Should I buy an Auditorium, OM, or Dreadnaught?

One question I hear a lot from beginners that are wanting to buy a guitar is, what type should I get?  The three most common acoustic guitar types are Auditorium, OM, and Dreadnaughts.  There is of course also the Jumbo size, but it is less common.

You will hear people say "you need an OM if you play fingerstyle," or "if you play Bluegrass you need a Dreadnaught."  While this is accurate in a sense (OMs tend to be more balanced and sometimes don't handle strumming as well, Dreadnaughts have more bass and tend to be better for rhythm), nothing could be farther from the truth.  What truly matters is what sounds good to YOUR ears, not somebody else's.  Michael Hedges, one of the greatest fingerstyle players of our generation, played a Martin Dreadnaught.

My suggestion would be to listen to the different types and choose what you think sounds the best and makes you want to play, because that is what truly matters anyway.

Agree?  Disagree?  Share your thoughts!

How to Choose Your First Acoustic Guitar

So you've finally decided you are going to go out and purchase your first acoustic guitar.  First of all, congratulations!!  To me, there is nothing sweeter or better sounding than playing a big fat E-chord on a good sounding acoustic.  Electric guitars have there place too, but there is just something about an acoustic guitar.

Anyway, back to topic.  Trying to choose an acoustic guitar can be difficult if you have never owned one before.  Trying to decide which guitars sound good and which have good playability is tough if you don't know what you are looking for.

If you are just starting out, my advice would be to pick out 3 or 4 solid-top acoustics and get someone that works at the store play them while you stand back and listen.  A little note here:  choosing a solid-top guitar is a good compromise between getting a crappy cheap guitar and spending around a grand on a an all-solid guitar.  I wouldn't go all out on a high dollar instrument until you are sure you are going to get your money's worth out of it.  On the other hand, a solid-top will still get you and instrument that will sound decent and enjoyable.

Once you've found one you like in the store, either buy it there or go online and search.  It won't be the exact same guitar, but it should sound very close and could also be quite a bit cheaper.  Here are a few good beginner guitar options I found quickly online at good prices:

Silver Creek T-160 (All solid wood guitar at an unbelievable price!)



The Seagull S6 (Solid Top, great playing Canadian made acoustic)




Both of these guitars are great sounding and playing.  The Silver Creek is made in China, which is a turn off to some people, but should not be a big deal.  They are all solid and offer a lot of bang for your buck.  Seagull guitars have a great reputation and also offer a lot of value for you money.  The S6 is not all solid, but does feature a solid top and is a great beginner guitar. In other words, either are great values at these prices.

If you know of any other good entry-level guitars, let me know about it in the comments below!