Choosing your first instrument should begin a creative and educational journey. Because there are so many various brands and styles of instruments, shopping for one might be overwhelming. There are many factors to consider when choosing a guitar. Still, you should pick the one that best suits your personal preferences regarding tone, aesthetics, and playability. The best instrument is the one that motivates you to practice regularly.
10 Best Guitars in Singapore 2024 - Latest Reviews
Table of Contents
Why Is It Our Top Pick?
Ultimately, the top pick! Being a guitar that can be played by intermediate to experienced guitar players is a reason to like it. Plus, its versatility and flexibility in handling a wide range of genres and its high-quality sound are something that every guitar player would want – in a single instrument.
The Gibson Les Paul Special is recommended to advanced and intermediate guitarists since it is a high-quality guitar built in the USA. Working musicians will appreciate this guitar because it is much more comfortable for extended periods, especially while standing. Gibson's solid-wood model Les Paul Special has provided users with a unique sound, feel, and reaction. The current Les Paul Special has all the classic features that made the original so famous, plus it also plays well and has many valuable features.
Product Specifications
- Material: Mahogany
- Body Type: Solid
- Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
- No. of Frets: 22
Performance
Gibson's Les Paul Special is an excellent choice for a high-quality instrument that can handle various musical styles and genres thanks to its big neck (but not too chunky) and versatile design. The richness of its tone blows you away, and you'll be hooked by how easy it is to play. Gibson P90 pickups are among the most flexible models available. It has the gain handling of humbuckers and the clean-up capabilities of standard single coils.
Even though it's one of Yamaha's most affordable full-size classical models, the Yamaha C40 delivers exceptional quality and tone—a steal for those just starting. Yamaha's C40 PKG Guitar Package is a one-stop shop for all your stringed instrument needs. The C40's smaller scale and compact shape make it an ideal starter instrument for young players. The combination of its great tone and easy playability makes it an instrument that will keep rehearsals alive with variety.
Product Specifications
- Material: Spruce
- Body Type: Classical Dreadnought
- Fret Size: Medium
- No. of Frets: 20
Performance
The Yamaha C40 Classical Guitar is an excellent instrument as it has strings close together, provides remarkable playability, and is made of durable wood. Yes, the Yamaha C40 classical guitar is a perfect choice for beginners and those looking for superb sound and easy playing (due to the nylon strings) in opposition to steel strings and the shorter neck.
Specifications
- Material- Maple and Rosewood
- Body Type- Solid body
- Fret Size- 25.5”
- No. of Frets- 22
The PRS Silver Sky delivers the comfort and familiarity of a classical guitar with the refinement of a brand-new instrument by incorporating Mayer and Smith's favorite components of the 1963 and 1964 models.
Performance
This guitar combines the best of the past and present in terms of specs. The fretboard's 7.25" radius provides classic guitar familiarity, making thumb-over and behind techniques simple. Since the frets are vintage-spec, they are smaller and shorter than most people may be accustomed to, but they still feel great when playing. This guitar produces superb resonance and that signature "snap" that every professional needs in their performance.
The Mexican Standard Strat is now known as the Fender Player Stratocaster. One of the best features of the Player Series is the variety of colors available. Naturally, left-handed players will be glad to learn that a left-handed variant is also available. Alder, which has replaced ash as Fender's go-to body wood, was utilized in its construction, as was the usual fare for the model.
Product Specifications
- Guitar Type: Electric Guitar
- Material: Alder and Ash
- Body Type: Solid
- Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
- No. of Frets: 21 or 22
Performance
The Fender Stratocaster had no issues with the wood due to its lightweight and responsiveness. You can play at ease in any position, whether standing or sitting, because of its low weight and excellent contour body. It was easy to pick up and play right out of the box because it was cozy. This guitar is suitable for players of all skill levels, from those just starting with a little extra cash to spare to those who make a living as guitarists yet require a stable, affordable foundation.
