GUITAR LESSONS
SIX STRINGS ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
FAQs
Buying a Guitar - New or Used?
Once you’ve made your decision about which guitar you want to buy, the next question presents itself to every potential guitar buyer: Should I buy a new or used guitar?
Remember that the "right" guitar will be different for each person, depending on skill level, needs and preferences. Before considering the pros and cons of buying a new or used guitar, know what you are looking for in your first guitar.
Of course pre-owned guitars will cost less than their new counterparts, even if they are in excellent condition. When shopping on a budget, you can find the brand you want — be it Gibson, Martin or Taylor — at a fraction of the cost when buying used.
If you buy a new guitar you can find the exact guitar you want and know it will sound good as new. While buying a new guitar can be more costly, it offers an assurance of quality you might not have when you buy used. When your new guitar arrives, it will be in mint condition without any wear and tear on the frets, strings or body. This means you get a clean and sleek look and do not have to worry about cracks or structural damage. A pristine new guitar will also produce a high-quality sound.
If you are buying a guitar for the very first time, it may be difficult to know exactly what to look for. While used guitars can offer a good deal, an inexperienced buyer may be safer with a reliable new guitar. As you are learning guitar, you can focus on perfecting your skills rather than maintaining and repairing a used guitar that may have unexpected issues.
Should a beginner buy a Nylon or Steel String Guitar?
Nylon strings are softer and more gentle on players’ fingers, so beginners generally won’t have to worry about finger pain or developing the callouses that will help them practice pain-free. Alternatively, steel strings are under a higher amount of tension and therefore need a greater amount of force to fret notes properly. Steel strings being made from metal may also cause sore fingers and or callouses.
At the end of the day, the choice between a nylon-string guitar and a steel-string guitar comes down to personal preference. consider what type of music you want to play. Most popular music, like rock, bluegrass and country, is played on steel-string guitars because of the strings’ crisp, bright tone. Meanwhile, nylon-string guitars are used most often for the sweeping sounds of classical, jazz and bossa nova because of their lighter attack. Because they are under less tension at pitch and are more flexible, the sound is notably mellower.
Is Music Theory important if I only want to sing pop tunes and play simple chords?
I get asked this from time to time so I thought it might be worth a mention. Do I need to learn theory to be a good guitar player/musician? Intuitively, it makes sense to learn the ‘rules’ of music.
That said, music has no 'rules' that should be followed at all times. You don’t need theory to sing a song or play a tune. However, knowing a little bit about music theory makes it much easier to relate to other musicians, no matter what instrument they play. You can think of it as the language of music. Playing in bands and working with other creative people is always a challenge, but it gets much easier when everybody is on the same page. If every musician in the band has a basic understanding of theory, things can go much smoother.