The biggest advantage to buying a used acoustic guitar is the reduced price. Used acoustic guitars, like used cars, depreciate as soon as they leave the showroom. But unlike automobiles, they may actually improve with the aging process because the tonal qualities of the wood often improve with age and lead to a more mature and fuller sound. Additionally, a used acoustic guitar will most likely be properly setup and adjusted by the original owner.

Additionally, don't shy away from used acoustic guitars with cosmetic defects if you are on a tight budget. A blemished guitar with some scuff marks, slight wear areas and scratches will have no effect on the sound or playability of the guitar and will often result in a very substantial discount over a like new acoustic guitar.

The first thing that you will need to do before you go buy a used acoustic guitar is to narrow down the field. Determine whether you will need an acoustic electric guitar with an electronics package. This option will increase the price and is normally more applicable to an experienced guitarist that plays before an audience in a room that requires amplification. If you are a beginner and just learning to play the guitar you will not need this. More importantly, select a body style that you are comfortable holding and playing. The popular body sizes are the Dreadnought and Jumbo styles and the different manufacturers have varying naming conventions. Many of these are also available in cutaway models.

Then, choose a brand or two and a couple of models from each based on your budget. Limit yourself to no more than a couple of choices so that you are not overwhelmed and research the retail selling prices of these when new to form your basis. Now when you finally get to the point of shopping for used acoustic guitars, the best deals will be readily apparent.

The following is an overview to consider when looking at a used acoustic guitar:

Consider the body for its' overall look and defects. Initially you need make certain that there are no apparent issues with the acoustic guitar. As discussed above, a well-used guitar with cosmetic defects is completely different from a guitar with structural problems.

Question the seller about the length of time that they have had ownership of the guitar and try to ascertain its' date of manufacture. Determine whether there are any problems that are not readily apparent from a visual or online inspection. In other words, try to obtain a full disclosure of the guitar. A reputable seller will have no problems with these questions and will answer them honestly.

If at all possible, play the guitar and strike a few chords to make sure that the fretboard is true and there is no buzzing. A fretboard with wear marks is usually not a problem but if the frets themselves are overly worn out a fret dressing or fret replacement may be required. This is not a major problem and a luthier will be able to make these repairs, but factor it into the price of the used acoustic guitar.

Purchasing a guitar can be a large investment and a daunting task, particularly if you are a beginner guitarist. So take your time and look around before buying your guitar. A terrific way to do that is to look locally in music stores and internet-based sites like eBay. And of course, if you know an experienced guitarist or have a music teacher that is available, take them with you and get their feedback.

You will probably become frustrated along the way when learning to play an acoustic guitar, so take a step back and take a break when you need one. Just recognize that this is a challenge for almost everyone, have patience and enjoy the learning process.

Buying your first guitar is a prerequisite when learning because you will need to have your own guitar and not depend on a guitar that will be in your possession on a periodic basis. Each guitar is different as the more you play a single guitar and grow comfortable with it, the more you will gain confidence in the guitar istself and your ability to play it. There are two kinds of acoustic guitars that you can get; either a classic guitar that uses nylon strings or a more popular steel string acoustic guitar. Your choice is a matter of taste and music style so your choice will depend on the sound that you are trying to obtain. However, as a beginning guitarist you will probably find that a more contemporary steel stringed guitar may be a bit easier to learn with becasue the neck is somewhat smaller and easier to 'work'. On the downside, the strings may be a little more difficult to fret...so recognize that there is a trade off in your selection of a steel string guitar. Today's popular music across many genres is probably more associated with the steel stringed guitar since the sound is brighter and louder.

You'll also need to consider the body style of the acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitar body sizes are characterized by terms that extend from small to jumbo. Each size has a unique sound. A smaller body guitar will have more treble and midrange tonal characteristic and they are easier to hold. Lead guitarists also favor smaller or midsized acoustic guitars because they have a more balanced sound. Larger bodied guitars have more bass and are a little harder to hold for the average person. Since you are learning to play acoustic guitar, a midsize body shape is a great place to start with your first acoustic guitar because it has a balanced sound and is relatively comfortable to hold and play.

The quality of acoustic guitars varies by brand and model. Minor tonal characteristics can also vary slightly within the same model, but this is usually not noticeable to the human ear. After you have decided on the type and size of the acoustic guitar that you wish to play, try out some guitars in your price range to see which one you like and are most comfortable with. Also, take along someone that is an experienced guitar player and get their opinions on the guitars sound and quality.

