You have finally made the decision to purchase that first guitar now that you are really enjoying those beginner lessons. There are essentially three types of guitars on the market: acoustic, classical, and electric. Of course, there are other 'guitars' such as a bass guitar and an acoustic-electric (essentially an acoustic guitar equipped with a pick-up) - but we will consider the aforementioned three.

Two things you should really be aware of before you purchase that first guitar:

1) a used guitar may be cheaper but it may also be warped or have cracks or gouges over the body (even Willie Nelson seems to have gotten his fixed). These will definitely affect tuning and tone.

2) some have been tempted to buy a cheap guitar - just in case they don't want to keep playing - but if the guitar is so poor its action cripples your fingers - you definitely will NOT keep playing. So, buy a decent guitar to start with.

Even though you shouldn't have to worry about the condition of a new guitar you should be aware that you still need to be a smart consumer.

One thing to keep in mind is that the highest priced guitar is not necessarily the best guitar. What you want is a quality guitar which means a reasonable price for a guitar that is constructed well and has good tone. At the same time, don't fall into the mindset mentioned above, that you should buy a really cheap guitar just in case the lessons don't work out and consequently you won't be out that much money. If you buy a lousy guitar, you WILL stop taking lessons because the guitar will turn you off!

So, what is a good price range that will not leave you a pauper? Look for a guitar between $300.00 to $500.00 and I guarantee that you will be happy with that first guitar.

But before planking down all that money, examine any instrument you feel may be the one for you. Look at the construction; notice the wood that is used and how the guitar is braced inside the sound hole. Look at the entire guitar and make sure you don't notice any peeling or chipping.

Getting back to the tone of the guitar. Be sure to actually 'play' the guitar before you buy it - don't select an instrument just because it looks good (I bought a few cars like that in younger days). So, make sure you get it off the shelf and don't just make a strum or two - actually play the guitar (even if you are just learning you probably know a couple of chords - use them). Ask the salesperson for a stool to sit on, perhaps a private area to test out the sound of the guitar. Any good guitar store should be able to accommodate these requests.

The action of a guitar is important too. (Action refers to the amount of space between the strings and the fret board). If there is too much space between the strings and the fret board, the action may be too high. If there is very little space between the strings and the fret board, the action may be too low. You want to aim for an action that allows you to press on the strings in comfort.

One last tip before you buy: if you have a friend who also plays guitar and has been down this road before - by all means, get his help - I have helped many friends in the past and they all seem to be really happy with their first guitar.