Q: Should a beginner buy an expensive guitar?

A: There are two schools of thought on beginner guitars. One is buy the cheapest guitar you can find. The other is to spend more and get a guitar that sounds and plays better.

Some people think it's best to buy an inexpensive guitar for a beginner because so many people quit after a few months.  They are not sure they or their child will continue, so they don't want to "waste" money on an expensive instrument.  But this can be a self-fulfilling prophesy.  In my experience, one of the main reasons people quit guitar is because they bought a cheap guitar that hurts their hands and sounds lousy. Because guitars are so inexpensive compared to other musical instruments, it makes no sense to not spend enough to get a quality instrument.  Besides, if the child quits, a quality guitar retains a much higher used market value, and can be sold for half or more of what was paid for it, which will be about what you would have paid for a cheap guitar (which will have zero resale value).  So really, it's a wash either way financially, but the joy and ease of playing will be much higher with a better guitar.  As a teacher, I have found that the better the instrument, the more the student enjoys practicing, and the faster he or she progresses.

Very inexpensive guitars (under $200) are not musical instruments at all, they are merely toys, and they are not suitable for learning guitar. If you buy a guitar with a bad action and a bad tone, it will hurt your hands, wrists, and fingers to press the strings, and it will hurt your ears to hear it, and you’ll give up quickly.

However, it is NOT necessary to purchase an "expensive" guitar (in the $2,000-5,000 range.)  A lower priced guitar (in the $250-700 range) will be sufficient, IF you spend your money wisely!  But be careful, because many guitars in this price range are not good bargains.  Don't just go into the music store and listen to the salesman and think that a $400 guitar he is recommending is going to be great.  (In another article on this web site, I discuss the best guitars in each price range at length.  LINK HERE to read it).

Bottom line: In my experience, a quality instrument that sounds good and doesn’t hurt your fingers too much will inspire you to practice more, so you’ll progress more quickly, and you’ll enjoy it and won’t quit. So it’s worth the extra money.  If you can’t afford something in the $250-700 range, you are probably wasting your time and money on guitar lessons.

Q: What are your thoughts on buying used guitars off of Ebay?

A: I generally don’t recommend that students buy used acoustic guitars at all, unless I can see it and check it out first.  There are too many potential problems that beginners wouldn’t know how to identify... geometry, action, tone.  To fix any problems will cost far more than the difference between used and new prices.  In my opinion, it’s worth it to buy new unless you know what you are doing. 

New guitars are so inexpensive, anyway!  Of all wooden musical instruments, guitars have the lowest price point of any of them.  (In my studio I have a violin teacher next door.  She isn’t impressed that I spent $3,000 on my newest Taylor 717e, which is my favorite guitar that I have ever played.  Her violin cost a quarter of a million dollars.  Many of her students have spent more a single violin than I have spent all of my guitars combined.)

I also don’t generally recommend buying any acoustic guitars online, not even new ones.  Buying a guitar you haven’t played is like marrying someone you haven’t met, but only saw pictures and chatted online.  I recommend going to Main Street Guitars (at The Book Table), playing all the guitars in your price range, and buying the one that speaks to you, that when you pick it up it makes you smile, that when you hear it your jaw drops a little and you get goosebumps, that you don't want to put back on the wall to try another guitar.  I would be happy to meet you there and guide you through the various options in whatever your price range is, even if you aren’t taking lessons from me.  (No I don’t get a commission; they just have the best selection of the best brands and models of guitars in the entire state, so I love going there.)

If you decide to ignore the above advice, and to buy a used guitar online, I highly recommend that you not use Ebay.  Instead, use Reverb.com, which specializes in used musical instrument gear.  It’s a much better forum for used guitars, plus they have higher standards for sellers (more like Amazon than like Ebay).  If you decide to buy a new guitar online, I highly recommend using Sweetwater.com.  They have an excellent service department, a good return policy, and in most cases you can see photos of the exact guitar you are buying, not just a promotional photo of the model.  But I still say it's better to buy a guitar you have held in your hands and played.

Q: What size guitar is best for a 6-year-old?