This Yamaha F310 acoustic guitar is excellent for beginners because it already comes with a gig bag, tuner, capo, strap, pick, and Allen key in addition to the guitar itself. This complete acoustic guitar kit makes it easy to host a soothing at-home acoustic session on the weekends. The Yamaha F310's blend of spruce and meranti woods results in an ideal balance of clarity, sweetness, and responsiveness in its sound.
Product Specifications
- Guitar Type: Acoustic Guitar
- Material: Laminated Spruce
- Body Type: Dreadnought
- Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
- No. of Frets: 20
Performance
Produced by one of the best guitar brands, this acoustic guitar has a shallower body depth and intermediate scale length, making it ideal for younger players and beginners. It allows for more comfortable handling and even longer hours of practice. Yamaha guitars have been subjected to numerous quality checks and evaluations. Long-term solid stability is the result of these measures. The F310 brings Yamaha's usual dedication to quality, design, and sound to an amazingly reasonable price point.
The Yamaha FS800 is available in either a dreadnought or a concert size. This one is noticeably more compact, slimmer, and lighter than other guitars in Yamaha's lineups. This guitar is ideal for newbies, performers with smaller hands, and guitarists frequently on the road due to its ergonomic design. The Yamaha FS800 is a great acoustic guitar for the price, and it works excellently for impromptu performances.
Product Specifications
- Material: Rosewood
- Body Type: Small Body Guitar
- Fret Size: Medium
- No. of Frets: 20
Performance
The Yamaha FS800 is a great instrument to learn as a first step into the beautiful world of acoustic guitars. The Yamaha FS800 is the most impressive guitar you can buy for around $200 and produces excellent sound. The rosewood bridge and solid spruce top look great with the sand-burst finish. The laminate used for the back is sourced from the Nato (Okoume) tree. The inlaid dots on the sides of the fingerboard are an excellent aid for beginners.
Although Takamine isn't a well-known brand, their GN93-CE fingerstyle guitar is excellent. The amplified output is clear and crisp, the unplugged sounds are good quality, and the instrument is well-built. The bridge is made of Laurelwood, and the nut and saddle are made of synthetic bone. The bridge has no pins, and the frets are nickel silver with dot inlays.
Product Specifications
- Material: Select Solid Spruce and Rosewood
- Body Type: NEX-style body
- Fret Size: Medium
- No. of Frets: 20
Performance
This compact and lightweight acoustic is fun to play. This guitar is perfect for fingerstyle because of its narrow neck and ample string spacing. The higher register is easily accessible thanks to the cutaway design. Additionally, the pin less bridge system maintains accurate tuning and could be helpful for a last-minute string swap on stage. Its small stature reveals the full-sized sound it produces, which is rich in resonance, has an earthy midrange, and a slight dark top-end shimmer.
Not all types of guitar are not made for kids to use. The Yamaha JR1 is not a loud guitar but is intended for practice and learning. Still, it can make a great travel guitar for adults or just a tool to play around for hobbies and inspiration. Essentially, we're looking at a guitar with a more petite body and a shorter neck. That makes it perfect for young people with smaller hands. Still, it features Yamaha's solid craftsmanship with a spruce top and compact constructions -nato neck, rosewood fret, and chrome hardware. Moreover, it boasts the acclaimed quality of the FG series.
Product Specifications
- Material: Spruce wood
- Body Type: Dreadnought
- Fret Size: Medium
- No. of Frets: 20
Performance
The Yamaha JR1 is capable of producing appealing tones with significant volume. Nevertheless, the FG Junior 1 is considerably louder and more precise than other compact guitars, including travel and parlor models. Its small size doesn't prevent it from producing clear and powerful highs, robust mids, and even lows. The sound is crisp, bright, and somewhat twangy. Last but not least, its projects sound reasonably well.
