Guitar Buying Guide for Beginners- Best 10 Guitar Brands in India

Buying your first instrument should be the primary step in a lifelong journey of learning and inspiration. Unfortunately, it can also be complicated because all musical instruments come in various styles and models.
Whenever, If you’re purchasing your first guitar, you’ll face choices like In what size a guitar should get, choosing between an acoustic or electric one, or whether to spend on a brand-new or used instrument. While many variables might influence your decision, the most significant thing is to find out a guitar that sounds good, looks good, and feels good to play – to you.
There are innumerable forms and styles of guitars available, and everyone buys a guitar according to their personality and taste. Above all, the instrument should inspire you and make you feel like practice more frequently. So, From deciding between models and styles to deciding between which guitar sizes to buy, this guitar buying guide will help you clarify the process of finding out the best guitar brands in India and best beginner guitar for you.

The Right Guitar for a Beginner

Here are a couple of tips to help you find out how to buy a best guitar for beginners. First, there are a few general categories of guitar that are very popular. These styles have very different sound and playability features. Deciding the type of which guitar to buy in advance will help narrow down your choices considerably.
Hence, If the instrument inspires you, you’ll get better that much faster. Your favorite bands and styles of music will be a good indicator of the best beginner guitar to buy for capturing your attention.

Buying an Acoustic Guitar for a Beginner

An acoustic guitar is a fretted musical instrument that creates sound with the vibrating strings above a hollow chamber in the guitar’s body. The vibrations carry through the air and do not need an electrical amplification (although many acoustic guitars also function as electric guitars). Most acoustic guitars have six strings. The most common variation on this is a 12-string guitar, where each row is doubled with another one, sounding the identical pitch, creating a rich chorus effect.

Acoustic guitar players produce sound with both their fingers and a pick. Acoustic guitars build to produce a rich sound with no electric amplification. Out of all guitars, they are generally used in sorts like folk, singer-songwriter, country, and bluegrass.
Moreover, A lot of people ask about the difference between starting on an acoustic guitar versus electric guitar. At the core, they are the identical instrument, and concepts learned on one are directly portable to the other. Still, an electric guitar may be the best beginner guitar for learning, as it is usually a little easier to play as the neck is narrower and the strings are more comfortable to press down.

Benefits of buying an Acoustic Guitar for a beginner

• It does not require additional amplification.
• A Removal pickup can amplify it.
• A clear sound that is excellent for playing chords
• Get a better initial instrument using money saved by not requiring an amp.

Limitations of buying an Acoustic guitar for a beginner

• Many forms need additional equipment installed to plug into a sound system, making it more challenging to hear while playing with a band.
• Inadequate range of sounds and tones.
• Requires thicker strings, making it tougher to play for a beginner.
• Some short-scale and beginner models are imperfect.

Buying an Electric Guitar for a Beginner

An electric guitar structures from a wooden body with parts such as a pickup installed and strung with steel strings. If played without amplification, the sound volume is low, so a device amplifies the sound electrically.

The frames of these guitars are managed to look like metal or plastic and are frequently quite colorful. Nevertheless, just like any other guitar, electric guitars are generally made from wood. Therefore, the sound produced by an electric guitar modifies according to the material used for the body.

Moreover, Electric guitars feature devices called pickups set in their bodies. Pickups transform the strings’ vibrations into an electric signal, then sent to an amplifier over a shielded cable. The amplifier turns the electric signal into sound and plays it. The pitch and volume of the sound are also improved during this process. In other words, an electric guitar requires an amplifier before it deems to be an instrument for playing music.

Benefits of buying an Electric Guitar for a beginner

• It is easier to play than acoustic or classical
• Available to many extents, making them perfect for young players
• It is versatile and capable of creating a variety of pitches
• It is used commonly in most popular styles of music
• With the amplifier, it can set to be as loud or soft as desired.

Limitations of buying an Electric Guitar for a beginner

• It requires extra accessories, such as an amplifier and connector cable, to achieve a full sound.

