What Acoustic Guitar Strings Should I Buy?

This is a very common question for beginning guitar players, as the choices can be overwhelming. Not only are there dozens of different brands, but there a different gauges, different string materials, and all have different purposes and characteristics. So, let's address a few common questions that will hopefully clear up some of the confusion

My guitar came with strings, do I need to buy more?

Not right away. But you will need to replace strings fairly often. Generally, when you purchase a new guitar, the guitar will have been strung up with a fresh set of strings. Depending on the type of strings that are already on the guitar, they'll last for a little while.

The life of a string depends on a few different factors: type of string (coated or uncoated - I'll address this later), how often you play, how aggressive you play, the environment in which you play, and how much you sweat when you play. These are all factors that can impact string life. Because this varies so much depending on the individual player, it becomes important to be able to identify when strings need to be changed.

How do I know when to change my strings?

There are a few telltale signs that will let you know when the strings have reached the end of their lifespan. Of course, if you break a string, you'll need to replace it, but if you're not a very aggressive player, that may never happen. So here are some things to look and listen for:

• The coloration of the strings has begun to change - Strings will frequently be a bright copper, bronze or steel color when they're new. After a while, you'll notice that color has dulled or gotten rusty. You may not see the color change across the whole string, but it will be more prominent in areas of the string where your fingers or pick have been touching them.
• They don't sound as good as they used to - When you first start playing on a new set of strings, you'll hear a nice bright tone (different types of strings will have different tones, but you'll begin to recognize the sound of your new strings). After a while, the strings will start to lose that tone, and begin to sound dead. The progression to that state is gradual, but if the guitar isn't sounding as good as you remember, it's probably time for a string change.

 What kind of strings should I put on my guitar?

There are several factors that come into play with this question - some more general and some specific. We'll start with the general:

1. Get the right strings for your guitar type  - In broadest terms, there are different strings for different types of instruments. Electric strings for electric guitars, acoustic steel strings for acoustic steel string guitars, classical strings for classical guitars, etc. It seems like an obvious distinction, but when you're a beginner and you're looking at a giant rack of strings (or list of strings if you're looking on a site like Amazon or Musician's Friend), the differences can be subtle enough to be overlooked. For instance, if you look at the two boxes of strings below, it may not jump right out at you that one is for acoustic guitars and one is for electrics. But in the lower left, you'll see that one is for acoustic and one is for electric. Again, it may be obvious, but maybe not.
*A side note on the distinction between acoustic steel string guitars and classical guitars: While they are both technically acoustic guitars, it's very important to use the right string for your instrument. They are not only strung up in an entirely different way, but classical guitars use nylon strings, whereas acoustic steel string guitars use metal strings. Attempting to put steel strings on a classical guitar could potentially cause significant damage to the guitar.

2. Coated vs. Uncoated - Elixir, the brand pictured above, introduced the coated guitar string several years ago and, since then, there are a number of string brands that have jumped on to the coated string bandwagon. The biggest advantage of coated strings is that coated strings will last up to five times longer than an uncoated string. Coated strings do have their detractors, however. Some feel that they have to sacrifice sound quality when using a coated string. This was the case years ago when coated strings were first introduced but, in my opinion, there is very little, if any, reduction in sound quality when using coated strings. 
3. Choosing the specific type of acoustic string - There are a few different string types for a steel string guitar, but the main types that you'll likely be choosing between are 80/20 Bronze and Phosphor Bronze. 80/20 tends to have a brighter sound and Phosphor Bronze is a more mellow sounding string. D'Addario's website has a cool slider that allows you to see the qualities of each string type. Check it out here. 
4. Gauge - The gauge refers to the thickness of the string. You'll see a range of gauges from extra light to heavy. For beginning guitar players, you'll want to start with extra light or light-gauge strings. The heavier the gauge, the harder it is to fret. But you may find the sound a little soft with extra light strings, so I tend to prefer Lights. Different guitars are better suited for different string gauges, so you may eventually want to graduate to a medium-gauge string if you have a dreadnought, but for anyone starting out, go with light-gauge first.
5. Brand - There is no right answer to this question. Ask 10 different acoustic guitar players which brand they prefer and you'll likely get several different answers. I even have different preferences depending on the guitar I'm playing. 

