Purchasing a guitar may be an intimidating process, particularly if you've never purchased one before. There are several components to take into account and so many guitars obtainable. Novices will certainly feel overwhelmed. Fear not - help is obtainable

What helps make one guitar unique from another? Is a guitar which costs $3,000 better than one that is $500 or $100? Naturally it is, but a far more elementary query to be asked is whether or not a novice needs a top-of-the-line guitar.
Each aspiring guitar player fantasizes about playing a classic Martin D28. Having said that, if the guitarist is a novice simply starting out I don’t propose spending any more than $500. It is an excellent strategy to first ascertain if the interest continues and the expertise is present before investing a large sum of money on a guitar like those played by the legends. All of the guitars detailed beneath are lower priced acoustic guitars. All however, present good value for their respective cost. You will be able to discover substantially discounted prices at The Best Guitar Shop at http://www.best-guitar-shop.com

1. Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar

These Canadian-made guitars are terrific guitars - really highly regarded, both for their beautiful sound, and their superb value. The Seagull S6 acoustic guitar features a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides. Although the cost may be slightly above what most may possibly be prepared to end up paying for a first guitar, it should be considered an investment.

2. Yamaha FG700S
Probably not in the same league as the Seagull, the FG700S remains a solid newbie instrument, and for the selling price (considerably less costly than the S6), it's a great value. The Yamaha FG700s features a solid sitka spruce top, with nato back and sides.

3. Takamine G-340
This beginner model Takamine guitar features a laminated spruce top. Although it clearly isn't on par with some of the higher end Takamine guitars, the general consensus is the G-340 offers a very good bang for the buck.

4. Fender CD-140S
This lower cost Fender acoustic offers a solid spruce top, with laminated mahogany back and sides. Less expensive Fender products have a tendency to be occasionally guilty of lackluster workmanship, but, considering the solid spruce top, this guitar could be desirable to newbies.

5. Epiphone DR-100
The DR-100 comes with a spruce top, with mahogany back and sides. This guitar can normally be seen at a rather inexpensive price, which can make it attractive to beginners. Many look at this strictly a newbie instrument; nevertheless, it may not be long before you'll need to trade up.

6. Fender CD-60
Desire features you'd anticipate in a significantly more costly instrument? The CD-60 is your guitar, with features including a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, die-cast tuners.

7. Ibanez AC30NT
The Ibanez AC30NT is another well-constructed instrument with solid Engelmann spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This mix creates a warm, bottom-end tone with bright highs.

8. Taylor Baby Taylor
The Taylor Baby Taylor is a 3/4 size dreadnought guitar, making it a great option for more youthful guitarists with smaller hands. Taylor has a reputation for becoming one of America's greatest guitar producers, and although they've cut a few corners here to meet a low-price point, the Taylor Baby Taylor acoustic guitar is still a solid instrument.

9. Martin LX1
One of the most highly esteemed guitar manufacturers has offered this 3/4 size guitar, designed for guitarists with modest hands and small pocketbooks. The LXI features a solid sapele top, back and sides. The Martin LX1 acoustic guitar is a very good guitar for a novice

A great place to begin your search for that first guitar is The Best Guitar Shop at http://www.best-guitar-shop.com. You will find the guitars discussed above as well as hundreds of others, all at substantially reduced prices.

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Seagull S6 "The Original" Acoustic Guitar Bundle w/Gator Hardshell Case and On-Stage Guitar Stand List Price: $651.99 Sale Price: $449.00 You save: $202.99 (31%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 1 new from $449.00

Description

Seagull Guitars, made in North America, are designed by Robert Godin. Limited Lifetime warranty. High quality players guitars at affordable prices.

Winner of several awards, the S6 is perhaps the instrument that best represents the Seagull philosophy. The S6 offers entry level players the opportunity to experience the great feel and superb sound provided by a hand finished neck, solid Cedar top and genuine lacquer finish.

Features

• Gator GC-Dread Acoustic Hardshell Case Included!
• On-stage XCG-4 Guitar Stand Included!
• Neck: Silver leaf maple
• Fingerboard: Indian rosewood
• Top: Solid Cedar top

Reviews

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Yamaha FG700S Folk Acoustic Guitar Bundle with Hard Case, Instructional DVD, Picks, Strap, Strings, Pick Card, and Polishing Cloth - Natural List Price: $369.99 Sale Price: $229.99 You save: $140.00 (38%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 2 new from $229.99

Description

Bundle includes Yamaha FG700S Folk Acoustic Guitar, Hard Case, Instructional DVD, Picks, Strap, Strings, Pick Card, and Polishing Cloth. TheYamaha FG700S Steel String Acoustic Guitar with Natural Finish is an entry level acoustic guitar with deluxe features. The heritage of Yamaha guitars begins with the FG line of acoustic guitars. An outstanding entry level acoustic guitar with deluxe features including die-cast tuners, solid sitka spruce top, and a rosewood fingerboard.

