How to Choose Your First Electric Guitar: A Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide

So you’re ready to buy your first electric guitar—but where do you even start?

With so many shapes, styles, and specs out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The good news? You don’t need to know everything to make a smart choice. You just need to focus on what really matters for beginners.

This guide will walk you through the key things to look for—like body styles, pickups, and scale length—plus how to choose something that fits your music taste, playing goals, and budget.

1. Pick a Body Style That Feels Right

The shape of your guitar matters more than you think. Not just for looks—each body style has a different feel when you’re holding it.

• Stratocaster-style (like the Fender Strat): Light, contoured, and super comfortable. Great for blues, rock, indie, and pop.

• Les Paul-style (like the Gibson LP): Heavier, solid body with thick, sustained tone. Great for rock, punk, and heavier music.

• Offset bodies (like a Jazzmaster or Jaguar): Slightly quirky shapes that sit well when playing seated. Loved for alternative and surf tones.

• Superstrat or metal shapes (like Jackson Dinkys): Sleek and aggressive, usually built for fast playing and high-gain tones.

You don’t need to get stuck on aesthetics, but if a certain shape excites you to pick it up and play—that’s a good sign.

2. Understand Pickup Types

Pickups are magnets under the strings that "pick up" the vibration and send it to your amp. They make a huge difference in sound.

• Single-Coil Pickups – Bright and crisp, great for clean tones and vintage-style distortion (think Fender Strat or Tele).

• Humbucker Pickups – Thicker, warmer, and quieter (less buzz). Great for rock, metal, and high-gain tones (like in a Les Paul or SG).

• P90 Pickups – A middle ground: fatter than single coils, but still have bite. Ideal for blues, garage rock, and punk.

As a beginner, choose the type of pickup based on the music you want to play. If you’re not sure, guitars with HSS (humbucker-single-single) pickup configurations give you a nice range of sounds in one guitar.

3. Scale Length Affects Feel (More Than You Think)

Scale length is the distance between the nut and the bridge—and it affects both playability and tone.

• 25.5" scale (Fender-style) – Tighter string tension, brighter sound.

• 24.75" scale (Gibson-style) – Looser feel, easier bends, slightly warmer tone.

Most beginners won’t notice the difference right away, but if you have smaller hands or want an easier feel, shorter scale guitars may feel more comfortable.

4. Pay Attention to Neck Feel

The neck shape and width will affect your comfort. Some necks are chunky, some are slim. If you’re buying in person, try out a few different ones. If you’re buying online, slim C-shape necks are a safe, beginner-friendly bet.

5. Think About Style, But Focus on Sound and Comfort

It’s totally okay to pick a guitar because it looks cool—as long as it also plays well and suits the kind of music you want to learn. A sleek metal guitar won’t do you much good if you’re trying to play country twang.

Match your guitar to your musical taste. Then narrow it down based on what feels good in your hands.

6. Don’t Stress the Specs Too Much

As a beginner, you don’t need top-tier pickups or exotic woods. What you need is a guitar that:

• Stays in tune

• Feels good to play

• Makes you want to practice

That’s it. You can always upgrade later as your skills and style develop.

7. Set a Realistic Budget

Most beginner-friendly electric guitars fall between $200–$500, and there are excellent choices in that range. Look for guitars that punch above their price point—like Squier, Epiphone, Jackson, Ibanez, and Yamaha.

You don’t need to buy the cheapest thing on the shelf. A slightly better-quality guitar will hold tune better and stay with you longer.

8. Used Guitars = Great Value

Don’t overlook used or refurbished guitars—especially if you're shopping at a reputable shop. You can often get more guitar for your money if someone else already paid the depreciation.

9. Still Not Sure? We’ll Help You Decide

At Morris Guitar Company, we’ve helped hundreds of players find their perfect first guitar—without the guesswork or gimmicks.

Whether you're local or shopping online, we offer free personal recommendations based on your budget, style, and skill level.

✅ Need help deciding?

Contact us for expert advice!
We’ll point you toward the guitar that’s right for you—not just what’s trending.