How to Buy a Guitar: Your First Guitar Buying Guide 2026

To buy your first guitar, decide what music you want to play, pick the guitar type that suits it (acoustic, electric or classical), make sure the size fits your body and hands, set a budget that leaves room for a tuner, strap and case, and buy from a seller who will set it up or let you return it. A playable, well set up beginner guitar matters far more than a famous name or fancy wood.

Buying a first guitar feels harder than it is. Shops and websites throw hundreds of models at you, and most advice is written by people who already know what a “dreadnought” or a “humbucker” is. This guide is for the moment before that: you want to start playing, and you need to know how to buy a guitar that won’t hold you back.

It’s the hub of our first-guitar series. Each section below explains one decision in plain language and, where it helps, points you to a deeper buying guide so you can see real options once you know what you want.

Acoustic, Electric or Classical First?

This is the biggest choice, and the honest answer is simple: start on the type of guitar that plays the music you love. Motivation keeps beginners practicing, and nothing kills motivation faster than a guitar that doesn’t sound like the songs in your head.

Steel-string acoustic

A steel-string acoustic is loud, bright and needs nothing else to make sound. It’s the classic choice for singer-songwriters, folk, country, worship and campfire strumming. The trade-off is feel: steel strings at acoustic tension are harder to press down, so your fingertips will be sore for the first few weeks.

Electric

An electric guitar has lighter strings, a slimmer neck and usually lower action (the height of the strings above the frets), so many beginners find it physically easier to play. You do need an amplifier and a cable, though headphone amps and small practice amps keep that simple. If you want to play rock, blues, pop, metal or funk, an electric is the natural pick.

Classical (nylon-string)

A classical guitar uses soft nylon strings and has a wider, flatter neck. It’s the gentlest on your fingertips and suits classical, flamenco, bossa nova and fingerstyle folk. The wide neck can feel like a stretch for small hands, which is why many children start on a smaller classical model.

Type	Best for	Feel for a beginner	Extra gear needed
Steel-string acoustic	Strumming, folk, country, worship, singer-songwriter	Firmer strings, sore fingertips at first	None to make sound
Electric	Rock, blues, pop, metal, funk	Light strings, slim neck, easy bends	Amp (or headphone amp) and cable
Classical / nylon	Classical, flamenco, fingerstyle, young kids	Softest strings, wider neck	None to make sound

If you’re truly torn, read our deeper comparisons: acoustic vs electric guitar for beginners and classical vs acoustic guitar for a child. Ready to look at options? See our picks for the best beginner guitars and the best starter guitars.

Size, Hands and Body Fit

A guitar that’s too big makes every chord a fight. Fit comes down to three things: body size, scale length and neck shape.

Body size

Full-size acoustics (dreadnought and jumbo shapes) are deep and wide. If you’re short, slim or a child, the lower bout can push your strumming arm into an awkward angle. Smaller bodies such as parlor, concert and travel sizes sit closer to you and are easier to reach around. Electrics are thinner, so body size matters less, but weight does: some solid bodies are heavy for a long practice session standing up.

Scale length

Scale length is the vibrating length of the string from nut to saddle. A shorter scale puts the frets closer together and lowers string tension, so chords are easier to stretch for and bends feel softer. That’s why 3/4-size and short-scale guitars work well for kids and players with small hands.

Kids, small hands and left-handed players

• Children: as a rough rule, younger kids need 1/2 or 3/4 size guitars, and most teens can handle full size. Have them sit with the guitar: if they can reach the first fret comfortably without leaning forward and their strumming arm drapes over the body, it fits. See the best guitars for kids.
• Small hands: look for a shorter scale, a slimmer neck and a smaller body. Our guide to the best guitars for small hands and the best small guitars lists options that fit.
• Left-handed: if you’re left-handed, try holding a guitar both ways. Many lefties play right-handed without trouble, but if the left-handed position feels natural, buy a true left-handed model rather than restringing a right-handed one. See the best left-handed guitars.

How Much to Spend: Starter, Mid-Range, High-End

You don’t need an expensive guitar to learn, but the very cheapest instruments often have high action, poor tuners and sharp fret ends that make playing harder than it should be. When you work out how to buy a guitar on a budget, think in tiers rather than exact numbers, because prices change every year.

Tier	Who it suits	What you get	What to watch for
Starter	Complete beginners, kids, “not sure I’ll stick with it”	Laminate tops, basic hardware, factory setup	High action, poor tuning stability, sharp frets
Mid-range	Committed beginners and improving players	Solid tops on acoustics, better pickups and tuners, more consistent build	Paying for looks instead of playability
High-end	Experienced players who know what they want	Premium woods, handwork, top hardware, better resale	Overkill for learning; hard to justify as a first guitar

For most adults who plan to practice regularly, the sweet spot is the top of the starter tier or the bottom of the mid-range. That’s where build quality and playability jump, and the guitar stays useful long after the beginner stage. Remember to keep some budget for the extras covered at the end of this guide.

Browse each tier: best budget guitars, best guitars under 500, best mid-range guitars, best intermediate guitars and best high-end guitars.

Does the brand matter?

Brand matters less than the individual guitar and its setup, but established brands tend to have better quality control and easier returns. Some players also care where a guitar is made. Our roundups of the best guitar brands, best quality guitars and best Japanese guitars explain who makes what.

Feel: Neck Width and Thickness

Two guitars with the same body can feel completely different because of the neck. Neck feel is personal, so it’s worth understanding the terms before you shop.

• Nut width is how wide the neck is at the first fret. Narrower necks make chords easier for small hands; wider necks give fingerstyle players more room between strings.
• Profile is the shape of the back of the neck: thin “C” shapes feel fast, chunky “U” or “D” shapes fill the hand and suit players with bigger hands or those who wrap their thumb over the top.
• Action is the string height. Low action is easier to press; too low causes buzzing. A good setup gets it right, and it’s adjustable on almost any decent guitar.
• Fretboard radius is how curved the fretboard is. Rounder boards feel comfortable for chords; flatter boards suit bends and fast lead playing.

If you can, hold a few guitars and simply notice which neck your hand relaxes on. If you’re buying online, compare nut width and profile in the specs. Our guides to the best thin neck guitars and the best wide neck guitars group models by feel.

Travel and Mini Guitars

Travel and mini guitars use smaller bodies and shorter scales so they fit in an overhead bin, a dorm room or a child’s lap. They’re great as a second guitar or for very young players, and some adults learn on one happily.

The trade-offs are volume, bass response and string tension. A mini acoustic sounds thinner than a full-size one, and very short scales can feel floppy if you later move to standard tuning on a full-size guitar. If a travel guitar will be your only guitar, choose one with a scale length close to full size.

See the best travel guitars and the best mini guitars.

New vs Used and What to Inspect

A used guitar can be excellent value, because guitars don’t wear out quickly if they’re cared for. New guitars give you a warranty, a return window and often a free setup. Both are good choices if you know what to check.

Play-test checklist

Use this list in a shop, at a private sale or the day an online order arrives (inside the return window):

• Neck straightness: sight down the neck from the headstock. It should look straight or have a very slight, even curve, never a twist.
• Action: press a chord near the first fret and another near the 12th. If it’s tiring or the strings sit very high, the guitar needs a setup, or worse, a neck reset on an older acoustic.
• Fret buzz: play every string at several frets. A little buzz can be set up out; buzz everywhere is a warning.
• Tuning stability: tune it, play for a few minutes and check again. Tuners that slip or bind are a common problem on very cheap guitars.
• Intonation: compare the open string with the note at the 12th fret on a tuner. They should match closely.