Ultimate Guide to Beginner Guitar Gear

Choosing your first guitar can be a bit daunting. From deciding between an acoustic or an electric to figuring out which brands offer the best beginner instruments, there's a lot to think about. Add amps, effects pedals and guitar accessories into the mix, and it's easy to see why many first-time buyers can feel overwhelmed!

Don't fret, though (save that for when you've found your perfect axe). We've put together this short 'n' sweet guide to help you cut through the noise and find the right starter guitar gear from the get-go. Ready to rock?

Before diving into the different types of beginner guitars & accessories you'll need, check out this handy video with our pal JustinGuitar. As a renowned online guitar tutor with over 2 million subscribers, he knows a thing or two about helping beginners at the start of their guitar journey.

In this video, Justin explores our range of EastCoast guitars - budget-friendly electrics, acoustics, basses and accessories that are perfect for beginners. The best bit? We've worked closely with EastCoast to make sure they're equipped with the best components and build quality this price point has to offer - designed by guitarists, for guitarists - and every guitar is checked, set up, and play-tested by our in-house quality control team before shipping.

"Having played a lot of budget instruments, I can confidently say that EastCoast guitars are by far the best bang for buck I've tried. They all had a 'low action' (the strings are easy to press down) which is perfect for beginners, meaning less finger pain and a lot more fun!" - JustinGuitar

Acoustic guitars make fantastic beginner instruments if you prefer a softer, more organic sound. And it doesn’t matter if you're taking your first steps into songwriting or just looking for an affordable guitar for a child to learn on — there are plenty of cool models out there. When comparing acoustic guitars, these are the key areas to focus on:

Electric guitars are a great choice for everything from pop and blues to hard rock and heavy metal. Picking your first electric guitar should be exciting, but with so many options available, it can be tricky to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together a list of important things to consider below, whether you're buying your own starter electric guitar or shopping for someone else:

To get the most out of an electric guitar, you'll need to connect it to an amplifier. Modern beginner electric guitar amps offer a huge variety of sounds and useful features, making it easier than ever to start exploring different tones. If chasing crunchy rock riffs is your goal or you need a headphone-friendly setup for quiet practice, there's an amp out there that’ll keep you inspired. But before making your choice, it's worth thinking about the following:

Want to sound more like your guitar heroes? Guitar pedals are a great way to customise your electric guitar tone with cool effects such as delay, distortion, chorus and reverb. As your collection grows, you can connect multiple pedals together and eventually build a pedalboard to keep everything organised. If you're looking for your first effects pedal, here's what to keep in mind:

If you'd rather have lots of different effects in one unit, a multi-FX pedal could be the perfect solution. Combine, customise and experiment with a huge range of sounds for almost any style of playing. Some models even include amp simulations, allowing you to practice through headphones or connect directly to speakers and recording setups. When browsing multi-FX units, these are the key things to consider:

A guitar is great fun to play and learn on by itself, but a few carefully chosen guitar accessories can make the experience even better. From staying in tune and playing comfortably to keeping your instrument protected, these extras can make a real difference. If you'd rather get everything in one go, starter packs can be a convenient option. Otherwise, here are a few accessories we'd recommend for beginner guitarists: