If you already play guitar, learning a new instrument isn’t as daunting as it might seem. In fact, guitarists have a serious advantage when it comes to picking up other stringed instruments.
Why? Because many of the skills you’ve already developed, chord knowledge, finger strength, and rhythm, transfer surprisingly well to a wide range of instruments.
For starters, your left-hand dexterity (or right-hand, if you’re a lefty) is already developed. If you’ve spent time fretting chords and moving through scales on a guitar, your fingers will adjust more quickly to a new instrument’s fretboard.
Even if the tuning is different, the muscle memory you’ve built makes learning new chord shapes and patterns much easier.
Here are five of the easiest and most rewarding instruments for guitarists to learn:
- Ukulele – The Fun & Portable Choice
- Bass Guitar – The Backbone of the Band
- Mandolin – The Folk and Bluegrass Favorite
- Banjo – The Fingerpicking Powerhouse
- Lap Steel Guitar – The Slide Guitarist’s Dream
1. Ukulele – The Fun & Portable Choice
If you’re looking for an easy and fun transition from guitar, the ukulele is your best bet. It’s small, lightweight, and incredibly beginner-friendly, there are a lot of basic uke tabs & chords available online, making it one of the easiest instruments for guitarists to pick up.
Why It’s Easy for Guitarists:
✔ Similar chord shapes – While the ukulele is tuned differently (G-C-E-A), many chord shapes feel familiar, especially if you’re used to playing the top four strings of a guitar.
✔ Easier on the fingers – Nylon strings and a smaller fretboard mean less finger pressure is needed compared to a steel-string guitar.
✔ Same strumming skills – The rhythm and strumming patterns you use on guitar translate directly to the ukulele, making it easy to play along with songs right away.
What Makes It Fun:
- The ukulele has a bright and happy sound, perfect for sing-alongs and relaxing jams.
- It’s super portable, take it to the beach, park, or anywhere without needing an amp or case full of accessories.
- Learning songs is quick and rewarding, with many tunes only requiring 3-4 basic chords.
Best Genres to Play on Ukulele:
🎵 Pop
🎵 Hawaiian & Island music
🎵 Folk
🎵 Jazz
If you want a low-pressure, high-fun instrument that’s easy to pick up, the ukulele is a great choice. Within just a few hours, you’ll be strumming and singing along to your favorite songs!
2. Bass Guitar – The Backbone of the Band
If you’ve ever wanted to lock in with the rhythm section and drive the groove, the bass guitar is the perfect instrument to add to your arsenal. It may look like a guitar with fewer strings, but playing bass is an entirely different experience, one that guitarists can transition into surprisingly quickly.
Why It’s Easy for Guitarists:
✔ Similar tuning – The bass guitar is tuned the same as the lowest four strings of a guitar (E-A-D-G), just an octave lower. This means your fretboard knowledge translates directly.
✔ Familiar fretboard layout – If you already navigate a guitar neck, moving around on a bass will feel natural.
✔ Same picking and plucking techniques – Whether you use a pick or fingerstyle on guitar, those skills carry over seamlessly.
What Makes It Fun:
- It’s all about groove. While guitarists focus on chords and solos, bassists create the foundation of a song, working closely with the drummer to drive the rhythm.
- Less focus on chords, more on individual notes. If you love playing lead guitar, you’ll enjoy the melodic movement of basslines.
- Bassists are always in demand. If you’re in a band or thinking of joining one, knowing how to play bass makes you instantly valuable to any group.
Best Genres to Play on Bass:
🎵 Rock
🎵 Funk
🎵 Jazz
🎵 Pop
🎵 Reggae
If you’re a guitarist who enjoys groove, rhythm, and melody, picking up the bass guitar is a natural next step.
Within a few days, you’ll be playing basslines to your favorite songs and feeling the power of being the backbone of the band.
3. Mandolin – The Folk and Bluegrass Favorite
@ianmunsick Sometimes i play the mandolin #musictok #musicoftiktok #country #bluegrass #fyp ♬ original sound – Ian Munsick
The mandolin is a small, bright-sounding instrument that’s a staple in folk, bluegrass, and even classical music.
While it has a completely different tuning than the guitar, its fretboard logic and picking techniques make it a surprisingly easy transition for guitarists, especially those who enjoy fast, melodic playing.
Why It’s Easy for Guitarists:
✔ Same fretted instrument layout – While tuned differently (G-D-A-E, like a violin), the mandolin’s frets work just like a guitar’s.
✔ Pick technique translates well – If you’re comfortable using a pick, you can apply your alternate picking skills directly to mandolin melodies.
✔ Familiar chord shapes – While the tuning is different, many two-finger and three-finger chord shapes will feel natural with a little adjustment.
What Makes It Fun:
- Bright, percussive sound – The mandolin cuts through in a mix, making it perfect for adding energy to a song.