PRS SE Custom 22 is a deal. The maple-topped mahogany double-cutaway body is comfortable and attractive. It has a rosewood fingerboard, 22 frets, with PRS Bird inlays. The headstock now bears Paul Reed Smith's signature, adding a "cool" aspect. The PRS SE Custom 22 is a powerful guitar full of great sounds for blues playing and with a neck that will allow speed and comfort if that is what you want. It is not the cheapest guitar we have reviewed, but it is still valuable.
Product Specifications
- Material: Maple with Flame Maple Veneer
- Body Type: Semi-hollow or chambered body
- Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
- No. of Frets: 22
Performance
The PRS SE Custom 22's pickups are controlled by a single volume and tone control, making setting up your basic sound easy. There is a three-way toggle switch for pickup selection. Simple, easy-to-use controls that generate a powerful sound. It's a well-made guitar and is worth considering. The SE Custom 22 semi-hollow is convenient and functional, making it a good option for experienced players and newbies.
The rosewood back, sides, and custom bracing provide the Yamaha FS830 with rich overtones, deeper bass, and longer sustain. The abalone inlay around the sound hole gives it a more expensive and sophisticated look. The compact, slender body is ideal for finger-picking players of intermediate to advanced skills. Yamaha's research and development department created state-of-the-art acoustic analysis technology, which allowed them to double the FS's bass and midrange volume.
Product Specifications
- Material: Solid Spruce Top
- Body Type: Small Body
- Fret Size: Medium
- No. of Frets: 20
Performance
The Yamaha FS830 is unique in its playability and tone thanks to its reduced size and slim waist. The newly created scalloped bracing design gives them a realistic style that is well-balanced without compromising their powerful strength, making them a safe bet for recommendation to all aspiring novice guitarists. While it's great for newbies, it's also an excellent choice for seasoned fingerstyle guitarists.
What is a Guitar?
The Guitar is a type of chordophone, or plucked string instrument, because it generates music by vibrating the strings. It's a stringed instrument with frets, and it usually has six strings. It is played by pressing the strings against frets with the fingers of the non-dominant hand while strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand.
Different Types of Guitars
- Acoustic Guitar - A guitar with a hollow body that magnifies the sound of the strings' vibrations without using an electrical amplifier. The most common form and size for acoustic guitars is the dreadnought. It is suitable for strumming or fingerstyle, and it has steel strings.
- Electric Guitar- unlike an acoustic Guitar, electric guitars are not hollow; thus, they cannot resonate and project sound. So, to be heard, it has magnetic pickups on the body of the Guitar underneath its strings. It uses an amplifier to project the sound. Electric guitars are usually plucked with a pick.
- Semi- Acoustic Guitar- occupies a middle ground between an acoustic and electric guitar; also called hollow-body electric Guitar. It will play with or without amplification.
- Classical Guitar- a.k.a nylon string guitar or Spanish guitars. It has nylon strings that produce a softer, more mellow sound than steel strings. This type of Guitar has a wider string spacing, so it is suitable for fingerstyle playing instead of a pick.
- Bass guitar- typically electric Guitar plucked with pick or fingers. It produces a lower sound (an octave lower) than bib-bass guitars and usually has four strings.
Buying Guide: How to Choose a Guitar
Choosing your first instrument should begin a creative and educational adventure. Because there are so many various brands and styles of instruments, shopping for one might be overwhelming. Here are some tips for choosing the Guitar that suits you:
- Guitar's Look and Vibe may not be as crucial as others think. But how your Guitar looks and your attraction to your instrument have an effect. It doesn't need to be flashy and gaudy. Instead, you might want to feel as if the Guitar is calling you to hold it, and simply by its looks, you are inspired.
