How expensive should my first guitar be?

How expensive should my first guitar be? How much should I spend on my first guitar? Those are great questions! When you are ready to take guitar lessons the first thing you would need to get yourself is a good and reliable guitar.

Here is the good news. You don’t need to spend a lot of money in order to have instrument that can take you a long way.

People have come into my studio with guitars so cheap that couldn’t be tuned. And some others with the strings were so high of the fretboard you would need Hulk strength to push them down. That will immediately lead to disappointment, because you would never be able to get a decent sound. Going cheap is not always the right answer!

Now let me say the opposite. I’ve also had people that spend so much money on a guitar and within a couple of months they realize this is not what they wanted to do. Or, I had one student that spent $900 on a guitar that was honestly 100% useless. He fell for package with lots of items.  They sell you a guitar with a case, books, picks, and some a cable etc.. You may think you are getting a bargain, but the guitar is cheap, and you are getting ripped off.

Price Points
I have found that between $150 and $300 you can find a really decent sounding guitar. Once you cross into the $300 to $500 you have your next level of guitars that is definitely a cut above the rest. Then between $500 and $800. And up it goes. Every level has its benefits, but you do not have to start on the higher tiers.
One of my best friends has a $500 guitar and I think it is one of the best guitars I have ever played. I absolutely love the sound. One of my favorite producers has a $600 Yamaha guitar. It has been featured on many award winning records.

Save your money
I’m saying all that to tell you that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to have a good instrument.
Now, if you start with a basic guitar and you decide to upgrade in the future, that will be wonderful. Some of my students make that a goal. They have told me that they have to meet certain standards in order to substantiate the new more expensive instrument. I think that’s a great goal.

Trust the Store
Buying your Guitar from a store like www.Sweetwater.com will also be helpful. They don’t only provide the best service before hand, but will also reach out to you after you’ve made your purchase to  make sure you are happy with what you bought. They can help and assist you with options that’ll meet your budget.

I hope that helps provide the answer to the question “How expensive should my first guitar be?”

My name is Owen Hurter, and I am a musician, songwriter, and guitar teacher in Holly Springs, North Carolina.