A: The best “guitar” for a 6 year old isn't a guitar, it is a ukulele.  The nylon strings are easy to play, the neck is thin, and the body is small.  Then have them transition to guitar at age 10 or 11.  Baritone ukulele is best because the fingerings are identical to the top four strings on a guitar, so the transition later is easier. 

Full sized steel string acoustic guitars are WAY too big for their arms and the strings are WAY too hard to press. 7/8 size guitars like the GS Mini are still too large and the strings are still WAY too hard to press. Even on 3/4 sized guitars the strings are still too hard to press for 6–7 year olds, plus they sound lousy.  Electric guitars are easier on the fingers, but are monstrously too large and heavy.  Nylon string guitars have strings that are easy to press but the neck is too wide for their small fingers to reach across.

Q: Is it easier to learn on a 3/4 size guitar?

A: For small children, yes. For nearly all adults, no. The fret spacing and width are too small for adult fingers.  The relevant factors are: body size, arm length, finger length, fingertip size, finger strength, and how much you care about good tone.  For small adults and young teens, a 7/8 sized guitar (Taylor GS Mini) is a good alternative that is between 3/4 size and full size.  And the Taylor GT is halfway between a GS Mini and a full sized American built Taylor.

Q: Do shorter scale length acoustic guitars tend to be harder to play than longer scale instruments? Why or why not?

A: That mostly depends on your arm length, hand and finger size, and body shape. Young teens and many women find shorter scale length acoustic guitars (which often also have smaller bodies) to be much easier to play than full length and full sized guitars. However, there are many other factors also involved in how “hard” or “easy” a guitar is to play. String gauge, nut slot height, saddle height, “neck relief” (i.e. truss rod adjustment), etc.

Q: Are entirely solid wood acoustic guitars better than laminated ones?

A: It depends on your definition of "better."  If "better" means better sounding, the answer is “yes.” Especially for the top (soundboard). Solid tops always sound better than laminate tops, as long as the solid top is made from a good piece of wood. Laminate tops do not resonate like solid tops, because the wood does not flex the same way with glue in it and with the grain going all sorts of different directions. Also, solid tops usually get better sounding as they age (subject to taking care of the instrument, humidification, etc.), while laminate tops don’t improve over time. As for the back and sides, the sound difference between laminate and solid wood is less noticeable than the top. A well made guitar with a laminate back and sides will sound better than an all-solid wood guitar that is not made as well. For example, most people who have played them would agree that the Taylor GS Mini and Academy series guitars sound better than any other guitars in their sizes, and they have laminated sides and backs. But the general answer is still true. Take two guitars with identical construction, one with laminate back and sides, and the other with solid wood back and sides, and there is a noticeable difference in the richness of the tone. How much of a difference depends on the type of wood used and the quality of construction.

Having said that, however, excellence of tone is not the only definition of the word "better."  If by the word "better" you mean sturdiness, durability, and consistency, solid wood guitars are NOT better.  All-laminate guitars (guitars with plywood top, sides, and back) are workhorses. They’re more durable, will stay in tune better and sound more consistent with age because they’re not as susceptible to humidity and temperature change. Some players use a solid wood guitar in the studio where the conditions are more controlled and a laminate on the road where durability and predictability matter.

You can get some of the best of both worlds with a guitar that has a solid top and laminate back and sides.  For example, I personally have a Taylor GS Mini, that is my “workhorse,” for those very reasons. It has a solid top, but laminate sides and back.  I take it everywhere I go, and use it for teaching, and play it more often than all my other guitars combined. And it is indeed very durable, and the action is very stable. So it is “better” for those purposes!


Q: Is a laminated acoustic guitar a better choice to play around a campfire than a solid wood guitar, and why or why not?

A: In theory, laminate will hold up slightly better under abuse than solid wood.  However, don’t make the mistake of thinking a laminate guitar won’t get ruined if used regularly in those kinds of activities.  As a practical matter, for campfire or beach use, my advice is to use the cheapest all-laminate guitar you can buy (not because it won’t get wrecked in camping and beach scenarios — it will! — but rather because you won’t care, because it is as cheap as dirt and sounds like a cardboard box!).  Or, buy a LavaMe2 carbon fiber guitar that you can probably use as a baseball bat and not hurt it. But never use a wood guitar that you paid more than $200 for, for those kinds of activities. Laminate or solid wood doesn’t matter as much as other answers are claiming… all that matters is either it’s dirt cheap or it’s indestructible.

