Acoustic Guitars Buyers Guide

Beginners Acoustic Guitars Buyers Guide Advanced Acoustic Guitars Buyers Guide

An acoustic guitar needs no amplification, and are available in many different shapes and sizes.

They can use Steel strings or Nylon strings and have either 6 or 12 strings (usually 6).

If you’re going out to perform solo with a guitar, you probably need something like a Dreadnought with has big voice and the sound carries well. If you’re likely to be just strumming quietly at home in the evenings, a Parlour guitar may suit you better.

Important things to consider when purchasing an acoustic guitar:

Size/Shape

If a guitar doesn’t ‘sit’ nicely with you, the chances are you’ll play it less and not get to be as good as you could be. Size and shape are important because the one thing you really want to be if you’re only just starting out, or if you’re putting in many hours of playing, is comfortable.

There are many different styles of Acoustic Guitar, changing in size and shape. Listed here are some of the most common styles you will come across, in rough size order - the names giving a clue to how they might sound:

• Dreadnought- The most widely available acoustic guitar body style, Dreadnoughts carry the most volume and highest bass response due to their larger size.

• Grand Auditorium – Slightly smaller than the Dreadnought and thinner at the waist, these guitars have more of a balanced tone and are great all-rounders regarding play style.

• OM (Orchestral) - Slightly smaller in size again, OM guitars have better sound projection and more distinct higher frequencies than the more bass and midrange focused Dreadnought.

• Grand Concert – A smaller take on the Grand Auditorium, Grand Concert guitars are more tailored to fingerpicking and will usually feature a brighter tone.

• Parlour – Some of the smallest acoustic guitars you will encounter, Parlour guitars are ideal for the smaller player or anyone wanting to frequently travel with their instrument. Whilst the aforementioned guitars typically have a scale length around 25.5”, Parlour guitars will generally be shorter, benefitting smaller hands and making the strings easier to bend.

• Classical – designed for classical music, they use nylon strings and feature a slightly wider neck with higher action. Smaller than a Dreadnought they are close in size to Parlour style.

Wood

The materials used to build an acoustic guitar can greatly influence the sound. Taking this into consideration it is important to understand your options and ultimately how you want your playing to reflect on the instrument. Here a some of the most popular woods you will find used to build acoustic guitars:

• Spruce – A popular wood for the acoustic ‘top’ of the body. Spruce is sturdy, lightweight, and carries rich and clear tonal qualities.

• Mahogany – Due to Mahogany’s dense properties you will find a much more prominent ‘punchy’ tone, with focus around the bass and treble frequencies.

• Maple – Commonly used for its ‘flat’ sound, Maple is quite transparent sounding which allows the tonal character of other woods used (such as the ‘top’ of the body) to shine through.

• Koa – Similar to Mahogany with its dense grain, Koa produces a solid tone with a pronounced midrange.

• Rosewood – Found in both Brazilian and East Indian varieties (Brazilian typically being more expensive), both share characteristics with a bright, clear tone, often noted to having a slightly scooped midrange with more prominent bass and treble frequencies.

Here we have a link to one of the Worlds great Luthiers Gary Levinson talking and explaining all about different woods and how they sound.

Acoustic or Electro-Acoustic?

Electro-acoustic guitars will function just like a regular acoustic guitar when unplugged, however they typically include internal pickups and a built-in pre-amp - allowing you to plug into an amplifier or PA to amplify your playing the same way you would an electric guitar.

All of the rules above regarding size, shape, and woods used in construction also apply to Electro-Acoustic guitars. The difference is with the built-in pre-amp you will usually find a 3 band EQ amongst other tone shaping controls, allowing you to dial in your amplified sound with ease. Sometimes you will even find a built-in tuner alongside the tone shaping controls!

Another bonus with using an electric amplifier is that you can add effects pedals to your signal chain between the guitar and the amplifier, further allowing you to alter your tone and experiment with all kinds of sounds!

Sound

Ultimately the sound you want to achieve should be the main focus when shopping for an Acoustic guitar. Everything mentioned above plays an important role in what sound your guitar will produce, and with that many factors involved there really are some unique sounding instruments out there. Take your time, consider your options, and be sure find the right guitar for you.

New to Acoustic Guitars? Simple answers to important questions.

Frequently asked questions about Acoustic Guitars

Best acoustic guitar for beginners/ Best beginners budget acoustic guitar?

The best beginner acoustic guitar is always going to be the one that you find the most comfortable to play, however we understand as a beginner you will need some guidance especially when working with a budget. Please refer to our Beginners Acoustic Guitar Buyers Guide above for more advice and recommended acoustic guitars to get you started.

Best electro acoustic guitar / Best acoustic electric guitar for beginners?

Very much like regular acoustic guitars, the best beginner electro acoustic guitar is going to be the one that fits you best and is comfortable to play. Please refer to the guide above for more advice when buying your first guitar!

Best strings for acoustic guitar?

This depends entirely on the style of guitar you have and the kind of music you want to play. Acoustic guitars can have nylon or steel strings; nylon strings are softer with a more mellow sound, and are mostly used on classical or jazz guitars. Nylon strings will not work so well on an electro acoustic as the vibrations in nylon cannot be picked up magnetically like steel strings. Steel strings have a much brighter sound, offering more volume and power to the player. If you aspire to playing rock, country or blues - steel strings are the ones for you.

What acoustic guitar string gauges are there?

typically you will find acoustic guitar strings in sets with a high E gauge in .010, .011, .012 and .013, with the rest of the strings getting thicker with each set as the high E does. .012’s are the most common sets found on acoustic guitars - .013’s provide a bigger and louder sound but are slightly harder to play, whereas sets of .011’s and .010’s will be easier to play but some tone will be lost. This however is all personal preference depending on the feel and sound you want to achieve!

