How to choose the perfect guitar for me?

Question

I'm a newbie when I comes to guitars but I've always been wanting to learn how to play it. Back in college my friend taught me a few songs so I can play abit. Now I want to get one for myself, but I'm not really sure what I need to look for when getting one....Also is it true for a beginner like me that it (my friend told me this but i dunno if he's serious or wants me to save money) would be better to buy a used one since it's not so stiff to play on anymore?

I'm sorry I think I should've mentioned...I'm looking for an acoustic..
Thanks for any info you guys can give me!

Answer 1

I'd agree with your friend, Used is a good choice. Go guitar shopping at pawn shops, or look in buy and sell papers, classifieds. Take a good guitarist with you if you can. Play every note on the fingerboard to check for buzzes. Pick one that is still in tune after you play it. If it survives sitting on the shelf and playing it in tune, it will sitting in your living room, or the guitar case as well. Check it over very thoroughly, most pawn shops will have quite a few (duds) or less than perfect instruments.
Choose a guitar for how it feels and sounds, not so much how it looks. I've seen many beautiful guitars with necks so weak they can't stay in tune for more than two chords.
Take what you know you can afford in cash and leave the card at home. They will try to suck more cash out of you if they can. They know us guitarists and when we want a guitar we get one. They try to use that against us and jack up the price. Remember to research prices, shop around, look at at lots before you hand over the money. Also look at resale value, Fender(USA), Gibson, Martin, Guild, and other Professional quality instruments hold and can increase in value, some lesser brands are ok as well, but others are just poor quality and will not resell at even what you pay to buy them second hand.
New can be a little stiffer to play, and you'll probably pay a little more for a little less overall value in a name brand, but name brands (as above) will have passed the quality control standard and will perform their purpose without all the testing to find a good one, you'd have to do with a used one.
Guitar takes commitment, I wish you the persistance, patience, timing, and dexterity to accomplish your musical goals.

Answer 2

used is cool - find one you like the sound of - check the tuners make sure they're not rusty or frozen - stretch a string one tone or a 1/2 tone and see if the guitar stays in tune - sight down the neck and be sure its straight- play each note on each string all the way up the neck and be sure they don't buzz out against one of the other frets - look at the nut and the bridge (where the strings contact at the top of the neck and on the sound box where they mount)and make sure they are secure and undamaged.
Play as many as you can find go to pawn shops and music stores -look in the used instrument section in your classifieds. Theres a lot of different sounding wood out there. Don't settle for something you don't like.

Answer 3

Here's my 2 cents. Simply pick one that you like the sound of. People swear by this one and that one. You have to satisfy yourself. You will know when you hear the sound of a chord whether you like the sound. I played a $3000 Taylor that sounded like a cardboard box with rubber bands stretched across it. I have a $300 Fender that sounds much better, with old strings. I'm talking acoustic guitars.
For electrics, personally I'd get a Les Paul. If you have money, get a good one that has a good sound.

Answer 4

Get a STRATOCASTER by fender, the ones that are made in mexico, they are not expensive, they have great quality, they are not to heavy, and the neck is easy to play for anyone, and also there is pretty cool desings and colors.... lots of artist play with strats, they are great !

Answer 5

just find a guitar that you are confortable with ex size matters its harder to play a guitar that is to big.