The first guitar buying guide, without the gatekeeping

Here's the secret nobody at the counter will argue with: there is no wrong first guitar. There are only guitars that make you want to pick them up again tomorrow, and guitars that don't. This guide is about landing in the first category without overspending.

Acoustic vs electric: the honest answer

The oldest advice in the book is "start on acoustic — it builds finger strength." Ignore it. The honest answer is: start on whichever one plays the music you actually love. If the songs in your head are Taylor Swift and campfire singalongs, get an acoustic. If they're Metallica or blues solos, get an electric — an acoustic will feel like homework, and homework guitars end up in closets.

A few real differences worth knowing, none of which are dealbreakers:

• Electrics are physically easier to play. Thinner strings, lower action, slimmer necks. Beginners' fingers hurt less and chords come faster. The "acoustic builds character" thing is true the way running in boots builds character.
• Acoustics are simpler to own. No amp, no cable, no settings — pick it up and play. Total cost is lower and it's always ready on the couch.
• Electrics need an amp, which adds $60–130 to the budget (or a $100-ish headphone amp/modeler if you live in an apartment). Factor it in before you compare prices.

Whatever you choose, the deciding question stays the same: which one will you reach for on a random Tuesday? Buy that one.

What to actually spend

The sweet spot for a first guitar is $150–300. That range is not a compromise anymore — it's the best it has ever been. A $200 Squier or Yamaha today is built better than plenty of "real" guitars from the 80s, with straight necks, decent tuners, and frets that don't shred your hand. Roughly how the tiers shake out:

• $150–300 — the solid-starter zone. Squier Affinity and Sonic Series, Epiphone Les Paul Special, Yamaha FG800 and Pacifica 112. Any of these, properly set up, will carry a player from day one through their first band.
• $300–500 — the "buy once" zone. Squier Classic Vibe, Epiphone Standards, Yamaha's upper FG line. If the budget exists and the player is committed, guitars in this range often never need replacing for hobby playing.
• Under $120 new — see the next section. Proceed carefully.

And don't overlook the used wall: $300 of used guitar routinely buys $450 of instrument. Our used gear guide covers exactly what to check.

The $99 trap

Every big-box store and online marketplace sells a $99 full-size guitar, often in a "starter pack" with a gig bag and three picks. Here's the honest problem, and it isn't snobbery: very cheap guitars are usually hard to play. The strings sit high off the neck, the frets have sharp ends, the tuners drift, and the neck may need an adjustment the pack never mentions. A beginner can't tell the difference between "I'm bad at this" and "this guitar is fighting me" — so they conclude they're bad at it, and quit. The $99 guitar didn't save $100; it cost the whole hobby.

If $99 genuinely is the budget, two better moves: buy used from a shop (that same $99 buys a playable used Squier that someone already broke in), or buy the cheap guitar and immediately spend $50–75 on a professional setup — which fixes most of what's wrong with it.

Why a shop beats a box from Amazon

Guitars are wood. They ship across the country in trucks, sit in warehouses through humidity swings, and arrive needing adjustment more often than not. When you buy from a real shop, three things happen that the box can't do:

• Someone set it up first. Most good shops check or fully set up guitars before they hit the wall — action lowered, neck adjusted, intonation checked. That's the difference between a guitar that's easy to play and one that isn't, and it matters most on cheap guitars.
• You play before you pay. Two guitars with the same spec sheet feel completely different in the hands. Ten minutes on a stool tells you more than a hundred reviews.
• You get a human on the hook. If something buzzes in week two, you walk back in and they fix it. Amazon sends you a return label.

Prices at independent shops are usually within a few dollars of online on new gear — brands enforce minimum pricing — so you're rarely paying extra for the service. Nervous about walking in as a total beginner? Don't be. "It's my first guitar, budget is $250, what would you hand me?" is the question shop staff most enjoy answering. Find well-reviewed shops near you on our best-of rankings.

Sizes for kids

A full-size guitar on a small kid is a losing fight — arms can't reach, fingers can't stretch, frustration wins. The rough sizing map:

• 1/2 size, ages ~5–8: around 34" total length. Yamaha and Squier both make good ones for $100–160.
• 3/4 size, ages ~8–11: around 36". The Squier Mini Strat ($130–180) is the classic kid electric; Yamaha's JR series covers acoustic.
• Full size, ~12 and up — or earlier for tall kids. When in doubt, size down; a slightly small guitar is playable, a too-big one isn't.

Best move of all: bring the kid to the shop and let them hold a couple of sizes. Takes ten minutes and removes the guesswork — and many shops that teach lessons will size a kid for free because they'd like the student.

Squier, Epiphone, and the entry doors

Two names cover most of the beginner electric wall, and both come with a fact worth knowing: Squier is Fender — Fender's own designs (Stratocaster, Telecaster) built overseas at a beginner price — and Epiphone is Gibson, same deal with Les Pauls and SGs. These aren't knockoffs; they're the official entry doors, and the modern ones are genuinely good. A Squier Classic Vibe or Epiphone Standard is a gigging-quality instrument, not a toy. On the acoustic side, Yamaha is the quiet king of the under-$300 tier — the FG800 has probably launched more players than any other single model. The full family tree, including what "made in Mexico vs Indonesia" actually means, is in our brands guide, and you can find local dealers on our brand pages.

What to do the day you bring it home

Three things, in order. First, if the shop didn't set it up, book a setup — $50–75 that makes everything easier. Second, line up learning: a teacher beats an app for most beginners because a human catches bad habits before they calcify — see our lessons guide and the stores that teach. Third, put the guitar on a stand in the room where you sit, not in a case in a closet. Visible guitars get played; cased guitars get forgotten. Then give it three months of ten-minutes-a-day before you judge anything — including yourself.

Ready to go touch some guitars? Browse the best-rated stores by state, check shops with strong used walls, or find stores with lesson programs if there's a future player in the house.