What is an Acoustic-Electric Guitar ?

If you feel like you want a guitar that fuses the benefits of electric and acoustic, you may need to consider an Acoustic-Electric guitar. As musicians often use acoustic guitars in large venues, acoustic guitar makers create models that have built-in microphones or pickups. The advantage is that these guitars work and sound accurately like an acoustic guitar, but they can be plugged in and amplified through an amp or sound system when needed.
Therefore, Most Acoustic-Electric guitars have some level of pitch control in the form of an onboard equalizer. The drawback is that you can expect to pay more because these guitars have electronic hardware not found in acoustic guitars. But the cost may be related to an electric guitar, so relying upon the style of music you want to play, an Acoustic-Electric may be a choice.

Buying a New vs. Used Guitar

Buying a used guitar can be an excellent way for a young player to move up to a pro-level instrument. High-end guitars will age well if cared for, and many expert musicians are using fifty to sixty-year-old classic models from manufacturers like Fender and Gibson. But manufacturers manage to make guitars available at an entry-level price by using materials that don’t age as well – metal pieces that are thinner (weaker) and softer wood. So when buying a first guitar, new may be the most reliable route. But, if you’re buying used, pay attention to all potential issues listed above, but with a higher level of analysis. Here are some added points to consider if you’re still on the fence:

Advantages of buying a New Guitar

In the first place, If you are deeply motivated and mature enough to play a full-size guitar, you may need to spend on a new instrument from a trusted manufacturer. By buying new, you will get:

• Cutting edge technology
• Manufacturer’s Warranty
• Brand new look and feel

Advantages of buying a Used Guitar

If you feel like you are still exploring the choices or buying a ½ or ¾ sized guitar used for 3-4 years, a used instrument may bring the most value. Buying a used guitar can include: 

• Vintage look and sound
• Less pricey
• Finding brands and styles no longer available new

Where to buy a first best guitar?

While buying a guitar online may seem like an easy and less expensive option, it’s essential that any ambitious guitar player see, hold, feel, and hear the instrument in person before buying it. Therefore, it would be beneficial to always go to a guitar shop when purchasing the first guitar for yourself.
Also, We suggest that you go into a store with a small list of expert guitar players or songs you like. Even if you have no musical experience, the salesman most likely does. They can understand what kind of sound you want and demonstrate the differences in the sound of the types of guitar to help you choose an instrument.

What to look for when buying a guitar ?

Tip-1 How far are the strings from the fretboard?

Try to carry a scale to measure the guitar string’s gap limit. Put the guitar in a straight position and then insert the scale at the 12th fret of the guitar. At the 12th fret, every string should have a gap of between 3mm-4mm. If there is a gap of more than 5mm, you should neglect that choice, and it will be more beneficial if you choose a guitar by yourself and not with the choice of a salesman.

Tip-2 Are the tuning pecks tight or loose?

Tuning peck of a guitar is delicate by looks. So, You should check those tuning peck’s condition from their backside if they are loose or tight. The gear of tuning pecks should be closed/tight every time.

Tip- 3 Check for the cracks

Firstly, Check for the cracks everywhere on a guitar. Mostly a guitar has a crack on its neck platform (stocking point). Secondly, put the guitar in a flat position and check the cracks on its chamber (wooden side) by tapping on it. If you get a weird sound by tapping on the chamber, it means that the guitar has a crack.

Tip-4 The guitar’s neck should be straight.

Check the neck of the guitar for any curves or bends. Impeccably, your guitar should have a straight neck and block the strings from hitting the frets as you play.
If the guitar has a bow or back bow, playing the guitar is more complex, especially for newcomers. If you’re doubtful of how to check your guitar’s neck relief, ask a professional. They should check and identify any likely problems with your guitar neck and make corrections as needed.

Tip-5 Check the Brand Name or Logo

If you are buying a branded guitar, firstly, you should check its name/logo at the head of the guitar (with the tuning pecks) and secondly under the sound-hole.

