Buying your first guitar is a special event and a landmark occasion in your life, whether you’ve unlocked your passion for music from a young age or you’ve discovered a love for guitar as you get a little older.

There’s no question that many of us fantasise over what guitar we’re going to buy, but the reality is that going out and spending £1,250 on the latest Gibson Les Paul isn’t a wise thing to if it is your first instrument.

Here are some tips that will help you buy your first guitar.

Budget Sensibly

Ideally, you should look to pay around £150 – £200 for your first guitar.  No, you’re not going to get the best instrument in the world at that price, but you’ll have something you can use to begin playing and start improving.

If your guitar playing passion turns out to be a quick fad, you won’t feel foolish for having spent a fortune, either.

Know Which Guitar You Want

The choice here will boil down to acoustic or electric.  Different people recommend starting to play one before the other, but the reality is it doesn’t really matter.  If you already have some experience with one type of guitar or you’re passionate about learning one or the other, then opt for that one.

If you’re unsure, you can always discuss it when you move onto the next step.

Be Clever in the Shop

If you’ve planned your budget and know what you’re looking for, this should be easy.  The problem with music shops is that the split between brilliant ones where the people genuinely want to help you and the not so good ones that just want your money stands at around 50/50.

What you’re looking for in a music shop (and its staff) is a genuine interest in you.  What are you looking for in an instrument?  The better music shops out there will have a specific idea of what a great guitar is as a first buy, and will help you accordingly.

The golden rule for buying any instrument applies; get it in your hands and actually get a feeling of playing the thing!  Just strum generally and get a feeling for the guitar; don’t be one of those annoying people who picks it up and thinks they’re Jimi Hendrix!

Play as many guitars as you need to, making sure that each guitar is correctly tuned and the strings are in a good condition so you’re getting an accurate hearing of what the guitar will sound like when you’re playing it.

Buy Everything You Need

A gig bag and a tuner are must buys, while depending on the type of guitar you buy an amp might be an essential purchase, too.  You don’t need to worry about an amp with loads of different settings, either, or buying an effects pedal.  Go for a simple amp so you can start playing and developing your style.

Finally, ensure your instrument is covered with a warranty and an initial replacement set of strings are supplied as standard, and you’ll be ready to go.