Music stores

Absolutley I agree. I've only been playing about a year, self-taught, so you can imagine how horrible it sounds <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile">. Anyway, on a recent trip to shop for an amp, I went to the "Center for Guitars" <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_wink.gif" border=0 alt="Wink">. OMG, it was frightning. A ten year old sitting there just shredding a Strat, teens all over place, a small three piece combo jamming in the corner. No f"ing way was I going to pick up a guitar. So I left without auditioning one amp. Maybe I'll try again later, in a few years.

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My favorite store is by far "Guitar Center".  I've been to the stores in S.F., Hollywood, Denver, Falls Church, L.A. and i've found them all to be the same - very friendly and tolerant of all levels of players.  I've only been playing a few months - myself and i've never felt ashamed at all to pick up any guitar in the store and try it out.  just tell the sales dudes that you're a new player - they almost always say the same thing - congrats, everyone starts somewhere.  nobody was born knowing how to play and everyone remembers what it was like to learn and everyone is still learning - just at different points on the curve.  my advice, don't sweat it.  if you are treated poorly - let them know it, but don't let it stop you from pursuing your love of playing.  but try "guitar center" for sure - hopefully you have one close to you.

I too had a good experience at Guitar Center; I just picked up half-a-dozen acoustics and went back to the sound room to play them. 

Nobody bothered me till I picked the one I wanted.

Remember that sales persons are trying to sell stuff; they may want to steer you to something they don't need.

A good idea is to pick a few models you're interested in, then read reviews from sources like Acoustic Guitar and such to see what folks think of 'em.

Guitar Center's online site has user-reviews of instruments as well.

There's a lot to be said for buying second hand when you're a beginner.  Lots of people buy good guitars, hardly play them, then sell them again for a third of what they paid for them. Have a look in your local paper or on the net, go to see the guitar with a friend who knows what they're talking about, and you'll get far more guitar for your money.  It's easier to learn on a good guitar than a bad one and a good guitar holds its value while a cheaper one does not.

Guitar shops just want your money and most people who go into them are beginners.  They'll be kind to you whatever your standard.  If you're shy then practise a party piece, just twenty seconds of finger picking, and play that on each one you try.  Don't waste their time trying 20 guitars which are way out of your price range though, tolerence works both ways.

Seagull guitars are very good in my experience.