Since you are reading this buying guide, you are likely planning to buy another guitar or, at least, are a bit interested enough but are currently undecided on whether you’ll go ahead and start learning how to play the instrument. If you belong to the former group of readers, go right ahead. We’ve got exactly the right guitar for you.
But if you belong to the latter group and are still a bit undecided to take up the hobby, we are here to convince you to start strumming right away. Learning to play the guitar is one of those few decisions you’ll make in your life that you’ll never regret.
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Playing a guitar has been known as a great stress reliever. This means that your guitar skills will not only make you look cool, but they will come in handy during the most stressful times of your life. After a particularly stressful day at work, it will be great to unwind at home with your guitar and strum those stressors away.
Learning to play guitar is also known to boost your memory and concentration. Also, it will improve your multitasking skills because you’ll be training yourself to read guitar tabs, use your hand to form chords, listen and evaluate the notes you’ve just created and read notes ahead of time simultaneously. And playing the new guitar is more convenient for you than playing the piano because you can bring the guitar anywhere with you.
However, selecting the best guitar for you is not an easy task. A quick search online will reveal just how many brands out there are vying for your attention. On top of that, you’ll find that there are actually different types of guitars and, each type comes with a lot of specifications that would be mind-boggling especially for those beginner-level players.
But with this list of best guitar 2018, you’ll no longer have to worry. This short list actually contains different guitar types. There are acoustic, electric and acoustic-electric guitars to choose from. In addition, the list contains guitars that cover a wide price range so you’ll surely find the best guitar for you if you have to base your decision on price point alone.
Take a look at this handpicked guitar models and start your musical journey today.
Vangoa
Acoustic-Electric
For those who want the best of both worlds
Rated by: Scott
Fender FA-100
Best Overall Pick
Everything you’ll ever want from a guitar
Rated by: Scott
Epiphone Les Paul
Best Electric Guitar
The guitar to pick for those overdrives and distortions
Rated by: Scott
Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
The first step in realizing your dream of becoming a guitar legend is to choose the best guitar for you. For beginner level music lovers, Huawind’s 40-inch Basswood Cutaway Steel Strings Guitar is a good instrument to hone your talent.
You’re probably aware of the acoustic versus electric guitar debate by know, but we are not here to take sides on that never-ending debate; instead, we recognize that each type of guitar has its area where it performs better.
For instance, These guitars are good for country music, folk, pop, western and other types of music.
In addition, they are particularly good for fingerpicking since many musicians attest that it just sounds better on acoustic guitar. In addition, you don’t have to worry about bringing an amplified wherever you go. And if you want to buy an acoustic, the HUAWIND 40 inch Basswood Cutaway is an option you might want to consider.
The package is a complete starter kit and ideal for guitar lovers who are just starting on their road to becoming music masters. Aside from the guitar itself, the set comes with tuners, plectrum, polishing cloth, an extra string, guitar string and a thick waterproof gig bag to protect your instrument better. This set is ideal for younger and beginner level players.
This is a 40-inch strings guitar which makes it ideal for western country music. Its body is made from basswood while its rosewood fingerboard. This is a perfect combination for producing full notes, especially in the low frequencies.
Strings are very important to a guitar; they produce the sound after all. You won’t be disappointed on the strings that are used in this Huawind 40 inch guitar. Aside from their ability to produce beautiful notes, the 6 tensile strings in this guitar are very durable yet feel delicate on your hands. It reduces the burden on your hands, so your guitar playing sessions remain comfortable. Its 21-fret fingerboard underwent fine silk chamfer treatment resulting in smoother edges to prevent scraping your hand.
As with all online purchases, a product’s after-sales support is of utmost importance in case you encounter issues with the delivered goods. You won’t encounter any problems with this Huawind 40 inch guitar. Aside from friendly 24-hour customer service, the product itself comes with a 60 days unconditional money back guarantee – enough time for you to discover any flaws in the product. Now that’s ultimate peace of mind.
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Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
If you’re still a beginner level guitarist, you will need the best guitar that suits your level of skills. You won’t be needing a very premium guitar set that is packed with tons of features that are best suited for high-level players.
While you may be looking for an affordable guitar, it does not mean that you’ll have to make a compromise on quality.
What you need is an affordably-priced guitar that is also of good quality such as the Crescent MG38-BK 38" Guitar Starter Package, Black (Includes CrescentTM Digital E-Tuner).
This is a steel-stringed acoustic guitar that is the best guitar for beginner level students. This is because the steel-stringed variety is probably the most common guitar because of its versatility. It goes well with a variety of music genres such as Jazz, New Age and Country Blues, to hot Bluegrass Flatpicking and jazz fusion. You won’t go wrong in picking up this starter set.