Q: Do old guitars sound better?

A: Better than what? The question is ambiguous. Do you mean do guitars made in the past sound better than do new guitars made today, in general? (In other words, did they make guitars better back then?) Or, do you mean does a specific guitar sound better when it is old than when it was new?

The answer to the first question is “no.” In general, mass produced guitars keep getting better sounding over time, because manufacturing processes keep improving. This is especially true in the lower price ranges. For example, Yamaha and Fender solid top guitars in the lowest price ranges are far better instruments than were beginner guitars 30 years ago. (In fact, adjusting for inflation, these guitars are also less expensive than equivalent guitars were 30 years ago.) This is also true among many guitars in higher price ranges. For example, Taylor guitars made now sound much better than did equivalent guitars made by Taylor 30 years ago. Of course, it is not true for ALL new guitars vs ALL old guitars. Some old handmade Martins sound as good as or better than just about any guitars made today.

The answer to the second question is “it depends.” In general, almost any guitar made with quality craftsmanship and out of quality solid woods will sound better over time than it did when it was new. That is because good woods improve with age if they are taken care of (meaning temperature and humidity control, and non abusive handling and playing). However, guitars made of laminate wood or other materials (carbon fiber, plastic, etc) do not improve over time. And guitars made with faulty design and/or lousy craftsmanship generally self destruct over time. An example of faulty design is that most Ovation guitars made 30 years ago fell apart and were thrown away long ago, and nearly all that are left now have split soundboards. An example of bad craftsmanship is that most cheap wood guitars made back then have twisted necks, missing frets, frozen or broken truss rods, broken tuners, or worst of all soundboards that have been pulled up by the strings. Those guitars sound worse every year they are around.

Q: After an acoustic guitar reaches a certain age and it reaches its peak in sound, how long before the sound quality declines?

A: It depends on the quality of the wood and other materials, the quality of the design, the quality of the craftsmanship, and the quality of the care it receives. Like any fine wood musical instrument, a high quality crafted guitar will sound better over time. And after it reaches maturity, if it is taken care of, the quality of the sound will never decline. Or if it does it will be measured in centuries, not years. Think of Stradivarius violins. 300-ish years old, and still nothing sounds better. But if a guitar is low quality, who knows how long the finish will last, the glue will last, and so on before things start coming apart? The important thing is, a high quality guitar that is kept in a humidity and temperature controlled environment and is not otherwise abused will last more than a lifetime. Eventually it will need to be re-fretted, but other than that, for all practical purposes, there’s no upper limit on its life.

Q: I'm a lefty and have read a few different recommendations in regards to playing guitar when it comes to lefties. Should I buy a lefty guitar, or learn to play like a righty?

A: I have never understood the concept of left handed guitars.  Whoever came up with that idea?  They don’t make handed violins (or cellos, or pianos, or saxophones, or trumpets, or any other instrument.)  Why left handed guitars?  Furthermore, on guitar (and violin and nearly all other string instruments), many of the most complex, difficult, and critical actions are performed with the left hand.  For many people, finger-picking and flat-picking are no more difficult to master than the fingering on the fretboard.  It seems to me that left handed people may have an ADVANTAGE over right handed people when learning to play a standard guitar!  Besides, as a pianist I can tell you for sure that the non-dominant hand can be trained to be just as good as the dominant hand.

There are all sorts of advantages of learning to play the same way as everyone else.  If you go to someone’s house and there’s a guitar, you can play it.  If you’re in a band and you need to play someone else’s guitar (because you broke a string or your battery went dead), you can play it.  If you’re in a guitar store, you can play all the guitars and decide which one you like best.

Imagine going into a car dealership and saying “I’m right footed, so I need my car to have the gas pedal on the left and the brake on the right.”  Then you wouldn't be able to drive anyone else’s car!  So I think it’s nuts to learn on a lefty guitar, but that’s coming from a righty, so take it with a grain of salt.  But I can tell you I’ve sometimes wished I was left handed when trying to play difficult passages with my left hand on my guitar.  And I can also tell you that as a teacher, my lefty students have progressed just as fast as my right handed students, playing standard guitars.