How to change acoustic guitar strings / Changing acoustic guitar strings?

an acoustic guitar will typically have a bridge with strings being fastened by removable pins. Getting yourself a cheap string winder tool will save a lot of time and potentially damaging your guitar as these will have a notch cutout specifically to slot beneath and remove the bridge pins. Once the pin is out the old string can be removed and the ball-end of the new string can be placed inside the pin hole, then replacing the pin to lock it in place. You then want to pull the string tight all the way up to the tuners on the headstock, lining it up with the appropriate tuner and feeding the string through the hole. Give yourself a couple inches of slack to wrap around the tuner as you tighten (using your new string winder tool), then removing any excess once tight and in tune!

Acoustic guitar string height?

When measured at the 12th fret ideally the action height should be 2.6mm for steel string acoustic guitar or 3mm for a nylon strung classical. However, this is all down to personal preference so using this as a starting point would be a good way to judge whether you would prefer your action any higher or lower.

What is the best acoustic guitar for beginners / Best beginner acoustic guitar?

This all depends on desired play style and personal preference! We have a brilliant beginners acoustic guitar buyers guide linked above covering all beginner information with suggested acoustic guitars to get you started.

Best acoustic guitar brands?

Again, this all comes down to personal preference, play style and then musical sound you with to achieve. We carry a diverse range of acoustic guitars from top name brands including Fender, Godin, Takamine, Tanglewood, Ibanez, Gretsch, Levinson and more!

Best acoustic guitar amp for beginners?

There are many great beginner acoustic guitar amplifiers on the market, and you don’t need to break the bank to get something suitable for home practice. Our full range of acoustic amplifiers can be found here: https://www.scan.co.uk/shop/music-and-pro-audio/amplifiers/acoustic-guitar-amplifiers

Best budget acoustic guitar pickup?

If you want to amplify your acoustic guitar that isn’t fitted with active electronics you will need to fit a pickup, which come in a few different configurations. Clip on Piezo pickups are cheap and easy to install, fitting internally or on the edge of the sound hole. Magnetic sound hole pickups work in a more conventional way, but will not work with nylon strings. These slot directly across the sound hole picking up the vibrations of each individual string. These are the two main types you will come across, however, you can browse our full range here: https://www.scan.co.uk/shop/music-and-pro-audio/instrument-accessories/guitar-and-bass-pick-ups

Acoustic guitar pickup vs microphone

As a pickup works by picking up the vibrations made by the strings/guitar itself it will have a more direct balanced sound, whereas a microphone picking up the soundwaves in the air movement will have a more natural sound due to simply amplifying the natural sound leaving the guitar.

How to amplify acoustic guitar without amplifier?

Unfortunately to amplify anything you will require an amplifier, although acoustic guitars are naturally very loud so not always required. Another option is to play into a microphone mounted directly in front of your guitar, sending the picked-up guitar sound through the PA monitors.

Best acoustic guitar tuner?

If using a standard acoustic guitar, a clip-on tuner that attaches to the headstock is the most accurate way of tuning. Typically, these are quite cheap yet effective! You can find our own Scan Pro Audio branded clip-on tuner here: https://www.scan.co.uk/products/scan-pro-audio-ft-16-clip-on-tuner

Can you play acoustic electric guitar without an amp?

Yes, you can! Due to still being an acoustic guitar at heart with hollow or semi-hollow properties the natural sound of the guitar will still be acoustically amplified.

Can you play an electric guitar through an acoustic amp?

Yes, it is possible however it is recommended to use the correct amp type for the style of guitar you are playing to be able to create the appropriate sound.

What are the different types of acoustic guitar playing styles?

Typically, you would either play acoustic guitar fingerstyle (plucking with your fingertips) or using a plectrum for more chord-based strumming, sometimes even a combination of the two. However, there are many styles of music you can play using varying techniques – such as classical, flamenco, country, blues, rock, folk, jazz and many more!

Can you play electric guitar if you can play acoustic?

In short, yes! There are differences between the two instruments that may take some adjustment, such as the different body shapes and sizes, weight, neck shape, type of strings etc. but once you understand the fundamentals of playing they can be transferred across all string-based guitar instruments!

Do you have to play acoustic guitar before electric?

No, you do not, acoustic is a good place to start from a cost perspective – not needing amplifiers, cables or power, but ultimately it depends on the kind of music you want to play.

How to play acoustic guitar without a pick

The alternative to playing with a pick would be to pluck and strum with your fingers, also known as fingerstyle. A good place to start with this would be with classical music, as once you have the basics down the techniques can applied to many difference genres and play styles.

Are more expensive acoustic guitars easier to play?

There is some truth to this, however ultimately this lies with the individual and what they find comfortable. An expensive guitar may be incredibly difficult for a beginner to play as they can be refined to certain techniques and skill levels, whereas beginner instruments are much better all-rounders being suitable for many different people and playing styles.

Are electric guitar chords the same as acoustic chords?

Yes, they are!

Is there an acoustic bass guitar?

Yes! There are many acoustic bass guitars available.

Difference between acoustic and bass guitar

Acoustic bass guitars share the same differences with an electric bass guitar as a regular acoustic guitar does with an electric guitar.

How to string a 12-string acoustic guitar

12 string guitars follow the same fundamental stringing method as a 6-string guitar, just there is twice as much work! Strings will typically be labelled so make sure each string get assigned to the correct position and you should be all good to go.

Whatever you decide to choose, know that as a beginner you can't go wrong picking any of these ideal acoustics - each will provide a solid foundation for most musical styles.

Should you need any more assistance in deciding which acoustic guitar is right for you, email us at [email protected] and our team of Pro Audio professionals will be happy to help!