- Great for fast playing – If you love quick, intricate solos on the guitar, mandolin’s fast-picking style will be incredibly fun.
- Compact and lightweight – Even smaller than a ukulele, making it super portable.
Best Genres to Play on Mandolin:
🎵 Bluegrass
🎵 Folk
🎵 Celtic Music
🎵 Classical
While the tuning takes some adjustment, most guitarists find that they can start playing basic melodies and chords within a few hours.
If you’re a fan of fast picking, intricate melodies, and rich folk traditions, the mandolin is an exciting and rewarding instrument to add to your collection.
4. Banjo – The Fingerpicking Powerhouse
The banjo is an instrument packed with energy, twang, and a distinct rhythmic bounce that makes it perfect for bluegrass, folk, and country music.
If you’re a guitarist who enjoys fingerpicking, the banjo will feel like a natural extension of your skills. With its bright, percussive tone and fast-picking techniques, it’s an incredibly fun instrument to play, especially if you love fast-paced, rolling melodies.
Why It’s Easy for Guitarists:
✔ Familiar picking techniques – If you play fingerstyle guitar, you’ll quickly adapt to banjo rolls and picking patterns.
✔ Chords feel familiar – The most common tuning for a five-string banjo (open G tuning: G-D-G-B-D) makes chord shapes easier for guitarists to grasp.
✔ The neck feels similar – While a banjo has a different string layout, the fret spacing and scale length feel close to a guitar’s.
What Makes It Fun:
- The sound is unmistakable – That bright, twangy banjo tone instantly makes any song more exciting.
- Great for rhythmic playing – The banjo’s percussive strumming and rolling patterns make it as much a rhythmic instrument as a melodic one.
- It shines in solos and fast picking – If you love intricate lead playing on the guitar, the banjo offers endless opportunities for flashy solos.
Best Genres to Play on Banjo:
🎵 Bluegrass
🎵 Folk
🎵 Country
🎵 Americana
While the open tuning and five-string setup might feel a bit unusual at first, guitarists can quickly adapt, especially if they already play fingerstyle or use alternate tunings.
If you’re looking for an instrument that’s both rhythmic and melodic, with tons of personality and character, the banjo is a fantastic choice.
5. Lap Steel Guitar – The Slide Guitarist’s Dream
If you love slide guitar, the lap steel guitar is an instrument that will feel like home. Known for its smooth, singing quality and signature Hawaiian, blues, and country sounds, the lap steel is played with a steel bar (slide) instead of pressing the strings against the frets.
While it might seem completely different from a traditional guitar at first glance, many guitarists find it surprisingly easy to pick up, especially those who already experiment with slide playing.
Why It’s Easy for Guitarists:
✔ Familiar tuning options – Many lap steel guitars use open tunings (like Open G, Open D, or C6) that guitarists may already know from slide guitar playing.
✔ Same picking techniques – If you use fingerpicking or a flat pick, those techniques translate directly to the lap steel.
✔ No fretting required – Instead of pressing down on frets, you glide the steel bar over the strings, which is easier on the fingers.
What Makes It Fun:
- Signature smooth, dreamy sound – The lap steel produces long, sustained notes that float effortlessly between pitches.
- Great for expressive playing – Vibrato, slides, and bends sound incredible on a lap steel, allowing for deep emotional expression in your playing.
- Used in multiple genres – While often associated with Hawaiian music, it’s also a staple in blues, country, and rock.
Best Genres to Play on Lap Steel Guitar:
🎵 Hawaiian Music
🎵 Blues
🎵 Country & Western
🎵 Rock (especially in classic and southern rock)
If you’ve ever dabbled in slide guitar or love the idea of playing long, sustained, and expressive melodies, the lap steel guitar is an exciting new challenge.
Guitarists can quickly adapt to open tunings and slide techniques, making this an easy and rewarding instrument to explore.
How to Choose the Right Instrument for You
So, which instrument should you pick up next? The right choice depends on your musical taste, playing style, and goals. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:
🎸 Want something small, fun, and easy? → Try the ukulele.
🎸 Love rhythm and groove? → Bass guitar is your best bet.
🎸 Enjoy folk, bluegrass, and melodic playing? → The mandolin is a great choice.
🎸 Want to master fast fingerpicking? → Give the banjo a shot.
🎸 Into slide guitar and smooth melodies? → The lap steel guitar is perfect.
Each of these instruments builds upon the skills you already have as a guitarist, making them quick to learn and fun to play.
Final Thoughts
Learning a new instrument is one of the best ways to grow as a musician. Not only will it make you a more versatile player, but it will also deepen your understanding of music and help you bring fresh ideas back to your guitar playing.
Whether you choose the playful ukulele, the groovy bass, or the expressive lap steel, every instrument offers something unique and exciting.
So why not pick one up and give it a try? You might just discover a new musical passion!
