Top 5 Best Guitars for Beginners

Not easy, when you start out, to find your way among the multitude of models, looks, features offered by the many guitar brands… Should I buy an acoustic or an electric? With nylon strings or steel strings? And what about pickups? No worries! Here is a selection of five models of the best guitars for beginners, along with our explanations to help you choose your instrument based on what you want.

This first model belongs to the family of so-called classical acoustic guitars. Very comfortable on your fingers thanks to its nylon strings and ebony fingerboard, it offers a playing comfort that makes it ideal for beginners. Its solid cedar top delivers a rounded and velvety tone that is very well balanced, and the Open Pores finish helps preserve all its richness by keeping the varnish layer thin. Like all classical models, it has a wide neck which means more space between the strings: perfect for working on your first exercises and pieces. Made from mahogany, it offers remarkable sustain. Visually, its naturally caramel colour gives it a distinguished and noble look, and the scent of wood instantly transports you to the heart of the forest. Made in Portugal, the Andorinha is a student guitar with impeccable finishing, perfect for tackling the classical or Latin repertoire, or simply accompanying your favourite artists' songs.

The Eko LS-300 Cherry Sunburst is an electric guitar with a vibrant design and powerful sound. Equipped with humbucker pickups, it offers a rich tone and perfect dynamics for rock and blues. Its set neck ensures prolonged sustain, while its cutaway facilitates access to the high notes. Perfect for guitarists looking for a guitar with a distinctive sound and assertive look.

The Eko Ranger 6 CE Natural is a Dreadnought format electro-acoustic folk guitar, heir to the Italian Ranger models of the 1960s. Its spruce top brings clarity and attack, and its cutaway opens access to the high notes. Its Eko SE-30 preamp with 3-band equalizer, anti-feedback phase inversion, and built-in tuner makes it ready for rehearsal or stage. Suitable for beginners as well as intermediate guitarists, it keeps the recognizable look of the Ranger range.

Undecided about your preferred style? Or simply a music lover without borders? The features of the Pacifica GPA112VMX will win you over. Equipped with three Alnico V pickups, two single coils and one humbucker at the bridge, plus a five-position selector, the sonic possibilities of this guitar are (almost) limitless. Funk, blues, rock, pop, everything will sound great, clean or distorted. Its alder body delivers sharp attacks and quick response, with a maple bolt-on neck and a maple fingerboard with a very direct feel. The 22 frets and 350 mm radius promote smooth playing, from chords to bends. A volume and tone control, with a coil tap push-pull that switches the humbucker to single coil, allow some subtlety. Finally, the presence of a vintage-style vibrato with block saddles further expands the sonic possibilities, for both rhythm playing and melodic lines. No wonder the Pacifica 112VM has become a reference for guitarists seeking versatility.

With a deeper sound thanks to its dreadnought body shape, its size, and especially its fairly long scale length (643 mm), it is a guitar that is more delicate to handle for children. For others, you will enjoy full bass to accompany solid mids and smooth highs highlighted by the ovangkol fingerboard, the African cousin of rosewood. The Open Pores finish improves resonance while the hollowed bridge offers significant sustain. Aesthetically, the Earth70 is packed with truly beautiful details, from the rosette decorations to the thin ivory binding around the body and the tortoiseshell-style pickguard. More suited to fingerstyle playing, this guitar remains perfect for accompaniment.

Acoustic or electric?

The first question to ask yourself is: which musical style attracts me the most? Am I more drawn to song, classical music, blues, or rock with its fiery solos? This simple question alone will determine the category of instrument that suits you best. For classical or Latin styles like bossa nova or flamenco, go for a “classical” guitar, meaning acoustic with nylon strings. To accompany pop or folk songs, an acoustic guitar with steel strings is preferable, their thinner neck will notably make barre chords easier. Finally, for all rock or blues music, or even funk and jazz, an electric guitar is recommended.
For beginners, an acoustic guitar is often more accessible in terms of budget and simplicity. Classical guitars, with their nylon strings, are gentler on the fingers and ideal for first lessons. They are perfect for classical music pieces and certain Latin American styles. Steel-string acoustic guitars offer a brighter sound and are well suited to accompany singing and play pop or folk songs.

Electric guitars, although requiring an amp and some additional accessories, offer a wide variety of sounds and are highly appreciated for modern music styles like rock, blues, funk, and even jazz. They allow the use of various effects through pedals and amps, adding a creative dimension to your playing.

Choosing pickups

If you opt for an electric guitar, the choice of pickups becomes an important factor because they greatly influence the instrument’s sound. There are two main types. Single-coil pickups with their lower output and bright sound. They suit “soft” music: pop, funk, jazz, even blues. Humbucker pickups, or double-coil pickups, have a higher output level, which tends to emphasize amp distortion and reduce highs. They are therefore recommended for saturated music, rock in the broad sense being the main example.
Single coils offer clarity and brightness ideal for clean, defined sounds, perfect for funky rhythms, jazzy solos, and bluesy riffs. They have a wider frequency response, capturing subtle nuances of your playing. In contrast, humbuckers, thanks to their double-coil design, reduce background noise and increase gain, making them excellent for genres requiring heavier distortion and a thicker sound.

