap. third acoustic, Cole Clark FL1A12. she's a beautiful looking and sounding guitar, BUT, one more tip. only buy a 12 string if you hate your fingers and want them to suffer accordingly. EDIT, oh, just purchased fourth acoustic, Takamine P3NC, also a gorgeous looking and sounding guitar.
Don't hesitate to to explore the used market. You can often get a lot more guitar for your $. I find the avarage guitar across all price ranges tend to sell for about 50% of their new value. $300 Takamine or Fender-$150. $5400-$6000 Martin 40 series $2700-$3000 if you really shop and bide your time. I could never have afforded my Santa Cruz OM new-barely sort of afford it used.
3:43 I'm 5'4😃
I'll die.
Thank you😁
Joaquin Baquie I’m 5’1 😂
@@u3gw555 gang gang😂🔥
My first guitar was around 400$ with a rosewood laminate back and side and a solid spruce top. I still play it and still love it. I went to my local music store twice and tried out guitars until I found the right one.
What kind of guitar ? :)
Yamaha FG 830
Hahaha my first guitar was a black shiny one that I bought off of Amazon for $60. 😂 The day it came in the mail was the best day of my life but I quickly realized that it was probably the cheapest one I could find. It may have been a piece of crap, but it was my piece of crap❤️
sigma is the eastest and best sounding cheaper guitar copy of martins are the best
Don't sell them short. Sigma's are Martins. They're were just built in Japan. At least the original ones where. Martin sold the rights a few years ago.
Hello Nate and Andrew,
My first guitar was a jumbo cut-away with a pick-up which my tutor helped me to buy. It was a basic model of Indian brand- Givson, which helped me to get started.
After a long gap of almost 10 years, I am beginning once again and am in process of buying a new one.
My initial idea was to go for f-cut (so that I can play higher notes) and also with pick-up.
But now I am having second thoughts: as I rarely play higher notes and never play on stage.
So, I guess I can go for regular dreadnought without pick-up. I have shortlisted following 2 which cost similar and within my budget:
1) Fender FA125 (Fender FA125CE is cut-away electric, which I considered initially, but its beyond my budget & comes with feature which I feel I do not need)
2) Yamaha F310
Really appreciate any feedback you may provide.
Regards,
Nrupal
Hi nrupalsave. I'd vote for the Yamaha.
@@MusoraOfficial Thanks mate
I got a fender 135ce, it's amazing
same
The guy in the blue shirt, i think his name is Andrew, what guitar is he using. I'm in love with the sound it makes and I've been seaching for guitar and i think his guitar might be it.
This is a helpful video, but, man, the background music is terrible!
The first acoustic i bought was a Ibanez F-360 BK in 1983, i think. I had some guitars before that was given to me before that, but the Ibanez was the first i bought myself.
I upgraded the Ibanez in 92 with piezo pickups. It sounded fantastic.
My daughter is still using the guitar performing live...
I have bought several acoustic guitars the last years, but I still miss that guitar...
hello i have 3 gummy bears in my bank account lol
Have 2 Questions for you 1. Are guitar prices down or up during the current situation? 2. Can you please tell us a bit about nut width? Thanks.
I got my first guitar when i was about 10 years old. Used all my "christmas and birthday money" to buy a fender c60. I eventually, like a lot of kids, got tired of it, but never wanted to get rid of it. Couple of years have passed, got back into music in highschool playing bass, drum, piano (trying a little bit of everything). I am now almost 20 and starting to re-learn guitar all over again. That feeling when playing, as if the guitar "grew up with me".. I just can't describe it 👌