Recommendations

Admittedly, this is a lot of information, and probably more than you wanted. So, if you're just looking for some recommendations, these are some of my favorites:

D'Addario EXP16 Coated Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings, Light, 12-53

Elixir® Strings Acoustic Phosphor Bronze Guitar Strings with NANOWEB® Coating

Martin SP 7100 Phosphor Bronze Lifespan Coated Acoustic Strings Light

The Best Acoustic Guitar Brands for Beginners

--------Update 7/3/14----------
I originally wrote this post three years ago and, since then, some models that I originally mentioned have been discontinued and prices have changed. So, I've gone through and made updates to reflect current offerings and recommendations. I hope you find these suggestions helpful.

For a beginner, buying an acoustic guitar can be a daunting, but exciting experience. There are so many things to watch out (how's the setup? does it buzz? etc.)  and features to decide on (what body shape is right for me? Steel or nylon string? etc). However, there's an entirely different issue of guitar brands that can complicate the issue even further. With dozens, even hundreds of brands to choose from, how do you know which are good and which aren't? Are there significant differences between the brands? Guitar retailers won't really give you the dirt on guitar brands that they're trying to sell, and sorting through all the various reviews and Wikipedia entries is likely far more research than anyone realistically wants to do. So, if you'd like a quick snapshot of the guitar brands out there, look below for an overview of acoustic guitar manufacturers:

Alvarez AF30

Alvarez - Affordable, fairly well made guitars. They have guitars ranging from about
$200 - $3000 (the Alvarez Yairi is their high end and are around that price range). Their Regent Series is their most affordable line, well suited for beginners. Some in this series have laminated tops, backs and sides, which I prefer to avoid, though they do have several with solid tops that are ideal beginner guitars.**Update** The Regent line no longer offers solid tops, so stepping up to Artist line will get you into solid top territory. Fortunately, the prices for some of their Artist Series guitars are about the same as what the solid top Regents used to be.

Good options for beginners:
Alvarez AF30 (pictured)- Street price - $229.95
Alvarez AD60SB (Dreadnought, sunburst) - Street price - $266.99

Blueridge BR-40

Blueridge - A division of Saga Music, Blueridge Guitars are fairly affordable guitars designed with an eye toward the traditional, emulating classic styles pioneered by Martin and Gibson. They offer some great boomy dreadnoughts, as well as nice smaller-body fingerstyle guitars, depending on your preference. Incredibly good guitars for the money.


Good options for beginners:
Blueridge BR-40 - Street price - $369 - A good example of the Blueridge style - a dreadnought with a solid Sitka spruce top and a nice vintage feel and tone. You won't be disappointed with this one.
Blueridge BR-63 - Street price - $302 - If you want great quality but prefer a smaller bodied, solid top guitar, this is a great choice.  

Crafter HiLite D SP

Crafter - Somewhat unknown, although you may happen upon a Crafter or two at your local guitar shop. If you do, give it a shot. Their pricing is pretty competitive and their guitars are just as good, if not better, than many other guitars in the same price range. There are many models that are very accessibly priced for beginners. (They recently introduced a new line of affordable, solid top acoustics called the HiLite Series). The only trouble is finding them. They have a pretty small distribution network in the United States, and if you were to do a search for them online, you're not going to find much. It's a shame, because Crafter is a guitar well worth considering.

Good options for beginners:
Crafter HiLite D SP - Street price - $349 - Solid spruce top, laminate mahogany back and sides. (I was able to find one available here)

Dean Exotica Cocobolo

Dean - Dean is largely known for their electric guitars, though you'll never have a problem finding their acoustics in most guitar stores. And for the most part, they aren't good at all. They tend to go the gimmicky route, with flashy wood veneers designed to catch the eye. For the most part, their acoustics are made of laminated wood (plywood) tops, backs and sides with an exotic wood veneer so, while it may pull you in, visually, they're not at all impressive, sonically. On top of that, they tend to be plagued by construction flaws and inconsistencies which point to a general lack of quality control and attention to detail.

Epiphone - Part of the Gibson family, Epiphone is their affordable line of guitars, many built in the style of famous Gibson guitars, but built with lesser quality materials in their factory in China. Their quality can be inconsistent. But there are some good ones to be found, even though there can be some pretty poor ones, too. While Epiphone may be Gibson's less popular and less expensive little brother, it shouldn't be lumped into the same group with other major brands who have entry level brands (e.g. Takamine's Jasmine, Fender's Squier, etc.) because Epiphone is much more than that, and much better than that. Their Masterbilt series, for example, are very respectable guitars for their price range, and well worth checking out.

