Being somewhat inspired by certain artists, I've been thinking that I want to learn the guitar. But I don't really know anything about picking out a guitar. My dad tried teaching me and my brother how to play, but my brother is the one who really got good at it. I switched over to drums and keyboard. So I have some musical knowledge already, and while I'm hardly "good", I do know the basics of playing music. I think I'd choose an electric, since they're quieter on their own (and I don't live alone). But then, I doubt an acoustic will make more noise than my keyboard, so I'd probably go for whichever is cheaper. Does anyone have any advice on picking out a guitar? What to look for, what to consider? And in light of the virus, I should probably find out if they can even let anyone touch the guitars before buying them...
Hey solarcat, Ten-year guitar veteran here: I'd highly recommend buying an acoustic guitar first, since one of the most important things for new guitarists to develop is finger/hand strength. While an acoustic requires more strength than an electric, this added resistance helps build it up faster. Also, if you're not sure guitar playing is something you'll stick with/you don't have a huge budget, you'll generally get more bang out of your buck by going acoustic, both in terms of sound quality (you can spend ~$300 on an acoustic and it will probably sound much better than an electric counterpart in the same price range) and the fact that you won't have to buy an amplifier/patch cords for it. I know that you're leaning more towards an (unplugged) electric for volume reasons, but in my opinion an electric that is only played unamplified is hardly a guitar worth playing, since a significant amount of their appeal is the unique tonal characteristics afforded by their pickups (which can be where a significant part of the price tag goes) and the amp you use. Anyway, no matter what guitar you choose, I HIGHLY recommend you see/try it in person. While it may not be as important for beginners, trying before buying is a huge deal. I once got burnt by buying an electric guitar online for $850, without trying beforehand, only for me to realize that the fret board was way too small for my hands, thus making playing an uncomfortable and frustrating affair - it's gathering dust in the back of my room now. Since you're just starting out, I'd try and find someone who knows their stuff (your brother maybe?) to go shopping with and can give you some guidance. Sorry for such a long post - there's a lot I can say on this topic. Feel free to message me if you have any more questions on the matter. Good luck!
Thanks for the advice! I definitely want to try it out before I buy it. While I was choosing a keyboard I flat-out refused to buy online because I didn't know how it would feel if I couldn't feel and hear how it played first. A guitar will have the same considerations.
Yamaha makes good beginner acoustics. I got lucky and found a cg101a, which is a classical guitar (nylon strings, like a ukelele) for $7 in a local goodwill. Its probably my favorite guitar, but most of the cheaper yamahas are great guitars that hold up well and have relatively good tone.
This. My first (and so far only) acoustic guitar is the Yamaha FG700s that I got as a gift 12 years ago and is still playing strong - you can buy them new on Amazon for ~$200.00. Its pretty big, but the price-to-tone/dynamic range ratio is amazing. Ive heard Epiphone's beginner models are good too, though I dont have any personal experience with them.