A guide to buying your first guitar

Buying your first guitar can be a challenging task. You may find yourself overwhelmed at the ocean of options available when you enter a guitar store. The confusion only increases when the shopkeeper tries to hand you an expensive guitar to convince you that this product will help you play like Jimi Hendrix, and the whole process turns out to be way more arduous than it is.

There are many factors that make a guitar worth buying. Though the idea of worth maybe subjective, it's wise to have a clear picture of what you want beforehand to steer clear of future regrets. Here's what's important when you're buying your first guitar.

Fix a budget

Having a fixed budget before you start browsing is always a good idea. You can ask the salesperson of your local guitar store to show products from a specific price range early on to avoid liking a vintage piece that costs more than a few of your organs combined.

Usually, you will find good acoustic guitars within BDT 5,000-15,000. Electric guitars are more expensive and can range from BDT 20,000-40,000 with the additional cost of an amplifier or an audio interface. If possible, spare an additional BDT 1,500-3,000 for accessories like gig bags, guitar capos, and spare strings.

Find what's comfortable

Though one might argue that the quality of sound is more important, I personally think comfort overshadows everything else. You will have to like how the guitar feels in your hands to be able to play it in the long run. The weight should be comfortable and you have to be able to access the entirety of the fretboard smoothly so that playing for longer hours doesn't feel uncomfortable.

The easiest way to test this is to place the guitar on your lap and run your hands across the fretboard to see how it feels. If it doesn't feel comfortable to you, it's a good idea to look for an alternative.

Check the equipment

Do you like the sound of the guitar? Does the guitar have fret buzz? Are the electronics in good condition?

These are all questions you should ask and get answers to when buying your first guitar. Check if the neck of the guitar is straight. If the strings are too far apart from the wood, that means the action of the guitar isn't right, which may produce an unpleasant sound even when the salesperson is playing the right chords. A great way to have these things checked is to have someone with you who knows how to play the guitar.

Is the aesthetic even important?

The way your guitar looks is more important than you may think. You need to like how it looks so that you actually want to pick it up and practice. Try out different shapes and colours to see what satisfies your aesthetic sense.

At the end of the day, buying your first guitar is an exciting process. But it's only the beginning of an even more exciting journey. Make sure to create healthy practising habits so that you can reach your goal with your new instrument and have fun while doing so.

Fahad likes frogs and wants you to take him with you when you're buying your first guitar. Find him at amfahad1747@gmail.com