You may now be conflicted as to which acoustic guitar to acquire. This may have come after reading the reviews of each of the guitars above and finding that all of them are precisely what you are looking for. This conflict is especially felt by first time buyers who are lacking in experience and therefore don't know which product best suits them. It is, therefore, my pleasure to take you through some of the things that you may need to consider before exchanging your money for a guitar.

Body Style
The body style of a guitar influences the sound produced and also determines how comfortable you will be while playing your guitar. My guess is that a guitar is to be enjoyed from the sound the guitar produces and how comfortable you feel while playing the guitar. Generally, guitars with huge soundboards are known for deeper and louder sounds. Guitar body shapes exist in various forms which include; concert and grand concert, dreadnought and jumbo among many other body styles. The concert and grand concert body styles are small in size and generally comfortable. They produce a bright sound with a punchy mid-range. They are suitable to be used for long hours; which is undoubtedly the situation in concerts. The auditorium bodies, also known as ‘orchestra bodies', balance volume, tone and comfort. They feature an hourglass shape and are slightly bigger than the concert body styles. The dreadnought features a huge soundboard. This body style stands out for its square bouts, wide waist, and 14 fret necks. Its first design was in the early 1900s and has gained popularity over time. They are liked for their powerful driving sound, and they are the best choice if you are a bluegrass guitarist. The jumbo guitar is big and boomy and is a common choice for ‘cowboys.’ They have a loud and deep projection.

Neck design
The neck design of a guitar does not usually affect the guitar's sound quality. However, it affects your comfort while playing the guitar. Acoustic guitar necks are identified as either 12 or 14 fret necks. This is the number of frets above the guitar body and not the total number of frets on the guitar. While considering which guitar to buy, I would advise that you first check how big your hand is. For smaller hands, a small diameter neck is advisable; otherwise, your comfort is not guaranteed. Strings Most acoustic guitars are designed either with steel or nylon strings. It has been largely assumed that nylon strings are the most ideal for beginners. However, this is not the case. Your choice of string is determined by the type of music you want to play. Nylon strings are ideal for classical and some folk music because they produce a softer tone. On the other hand, steel strings are used by rock, country and pop musicians. Steel strings are clearer and louder as compared to nylon strings. It is important also to note that guitars are not designed so that you can interchange steel strings and nylon strings. Steel strings cannot be accommodated on a guitar that was initially designed for nylon strings.

Tone-woods
The type of sound you desire to produce influences your choice of tonewoods. Various tonewoods produce distinct tones. Some of the commonly used tonewoods are; cedar, mahogany and rosewood. Cedarwood produces a bright tone and is therefore ideal for classical and flamenco guitars. Mahogany wood, on the other hand, is a dense wood and has a slower response rate. Country and blues guitarists will most likely choose this tonewood over any other. Rosewood boasts of a vibrant, sophisticated overtone that remains distinct even in dense bass passages. It ist choice if you are looking for articulation and projection. It has a comfort giving characteristic and is mostly used for fingerboards and bridges.

Cost
The cost of a guitar determines whether you buy it or not. However much you may like a guitar, whether you get to own it or not is determined by its cost. If you are looking for a guitar just to enjoy its company, you don't need to spend so much on it. However, if you dream of gracing concerts and events, you may consider getting a more powerful guitar, at a higher cost of course. The advantage of shopping at some stores is that you will find financing options. Some stores allow you to pay a deposit and monthly instalments on their products. This makes it affordable and more accessible for you, especially if you are working with a strict budget. Once you’ve paid the deposit and you own a guitar, you can use it to make a few bucks which you use to pay the agreed monthly instalments. The cost should not, therefore, come in between you and your desired guitar.

