One of the most important things you’ll ever do in your music career is to buy a guitar. We are often asked to give people advice on how to find a good guitar. The fact is that there is a LOT that goes into buying a guitar, way too much to put in one Newsletter, but here are some basic tips.
1) Do Your Homework
When you’re buying a guitar you have to do your homework. As a beginning guitar player, it’s easy to get confused with all the information and advice that is available. There are a lot of places you can get information and you should check them all. Guitar magazines are a good place to find prices and reviews on different models of guitars. You can also get information at your local music store. Another great tool is the internet – you can get information on the manufacturers, search for other guitarist’s reviews and opinions and find the best prices online.
Remember that a lot of the information and opinions that you will find will be biased. A salesman in a music store wants you to buy the brand of guitar that HE SELLS, so make sure you read reviews and opinions from independent sources.
2) Stick to Your Budget
Once you’ve got the background knowledge that you need, you should make a shortlist of guitars that you are interested in and set a budget for yourself. THEN STICK WITH YOUR BUDGET! Don’t let salespeople talk you into spending more money than you planned.
Research price differences on the internet with a trusted site like eBay. You could buy new or used but again, it is worth finding out how much the same item generally costs.
3) Play it BEFORE Your Buy It
Trying out the guitars you have shortlisted can be intimidating for beginners. It is important to remember that you are not in a guitar store to show everyone how good a guitar player you are – you are there to decide whether the guitar on your list is right for you.
One of the most important things about a guitar is how it “feels” when you play it. There are also mechanical things to check. Check the frets for buzzing by playing each one. Make sure that the neck is not warped by looking down it as if you were sighting a gun. Check that all of the volume and tone controls work.
4) Borrow Someone Else’s Experience
It is also a good idea to take an experienced guitarist along with you when you are looking at guitars. Not only will they be able to offer helpful advice, but they will also be good moral support when it’s time to pick up the guitar and play it in public.
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