Features

• Solid sitka spruce top
• Nato back and sides
• Black-and-white body and neck binding, rosewood fingerboard
• Die-cast tuners
• Natural finish

Reviews

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Takamine G Series G340 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $359.99 Sale Price: $249.00 You save: $110.99 (31%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 8 new from $249.00

Description

G Dreadnought Mahogany A

Features

• Body Shape: Dreadnought
• Top: Spruce
• Back & Sides: Mahogany
• Inlays: Abalone Dots

Reviews

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Fender CD-140S Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $199.99 You save: $100.00 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 11 new from $199.99  2 used from $165.79

Description

New and improved for 2011. The CD-140S dreadnought offers full, resonant sound and great value, with a natural-finish solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. Upgrades include a new tortoise shell pickguard and mother-of-pearl rosette design, new compensated rosewood bridge design, aged bridge pins with black dots, mother-of-pearl Fender logo headstock inlay, and smaller (3 mm) dot fingerboard inlays. Features scalloped X bracing, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, dual-action truss rod, and die-cast tuners.

Features

• Solid Spruce Top, Laminated Mahogany Back and Sides
• Scalloped X Bracing
• Rosewood Bridge with Compensated Saddle and chrome die cast tuning keys
• Additional Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, Tortoise Shell Pickguard, 3mm Dot Position Inlays, MOP Rosette, MOP Inlaid Headstock Logo, Rosewood Headstock Veneer and Aged Bridge Pins

Reviews

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Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $182.00 Sale Price: $99.00 You save: $83.00 (46%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 6 new from $99.00  7 used from $90.00

Description

The DR-100 features a Select Spruce top; Mahogany back and sides; and Rosewood fingerboard and bridge.

The DR-100 dreadnaught is Epiphone's best selling acoustic. All the basic elements you want--traditional shape Mahogany back and sides, Select Spruce top, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge make this a great entry-level instrument. Epiphone's best selling acoustic. Mahogany body with Select Spruce top. Rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays. Body Tonewoods The top of the DR-100 is made from select spruce, while the back and sides are constructed from mahogany, giving the DR-100 balanced expression, warm bass, and excellent projection. Rosewood Fingerboard with Dot Inlays The fingerboard of the DR-100 is constructed from rosewood. The resilience of this durable wood makes the fingerboard extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note clarity and bite. Angled Headstock Unlike cheaper designs, all Epiphones feature a 14-degree headstock that gives you more pressure at the nut and so you get more sustain with less tuning hang-ups caused by "string-tree" gadgets. Specs Hardware: Chrome Scale: 25.5 inches Nut width: 1.68 inches Neck: Set, Mahogany Fretboard: Rosewood Inlays: Dot Body material: Mahogany Top: Select Spruce Finishes available: Ebony, Natural, Vintage Sunburst

Features

• Mahogany body
• Select Spruce top
• 25.5 scale

Reviews

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Fender CD-60 Acoustic Guitar with Case, Natural List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $199.99 You save: $100.00 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 15 new from $199.99  3 used from $169.99

Description

New and improved for 2011. The CD-60 dreadnought boasts features you’d expect on much more expensive instruments, with a spruce top and choice of natural, sunburst and black finishes. Upgrades include a new black pickguard and mother-of-pearl acrylic rosette design, new compensated bridge design, white bridge pins with black dots and smaller (3 mm) dot fingerboard inlays. Features include scalloped X bracing, black body binding, 20-fret fingerboard, dual-action truss rod and die-cast tuners. Hard-shell case included.

