The Ultimate Guide to Purchasing Your First Electric Guitar

Looking for your first guitar purchase? This will be a truly exciting experience, opening up all sorts of musical avenues. The reliable electric guitar has always been considered to be the symbol of today’s music and has been used by some amazing musicians who have made their mark with their incredible performances. Whether it is rock and roll, jazz, blues, or anything else, the experience of getting yourself one will be one that you’ll cherish forever.

Why Choose an Electric Guitar?

Perhaps you are curious about why an electric guitar would be preferable for a beginner than a regular acoustic guitar. Well, one of the main benefits comes from the fact that an electric guitar is physically more comfortable to play. Since an electric guitar usually has a thinner neck and lower action, this means that strings on the fretboard sit very close to each other, and playing an electric guitar will require less muscle force to push down strings. If you are just starting to learn how to play the instrument, you may enjoy it more since it won’t hurt at all.

And then comes another reason for choosing an electric guitar, and that is the variety of sounds. An acoustic guitar basically has only one natural sound, while an electric guitar can be connected to many amplifiers and effects in order to get thousands of unique sounds. 

Things to Consider

Style of Music

One of the aspects you need to consider when choosing an electric guitar is the type of music that you intend to play. There are various types of electric guitars built specifically for particular music genres. For instance, if you are a fan of classic rock or country music, then the guitar with “single-coil” pickups would suit you best. Single-coil pickups produce a clear and bright tone, which is perfect for these music styles. If your preference is hard rock or heavy metal, you should choose the guitar with “humbucker” pickups, which can tolerate high distortion without being compromised.

Shape

The shape of your guitar is not only something that will be aesthetically pleasing on the stage, but also one that helps balance the instrument. The famous double-cutaway shape of the guitar enables one to access all frets easily, whereas the single cutaway shape of guitars tends to weigh more, thus providing extra sustain. Select a guitar shape that inspires you,u since there is a high probability that you willbe practisingg your instrument if you feel excited when looking at it. Remember, it’s important to select a guitar that doesn’t have any sharp edges that may poke your ribs and/or arms.

Comfortability

One must consider the comfort of playing the instrument while making a purchase since there’s no way one would want to play an instrument that isn’t comfortable. Electric guitars differ greatly in their weights depending on the material used. Solid mahogany electric guitars tend to be very heavy. This means that when practising with this type of guitar, there will be an increased possibility of pain in your shoulders. On the other hand, guitars made of light materials such as alder and basswood weigh less.

Playability

Playability relates to how easily one can use the instrument itself. This is primarily affected by the “setup” of the guitar. Its neck needs to be comfortable for your hand, and its frets should have no jagged parts that can irritate your fingers while you slide up and down the neck. A properly set-up guitar has strings that are relatively easy to depress without causing them to buzz against the frets. You may encounter a guitar that you absolutely adore, but find it difficult to play; this issue can be solved with the help of professionals in music stores who can set it up properly.

Guitar Accessories

The next step, once your guitar is selected, would be getting some accessories. Firstly, and foremost, is the amplifier. For beginners, there is a type called the “practice amp,” which is ideal in that sense due to its affordability and inclusion of effects. In addition, you would require a premium-quality cable to plug your guitar into the amplifier. It is advised not to opt for cheap cables, which can produce an excessive amount of unnecessary noise. Other important elements are a digital tuner, a suitable strap, and some pips in different diameters. A tuner is crucial, since an instrument needs to be in tune; otherwise, your playing will sound mediocre, no matter the technique involved.

In addition, you may want to think about having a guitar stand to keep your instrument in place, along with a gig bag or a case to safely transport your guitar around. A couple of extra strings, in case yours break, is also an important piece of equipment for a guitarist; besides being quite inconvenient, string changes are part of the learning process.

Buying your first electric guitar will definitely be an important moment for you that signals the start of an incredible adventure. Making sure that you choose a style of music that you love and an instrument that feels comfortable for you is the best way to make sure that your first guitar will inspire you to play it daily.