Advice on buying a guitar

Brown eyed girl 25

Hi Everybody

I am looking for any advice or tips on buying a guitar as a Christmas present. The person I would be buying the guitar for would mainly be using it as a pastime or in trad sessions with friends. They are not a professional musician, but they have wanted their own guitar for a long time now, and they have played guitar for a few years.

When I say I know absolutely nothing about where to start with this task I am being 100% honest, so please don't think any advice is too small or too obvious, because I don't play any instruments myself so I really don't know anything about guitars or any of this

Where should I shop in the Dublin, Louth or Meath areas? What sort of price would be reasonable? What brand would you recommend? HELP PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Thanks in advance

Wailin

Brown eyed girl 25 wrote: »

Hi Girls & guys

I am looking for any advice or tips on buying a guitar as a Christmas present. The person I would be buying the guitar for would mainly be using it as a pastime or in trad sessions with friends. They are not a professional musician, but they have wanted their own guitar for a long time now, and they have played guitar for a few years.

When I say I know absolutely nothing about where to start with this task I am being 100% honest, so please don't think any advice is too small or too obvious, because I don't play any instruments myself so I really don't know anything about guitars or any of this

Where should I shop in the Dublin, Louth or Meath areas? What sort of price would be reasonable? What brand would you recommend? HELP PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Thanks in advance

What's your budget?

machiavellianme

I think it might be easier to help if you outlined how much you are willing to pay. You can pick up a guitar in any price category from 100 euro to 20,000 and beyond.
The next question is whether you'd go second hand or new.
Speaking of hands, determine if you need a right handed guitar or left handed? This won't affect price too much but you need to get it right.

Alanstrainor

machiavellianme wrote: »

I think it might be easier to help if you outlined how much you are willing to pay. You can pick up a guitar in any price category from 100 euro to 20,000 and beyond.
The next question is whether you'd go second hand or new.
Speaking of hands, determine if you need a right handed guitar or left handed? This won't affect price too much but you need to get it right.

+1

Even quite modestly priced acoustic guitars are pretty great these days, so you should be able to pick up something quite nice.

Brown eyed girl 25

Wailin wrote: »

What's your budget?

Hi There, Wailin

I am at the very start of this process so I don't really have a set budget as of yet. It's a main Christmas present so I don't mind splashing a little but then I don't know how much these things would generally cost either..I mean would 300 euro get u an average guitar or a good guitar?????? I am so bamboozled!

machiavellianme

Forgot the most important question of them all, acoustic or electric?
Or a hybrid electro-acoustic?
For an electric, you'll need to factor in an amplifier too.

Brown eyed girl 25

machiavellianme wrote: »

I think it might be easier to help if you outlined how much you are willing to pay. You can pick up a guitar in any price category from 100 euro to 20,000 and beyond.
The next question is whether you'd go second hand or new.
Speaking of hands, determine if you need a right handed guitar or left handed? This won't affect price too much but you need to get it right.

Alanstrainor wrote: »

+1

Even quite modestly priced acoustic guitars are pretty great these days, so you should be able to pick up something quite nice.

machiavellianme wrote: »

Forgot the most important question of them all, acoustic or electric?
Or a hybrid electro-acoustic?
For an electric, you'll need to factor in an amplifier too.

Hi machiavellianme & Alanstrainor

I would guestimate 500 Euro would be the very top of my budget..so specifically im after advice on a new acoustic guitar priced somewhere between 300 - 500 euro for a left handed player

machiavellianme

For that kind of money, the world is your oyster but left handed will mean it's trickier if you want to buy in a bricks and mortar shop.
I'd probably plumb for something like this:

https://www.xmusic.ie/Tanglewood-Evolution-Electro-Acoustic-Lh.html

However, when buying a guitar, it's always better to play before you buy. Try and get whoever to go and take it for a spin. They might decide it's not to their taste and pick something else instead.