Look to purchase the best acoustic guitar that you can afford. Try to avoid purchasing a new guitar that costs less than $200 since the cheap price reflects its' cheap quality. Save your money until you can budget at least $200 for your first guitar.  A quality guitar will be easier to play and will sound better. You will enjoy playing a good guitar more and this will result in your looking forward to practice and an increased desire to learn. You can find many quality acoustic guitars for under $500 new. Some quality brands to consider are Seagull, Ibanez, Alvarez and Yamaha. Higher quality guitars such as Martin and Taylor may also be available used in this price range.

Actually, used acoustic guitars are highly recommended because you can save a significant amount of money over the cost of a new acoustic guitar. It is not uncommon to find used acoustic guitars selling for half of their retail cost. You can stretch your dollar further by buying a basic or lower entry model acoustic guitar. You do not need to spend the extra money for an electronics package, exotic woods or upgraded cosmetics. Avoid most models labeled as Artist versions since the extra money that you will be paying for them will not translate into a better sounding or playing guitar, although the cosmetics and details will generally be upgrades. Again, take an an experienced guitar player with you before you purchase your first guitar, whether it be new or used.

A good guitar teacher can be an invaluable resource in your guitar learning process, but this can also be an expensive proposition. You may also simply prefer to learn on your own at your own pace. This is actually a reasonable approach for many 'students' because the fundamental chords and scales are easily self taught from instructional books. When you have 'mastered' teh basics, you may then give further consideration to a guitar teacher because some of the more advanced subjects are not easily learned from books and visual tips and help with technique can more easily be garnished from an instructor. However, for those that are learning on their own I will provide some tips and guidelines to help you get the most out of your practice time.

Practice as many times that you can for at least thirty minutes at a time. Learning guitar is a process by which you learn a new note, chord, scale, progression, song, etc. and then you practice it until you care comfortable playing it. Therefore, the more often that you practice and play, the sooner you will learn. Take your time when you practice and ensure that you are correctly playing and understanding the material that you are trying to learn. Don't practice or repeat bad or incorrect methods as you don't want to ingrain these into your brain. So, take your time when you practice and accept this as a challenge that will be overcome through your diligence.

Finally, before you even start your study and practice of  the acoustic guitar, take some time to learn about the individual parts of your acoustic guitar, how the guitar is constructed and how the different parts of the guitar work together to produce sound. Also, make sure that you know how to tune your guitar before you start. You can either buy an electronic tuner or use one of the online tuners to get this done. You can also match the low E string and use a fretting method to tune the rest of the strings off of this one.

When you are learning and practicing the acoustic guitar, learn the different major chords and then the variations of that chord. To break up your study of the chords and to introduce another topic, learn and practice your scales. This will give you a well rounded familiarity with the frets on the guitar and it will build up strength in your fingers and hands.

These are just some basic pieces of advice for the newbie wishing to learn to play the acoustic guitar. I hope that you find this information useful as an introduction to your learning process and that your guitar study is both rewarding and pleasurable.

The acoustic guitar is a better choice for learning that an electric guitar for several reasons and it's probably the instrument that most guitarists first learned to play. It is portable and does not require an amplifier or electricity, so you can pick it up and play it anywhere. This is important when you are first learning because you need to pick up the guitar whenever you are motivated to learn. Your acoustic guitar will be with you at the ready whether you are in your dorm room, on a camping trip or even traveling in a car. The other important consideration is that the acoustic guitar is less forgiving that an electric guitar. The strings are a little harder to press against the fretboard properly and the neck is probably a little larger. When you can play a chord cleanly on an acoustic guitar you can be assured that you will also be able to play it on an electric guitar.

The very first thing that you will need when learning to play the acoustic guitar is obviously the guitar itself. You should learn to play on a quality acoustic guitar. This is important, not because it will sound better, but because it will play better and be easier for you to play correctly. The interface between you and the music is the guitar neck and a quality acoustic guitar will have a superior neck and fretboard to a cheaply made guitar. The better hardware of a decent guitar will enable to you set a proper string height that will be easier to play and it will maintain the proper tension and stay in tune for longer periods of time without adjustment. And a quality acoustic guitar will sound better because the woods and materials of construction are of a better quality and the soundboard's bracing system will provide better acoustics.

