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What do I need to know before buying an accoustic guitar?

My grandson (11yrs old) wants an accousitc guitar for Christmas. He wanted it for his birthday this summer but we decided to wait and see if he still wanted it by Christmas before we footed the expense. Well, it's number one on his Santa list so I guess we have to get it. The problem is that I have never purchased or had much to do with a guitar - pianos, clarinets, and keyboards but not guitars. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to model ? what to look for? is it okay to buy privately (ala Craig's List) or should I go to a music store? He definitely wants an accoustic - he's done his research and I came home yesterday to find a web site for DVD guitar lessons on my computer! All advice is welcom - if this is his passion I'll help him but I need more information. Since he is literally just starting I need to know what is best for total beginners. He can read music to some extent, but has never had anyone show him how to play a guitar.

Public Comments

1. Do you want steel or nylon strings? How much do you want to pay? There are literally hundreds of brands and models.
2. There are 2 basic varieties of acoustic guitar: Steel stringed or nylon stringed. The nylon stringed guitar are appropriate for classical, Spanish, and possibly folk music. If your grandson wants to play anything other than those genres, you want a steel stringed guitar. A used guitar from craigslist can be a bargain if you know what you're looking for and have a knowledgeable person to check out the guitar for you. If you had such a person available, why would you be asking for help here? So your best bet is to go to a real guitar store. Beware of big box stores like Walmart or Target. They have some inexpensive "beginner" packages but they're simply high priced toys. A beginner needs an instrument that they don't have to struggle with. It doesn't have to sound or look the greatest, but as a minimum, it should be easy to play and keep tuned. This means you're looking at an absolute minimum of $125 for an inexpensive but playable guitar. Better guitars have "solid" wood tops, which give better tone, but they start at around $200. Your grandson is only 11 so he might have trouble getting his arms around a full sized "dreadnought" (large body) guitar....but remember that he'll be hitting his pubescent growth spurt soon. There are adult guitars with slightly smaller bodies called "parlor" guitars and you might consider one of these. It would be best to have your grandson sit down and try a few guitars on for size. A DVD or youtube videos are no substitute for the real-time feedback you get from an instructor. I wish they had those when I was learning to play, they're a great aid...in addition to a teacher. Your grandson doesn't necessarily have to take formal lessons for an extended time, but at least he should have a real person show him the fundamentals. It's far easier to learn the correct way than to unlearn bad habits after the fact. Your grandson is very lucky to have somebody like you to help him get started.