How to Choose Your First Guitar: A Beginner’s Guide
Acoustic or electric? How much to spend? Which brands to trust? Everything you need to know before you buy.
Buying your first guitar is exciting — but walk into a music shop or open a browser tab, and the sheer number of options can quickly become overwhelming. Acoustic or electric? Full size or three-quarter? £80 or £300? And what do all those brand names actually mean?
Whether you are buying for yourself as an adult beginner, or choosing an instrument for your child, this guide covers everything you need to make a confident decision — and avoid the most common mistakes first-time buyers make.
Acoustic or Electric: Which Should a Beginner Choose?
This is the first question almost every new guitarist asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on the music you want to play.
There is a persistent myth that beginners should always start on acoustic because it builds finger strength. This is not really true — and it puts a lot of people off. If someone wants to play rock or blues and you put a classical acoustic in their hands, they are going to lose interest fast.
✅ Choose Acoustic If…
- You want to play folk, country, singer-songwriter, or fingerstyle
- You want to play anywhere without an amp
- You are buying for a younger child not yet sure of their style
- Budget is a priority — acoustics are generally better value at entry level
🎸 Choose Electric If…
- You want to play rock, pop, blues, or metal
- The learner is motivated by a specific artist — match the instrument to the inspiration
- You want to play quietly at home — electrics at low volume are far less intrusive than acoustics
- Finger soreness is a concern — electric strings are lighter and easier on fingertips
⚠️ One important note on electrics: you will also need a practice amplifier. Budget for this separately — a small 10–15 watt practice amp costs around £40–£80 and is perfectly adequate for home use.
What Size Guitar Do I Need?
For most adults and teenagers, a full-size (4/4) guitar is the right choice. Do not be tempted to buy a three-quarter size for a teenager thinking it will be easier — it will just hold them back.
For younger children, sizing matters more:
| Age | Recommended Size |
|---|---|
| 4–6 years | 1/4 size |
| 6–9 years | 1/2 size |
| 9–12 years | 3/4 size |
| 12 and over | Full size (4/4) in most cases |
These are guidelines rather than rules. If you are unsure, ask your guitar teacher before buying — we are always happy to advise at Guitar Academy.
How Much Should I Spend on a First Guitar?
Very cheap guitars — under £50 — will almost certainly be poorly set up, difficult to keep in tune, and uncomfortable to play. They make learning harder and are one of the most common reasons beginners give up in the first few weeks.
💷 Budget Guide
- £80–£150 — The reliable beginner sweet spot. Genuinely good instruments from trusted brands.
- £150–£300 — Noticeably better quality — improved hardware, better tone, more stable tuning. Worth it if you are serious.
- Under £80 — Approach with caution. Stick to known brands only, and have it professionally set up before use.
A professional setup — where a technician adjusts the action, intonation, and tuning — can transform even a budget guitar. For setup and repair work we refer our students to Simon Bailey at SMB Guitars in nearby Milland, a Master Luthier with over 20 years of experience.
Which Guitar Brands Should a Beginner Choose?
There are dozens of guitar brands on the market and quality varies enormously. Here are three we regularly recommend to our students at Guitar Academy:
Yamaha Pacifica
Probably the most consistently recommended beginner electric guitar in the UK. The Pacifica 112V in particular offers build quality and playability well above its price point — used in music schools and colleges across the country. Versatile enough for rock, blues, pop, and beyond, with excellent quality control.
Harley Benton
Thomann’s own brand and arguably the best value for money at beginner level right now. For around £80–£120 you get a well-made, properly set up instrument — both electric and acoustic options available. You buy online direct from Thomann, but their customer service and returns policy are solid.
Ibanez
A Japanese brand with a strong reputation across all price points. Their GIO and RG series offer slim, fast necks that are particularly comfortable for beginners — an excellent choice for rock or metal. The thinner neck profile makes chord changes and single-note playing noticeably easier, especially for smaller hands.
Other reliable brands worth knowing: Squier (Fender’s beginner range), Epiphone (Gibson’s beginner range), and for acoustics on a higher budget, Tanglewood and Seagull.
New or Second-Hand?
A second-hand guitar from a reputable seller can be excellent value — but there are risks for a buyer who does not know what to look for. Watch out for:
- High action — strings sitting too far from the fretboard, making pressing down uncomfortable
- Neck bow or damage — look down the neck from the headstock end to check it is reasonably straight
- Tuning instability — play each string and check it holds pitch
- Fret buzz — worn frets on a budget second-hand guitar can be expensive to fix
If in doubt, bring the guitar along to your first lesson at Guitar Academy and we will take a look before you commit.
Not Ready to Commit? Try Hiring a Guitar First
🎵 Not sure yet? Hire before you buy
At Guitar Academy we offer a guitar hire scheme from £30 per month on a rolling contract — electric or acoustic, no minimum term. It is a risk-free way to get started without spending on something you are not sure about. If you decide to buy, we apply a discount based on condition and how long you have been hiring.
Particularly worth considering if you are buying for a child and want to test their commitment before spending money, or if you are unsure whether acoustic or electric is right for you.
What Else Do I Need?
Beyond the guitar itself, here is a short checklist of essentials:
- A tuner — a clip-on chromatic tuner costs around £5–£10. A free tuning app works well too.
- Spare strings — strings break at the worst times. Keep a spare set to hand.
- A guitar case or gig bag — protects the instrument and makes it easy to bring to lessons.
- Picks (plectrums) — buy a mixed pack to start. Medium thickness is a good all-round starting point.
- A practice amp — electric guitar players only. A small 10–15 watt amp is plenty for home use.
- A capo — not essential on day one, but useful once you start learning songs. Around £8–£15.
The Most Important Thing
The best first guitar is the one that makes you want to pick it up. A guitar that looks good to the player, feels comfortable in their hands, and is associated with music they love will always produce better results than the technically “correct” choice.
If you are genuinely unsure, speak to a teacher before you buy. At Guitar Academy we are always happy to give advice. Get in touch here, or find out about our hire scheme if you want to try before you commit.
Guitar Academy offers one-to-one and group guitar lessons in Petersfield and Chichester for all ages and abilities.
