Iām looking to start playing. Absolute beginner. Taking on Justinās advice on starting with an electric, though later I would like to play acoustic, is the Squier Classic Vibe series a decent starting guitar. I note they have a tremolo / whammy bar set up which I assume can be disabled to start with. Cheers, Tony
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Hi Tony - welcome for the community!
The Squire classic vibe is a great guitar, great for beginners but it would serve you well at any level. I bought one after many many years of playing.
You can block off the trem if you want to, but thereās really no need to at this stage. Ironically you are more likely to want to do that later in your guitar journey - although thereās nothing wrong with them, they are not for everyone.
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I am in a beginner journey as well, 2 years in. I have a Squier 40th Anniversaty Start and I love it. But then again - I also love my acoustic perhaps even more, because it is more simple and less preparation (amps, electricity, etc.).
But for my Squier, I donāt use tremolo so I have fixed bridge.
I think that it is better to have normaly priced guitar and a proper setup done than guitar of a high price range and not āfittedā.
Donāt forget to post when you buy 
NGD
Welcome here, you will find lots of good information. 
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Iād be very interested to know how the Squier CV goes for you as I am currently playing a 30+ year old Epiphone SG (with newish Seymour Duncan pickups) and I am feeling like the inspiration I am getting in the Blues IMmersion course is going to precipitate some Guitar Acquisition Syndrome in the new year and I have the Squier CV on my radar as one potential for purchase.
Whatever you decide to purchase in the end, I wish you a warm welcome to the community and best of luck on your guitar journey!!
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Hi @tweim1, and welcome! Iām certainly not trying to change your mind, but will point out that plenty of us (myself included) start out on acoustic. Justin delivers plenty of his Grade 1-3 lessons on acoustic. Some things to consider:
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Acoustic guitars require āless equipmentā than electrics. You donāt need electricity, an amp and/or headphones, or anything else really (thought Iād recommend a strap and some picks). I find myself picking up my acoustic over my electric when I only have a short amount of time to practice - itās just less to deal with.
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Acoustic guitars are more portable - my elderly mom always wants to hear me play (Iām still a beginner)ā¦Iām visiting her this week and it was easy to bring my acoustic.
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Acoustic guitars are often more family/roommate/neighbor friendly (though you can certainly play loudly!). A well-set up acoustic with extra light strings (10s) is not much more challenging to play than an electric. Some would argue that any extra challenge is good for beginners, in that it can help develop hand strength and dexterity.
Whatever you decide (electric or acoustic) - spend some time in a guitar store playing various styles. We all have different bodies, and we find different things aesthetically pleasing. Starting out, make sure your guitar is comfortable, and that smile when you pick it up!
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Thank you all for your insight and advice. Have to say I do keep thinking it would make more sense to start with an acoustic - grab and go - rather than needing to set up etc. I need to make it as easy as possible to practice! I couldnāt get on with Dreadnought, so Iād be looking at a grand auditorium or something along those lines. Anything I should be taking into consideration if I go down that route?
Hello Tony & welcome to the āGear Aquisition Rabbit Holeā!!! As you cruise around this Community, youāll find quite a bit of discussion about what to buy, what sounds good, best value for the money etc., etc., etc.!!!
All of the advice above is good, acoustics are better as a "grab it & playā instruments.
Although, you may not know about headphone amps that plug directly into your electric guitar output - you plug headphones into the gizmo to hear yourself play. Thatās pretty portable & no electricity requiredā¦
Personally, I enjoy playing my solid-body Squire electric (itās a Squire Bullet Strat thatās been loads of fun to play) at nightā¦ itās a lot quieter than my acoustics & I donāt wake the house.
By the way, are you considering amps yet?
In answer to your original question -
I vote Yes, it is a very decent starter guitar that as Paul says may very well be a ākeeperā that youāll play for years & years.
In answer to your 2nd question -
Find a well-stocked music store with a good selection of guitars in stock. Carve out some time (at least a couple of hours), set yourself a budget that you can spend, go & find yourself an employee who looks knowledgeable & ask lots of questions. Tell him/her that you are a total newcomer to guitar & what your thoughts/desires are for your first guitar. Sit down with several guitars WITHIN YOUR BUDGET (if you start sampling guitars well above your price range, the ones you can afford may not seem as desirable by comparison) & see what feels & looks good to you. If whatever you end up getting doesnāt appeal to you visually & feel good physically, you wonāt have as much drive to play & practice.
Hereās an image of acoustic guitar sizes:
If youāre a smaller person, OM or smaller may be the right fit for you. Many builders have āslimā body models also. Thereās lots of options for beginners out there!!!
Good Luck & Always - Keep it Fun!!!
Tod
P.S. Finger pain is a real thing when starting but it doesnāt last too long!!! 
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thank you so much for taking the time to provide such detailed responses. Much appreciated
Hey Tony, great your getting into playing some guitar.
Seems like your acquiring your 1st guitar with some good info that your getting here.
As for any new guitar ya get with a vibrato tail. All I can say is ya donāt gotta block it off. leave it as is imho. Iāve got one on one of my guitars. I just donāt use it so much. I donāt even put the bar on it usually. But, there are times when I like to play and use the vibrato. So. If ya get one like the squire your talking about. If ya donāt wanna use it. Just donāt use it, donāt put the bar on. Ya donāt have to use it. It is a nice option to have though.
