Guitar buying advice for a beginner?

[Terry]

Now and then I have people come to me for advice on buying guitars for someone just starting out. Once I know their budget, I try to steer them to the best guitar IMHO at that price point.  My word of advice is usually two things: buy the best guitar you can reasonably afford and get some lessons to start out with.  What else would you pass along to someone interested in learning to play guitar?
Terry

[michaelw]

depend on the person age/size, i would suggest that they look for a guitar that is comfortable for them, in terms neck profile & body dimensions -
if they are comfortable with a larger body & the tone is more favorable to them, than a smaller guitar, i would lean towards the larger body

there are many laminate top guitars that sound quite good, but given the choice if the person has enough in the budget, i would try to see if there is a solid top model that they like

die cast sealed tuning machines, as opposed to the less accurate 'covered' tuners may also be a consideration, as it can be frustrating if the tuning requires constant 'tweaking'

provided the neck angle has been set correctly from the factory, the action on a guitar should be able to be 'set-up' to play as easily as it can (neck relief, action at the nut, saddle height)

just as good sounding guitar that's uncomfortable to play can make a person lose interest, a guitar that's easy to play but sounds likes like a cardboard
box with rubber bands on it could likely have the same effect (imho) - if it doesn't sound good to them, they probably would have little motivation to play

extra light strings & super thin flexy pics are something i would try to avoid because even though it may be easier for one in the beginning,
it may be more difficult to 'graduate' to the string gauge & picks that could be more ideal for getting the most tone out of the guitar they choose -
as long as they are able to play for the periods of time they desire without much discomfort (there will be some until calluses are built up & they develop 'muscle memory',
as fretting a guitar is not a very natural movement to someone just starting out, then i would suggest that they try to stick with lights or medium lights & a medium light pick

i would not discount the input that the person considering purchasing the guitar has because even at the beginning, there may be things that they know they like or dislike -
when they are trying out guitars, i would leave them to decide what sounds best to them as they are playing & rather what the guitar sounds like when it is being played & heard 'out-front'

i'm hoping that they will be able to find a guitar that they can afford, is comfortable for them to play & that one that they like the tone of ...
a guitar  that will make them 'want to pick it up & play it'

[BigSkyTaylorPlayer]

When I was looking for a guitar last year I liked it when the salesman would play the different guitars for me to listen to the tone differences since I really didn't know much of anything about the different woods, body styles, etc at the time.

Definitely advise lessons, some people can noodle around and learn on their own but a beginner should take at least a few to learn just the basics of holding a pick and strumming and such.  I think a true beginner would get frustrated very fast when they realize that playing the guitar is not easy to most people.  Heck, I still get frustrated 40 years later.....

[Terry]

Unfortunately, how many first guitars are purchased based upon looks and not sound?

[Steely Glen]

I would recommend having an experienced friend help out, but make sure they help you buy the guitar that fits you, not the one that fits them.  I would also recommend buying used.  You can a) get more guitar for your money and b) if it doesn't work out, then you can resell the guitar at little or no loss to you.  And some times, the used guitar has already been set up, so you avoid the extra cost. 

As others have said, pay attention to the size of the guitar and if it looks pretty and costs less than $500, chances are good that the guitar isn't worth buying. 

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

For beginners I tend to recommend a good quality, inexpensive guitar that can be set up properly. This would include many of the Yamahas that Guitar Center and their sister company Musicians Friends have on sale. Once this person has decided that the guitar is for them than he or she can look for a higher end guitar that will suit them better.

[bo1142]

My biggest piece of advice would be to buy used.  Also, don't go the cheapest route.  Get something that if you decide to stick with it, would last you for a year or two before moving up.