Why Cheap Guitars Can Ruin Your Chances of Learning to Play

Picking up the guitar is one of the most rewarding decisions a person can make. But there's a trap that catches thousands of beginners every year — and it's sitting on the shelves of supermarkets, discount stores, and the cheaper corners of the internet. The cheap guitar.

We understand the logic. You're not sure if you'll stick with it, so why spend serious money? It seems sensible. But in practice, a poorly made instrument can actively work against you — and may be the very reason you give up before you've really begun.

The Action Problem

"Action" refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. On a budget guitar, the action is almost always too high. That means you need to press far harder than you should to fret a note cleanly. For a beginner whose fingertips aren't yet conditioned, this is genuinely painful — and it makes chord shapes that should be achievable feel impossible.

The result? Beginners assume they're doing something wrong, or that guitar just isn't for them. In reality, the instrument is fighting them.

Intonation and Staying in Tune

Cheap guitars frequently go out of tune mid-session, and even when tuned correctly, they may not play in tune up the neck due to poor intonation. This is a serious problem for ear training. If you're learning to hear intervals, chords, and melodies on an instrument that's inherently out of tune, you're training your ear incorrectly from day one.

Poor Tone Kills Motivation

There's a reason professional musicians are particular about their instruments. Tone matters — not just for performance, but for the joy of playing. A guitar that sounds dull, buzzy, or thin is simply less enjoyable to play. Motivation is fragile in the early stages of learning any instrument. A guitar that sounds good is a guitar you'll want to pick up.

Build Quality and Playability

Budget guitars often have unfinished fret ends that scratch your hand as you move up the neck, poorly seated nuts that cause tuning instability, and necks that warp over time. These aren't cosmetic issues — they directly affect how the guitar plays and how long it remains playable.

What's the Alternative?

You don't need to spend a fortune. There's a meaningful quality threshold — typically in the £100–£200 range for a beginner acoustic or electric — where instruments are properly set up, stay in tune, and are genuinely enjoyable to play. Brands like Brunswick, Tanglewood, and Peavey offer excellent entry-level instruments at these price points.

Better still, consider a quality used instrument. A well-maintained second-hand guitar from a reputable brand will almost always outperform a brand-new budget model at the same price. Avoid second-hand instruments that were cheap when new - they are less durable and almost certainly past their prime.

The Bottom Line

Investing in a decent instrument from the start isn't an extravagance — it's the single most effective thing you can do to give yourself a fair chance of learning. If you're unsure where to start, come and speak to us in store. We'll help you find the right guitar for your budget, your goals, and your playing style — without the compromises that could cost you the habit before it's formed.

Visit us at 17 High Street, Alford, Lincolnshire, LN13 9DS or browse our products online at www.musicbits.co.uk