Ever wanted to start playing guitar, but not sure which guitar to purchase? Then this guide is for you!
Congratulations! You've made a great choice. Learning guitar can bring all sorts of accomplishments and fun. From performing, to gaining a better appreciation of music, to meeting new people, playing guitar is a hobby that can open several doors. And above all, it's fun! The next step? Purchase your first guitar. Walking into a guitar and seeing all the options can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many styles to choose from. Use the guide below to gain insight into which guitar is right for you.
Guitars can broken down into two basic categories: acoustic and electric. Let's go over the acoustic first. One big advantage of the acoustic guitar is its portability. It does not need to be plugged into an amplifier, so it can be played literally anywhere. It commonly used in folk, pop, bluegrass, country, and rock. The first acoustic guitar I purchased was the Yamaha FG Series for $200, and I've been very happy with this purchase.
The Fender Telecaster, or "Tele" as its affectionately known, was the first popular manufactured electric guitar. It has a relatively simple setup, as it features two pickups. The Telecaster is arguably most famous for the bridge pickup, which gives off a distinct twangy sound. As such, it is often used in country music; it is the guitar of choice for Keith Urban, for example. Don't let this fool you, the Telecaster is quite versatile and used by many guitarists across many genres, from blues to punk. Jimmy Page reportedly recordered all of Led Zeppelin's first album using a Telecaster. Famous Telecaster players include Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, Joe Strummer of the Clash, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, and Frank Black of Pixies.
The Fender Stratocaster features three single coil pickups. Just as the Telecaster is best known for the sound from its bridge pickup, the Stratocaster is well known for its neck pickup and the distinct blues-y tone that comes from this pickup. Like the Telecaster, the Stratocaster is also used for a variety of genres beyond the blues. Nile Rodgers of Chic used the Stratocaster to develop his "chucking" style featured on songs such as "Good Times." That style became a focal point of disco music and has since been sampled heavily in hip hop. Other famous Stratocaster players include Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, and Buddy Holly.
While the Telecaster and Statrocaster both historically use single coil pickups, the Gibson Les Paul features two humbucker pickups. Essentially, a humbucker is two single coil pickups stacked on top of each other, the result of which blocks the excess noise (or "hum") when heavy distortion and overdrive are used. As such, the Les Paul is a more popular choice for anyone wanting to play heavier music such various types of metal. Still, Tthe Les Paul has its place in a variety of other genres as well. Famous Les Paul players include Ace Frehley of Kiss, Slash of Gun N' Roses, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, and Zakk Wylde.