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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Beginner Acoustic Guitars - Get The Right Guitar For your Needs

By Nico Davenport

The primary choice you have to make when purchasing a beginner acoustic guitar is deciding what kind of music you're going to play. A nylon-string classical guitar is best suited for playing classical, Latin and some kinds of folk and pop music. A steel-string guitar works best for playing rock, country, and some pop and folk music. Its up to you to play the various kinds in order to decide the sound you want for your beginner acoustic guitar.

Because nylon is gentler on the fingers, many instructors recommend going with a nylon-stringed beginner acoustic guitar. This isn't always the best recommendation, because not everyone wants to play the type of music that a nylon-string guitar produces. Some want to play like a rock star, or simply don't like the tone that comes from a nylon-stringed guitar.

If your goal is to learn to play steel-string music, you should definitely start by practicing on a steel string guitar. At first, your fingers will be sore, but with time you will develop protective calluses. If, however, you want to learn classical music, don't be enticed by a steel string guitar.

If you are shopping for a more classical nylon-string guitar, you should remember that these guitars are called classic for a reason - they all have the same relative dimensions. Their bodies are smaller and their fingerboards wider, which produces a distinctive classical sound. It is the feel and the tone to these classical guitars that varies. As is true when buying any guitar, you need to try out several of them before choosing the beginner acoustic guitar that you are going to buy. The steel-string model of beginner acoustic guitar that people usually start out with is the six-string dreadnought guitar. There is only a slight variation between dreadnought guitars and they provide a sound that novices are often seeking.

The kind of wood your beginner acoustic guitar is crafted from affects the tone of the guitar. Many beginner acoustic guitars come with a spruce top. Make sure you select a model made from solid spruce and not one with a two-piece top. A solid top is long-lasting. When it comes to the back and sides, your options will generally be mahogany, rosewood or spruce. If you want a lighter tone, look for guitars that have back and sides of mahogany. You will get a heavier tone from a guitar that features rosewood back and sides.

The space between the neck and the strings is called the action. Low action is one thing a beginning will want to consider in a beginner acoustic guitar. Action that is too high makes for difficult playing. This will just be another hurdle to overcome in the learning process.

An accessory you need to buy along with your beginner acoustic guitar is a good electronic tuner. As a novice you haven't yet developed an ear. If you have the ability to easily tune your guitar using the tuner it will give you more time to spend practicing and playing. - 18424

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