For this month’s Guitar Corner, I’ll be covering a topic that can often be mystifying to guitar players of any skill level – and perhaps their parents, too. When the time comes to pick out a new guitar, guitarists can be faced with an overwhelming amount of options and information; sadly, not all of that information is always correct or helpful. But selecting a guitar doesn’t have to be a confusing and torturous experience! Keep reading for a few simple Do’s and Don’ts of buying a new guitar.
Do: Try Before You Buy
Every guitar player is different, just like every guitar is different. Even when you are just starting your journey on guitar, you will notice things that feel either comfortable or uncomfortable to you about specific, individual guitars – the way the neck feels in your hand, the way the body balances, the feel of the fretboard and strings under your fingers . . . the list goes on and on. The point is that it’s important to find a guitar that feels like a good fit for you. This is especially important for young guitarists, since every child grows at a different pace, and may be ready for a different body size or scale length sooner or later than average. We strongly recommend visiting a locally-owned guitar store and asking to try out a few sizes and styles of guitar before picking one out – this will make sure that you or your child finds the guitar that will be their best match, and will bring them the most success in their playing.
Don’t: Buy Online
One of the most risky things you can do when buying a new instrument is to purchase it over the internet. The reason for this is simple: there’s usually no way to try out the specific guitar you will end up having shipped to you. And since every guitar is different, no matter how slightly, there’s no way to know if you’re getting a guitar that will be comfortable – which, as we covered above, is very important, especially for young players and other beginners. Also, there’s no way to inspect the instrument for flaws, which is especially important for used instruments.
Do: Buy According To Sound (And Feel)
The guitar is a musical instrument, first and foremost, so the most important thing to look for in a guitar should be: does it sound good? This is very subjective, of course, and one player’s preference of sound can differ wildly from another’s, but in general, it’s important to make sure that the guitar you select has good, even tone quality across all six strings and all the way up and down the neck. Because, after all, what’s the point of making music with an instrument if it doesn’t have a good sound? Almost as important as sound is the feel of an instrument – all the things discussed in the first “Do” that make a guitar feel like a good fit for you. These two things can make all the difference in how satisfied you are with your guitar in the long run.
Don’t: Buy According To Looks
There are guitars in all shapes and sizes, and they come in every color of the rainbow. While guitars can be beautiful works of art to appeal to the eyes as well as the ears, it’s important not to be distracted by a guitar’s looks to the point of ignoring how it sounds and how it feels. This especially goes for the realm of beginner-level guitars – there are many models out there that come in all kinds of bright colors to appeal to younger players. Often, however, these are little more than toys, and will not set an aspiring young guitarist on the road to success. So remember: shop with your ears and your hands first, then your eyes.
Do: Buy A Guitar Best Suited To Genre And Style
If you think of a guitar as a tool used for the end goal of musical expression, then it makes sense that you should use the right tool according to the job you need to do. If the player is a young metalhead aspiring to be the next James Hetfield, then an electric guitar – preferably with high-output humbucking pickups – and an amp with distortion is the perfect way to get started. If they’re more the country or folk type, then a steel-string acoustic would be much more up their alley. Wherever the guitarist’s main musical passion lies, it’s important that they have the right instrument to unlock their full potential within their style of choice.
Don’t: Buy The Cheapest Guitar You Can Find
It’s like the old saying goes: “You get what you pay for.” This is almost always true for guitars – if you find a guitar that is considerably cheaper than others like it, well, it’s probably cheap for a reason. That’s not to say that all guitars under a certain dollar amount are bad; there are many great instruments out there for frugal guitarists and their parents that will still perform well. Simply be aware that you will have to compromise on things like sound quality and playability the lower you go in price, and if you compromise too much, you may be setting yourself or your child up for an unpleasant guitar-playing experience. In general, investing a little more than the bare minimum in the purchase price of a guitar will result in much faster progress and better results for the player.
Of course, there are multitudes of other factors when it comes to picking out a new instrument to purchase, and we could never dream of covering everything here. These few tips should get you started on the right foot, however, and should go a long way in helping to make the process of buying a new guitar a fun journey that leads to success with your new instrument!
