Frequently asked questions

No. The music you want to play decides.

• Band or rock → electric
• Accompanying singing → acoustic
• Classical or bossa nova → classical
• Love low end and rhythm → bass

"Acoustic first" is old advice. Plenty of people start on acoustic, don't get the sound they wanted, and quit. In fact, electric strings are thinner and easier to press.

The strings are different. Never swap strings between the two.

• Classical: nylon strings. Soft, quiet, and easier on the fingers. The wide neck makes strummed chord accompaniment awkward.
• Acoustic: steel strings. Bright and loud. Harder on the fingers, and harsh for fingerstyle and classical pieces.

To accompany singing, go acoustic; for instrumental pieces, classical. Kids and seniors worried about sore fingertips can also start on classical.

No. Bass is its own instrument, and more people start on bass from day one.

• You play one note at a time instead of chords, so in the first month you actually get a sound faster than on guitar.
• The keys are timing and muting (stopping the strings you're not playing).
• Bands are always short of bassists, so there are plenty of chances to play with others.

For elementary-school kids, a 3/4-size classical (nylon, gentle on the fingers) or a mini acoustic is standard.

• For electric, there are short-scale models (such as the Ibanez miKro series).
• Once they're taller than 150cm, move to full size.

The first goal is keeping sore hands from making them quit. Always get a setup.

The most common total budgets:

• Electric and bass: $400–900 in total with an amp
• Acoustic: $300–450 (no amp needed)
• Classical: $250–550

Very cheap all-in-one packages often come without a setup and are hard to press down. That ends up making people quit. Find my guitar works out the total budget for each instrument.

Half right. A guitar in the $600–1,200 range won't need replacing for a year or two. But you only find out which sound, shape and neck you like by playing. Think of your first guitar as a tool for finding your taste: pick from the middle price range, and be sure to get a setup. That's the path with the fewest regrets.

One of the most common questions on forums. Both are good.

• Pacifica 112V: HSS, so it covers rock too. Many say its build quality is consistent.
• Squier Classic Vibe: wins on vintage feel and looks.

In the end, you'll keep playing the guitar whose shape and color you love. On acoustic, the same question is "Yamaha FG800 vs Cort Earth100," and the answer is the same.

Just three things per instrument. Electric: pickup layout, scale length, bridge. Acoustic: solid top or not, body size, neck width. Classical: size, top wood, neck width. Bass: pickup layout, scale length, number of strings. You won't notice the rest in your first year. See the table in Guitar types.

Under $300, buy new. Over $600, used makes more sense.

• Under $300: the price gap is small and you get warranty service.
• Over $600: used runs 60–75% of the new price.
• Buy only when you can see it in person. Humidity damage on solid-wood acoustics and classicals doesn't show in photos, so don't buy those shipped.

Go through the checklist on your phone as you look.

Acoustic and classical guitars don't use an amp in the first place. For electric and bass, hear your sound one of two ways.

• Plug in a headphone amp (such as a Vox amPlug, $51–60) and listen on headphones
• Connect an interface to your phone and listen through an app

If you practice with only the unplugged sound, you can't hear what you're playing, and you won't keep it up for long. One way or another, you need to hear the sound. Gear guide

At low volume it won't break right away, but the low end can damage the speaker, and it won't sound right either. Use a bass amp (for home, 15–40W, $100–200). If you practice on headphones, a bass headphone amp or an interface costs less.

A tune-up that sets string height, neck relief and intonation. It costs $50–110. Be sure to get one.

• Even new guitars are often out of adjustment after shipping and storage.
• Half of what beginners blame on "my hands" is really a setup problem.
• On an acoustic especially, high strings make it truly hard to play.

When the sound gets dull and you see rust. Usually every 2–3 months; for bass, 4–6 months. Standard gauges: electric 009–010, acoustic 011–012, classical normal-tension nylon, bass 045–105. For your first change, watch it done at a music store or follow a video, slowly.

In an apartment, an electric is a quieter choice than an acoustic.

• Electric and bass: with the amp off, they're much quieter than an acoustic. With a headphone amp or a small amp with a headphone jack, you can play at night.
• Acoustic: quiet it with a soundhole cover ($7–15) or play during the day.
• Classical: quiet to begin with.

Fingertip pain is normal. It turns into calluses in 2–3 weeks.

• Acoustic hurts most, classical least.
• If you get a blister, rest one day, but not two or more (your calluses soften).
• A guitar without a setup has high strings and hurts more.

Pain in your wrist, elbow, or shoulder is not normal. It's a posture problem — stop and check your posture.

For the first 3 months (chords, simple songs), teaching yourself works fine. This site's roadmap and YouTube are enough.

Lessons pay off at two points.

1. At the start: get your posture and pick grip checked once or twice
2. Around month 4: when you get stuck on barre chords and rhythm

On classical, posture is half the sound, so early lessons help a lot. Weekly lessons ($136–260 a month) from day one aren't a must. Find a teacher or school

Everyone gets stuck here once. It usually takes 4–8 weeks.

1. Roll your index finger slightly onto its bony side.
2. Put your thumb at the middle of the back of the neck and keep your elbow close to your body.
3. Don't try to make all 6 strings ring — start with strings 1, 2, and 6.
4. Get a setup to lower the string height.

If it still won't work, play Fmaj7 (1st string open) to keep the song going, and come back to F later.

15 minutes every day. That beats 2 hours on the weekend. Calluses and muscle memory build with frequency. Just use the 15-minute routine as is. More than an hour strains your wrist.

Opinions differ. If you're not used to either side yet, many people recommend right-handed.

• Right-handed: 20 times more listings and models to choose from, and you can borrow other people's guitars.
• Left-handed: comfortable, but choices are few and used ones are rare. If you've already played something left-handed, choose this.

Try both in a store.

Nothing, for now.

• We don't take sides with any brand or retailer, and we always list several models together.
• If we add affiliate links, we'll say so at the top of that page, and the recommendation logic stays separate from affiliate deals.
• Teachers and retailers join the directory by registration, and First Guitar is not a party to any transaction.

Our full principles are on the About and principles page.

Teachers and music schools: use Teacher sign-up. Retailers, brands, and luthiers: use Listing and partner inquiries. There are no listing or matching fees for the first 6 months.