Good idea too to get a acoustic for grab and go. I for sure do that. I play on my back stoop all summer long, weather permitting. Acoustic works great for this. Or, taking it to momās house (which I donāt do since my mom donāt wanna hear it). 
That said, donāt let the acoustic and itās ease of use dissuade you from electric.
Electric isnāt so hard to plug and play if your just using it mostly in your home.
I keep my guitar cord plugged into my amp. I got a pedal tuner that I power up with a power strip. So to play the elec. I have to turn on the power strip. I have to plug in my guitar thatās already plugged into my amp and I gotta turn on my amp. This takes but a moment to do. Sure the acoustic is easier to get it out and play, but the electric is only moments slower to get out and play. So do let this dissuade you from electric. I also keep whatever guitar Iām playing today out on a stand, plugged in if electric. Turn on the amp and away I go. Very easy to do and Iāll do it even if Iām only playing for a moment before I do something else. At the end of my day, either or go back in itās case.
That said, if I only had one guitar I think itād be a acoustic (because I can play it in a power outage or a camp site (back stoop), no electricity required). It for sure donāt get easier than that. + itās portable. Lots to be said for portable and no power required.
fwiw, I do play electric on my back stoop too. But itās the difference of one trip to start playing with the acoustic vs 4-5 trips to get the electric outside.
Whatever ya get, have a set up done on it. Itāll really help with your playing having a guitar that is playable. The setup gets you to playable with any guitar, electric or acoustic. Disclaimer, for whatever reason, electrics do seem to be easier to play (to me), why, I donāt know. Even after setup.
fwiw and imho, if ya go acoustic, get a electric/acoustic, I find that to be a real winner. Not so much that I plug in my acoustic to a amp, but more so for the fact that the acoustic/elec. also has a built in tuner usually. I find that a very useful feature.
Have fun man!
Acoustics are set up with a higher action (string height above the fretboard) and generally have smaller frets. That results in needing more pressure and more accurate fretting to get a good, clean sound out of each string.
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Hello Tony @tweim1 and welcome to the JustinGuitar site and Community.
You have found the right place for structured lessons and a supportive and friendly community of like minded folk.
Classic Vibe models (CV) are the top of the Squier range. They are built to a decent quality and specification. The models that have a tremolo bar are the Stratocasters. Other models without that are available - the Telecaster.
If you are large with big hands and long fingers it would be worth your while trying one in person as they are known for having slightly skinny necks compared to many other electric guitars. Sometimes people describe this as a reason for sale when you see them in the 2nd hand for sale adverts.
Speaking of which - you can find mega bargains in the used market for guitars that are virtually new.
If the āFenderā style guitars are what you fancy they are one of the most copied types of guitar around.
Another name to look out for with Strat and Tele copies is G&L.
@Richard_close2u hi. Iām at the other end of the scale with smaller hands. I like a lot of acoustic type songs but want to get up and running with as little āresistanceā as possible so have been edging towards a Telecaster classic vibe for itās simplicity whilst being a bit easier to handle in comparison to an acoustic. I do however think that I will need to scratch the acoustic itch at some point. The OM or OO size seems to be a bit more manageable. Would you have a view on what is good beginner to intermediate instrument in that category? Many thanks
If you think you want to play acoustic then buy acoustic is my take. I understand the rationale of electric maybe being slightly easier but thereās a lot to be said for a guitar that is just pick up and play like an acoustic guitar.
Acoustic guitars can be big and unwieldy and difficult to play but it doesnāt have to be that way. Look for something with a short scale length like a Taylor GS Mini. Yeah itās more than the Squier you mention but you donāt need an amp or anything else. Something like the Taylor isnāt something that youāll need to upgrade in a year or two, itās a high quality instrument that will be good for years.
Iām into metal so it always seemed natural Iād want some crazy electric guitar but ultimately getting an acoustic guitar was the best thing I ever did. I have nice electric guitars but itās my Taylor acoustic that I play 95% of the time.
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Hi Tony,
a lot has been said, I hope you can use this to your advantage.
But the whole thing also depends on your personal situation. Do you want to play loudly at a campfire, or for friends, or not at the moment?
If not, you can setup your acoustic very low. so it plays like butter. I have one like that and it actually can even play pretty loudly without buzzing.
Generally I would also tend towards an acoustic - and one with a bit of a wider neck, like 44,5mm at least - with your smaller hands you may not need it, but I think itās easier have some space and it would be a little different from your probably soon to have electric anyway (they have all rather narrow necks) so you can feel a difference and see what you prefer, or what kind of playing style each one is better at.
Whatever you will getā¦ you will only find out what you need or prefer after spending some time practicing and the occasional struggle anyway, so take all the advice with a grain of salt, but remember to try something different when youāre stuck or unhappy on your guitar journeyā¦
All the best,
Dominique
Just to be clear, although Justin recommended starting with an electric, he also said you donāt need the extra electric stuff - ie amp, cables, pedals etc. As a beginner you can hear the strings as you play without an amp. You can always add the other stuff later.
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