Q: I'm a left handed dentist and work with my left hand all day.  Would using a lefty guitar (right hand on the strings) help keep my fingers on my left hand from getting sore while I'm working?

A: Your fretting fingers will only be sore for a few weeks.  After that you will develop callouses, and it won’t bother you anymore. (Especially if you take your guitar to a competent luthier and get it set up with a nice low action.)  Be sure to learn proper technique to keep your wrists relaxed and fingers curved.  If your teacher doesn't teach that, find another teacher.

By the way, the same thing is true with the strumming fingers when finger picking (yes, they also get a little sore until they get callouses.)  So which hand does which task isn't really a major concern.

I do all sorts of intricate non-musical activities with both of my hands and have never found that the soreness nor the callouses hampered either hand in any way.  Nor have a found that when my fingers are tired or a little sore after playing a 3 hour gig that there is any effect on my hands the next day.  So I don’t think playing a guitar (either righty or lefty) will cause you difficulty with your profession.

Q: Since Yamaha and Fender guitars are priced almost identically, which do you recommend?

A: Play them both and decide which you like better.  My personal preference is Yamaha, but if you like the Fender better, get it!

Q: If you are beginning your search for a new acoustic guitar for strumming/fingerpicking for folk/pop/rock, which should you choose between Martin and Taylor?

Answer by Kirk A. Janowiak (Irv agrees):

The answer is really quite simple. You set your budget, play a bunch of guitars, and select the one that sounds and feels best to you. There really is nothing more complicated about it. It is your ears and fingers that determine best suitability. You can play any style in any venue with virtually any guitar. Brand just doesn’t matter.

Set your budget. Play lots of guitars within your budget. Take home the one that speaks to you.

Irv's Response to Kirk A. Janowiak's answer:

WELL SAID!!! Absolutely perfect answer. It’s like a wand in Harry Potter’s world. The guitar picks you. The only factors that are important are how it sounds to you, how it feels to you, and how much it makes you smile. Nothing else matters (except price of course.) Brand is irrelevant.

Q: Which guitar company makes better lower end acoustic guitars ($1000-1700 range), Martin or Taylor?

A:  In my opinion, both brands are equally fantastic in the upper price range (for their American made guitars). In the lower price range, Taylor appears to have a much better manufacturing process and quality control in its Mexican factory than Martin has in its Mexican factory. In the $500–800 range, the Taylor Academy Series and GS Mini series kick butt on anything Martin has. In the $1000–1700 range you are asking about, there are differences in tone between Martin and Taylor that can go either way depending on personal preference, but there is no question which is the better built guitar. Taylor wins every time on manufacturing quality in the Mexican models.

Q: Are Taylor guitars better than Martin for amplified uses?

A: Most of the difference between Martin and Taylor for amplified uses are caused by differences between the woods used, body shape and size, and construction details of the guitars, not the electronics. 

And those differences between the two brands are not as big as you might think.  In fact, there is more difference between the tone of one Taylor model versus another Taylor model (same with Martin) than there is between a Taylor versus a Martin made of similar woods and in a similar shape and size. In general, Taylors have a more brilliant tone and Martins have a richer tone, but Taylor has some models that rival Martin’s richness nicely, and vice versa.

The electronics built into the guitars is not as important as the tone of the guitar itself. The electronics between the two brands both sound fine.  I personally prefer Taylor's electronics to Martin's, but again, it is all a matter of personal taste.

For what it's worth, here is my answer to your question: If you are considering purchasing an acoustic-electric guitar, go to a top notch guitar store, go in the booth, and play various guitars acoustically, then put on some headphones or plug into a flat response amp, and play them electrically. Pick the one that “speaks” to you.

Q: How come almost all Taylor Grand Auditorium acoustic guitars have a cutaway?

A: Ummm, why is that problem? If you don’t like the cutaway, buy a Grand Pacific. They are not offered with a cutaway. I have one of each, and like each of them for different styles of music. There are plenty of Taylor models to suit whatever you prefer. The cutaway is nice for reaching the top of the fretboard. The lack of cutaway gives a pleasing symmetrical look. It’s all good.

