No matter what type of guitar you choose to play, it is important that it's kept in good working order. Novices often quit when they wouldn't have if they knew that their guitar was the problem and not them.

Strings: Strings sound dead after about forty hours of playing. This varies somewhat due to oily fingers, etc. However, if strings haven't been changed in six months it's a good idea to do so. Heavy and medium gauge strings are harder to play on but offer a different sound. It is usually best to practice on a light gauge string.

Action: It is very important that the action on your guitar is set as low as possible. The closer the strings are to the fretboard, the easier it is to press down on them. There's a point that, when lowering the action, the strings will buzz against the fretboard when playing. The strings should be set at an optimum point where the strings are low but don't buzz when played. New guitars are rarely purchased with the action already set.

Fretboards: Warped fretboards are also a problem. Identifying a warped fretboard on your guitar is difficult so you may want to check it with a level or a straight edge. A warped fretboard doesn't allow the action to be set properly and makes it hard to play. There is usually a truss rod inside the neck of your guitar that can be adjusted to alleviate this problem.

Bridge Lifting: Another undesirable thing to look for is bridge lifting. The bridge is the part of the guitar body where the strings are attached next to the sound hole on most guitars (except electrics).

It's a good idea to ask a competent person if the guitar you are using is set-up to make it easy to play. It is well worthwhile to make the guitar as easy to play as possible. Learning will be more enjoyable and your progress will be far quicker.