Epiphone EEHBFCNH1

Good options for beginners:
Epiphone EE00VSNH1 - Street price - $299
Epiphone EEHBFCNH1 (pictured) - Street price - $293

Fender - Fender's electric guitars are the stuff of legend. Think of many of the most iconic electric guitar players of our time, players like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and it's hard to imagine them without their Strat in hand. For country (as well as many rock and blues) players, the Telecaster is no less significant. But when it comes to their acoustics, sadly, it's a much different story. Completely uninspiring, through and through. Perhaps they've sunk all their creative energy and mojo into their electrics, and there's just nothing left for Fender's acoustic line. It's one of many good examples, however, that just because a company makes great electric guitars does not necessarily mean that they make great acoustics. And in fact, that tends to be true more often than not.


Gibson - Of all the guitar companies that manufacture both acoustic and electric guitars, Gibson is perhaps the only one whose reputation is equally as strong for both. While the Les Paul and SG have become two of the most recognizable guitars in the electric world, there aren't many more recognizable guitars than the Gibson L-1 played by Robert Johnson, or the big jumbo J-200, and even the Hummingbird. And certainly, you can equate no other company with the sunburst more than Gibson. Made in their factory in Montana, their starting price is close to $2000, so unless you're fortunate enough to be a beginner with a significant budget, you won't likely find a Gibson in the entry-level price range. But they make great blues guitars, and are very popular among country and bluegrass players too.

Guild - Now owned by Fender, this is a brand that's been around for over 50 years, with a reputation of well-made, workhorse guitars. Their dreadnoughts are particularly popular, and have been the axe of choice by such notable players as Nick Drake, Richie Havens and, more recently, Ryan Adams. Despite their home-base being shuttled from Rhode Island to California to Washington to Connecticut in the last 15 years, they've somehow managed to maintain that legendary Guild quality. They're not a brand that's typically accessible to beginners, but one worth considering when you decide you want to move into that 'next level' of guitar.

Hohner Essential Dreadnought

Hohner - Hohner occupies an odd place in the musical instrument world. They're most notably known for their harmonicas, where they are an industry leader. But they've diversified, significantly, and they've been producing acoustic guitars for a while now. Because of their strength in the harmonica world, they have a very strong network of retail distribution. As a result, you will likely find their acoustic guitars everywhere. Initially, it seemed like they were just trying to cash in on the popularity of acoustic guitars,and basically phoning it in, when it came to the actual manufacturing of the instruments. But they have made significant strides with their acoustics and, although there are many sub-par Hohner acoustics, there are also some relative steals that are well worth checking out.

Good options for beginners:
Hohner Essential Dreadnought - Street price - $269 - A good value on a solid top guitar, Acoustic Guitar magazine says of this guitar that it's "well-built and brimming with warm, colorful tones, the EL-SD Plus sounds and plays great regardless of price."

Ibanez AC300LVS

Ibanez - Like Dean, Ibanez has a reputation for manufacturing face-melting electric guitars that are especially popular among hard rock and heavy metal players. For a company like this, you wouldn't necessarily expect them to be able to produce quality acoustic guitars. Dean has certainly fallen flat where that's concerned. Ibanez, however, has managed to create a fairly extensive line of acoustics that are able to stand on their own. The majority of their acoustics have laminate tops and tend to be somewhat underwhelming. But their solid top offerings are impressive for the price. Generally favoring the easy, fast necks that make their guitars easy to play, they've struck a healthy marriage of quality and affordability that makes them a consistently solid choice for beginning acoustic guitar players. 

Good options for beginners:
Ibanez AC300LVS - Solid Engelmann Spruce top, laminate Mahogany back/sides. Street price - $299
Ibanez AC240OPN - Solid Mahogany top, laminate Mahogany back/sides. Street price - $299

Martin - The holy grail of guitars for many people, Martin is known for making outstanding guitars. Martin Guitars have a certain mojo that nobody can match. While Taylor and Gibson certainly have their spots at the party, this is Martin's dance. This is not to say that Martin is better than the other two because they all have their unique qualities. But, established in 1833, Martin has been making acoustic guitars for almost 200 years. And with that much history under your belt, you have to be doing something right. While they do have some "entry" models like the Little Martin - a $299 travel guitar, or their X series which hovers around $500, it's when you get into their all-solid wood guitars where the magic happens. The Little Martin and their X series are not bad guitars by any stretch, but they don't have that Martin mystique that you'll find in so many of their legendary guitars. If you decide to stick with the guitar, at some point in your guitar-playing career, you owe it to yourself to get a Martin.