Q: As many guitarists enjoy playing Taylor guitars, and praise them, what is it about them that other players dislike so much?

When evaluating a guitar, the only things that matter are 1) how it sounds, 2) how it feels and plays, 3) quality, and 4) price. And some people (including me) also care about how it looks, although that’s a distant fifth place.

So for simplicity, let’s just compare Martin and Taylor.  Let’s start with the last criterion and go to the first.

Some people don’t like how Taylors look. But that’s a really dumb reason, because Taylor offers so many different shapes, sizes, and different woods (FAR more than Martin) that there’s something everyone will like. Some Taylors are absolutely stunning to look at. If you don’t like a cutaway, Taylor offers plenty of models without one. If you want a full sized body, Taylor offers plenty of big models. If you don’t want a rounded back, Taylor has models that are nearly flat on the back. (My 717e has all those features, and I love it. To my eyes, it is WAY prettier than most Martins!)

Some people whine about the price of Taylors. Whatever. Whining about the price of a Taylor is like whining about the price of a BMW. If you don’t like it, go buy a Kia. Why don’t these same people complain about Martin's price? The two brands are priced comparably throughout their entire ranges from the tiny 3/4 sized guitars all the way to their top of the line hand built American instruments. So that’s a dumb reason to not like Taylors. If you can’t afford a Taylor (or a Martin), fine. Yamaha makes some very nice guitars in the $200–500 range.

Next, quality. Taylor hasn’t been around as long as Martin, but the vast majority of players agree that they have caught up to and possibly surpassed Martin’s quality. The build quality on the American Taylors and Martins are very comparable. As far as the lower priced Mexican models go, Taylor definitely has the edge on quality. Their Mexican plant is VERY well run.

How a guitar feels is completely subjective. Play them both and see which you like better. That’s all there is to say on that topic. In my experience, both Martins and Taylors are generally well set up as far as action goes, although both benefit greatly from a trip to the luthier for a setup.

So let’s talk about the most important thing: how it sounds. In general, Taylors sound bright and articulate. In general, Martins sound rich and round. In my opinion, they are both FANTASTIC! Different, but both are wonderful. However, there are plenty of offerings in both brands that cover a very wide range of tones. For example, my 717e doesn’t sound anything like a stereotypical bright “Taylor sound.” (Frankly, it sounds more like a vintage Gibson, but without the intonation and frequency response problems.) So my advice is: play a bunch of guitars in your price range and decide which sounds best to you, for your playing style and your genre of music. That’s all there is to it.

So, back to your question: Why do some people not like Taylors? It depends on the person. If they like another guitar better because of tone, feel, price, quality, or looks, more power to them! If they don’t like Taylors because they think they are somehow better players or more sophisticated musicians because they own another brand, they’re just being snobs.

Q: How do the most gifted guitarists -- as opposed to the most famous -- choose the brand of instrument they use?

A:   I can’t answer for all “gifted” guitarists, but I can answer for all rational guitarists. They don’t choose brands... they choose instruments. And they make the choice based on 1) how it sounds, 2) how it feels, and 3) how they feel when they play it. And that’s it. (Well, maybe a distant fourth place would be how it looks.) If they feel an emotional connection to the instrument and to the song when they play it, and if it inspires them and makes them play better, and if they can’t help smiling when they pick it up, they buy it.  Brand really has nothing to do with it.

Irrational guitarists, on the other hand, are brand loyal. Whether gifted, or famous, nor not, they buy the brand of guitar they think has the highest status appeal. No matter how it sounds and plays. They listen to what other people say, form an opinion based on that, then buy that brand from then on.

(It is worth noting that for some famous artists, there is often a rational component in being brand loyal: if they are “sponsored” by a guitar company as a featured artist and play only that brand, they receive compensation and perks from the company.)

I have a friend who enjoys playing his $270 Xaviere LP clone -- that he has carefully set up – as much as any other guitar he has ever played, including his super expensive vintage 1964 Gibson SG with P-90s. Why? Because it sounds fantastic, and he loves how he feels when he plays it.

