Buying guitar

Now that you already know what type of guitar you want to buy, it is time to find out how to get a guitar that will serve your needs for the lowest possible cost.

Never buy the first guitar you see

The first great tip I share with you is never, never, never buy the first guitar you come across no matter how cheap it might seem or how much you like it!!! Why?

The answer is very simple. Let me use the example of a T-shirt. You decide to buy a T-shirt of a blue or green color, so that it goes with your pants. You go to the store and buy the first blue T-shirt. Huh? Well, since there are tons of styles, sizes, and even shades of blue T-shirt, by buying the first one you come across, even for a discounted price, you might end up with T-shirt size XXXL (while Medium would fit you better) of a color that doesn't go with your pants at all, etc. The same is valid for any purchase, especially for a musical instrument.

Do not buy on the Internet unless...

When buying any musical instrument, and I cannot stress it enough, do not buy the first one you come across. Also, it is preferably if you do not buy your guitar online, which is the second tip you should follow. When you buy a musical instrument on the Internet, you have no idea what you are really buying, as you have not heard the sound of that instrument and you have not had any chance to feel it. There is an exception to buying on the Internet (if you really insist on an online purchase, which might save you some money, but unless it is second hand, it won't be much anyway). The exception says, go to the music store first, find the make and model you like, test it, and only then go to the online store and purchase exactly the same make and model.

Feeling the instrument

What do I mean by feeling the instrument? When you buy new shoes, you also do not buy first shoes even though they might be your number, size, style, color, etc. You have to try them on to see if they fit you. Not all shoes of the same size will fit you. Again, it is the same story with the guitar, except that guitar has a soul that most shoes could only dream of, if you know what I mean. I have two guitars, and of them I would not sell for anything in the world, although it is not the most valuable instrument. I also own a didgeridoo (have actually 3 of them) and before I bought that third one, I tried around 20+ didgeridoes in the store. Once I got hold of this one, I knew right away that this is the right one and no other. I have had it for some time now, and I still have not found another one that I would trade this one for.

So, with your guitar. You have to hold it, both while sitting adn while standing (if you plan to play standing anytime in the future). It has to feel comfortable in all positions. It means that not only size of the body, but also the length and width of
the neck must feel good. This is true also for the material, the finish, the color. If you hate red, don't ever buy a guitar with red finish (obvious, right?). Even if you are only buying your first guitar, give your purchase enough time. A good guitar will keep its resell value, so even if you decide to upgrade, it is important to own a good quality instrument that you could resell shall that scenario arise.

Before trying the sound you should....

If you like the guitar you are looking at, what you should do even before you strum the string for the first time, is to check the guitar's condition. The fact that you are in store with new instruments doesn't mean that all the guitars that are on display will be in perfect condition.

First, you should check the guitar for any bodily damage. Most wooden guitars are fairly fragile instruments and cracks can be present even on a new guitar from careless use of previous customers for instance. If you see any crack in the body, do not buy the guitar unless you can get huge discount and money is the most determining factor for you. At the same time, check the body and neck for any signs of warping.

Second, check the tuning machine heads. It should be fairly easy to move them and they should keep their position. If they have sealed machine heads it is usually better than if they are just enclosed. The higher quality of tunners, the lower the chance that your guitar will go out of tune frequently.

Third, look at the distance between strings and fretboard. It should be fairly easy to press the strings down (especially on an electric guitar), but the strings cannot be positioned too low, as this condition might lead to buzzing noise when the guitar is played.

Finally checking the sound

Fourth, try to play the guitar, first by placing your index finger right after the first fret on the lowest string and plucking that string. Listen to any odd noises such as buzzing or clinking. Do the same for each string and listen to clarity of sound. If any problems arise, such as weird noises that you think should not be there, do not buy that particular guitar.

When you pass all the above tests without finding a problem, try to play the guitar (if you already know some songs, chords, etc.)

Listen and listen well

If the guitar you found has a color, size, material, style, and all other physical characteristics that appeal to you, the next step is to check its sound (the most important thing in your buying process). You have to love the sound of your new guitar; otherwise, you might end up not using it as often as you originally planned or not using it at all.

Electric guitars

If you are buying an electric guitar, make sure that your guitar is plugged to an amplifier, preferably to the same unit that you will purchase with the guitar, as different amplifiers will produces drastically different sounds. Combo sets (guitar plus amplifier) are sufficient for most beginners. Also make sure the guitar is tuned.

If a store has a sound testing studio, ask to use it. It is important that you play your guitar loud, so you know how it sounds to avoid unpleasant surprises once you try to play with a band (for instance).

Amplifiers

O.K., the guitar you chose passed all the test. You love the sound and you know you want to buy an electric guitar. What you need to consider at this point is the following: Does the guitar
have volume and tone control knobs? What is the number and quality of pick ups? Does it have vibrato arm? What sort of amplifier goes with the guitar?

The quality of the above parts and of the amplifier will determine the quality of sound you will be able to produce with your new guitar. 25W amp should suffice for the home use, but if you plan to play with a band in near future, you might consider getting more powerful setup. Amplifiers with integrated overdrive/distrotion circuit sound better and are worth the cost if you can afford it.

Price

How much shall I pay? The price of guitars can range anywhere from under $100 to thousands of dollars. You can usually get a second hand guitar much cheaper than buying a new one in the store. However, I would discourage you from buying a second hand guitar unless you know of someone who is greatly knowledgable in the field, as the same tip that I mentioned at the beginning with buying guitar online applies here. With the second hand guitar you have no option of hearing and feeling other guitars. Hence, your decision is based on limited amount of data.

Acoustic guitars are usually cheaper and you can get a fairly good quality guitar for beginners for around $150 or even less.
For electric guitars, it is reasonable to spend up to $300, including amplifier and cables, but you can get cheaper sets that are often on sale in music stores.

Always check what is included in price. Guitar case is a must if you plan to move your guitar from place to place.

Discount

Most of the store will give you discount if you ask them to.
It might not be much, but you can almost always get 5% or some extra stuff for free (such as set of strings or guitar tuner, picks, etc.). If you are persuasive and bold enough, and if you are lucky, you might even get 15% discount, especially on higher priced items. It is always worth to ask. If you don't get any discount, leave, check at home on Internet what price other stores in your area offer (you should do that anyway) and if no one has better offer come back to the store and ask for a discount again. I am sure you will get some break from price if you are curtious, but determined to get the discount.

Now you have your guitar and it is time to practice.