Martin LX1 Little Martin

Good options for beginners:
Martin LX1 Little Martin - Street price - $299 - This is a very good option for kids. A smaller guitar with a solid spruce top, it's much more comfortable to play for those of smaller stature, plus it fits in the overhead compartment, if you want a guitar to take on vacation!

Recording King RPH-05
Dirty Thirties Solid Top Single O

Recording King / Silver Creek - Originally, Recording King was a house brand of guitars for Montgomery Ward in the 1930s, but today's incarnation is produced by a company called The Music Link, based in California. This same company also produces Silver Creek Guitars which is a house brand for Musicians Friend/Guitar Center. Both brands (Recording King and Silver Creek), while not very well-known names, churn out remarkably good guitars for the money, offering solid top and all-solid wood guitars at a price well below solid wood price points from other brands. While you'd expect that a guitar offering better materials at much lower prices must be cutting corners, it certainly isn't readily apparent that they are. Their guitars play well and sound good. While you're not going to mistake their entry level models for a high-end guitar, they can certainly go toe-to-toe with other guitars that are twice, even three times as much. Highly recommended for any beginning guitar player.

Good options for beginners:
Recording King RPH-05 Dirty Thirties Solid Top Single O (pictured) - This is a fun little one. The Single O is a small bodied acoustic. Great for smaller player or those wanting a guitar that travels easily. This has a solid spruce top and is great value for the price - Street price - $199
Recording King RD-10 - Street price - $399 - This is one of their all-solid wood offerings. A solid Spruce top, and solid Mahogany back/sides.

Seagull Entourage Rustic

Seagull - A North American-made entry level guitar is an extreme rarity in this day and age, as most guitar companies have moved their manufacturing of their lower end guitars (and even some higher end ones) to China. Godin (Seagull's parent company) prides itself on the fact that their guitars have been, and continue to be, manufactured in Canada. Godin has a few different guitar brands which include Seagull, Simon & Patrick, Norman, La Patrie, and of course Godin Guitars. Seagull is the one, however, that has really made a name for itself in the beginner guitar world because of the S6. There's nothing particularly remarkable about its looks with its solid cedar top, and laminated cherry back and sides. But it plays and sounds brilliantly for a guitar in its price range. Consistently outstanding, the Seagull S6 is a guitar that I would never hesitate to enthusiastically recommend.

Good options for beginners:
Seagull S6 - street price -$399 - (described above) - For players with smaller hands, or for those who prefer a thinner neck, the Seagull S6 Slim ($309) is a good, and less expensive option. Or if you'd like a bit more style, you can upgrade a bit from the Slim and go with the Entourage Rustic. 

Takamine GS340SC

Takamine - Ubiquitous on stages, Takamine has a reputation for being great guitars for performers. This is both due to the fact that they have a unique pickup and preamp system, but also that they are workhorses. Not particularly expensive, but well-built, they're a good choice for gigging musicians that need to plug in. This isn't to say that they're not a good choice for beginning players who have no intention of hitting a stage anytime soon. They're good, consistent instruments that are definitely worth what they cost. The trouble is that the beginner guitar market is a very competitive one, and there are equally good beginner guitars that can be had for less. That being said, I wouldn't criticize anyone for choosing a Takamine.

Good options for beginners:
Takamine GS340SC - Street price - $299 - Solid spruce top.

Baby Taylor

Taylor - Wildly popular among singer-songwriters and acoustic rockers, Taylor makes consistently good guitars. Some would even say great. As with many incredibly popular things, they have their die-hard fans and their die-hard detractors, but Taylor Guitars got where they are today for a reason. Like Martin and Gibson, there's no question you pay a premium for a premium brand. So, there aren't many choices that are accessibly priced for beginning guitar players.

