Sunday, January 2, 2011

Helpful Tips For Buying A Guitar

By August Pique


Purchasing a guitar is like investing in your enjoyment of music, and in your creative side. This will an instrument of your self-expression as a musician. Consider a few important tips for buying a guitar.

Before shopping, decide how much you will spend. If you are an experienced player, it is probably better to budget a bit more for a quality instrument. Otherwise you may not be satisfied if you buy a cheaper model. Plan to spend a substantial amount of cash. Also, you can try to find a quality used model for less.

Beginners are better off spending a bit less for their first instrument. Good models can be found for lower cost. If you do not keep up with learning, you will not have wasted too much money. Also, it might be good to look for used models to save money.

Of course, higher end models cost more. In most cases, you really get what you pay for. The more expensive ones tend to be easier to play, have a nicer sound, stay in tune better, and their notes are in tune all along the length of the neck.

Wood is the most important material in a guitar. There are high quality travel models made of plastic as well. Different sounds come from the various woods used. Soft, warm sounds come from soft woods, such as mahogany. Hard woods are louder and brighter, and they also cost substantially more.

These various woods can be used in different parts of the instrument. Maple necks are commonly found on electric models. Sometimes the fretboard will have a darker wood over the maple. Maple is commonly found on the tops of acoustic guitars, while a darker wood will make up the back and sides. Mahogany or walnut is commonly used here.

With all these possibilities, each instrument may be unique. If planning to perform live, it is better to spend more on a louder hardwood model. If you just need to practice at home, spend more on a playable guitar that stays in tune. Spending even more gets you all of these good qualities. Play many different instruments and concentrate on what sounds and feels good.

Do not feel rushed to buy anything the first day. Do not feel pressured by a sales person to buy something you are not sure you want. This is a big investment that should not be made lightly.

If this is your first guitar, you should probably start with an acoustic. When shopping for an acoustic guitar, you need to know whether you want a folk or a classical style. Classical guitars have wider necks, nylon strings, and the tuning pegs point backward. They are meant to be finger picked, so they also lack a plastic pick guard below the sound hole. These are good if you are taking a classical class, but are also used in a few rock songs. Folk style instruments have a pick guard, steel strings, usually narrow necks, and the tuning pegs point sideways. These are good for playing country, folk, and rock songs.

If you need an electric guitar, bring your amplifier to try each one with. Try many different styles. This will help you develop a taste for what pleases you. If you also need to buy an amplifier, try many styles of those as well. Try many different combinations of guitar and amplifier.




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