In contrast, Ed Sheeran plays a Little Martin during live performance that sounds like crap. I have always wondered why.  I can name off a hundred models of guitars that would sound WAY better on Ed’s songs than that silly Little Martin does.  If he disagrees with me and loves the sound of that guitar, and it makes him happy when he plays it, then good for him!  That's what matters.  But if he uses it because he's brand loyal to Martin, that just plain silly.

Q: Is the Taylor GS Mini a good quality acoustic guitar to primarily serve as a travel guitar, or is there a different guitar to recommend?

A:  I’m picky about tone, and that’s why the GS Mini is what I use. The GS Mini is the best sounding "small" guitar on the market.  By far.  But the GS Mini is not really small enough to be considered a true "travel" guitar. Most "travel" guitars are 3/4 sized (e.g. Baby Taylor and Little Martin), and most guitarists consider the Taylor GS Mini to be closer to “7/8” size. That is one of the reasons it sounds so good compared to other "travel" guitars (to my ears, the Baby Taylor and Little Martin both sound horrible.) Because it is bigger, the GS Mini may or may not qualify in size to be in the overhead bin of an airliner, depending on the airline policy and how nice the crew is. But it is significantly smaller than full sized guitars and it sounds and plays better than any other “small” guitar I’ve ever played. With its arched laminated back it is reasonably rugged, and I take it everywhere!

If I were looking for a true "travel" sized guitar, I would consider a Lava Me 2.  It is made of one single piece of 100% pressure-formed carbon fiber (including the neck), which makes it extremely light and strong, with no worries about getting splashed with water or accidentally dropping it onto cement, or leaving it in the car on a hot day in Phoenix, or on a winter day in Alaska (it is fine from -4 to 176 degrees F).  It never needs to be humidified, so you can leave it out of its case in Houston or in Death Valley (it is okay from 10% to 90% humidity). You can take it backbacking or on a boat or on a snowmobile without worries (the guitar itself is waterproof, but the electronics are not).  It also has a really nice built in chorus and reverb unit that works even when the guitar is not plugged in. I have not played one yet, but the reviews are consistently and overwhelmingly positive. I have no illusions that it will sound as good as the GS Mini (its small size and non-wood soundboard make that impossible), but because it is much smaller and much more rugged, I think it may be a contender for the best “travel” guitar out there.

Q: How do the Taylor American Dream Series acoustic guitars compare to other entry level guitars in a similar price range?

A: I can’t answer for everyone, but to my ears, the American Dream is by far the best guitar in its price range. Nothing else even comes close. That Grand Pacific body is incredible.

Here’s the thing: the $1400–1900 price range has traditionally been “no-man’s land” for guitars. It’s too much to pay for a Mexican made guitar, and too low of a price for the manufacturers to cover their costs for a quality American made guitar. Taylor figured out how to make a quality, solid wood, American made guitar at that price point by using less expensive wood. Kudos to them!

Go play one and see if you like it. It’s not for everybody, and it’s not for every genre of music. But if you like the old classic acoustic rock sound but are tired of sonic problems and woofiness chronic to the guitars of that era, I bet you’ll love this guitar. It feels and plays like a Taylor, but it sounds more like a 1960s Gibson but with perfect intonation and no feedback problems.

It doesn’t sound quite as good as my 717e Builder’s Edition (same body but solid rosewood back and sides), but it’s a really good sound, and for the price it's hard to beat.

Q: What innovations are the makers of Breedlove guitars noted for that no other guitar manufacturers do quite like them?

A: The main innovation that Breedlove’s founders invented, that they include in every guitar they make, is called the JLD bridge truss system. It is a bracing system designed to offset the pull of the strings on the soundboard over time, preventing it from pulling upward at the bridge. It helps prevent damage from under or over humidification and temperature changes that can mess up the geometry of the guitar. (The JLD system is also available for sale to guitar luthiers to help repair damage to non-Breedlove guitars that have not been taken care of and have distorted soundboards.) It is a brilliant invention, but it does not make a new guitar (nor a well cared for old guitar) play or sound any better than another guitar without the system. Rather, it makes the guitar a little more durable and the action a little more stable, reducing the risk of damage from not taking care of your guitar.

