Which guitar is right for me?
We’ve traveled past the need to explain why you should want to play guitar. The point is you do, and you need to know where to start. You’re a music fan. You’re a fan of many artists and bands, but they all play a different guitar, so – which guitar is right for you? Beginner, amateur, professional – whoever you are; choosing a brand new guitar is an important and ultimately very personal choice.
You can browse the internet for weeks; watch videos, hear the quality, see the seductive shine or matt finish, assess the various shapes, but the fact is – you won’t know your guitar until you’ve sat and played it. And to do that, you need to sit in a room and play it, among perhaps a dozen others guitars – to make sure the one you choose is really the one. If nothing else it’s always fun to gleefully trudge from shop to shop trying on and playing a multitude of different guitars and instruments. Which guitar should you choose is a big question. Make a day of it. The future of your music depends upon this intense experimentation and play.
How Will I know Which Guitar To Choose?
In the past I’ve gone for the cheapest option, followed later by the most unique, the coolest looking, then more recently the most beautiful sounding (within a respectable budget). This last one really felt like my guitar. And that, in my opinion, is the absolute bottom line. There’s no advice worthy of what will work for you, your body, your style, your hands, your ears, your level of skill. Plus, acoustic guitars are, for the most part, made of wood – even if someone swore by a certain brand and recommended it, you’ll be getting a different part of a different tree when you buy yours.
It may sound petty, but it’s all true. We play guitar for a number of reasons, but most importantly, one would hope, is that it makes us feel fantastic. It soothes anxiety, it develops our skills, it helps us focus; a kind of meditation perhaps, concentration, dedication, and of course, last but not by any stretch of the imagination least – creativity. Whichever guitar you choose – your guitar will be your guitar. Yours, and yours alone.
There Are So Many Different Guitars.. Where Do I Even Start?
This is not like choosing a stereo system. This is an object that does nothing until you pick it up and use it. It’s worthless without you, or at least, it’s an ornament – a silent, sad, lonely ornament. You are the one who brings your guitar to life. And in turn, your guitar will bring you to life. It’s all very deep, but we are so very deep, us musicians.
To help you on your journey – here’s a list of personal favourite musicians playing their guitars; click the links below each photo to hear their music. I hope this inspires you to head to the right corner of the shop when you venture out to purchase your new guitar. Be inspired, but remember – which guitar is right for me is a question we all must answer for ourselves. There will be many guitars in your life over the next few years – don’t put too much pressure on the choice, just choose something that fits.
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John Butler Playing an Acoustic Guitar for the Studio Version of Ocean (2012)
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Jimi Hendrix – classic rock and roll, caught in the moment on electric guitar
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Noa Drezner – Classical Flamenco Guitarist
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The Incomparable Tracy Chapman on Acoustic
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Wille on Slide Guitar – Wille and the Bandits
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Stevie Ray Vaughan – Classic Rock and Blues, Electric Guitar
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