So you have just got an interest in learning Guitar and you choose to log in to Amazon for the Cheapest Guitar. STOP!
Here are the Reasons:
Guitars that are very cheap also offer very poor quality. A good instrument is the one that is made out of good wood. The cheap guitars are made of recomposed raw materials that neither do have strength or durability. Imagine you want to buy a New phone and what are the features that phone worth 4000 is offering. An average user buys a phone worth Rs. 10000 because it offers the most required features. So think of the Guitar in the similar way. It is not possible to put quality into a cheap one because its simply not viable.
2. No Truss Rod
The Guitar's Truss Rod acts like the Human Spine. It Holds the fret-board of the Guitar in Shape and gives it strength. Guitars sold under various Brands under Rs. 3000 on many marketplaces do not have a Truss Rod. These Guitars will start bending within 6 months or are usually received in a bent condition. This bending is called Guitar Warp or a forward bow. Once Warped, it is impossible to play the Guitar without pain. As a beginner you will just hate learning it with all the pain it is causing. And without the Truss Rod you cannot straighten it up and you will end up loosing the investment and maybe even your interest.
3. Parts made of Plastic NOT WOOD
Tell a Classical Musician their Tabla or Harmonium is made of Plastic Parts and you will be showered with their Anger. The idea of using Wood is simple- because of its musical nature. Fine Tone woods make the instrument sound great. The really 'cheap beginner guitars' have plastic Bridge and Frets and sometimes even the fret board. We cannot emphasis enough about the disaster of plastic being used in an instrument. Another important point is that the Guitar is a beautiful combination of Physics, Geometry and Craftsmanship - without which the instrument is just not good. And you cannot expect all that in a super cheap guitar - it is just a mass produced product without any kind of research.
4. Inferior Sound
If you want to buy a Home theater or a Headphone, what is going to be your first priority - SOUND ! Of course !
If you want to learn the Guitar, a Good sound will drive you to practice more and get better at the instrument. Without a good sound, it can even demotivate you to play it often. Most Cheap guitars are constructed without following proper measurements and that is why it sounds 'off' or out of tune even after you tune it (Read about Guitar Intonation). In Indian classical music we call it बेसुर (Besur)
And do you really want to be बेसुरा (Besura) ?
5. Short Life Span
Most passionate learners buy the cheapest guitar online thinking this is temporary and will upgrade the guitar later after learning. But what if that Guitar is not even going to last a Year. That is waste of your investment regardless how small it is. Its better to put in a little more money / Use financing or any other method to get a better instrument, and you will land up with a faithful instrument for the years to come. A Guitar is a good Friend after all.
Check out the video explaining this blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJX1PqItIxQ
Prince John
Guitar Technician
Experience: 6 Years
