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Question:

Where should I buy an acoustic beginner guitar?

I know that they sell really cheap ones at Walmart and Target but should I really buy a guitar from here? And since I'm just beginning is there anything I should know? Tips on practicing, accessories, songs, or anything that a beginner should know are very welcomed!


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I agree - try Guitar Center or your local music shop. Having played guitar for nearly 20 years, I can tell you a cheap guitar sounds, well cheap and it is HARDER to play! Sounds strange but a decent guitar makes all the difference and if it's easier to play and sounds better, chances are you're gonna stick with it.

A few items you'll want to get right away:

Pitch pipes or electronic tuner: nothing worse than a guitar that's out of tune.

Chord handbook - worthwile book to have around when you get adventurous enough to try to figure out songs on your own.

Polishing cloth - keep your piece clean and it will last a long time.

Extra strings - if you play constantly, you will be changing your strings a lot. The #1 mistake people make is leaving strings on until they break. Change them frequently (if I'm playing in the band, I'll change them every 3-4 shows, sometimes more!) but at a minimum, once a month. You will get better action (feel of the guitar as you play it) and of course, better sound. Find strings you like (maybe the ones that came with the guitar are cool) and then go to eBay and buy 'em like they're candy.

Guitar is a fun and easy instrument to play so good luck and stick to it. It's hard to wrap your hand around the darn thing at first but once you get used to it, you'll be the life of the party!