Tip-6 Check for the bridge

Mostly the beginners make a mistake by buying a guitar having an Aluminium bridge on it. If you buy a guitar under a price of ₹2000-₹3000, it consists of an Aluminium bridge (hanging bridge), then you can’t play it for more than 1-2 years. So, if you need a better guitar, then it should have a fixed bridge.

Tip- 7 Check for the belt notch

If you like to play the guitar by hanging it with a belt, you should buy a belt notch at the bottom of it. However, if you think of drilling a hole in it, you should deny that thought because it can cause a crack in the guitar. So always check for the belt notch on it.

Tip-8 Check for the Serial number

If you are purchasing a branded guitar, it must include a serial number at the end of the neck or the side of the sound-hole.

Tip-9 Check for the Good echo sound

While doing a strum, check for the strum’s echo sound; if it gives you a sound for more than 4 seconds, that guitar has a perfect quality sound.

Tip-10 Select the right size guitar

When deciding between guitar sizes, you may need to consider the age of who you’re buying the guitar. Usually, our experts recommend a half-size guitar for ages 5 – 7, a three-quarter size guitar for ages 7-10, and a whole size guitar for ages 11 and up.

So, if you follow all the above tips while buying your first guitar, you will rock the world!

What are some guitar accessories you will need ?

When deciding how to buy a guitar, it’s essential to look at guitar accessories to get you playing in no time.

Necessary guitar accessories includes :

• Guitar amps: An amplifier/speaker is an essential accessory for an electric guitar. In most situations, a small “practice amp” will avail for newer students. However, students interested in rock, pop, and blues may want a “two-channel” amp – that is, one with the inclination of both clean tone and distorted tone.
• Instrument cable: The instrument cable combines the electric guitar with the amp. It would be best to make sure the line is long enough to reach from the amp to the student’s chair/stool. 
• Headphones: Many amps have headphone jacks, which help keep practice volume inaudible to family members, neighbors, pets, etc., for instance.
• Extra strings for your guitar: Guitar strings infrequently break through the consistent use, so a different set of strings/lines is a good investment. Also, Make sure to buy strings/lines that are harmonious with either an electric or acoustic guitar.
• Guitar case: A guitar case is a necessity for guarding the instrument during travel. Soft cases (“gig bags”) are reasonable and acceptable for car rides and general use. Complicated issues offer more excellent protection for more upscale instruments or when taking the guitar on an airplane.

Best 10 Guitar Brands in India

1. Guitar Brand : YAMAHA

Yamaha is a leading Japanese Company which is one of the best guitar brand in India and also known for producing an extensive range of musical instruments. It has caught the attention of beginners and intermediate guitar players due to its budget-friendly product prices. Therefore, it is an excellent choice for those who will first experience buying any guitar. They can surely get a good deal without demanding a fortune. Yamaha continuously manufactures high-quality instruments that are insurmountable when it comes to the material or even sound quality.
Apart from offices and Japan, Yamaha company has about 44 bureaus and representative offices across the world. Its music is a part of Yamaha Corporation that provides excellent musical instruments. Yamaha Music authorized during the year 2008, and its headquarters is in Gurgaon, Haryana.

Extra Details

This guitar brand offers outstanding products and services. The company launches new products in music through its research and development. In addition, the company cares for its customers by rendering a better service after sales that ensure positive growth. Their various products produced in the music category are strings, guitars, pianos, keyboards, drums etc.
Furthermore, The company well receives for its extensive range of acoustic, classical and electric guitars.

Moreover, The acoustic series of Yamaha lights up with the contribution in the ilk of L, F, FG, FS series and more. These are pretty much ideal for those exploring the initial venture into the guitar world. The superior playability of the Yamaha guitars is well suited for beginners or those in the middle of their learning process. With a flawless balance of quality and price, these guitars will never hinder your way of learning, unlike most new instruments.

Pros

• Accessible price ranges.
• Great for beginners.
• Uncompromising quality despite mass production methods.
• Feature radical design body shapes in solid electric models
• Produce fantastic bass guitars.

