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The Beginner's Guide to Choosing an Acoustic Guitar · The Daily Writer

• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome everybody to the Born to Create podcast.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Kent Sanders, and I'm your host.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm an author, musician, and teacher.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: But most importantly, I'm a husband and a dad.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Here on the show, we talk about practices, habits, and strategies that help us live out our creative calling.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode 36, and today we're going to be talking about how to choose an acoustic guitar.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: This episode is especially for beginning guitar players, but any guitar player will find some useful info here in this episode.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: You can find the post that accompanies this episode at KentSanders.net slash beginner guitar guide.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Before we get into the content in this episode, I want to invite you to send in your questions on creativity, productivity, art, or writing, and I'll answer those questions here on the podcast as best as I can.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: And if I don't have an answer, then I'll find somebody who does.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: You can shoot me an email at Kent at KentSandersnet, or you can hit me up on Facebook or Twitter at Kent Sanders.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: Now, let's dive in.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: The guitar is the most popular instrument in the world, and for good reason.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's portable, easy to learn at a basic level, and it can be played in a variety of styles.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: I've been teaching guitar for over 20 years, and despite the wide variety of students I've taught, they've all had one thing in common.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: They needed to find the right guitar to suit their needs.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: All guitars are not created equal.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever you choose the right guitar, you'll become a better player because the instrument is a good fit for you.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: In this episode, I'll share three keys to choosing the right guitar.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: If you're considering buying a guitar, these tips will help you make the right decision.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: But even if you don't play guitar, you might be helping somebody else choose a guitar in the future.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: The first key is purpose.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: The style of music and the situations where you'll play have a great bearing on the type of guitar that you'll need.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: For example, if you play classical or flamenco music, you'll need a nylon string guitar.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: If you're playing on a church worship team or in an acoustic type band, you'll want a clean, clear sound.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: If you're playing in a bluegrass or a country band, you may want a bigger, fuller sounding guitar.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, these are broad generalizations.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: In addition, think about where you'll be playing.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: If it's a second guitar to keep at home, or one that you're going to take camping, or just kind of a knock-around guitar, you probably don't need an expensive one.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Even a used guitar will probably do just fine.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're touring or doing some recording, you'll need something nicer.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: If you'll be playing with a sound system, you'll probably want a guitar that has a built-in pickup.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Many beginners don't give much consideration to these kinds of questions whenever they're purchasing their first guitar, but they can have a huge impact on your selection.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: The second key is the player.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: There's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all guitar.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: To the untrained eye, all acoustic guitars basically seem alike, but nothing could be further from the truth.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Aside from the fact that they're made of wood mostly, they have six strings and a neck, guitars can come in an almost endless variety of shapes, sizes, and styles.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: There's several questions that you should think about.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: One is, how long have you been playing?
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: If you're just starting out with guitar, you'll probably want something more on the basic side.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: But after you've been playing for a while, you'll have a more discerning ear and are probably going to be ready for a nicer guitar.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Something else to think about is what size of a guitar fits your body.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Many times over the years, I've seen kids and smaller-sized adults try to play guitars that are simply too big for them.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: So you should get a guitar that isn't too big or too small, but it's just right for your body size.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: So how do you know if a guitar is the right size for you?
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Well, here's how you tell.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever you sit down, the guitar should fit comfortably on your lap and you should be able to get your arm, your right arm, comfortably around the guitar to play the strings.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: If you buy your guitar from a music store, make sure and ask the staff there to help you with determining the right size of a guitar.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then something else that you need to think about is simply what do you like?