Durability
You most likely want to use your guitar for a long time. This can be achieved by selecting a guitar which is durable and will meet your needs. Guitars are meant to be enjoyed, therefore continually breaking down will steal your joy often, and you may end up hanging it on the walls and shelves to gather dust. The durability of guitars is determined by the material used to make them. Good quality wood such as mahogany will have you using the guitar for a much longer time than other types of wood. One thing to also look for is whether the manufacturer's guarantee that their product will serve our purpose for a long time. Manufacturers that provide let's say a one or a two-year warranty can be reasonably assumed to have trust in the longevity of their product. It is important to note that higher costs usually characterize durable materials. You should, therefore, be ready to spend a little more for a longer-lasting guitar than opt for a cheaper option and spend the rest of your life buying spare parts and repairing guitars.

Packaging
How the guitar is packaged is also essential when considering which one to buy. Some guitars are packaged with spare parts, manuals, and set up instructions, while others are not. The packaging of guitars may determine how user friendly or otherwise a guitar becomes. You can consider looking for manufacturers who provide learning resources and manuals and prefer them over those that don't. At the same time, you may consider the customer service offered by the manufacturer, such as their availability to address your concerns.

Skill Level
Your level of experience should determine which guitar you acquire. A huge guitar may not be useful to an amateur guitarist. Similarly, a pop musician has no business purchasing an amateur's guitar. Many manufacturers have brought into the market different products which are specially made for varying levels of users.

The guitar’s wood top
Two types of wood tops exist. A solid wood top or a laminate wood top. Laminate wood tops are cheaper as compared to the solid wood top, thus making them ideal if you are working on a tight budget. Their downside is that they don't vibrate so well; therefore, the volume is not loud. The question that you may be having in your mind is how to distinguish a laminate wood top from a solid wood top. Laminate wood tops have smoother textures and glossier appearances than solid wood tops.

Choose between an acoustic and an acoustic-electric guitar
Acoustic-electric guitars have electronics in them such as Equalizers and jacks that allow them to be connected to amplifiers. On the other hand, acoustic guitars need to be connected to microphones or accessories of that type. Acoustic-electric guitars go for a slightly higher price than their non-electric counterparts. An inbuilt tuner is an advantage that comes with the acoustic-electric guitar. I would personally prefer an acoustic-electric guitar over the non-electric one.

Inspection of a guitar
It is advisable to inspect a guitar before acquiring it. You may consider going with a friend who is experienced in guitars or ask for help from the seller. Focus is usually placed on comfortability and sound. However, it may be useful if you carry out a further inspection. Further, an inspection may take several forms including;

Knocking on the guitar’s body-Listen keenly for the magnitude of the echo produced. A huge echo means the bass will be greater than a lesser echo.

Check for action height-The longer the action height, the more difficult the guitar is to play. Always look for a guitar with a shorter distance from the fretboard.

Besides, look for any clear signs of damage such as cracks and chips. Smaller cracks and chips are tolerable; huge ones should not. They affect the quality of sound produced by the guitar. You don’t want to end up with a guitar that sounds like a jerry can, or do you?

When all these considerations have been achieved to your satisfaction, you can then pick your guitar and start preparing to break guitar playing records ever known to man. However, your highest concentration should be on your comfort. Remember that you are acquiring this guitar for your use and enjoyment. Don't allow anything to come in between you and your objectives of owning a guitar.

If you are an amateur, I would advise that you get a friend who is more experienced in playing guitars and ask them to teach you how it's done. Who knows how it ends- you may end up outclassing your teacher and becoming the Picasso of guitar playing. Moreover, you can self-learn how to play the guitar by observing others, learning from Apps such as YouTube or reading manuals provided by manufacturers.

In conclusion, I assume that you've learnt a lot about guitars and what to consider before acquiring one. I have taught you what to do before you acquire one. I will not feel satisfied if I don’t tell you what to do after you own a guitar. Always keep your guitar well if you want it to serve you for long and to cut maintenance costs. If well maintained, the guitar will be your most magnificent companion. A guitar should be kept standing upright and in its case. This protects the strings and the body of the guitar. Good preservation will guarantee you durability. It has been my pleasure to take you with me on this journey. It is time to part ways now, and I hope you will use the knowledge acquired to get the best guitar for your convenience.