Playing guitar is one of the most satisfying skills you will master.
As with all music, if you use an inferior instrument, the sound you make is likely to be inferior also.
It is then essential, that you follow some important guidelines when contemplating the purchase of your first electric guitar.
This article will highlight some of the basics of what you need to consider before parting with your hard earned cash or your savings.
Do not be driven by price alone.
If you buy a cheap guitar, I can guarantee that you will very soon come to regret doing that.
It is better to wait, if you cannot yet afford anything other than the very cheapest of electric guitars.
Having said that, you will not have to wait long because a very good electric guitar for a beginner guitar player can be bought for around $200, complete with all the necessary accessories, including an amplifier, enabling you to start practicing almost immediately.
Let's explore the questions in the minds of most beginner guitar players before they buy their very first instrument.
The first thing you need to know is the minimum accessories that you need to buy along with your electric guitar.
Obviously there is the guitar itself and it will usually come ready stringed.
If you buy from a store, check to see that the strings on the instrument are fresh and new.
Strings deteriorate over time and with exposure to the atmosphere, so make sure yours are shiny and new looking.
You will need an amplifier and speakers.
These are usually combined within one cabinet for beginner guitar packs and are of good technical quality for such a player.
Later when you are a rock star you may want separate amp and speaker cabinets and by that time you will also have someone to carry all your gear around for you, from gig to gig! Next you need an electronic tuner.
All the teaching books that I have seen describe how to tune your guitar "relatively".
This means starting with the lowest (or sixth) string and tuning the other strings by reference to that.
The problem with it is the fact that the lowest E string needs to be at just the right pitch or your playing will still sound out of tune.
Fortunately modern electronic tuners are modestly priced and extremely accurate.
Usually the guitar connects directly into a jack on the tuner and each string is then tuned to perfect pitch.
You will need a stand to hold your guitar when it's not in use.
This will help you keep your instrument in first class condition and will avoid the bumps and knocks that will inevitably occur if you have no safe stand on which to keep the guitar.
You will also need a gig bag to carry your guitar from place to place.
Maybe to a friend's home or to regular music lessons with a teacher.
The best way to buy your first electric guitar is as a complete package that includes all of these essential accessories.