Features

• Laminated Spruce Top, Laminated Nato back and sides
• Scalloped X Bracing
• Roseweood Bridge with Compensated Saddle and chrome die cast tuners
• Additional Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, 3mm Dot Position Inlays, Black Pickguard, White Bridge Pins, and Crushed Acrylic Rosette

Reviews

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Taylor Guitars Big Baby Taylor, BBT, Natural Acoustic Guitar with Planet Waves/GO-DPS 16 Pick Sampler (#PW-SAMPLER), NS Capo Lite, Snark Tuner, Ultra Stand, Planet Waves Humidifier, Planet Waves Polish, Taylor Polishing Cloth and Taylor Guitars T-Shirt, Beanie & Strap

Description

The Baby Taylor's big sibling, a 15/16-scale Dreadnought with a solid Sitka spruce top and sapele-laminate back and sides, boasts a surprisingly full voice, comes with a lightweight gig bag for easy portability, and makes a trusty companion wherever you go - even if it's just to the couch. Guitar Comes Standard with Elixir® Light Gauge Strings with NANOWEB® Coating & Taylor BBT Padded Gig-Bag. Includes: Planet Waves/GO-DPS 16 Pick Sampler (#PW-SAMPLER), Ultra Stand, NS Capo Lite, Snark Tuner, Planet Waves Humidifier, Planet Waves "Shine" Spray cleaner with Taylor polishing cloth, Taylor Guitars T-Shirt, Beanie & Strap.

Features

• Big Baby Taylor 6-String 15/16 Size Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar with Sitka Spruce Top & Sapele Laminate Back & Sides, Scale Length 25 1/2"
• Body Length 19 1/2" - Body Width 15" - Body Depth 4" - Overall Length 40 ¼"
• Tropical American Mahogany Neck with Ebony Fretboard, 20 Frets with Pearloid Dot Inlays - Nut Width 1 11/16" - Lexan Headstock Overlay
• Tusq Nut & Saddle - Enclosed, Die-Cast Chrome Plated Tuning Machines
• Includes: Planet Waves/GO-DPS 16 Pick Sampler (#PW-SAMPLER), Ultra Stand, NS Capo Lite, Snark Tuner, Planet Waves Humidifier
• Guitar Comes Standard with Elixir ® Light Gauge Strings with NANOWEB® Coating & Taylor BBT Padded Gig-Bag

Reviews

Buying a guitar can be an intimidating process, especially if you've never purchased one before. There are so many factors to consider, and so many guitars available, novices will surely feel overwhelmed. Fear not - help is available

What makes one guitar different from another? Is a guitar that costs $3,000 better than one that is $500 or $100? Of course it is, but a more basic question to be asked it whether a beginner needs a top-of-the-line guitar.

Every aspiring guitar player fantisizes about playing a classic Martin D28.  However, if the guitarist is a beginner just starting out I don’t recommend spending any more that $500. It is a good idea to first determine if the interest continues and the talent is present before spending a large sum of money on a guitar like those played by the legends. All of the guitars listed below are lower priced acoustic guitars all offer great value for their respective price tags. You will be able to find discounted prices at The Best Guitar Shop at http://www.best-guitar-shop.com

1. Seagull S6

These Canadian-made instruments are terrific guitars - very highly regarded, both for their beautiful sound, and their excellent value. The S6 features a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides. Although the price may be slightly above what some might be willing to pay for a first guitar, it should be considered an investment.

 2. Yamaha FG700S

Perhaps not in the same league as the Seagull, the FG700S is still a solid beginner instrument, and for the price (significantly cheaper than the S6), it's a good value. Guitar features a solid sitka spruce top, with nato back and sides.

3. Takamine G-340

This beginner model Takamine guitar features a laminated spruce top. Although it clearly isn't on par with some of the higher end Takamine guitars, the general consensus is the G-340 offers a pretty good bang for the buck.

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Takamine G Series G340SC Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $459.99 Sale Price: $227.95 You save: $232.04 (50%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 18 new from Too low to display

Description

Designed and built under the supervision of Takamine’s head luthiers, G-Series guitars are created to serve all players from the hobbyist to professional. The G340C dreadnought features a spruce top for extended dynamic range and a rich harmonic content. Mahogany back and sides enhance resonance. Gloss finish adds durability and enduring beauty.

Features

• One of the few acoustic cutaways on the market today
• Solid spruce top adds increased resonance and tone
• Dreadnought body size delivers a strong low end with plenty of volume
• Cutaway body design adds easy playability up to the highest fret
• Color: Natural

Reviews

4. Fender CD-140S

This lower cost Fender acoustic boasts a solid spruce top, with laminated mahogany back and sides. Cheaper Fender products tend to be occasionally guilty of lackluster workmanship, but, considering the solid spruce top, this guitar could be attractive to newbies.

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Fender CD-140S Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Natural List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $199.99 You save: $100.00 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 1 new from $199.99

Description

Quality and value in a great dreadnought guitar is what the CD-140 S is all about, with a Fender- designed dreadnought body, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, gloss-finish body, satin-finish neck and die-cast tuners.