The Crescent MG38-CF 38" Guitar is also beautifully crafted. It features linden binding, and its wood construction is of nice quality. The set also comes with a set of extra strings, guitar pick, pitch pipe tuner, a gig bag and a carrying strap.
The guitar has a wood frame which improves its acoustic properties. Guitarists will surely love the bright and loud tones it delivers. In addition, this is a very versatile guitar and would suit with almost any genre such as country blues, hot bluegrass, jazz fusion, unplugged rock, and even New Age. The Crescent MG38-BK 38" Guitar is proof that you can still get a quality guitar without breaking the bank.
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Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
In your search for the best guitar to you, you might have come across a brand called Fender. Actually, we’d be surprised if you didn’t because the guitar maker is a well-known brand in the music industry.
It is the primary reason why we have to include a Fender guitar here somewhere. For this list, we have included the Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Guitar set, which guitar pros have been praising as probably the best guitar starter kit available on the market.
The Fender FA-100 is a dreadnought acoustic guitar. Yes, it’s actually named after that type of those big and fearsome battleships that’s probably around during the first and second world wars.
Sorry, we’re not very well-versed on battleship history here and. more importantly, we also do not know why a guitar type would be associated with a war machine.
Let’s just say that when it comes to guitars, a dreadnought is one of the most common shapes of acoustic guitars. You’ll love the design of this Fender FA-100 Dreadnought Guitar as the manufacturer maintained its traditional look that can only be described as old-school with its beautifully finished sunburst design.
Completing its eye-catching old-school look are its rosewood fretboard and bridge, black and white rosette, back and sides made out of agathis wood and its chrome tuners.
Guitarist have praised the Fender FA-100 for the very close distance between fret and strings. What this means, as far as the player is concerned, is that pressing down the strings to produce the right notes will only require minimal effort and will be a lot easier and effortless. Now, this guitar is a best guitar under $1000, especially for beginners.
As usual, you can expect the same level of quality on the FA-100 from the Fender brand. The tone produced by the guitar can only be described as beautiful and enchanting.
For its price, you would be surprised at the lengths Fender went through just to give it the best possible acoustic performance. For example, the compensated saddle is made of synthetic bone, which delivers a more consistent feel and tone, especially when compared to plastic ones. The set of Fender Duratone strings gives you an overall pleasant listening experience with its crisp and clear tones.
The set includes a guitar gig bag, an adjustable guitar strap, a digital clip-on digital tuner, guitar picks and an extra set of strings.
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Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
Epiphone is a Nashville-based musical instrument manufacturer. Its parent firm is the Gibson Brand, a name well-known for its high-performance guitars. With such experienced manufacturers, you can only expect the best from the Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitar Player Package, which certainly justifies its inclusion in this list on best guitars for 2018.
This is certainly one of the best guitar starter kits out there, that is, if you can overlook its price which might not be very affordable for most pockets. The Epiphone's Les Paul Player Pack, as its manufacturer assures potential buyers, has everything you need to start playing guitar right away.
You’ll get a genuine Les Paul Special-II LTD guitar from the package. The electric guitar has a 10-watt Electra guitar amp with a 10-foot guitar cable as well as two classic humbucker pickups.
The package also includes a guitar strap, a gig bag, medium picks, and a clip-on headstock chromatic tuner. Aside from its quality, what makes the package particularly attractive to beginners is that it includes free downloaded guitar lessons.
Those who have bought the product praise it for the tune-o-matic bridge and stop bar. This means that changing strings, which everyone owning a guitar has to do once in a while, won’t be too problematic.
The two pickups that come with the package are all Epiphone-designed. There’s a 700T at the bridge and a 650R at the neck, both of which are humbuckers. This ensures that you’ll only be getting a crisp, clear sound as it keeps unwanted noise to a minimum. The setup is known for very good aggression when you crank up the overdrive.
Let’s talk about the other accessories if you are not yet convinced that this package is really the best guitar starter kit you’ll get your hands on. There is that Epiphone Electar Amplifier which, along with its 10-watt 6-inch speaker, which is good for all of those rock and metal sessions you have been planning. Controls are easy and ideal for beginners, and there is also a headphone jack in case you just want to practice by yourself and don’t want to disturb others in the house.
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard is known for its astounding sound quality, and this package does not disappoint. For an electric guitar at this price, the Epiphone Les Paul Electric Guitarist Package simply dominates the competition.
Distortion and overdrive are handled brilliantly by this package. You will feel the confidence in owning an Epiphone and its bound to show in your performance
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Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
The RockJam RJEG02-SK-RD Electric guitar Starter Kit has been consistently making it to many top 10 lists. A closer look at what the package has to offer and it is easy to see why it is one of the best guitar starter kits you’ll find on the market these days.
RockJam has been making quality guitars for 15 years now. This experience of making the best guitars over the years is on full display on the RJEG02-AK-RD electric guitar – an electric guitar that is easy on the wallet without making any compromise on the products’ quality.
