Walk into Music Mart and you’ll see a wall of guitars. They look similar, but the differences matter — especially when you’re spending hard-earned money on your first one. Here’s how to pick the right one without overpaying or settling for something you’ll outgrow in three months.
Acoustic, Electric, or Classical?
This is the first fork in the road. Traditionally, you’d start on a classical guitar — it’s the most forgiving on your fingers, and the gentlest learning curve. But sometimes the best choice is the instrument that plays the music you actually want to play. Here’s how the three options compare.
Classical guitar — Nylon strings, gentle on fingers, wider neck. Traditional for classical, folk, and bossa nova, and what many Jamaican schools start students on. The wide neck can feel awkward if you have small hands, but the soft strings make this the most beginner-friendly entry point.
Acoustic guitar — Steel strings, plays itself loud, no amp needed. Great for singer-songwriter material, gospel chord work, and reggae rhythm playing. The downside: steel strings are tough on beginner fingers for the first few weeks, and the necks tend to be a bit wider than electric.
Electric guitar — Thinner neck, lighter strings, needs an amp to be heard properly. Easier on the fingers than steel-string acoustic, but you’re now buying a guitar and an amp, plus a cable. Great if you want to play rock, soul, ska lead lines, or anything where you’ll eventually want effects.
Size Matters: Get the Right Fit
Adults: full-size guitar. Done.
Children and small-framed players: a 3/4 or 1/2 size guitar is not a toy — it’s the right tool. A child trying to wrap their arm around a full-size dreadnought will hate guitar within a month. The same goes for adults under about five feet — a concert or OM body shape is more comfortable than a dreadnought or jumbo.
Five Things to Check Before You Buy
- Action — Press a string at the 12th fret. A lot of space between the string and the fretboard means the guitar will be hard to play. Lower action equals easier playing (within reason).
- Intonation — Play an open string, then the same string at the 12th fret. They should be the same note an octave apart. If it sounds out of tune with itself, the guitar has setup issues.
- Fret ends — Run your hand up and down the side of the neck. Sharp fret ends mean the guitar wasn’t finished well or has dried out in shipping.
- Tuning behaviour — A few things are normal: display guitars may not be tuned to pitch, and any guitar with fresh strings will drift for the first week or two of playing as the strings stretch in. What’s not normal is the pitch dropping sharply within a single song after the strings are broken in — that points to cheap tuners. As a beginner, you may not catch small pitch drift by ear yet, which is why a clip-on tuner is one of the first accessories you’ll want.
- How it feels in your hands — The most underrated test. If it feels heavy, awkward, or uncomfortable in the shop, you won’t practice at home.
Realistic Budget Bands in JMD
- Around JMD 35,000–40,000 — The sweet spot for first guitars. The Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Pack (acoustic, includes accessories) and the Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar sit right here. The Rollins S-Style Electric Guitar is a solid budget electric in this range too.
- JMD 50,000–60,000 — Step-up territory. The Yamaha C80 Classical Guitar is a noticeable upgrade from the C40 in build and tone, suited for students moving from absolute beginner to early intermediate.
- JMD 60,000 and up — Serious starter territory. Better wood, better build, the kind of guitar that will last you years if you take care of it.
If your budget is below the JMD 35,000 mark, consider waiting another month or two rather than buying a guitar that will fight you. A frustrating cheap guitar is the number-one reason beginners quit.
What Music Mart Stocks for First-Time Buyers
For acoustic starters, the Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Pack is a great all-in-one buy — the guitar plus the basic accessories you’ll need to get started. For classical, the Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar is a long-time entry-level classic, with the Yamaha C80 Classical Guitar as the step-up when you’re ready.
For electric, the Rollins S-Style Electric Guitar is a budget-friendly starter that Music Mart has carried for years. If a starter pack is available — like the Epiphone PRO 1 Junior Player Pack, which bundles a guitar with its own practice amp — that’s often the smartest path because you walk out with everything you need at once. Ask in store whether a current pack is in stock.
For acoustic-electric guitar players or singer-songwriters, the Ortega P-TWO 12W Acoustic Amplifier with Bluetooth is a beautiful little portable amp — rechargeable battery, dedicated mic input alongside the instrument input, and Bluetooth so you can play along with backing tracks. Around JMD 22,000. It’s acoustic-only (not designed for electric guitar), but for anyone with an acoustic-electric, a ukulele with a pickup, or a busker who needs vocals plus guitar, it’s an ideal piece of kit.
The Accessories You Actually Need
Don’t let anyone upsell you. On day one, you need:
- A clip-on tuner — the D’Addario PW-CT-17 Eclipse is a reliable workhorse at around JMD 3,000 and works for guitar, bass, and ukulele
- A spare set of strings
- A gig bag (the guitar may come with one — confirm)
- For electric: a 10-foot 1/4-inch cable and a practice amp (or a starter pack that includes one)
Skip the fancy picks, multi-tool kits, and pedal boards for now. You can add those when you know what you actually need.
Need a Hand Picking the Right One?
Our Equipment Advisor is built to ask the right questions and recommend guitars that fit your space, skill level, and budget. Or get in touch with Music Mart to arrange a demo — bring this article with you.