Features

• Solid Spruce Top, Laminated Mahogany Back and Sides
• Scalloped X Bracing
• Rosewood Bridge with Compensated Saddle and chrome die cast tuning keys
• Additional Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, Tortoise Shell Pickguard, Scalloped X Bracing, Dot Position Inlays, Compensated Urea Saddle, Gold Silkscreen Logo, Multi-ABS Inlays on Soundhole and Body Edge
• Additional Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, Tortoise Shell Pickguard, Scalloped X Bracing, Dot Position Inlays,
• Compensated Urea Saddle, Gold Silkscreen Logo, Multi-ABS Inlays on Soundhole and Body Edge
• Gold Silkscreen Logo, Multi-ABS Inlays on Soundhole and Body Edge
• Dot Position Inlays, Compensated Urea Saddle

Reviews

5. Epiphone DR-100

The DR-100 features a spruce top, with mahogany back and sides. This guitar can usually be found at a rather cheap price, which makes it attractive to beginners. Most consider this a strictly beginner instrument, however, so it may not be long before you'll want to trade up.

6. Fender CD-60

Want features you'd expect in a much more expensive instrument? The CD-60 is your guitar, with features including a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, die-cast tuners.

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Fender CD-60 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Sunburst List Price: $299.99 Sale Price: $199.99 You save: $100.00 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 4 new from $199.99  1 used from $169.99

Description

Want features you’d expect in a much more expensive instrument? The CD-60 is your guitar, with features including a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, die-cast tuners and an included hard-shell case. Available in Black, Natural and Sunburst. Specifications Body Body Back: Laminated Nato Back Body Sides: Laminated Nato Sides Body Top: Laminated Spruce Top Body Finish: Gloss Polyurethane Finish Bracing: Scalloped X Bracing Rosette: Multi-ABS Inlays on Soundhole Rosette Body Depth: 3.94" (100mm) to 4.92" (125mm) Body Width Upper Bout: 2.25" (57 mm) Body Binding: Black Body Binding Neck Number of Frets: 20 Position Inlays: White Dot Position Inlays Fingerboard: Sonokeling Fretboard: Sonokeling Neck Material: Nato Nut Width: 1.69” (43 mm) Scale Length: 25.3" (64.3 cm) Truss Rods: Dual Action Truss Rod Hardware Hardware Finish: Chrome Bridge: Sonokeling with Compensated Saddle Bridge Pins: Black Bridge Pins w/ White Dots Tuning Machines: Die-Cast Tuners String Nut: Synthetic Bone Miscellaneous Strings: Fender® Dura-Tone® Coated 80/20 Bronze (.012-.052 Gauge) Unique Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, Black Pickguard, Scalloped X Bracing, Dot Position Inlays, Compensated Urea Saddle, Gold Silkscreened Fender Logo, Multi-ABS Inlays on Soundhole Rosette, Black Body and Neck Binding, Black Bridge and End-pins Accessories Case Gig Bags: Hard Case Included (USA and Canada Only) Pickguard: 1-Ply Flat Black

Features

• Laminated Spruce Top, Laminated Nato back and sides
• Scalloped X Bracing
• Sonokeling Bridge with Compensated Saddle and chrome die cast tuners
• Additional Features: Dual Action Truss Rod, Black Pickguard, Scalloped X Bracing, Dot Position Inlays, Compensated Urea Saddle, Gold Silkscreened Fender Logo, Multi-ABS Inlays on Soundhole Rosette, Black Body and Neck Binding, Black Bridge and End-pins

Reviews

7. Ibanez AC30NT

The Ibanez AC30NT is another well-constructed instrument with solid Engelmann spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This combination creates a warm, bottom-end tone with bright highs.

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Ibanez AC30NT Acoustic Concert Size Guitar List Price: $342.84

Description

If you've played or even just listened to many acoustic guitars, you know the amazing difference a solid top makes. The Ibanez AC30NT ARTWOOD SERIES Acoustic Guitar features a solid top made of high quality Engelmann spruce. You'll hear warm lows and ringing highs in crisp detail, the way an acoustic is supposed to sound. The grand concert body style is particularly well suited for fingerpicking, but sounds great in any style. Mahogany back and sides, maple body and neck binding, and gold die-cast tuners with brown pearloid knobs are features you normally find on guitars costing far more. If you've been holding back on an acoustic guitar purchase because you haven't found the right features at the right price, your wait is over.

