Learning the guitar is a lifelong journey. Unlike the latest videogame, there’s no ‘completing’ the world's most popular instrument. We’re 20+ years into our guitar voyage and still feel like we’re barely scratching the surface of what’s possible. We still remember how difficult it is to get started too, which is why new players need one of the best guitars for beginners.
Getting a fast start on the instrument ensures you’ll keep pushing through that difficult first phase, gaining an invaluable hobby and potentially even a music career. There are many cheap guitars out there that come with shoddy finishes, sharp frets, warped necks, and subpar hardware but it doesn't have to be this way. We’ve trawled through a huge amount of instruments to bring you the best playing, highest quality guitars that will ensure new players keep on coming back for more.
If you’re looking for some more information to help you make a purchase, then head down to the buying advice section at the end of the article. It's got loads of common questions answered by our expert writing team, all backed by decades of experience playing the instrument. If you just want to see the best guitars for beginners available today, then keep scrolling to see our top picks.
Quick list
Best guitars for beginners: Electrics
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The Yamaha Pacifica 112V has been the go-to guitar for beginners for over two decades. And for good reason; by combining grown-up design with all the tonal versatility a young learner would need, Yamaha has created a near-perfect package.
The Squier Bullet Mustang is a great electric guitar for beginners, but it’s arguably the perfect electric guitar for younger beginners. The shorter scale length – 24” – means it isn’t too taxing on small hands, yet plug this thing in and it can make a heck of a racket. In a good way, of course.
Not everyone who decides to learn the guitar wants to learn on an entry-level model. We all have to work our way up to the elite tier, sure, but there’s a lot to be said for selecting something a little higher quality to begin your playing journey.
When you think of acoustic guitars at this level, you may assume they’re all cheap, nylon-strung models that fall apart after a month. And, while these guitars do exist, we’d advise steering clear. Especially when there are proper, affordable alternatives like the Yamaha FG800 on the market.
While we’ve included some small-scale guitars here, the Yamaha JR1 is arguably the one to beat when it comes to being the best guitar for kids. This ¾ sized acoustic features a scaled-down body and neck, so it’s easy for smaller hands to work on their chords and develop those good playing habits that will stand them in good stead for the future.
An electro-acoustic guitar is a great option for the new player looking to the future, as it gives you the volume required to play your first shows or jam with others. The Ibanez PC12MHCE is a fantastic choice for the first-timer thanks to its combination of great sound and excellent value for money.
Finish: Natural, Vintage White, United Blue, Sonic Blue, Old Violin Sunburst, Black
Reasons to buy
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Superb value
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Hard to outgrow
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Versatile tones
Reasons to avoid
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Not the most exciting design
The Yamaha Pacifica 112V has been the go-to guitar for beginners for over two decades. And for good reason; by combining grown-up design with all the tonal versatility a young learner would need, Yamaha has created a near-perfect package. The bridge humbucker allows you to steer into heavier styles of music, yet the two single coils at the middle and neck allow for different flavors of sound.
What’s always impressed us with the Pacifica line is the way they grow with you; sure, there are cheaper guitars to learn on but, as you progress, you’ll find their shortcomings holding you back. The Pacifica 112, on the other hand, has been designed as a grown-up guitar with all the features you’ll need from the start.
The Squier Bullet Mustang is a great electric guitar for beginners, but it’s arguably the perfect electric guitar for younger beginners. The shorter scale length – 24” – means it isn’t too taxing on small hands, yet plug this thing in and it can make a heck of a racket. In a good way, of course.
The choice of basswood for the body makes for a very lightweight guitar, meaning you can concentrate on improving your skills without feeling like you’re wrestling a big block of wood, and the two humbuckers are ideal for playing big, punky chords and riffs.
Controls: Master volume, 2 x tone, 5-way pickup selector
Finish: 2-color sunburst, White Blonde, Fiesta Red, Black
Reasons to buy
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Iconic looks and sound
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Exceptional build quality
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A great starting point
Reasons to avoid
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Not the cheapest on the list
Not everyone who decides to learn the guitar wants to learn on an entry-level model. We all have to work our way up to the elite tier, sure, but there’s a lot to be said for selecting something a little higher quality to begin your playing journey.
The Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster is a superb choice in this regard, with its era-specific appointments and vintage hardware pointing to a very attractive guitar indeed.
Look past the aesthetics, however, and you’ll find a comfortable, easy-to-play instrument that has enough tonal versatility to cover a lot of bases. It’s not the cheapest on this list, but it’s easily one of the highest-quality models at this price point.
Body: Sitka Spruce top with Nato/Okume back and sides
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Walnut
Frets: 20
Finish: Natural
Reasons to buy
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Wonderful projection
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Easy to play
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Incredible value for money
Reasons to avoid
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Dreadnought body shape may be too big for young learners
When you think of acoustic guitars at this level, you may assume they’re all cheap, nylon-strung models that fall apart after a month. And, while these guitars do exist, we’d advise steering clear. Especially when there are proper, affordable alternatives like the Yamaha FG800 on the market.
The FG800 is a dreadnought-style guitar, so it has a large, deep body which, in conjunction with the steel strings, projects a gloriously rich tone with loads of character. This is a guitar you can take your first steps on, and we are confident it will stay with you long into the future.