A new high end guitar can cost you well over a thousand dollars, but you can purchase a reasonable quality guitar for five or six hundred dollars new. But you can save money by buying a used acoustic guitar for around half that price. Used acoustic guitars are available in the local classifieds, on craigslist, at your music store, in the pawn shops and on eBay. Craigslist and eBay will probably have the best selection. However, the price of the used acoustic guitar on craigslist is set by the seller and often times sellers have unreasonable expectations and value their used guitars too highley. On the other hand, used acoustic guitars on eBay will have their prices determined by the buying market when purchased through the auction format and will more or less reflect the truer price of that used acoustic guitar.

But whether you are buying a new or used acoustic guitar you will first have to do some research to determine the type of acoustic guitar that you want in regards to style or even brand and specific model. Visit the online forums and various newsgroups and read what the owners of specific guitars have to say about them and if they review them favorably. If you decide that you want to save money by buying a used acoustic guitar, make sure you are able to check out the guitar before you buy it. Examine the guitar for any visible damage or other imperfections, but don't be overly concerned with scratches or dings as these will not affect the playability and tone of the guitar and will in fact lead to a lower price due to the cosmetic defects. However, make absolutely sure that the used guitar is structurally sound and that there are no cracks in the body and that the neck is properly set. Also, cracks in the finish and a bulging or sunken soundboard may indicate that the guitar has developed problems from too much or too little humidity. If the action, pitch and intonation of the guitar are not properly set on a used guitar, they can usually be adjusted by a luthier or even a knowledgeable friend later on. If you are uncomfortable in your ability to assess the condition of a used guitar you should find an experienced guitar player to evaluate the guitar for you.

Now that you've found your guitar, it's time to start learning to play it. This will depend on your personality and your budget. A qualified guitar teacher can help you get started, but your learning will be more structured and rigid. It will be class and your homework will be to learn the assignments given you and demonstrate that you've mastered them at your next lesson. This is a fine and quite acceptable approach, but most budding guitarists will like the home study course better because it is less rigid and quite frankly a lot more fun. With this approach, you can learn the scales and chords and progress to a more structured class with an instructor when you either want to learn the music theory behind what you're doing or need to progress to more difficult subjects that you can't master on your own.

With the home study course all you will need to get started are some good instruction books on learning to play the guitar. You can ask your friends for ideas or go to Amazon.com or the online music stores and read the reviews regarding what is taught in the manual and how it is presented. This method will provide a flexible and comfortable way for you to learn scales and chords and will enable you to start playing. Your repertoire will be limited at first because you will start learning the major chords, but as you progress and learn the chord variations you will be able to expand your song list. Also, as your library of chords grows it will become easier to expand into a new chord when you run into it because you may only find one or two new chords that will need to be learned to play a new song.

As you learn the guitar, you will need to practice. And as Alan Iverson has said, "We talkin' 'bout practice!" Learning the correct way to practice is a very important aspect of your acoustic guitar playing success. This is especially true as you are learning scales and new chords because you will need to concentrate so try to find a quiet and private environment to do this. But practice can be fun if you find a routine to allow it to be. For instance, when learning a new chord spend the serious time learning the chord and getting it to sound right. Play it several times, switch to a chord that you can play well, then switch back to the chord that you are learning. Repeat this until the fingering of the new chord is engrained and add another chord or two that you are comfortable with and play a chord progression. Finally, play a song that is predominated by chords that are in your knowledge base but includes a chord or two of the 'difficult' chords that you are trying to learn. You will find great satisfaction when you can play the song completely and cleanly.

Find the routine and the learning method that suits you best and stick to it. Don't let your learning routine become boring and monotonous. When you run into a problem, work on it slowly and deliberately. At times you will probably become discouraged by your lack of progress. When this happens, put down the guitar a take a break. When you are refreshed, play something that you already know how to play and then return to your problem. This may take several iterations, but you will eventually break through and master it.
Don't give yourself tasks that are too difficult when you are first learning. It takes time to learn the chords and their variations, so start with the major chords and only the major chords to start with. These will be your base to expand upon when you move into the variations of the major chords and are ready for the minor chords, the diminished chords, the sevenths and so on. So start off slow and easy to build your foundation and take on the more difficult things when you have mastered the basics. Make sure that you set goals for yourself that are attainable at the level of playing that you are at. This will engrain confidence and enhance your further progress in learning to play acoustic guitar.

No matter what else you take from this article, the most important point is to be persistent in your learning program. It does not matter whether it takes you a day, a week or a month to learn a new chord. Just don't give up on it until you've got it down. It will only be a matter of time before you become a good guitar player if you put in the effort, and of course, the practice.

What's a good acoustic guitar for a beginner? My budget is about $200 and I'd like to get a new acoustic guitar.

Thank you!