The budget associated with an electric guitar

If buying an acoustic guitar is straightforward, purchasing an electric guitar necessarily involves several other essential expenses, notably an amp and a cable. Because playing an electric guitar without plugging it in makes no sense. So you need to budget carefully so that the guitar price doesn’t take up the whole amount. I also strongly recommend buying a tuner. Whatever type of guitar you want, it’s a small expense that pays off big!
Buying an electric guitar also means thinking about accessories like effect pedals that can expand your sound palette. A good amp is crucial to get a quality sound and meet your needs in terms of volume and tone. There are modeling amps that can simulate different types of amps and effects, offering great versatility for beginners. Quality cables are also important to avoid interference and preserve the clarity of your guitar’s signal. Finally, investing in a good tuner is essential for all guitarists, because playing on a well-tuned guitar is key to developing your musical ear and ensuring your songs sound right. Electronic tuners are accurate and easy to use, and there are even versions built into pedals or smartphone apps, making them very convenient.

Choosing your first electric guitar

Choosing your first electric guitar is no easy task. To help you with this puzzle, the best advice is to focus on an instrument with a reasonable price but good enough performance to support you, the budding musician, in your first years. The guitars presented here are all different from each other, but share the common trait of being very versatile. That means you won’t be locked into a specific music style. Now, make your choice and it’s your turn to play!

True to the "T" style guitars, the Woodbrass TL100 is a versatile, reliable, and stylish electric guitar. Thanks to its solid American basswood body, maple neck, and single-coil pickup configuration (SS), it adapts perfectly to many styles, from country to heavier rock.

Its features :

- Basswood body with glossy finish

- Maple bolt-on neck, medium C profile, 22 frets

- Maple cap fretboard: clarity and brightness guaranteed

- Passive SS pickups: single coil neck + bridge

- 3-position selector switch: to vary tones simply

- Chrome hardware: vintage look and durability

- T-style tailpiece with 3-piece saddles and dual adjustment

- Weight: 3.14 kg

- Frets: Medium

Good to know 🤓

The TL100 is an excellent first guitar, but also a good deal for intermediate guitarists looking for an instrument with a classic look and versatile sound without breaking the bank.

With its silhouette inspired by the great classics of the 50s, the Eko ST100 Sunburst impresses with its vintage look, sound versatility, and excellent value for money. A safe bet for beginner guitarists seeking authentic vibes without emptying their wallet.

Its features :

- Classic S-style body, double cutaway

- 3 single-coil pickups for a wide range of sounds

- 5-position selector switch: clear tones, crunch, and distortion

- Poplar body: light and responsive

- WPC fretboard (Wood Polymers Composites) for durability

- Vibrato bridge with adjustable saddles for optimal playing comfort

- Body: poplar, glossy Sunburst finish

- 4-bolt screwed neck in maple, 22 frets, low C profile

- Fretboard: WPC, 14" radius, 42 mm nut

- Scale length: 650 mm

- Pickups: 3 Eko standard single coils, passive electronics

- 5-position selector switch + 1 volume + 2 tone controls

- Bridge: vibrato with independent saddles

- Tuners: diecast, chrome hardware

- Weight: light and well balanced, ideal for long sessions

The intermediate positions on the selector are perfect for getting deep “funky” sounds or bright cleans like John Mayer. A real plus for learning to vary sound textures!

The Yamaha Pacifica 112J has been a key reference for beginner and intermediate guitarists for years. Thanks to its sound versatility, playing comfort, and careful construction, it’s a safe choice to progress in all styles, from blues to rock, pop, and funk.

Its features :

- Alder body: light and balanced, for good resonance

- Maple neck with rosewood fretboard: smooth and pleasant playability

- HSS pickup configuration (Humbucker + 2 singles): ideal for a wide variety of sounds

- Vintage vibrato: to add nuances to your playing

Finish Old Violin Sunburst: a classic and warm look

Main features:

Pickups:

- 2x Yamaha SC single coils (neck and middle)

- 1x Yamaha Humbucker (bridge)

- Body: alder

- Neck: maple, fingerboard rosewood

- Tuners: Yamaha chrome

- Vibrato: vintage style

The HSS setup lets you start with clear, precise sounds while having a bridge pickup capable of delivering gain for overdrive. Perfect for exploring several styles without changing guitars.

Inspired by iconic early 60s models, the Les Paul Standard 60s Ebony from Epiphone takes up the aesthetic and sonic codes that marked rock history. An elegant, powerful and ultra-comfortable guitar that offers all the charm of the Les Paul… without breaking your budget.

Its features :

- Body in mahogany with maple top

- SlimTaper™ 60s neck: thin, fast and pleasant profile

- ProBucker 2 and 3 pickups for warm and dynamic sounds

- Grover® Rotomatic hardware for impeccable tuning stability

- Graph Tech® nut and CTS® potentiometers: high-end reliability

- Frets: 22 medium jumbo, pearloid trapezoid inlays

- Scale length: 628 mm

- Controls: 2 volumes, 2 tones with CTS® pots

- Case: Premium Gig Bag included

- Tune-O-Matic LockTone™ bridge

- StopBar LockTone™ tailpiece

- Grover® Rotomatic tuners

The ProBucker pickups are based on the legendary 50s-60s PAFs. Result: a warm and expressive sound, with rich harmonics and natural sustain. Perfect for blues, rock, hard rock and more.

The Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster celebrates the very essence of the first 50s Stratocaster®, with a retro look faithful to the era, modern playability and an ultra inspiring vintage sound.

What it offers:

- Solid pine body with glossy finish

- Fender-Designed Alnico pickups for precise and balanced vintage tone

- Thin “C” neck profile: optimal comfort for all playing styles

- Vintage style vibrato and nickel hardware for authentic look and sound

- Maple neck with matching fingerboard: brightness, clarity and quick response

- Fingerboard: Maple, 9.5” (241 mm) radius, 21 narrow-tall frets

- Scale length: 25.5” (648 mm)

Thanks to its well-balanced Alnico pickups and sonic versatility, this Strat adapts perfectly to blues, surf, rock'n'roll and vintage pop styles.