Cons

• Lower budget entry models will not fill a concert hall.
• Most people prefer older Yamaha Acoustics.
• imported

2. Guitar Brand : EPIPHONE

Epiphone is an American musical instrument industry which is one of the best guitar brand in India and established in 1873 and headquartered in Tennessee, United States. The company designs acoustic and electric guitars. The Top guitar brands produced by this company are perfect for beginners and professional players.
Epiphone provides one for every guitarist out there and has a product lineage featuring electric, acoustic and other choices.

In addition, One of its famed choices among the acoustic line is the Les Paul Ukulele, an actual vintage piece. The guitar has termed as the market leader in the acoustic guitar field. It comes with a mahogany body promoted by top laminated rosewood fingerboard and maple top. Also, The tone of the same is genuinely reverberating.

Furthermore, As for electric options around, a name to look for is SG unique electric guitar. It holds iconic status among guitar users and features excellent build quality paired with refined sound output. For beginners, one of the best guitar brands in India is Les Paul 100, and Les Paul Special II are the perfect acoustic best guitar brands for them. These guitars are available at a low price. Les Paul Plus Top Pro or Les Paul Custom Pro is an ideal choice for professional’s guitar players. The models of Epiphone offers the best quality coupled with multiple features.

Pros

• Produce Gibson-like tone
• It comes in a lower amount that is affordable for a majority
• Have a similar design to Gibson
• Make use of new Pro-Bucker pickups producing a unique sound

Cons

• Use low-quality material.
• Have cheap electrical components
• It tries to copy Gibson but not succeeds well

3. Guitar Brand : IBANEZ

Ibanez, an offering of Japanese manufacturers and the best guitar brand in India and has built up enough brand status over the years. They are famed as the first leading brand to come up with mass production of seven and eight-string guitars. Their product line includes classical, acoustic and electric ones.
Moreover, Ibanez is the pioneer to begin the first 7-stringed guitar. They are the inventors of the 7-stringed instrument in 1990 with the collaboration universe. Most Ibanez guitars come with a full-size frigate shape having a top of laminated preferred dapper. Ibanez guitars have mahogany neck, back, and sides, along with 20 frets on a rosewood fretboard. The Ibanez-branded headstock came with winning quality and locked chrome die-cast tuners. Therefore, These all features make the Ibanez guitars fit for every kind of style and genre of music. Also, They provide two primary solid body forms; the RG (24 fret standard, thicker body) and the S (22 frets, thinner ). Other styles include arched tops.

The bulk of their guitars are floating tremolo, but there are some fixed bridge options. In addition, they have a range of pickup combinations. They also offer many signature series lines Joe Satriani JS series, JEM and Universe with Steve Vai, the K7 with Head and Munky, to name a few.
The Ibanez company subdivides into Custom, Prestige, Premium, and Gio, their budget series line.

Pros

• Epic range of stock.
• Solid/hollow bodied.
• Their high-end guitars are unbelievable.
• Great craftsmanship.
• They have a range of inexpensive entry-level instruments.

Cons

• Entry-level and Acoustic guitars are not good with zero unique quality.

4. Guitar Brand : FENDER

Fender is well known for offering top quality musical instruments and is the best guitar brand in India. Not just today, instead it always has excelled in the list of best guitar brands as an icon in music history. It produces a brighter tone, following single coil pickups rather than the humbuckers. The single-coil pickups specially designed to scratching through the mix with the glorious sound to create the characteristic style. The central part of Fender guitars may cause problems with humming.
Fender guitars have a measured length of about 25.5 inches, including the strings from the nut to the bridge. Such an extensive scale length is added, generating a rich, bell-like sound. However, the long lines are more challenging to play due to extended string tension.

