It’s not easy, when you’re starting out, to find your way among the multitude of models, looks, and 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? Don’t worry! 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 your preferences.
This first model belongs to the family of acoustic guitars known as 'classical'. Very pleasant to the fingers with its nylon strings and ebony fingerboard, it offers a playing comfort that makes it ideal for beginners. Its solid cedar top delivers a round and velvety tone that is very balanced, with the Open Pores finish preserving all its richness by limiting the thickness of the varnish layer. Like all classical models, it has a wide neck which means a wider string spacing, perfect for working on your first exercises and pieces. Made of mahogany, it provides remarkable note sustain. Aesthetically, its naturally caramel color makes it a distinguished and noble instrument, and the wood scent immediately transports you to the heart of the forest. Made in Portugal, the Andorinha is a study guitar with impeccable finishes, perfect for tackling classical or Latin repertoire, or simply accompanying your favorite artists' songs.
Pros
- A soft and balanced sound
- A wide neck
- Strings comfortable for learning to play
Cons
- The string fixing system makes changing them a bit tricky
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 bold look.
Pros
- Humbucker pickups
- Set neck
- A cutaway for better access to the high notes
Cons
- A very distinctive sound, so not very versatile
The Woodbrass Riverside EQ Naturelle is an electro-acoustic folk guitar combining elegance and sound performance. Featuring a solid spruce top, it offers rich and natural resonance. Its electro-acoustic system with preamp and equalizer guarantees precise amplified sound, ideal for concerts or recordings. Perfectly suited for both beginner and advanced musicians, its natural design and careful finishes add a remarkable aesthetic touch.
Pros
- Compact size
- Short scale length
- Rosewood fingerboard
Cons
- Slight lack of bass
Undecided about your favorite style? Or simply a music lover without borders? The features of the Pacifica will win you over. Equipped with three pickups, two single coils and one humbucker at the bridge, as well as a five-position selector, the sound possibilities of this guitar are (almost) limitless. Funk, blues, rock, pop, everything sounds great, both clean and distorted. Its agathis body (a wood similar to mahogany) delivers a balanced tone enhanced by a very comfortable maple bolt-on neck and a silky rosewood fingerboard. The 22 frets are very accessible thanks to a shape that needs no introduction. Volume and tone controls allow for some subtlety. Finally, the presence of a vintage-style vibrato further expands the sonic possibilities, both for rhythm playing and melodic lines. It’s no surprise that the Pacifica continues to charm after more than ten years on the market.
Pros
- Versatile sound
- Vibrato
- Rosewood fingerboard
Cons
- Bridge saddles uncomfortable in some right-hand positions
With a deeper sound thanks to its dreadnought body shape, its size, and especially its fairly long scale length (643 mm), it’s a guitar that’s a bit more challenging for children to handle. For others, you’ll enjoy full bass to accompany solid mids and velvety highs highlighted by the ovangkol fingerboard, the African cousin of rosewood. The Open Pores finish enhances resonance while the cutout 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.
Pros
- Long sustain
- Beautiful aesthetics
- Rich bass
Cons
- Less suitable for children
Acoustic or Electric?
The first question to ask yourself is: what musical genre attracts me the most? Am I more drawn to songwriting, 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 music or Latin styles like bossa nova or flamenco, opt for a “classical” guitar, meaning an acoustic guitar with nylon strings. To accompany pop or folk songs, an acoustic guitar with steel strings is preferable; their thinner neck will especially 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 the first lessons. They are perfect for classical music pieces and certain Latin American styles. Steel-string acoustic guitars, on the other hand, offer a brighter sound and are well suited to accompany singing and play pop or folk tunes.
Electric guitars, although requiring an amplifier 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 amplifiers, adding a creative dimension to your playing.
Choosing Pickups
If you opt for an electric guitar, the choice of pickups becomes an important factor as they greatly influence the instrument’s sound. There are two main types. Single-coil pickups have a lower output and a bright sound. They are suited to “soft” music styles: pop, funk, jazz, and even blues. Humbucker pickups, or “double coils,” have a higher output, which tends to emphasize amplifier distortion and reduce treble. They are therefore recommended for saturated music, with rock 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.