If you are asking this question out of curiosity, you can stop reading now. If you are comparing guitar features for the purpose of deciding which guitar to purchase, I have some advice for you: Comparing features is not the right way to choose an acoustic guitar. Taylor, Martin, Takamine, Larivee, Yamaha, Gibson, Breedlove, and many other manufacturers all make some very nice guitars. But, in my opinion, the features and specifications of a particular brand or model of guitar are not the most important thing to consider. What matters most is the way you feel when you play the guitar. If it “speaks to you” (like a wand in Harry Potter’s world), buy that guitar. For me personally, it’s hard to identify the specific things that make me smile… I think it’s a magical combination of gorgeous tone that I can feel in my chest as well as hear with my ears, an easy to play action, responsiveness, expressiveness, intonation, and aesthetic beauty.

One of my bandmates once played a Breedlove in a store and that’s what happened to him. The guitar chose him, he bought it, and 15 years later it’s still his favorite guitar he’s ever played and the only one he loves to play. I personally own a Breedlove acoustic bass guitar that I love. However, I’ve played other Breedloves that were absolutely horrible.

It is a very personal decision. Get the guitar that speaks to you, not the one that looks best on paper. Never buy an acoustic guitar based on the advertised features, that you haven’t personally held in your hands and played. That would be like marrying someone you haven’t met, that you just read their resume and chatted online.

Q: Will a well-taken-care-of Ovation guitar likely last longer than a completely wooden guitar of the same age, and why or why not?

(For those who don't know, Ovation is a brand of acoustic-electric guitar that has a wood top/soundboard, no sides, and a rounded plastic tortoise shell shaped back.  It was very popular in the 1980s.)

A: Perhaps Ovation has improved over the decades; I don’t know. What I do know is there aren’t many valuable, highly collectable, desirable vintage Ovations around. That is because nearly all Ovations from the 1970s and 1980s have cracked and split soundboards. In fact, most of them have been thrown into the garbage can at some point.

Ovations are more susceptible to damage from changes in temperature and humidity than are comparatively priced all-wood guitars.  That is because plastic expands at a different rate than wood with temperature changes, and plastic does not expand at all with changes in humidity.  But wood does.  All guitars suffer when abused by temperature and humidity changes, but Ovations DIE when abused by temperature and humidity changes.

I’m frankly surprised that Ovation is still in business.  Ovations were a fad.  When they first came out they were the only acoustic electric guitars out there. They sold like wildfire. Because the back was made of plastic, people thought they were indestructible, and treated them badly.  That’s part of the problem, but even well taken care of Ovations DO NOT LAST LONGER than completely wooden guitars of the same age. Not at all.  The answer to your question is ABSOLUTELY NO.

This is not to say that it's impossible to make a guitar out of other materials that won't last longer than a wood guitar.  For example, I suspect the LavaMe2 guitar, which is made of 100% carbon fiber, will outlast any other guitar.  But stay away from guitars with a real wood top with another type of material for the back and sides.

Q: I like the sales pitch on the Zager Guitars website about Zager guitars being easier to play.  Are they good guitars to buy?  What makes them easier to play?

A: Zager does basically four things to make their guitars easier to play, only one of which is proprietary, and none of which are mysteries: 1. Slightly wider string spacing at the nut makes it easier to fit adult male fingers between the strings so they don’t accidentally mute adjacent strings (mostly finger #1 on C chords) and also so there’s room to fit three fingers side by side (mostly for A chords); 2. Slightly thinner neck so you don’t have as far to reach around the neck to finger the fretboard; 3. (Theoretically), they set the guitars up with a lower action so that the fingers don’t have to press the strings as far to reach the frets (more details on this claim below); and 4. They make their “Pillow Touch” strings using a softer steel for the core wire which requires far less finger pressure to press.  Let’s analyze these four things.