Features

• Acoustic Concert Size Guitar

Reviews

8. Taylor Baby Taylor

This is a 3/4 size dreadnought guitar, making it a good choice for younger guitarists with smaller hands. Taylor has a reputation for being one of America's greatest guitar makers, and although they've cut a few corners here to meet a low-price point, this is still a solid instrument.

9. Martin LX1

One of the most highly esteemed guitar makers has provided this 3/4 size guitar, designed for guitarists with small hands and small pocketbooks. The LXI features a solid sapele top, back and sides.

What is the soundboard?
The soundboard is the top of an acoustic guitar, and plays the most critical role in determining the overall tone and projection qualities of the instrument. Though there are many available materials suited to satisfy the structural requirements of a soundboard, none have been found to match the acoustic properties of wood.

How soundboards are built
Traditionally, soundboards have been made from high-quality, quarter-sawn spruce planks that have been carefully seasoned to remove moisture and ensure structural stability. Higher quality instruments use two 'book-matched' pieces of wood, butted together to avoid warping caused by differential shrinking.

On the back of soundboards is a pattern of struts and braces that provide stability to the soundboard, while allowing it to vibrate as uniformly as possible. The choice of wood used for these struts and braces is much less critical than it is for the soundboard. However, the bracing pattern can have a significant impact on the sound of the instrument. Guitar makers have tried many different bracing patterns in attempts to add distinctive tonal qualities to their instruments. In addition to bracing patterns, hardwood plates designed to add support to the bridge and soundhole areas are also commonly attached to the underside of soundboards. Though the acoustic impact of these plates are minor compared to the bracing patterns, their size, shape and wood type can also affect the tone of the guitar.

Best woods for soundboards
Spruce has historically been the wood of choice for acoustic flat-top guitar soundboards. However, Luthiers and other large guitar manufacturers very often choose more economical and readily available woods rather than top-quality spruce. Redwoods and cedar, for instance, are often used in soundboards by American guitar-makers to great effect. In some cases, two different woods are used together to give the guitar a distinctive appearance and tone.

The following is a summary of woods commonly used in soundboards, and the characteristics of each:
• Spruce: Crisp high end. Big bottom-end. Lots of volume.
• Cedar/Redwood: Brilliant, "bell-like" tone.
• Mahogany: Warm, sweet tone. Tends to make quieter guitars. Generally used in less expensive instruments.
• Koa: Soft, warm, sweet tone. Strong midrange.

Soundboards in cheap guitars
In low-end instruments laminated or plywood soundboards are often used. Although these materials often impart great strength and stability to the instrument, via layers of perpendicular grains, they do not vibrate the same way that natural wood does, generally producing an inferior tone with less amplification. Instruments with laminated or plywood soundboards should be avoided if possible.

Local instrument experts say you should consider these things whether you're buying a guitar.

Whether your son or daughter is trying to shred like Metallica or play Bob Dylan covers, here's what to look for:

In general
For beginners, many guitars come in packages that include everything you need to start learning to play.
Electric guitar packages come with the guitar, an amplifier, a strap, extra strings, picks, a carrying bag and an instructional DVD or book or both.
Acoustic guitar packages come with the guitar, bag, strap, strings, picks and instructional material. Some stores also offer another acoustic package that comes with an amplifier for an additional $30.
Packages come from a multitude of manufacturers and cost at least $200 for an electric guitar and $149 and up for an acoustic.
Individual instruments can be had for less than the price of the packages. An acoustic guitar will cost at least $100. An electric guitar will cost around $110 and up.

Acoustic or electric?
What's better for a beginner: an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar?
It's one of the most commonly asked questions at guitar stores, but the answer isn't clear cut.
One isn't necessarily better to play or easier to learn than the other. It's a stylistic choice.
If the person playing the instrument wants to learn country, folk, worship or other music, an acoustic guitar is generally the better choice. For rock 'n' roll, an electric is generally better, said Dan Sullivan, pro shop manager at Dietze Music.
And for those parents worrying that the noise from an electric guitar will shake the walls, be not afraid. The amps in the starter packages mentioned above are usually only a meager 10 watts.
“They're not that loud. And they all come with headphone jacks,” Sullivan said.

Guitar stand
Those nifty packages come with everything. Everything but somewhere to put your guitar when you're not using it. You can pick up a simple guitar stand anywhere for under $20.

Size
Sometimes kids need small-sized guitars because they're not big enough to comfortably play a full-size guitar.
Children can benefit from playing a smaller guitar, but it depends on the child's height. Someone at a store can help you pick the right size, said Hoyle of Russo's.
At age 11 or 12, it might be a good idea to buy a full-size guitar even if the child isn't quite big enough to play it yet since they'll quickly outgrow a small-size guitar.

