The 5 Best Guitars for Beginners (That You’ll Actually Want to Keep Playing)
You know the story.
You get fired up, buy a “starter” guitar, struggle with stiff strings and mystery buzzes, then quietly retire it to the closet while your calluses disappear. That ends here.
I picked five beginner-friendly guitars that feel good on day one and keep rewarding you as your skills grow. No dead-end necks. No tone you’ll grow out of in a month. Every pick here is reliable, easy to set up, and upgrade-ready if you catch the mod bug later.
We’re counting down from #5. Grab a coffee and your tuner.
#5. Yamaha FG820 Dreadnought
Why it earns a spot
If you want a first acoustic that actually sounds like a record, the FG820 is the classic “buy it once, keep it forever” dreadnought.
Big voice for strumming. Clean fundamentals for singer-songwriter stuff. Zero drama. That’s my kind of guitar!
What makes it beginner-friendly
- Solid spruce top gives you real dynamic range and a tone that improves with time.
- Mahogany back and sides for a warmer midrange that flatters vocal keys.
- Scalloped bracing and Yamaha’s Traditional Western body shape help the guitar feel alive under the pick.
How it feels on the couch
The neck is a comfy medium profile. The 43 mm nut width keeps open chords from feeling cramped, and the full-size body gives you that satisfying “whoomp” when you dig in.
Keep-playing factor
It’s inspiring on day one and gets better as the top opens up. You won’t “outgrow” it. If you fall in love with acoustics later, it’s still a perfect campfire or writing guitar.
Setup cheat-sheet
- Throw on a set of light or medium phosphor bronze.
- Lower the saddle a hair if your action feels tall.
- Tiny truss-rod tweak when the seasons change and you’re golden.
If you like this vibe, also check: Yamaha FG830 for a slightly glassier top end, or Yamaha’s smaller FS body if dreadnoughts feel large.
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#4. Guild OM-240 / OM-320 (Orchestra Model)
Why it earns a spot
If you want punch and volume, choose a dreadnought. If you want comfort and clarity across the strings, choose an Orchestra Model. Easier to hold , balanced across the strings, and really musical for fingerpicking or light strumming.
OM-240 highlights
- Solid Sitka spruce top with mahogany sides and Guild’s arched mahogany back for extra projection and sustain. That arched back is Guild’s secret sauce.
- Mid-sized OM body that sits great in your lap and doesn’t fight your picking hand.
OM-320 highlights
- Solid mahogany top and mahogany back and sides for a warm, woody voice.
- Open-pore satin finish, comfy C-neck, rosewood fingerboard, and included gig bag on many bundles.
How it feels on the couch
The OM shape encourages good posture and clean technique; bad posture is something I see often in beginner guitarists.
You hear every note in your chords, which teaches your fretting hand to land without you even thinking about it.
Keep-playing factor
Both models reward nuance. As your touch improves, the guitar gives it back. If you’re curious about recording later, the balanced OM tone sits in a mix with almost no EQ.
Setup cheat-sheet
- Try 11-52 (light) if you want slinky bends and easy barre chords, 12-53 (medium) for a little more push and volume.
- Listen for the OM’s natural midrange. It tells you when your pick attack is too heavy or too timid.
Which one should you choose?
- OM-240 if you want snap and sparkle from spruce with that signature Guild projection.
- OM-320 if you want a warmer, vintage-leaning voice
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#3. Yamaha PAC112V Pacifica
Why it earns a spot
Because it does almost everything well. If you’re not sure whether you’re a blues, indie, pop, or classic-rock player yet, the PAC112V lets you try on all those hats without fighting the instrument.
What makes it beginner-friendly
- HSS pickup set with Alnico V magnets and a push-pull coil-split on the bridge humbucker. You get legit single-coil sparkle and humbucker punch in one guitar.
- Alder body on current models for a familiar, balanced tone platform.
- Vintage-style vibrato that’s forgiving during early experiments with trem use.
How it feels on the couch
The neck has that “just right” carve. You know the one I’m talking about.
You won’t notice it getting in your way. It has 22 frets, a comfortable Strat-style feel, and controls that are simple to learn.
Keep-playing factor
The coil-split gives you two clear sounds. Click for single-coil, click back for humbucker. It adds quick variety to your practice.
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#2. Squier Affinity Series (Strat or Tele)
Why it earns a spot
Squier’s Affinity refresh made these the gateway to the Fender world. They’re light, comfy, and sound the part, which means you keep them around even after you “move up.”
Strat pick if you want versatility
- It has a 2-point tremolo, three single-coil pickups, a comfortable C-shaped neck, and a lightweight poplar body.
- It plays easily and delivers classic Strat tones, from clear chime to the quacky 2/4 positions to a sharper bridge sound.
Tele pick if you love riffs and rhythm
- It has a string-through-body bridge, two ceramic single-coil pickups, and the sharp Tele attack that cuts through in a band.
- The body is still light, and the slim C-shaped neck feels comfortable.
