How To Buy A Guitar

How To Buy A Guitar by Darren Shotter


So you are ready to part with your hard earned cash and purchase a new guitar. You will have done your research and you know what type you want to buy and have a shortlist of possible purchases. You must now approach this process with a great deal of thought, in the same way you would approach any other major purchase. Treat it just like buying a new car.

1. Check the basic structure of the guitar.

Give the guitar a very close inspection. Check all of the joins carefully, they should be clean with no gaps between the two parts of the guitar which are being joined. You must pay particular attention to the join between the neck and the body. Next check all of the surfaces of the guitar. They should be free from lumps and bumps and there should be no ripples when looking across the surfaces. Take a look inside the sound hole at the braces you can see. Again, the seems should be clean with no gaps. A useful tip is to gently tap the body of guitar all over and listen to the sound. A rattle could indicate a loose brace.

2. Play the guitar.

We're not talking a quick strum here. You will need to play the guitar for as longer time as possible. Try playing all of the different styles you expect to play on the guitar. Play all of the strings at each fret and listen out for buzzing. At the same time check the action of the guitar. If the strings seem unusually high then check the neck to see if it bowed. This problem could be corrected by adjusting the truss rod. If you are in any doubt, ask the expert in the shop. Most guitar shops have a technician who repairs and prepares guitars.

3. Are you sitting comfortably?

Perhaps most importantly, does the guitar feel comfortable while you are playing it. Is it sitting comfortably in your lap and does the fingerboard and neck feel comfortable to play. While you were playing the guitar did you manage to play all of the pieces accurately.

Finally, after considering all of the above points you must base your decision on the facts. Is the guitar of sound construction, does it play well and does it feel comfortable. You must be prepared to let your head rule your heart when making your final decision as your guitar will hopefully be part of your life for a long time to come.


About the Author
You can find out more information on learning to play the guitar in this 5-part mini course - http://www.learntoplayguitar.useful2know.com