Strings and picks
Guitar strings come in all kinds of styles and from many manufacturers.
For a beginner, it's best to use a light to medium gauge string. The lighter strings are easier for a beginner to press down and play notes.
As for picks, they come in countless shapes, sizes and thicknesses. Again, it's better for a beginner to use a thinner, lighter gauge pick. They're easier to use and require less finesse than a thicker pick, Hoyle said.

Amplifiers and pedals
The Foo Fighters might have them, but a beginner doesn't need an enormous amplifier.
If you're not buying as part of a package, a 10- or 15-watt amp is perfect for a beginner. Many by Marshall and Fender have both clean and distorted channels in order to play a variety of different styles.
For a higher price, some amps have multiple effects that can make a guitar sound like practically any guitarist you admire.
“You want to be Eddie Van Halen on the spot? Just push a button,” Hoyle said.

Lessons
It used to be that you had two options: Take lessons or fumble around and try to teach yourself.
“I'm self-taught,” Hoyle said. “When I started, I watched people play or listened to the album and pulled the needle back and listened again to figure out a part.”

A few more options exist today on the Web. Many sites are dedicated to teaching guitar with videos, sheet music and tablature that can help you learn a plethora of songs.

Still, the experts say getting one-on-one time with an instructor and being able to ask questions is important.
“There's a lot of cool stuff on the Internet. There's a treasure trove of information,” Sullivan said. “(But) lessons are the optimum way to do it.”

Teachers can give students direction and guidance and teach them a guitar philosophy that you can't get from a computer, Hoyle said.
Instructors at local stores teach on acoustic and electric guitars in a variety of styles and offer lessons to almost any age. Children can start as young as 6 years old.

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Based on the best-selling Baby Taylor guitar, the TSBT is ideal for both promising players and accomplished pickers. At three-quarters the size of a standard dreadnought, with a slim 1 11/16-inch neck and a comfortably compact shape, the guitar is just right for both the littlest player's hands and anyone who likes to pick up and play on the go. With the new model, Swift
hopes to inspire others to express themselves through music. "I wanted to share my passion for playing guitar with my fans," she says. "For a beginner, finding the right guitar can be intimidating, but this guitar, it's the
perfect size. Even if you've been playing for years, it's a great size to travel with."

The TSBT is crafted from a resilient sapele laminate body with a solid Sitka spruce top. Swift's design, which encircles the guitar's soundhole, features her well-known expression "Love, Love, Love" among delicate vines. The design also commemorates the songwriting spirit and success of her latest album, Fearless, whose title is inscribed above the bridge along with her signature.

Swift, who shares a close relationship with Taylor Guitars and regularly uses a variety of Taylor guitars when both performing and recording, fondly remembers her own Baby Taylor as a go-to guitar during her early days of touring. "I used to sit in the back seat of the rental car while I was on my radio tour at 16, writing songs on my Baby Taylor guitar," she reflects. "I love the sound, and I love those memories."

It's not just Swift who is excited about this guitar. Taylor dealers everywhere are also eagerly anticipating its arrival, like Bryan Rankins from Fazio's Frets and Friends in St. Louis, Missouri. "It's not often that I get
excited about another 'signature' guitar, but when I heard about the Taylor Swift Baby Taylor, my reaction was much different," Rankins says. "Here you have an incredibly gifted young woman who is inspiring young people through her words and music. When I first saw a picture of the guitar, I knew right away that it would help spawn a whole new breed of young musicians and give them something positive that will stay with them for the rest of their lives."

In addition to Taylor's global network of dealers, the Taylor Swift Baby Taylor is available now for pre-orders at Amazon.com. "We're thrilled to work with Taylor Guitars to make the new Taylor Swift Baby Taylor available to our customers," said Noah Herschman, director of Home Electronics and Musical Instruments for Amazon.com. "Taylor Swift is one of the hottest stars in
country and pop music, and her collaboration with Taylor Guitars has resulted in a product that we think our customers will love. Now they can pre-order it and ensure they'll get it in time for the holidays."

Introduced in 1996, the Baby Taylor was designed to be the ultimate musical travel companion and set the standard for how good a small guitar could sound.
Delivering impressive volume and tone for its compact dimensions, the Baby Taylor quickly became the favorite "road guitar" for many professional musicians, including rock legends Bono (U2) and Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), pop artist Katy Perry, and country music hit makers Clint Black and Tim McGraw.

