Acoustic Guitar questions

[Chuck E Ducky]

I want to learn how to play the guitar. I have decided I like the sound of acoustic guitars the best and want to start there. However I know nothing about manufacturing or quality, what to look for. But I do want a quality, good sounding guitar to start. Not your run of the mill entry level to get you started type. Something I will continue to use long term and get the feel for.

I don’t have a budget in mind. What’s the CCM of guitars?

I’m looking for an Acoustic Country type guitar if that helps. Classic no frills quality.

[Rainmaker]

Awesome! I hope you enjoy the learning process, good sir!

The best advice given to me early on as far as picking a guitar was to go to a Guitar Center and try out as many guitars as you can get your hands on.
I know you probably feel like you're not good enough at playing yet to do that, but even if you can't play well, putting your hands on the guitars, hearing and feeling the tone of each one, it will really give you a sense for the sound and ergonomics of different ones.

Give yourself a decent amount of time to go to Guitar Center, because they have a Massive number of acoustics. And they are usually in a separate room, with a glass door, so you get to really isolate yourself in there and get a feel for each guitar. Try the full spectrum, expensive, cheap, pretty, ugly...

I did this when i was ~18, and ended up loving the tone of a particular black Takamine guitar. It honestly surprised me, because I went in there with a $1000 budget eyeing the Martins and Taylors with beautiful wood grains, but walked out with a $400 guitar that's black with a few accents. The tone and the fit are what captured me, and there was literally no way i would have experienced that without playing it in person, and comparing it side by side with the Martins and Taylors. And I still have my Takamine next to my bed every night and play it often, almost 20 years later.

Good luck with your search!

[Chuck E Ducky]

Awesome thanks for the advice and suggestions. I don’t come from a music background. But it’s something I have always been interested in. I guess I’m looking for a productive hobby to replace gaming. I feel like music can be a great stress reliever and my goal is to be more productive in 2023. My son is learning the Piano and it may be something we can do together. Learning to play the guitar something I have always wanted to try my hand at.

[Painthappy]

Agree with rainmaker.... Just go to the store and pick up a guitar and strum it. You're going to have some with a sound you just prefer. Some will be "tinny" or bright. Others will have a deeper more rich sound. This could be because of strings, or make of guitar.

I recently purchased a new one and went in wanting one, but came out with a cheaper one because I preferred the sound over the more expensive one.

I know it would be easier to just say get "x" guitar, but really you need to go in an try them.

Anything $300 and under is probably cheap and won't sound great. Good for getting started, but usually a dull sound.

Around the $700 is when you get into the guitars that sound good and when checking them out you'll find some in that range that you'll prefer even over the $1100 ones. So stay in the $500 to $700 range and you'll probably have a guitar you'll want to keep for a long long time.

[Painthappy]

I have a Washburn I purchased back in college for around $350. Just restrung it yesterday with light D'addario XS strings. I have plenty of others that cost more and might sound a little better, but this one has meaning and I still play it a lot.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Makes sense. Guitars are personal kind of purchases, you got to find what feel and sound works for you. I guess that’s ware I felt lost. It’s not a one size fits all kind of purchase. I kind of Think I know the sound I want and the cheap entry level guitars just don’t have it. The wife and I use to always got to listen to a bunch of local acoustic guitar players in our area and really enjoyed it. It’s something I have always wanted to learn. I have always found it best to jump into something with both feet.

[Jonnydread]

I don't play guitar, but my brother is wicked good and when asked he told me this:

Sort of typically most brands have a sweet spot for these 200-300 dollar models such as Washburn, Ibanez, Epiphone any brand really that are going to have good playability.

[lhamilton1807]

Just like paintball, your guitar comes down to budget and personal preference. You just won’t know until you try it out, so any guitar center or local music store will allow you to put your hands on them. They’ll walk you through the pros and cons of each model (laminate or solid wood? Just the top or entire body? Option for acoustic/electric?). Washburn & Takamine both make great guitars for starting out for just a few hundred clams. You don’t need to spend the big bucks for a Martin or Taylor to enjoy playing. I also started with a Takamine acoustic/electric and loved it. Kinda wish I’d kept it.

[Hobbes]

I'm no expert, but I started with an electric guitar and found acoustic hard to play because you had to press harder on the strings. So starting with acoustic is probably the way to go. Start building your calluses!

[lhamilton1807]

I second this. Much easier to move to electric after learning acoustic.

[Chuck E Ducky]

I don’t really have a budget in mind I just know I want quality and don’t mind paying for it. It sounds like just trying different types is the best way to figure out what I’m looking for.

[Painthappy]

And if you've never played before just don't get frustrated easily. Pick an open chord, let's say an "E", and strum it. Now take your fingers off, put them back on and strum it again. Just keep doing that until you get fast enough to take your hand off and put it back on without really looking and strumming it without buzzing or missing the notes you are supposed to be hitting.

Once you have that down, find another but similar one. Let's say a "C" or maybe an "Am" do the same for that one and then try going back and forth. In the beginning it may take you a whole day just to get good at two chords. So keep that in mind. But once you have the muscle memory, you'll never ever forget them.

[Murph]

Everyone has already posted the good info already, just leaving this here, bring the guitar to stock classic. Lets get the stock class band together lol

[Rainmaker]

Yeeeeeeesss!! I'll bring the ukulele too!

[Chuck E Ducky]

I’m down for that but I got some practicing to do lol

Lil jam session around the fire after a killer day of Stock Class paintball sounds amazing! Let’s make that happen even if I haven’t figured out how to play by then.

[Shaftski]

you just want to jump right in, and want a country-ish sound a gibson dove is my personal favorite for that style. although be prepared for serious sticker shock lol.

epiphone dove does pretty much the same job at about 1/10 that price.

only real advice i would give is don't go too high end unless you can set aside a dedicated playing area. where no pets or kids are allowed and you are used to handling a guitar on a strap. otherwise go with something mass produced in the 300-500 range. until you are used to it, headstocks can take a lot of unnecessary abuse getting smacked into things. i've split several gibson headstocks in my lifeftime being a dumbass lol. one was a victim of a pet iguana.

i like yamaha and alvarez for budget acoustics, good playability,sound, and durability.

[AnarchicArctic]

I’m a Martin guy. Sound great, good action. You can check mine out on the 21 if you want

[Chuck E Ducky]

That would be awesome!

[AnarchicArctic]

Chuck E Ducky I used to give lessons too. We’ll get you picking in no time