What is The Easiest Guitar to Play for Beginners?

The easiest guitar to play for beginners is an acoustic guitar. The Fender CD-60S is one of the finest well-rounded guitars available today. This is a wonderful choice due to its rich tone and reasonable price.

So, you’ve shown an interest in learning the guitar and now you’re ready to dive in. And that is totally awesome! However, since you’re still new to this instrument, you are finding yourself wondering, which might be the easiest guitar to get started with. 

For any beginner, this can be a daunting task. After all, there are thousands of guitars to choose from. Then, each of them is unique in its own way that you probably won’t even know about. 

But don’t fret just yet. You’ve come to the right place. I’ll share some tips on what to look for in a guitar and by the end of this article, I hope you’ll have an answer to your question.

When you’re just beginning, you want to make sure that the first guitar you own is a good one. It doesn’t have to be perfect. But it should at least be good enough because your first guitar can make or break your entire playing experience. 

If it doesn’t sound good or it feels odd in your hands, you’ll want to hear from it less and less. A nice guitar does the complete opposite. Thus, you’ll practice more and get better faster, which will only increase your love for the instrument. 

What Type of Guitar is Best Suited for a Beginner?

A lot of what type of guitar you want to start out with depends on your goals as a guitarist. You have three options to choose from. An acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, or a semi-acoustic guitar, which is pretty much a hollowed-out electric guitar that looks like an acoustic one.

The most popular opinion is that a beginner should go for an acoustic because. This is supported by the fact that you can simply play it out of the box. You don’t need any cables or amps to go with it. Acoustic guitars are the best if you see yourself as a classical or folk guitarist. 

Electric guitars are much better suited for rock or metal players. Good electric guitars are generally a heavier investment both literally and figuratively. While such is the case, they are a bit easier to play as the strings are much thinner and the neck is narrower. 

If you do, however, buy an acoustic guitar, you will want to replace steel strings with nylon ones. This is because steel strings are much tighter and rougher on your fingers. And naturally, you want to keep the pain to a minimum. Nylon strings are softer, thus enabling you to practice for a generous amount of time without hurting your fingers.

What is the Easiest Guitar Recommended for Beginners?

Like I said earlier, it’s essential you choose a genuinely good guitar when you’re just learning how to play the instrument. You want a guitar that sounds good, obviously. 

Then it’s important how the guitar is built. It should last you a while. It’s also important to note whether the guitar stays in tune. Tuning a guitar every time you pick it up can get annoying after a while.

Lastly, you want to get a feel of the ergonomics. How wide is the neck or how long is the fretboard? The distance between each string should also be right for you as you want to be able to move around the guitar comfortably. You won’t feel at home immediately but you want to get there as quickly as possible.

If any of these aspects feel odd about a guitar, you might eventually feel disappointed with your choice. Worst case, you’ll put it down without realizing your full potential.

The best way to go about testing guitars is to go to a music store and check them first-hand. However, if that’s not possible, let me recommend a couple of nice guitars.

One of the best and most popular all-around guitars you’ll find today is the Fender CD-60S. It’s a very good acoustic guitar that is suited well for beginners. It sounds, looks, and feels incredible. Just make sure you replace the steel strings with nylon ones. 

It’s made of high-quality wood. Spruce for top, mahogany for back and sides, and walnut for the bridge. It has a rich tone so not only you’ll have a good time practicing it, but you’ll also have fun jamming with other musicians.

If you’re looking for an electric guitar, the Yamaha PAC112V is an excellent option. It’s another high-quality beginner guitar that you’ll get a kick out of with each session.

Check out our video review on the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V to see it in action.

With a lightweight body, sleek and narrow neck, and rosewood fingerboard, the build on the PAC112V is very beginner-friendly. On the other hand, it has a smooth and responsive pick-up that offers clean highs and dynamic mid to lows. You could play lead on this guitar just as easily as playing rhythm.

What to Look Out for When Starting Out?

Now you know what to look for in your dream guitar. However, it would benefit you to know some things about buying and playing your guitar.

One important thing to look out for is to not go overboard with the budget. You don’t want to invest too much in a guitar on your first buy, especially if you are yet to learn it. You never know how you’ll feel about your guitar tomorrow. 

In case you figure it’s not for you, you shouldn’t feel like you wasted a fortune. So, it makes sense to find a guitar that’s priced reasonably. 

Another thing to be cautious of is the amount of time you spend practicing. Believe it or not, you really can do it too much. I say this because many new, overzealous guitars go on for hours and end up hurting their fingers. This might set you back a few days before you recover. 

If you’re someone who wants to prolong your guitar’s life, which you most likely are, you better take good care of the 6-stringed instrument. Buy a quality case for your guitar to store when you’re not playing it. Make sure your case is suited to most weathers and conditions.

Buy plenty of guitar picks of different sizes. You’ll lose them at an alarming rate and in places that would be difficult for even Sherlock Holmes to find. So, keep a backup in different places you play. 

Sometimes, guitar strings break. Sometimes they get old. Either way, it’s nice to have spare strings with you. You don’t want a session to end because you’re out of a string or two. 

Lastly, and probably the most important. Learn your basics and progress at your own pace. Many guitarists make the mistake of aiming too high too early. Or skip a few lessons for something more advanced. 

Just make sure you get your fundamentals solid and then go further step by step. Also, have fun along the way.

Common Mistakes When Starting Out

Despite there being many guide material on guitars, plenty of guitar aspirants make common mistakes. Know them, learn from them, and keep in mind to avoid them. 

First and foremost, be sensible about the money you spend on your guitar. You obviously don’t want a dirt-cheap guitar that plainly sucks. However, you also don’t want to burn a star-sized hole in your account out of impulsion. As tempting as it may be.

Then, you better pace yourself and be efficient in your practice particularly if you’ve just started out. Injuries are far too common as your fingers aren’t conditioned to tight strings that put a lot of pressure on what basically is flesh with a lot of nerve endings. 

I get it. You’re passionate about the guitar. But the worst thing you can do is get discouraged because it hurts. 

What good is a house built on a flimsy foundation? And what good is a guitarist who doesn’t know their basics? You can aim as high as you want, which is highly encouraged. However, you have to understand that you have to learn a few things before you can start shredding at 195 bpm. 

Lastly, don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember, baby steps. The guitar is a highly versatile instrument capable of producing a hell of a lot of sounds. There are plenty of techniques and I won’t even start about the effects you can add. 

Take your time and surround yourself with one or two new things at a time. Push through, and it will all come together eventually. I promise.

Summary

So, there you have it. We’re at the end and sincerely hope you feel enriched. Even by a little. As exciting as it is, buying your first guitar can be equally as tense. 

Ideally, physically visiting a music store and trying out a few guitars is the best way to find your first guitar. You want to make you’re comfortable listening to and holding it. 

There are a few things to consider while there are a few to avoid both while buying and playing your guitar. Keep those in mind and you’re golden.

Now, go and get that guitar you’ve dreamt of and have as much fun with it as you possibly can.

Brian Clark

Brian Clark

I’ve been a writer with Musician Wave for six years, turning my 17-year journey as a multi-instrumentalist and music producer into insightful news, tutorials, reviews, and features.

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