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Buying Your First Guitar

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Ahh, buying a new guitar. There’s nothing quite like the feeling – even if it’s a previously owned guitar, adding one to your collection is quite a happy feeling. There are many things to think about and consider when making that purchase. I get asked these questions frequently so here are some things to think about.

PRICING:

You might want to first decide your budget for a guitar. I always suggest a minimum of $200 to start. You can find starter packs for less than that but the problem I’ve encountered with students of mine that have purchased cheaper guitars and starter packs, has been that the guitar’s tuning pegs (or machine heads) are not so good. The guitar may go out of tune easily or will not hold tune for very long. Also the wiring is very thin and can break easily. This is true for electrics or acoustics.

ELECTRIC

Lets begin with two basic guitar styles – the Stratocaster and the Les Paul. There are many copies of each style and many are quite good. For the most part, the Strat has three single coil pickups and tends to have a clear bright sound. Strats also tend to come with a vibrato bar (or whammy bar). A whammy bar can be fun and yet it can also cause unwanted tuning issues. Well known Strat players are Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Fruchante (RHCP), Green Day, Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, Blink 182, Ritchie Sambora (Bon Jovi), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) The Edge (U2) just to name a few!

Generally speaking, the Les Paul has two humbucker pickups that give a fatter, bolder sound. They also come standard with a fixed bridge. Les Paul devotees would include Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, Joe Strummer (The Clash), The Darkness, Slash (Guns ‘N Roses), Randy Rhoads, Zack Wylde.

You may want to go play (or at least noodle around) on each one of these styles of guitar. It needs to feel right to you. Plug it in, and compare the sound to something different. You may or may not hear big differences, but you may hear something that you like.

Now, let’s “road test” the guitar. Check the neck to see if it is relatively straight. Look down the neck from the headstock to the bridge. The neck should be relatively straight and flat. A slight dip is normal. Twisting or frets sticking out are not a good thing. This generally means – run away! Plug it in and make sure that the knobs work properly and don’t feel loose or weak. They should also be free of dust, which would make them sound scratchy when you turn them. Find a cool color, make sure it looks good to you and you are ready to wrap it up and take it home.

PACKAGE

Remember that when you buy an electric, you are going to want to find an amp to go with it. Ask the salesman if he can give you a good package deal. You will want to consider getting a strap, cable(s), extra picks and strings, a stand and of course a case or at least a gig bag (a nylon carrying case that can be carried like a back pack).

ACOUSTIC

There are two basic acoustic guitar styles – a classical with nylon strings and a standard steel string acoustic (as played in most rock, country and pop bands.

The first thing to look for in an acoustic guitar is a solid top. Cheaper acoustic guitars have a laminate top (made of plywood or pressed board). It is strong and looks just fine, but the laminate top does not resonate too well. The solid top guitar will cost a little more but is well worth it. A good solid top acoustic guitar will be priced starting in the $200 - $300 range.

Now, just like an electric, let’s “road test” the guitar. Check the neck to see if it is relatively straight. Look down the neck from the headstock to the bridge. The neck should be relatively straight and flat. A slight dip is normal. Twisting or frets sticking out are not a good thing. This generally means – run away! If it is an electric/ acoustic, plug it in and make sure that the knobs work properly and don’t feel loose or weak. They should also be free of dust, which would make them sound scratchy when you turn them. If all is well, you are ready to wrap it up and take it home.

PACKAGE:

Remember that when you buy an acoustic/ electric, you are going to want to find an amp to go with it. Ask the salesman if he can give you a good package deal. You will want to consider getting a strap, cable(s), extra picks and strings, a stand and of course a case or at least a gig bag (a nylon carrying case that can be carried like a back pack).

BUYING A HIGHER END GUITAR OR MAYBE YOUR SECOND OR THIRD GUITAR:

Now let’s get into some of the finer details of guitars. Starting with wood. For the full “low-down” on woods descriptions, be sure to visit www.warmoth.com. I love their site and have loved their products for years. They are a premier manufacturer for replacement bodies and necks.

ELECTRIC:

There are many different types of woods companies are using now. I’ll just discuss a few to give you a head start and let you do some exploring and discovering on your own.

FRETBOARD:

ACOUSTIC:

Top:

Back and Sides:

To make this REALLY simple, I’ll just mention that when buying a higher grade acoustic, consider that the sound is going to resonate more with a solid top, and even more with a solid back and sides. Getting a solid top is a great start. If you want to upgrade even more, start looking for a guitar with solid back and sides. This essentially means that the back and sides are one piece, not ply or laminate wood.

Getting into acoustics can take a lot of describing. There is a great deal of outstanding companies making them now. I would recommend doing your research and play as many acoustics as you can before investing over $1,000. You may play a great guitar that costs $2,000 but then next week you may find a $4,000 guitar that you fall in love with and think you want to save up for.

I hope this helps you in your guitar buying adventures. Have fun playing! Don’t forget to “Play Like a Monster!”