Are You Getting Your Child a Guitar? What to do to Maximize Their Potential

Get The Right Guitar For Your Kid (Or Anyone Else You Are buying A Guitar For)

It is an old conundrum - you want your child to play the guitar, and it seems like that is what they want also, but until you spend the money there is no way to know whether they will take off on this hobby.

You can save money and get a better guitar by buying used, like this Epiphone acoustic guitar in Lincolnton

So, the rightful instinct is to not spend much money - the problem with this is, if you get a guitar that is difficult to play or that does not ignite the potential player's imagination you are actually decreasing the chances that the student will stick with it - and this is true of students of all ages!

The first step is to find out what kind of music your child (or friend/spouse/loved one) wants. If they enjoy playing traditional country or folk music, an acoustic guitar is ideal, but if they get into rock or metal, or even some more modern country, an electric guitar may be the best way to go. Remember, there is no 'right' first guitar, despite what some teachers say. 

If your potential player dreams of power chords and singing solos, an electric is the way to go. This is one of many used guitars in Lincolnton that make a great starter pack!

The best first guitar is one that will give the person learning the best chance of making this a lasting hobby - if the potential player hears screaming solos and power chords, an acoustic guitar is like throwing a wet blanket on their dreams - not that they can't succeed, but the chances are less.

However, if that person wants to be a singer songwriter like James Taylor (yes, I am showing my age) a good acoustic guitar is probably the best choice.

BUYING USED GUITARS CAN GET MORE QUALITY FOR YOUR MONEY

One thing that is true across the board is that by buying used guitars you can sometimes get more bang for your buck - a lot more! Whether you are buying used guitars in Lincolnton or anywhere else, make sure the guitar has a warranty, and site along the neck to make sure the neck is nice and straight - we will be doing a post in the near future on exactly what to look for in a used guitar, but you can get a better guitar for your money than buying new!

Go onto Craigslist, or find your local music store in Lincolnton or where ever you live to see what your market has in the way of good used guitars.

Remember, the best guitar you can get for your potential player is the kind that they really want to play - match the guitar up with the music they hear in their heads and maximize the chances of them playing for longer than a month or two!