For instance, one look and you’ll notice the high level of craftsmanship on the guitar.
This is a full-size guitar where the quality is evident down to the tiniest details. You’ll see it in the quality of its high gloss finish which highlights the stunning and iconic ST design.
RockJam also knows that you’ll only make a quality product by using quality components and the RockJam RJEG02 is no exception. You’ll notice it in the basswood body of the electric guitar which is carefully selected only to produce a truly refined sound. Quality of material is also evident in the metal gearheads, the fret and every detail of this stunning guitar.
A good electric guitar must be powerful enough to enjoy the full effects of those overdrives and distortions. RockJam thought of that as well as the package comes with a 10-Watt RMS electric guitar amplifier. It’s very easy to connect and ideal for beginners. There is a 3-band equalizer where users can set it to bass, middle or treble settings.
No guitar starter kit would be complete without those essentials. The RJEG02 comes with a set of spare strings, guitar plectrums, and strap, as well as a gig bag.
We have also written a great piece of content on guitar for small hands, you can check it here.
However, here is a very pleasant surprise that should prove very useful to new guitarist. The package also includes a free two months live fact to face guitar lessons to enhance your guitar skills further. There are over 200 live group lessons each month hosted by guitar experts to keep you motivated.
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Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
When it comes to choosing a product, we all want the best product in terms of quality. This holds true when shopping for the best guitar as well.
We want an instrument that gives not only the best possible sound but also one that is built with care and from the finest materials for durability.
In reality, however, all of these grand expectations will have to come in second place in our buying decision. Obviously, the first consideration would be the price tag, which basically limits your range of options for a given budget.
However, do you know that there is actually a guitar that’s finely crafted out with quality but won’t cost you an arm and a leg? We are, of course, talking about the Artall 41 Inch Handmade Solid Wood Acoustic Cutaway Guitar Beginner Kit, a complete package that comes with a tuner, strings, picks, strap and finished in naturally matte for that classic look.
The most shocking aspect to this guitar set is that it’s actually handcrafted. Its body is made from sold brasswood while its fret is made from brass. By using appropriate timbers in its construction, it ensures a guitar that produces the best quality of sound.
The quality of this handmade guitar is evident in its appearance. At first glance, you’ll immediately notice its elegant cutaway design which is finished in natural matte. It gives the whole piece an understated yet undeniable elegance, an instrument that is a work of art in itself.
It is a standard 41-inch guitar, so it is suitable for most players or, as recommended by its manufacturer, it is suitable for enthusiast ages 14 years old and above or players with a height of 5.5 feet and above. This is a complete starter set so you will only need to purchase this kit to start your musical journey right away. The set includes a gig bag, a tuner, extra strings, picks and a guitar strap.
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Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
Are you confused on whether to get an acoustic or an electric guitar? Since you can’t decide which guitar to get, how about a combination of both guitars?
We are talking about an acoustic-electric guitar here such as the Vangoa - 41-inch Full-Size Black VG-41ECBK Cutaway Electric Guitar. You can think of an acoustic electric guitar as basically a guitar with a microphone or a magnetic pickup.
At times, a piezoelectric pickup is used, but this would require a pre-amplifier incorporated into the body’s design for signal amplification before it reaches to the guitar’s main amplifier. Another name for this type of acoustic-electric guitar is “plug-in acoustic guitar."
One great thing about the Vangoa 41 inch black VG-14ECBK acoustic-electric guitar is that it is suitable for a variety of guitarist. This versatility makes this guitar ideal especially if you plan to share your guitar with others.
The VG-14ECBK comes with a truss rod which is a very useful customization feature. With it, you can adjust string height to find that perfect setting for a more comfortable guitar session.
There is also a built-in 4 band equalizer giving you more tone control. The guitar is also very easy to tune, play and maintain which makes it ideal even for beginner level players.
To complete the package, there is also a padded gig bag so you can easily carry the guitar anywhere you want. There are 6 extra strings, 3 picks, an adjustable strap, a guitar stand, guitar connecting cable and a CAPO.
The guitar’s body is made of basswood for better acoustic properties. On the other hand, its neck is constructed out of walnut.
As previously stated, the Vangoa 41-inch is one of the best electric guitars. This means that it is perfect for all types of guitarist. Regardless of your preferred genre, you’ll appreciate the high-quality sound this stylish guitar is capable of delivering. This makes it one of the best electric guitars currently available in the market.
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Quick Summary
Rated by: Scott
The Bailando 40 Inch Cutaway Mahogany Acoustic Guitar should be included in any best guitar list. It is handcrafted done in the traditional design and, more importantly, gives you a high-quality sound output.
Music quality is assured with the use of quality materials in its construction. For instance, the acoustic guitar’s sides and back are constructed explicitly out of mahogany for good resonance and robust sound.