Wider neck and wider string spacing at the nut: Many guitar manufacturers offer guitars with slightly wider spacing at the nut. For example, most of Taylor’s American made guitars have wider spacing than do its lower-priced Mexican guitars. Taylor’s thinking is opposite of Zager’s. Zager claims that wider spacing is easier to play. That may be true for adult males, but Taylor believes that for most beginners (young people, as well as adult women), a narrower neck is actually easier to use. A wider spacing requires stretching small fingers farther to fret the chords, and it makes barre chords very difficult for children. So Taylor’s less expensive guitars have a narrower nut, while their expensive guitars for experts have wider spacing.

Thinner neck: For those with small hands, a thin neck is nice. For those with big hands, it’s personal preference. Does a thinner neck make the Zager easier to play than some other guitars with thick necks? For some people, absolutely yes. For all people? No. For most people? Maybe. Is that a unique feature of Zager? No. Lots of manufacturers offer necks as thin as or thinner than Zager.

Action (string height): the one Zager I have played (a brand new, top of the line ZAD900CE), I was very surprised, and disappointed, at how high the action was. It wasn’t any lower than an out of the box guitar from any other manufacturer, and was actually higher than some. For all their talk of Denny Zager “personally” setting up every guitar they sell, I was underwhelmed, to say the least. All of my own guitars, which have been professionally set up by a local luthier, have far lower actions than the Zager did when it arrived.

Special strings: this is the thing that makes the biggest difference for ease of play, and it’s also the one thing that is unique to Zager. Zager Pillow Touch strings are absolutely easier to press. FAR easier. They are as easy to play as nylon strings. The difference is really quite remarkable. Your fingers won't hurt, and barre chords are a breeze.  BUT (and this is a big “but”), to my ears at least, they sound horrible. I haven’t tried good regular strings on a Zager to see if without its special strings it’s any easier to play than a stock new Taylor or Martin or anything else (I’m pretty sure it won’t be). On the other hand, I have tried putting Zager strings on a few Taylor GS Minis for young pre-teen students who are having difficulty pressing the strings. They absolutely destroy the tone of the guitar, but in some cases it’s worth it because they make it so much easier to play.

I have no beef with Zager. Yes, they have some misleading hype on their web site (e.g. making you think the guitars are made completely in the USA when in actuality the bodies and necks are made in Indonesia, then assembled and finished in Nebraska. But the bottom line is they have a lot of satisfied customers. Go to their web site and there are literally hours of recorded telephone calls from customers who LOVE these guitars. They are all solid-wood, beautifully finished, and reasonably priced for what you get. They have top-line state-of-the-art electronics (Fishman Aura Pro 900) in the E models. The cases are superb, even including a built in humidity gauge. Plenty of customers say the customer service is excellent. They offer a 30 day money back guarantee that includes shipping costs — BOTH DIRECTIONS — and they claim to have a very low return rate. (And this is off topic, but their guitar picks are a really cool design that are easy to play, easy to hold, and also easy to store on the guitar tuner pegs.) So I don’t understand the hate I hear from some online sources. (For example, why do people care that they only sell their guitars directly to customers and not through dealers? That’s a bit like hating Tesla for the same reasons.) They are not my personal favorite guitars, but they are some people’s favorite guitars.

When buying a guitar, choose one that feels good to you. For most adult men, that will be one with a slightly wider neck and string spacing (such as Zager). For most women and young teens, that will be one with a slightly narrower neck and string spacing (and possibly a shorter scale as well). Then, whatever guitar you purchase, take it to a good luthier for a professional setup. (If you mostly finger pick and/or don’t strum super hard with a pick, specify to the luthier that you want a low action). For beginners, use 11 gauge strings. For intermediate players, use 12 gauge strings. For most people, any quality guitar will be easy enough to play after you do that.

But if you have weak fingers, arthritis, carpel tunnel, or similar problems, by all means consider trying a Zager. There’s no risk. If you don’t love it you can send it back. Or at least order some of their strings and try them on your guitar. But whatever guitar you get (including Zager), you will be greatly benefitted by taking it to a professional luthier and getting it set up to your needs.

Case in point: I have an adult beginner student who bought a $4,500 Taylor, but it was too hard for him to play, so he bought a top of the line $2,800 Zager. He was very happy with the Zager until he took my advice and got a good setup on his Taylor. Now, the Zager just sits in its case. The Taylor is almost as easy to play, and it sounds a lot better.