The TSBT will be offered at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $398 and comes ready to rock in a cushioned Taylor Guitars gig bag. The Taylor Swift Baby Taylor guitar is available for purchase at authorized Taylor Guitars dealers, Amazon.com and soon, at TaylorSwift.com.

There are several different types of acoustic guitar available, catering for different styles of music. Classical guitars - sometimes referred to as concert or Spanish - typically feature six nylon strings and are generally used to play classical music. They are often plucked as opposed to strummed and have a flat fretboard profile. They produce a more mellow sound than acoustics with steel strings, which are both louder and brighter.

Different types of acoustic guitar
The three main types of acoustic guitar shape are dreadnoughts, cutaways and round backs. The dreadnought, which has a bell-like body, was developed by famous manufacturer CF Martin & Company and has gone on to be considered the standard acoustic guitar shape. Cutaways have an indentation in the body next to the bottom of the guitar neck to make it easier for guitarists to play the lower part of the fingerboard. Round back models have a rounded as opposed to flat back, which is considered to create a clearer and brighter sound.
Acoustic guitars available on the market.

A starter instrument, such as the Concert Acoustic Guitar can be bought from £39.99. Designed for those on a budget, the instrument is particularly good for smaller players. It produces a mellow and balanced tone and features a compensated bridge to assist with intonation. It is considered to be ideal for finger-picking and playing acoustic blues music.

The Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, which is also geared towards beginners, is available for the same price. The larger instrument has a full and balanced tone and boasts high levels of playability and response in addition to the compensated bridge.

Electro-acoustic guitars, which feature pickups, are marginally more expensive, with the Round Back Acoustic Guitar available for £65. The slimline instrument has a cutaway feature and produces warm and clear tones in addition to having a great feel. It is designed with live performance in mind, with the aim of minimising problems with feedback when the instrument is amplified.

Boasting similar features and the same price is the Single Cutaway Electro Acoustic Guitar, which has a well-balanced acoustic sound that is also designed to sound great through an amp.

Further up the price range and for those looking to advance is the Washburn D46S Acoustic Guitar. The dreadnought instrument costs £299 and is thought to be unrivalled in its price range for its richness of feel and the quality of wood used in its build.

At the top of the price range is the Yamaha LJX6C Solid Top Jumbo Acoustic for £675. With a solid spruce top, cutaway rosewood back and sides and a two-way pick-up with pre-amp system, the instrument is built with the modern guitarist in mind, producing a controlled and assertive tone and a strong mid-range.

Other things to consider when buying an acoustic guitar
Those looking to buy an acoustic guitar and start playing straight away may be interested in the Dreadnought Guitar + Accessory Pack, which comes with a spare set of strings and gig bag for £49.99. Other popular accessories include guitar polish, picks and tuners, while those with electro-acoustics will probably find a practice amp to be useful. Full amplifiers will likely be needed for those looking to play live.

The success of Taylor's smallest and by far its least expensive model, the three-quarter size Baby, introduced back in 1996, may have taken the company by surprise, but, unsurprisingly, Taylor responded with the introduction of another similar, but fuller-figured model.

Sticking generally to the same structural and visual template, a full 25.5 inch scale length now replaces the Baby's 22.75 inch scale. An increase in dimensions has created a 15/16ths size dreadnought body, although it is, proportionally, slightly shallower than a regular dreadnought.

New Neck
One of the original Baby's unique features was its neck joint. Its development helped pave the way for Taylor's 'new technology' necks. The Big Baby's neck is almost identical except for some internal modifications to the neck block.

A little bit like an electric bolt-on design except the cross-head screws are sunk in through the fingerboard – this virtually heel-less neck is mounted into a precisely machined socket, routed out of the soundboard and the underlying section of the extended L-shape neck-block. This might sound like a flimsy platform for an acoustic neck, but it's really an extremely rigid structure.

Apart from the advantages of being quickly and easily removable/re-settable, this also results in the mahogany neck extending all the way to the end of the ebony fingerboard, with no part of the latter joined to the soundboard. It is this basic principle – avoiding the distortion of the fingerboard due to soundboard movement – that is behind the NT neck, although that is a considerably more complex, intricately machined design.

The remaining construction details couldn't be simpler. Although the top gets a regular X-shape spread of scalloped braces, the Big Baby body doesn't used kerfed linings (apart from a couple of two-inch sections at either of the upper bout's main brace) and there's no bracing on the back.

Instead, the back is given a pronounced arch, for rigidity and improved projection that looks similar to that of an f-hole jazz guitar, but is pressed rather than carved into this shape. It isn't possible to mould solid wood in this way, showing that Taylor has made creative use of these laminate panels with this design.