Good options for beginners:
Baby Taylor - Street price - $299 - Like the Little Martin, the Baby Taylor is a small, travel guitar. This is an ideal size, however, for younger kids that are just starting out and for whom a full-size guitar would be far too large and uncomfortable. It's also a great choice for a travel guitar, or for people who just want a smaller guitar around. They come with either a solid spruce or mahogany top.

Walden G570TB

Walden - Walden is a relative newcomer (to the US market, at least). They've been manufacturing guitars since 1996, but were distributed primarily in Europe until a few years ago when they began distributing in North America. They're generally affordable and well-made guitars, offer solid tops and even all-solid wood guitars at great value.

Good options for beginners:
Several - Walden has a number of guitars in the sub-$500 range. The G570, with a solid cedar top is a very nice option if you're looking for the warmer tones that cedar delivers.- Street price - $299

Washburn D10S

Washburn - Few acoustic guitar brands have been around as long as Washburn, and they've had a fairly tumultuous history. Unfortunately, their guitars have gone through as many ups and downs as the company and are inconsistent, to be nice. There are a few nice ones in the mix, but there are some bad ones too. While I wouldn't avoid them completely, I would certainly make sure to play it (and give it a thorough look over) before you buy it.

Good options for beginners:
WD10S - Street price - $240 - An excellent price for a guitar with a solid spruce top. Acoustic Guitar magazine reviewed the WD10SCE (the same guitar with a pickup installed) very favorably.

Yamaha FG700S

Yamaha - They manufacture a TON of acoustic guitars, starting with some very cheap guitars that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. But they also have some guitars (like the FG700S) that are impressive instruments for the money. Not high end guitars by any means, but they're a brand worth checking out for the beginning player. Just make sure to get a solid top.

Good options for beginners:
Yamaha FG700S - Street price - $199




There are many more high-end boutique brands that I didn't mention like Breedlove, Collings, Santa Cruz, Goodall, Froggy Bottom, Huss and Dalton, Bourgeois and more that make expensive hand-made guitars, but produce amazing instruments that are out of many people's price range (with the exception of Breedlove who does have a line of affordable guitars that are ok). And there are also a number of very low-end brands like Rogue, Jasmine, Aria and Samick that just aren't worth mentioning. I'll certainly update this post as I think of more brands worth describing here, but I hope that this will serve as a useful guide to you as you seek out the best beginning guitar for you.

Acoustic Guitar Holiday Shopping Advice

Many people are hoping to buy something special for their loved ones on the holidays. An excellent (and popular) choice is a new guitar. But while it's an incredibly thoughtful gesture, that brand new instrument frequently ends up stuffed in a closet or under the bed. Because what many well-meaning holiday shoppers don't realize (particularly if they don't play the guitar themselves) is that the difference between a good guitar and a terrible guitar is enormous, and can be the difference between an instrument that can bring a lifetime of enjoyment, or one that just takes up space in the garage. Fortunately, you don't have break the bank in order to find a good guitar. But you do need to know what to look for, and what to avoid. Hopefully, this guide will help you find the best guitar for your budget, so you can deliver that perfect holiday gift.

Where to Start

Odds are that if you're thinking of buying a guitar for someone, that someone has given you some hints that have steered you in this direction. But there are a lot of differences among guitars, so the more information you have about what your recipient is specifically interested in, the better your chances are of buying that perfect holiday gift. So, here are some important things to consider:

• Looking to gig or looking to learn? - If your recipient has never picked up an instrument, it's going to be a while before they're going to be ready to plug into an amp and start hitting the open mic nights. So, if they're not going to need to amplify the guitar anytime soon, don't spend the extra money on buying a guitar that's already equipped with electronics. Let's assume you have a $300 budget or so. With electronics, you'll only be getting a guitar worth about $200 since about $100 of that will be paying for the installed pickup. So, forego the electronics (if you don't absolutely need them) and pick out $300 worth of guitar. 
• On a somewhat related note, many people are enamored with the idea of a guitar with a cutaway. It looks cool, yes, but very few people actually move far enough down the fretboard to really need access to those lower frets. But people have these visions of standing on the stage, shredding through a solo, and they just must have that cutaway. If they really don't need it and can be convinced they don't, they'll be better off. Insisting on a cutaway drastically reduces their options (particularly in the sub $300 range) and the brands that do tend to offer cutaways are brands that tend to be more about style than substance.
• The size of the player - The most common guitar size in the $300 and under range is the dreadnought, which is a big guitar, particularly for a smaller-size player. The dreadnought does produce a lot of volume, and is great for standing and performing, but can be somewhat uncomfortable to play when sitting for long periods of time, even for bigger players. So, just as with the electronics issue, if this is going to be a guitar for someone whose going to be primarily sitting on the couch playing the guitar, or someone who is of smaller stature, then you may want to consider a guitar with a smaller body type. Depending on the guitar brand, smaller guitars are frequently referred to as folk guitars, or orchestra models, or OMs. There are also guitars that are quite a bit smaller called parlor guitars. And for children, there are 3/4 size guitars, or even travel guitars. The Baby Taylor and Little Martin are both great, affordable options in the smaller-size guitar category. See the image below to get a better understanding of the different acoustic guitar sizes and shapes.
  