While we’ve included some small-scale guitars here, the Yamaha JR1 is arguably the one to beat when it comes to being the best guitar for kids. This ¾ sized acoustic features a scaled-down body and neck, so it’s easy for smaller hands to work on their chords and develop those good playing habits that will stand them in good stead for the future.
As well as younger learners, the Yamaha JR1 makes a great travel guitar, aided by the included gig bag, making this a decent all-rounder for beginners and more established players.
Best acoustic for adults
(Image credit: Ibanez)
6. Ibanez PC12MHCE
A brilliant electro-acoustic guitar for beginners
Our expert review:
Specifications
Body: Okoume top with Okoume back and sides
Neck: Okoume
Fingerboard: Laurel
Frets: 20
Finish: Open pore
Reasons to buy
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Nice and compact size
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Sounds great plugged in
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Excellent value for money
Reasons to avoid
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Lacking some bass
An electro-acoustic guitar is a great option for the new player looking to the future, as it gives you the volume required to play your first shows or jam with others. The Ibanez PC12MHCE is a fantastic choice for the first-timer thanks to its combination of great sound and excellent value for money.
It’s got a nice midrange tonality, so will work just as well for your first chords as it does for more complex fingerpicking. The cutaway gives great upper fret access, and the whole neck feels really smooth to play, a feature of many Ibanez guitars.
The built-in electronics offer a nice and transparent tone when plugged in, plus you get a built-in tuner to ensure you’re always ready to rock. An excellent option for the beginner guitarist who wants to move on to live performances.
Best guitars for beginners: Buying advice
(Image credit: John Fedele)
Buying your first guitar is a big step, so you need to make sure it’s the right one for you. There are loads of different choices you can make so arming yourself with the right knowledge is key to ensuring you buy the right instrument for you.
Should I learn acoustic guitar or electric guitar first?
Traditionally beginner players began their journey on the acoustic guitar, but just because something is traditional doesn’t mean it’s right for you. We personally began learning on an acoustic guitar, but that was over twenty years ago and since then a lot has changed. Which instrument you start on is no longer the taboo subject it once was, so if either appeal to you more then go for it!
We reckon the electric guitar is easier to learn on for a few reasons, first of all, the body is nice and thin, so the guitar will be closer to you when you play. Typically electric guitar necks are thinner than their acoustic counterparts, thus you’ll find fretting chords easier. Finally, electric guitar strings are thinner than acoustic guitar strings, so don’t require the same amount of hand strength to press down.
However, we will caveat this with a few things when it comes to learning on an acoustic guitar for beginners. Exactly because they are more difficult to play, starting with acoustic will enable you to progress more quickly, developing a stronger core of hand strength and dexterity. Just like the famous slogan, ‘train hard, fight easy’ taking the tougher option when you initially begin to play will have you reaping the rewards later down the line.
What size guitar should I get?
Electric guitars have different body shapes, but in terms of size, they tend to be pretty similar across the board. Electric guitars usually have thin bodies which means they’re considered relatively small, especially when compared to some acoustic guitar body types. You can get a short-scale guitar, which has a smaller length between the bridge and the headstock, making it easier for younger players and those with smaller dimensions to get to grips with.
Acoustic guitar body sizes are numerous and some of them are big enough that even a fully grown adult can struggle to handle them. Dreadnoughts and jumbos are the biggest size guitars, whereas parlor and grand auditorium styles offer a smaller size for younger players. You can also get ½ and ¾ size guitars, which are great for very young players, offering a smaller body size and scale length.
(Image credit: Future)
How much should I spend on my first guitar?
All of the guitars here are under $/£500, and many of them are below the $/£300 mark. We wouldn’t recommend spending above this on a first instrument, as it’ll be an expensive mistake if you decide that the guitar isn’t for you after all! Instruments around the $/£300 mark are pretty much guaranteed to be great quality, and so long as you’re buying from a reputable brand, those that fall lower than this price point will still do the job just fine.
Do I need any accessories like a tuner or a strap?
We would definitely recommend getting a clip-on tuner alongside your first guitar purchase. It’s one of the most important accessories and you’ll get a lot of use out of it. No guitarist worth their salt will be caught without a tuner, and it also helps you understand your first bits of music theory too.
Other accessories like guitar straps and guitar cables are instrument dependent. Most acoustic guitars are usable without a guitar strap thanks to their large body size. Electric guitars on the other hand can be unwieldy to play sitting down without a strap, so it’s worth investing in one if you have an electric as your first guitar.
If you’re going the electric guitar route, then you’ll have to get yourself a beginner guitar amp to go with it, as well as a guitar cable to plug it in. These are worth bearing in mind when you’re budgeting for your first purchase, as your guitar won’t be at its best without them.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I take lessons before I buy a guitar?
Having your own guitar is incredibly important whilst you’re learning. If you’re taking lessons you’ll need to practice what you’ve learned, so we’d definitely advise buying a guitar to use alongside your lessons. If you’re worried about the cost of lessons, don’t worry because there are loads of great online guitar lessons platforms you can use to learn from the comfort of your own, as well as at your own pace.
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How we choose
Here at Guitar World, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything guitar and bass related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best guitars for beginners right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
First and foremost, we are guitarists, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best guitars for beginners on the market right now.
Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Dawsons Music. Chris loves getting nerdy about everything from guitar gear and synths, to microphones and music production hardware.
