to emphasize, this is not a post about electric guitars. as much as I love electric guitars, I still prefer playing acoustic for convenience, portability, and reliability. I don’t need amplifiers and an electrical outlet to play.
as a fan of classic rock and roll and heavy music, my acoustic guitar and gear preferences are quite predictable, in the sense that I want a warmer, bassier, and fuller sound.
given that, most would advise me to get a dreadnought guitar, which is quite big for a 5’1″ girl like me. I did play a Yamaha FG800 but then, for a short while, sold it and replaced it with a much cheaper concert-body guitar.
so, where does a fan of rock, metal, punk, goth, or any kind of music start with playing guitar? I’m not here to give you a comprehensive guide but I could at least share information that applies to me. I began with learning punk and metal songs after all. feel free to correct me.
speaking of which, my itch to actually learn guitar came up one night in 2020, around when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, so I say I’m a pandemic guitarist. I was listening to Green Day and Metallica. imagine, I was lying on my bed with Enter Sandman playing on my headphones, listening to James Hetfield’s rhythm riff with tears streaming down my temples to my ears. sappy.
the day after, I just decided to get a guitar and start learning. so, typically, I bought a dreadnought Epiphone.
here’s a few info on guitars.
guitar body
I. guitar shapes
guitars come in many shapes, here’s an illustration.
general tip, the bigger the guitar, the fuller the bass. that’s why the stereotype is, if you play rhythm (a la James Hetfield and Izzy Stradlin), get a dreadnought. If you play lead/shred solos (a la Dave Mustaine and Slash), get a grand concert/concert, particularly with a cutaway.
II. guitar brands
some brands are prominent for a reason. there’s Gibson, Martin, and Taylor. Guild is a notable mention. for more affordable and reliable options, Yamaha and Takamine provide.
Gibson and Martin are more known for their warm sound, warm meaning earthy, woody. audiophiles and those who play vinyl records on turntables know what this means. Taylor is more for that bright, sparkly, modern sound.
Yamahas and Takamines are great options for the beginner to intermediate guitar player. I’ve owned both and I can’t quite describe their signature sound, I think it depends on the model, but these have been recommended as I’ve watched in Youtube and read in forums.
a. Gibson. everyone knows Gibson. from AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica, Gibson is everywhere. here’s Slash and Myles Kennedy rocking Sweet Child O’ Mine with acoustic Gibsons.
b. Martin. ah, the legendary Martin, the D-28 in particular. Kurt Cobain played a Martin in his unforgettable MTV Unplugged performance.
James Hetfield always plays a Martin when Metallica goes acoustic.
c. Taylor. I’m a big fan of the Taylor GS-Mini. I’d love to get the mahogany version, staying true to my preference for a warmer tone. Taylor Swift plays Taylors (just a coincidence) and Gibsons.
here’s Ben Phillips of The Pretty Reckless, too.
d. Guild. I don’t know much about Guild but I do know they’re quality guitars. if they weren’t, then Billie Joe Armstrong wouldn’t be caught playing them.
e. Yamaha. at the beginner to intermediate levels and at lower price points, there’s no better deal than Yamahas and Takamines. as for sound, it’s a matter of preference. for Yamaha, I know Phoebe Bridgers played a Yamaha JR in her Tiny Desk performance.
Julien Baker, too. if you don’t know who Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker are, check out Boygenius.
f. Takamine. what I like about Takamine is that they offer a 3/4 guitar called a Taka-mini that’s obviously smaller than a full size guitar without compromising sound. most of their acoustic guitars come with pre-installed pickups, too. Bon Jovi is known to play Takamines.
III. guitar woods
there are only two guitar woods I’m familiar with, spruce and mahogany. spruce is for a balanced tone, mahogany leans warmer.
getting your first guitar is a very personal experience. brand doesn’t matter. what’s important is that the guitar makes you want to play. when the guitar motivates you to practice, you know you’ve got a keeper.
guitar strings
now that you have an idea on guitars, I’m now going to talk about guitar strings.
I’ve only used Ernie Ball Earthwood light .11 strings so I have no idea how Elixir or Fender strings sound. why do I use Ernie Ball? because James Hetfield, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Tim Henson (Polyphia) use Ernie Ball. yes, I am that shallow, but Ernie Ball also advertises their Earthwood line for its warm tone.
guitar picks
next up, plectrums, more commonly known as picks.
I. pick thickness (or thinness… if you will)
picks can be thin (lower than .73) or thick (1.00 and up). they say thin picks are for strumming and thick picks are for plucking. that’s the general rule, but I use 1.00 picks for both. I started with .73 and since I craved more force in my strums, I settled with 1.00.
II. pick brands
yes, picks have brands. if I had to name one, you have nowhere else to look but Dunlop.
picks also differ in sharpness. I use only the standard Dunlop tortex picks so I really don’t know much about sharp picks. they say it improves accuracy. I’ve tried Dunlop tortex sharp but it makes me feel as if the point snags on the strings. hence, I stick to standard Dunlop tortex. feel free to experiment on which picks work for you (note, guitarists also have signature picks. keep your eyes peeled when you watch performances and videos).
there you go, that’s all you need to start learning guitar. an actual guitar, strings, and a pick. last tip, focus on fundamentals and never forget to have fun.