  

  Acoustic Guitar Body Types

• Color preferences - This, unfortunately, should be of no importance to the recipient but frequently does make a difference. Hopefully, it won't matter because it drastically limits your options, and you will likely have to settle for a lesser-quality instrument. So, if the person who'll be receiving the guitar has made their color preferences known, my advice is to do your best to dissuade them from wanting that shiny black, red or blue guitar, because they'll end up getting a much nicer guitar if they can live with the look of natural wood. If you can't tear them away from a painted guitar, follow the suggestions below to get one that's still going to be a quality instrument.

The Important Details

Solid Top

Regardless of your budget, there is always one thing that I recommend above all else: Find a guitar with a solid top. Many people don't realize that acoustic guitars don't all have solid wood tops. In fact, in sub-$200 price range, most guitars don't. While the guitar specs will say that the top is "spruce" or even "select spruce", all that means is that the guitar's top is made of plywood with a thin spruce veneer. The advantage of a plywood top is that it's durable, and cheap. The disadvantage is that plywood doesn't have the sonic qualities of a solid wood top. The top, also known as the soundboard, is responsible for shaping much of the guitar's sound, so when it is made of plywood, the sound that comes from the guitar will sound somewhat flat and dull. Whereas, a solid wood top will produce a much richer, satisfying sound. The other thing is that the sound from a solid wood top will improve with age. People refer to this as the top "opening up". A plywood top will not do this no matter how long you own it.

The Action

For inexpensive guitars, it is not uncommon for the action of the guitar to be off. The "action" refers to the distance of the strings from the fretboard. So, the action can either be too high or too low. When it's too high, the strings sit higher off the fretboard than they should be, which makes it extremely hard to fret (push down the strings on the fretboard), particularly for beginners. Action that's too high will destroy any beginner's interest in playing the guitar, because it will hurt their fingers to play, and the difficulty in fretting will prevent the player from being able to get the notes to ring out clearly. If the action is too low, it will cause the guitar to buzz when you play it. Fortunately, in both cases, this is an easy adjustment that can be made by the repair person at your local guitar shop. This is a reason why it's a good idea to buy the guitar at a local shop so you can address these kinds of issues before you bring it home, but if you do buy the guitar online, you can always get these issues addressed after you receive it, if you need to.

Possible Issues

There are a number of other things to check out that may not be immediately evident, but can often be a sign of the guitar's build quality and potential durability. Things to check:

• Bridge - Sometimes, when the guitar ships from the factory, changes in humidity and temperature can cause the bridge to lift. The easiest way to check is if you can slide a piece of paper underneath the bridge. If you can, it's a sign the bridge is lifting. If this is happening on a brand new guitar, you should probably return/exchange it.
• Frets - It's not uncommon for the frets on inexpensive guitars to be a little bit rough on the edges and not properly rounded. That is certainly not a deal-breaker, though. If you do find that they're a little rough on the edges, and if it's an issue for you, it can be easily resolved by a repair person at a local guitar store. Another issue that is fairly uncommon, but can happen, is for the frets to be improperly seated, which means that they haven't been placed correctly in the slot that holds the fret, or that the slot wasn't properly carved to fit the fret. If that's the case, it can cause some playing issues and is, again, easily resolved buy a guitar repair person. Though it could certainly warrant a return/exchange if you're so inclined.
• Neck angle - Sometimes the angle of the neck can be a little off, causing the action to be too high or too low. If your guitar came with a truss rod tool, you could potentially make this adjustment yourself, but in my opinion, it's worth taking it in to a professional so they can assess the proper way to address this issue.