Extra Details

Fender guitars are among the most popular models globally, yet many players are on the fence about whether or not they are one of the best labels. It is actually because many other guitars from iconic brands outshine Fender in terms of quality, playability, or accuracy. It has an incredible legacy over its competitors, connected with a genuine tone that satisfies nostalgia and makes it pure for recreating the authentic rock tones of bygone eras.
Their ascension to fame was from their game-changing Stratocaster and Telecaster series; just about everyone from Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix has played a Fender and brought the company into the spotlight in its blooms.
The acoustic series comes in different options like Parlor, Concert, Jumbo, Triple O and more. It also has a product line under others named Squier, Charvel, Jackson, EVH and more.

Pros

• Infamous models.
• Classic first electric guitars.
• Celebrity collaborated models (EVH)
• Positive ‘Fender’ tones

Cons

• Newer, lower-priced models are not always as well constructed as competitive models.
• There are modernized guitars with better quality for the same budget.

5. Guitar Brand : GIBSON

A famous American guitar manufacturer , Gibson is a musical instrument industry established in 1902 and headquartered in Tennessee, United States. It is also famous as the best guitar brand in India. The company produces a guitar and other musical instruments. Gibson was first known as Gibson Guitar Corp and retitled as Gibson Brands.
Gibson appears to have the features that depreciate the drawbacks in the Fenders series.

The USA Company comes with humbucker pickups that reduce noise and humming concerns and produce a warm sound. Unlike Fender, Gibson guitars have a shorter measure length of approximately 24.75 inches. Thus, the easy bending makes a more pleasing and smooth sound, emblematic of the brand. You can surely go for a Gibson guitar to enjoy a Fender guitar quality on short strings.
It is famed as the creator of some of the fascinating guitar pieces around, like top arch ones, the SG series, Flying V, ES175, Firebird and more. The ES 175 was the first famous electric guitar around the world at the time. Another unique offering under them is the Les Paul Melody Maker, which has been the go-to option worldwide.

Pros

• The rarest addition in the world of rock due to the most appealing design
• Employs high-quality supplies for construction
• Presents outclass craftsmanship
• Diminish humming and easy to play

Cons

• Produce less bright tone due to Humbucker pickups
• High-priced
• It may not be suitable for newbies or beginners
• Heavy-weight makes it hard to handle sometimes

6. Guitar Brand : MARTIN

A leading guitar producer company across the world, Martin is considered as the best guitar brand in India. The company based out of America was established in 1833 and known for its steel-string and flat top guitars.
Martins make great-sounding entry-level guitars and are perfect for beginners. They won’t set you back too much. They employ proper materials in their construction. Their Cheaper DX series features laminates, but you receive what you pay for, and they make incredible sounding budget guitars. They are exceptional for fingerpicking and classic styles. They provide a range of models, including a few attractive electric travel options.
Their older models sought after; one D-28 played by Elvis fetched over 100,000 bucks at auction in his final concert. They also offered a line of solid-bodied electric modelled after Fender, which is relatively rare.

Pros

• Affordable.
• Easy to play (suitable for newcomers).
• Consistent quality.

Cons

• The quality though uniform, isn’t thrilling.
• Low-end models can be discouraging to a more seasoned player.
• Laminate tops on low-priced models.

7. Guitar Brand : ESP

As one of the best guitar producers around the globe, ESP’s popularity and reputation as one of the best guitar brand in India places it at seven on our list. ESP Guitars first experimented in the year 1975 under the direction of Hisatake Shibuya. The company established in Tokyo, Japan, at the time. Initially, the company only dealt with quality replacement parts for the guitar. However, in 1976, Hisatake Shibuya started offering his guitars to users. The Tokyo company took great curves along the way and is rightly known as the raisers of one of the highest quality guitars.
Some company’s using ESP include Kramer, Robin guitars, DiMarzio, and OEM. Additionally, George Lynch’s ESP Kamikaze was their first signature model, which grew with James Hetfield’s Eet Fuk. They have gone on to become the top thrash metal guitars. They also make the best bass guitars. Their custom series sought after, and they are far more affordable than some custom series.
They feature some traditional frames (AX, EX, Horizon, Eclipse, Viper, Phoenix) for their bodies and come in a range of modern, aesthetically gratifying designs.

