When I was growing up, I’ve got some distinct memories of my dad trying to teach me to play the guitar. He had self-published a few songs with his band, and I was real good at playing the viola and the clarinet. There was just one problem, though: he hadn’t ever gone through a formal education for it, but I had. Unfortunately, that meant it was pretty hard for us to jive in terms of our different learning styles.
So, for awhile, I kinda gave up on my guitar playing dreams. He’d gotten me a nice electric guitar for Christmas one year, and it’s still just collecting dust in its display case. I didn’t try again ‘til college, and that’s when I found out what part of the issue was. Turns out, I just really preferred playing on an acoustic.
I was one of those people who hung out in the music depo a ton even though I wasn’t a music major or anything like that. A bunch of my friends were, so I tended to stick around, and eventually I got the chance to strum some strings on my pal’s acoustic guitar. At first, I didn’t even really know what the difference between the types was – I ended up reading on it here: https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question701.htm.
Long story short, though, it ended up being one of my favorite instruments to play. I knew I had to get my hands on one, I just wasn’t real sure on how I would do that. I mean, there wasn’t even a music store in my college town.
Finding the Right Match for You
If you’ve never gone shopping for a guitar before, there may be some stuff that you’re not really familiar with. I think a ton of folks are really surprised by how customizable they are, even if you’re getting one that’s just on display or something like that. There’s a ton that retailers take into account that you should get familiar with.
The first thing is kinda obvious, I know, but whether you’re left handed or right handed does make a pretty big difference. Unfortunately, a lot of leftie guitars are just gonna be more expensive. Now, you can still find some of the best acoustic guitars under $1000 either way, but it is something to keep in mind in case you are left-handed.
Other stuff to think about are what sorts of strings you want (materials-wise), as well as the wood that you want the guitar made of. Both of those things can play a big role in how it ends up sounding, so if you’re not really sure what you want, make sure you talk to one of the people working there or a customer service agent. Usually, they can help you find what you need.
Is it Worth Buying One?
The last thing I wanna talk with you about today is whether or not it’s even worth purchasing your own guitar. At first, I had considered just renting one from my college’s music department, since that is an option. Unfortunately, though, that’s just not something that works out in the long term.
On top of that, though, there’s also the simple fact that most folks probably want to play their guitar for longer than a few months. If you’re really passionate about learning to play or just like using it, it’s probably a good idea to buy one. There are plenty of sites like this one that can help you sort out the initial phases of learning, so check it out if you’re still not sure.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is to get an acoustic guitar that’s gonna suit your needs. You see, most of them do need some customization, and at the very least, you’re gonna need a tuning kit too. Chat with your retailer if you ever have any questions, since they’re usually able to help out!
Think about the color, tonality, and more that you’re interested in. You can always commission a special design for your guitar if you end up wanting that, too – plenty of people end up wanting special paintings!
