Guitar Starter Kit

Acoustic is the most common recommendation — no amp needed, it builds finger strength faster, and it's more portable. That said, electric guitars have thinner strings that are easier on your fingers, so if you're serious about rock or metal, starting electric is completely valid. The best guitar is whichever one you'll actually pick up and play.

£100–£200 is the sweet spot. Anything cheaper tends to have poor action (string height), tuning issues, and bad intonation — all of which make learning feel harder than it should be. Spending more than £200 before you've committed is unnecessary. The Yamaha F310 sits perfectly in this range.

Completely normal — your fingertips need to build calluses before playing becomes comfortable. Most beginners find the pain subsides after 2–3 weeks of regular practice. Keep sessions short at first (15–20 minutes), and avoid the temptation to use a capo to dodge the pain. Your skin will harden — and contrary to what you might think, calluses largely disappear again if you stop playing for a while.

A death grip is when you wrap your thumb over the top of the neck to squeeze harder — it feels natural but restricts your finger movement and bends your wrist at a damaging angle. The correct technique keeps your thumb behind the neck, pointing roughly upward, with your fingers pressing strings using just the tips. Ask a teacher or check YouTube to see it demonstrated — it's one of the most important habits to get right early.

15–20 minutes every day beats 2 hours once a week. Consistency is everything with guitar — your fingers, muscle memory, and ear all need regular repetition to improve. If you can only manage 10 minutes on a busy day, that still counts. The number one reason beginners quit is irregular practice, not lack of talent.

You can absolutely learn online — Justin Guitar (justinguitar.com) is widely regarded as the best free resource for beginners and is used by millions. Lessons are valuable for catching bad habits early (like the death grip) but aren't essential. A hybrid approach — online learning with occasional in-person checks — works well for many beginners.

Once you can play open chords (G, C, D, Em, Am) cleanly and change between them smoothly — usually after 4–8 weeks. Don't rush barre chords; they require finger strength that takes time to build. Practise pressing the full barre for 10–15 minutes a day rather than forcing it for hours at once. F major is typically the first barre chord beginners tackle.

Wipe the strings down with a dry cloth after every session — this removes sweat and oil and extends string life significantly. Every 6 months or so, clean the fretboard with a dedicated fretboard oil (like Dunlop 65). Keep your guitar away from extreme heat, cold, and humidity — central heating in winter can dry out the wood and cause cracking. A humidifier in the case is worth having in dry conditions.

Wonderwall (Oasis), Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan), and House of the Rising Sun (The Animals) are classic beginner songs that use basic open chords. Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd) has a recognisable intro that's great for fingerpicking practice. Choose something you actually enjoy — motivation matters far more than difficulty rating.

No — most guitarists never learn to read standard notation. Guitar uses tablature (tabs), which shows you exactly which fret to press on which string. Tabs are available for almost every song online (Ultimate Guitar is the go-to site). Learning basic music theory — like how chords are built and what keys are — is genuinely useful but not required to start.