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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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Anyone about to buy one during Corona Pandemic 2020?

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.

First guitar I purchased was a Fender CD60CE. Still sounds great to this day.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

Mom: I’ll buy you no more than 150 dollars! Video: under 150 dollars are poor quality Me: gg

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.

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.

Man I’m tryna go below 100$😂

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

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

This video was exactly what I needed. Thanks!

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!

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

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.

That was my longtime question. Thank you very much

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!

Ibanez ae10 wonderful guitar I've been extremely happy with my purchase

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.

"i mean..look at my arm.." yeah cant get my eyes off of it 😂

Thanks, this answered everything I was wondering about.

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 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.

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. :)

Finally a truly helpful guidance video!

Thank you so much. It was extremely helpful and answered all of the questions I had

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.

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.

My first guitar I bought was actually that Yamaha FG800 in the video! I talked to one of the guys at my local music store and they recommended it to me as a starter guitar!

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 ?

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

El Kabong was my big musical inspiration so I am looking for one that you can hit someone over the head with :D

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 KZfaq 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!

Answers all my questions. Great video, Thanks guys!

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 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.

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.

So much help! Thx

At 12-13 I quit after 1 month . I had a squire . I just bought a seagull mahogany s6 .. and now I’m obsessed

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.

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.

The video i needed. Thank you guys for breaking the tiers down 😢

First, let's buy him knee covers!

First act kid guitar that my grandpa got me when I was about 7 years old.

Well my first guitar is a epiphone dr 100.I like it but want to improve on another guitar for my 2 guitar any suggestion.

My first guitar guitar was Orangewood Morgan Mahogany because i loved the tone and the way it played. My next guitar is a Taylor 314 ce. Your videos have surely been helping

I’ve been playing guitar for 5 years, and have never been able to scrape together enough money for a proper good one I’m managed to afford a $64 Harley Benton D-120CE VS, (which I won’t lie sounds absolutely fine) but honestly my dream is a Takamine Gj72CE-BSB

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.

Hi! Great video, thanks for explaining all these topics! I really like the music in the background, which songs/tracks did you use? (from the beginning to almost 5 minutes of the video)

Cool vid and cool glasses. Thanks for the tips. Still contemplating between a FG820L or a lefty S6. (unfortunately, there isn't any left versions of the FG830/850).

Seagull s6 Slim, easy to play sounds amazing.

My first guitar was xtag 40 c

This video holds more beneficial information in my search for a guitar as a beginner.

This video was definitely helpful in making a decision, thanks. Shooting to get a Taylor 214 dlx soon

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'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??

Wonderful and helpful video, thanks! I bought my first acoustic guitar for $93.09. I've been playing on it for almost 7 years now and it's kind of hard to get good sounds on it. I going to check more expensive and better guitars today. I'm probably going to spend in the $200-400 price range when I find the right one. I will check it carefully today until next Saturday at least. What do you guys think I should do?

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.

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!

I love my Taylor K24ce Best buy of my life!

The first guitar I got my hands on was a Gibson J45 that belonged to my neighbor about 50 years ago. Since then I've had boat load of inexpensive crappy guitars that were hard to learn on. Now days I have been hard pressed to buy anything but pro Takamines. After playing many high end acoustics I'm confident with mid upper end Takamines. I might be set in my ways but the younger players that I let play my Takamines are swayed to think like I do. I have a lot of years of experience in this.

Bought a Landola acoustic back around 1985 for 125 British pounds. I still have it and play it regularly :)

I was gifted a Yamaha FS 800. I love it! I'm still learning though.

hey, i´m thinking the Fender CD-60SCE Black it´s going to be my first guitar. Any thoughts on that one?

At 3:40 when talking about guitar size. I am small 5'4 would this affect my fingers from doing a B or say a F chord? Basically can the neck of the guitar be smaller for smaller people?

awesome help, thank you!

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 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.

Just started to play on a Yamaha F310...great for a beginner...perhaps move onto a Sire R3 if I make good progress...and my dream acoustic is a Fylde made in the north of England!

My first acoustic guitar was yamaha f310. Now i own y4010 and i love it

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 .

Yamaha FG180 was my first guitar.

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.

nice editing, great video guys

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!!!!

I got a fender 135ce, it's amazing

My first guitar was a Hovner f-cut thin body acoustic-electric single cutaway black solid wood top guitar. It is not the best in terms of sound quality, action and fretboard feel. But it sure made my fingertips burn and trained me for my next really good expensive quality guitar. I played it for 2 years. I love my first guitar. Thank you for the video :)

Thanks bro.....u really help me

3:43 I'm 5'4😃 I'll die. Thank you😁

Yamaha FG 830

My first acoustic is the Alvarez AD60CESB. Less than a month later fell in love with another, the Gretsch Jim Dandy. I love both their sounds and it is hard to choose which one to take with on our next road trip.

I’m a intermediate ukulele player and I tried playing the guitar again and pretty liked it, i still have the guitar I got for my 8th birthday but never really tried but the second I looked at it it was a plastic guitar almost in the size of my concert uke, when I tried to play it it sounded horrible. I want to get a better one but just spent my money over a new uke, Is it worth buying a new one? Or shall I wait? Any good places to look for?

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.

Ive never played a guitar worth more than 50 pound and i been playong for 2 years

Very helpful….thanks guys

What I need to know is should a beginner start at once with a dreadnought or a grand concert will be more comfortable? I need an allrounder since I'm at my first year of self study and 5"10. I'm looking as of now to the Ibanez Aw54 vs Ibanez ac240/340

This is a helpful video, but, man, the background music is terrible!

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. :(

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!

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.