With no linings, the internal join between back and sides is, understandably, a little more gluey than we're used to with Taylor. With no purfling, binding or scratch plate, the soundboard is a Spartan affair, but the laser-etched rosette is a subtle yet phenomenally precise work of hi-tech art.

The two-piece neck features the new NT-style finger-jointed headstock, offering a neat, structurally reliable and resource saving alternative to the one-piece concept. Aside from the arguably unsightly crew heads (there for the sake of honesty, apparently) the fingerboard and frets are quite immaculate.

The headstock is veneered with Lexan (a trade name for a polycarbonate material) and houses a mechanically solid sextet of tuners. Though normally purveyors of Tusq nuts and saddles, Taylor has opted for a non-brand substitute here.

The choice is a commonly used, hard, durable phenolic plastic (Micarta is a well-known trade name for phenolic). As you'd expect, they are respectively seated and slotted with extreme accuracy, although they could both do with some smoothing of their sharp corners. It's reassuring to see that the solid ebony bridge is as finely buffed and bevel-edged as you'd expect on any Taylor.

There's a grainy, occasionally rough but natural look to this thin mat-satin finish, which adds to the puritanical, sparse look of the Big Baby, but there's nothing half-baked about the way this guitar has been assembled.

Sounds
Taylor is famous for its supremely playable acoustic necks and this model is no exception; in fact, due to its virtually heel-less design, there's better access to the upper frets with any regular full-body acoustic.
A typical hybrid profile, giving a C-shape with a soft V influence, this bolt-on neck is desirably unbulky and shallow throughout its entire length while retaining enough width and string spacing to guarantee free range finger gymnastics. The sides of the fingerboard are not contoured into the neck profile, so they seem a bit square but, considering that it is unbound, the fret ends are consummately trim and the top edge is nice and smoothly beveled for maximum comfort.

The playing surface has everything it needs: lustrously finished frets and a beautifully prepared stretch of flawless and even mottled ebony. Although this finish leaves a noticeably 'open grain' sensation, which some may find off-putting, it's actually butter-smooth to touch, and nowhere near as 'squeaky' as some matt finishes.

Needless to say, the setting of the neck is pot-on (and there's no excuse for it not to be), as are all other aspects of the set-up on this review model. But even if the set-up wasn't too you're taste, with the neck alignment correct, everything else can be much more accurately adjusted.

Long-life corrosion resistant light-gauge Elixir strings (the wound strings are coated with a very thing plastic film) come as standard, but they do have the habit of becoming furry as the coating wears off.
In short, however, this Baby plays like a dream, and when you feel this at home with a guitar you can play anything in any style. Obviously this guitar is not going to sound like a standard Taylor dreadnought; and in fact it's quite surprising to hear how unlike a dreadnought the Big Baby tone is.

Lighter, brighter and more articulate sounding, this model makes a surprisingly good medium for finger picking. Its minimalistic construction and finishing leads to a responsive instrument with excellent projection and clarity, requiring little effort to summon a fairly poky output.
While it might sound a bit thin on the highest top string notes and a tad lightweight in its bass registers, a satisfyingly growling mid-range combined with excitable top-end sparkle lends an almost Flamenco 'clunk' to the bottom strings, with notes shooting out in a highly kinetic fashion. Great fun.

Flat-picking predictably brings forth the edgier, harsher side of the Big Baby's tone, but if a brilliant sheen of sound is what you require then you're in luck. Get your fingernails on the job and you'll be rewarded with a sense that your mitts have been to elocution lessons.

Boys' Toys
With such incredibly mechanized, hi-tech production, it might seem surprising that the company hasn't already gone more budget-orientated, aiming to become the undisputed, world-dominating acoustic super-power. With the Baby already under its belt and now another excellent value, sure-fire seller on the production line, it must be tempting for Taylor to follow this lucrative path more aggressively.
It's obvious, however, that both the Big Baby and its predecessor are not merely relatively cheap guitars, but; more accurately, quality guitars designed and built with such cunning as to not cost so much. This approach is much more in keeping with Taylor's image and renowned high standards, and any other way would result in an unacceptable level of compromise; you just wouldn't get such a good guitar for your money. You could criticize this model for being plain, but, realistically, fancy trimmings are a luxury that a mid-price acoustic can ill afford.

Verdict
Constantly moving on, it's hard to keep up with Taylor's cauldron of steaming ideas, but someone's got to lead the way forward, and it seems we're in reliable hands.

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