All of these things should be addressed in the guitar's final setup before it ever gets to you and are generally fairly uncommon. Most of the time, the guitar is properly set up and ready to play, and you will never have to worry about any of the issues I've raised here. But in the event something is amiss, these are some of the more common issues to check.

Good Holiday Guitar Choices

Let's assume you're working with a budget in the ballpark of $300. These are some I'd choose depending on the recipient:

For a child - As I mentioned above, the Little Martin and Baby Taylor are both great choices. They're smaller-bodied guitars with solid wood tops. Both Martin and Taylor are known for producing consistently good instruments, and these are no exception.

For someone of smaller stature - There are a number of good options, and the deals are outstanding this week because of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These are the best of the ones I came across:

• Blueridge BR-43 Contemporary 000 Guitar - $369 - Blueridge makes outstanding guitars for the money. Not a lot of people are familiar with the brand, but I'm consistently impressed with Blueridge guitars. The 000 body size is comfortable for players of smaller stature (or even larger stature) yet it's large enough to produce a nice, full sound.
• Recording King RO-10 Classic Series All Solid 000-Style - $350 - An amazing price for an all-solid wood guitar. And Recording King tends to produce consistently good guitars. If you're firm on $300, Recording King has a number of options that are $299.99. They aren't all-solid wood, but they do have solid tops and are still great choices.
• Alvarez Artist Series AP70 Parlor Guitar, Natural/Gloss Finish - $319 - As I mentioned above, the Parlor is a small body guitar that's ideal for kids are for those with a fairly small frame. Or for those who just like the portability of a little guitar. It is bigger, however, than the Baby Taylor and Little Martin, so it's a nice step up for those who don't want something as petite as the BT and LM, but for whom the 000 is a bit too bit. It's a fun size guitar, and this is a good option. Word of caution, however. The slotted headstock looks cool, but stringing it up can be a little bit tricky. But not so much so that it would prevent me from buying one.

If they must have color - As I mentioned above, I'd always try to steer people away from getting that shiny black guitar, but I know that some people just can't be convinced otherwise. So, for those who must have a painted guitar, here are some pretty good options:

• Recording King Classic Series I Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar (Rosewood, Black Finish) - $234 - Like other Recording Kings, it's got a solid top and is a great option for someone looking for a black guitar.
• Yamaha FG720S Oriental Blue Burst Acoustic Guitar Bundle with Yamaha Hard Case, DVD, Picks, Strap, Strings, Pick Card, and Polishing Cloth - $299 - A good deal on a blue guitar with accessories. The FG720 has a solid spruce top, and Yamaha's FG line is known for pretty consistent quality. There's also a red one, if that's your recipient's color of choice.

What's the Best Bang for the Buck? - OK, so you don't care about the size, the color, you don't need electronics, or a cutaway. You just want to get the best possible guitar for your money. Fantastic. Of course,  opinions will vary, but I'll let you know what I would buy at prices ranging from $200 - $400:

• Best guitar for $400 - Seagull S6 Original Acoustic Guitar - I own this guitar and have for years. Despite the fact that I've got guitars that cost ten times as much, I still pick up the Seagull from time to time, because it's that good. Since it's a dreadnought, it can project. But the solid cedar top delivers incredible warmth in its sound. It's a great guitar.
• Best guitar for $350 - Recording King RO-10 Classic Series All Solid 000-Style Acoustic Guitar - I mentioned this one above. An incredible deal for an all-solid wood guitar. I wouldn't hesitate to make this purchase.
• Best guitar for $300 - Great Divide SGM-28-G Orchestra Acoustic Guitar - This is the sale price for this guitar, and Amazon says there's just one of these left in stock. It's a very good deal at $300, but I would probably not choose this one at its list price of $560. Not to say it's not good, it is. It's a great guitar for $290. 
• Best guitar for $250 - Takamine G Series G340SC Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural - Again, another sale price, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better guitar for this price.
• Best guitar for $200 - Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar - Consistently good. There's a reason why you find so many good reviews of these guitars. For $199, there's none better.

I hope this helps you find the best guitar for your budget. If you're wondering about some brands that I didn't mention but are in this price range, you can check out my guide to acoustic guitar brands and whether that brand you're wondering about is a good option or not. And if you have questions or comments, let me know. I'll do my best to help. Good luck, and happy holidays!