Pros

• Affordable and well-made.
• Lots within their range.
• Excellent for Metal genres.

Cons

• Cheaper models can have a lower life expectancy.
• V shapes are more challenging to play sitting.
• Some find the bolt-on construction of the body awkward.

8. Guitar Brand : TAYLOR

Also admired as a top guitar brand, Taylor company was established in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug. Taylor is an American company that produces high-level acoustic guitars. It is one of the best guitar brand in India. The company also manufactures electric guitars, but their acoustic guitars are famous than electric ones.
Since its initiation, the company has expanded into a leading builder of excellent acoustic guitars. The company combines modern and innovative manufacturing techniques with a master craftsman’s attention and produces fantastic instruments. In addition, Taylor 200 series is the most reliable series available, and all the models under this series give a big sound and are available at a fair cost. These models are small in size but still have their notoriety.
They offer a lot of affordable models; however, they aren’t much better than beginner quality. High-end Taylors, however, make a fantastic tone, have excellent sound and fret efficiency and are durable and expertly crafted with high-quality woods but cost a little more.

Pros

• Proficiently built.
• Expertly designed.
• Affordable lines.
• Outstanding high-end guitars.

Cons

• Cheap guitars aren’t brilliant.
• Can be on the thin side.

9. Guitar Brand : PRS (Paul Reed Smith)

The PRS guitars, also known as Paul Reed Smith Guitars, are a famous musical instrument company established in 1985. Also, The company headquartered in Maryland, United StatesIt is one of the best guitar brand in India.
These guitars have been established a status for manufacturing high-end guitars. The company produces those products are electrical and acoustic guitars and guitar amplifiers. The company’s guitar manufacturing process is an ongoing process of discovery. The company devotes itself to the rich heritage when they are committed to new technologies. Due to this, the products enrich with great tone, beauty, and productivity.
They offer an affordable line and signature line imported from Korea. PRS guitars also have confined series guitars such as their Dragon models and their private stock customized line, making one-off pieces obtain upwards of $10,000.
They have achieved everything in a short space of time and are one of the rare high-end bespoke brands to develop into the mainstream industry.

Pros

• Excellent consistency.
• Higher quality in high-end models.

Cons

• There are better guitars in their corresponding price range.

• It is costly.

10. Guitar Brand : SEAGULL

Also, as one of the best guitar brand in India, Seagull, is a Canadian company that was established during the year 1982 and headquartered in Quebec, Canada. The company produces acoustic guitars.
One of their most discernible features is their head-stock shape which joins the tuning machines and nuts and gives better tuning consistency. They also have a frame that curves ever so lightly around the sound-hole instead of being flat-topped. Acoustic guitar artists use several guitars, including Kim Deal and James Blunt.
Moreover, Their S6 makes for one of their best-selling instruments. They step away from classical guitar design propels their low-priced guitars into the reams of sound quality levels that rival high-end boutique models—it volumes about their integrity and commitment to offering the best sounding guitars achievable.

Pros

• Expertly designed
• Affordably priced.
• Great for novices but also well-loved by seasoned players.
• Awesome range of guitars.

Cons

• Some people hate the classic head-stock design.
• Not as much fame with the brand as there ought to be.

FAQ | Guitar buying guide for beginners-Best Guitar Brands in India

Editor’s Note | Guitar buying guide for beginners-Best Guitar Brands in India

The guitar is not just a musical instrument but also a way to express your feelings. Once you are friendly with it, it will turn out to be your best companion that will never leave you even after ages. Consequently, it is essential to buy a good quality guitar from the best guitar brand available near you.
You may find a flood of numerous guitar brands in the Indian market. All of them asserts to deliver the best products. So, it is a bit difficult for a beginner to choose the right one. That is why having earlier background knowledge about all the brands is of utmost importance before you invest money in a guitar. Such know-how will help you to avoid the trap of words of mouth.