How they feel on the couch
Both models sit close to the body and balance well when you stand. The controls are exactly where your hands expect them to be, which means less fiddling and more playing.
Keep-playing factor
A great beginner guitar makes you curious. The Affinity series does that. You’ll hear the difference between pickup positions, you’ll experiment with tone and volume knobs, and you’ll start caring about pick attack because the guitar responds.
Setup cheat-sheet
- Strat: set the 2-point bridge to float a hair or deck it for stability; your call!
- Tele: adjust the pickup height so chords sound clear and leads still have bite. The string-through bridge adds good sustain.
Upgrade path
A quality nut and a basic electronics tidy-up take these far. If you ever want to swap pickups, standard Fender-style routes make it simple.
>> Click here for pricing & purchase options
#1. Jackson Dinky JS11
Why it takes the crown
Fun wins. If a guitar makes you grin, you will practice more. No ifs ands or buts. The JS11 plays fast, roars when you want it, and still cleans up for practice time.
What makes it beginner-friendly
- Two high-output Jackson humbuckers with ceramic magnets for easy sustain at low amp volumes.
- Synchronized fulcrum tremolo and 22 jumbo frets for big bends and expressive phrasing as your hands develop.
- Flat 12″ radius amaranth fingerboard on many runs that feels slick for chords and scales.
How it feels on the couch
The neck shape makes it easy to move around. Power chords feel solid, and single notes play quickly. It encourages you to try vibrato, use your pinky, and practice muting.
Keep-playing factor
This is the gateway to rock and metal, and it still covers clean practice and YouTube lessons without sounding dull. If you end up in a band, you won’t be embarrassed bringing a JS Dinky.
Setup cheat-sheet
- Start with the trem decked until your ear and hands are ready for floating bridges.
- Keep the nut slots smooth and the string trees lubricated.
- Light 9-42s make the jumbo frets feel like butter.
Upgrade path
Locking tuners later if you lean into the trem. A better bridge block if you want more sustain. The platform is mod-friendly.
>> Click here for pricing & purchase options
How These Were Chosen
The first thing I looked at was playability.
A beginner guitar should feel comfortable in your hands, with a neck that’s easy to move around on and a body that sits naturally whether you’re on the couch or standing with a strap.
If the guitar fights your posture, you’ll spend more time adjusting than actually playing.
Tone was next.
On the acoustic side, solid tops make a big difference because they open up and sound better the more you play. For electrics, having flexible pickups means you can explore different sounds without feeling stuck or needing a new guitar after a few months.
I also wanted guitars that are easy to set up.
You don’t need to be a tech wizard, just a truss rod that works like it should, a bridge you can adjust the way you like it, and hardware that stays in tune with a little basic care.
And maybe most important, none of these guitars are dead ends. If you want to upgrade later, you can. Swap out a pickup, add better tuners, experiment a little. Each of these models gives you room to grow.
Quick Buyer’s Guide: Acoustic or Electric First?
Choose acoustic if… you want to sing and strum, you like folk, country, or indie, or you want a simple plug-and-play option with no amp required.
The Yamaha FG820 works perfectly, giving you a big, full voice that makes every practice session more inspiring.
Choose electric if… you love riffs and solos, you want lower string tension to speed up progress, or you want access to many tones.
The PAC112V is versatile and covers a lot of styles. The Affinity Strat and Tele give you that classic Fender feel. The JS11 is fast and fun, which makes you want to keep playing.
Beginner Guitar Setup Tips
When you first put new strings on, give them a gentle stretch. Tune them up, pull lightly along the length, and retune. Do that a few times and they’ll settle in, which means your guitar will stay in tune instead of constantly drifting.
It’s also worth checking the neck relief. Put a capo on the first fret, press down at the last fret, and look around the 7th. You should see just a sliver of space. If you need to adjust, small truss-rod turns, a quarter turn at a time, are more than enough.
Action makes a big difference in how easy the guitar feels. If the strings are too high, chords will fight you. Lowering things a touch can help you build cleaner technique without straining.
A little maintenance at the friction points goes a long way too. Rub some graphite into the nut slots, add a drop of lube to the tremolo’s knife edges, and make sure the string trees are smooth. All of this keeps your tuning stable.
And one last tip: wear a strap even when you’re sitting down. It keeps the guitar in the same position every time, so your muscle memory develops faster.
The Bottom Line
The right beginner guitar should just “work.” It should make you want to play again tomorrow and the next day and the next. That’s the whole game.
- Yamaha FG820 – A dependable acoustic with a full sound that’s still easy to play.
- Guild OM-240 / OM-320 – Comfortable, balanced guitars that respond well to a lighter touch.
- Yamaha PAC112V – A versatile electric with a wide range of tones, including coil-split options.
- Squier Affinity Strat or Tele – Classic Fender feel and playability, with room to grow.
- Jackson Dinky JS11 – A fast, fun guitar that makes you want to keep playing.
Try them out for yourself. Plug in, play around, and see which one makes the time fly by.