- Guitar's Sound and Playability – Every guitar player has their preference, depending on the inspiration, the timbre, tone, or volume they "feel" the most. It is up to them if the guitarist wants more calm, mellow, metal, or electric, so considering the sound is essential. The Guitar's playability is a critical point to consider. You want to feel comfortable playing your Guitar and consider the things that you can modify (action, string height, strap button placement, strings) and the things that you can't change ( nut width, neck profile, string spacing, body width). Motivating yourself to play will be much more challenging if you are uncomfortable with your instrument.
- Guitar's Versatility – It is essential to consider the variety of playing styles your Guitar can do. You have a guitar that you can flex and improve your growth in new acoustic music styles, concepts, and genres.
- Guitar's Story – they say every instrument has its own story. Consider buying a guitar that inspires you the most and can personally relate to your story to boost the level of inspiration it gives you. This is a more personal factor but is a good one to imbibe the inner musician in you.
Best Guitar Brands in Singapore
Many great guitar brands are available in Singapore, each with unique qualities and characteristics. Here are some of the top guitar brands that you can consider:
- Yamaha: Yamaha is a highly respected guitar brand that produces various instruments suitable for different genres and playing styles. They are known for their high-quality construction and affordable prices.
- Fender: Fender is a classic guitar brand that has been around for decades, producing iconic models such as the Stratocaster and Telecaster. They offer a wide range of guitars suitable for beginners and professionals.
- Gibson: Gibson is another legendary guitar brand that has been around for over a century. They are known for their high-quality construction, beautiful finishes, and rich, warm tones.
- Ibanez: Ibanez is a famous brand among heavy metal and hard rock guitarists, known for their fast necks and aggressive tone. They also offer various guitars for other genres and playing styles.
- Taylor: Taylor is a brand known for producing high-quality acoustic guitars with beautiful tonewoods and a balanced tone. They offer various models suitable for different playing styles and skill levels.
Ultimately, the best guitar brand for you will depend on your personal preferences, playing style, and budget. Trying out different guitars before purchasing is always a good idea to see which one feels and sounds the best to you.
Guitars Price Range in Singapore
The price range of guitars in Singapore can vary widely depending on the brand, model, and type of guitar you are looking for. Generally, acoustic guitars can range from around $100 to several thousand dollars, while electric guitars can range from about $200 to several thousand.
Some factors that can affect the price of a guitar include the materials used in construction (e.g., solid wood versus laminate), the brand reputation, and the level of craftsmanship. Higher-end guitars typically feature premium materials and superior craftsmanship, resulting in better playability, tone, and durability.
Additionally, accessories and other equipment, such as amplifiers, pedals, cases, and straps, can add to the overall cost of a guitar setup. It's essential to consider these factors when budgeting for a guitar purchase.
Ultimately, the price range of guitars in Singapore can vary widely, and it's essential to research and shop around to find a guitar that meets your needs and budget.
Where to Buy Guitars in Singapore?
There are several places where you can buy guitars in Singapore. Here are some options:
- Music stores: Many music stores in Singapore sell acoustic and electric guitars. Some popular music stores in Singapore include Swee Lee, Davis Guitar, and Music Gear.
- Online stores: You can purchase guitars through websites such as Lazada, Shopee, or Carousell. However, it's essential to ensure that you are buying from a reputable seller and that the guitar is in good condition before purchasing.
- Secondhand shops: If you're looking for a more affordable option, consider buying a secondhand guitar from Cash Converters, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace.
- Guitar events and exhibitions: From time to time, there are guitar exhibitions and events in Singapore where you can find a wide range of guitars to choose from. For instance, the annual Singapore International Guitar Festival features concerts, workshops, and an exhibition of different types of guitars.
When buying a guitar, it's essential to try it out before purchasing it to ensure that it feels comfortable and sounds good. Consider visiting a music store or attending a guitar event to try out different guitars before deciding.
Conclusion
Buying a guitar is challenging with the various choices and variants available now. It is like an investment that you do for yourself and can pass on to your children. So, it is good to research, read reviews and ask the expert's advice before buying one to find what fits you and your lifestyle.