In terms of durability, you will not find any problem with the Bailando 40 inch Cutaway. This is a handcrafted beauty which not only gives it a luxurious feel, but also ensures a durable instrument.
It features fully-enclosed die-cast chrome tuners. This assures a smooth and more accurate tuning for that perfect pitch.
This is the best acoustic electric guitar. As such, you’ll have more control over its sound output.This is thanks to its built-in 4 band equalizer so you will have some leeway when it comes to treble and bass enabling you to get the right mix that you want.
The set comes with an extra set of strings, picks, Capo, and a great quality strap. There is also a waterproof gig bag for easy storage and to protect the instrument during transport.
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You may have already some ideas on what the best guitar should be like, but the most important thing you can do is to set a price. If you don’t set a range on just how much you are willing to pay for your first guitar, you’ll be buried with the endless options available on the market. Setting up a price will, in effect, narrow down your choices making it easier for you to decide which one to buy.
Of course, this tip does not apply to those lucky folks with incredibly deep pockets that they won’t bat an eyelash even if they buy the most expensive guitar they could find. As for the rest of us who don’t have overflowing bank accounts, setting up a reasonable upper limit for your guitar purchase is a must.
Just how much shall you budget for buying a guitar? This differs for each person. Some buyers are willing to save years before taking a plunge to make sure they save enough money for that dream guitar they have been eyeing for the longest time. Other buyers, however, treat it as a casual purchase and saving for a few months would be enough. Of course, there will always be people who are a bit more impulsive and just use their credit card to charge now and worry later. Even if you use your card for the purchase, we’d still recommend that you set up a limit on just how much you should be spending.
Most of those who have bought guitars say that you’ will get a decent guitar starting at $300 and a good one at around $700. Anything priced $1200 and above should already give you a pro level instrument. But, there is a very important point we’d like to make before you make a purchase – price does not equate to quality. You’ll get a good guitar priced $100 and below if you look hard enough. Conversely, you’ might also end up buying a mediocre but high-priced guitar if you’re not careful.
After narrowing down your option by setting up a higher price limit for your guitar purchase, the next to decide on is the category of guitar that’s right for you. Basically, you’ll be choosing whether you want to buy an best acoustic guitar.
Acoustic guitars have this hollow body with a hole designed to amplify the sound produced by strumming its string. One can further divide acoustic guitars into two types based on the strings used. There nylon-stringed as well as steel-stringed guitars.
Electric guitars, on the other hand, converts sound vibrations produced by the strings into electrical impulses. This signal then goes to an amplifier before going to a loudspeaker which produces the sound you here.
Choosing between acoustic or electric guitars is a personal preference. Both have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages. Generally, if you love rock music, electric guitars might suit better.
This only applies when you want to buy an acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitar can either have steel strings or nylon strings. Obviously, there are pros and cons to each string type so you might want to give it some thought before taking the plunge.
Strings made of steel give you louder and fuller tones. However, there is some form of a disadvantage when it comes to comfort, especially if you’re new to guitars. Steel string can be a bit punishing on your hands when it comes to nylons. But, if you want to train our fingers to the harsh reality of guitar playing, then strings made of steel can help you build calluses at the least amount of time. But, if you prefer a more comfortable approach, nylon string is the way to go.
The type of wood used in a guitar’s construction is said to affect that tone it produces. The most common wood used is spruce because of its good strength to weight ratio and its resonance. Although a bit softer then spruce, cedar is also used in guitar construction because it is good for fingerpicking. Rosewood, mahogany, and maple are also used, and you’ll be able to distinguish via its color and texture.
This is very important though sometimes overlooked point when it comes to guitar selection. Getting a guitar body size is very important especially for beginner level guitarists, you can’t really be expected to play just right if your guitar is sized too big for your fingers.
There are some set guidelines when it comes to size of guitar with respect to the height of a player.
In this age of e-commerce, you’ll probably ask whether its okay to buy from an online store or via your local guitar shop. It is understandable that people sometimes worry about getting guitars online since there is that worry that you might not get the exact quality you are looking for – you can’t test a guitar via the net. On the other hand, shopping online is super-convenient, and you’ll get tons of choices, and it’s easier to look for good deals.
Here’s a tip when shopping online to give you some peace of mind. You need to make sure to buy stuff from reputable online stores. More importantly, you must choose one that allows you to return products for exchange with another one of similar value. That way, you’ll have the last option of returning a guitar that you might not actually like.
You’ve probably realized by now that selecting the best guitar won’t be an easy task. With this list, however, the journey will be much easier. You can use this as a guide to the different types of guitars out there and use this as a benchmark in terms of pricing and specifications. Of course, you’ll likely find the perfect one for you included in the list itself, which makes your buying decision that much easier.