While looking for your first acoustic guitar, there are many things to consider.
If you are buying your first guitar, you do not want to spend a ton of money on it, because there is always a chance you may not stick to it. But there is an even greater risk involved.
Cheap guitars are generally of poor make and quality. Cheap guitars might not hold a good tune, and if they do they may not keep it long. It is difficult for new guitarists to tune and this can get annoying and discourage the aspiring musician. Poor tune and other traits can make it difficault for the new player to get a good sound.
The goal of all beginner musicians is to start sounding good. If even a skilled musician can’t make the guitar sound good, then a beginner will surely be discouraged. This may cause them to loose interest in all music.
So when buying a guitar for a beginner, I would strongly recommend buying a used guitar for several reasons.
As with all wooden instruments, the wood sounds better as it ages. Therefor buying a used instrument will usually get you a better sound. It may have a few dings or scratches, but the sound is the important part.
Also used guitars will cost less than their new counter parts. So you can pay less and get a better sounding instrument.
Don’t make the mistake of buying from a pawn shop on your first time out. They will try to sell the guitar at the highest price they can get away with, and knowing you are a beginner they will more than likely take advantage of you.
Lastly but probably the most important is that all acoustics sound unique. Even guitars mass produced in a factory all have varying sound qualities. Just the fact that it has a popular name on the head stock does not mean it sounds good. If you can, take an experienced guitarist with you to try out the guitar for pros and cons.
Remember that the first guitar you buy may decide whether you stick with it or not, so choose the right one.