Beginner Guitar Songs for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

Beginner Guitar Songs for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad - A new app has made its way onto iTunes from Guitar Jamz. You get immediate access to 8 guitar lessons geared specifically for the beginning guitar player, taking you through a basic introduction to the guitar, tuning, playing your first chords and even learning how to play some songs. It's a great introduction to the guitar and lays down some very basic and key fundamentals. The download and all 8 lessons are completely free.

As for the instructor, if you've spent any time on YouTube looking for guitar lessons, you've undoubtedly seen this guy. His name is Marty Schwartz and he's got over 500 video guitar lessons circulating on YouTube, with over 50 million views. So, if you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or an iPad, and you'd like a few good introductory lessons to playing the guitar, then give this free download a shot. Once you get through those lessons, you can get access to 900 more, so it looks like you'll never have any shortage of guitar instruction from Guitar Jamz.

The iPad as guitar teacher

While I didn't intend for my blog posts to be solely focused on video games as guitar teachers, it seems as if some of the more exciting new guitar instruction tools are looking to capitalize on the popularity of games like Guitar Hero by creating instructional tools/games for a real guitar that mimic the Guitar Hero style. In this article from All Things Digital, they interview one of the founders of a new iPad app called Rock Prodigy. A closeup of the first few frets of the fretboard takes up the whole screen while the notes scroll from right to left, showing you the string and fret that need to be played. In the video below, you'll see a demo of how the game works and it looks to be a fantastic way to get you comfortable with the fretboard and learn some new songs in the process.

The app is a free download, and each song will cost $1.99, so this works out to an incredibly affordable (and fun) way to start learning guitar. They claim that it's available for both the iPhone and iPad, though I find it hard to imagine that using it on the iPhone is all that realistic, given the screen size. I downloaded it to my own iPhone and, while it is feasible to set it on a table and play the guitar along with the app, it is a bit of a challenge. Though with an iPad, it's no problem at all to see the notes scroll across the screen. For more information on the app, you can visit the Rock Prodigy site.

Rock Band 3 introduces a real guitar

For the latest incarnation of Rock Band, the popular video game by Harmonix, Fender has developed a fully functional version of their Squier Strat, that also functions as a Rock Band 3 controller. Built with sensors in every fret on the fingerboard, the guitar can provide immediate feedback on how accurate your finger positions are when fretting the guitar, as well as your strumming accuracy. Click here for more information on this innovative guitar from Fender.

The guitar, however, is not cheap at $280. Particularly for a guitar that can be bought for less than half that price, it may seem a bit steep, although the technology that's built into it to make it compatible with Rock Band 3 certainly help to justify the price increase. These concerns were echoed by a group of students at Dixie State College, so it will be interesting if that price makes it a non-starter. But when you factor in what guitar lessons, books or DVDs cost, Rock Band 3 and the compatible Fender Squier Strat are a bargain. As with Rocksmith, I think the potential is tremendous. These games could actually make learning guitar fun, which is no easy feat. I find it hard to imagine that it would completely negate the need for real guitar instruction, since I'm assuming they're not bundling guitar theory in with the game. But I bet these games can give you a very solid start.

A video game with a real guitar?

Video game maker, Ubisoft, plans to release Rocksmith, a game that will allow you to plug your guitar directly into your PS3, XBox, or PC, and play along at your own speed and ability level. While it isn't yet clear if the game will replicate the style of Rock Band, the player will get the opportunity to learn and play a number of different well-known songs.

Learning guitar has always been a challenge, particularly if you're doing it on your own. Learning from books can be excruciating, and while there are many excellent instructional DVDs, they lack the interactivity to keep the learning guitar player engaged. Not that these aren't both effective methods for learning guitar on your own, but the prospect of a video game that can actually teach you to play the guitar and encourage the player to reach "expert" level is extremely exciting.

Of course, Ubisoft is not the first to come up with this idea. A couple other companies have introduced plans for similar products in the past few years, but ultimately either failed to launch (Disney Star Guitarist), or failed to impress (Power Gig). Hopefully, Ubisoft has found the magic combination of great gameplay and a solid instructional tool. Plans are for a Fall 2011 release, so it will be interesting to see how this develops.