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: When you're shopping for any kind of an instrument, and particularly for a guitar, I think, there are certain types of guitars that you're going to be drawn to for whatever reason.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: It might be the shape, it might be the color, it might be the body style, it might be because your favorite artist plays this certain guitar.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever it is, I think that there is a strange kind of unspoken connection between a musician and here's a her guitar.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: So pay attention to your gut whenever you go guitar shopping.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: And here's the third and final key, and that is, of course, price.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Guitars are just like any other consumer item.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: You get what you pay for.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's really tempting, especially if you're a beginner, to want to find the best deal possible and to pay the fewest dollars possible for a guitar.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: But it would really be a mistake to get an inferior guitar just to save a couple of bucks.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: You know, guitars are not like consumer electronics.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: They're not meant to be purchased and then discarded and replaced every few years.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: If you buy a good quality guitar, you can easily spend 20 years or longer with it.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think that a guitar is kind of like a mattress in that buy the very best one you can afford because you're going to be spending a lot of time with it.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: My main acoustic guitar is a Taylor 414 CE model that I bought in 1997, and it's been my main guitar for 20 years.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's a super high quality instrument and it's aged really well, and I think it sounds better than ever.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: And by the way, another reason to get a high-quality guitar whenever possible is because it not only sounds better, but it's also easier to play.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: And when your guitar is easy to play, that's going to have a direct impact on your enjoyment and your desire to spend time with that guitar.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: So, what do you get at different price points whenever you're guitar shopping?
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: Well, let me make some really, really broad generalizations.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, like anything else that you can buy, there's all kinds of fluctuations in the prices and all kinds of different things that you can get for different dollar amounts.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: So, what can you get at different price points in terms of a guitar?
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, these are broad generalizations, but let me give you some basic guidelines.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: For under$250, you can get a basic beginner guitar.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: If you're spending this amount and you're beginner, I would make sure and take along a more experienced player so you can really make sure that you find a quality instrument.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: For somewhere between$250 and$1,000, you can get a guitar that's really, really good.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: It'll sound great.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: It will probably have electronics, and it's going to be a very, very solid guitar, more than likely.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: And then if you spend over$1,000, this is where the magic really starts to happen.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you spend over$1,000, you're probably going to get a really high quality instrument that's going to sound great.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to last a long time and you're really going to enjoy it.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, personally, I recommend Taylor Guitars, which is a guitar company that makes super high-quality instruments at every price point.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: If you're a beginner, I would really recommend checking out their newer GS mini models that are well under$1,000.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Some of the artists who play Taylor guitars include Steve Vai, Taylor Swift, Vince Gill, the group Jars of Clay, The Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Kenny Loggins, Mick Jagger, Switchfoot, Jason Moraz, and the list goes on and on and on.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I've even seen Katy Perry with the Taylor guitar in a picture one time.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: But truthfully, even though I love Taylor guitars, there are a lot of great guitar manufacturers: Gibson, Martin, Ibanez, Yamaha, Alvarez, and so many others.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: One of my favorite guitars that I will probably never own is a James Olsen guitar.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: That is a super high-end custom A guitar.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's out of the price range of most people.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: They're, you know, 10 or 15 grand, I think.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe someday in the future I'll be able to own one.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: No matter what the price of the guitar that you purchase, look for playability, a good sound, and a name brand manufacturer.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: Get the best you can afford because hopefully you'll be spending a lot of time with this instrument.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: The guitar great Jimi Hendricks once said, Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar, but if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: If you follow these guidelines when choosing a guitar, I think you'll be well on your way to joining the millions of people who have found a lifetime of enjoyment with this awesome instrument.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: So, what type of guitar do you play?
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to hear your thoughts.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: You can join the conversation and find the post and the links that accompany this episode at KentSanders.net slash beginner guitar guide.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: When you visit my site, you'll find all kinds of great resources to inspire your creativity.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: I'd also love to share a gift with you when you subscribe to my newsletter.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: You can check it out and learn more about my books, writing, and services at Kent Sanders.net.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to connect and you can tweet me at Kent Sanders, or you can find me on Facebook and Instagram as Kent Sanders.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: I hope that you'll also check out our Born to Create Facebook group by visiting KentSanders.net slash Facebook group.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, remember that you were born to create and designs to make a difference.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: What will you do with the time you have left?