Buying a guitar can be a daunting experience especially if you cannot play one. Do you buy an electric or acoustic guitar and if you buy the latter is it to be a classical or a standard "folk" styled guitar?

How much to spend? It may be better to borrow a guitar initially, this may save you money if you find that the guitar is not an instrument you wish to learn. However, the down side is that you may borrow a guitar that is old, needs new strings and is generally cheap and nasty. Alternatively you could buy a second hand guitar but be sure to inspect the instrument closely for any damage. Better still bring someone who knows what they’re looking at to test the instrument. The disadvantage of buying a used guitar is that you may not get any warranty, especially if you buy privately although some shops will give warranties on second-hand guitars.

To buy a guitar which is going to last and which is going to be reasonable to play and sound good expect to pay at least £100 - £150 or more if your budget can stretch to it. You may also consider its resale value so names like Takamine, Martin, Fender, Gibson, Taylor etc. may be worth buying, however, they will be very much more expensive. Guitars such as Crafter, Faith, Tanglewood, etc., offer very good value for money. One thing to remember if you buy a cheap guitar it will probably be hard to play, it will have a poor sound quality and you will, in all likelihood, be wasting your money. Like all things buy cheap buy twice.

Acoustic vs Electro Acoustic vs Electric. Most youngsters will probably go for electric guitar – and why not? But as a novice it is probably better to start off on an acoustic guitar. The two types of guitar are completely different beasts and require different techniques to play them. Acoustic guitars are harder to play than an electric guitar, mainly because the strings are harder to hold down, but this is good exercise for the fingers and if an individual wishes to take up an electric guitar at a later date the transition is much easier. Electro-acoustic guitars are just like acoustic guitars except they are fitted with a pick up arrangement of some sort which means they can be amplified handy for playing in noisy or larger venues only go for these if you are really serious. There are some guitars around which have composite bodies (non wood) avoid these until you can play a guitar properly

Shopping tips. Unless you want to take up Classical/Spanish guitar DO NOT buy one. Classical guitars are usually identified as having a mix of round wound and gut (or Nylon) strings. Good ones are generally expensive. However, like all things they can also be bought fairly cheaply as a "good" starter guitar - THEY ARE NOT, they are difficult to play and will not stay in tune. Go instead for a standard acoustic guitar with metal strings.

• Look at the width of the neck, a wide neck will be difficult to play unless you have long fingers, a width of about 40mm - 45mm at the nut is about right.
• Check the thickness of the neck. Can you get your hands and fingers round it?
• Check the playing action (the height of the strings above the neck) the lower the action the easier it will be to play, but do check that the action is not that low that you get fret buzz (strings hitting the frets) when you play. A good guide is a gap of about 1/16" (1.5mm) between the string at the first fret to no more than 1/8" - 3/16" (3mm- 5mm) at the twelfth fret.
• Check the machine heads for a smooth action. If there is backlash (sloppyness) in the turning action this could lead to the guitar going out of tune.
• If possible buy a guitar with a "solid" top, many guitars use a laminated top. A solid top will give you a better sound, but will probably cost you more.
• Take time to try the guitar and do not be rushed you do not have to buy the guitar on the day.
• Be sure you buy a guitar to suit the material you want to play and make sure it feels physically comfortable to hold and play. For youngster a 3/4 size guitar may be better.
• Always ask if the shop can do a deal. This could be a reduction in the cost at least 10% (some shops especially in London will give up to 25% off). Alternatively will they give you a case, strap and a spare set of strings?

Most cheaper guitars are built in the Far East many of them are equally as good, in some cases, better than those built in the USA or elsewhere so do not be put off if the guitar has been built in Korea or Indonesia. If it sounds good it probably is.