Budget Associated with an Electric Guitar
Buying an acoustic guitar is usually a standalone expense, but purchasing an electric guitar necessarily involves several other essential costs, notably an amplifier and a cable. Playing an electric guitar without plugging it in doesn’t make sense. So, you need to budget accordingly so that the guitar’s price doesn’t consume your entire budget. I also strongly recommend purchasing a tuner. Whatever type of guitar you want, it’s a small expense that pays off greatly!
Buying an electric guitar also means considering accessories like effects pedals that can enrich your sound palette. A good amplifier is crucial for achieving quality sound and meeting your volume and tone needs. 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 your guitar’s signal clarity. Finally, investing in a good tuner is essential for all guitarists, as playing on a well-tuned guitar is vital for developing your musical ear and ensuring your pieces sound right. Electronic tuners are accurate and easy to use, and there are even versions integrated 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 prefer an instrument with a reasonable price but sufficiently capable to accompany the budding musician you are during the first years. The guitars presented here are all different from each other but share the common trait of being very versatile. This 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 construction, maple neck, and single-coil pickup configuration (SS), it adapts perfectly to many styles, from country to more powerful rock.
Features:
- Basswood body with glossy finish
- Maple bolt-on neck, medium C profile, 22 frets
- Maple cap fingerboard: clarity and brightness guaranteed
- Passive SS pickups: single coil neck + bridge
- 3-position selector switch: to easily vary tones
- 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 great deal for intermediate guitarists seeking an instrument with a classic look and versatile sound without breaking the bank.
The Yamaha Pacifica 112J has been a must-have 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.
Features:
- Alder body: light and balanced for good resonance
- Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard: smooth and pleasant playability
- HSS pickup configuration (Humbucker + 2 singles): ideal for a wide variety of sounds
- Vintage-style vibrato: to add nuances to your playing
Old Violin Sunburst finish: a classic and warm look
Main features:
Pickups:
- 2x Yamaha SC single coils (neck and middle)
- 1x Yamaha Humbucker (bridge)
- Body: alder
- Neck: maple, rosewood fingerboard
- Tuners: Yamaha chrome
- Vibrato: vintage style
The HSS configuration allows you to start with clear, precise sounds while having a bridge pickup capable of delivering gain for distortion. Perfect for exploring several musical worlds without changing guitars.
Inspired by iconic models from the early 1960s, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s Ebony reprises the aesthetic and sonic codes that marked rock history. An elegant, powerful, and ultra-comfortable guitar that offers all the charm of a Les Paul… without breaking your budget.
Features:
- Solid mahogany body with maple top
- SlimTaper™ 60s neck: thin, fast, and pleasant profile
- ProBucker 2 and 3 pickups for warm and dynamic sounds
- Grover® Rotomatic tuners for impeccable tuning stability
- Graph Tech® nut and CTS® potentiometers: premium reliability
- Fingerboard: Indian laurel, 22 Medium Jumbo frets, trapezoid inlays
- Scale length: 628.65 mm
- Controls: 2 volumes, 2 tones with CTS® pots
- Hardware: Nickel
- Tune-O-Matic LockTone™ bridge
- StopBar LockTone™ tailpiece
- Grover® Rotomatic tuners
The ProBucker pickups are based on the legendary PAFs from the 50s-60s. The result: a warm and expressive sound, with rich harmonics and natural sustain. Perfect for blues, rock, hard rock, and more.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60S
Inspired by iconic models from the early 1960s, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s Ebony reprises the aesthetic and sonic codes that marked rock history. An elegant, powerful, and ultra-comfortable guitar that offers all the charm of a Les Paul… without breaking your budget. Features: – Solid mahogany body with maple top – SlimTaper™ 60s neck: thin, fast, and pleasant profile – ProBucker 2 and 3 pickups for warm and dynamic sounds – Grover® Rotomatic tuners for impeccable tuning stability – Graph Tech® nut and CTS® potentiometers: premium reliability – Fingerboard: Indian laurel, 22 Medium Jumbo frets, trapezoid inlays – Scale length: 628.65 mm – Controls: 2 volumes, 2 tones with CTS® pots – Hardware: Nickel – Tune-O-Matic LockTone™ bridge – StopBar LockTone™ tailpiece – Grover® Rotomatic tuners The ProBucker pickups are based on the legendary PAFs from the 50s-60s. The result: a warm and expressive sound, with rich harmonics and natural sustain. Perfect for blues, rock, hard rock, and more.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60S
