Which Type of Guitar is Right For You?

Which guitar is right for you? That's not such a hard decision once you know the differences. After all, why invest hard-earned money in a household ornament? You should be playing it instead. Make the right choice and actually play the guitar. Make the wrong choice and dust it.

There are three basic kinds of guitar: classical, folk (often called acoustic, though technically the classical is acoustic as well), and electric.

A classical guitar uses nylon strings (which look like plastic), while the electric and acoustic guitars use metal and metal wound with another kind of metal, for the lowest sounding strings.

The electric guitar's strings are easy to press with your fingers when you play, but you need to buy an amplifier and carry it around with you. The classical guitar's strings are easy to press also, but the neck is wider and more difficult to stretch across. The acoustic guitar, on the other hand, is the most difficult to press with your fingers. If the acoustic is more expensive it might be of better quality, which translates to strings that are easier to push.

If you are looking for volume or special effects on your guitar then the electric is the way to go. You could use an acoustic guitar or a classical one with an amplifier if you placed a microphone in front of the sound hole or fitted the sound hole with a pickup that plugs into an amp. Another choice is the electric-acoustic. It is an acoustic guitar which has a built-in pickup and can be plugged into an amp. The amp allows for the sound effects and volume.

If you are not looking for either volume or effects, but want something with strings that are easy to press when playing, the classical guitar is your choice. It is used in every decent music school for guitar instruction and is the choice of classical guitarists across the globe. When a good classical guitar is played properly it has a rich, vibrant sound that catches people's ears and wins their hearts.

Perhaps you just want to play some chords to accompany your singing. You might use the guitar at small public gatherings, such as parties. Well, the acoustic guitar is ideal, with its distinctive ringing bell sound, when strung with fresh strings and the strings are given time to stretch. For small public performances, nothing beats the ease, mobility and natural quality of the acoustic guitar.

Whichever guitar is your choice you should calculate in the extra start-up costs of buying a guitar. For acoustic, electric-acoustic, and electric guitars you must buy a strap and picks. For the electric-acoustic and the electric guitars do not forget the cost of the amplifier and the cable that connects the guitar to the amp. The classical guitar has the least start-up costs. Regardless of the category of guitar you should buy polish and a polishing cloth plus a tuning crank and tuner, not to mention an extra set of strings. Even strings on a classical guitar can break, though it is quite rare. As a small side note, you should not use a pick on a classical guitar. Acoustic and electric guitars have a special plate to protect the body from the pick when playing which the classical guitar lacks.

You get what you pay for. This is truest with guitars. Buy a cheap guitar and keep searching aimlessly for your skill. Instead, visit a local music store and try pressing and plucking on a couple of different kinds of guitars. You are likely to make a wiser choice even if you do not yet know how to play. Try if before you buy it!

If you would like my recommendations, try R. E. Craig's Guitar Store online. I have played guitar for 30+ years and performed in bands across the US and now in Poland for a total of 20+ years. The online store also has a few hand-picked items for each type of accessory you'll need for your guitar playing. Enjoy!

Choosing a guitar, they say, is like choosing a girlfriend. You have to try holding it and strumming its strings, listening to how it sounds when it sings its music, before you bring it home to live with you.

Maybe the metaphor does not really apply anymore. Nevertheless, you must be careful. Do not just buy the guitar because it is pretty. Listen to how it sounds. Leave it in the shop for a week and return to listen again. Try a few guitars during that week. One will stand out as exceptional and that is the one for you.

I name all of my guitars. My current one is Ruby, because she is dark red like a ruby. The first guitar I gave a name to was Chester. He was a Yamaha electric acoustic. In fact, he was the first electric acoustic I had ever seen. He went with me all over the US playing in all kinds of places.

I still required a good classical guitar though, just to play quietly around the house. That one I used to play classical guitar music at some parties, professionally.

Then I needed a good solid body electric. So I bought an Ibanez Roadstar II. It was cream and sounded good enough for the recording studio, though it never held up so well in performances. I finally replaced it with a Fender Strat made in Mexico, cherry red. It was sweet!

Besides those guitars and a couple others, I felt the need to have a 12-string sitting around just to play that one special song to that one special someone now and again. The heavenly sound of a well-crafted and well-tuned 12-string captures everyone's attention.

The type of guitar, as you can see, is specific to the purpose and occasion. You may need a couple types by the end of the year. Try to enjoy the hunt for the right one and even more, love that guitar like you would love your woman, only spend more time with her.

For a fine selection of materials check out R. E. Craig's Guitar Store online. The guitars listed at the store are fine and not too expensive. Their qualities are all excellent for their prices. As with any products you can spend much more and get much better quality, but these are very reasonably priced for their performance as musical instruments. I have also hand-picked a couple of items in each category of guitar accessories you'll be needing for your guitar playing. Enjoy and come back for more about guitars!