Buying an acoustic guitar can be a difficult task. Walking into the guitar shop and seeing walls upon walls of guitars hanging in front of you can be overwhelming, particularly if you are a beginner and aren’t sure exactly what you need in an instrument. Fortunately, if you know what you are looking for beforehand, buying an acoustic guitar can be a manageable and even enjoyable experience.
Even before you step into the guitar shop you can do a few things to make the entire process a lot smoother. A little prior research will make those walls of guitars make more sense and will provide you with the proper information to ask knowledgeable questions of the salespeople at the store.
One way of accomplishing this is by talking with musicians. Most likely there will be somebody you know who owns a guitar – it may be even be the reason you’re interested in the first place – and almost all guitarists like to talk about their instrument. Ask them how much they paid, how the guitar sounds, and whether or not they’ve had other guitars in the past. Ask if they have any recommendations for good guitar shops in town. They may even let you try out their guitars, to see how you like it. Remember, though, all guitars are unique, even different guitars of the same make and model.
Another research option is through guitar resources on the Web and in print. There are dozens of forums and Websites about guitars, many of which have reviews and discussion boards about particular guitar brands and models. In addition, there are several magazines devoted to guitars, and almost all of them have articles every month about different aspects of guitar hardware. Reading these will give you some idea of what options are out there when you head out to the store.
Once you’ve done some research to get a general idea of what options are available, you are ready to start considering some of the specifics of your future guitar. For many people, this starts with the manufacturer. This is human nature – we tend to want to buy products made by well-known names – but it is not necessarily the best way to pick out a guitar. Unless there is some real reason why you have to have a guitar by a particular manufacturer, keep your options open. It is true that certain manufacturers have a reputation for quality, and others less so, but just because a guitar has a brand name emblazoned on its head stock doesn’t mean it’s the right guitar for you.
More important than the manufacturer is the size and shape of the guitar, the sound of the guitar, and its playability. Guitars come in many different sizes and shapes, though the most popular model is the so-called “dreadnought” style. This is a rather large bodied guitar, so if you have a smaller frame, you may find yourself struggling to play it comfortably, and may want to explore smaller bodied options, such as the “baby”-style acoustics. The neck should be thin enough that your fingers are not straining to form chords, and thick enough that you can manipulate the strings easily without getting your fingers tangled up between strings.
The sound of the guitar depends on its construction, the size of the body, and the sound hole. Determine what kind of guitar you are interested in playing, and what sound you want to get out of it – are deep, resonant bass notes more important to you than crisp, singing high notes? If you are interested in the former than a large-bodied dreadnought may be a better option, although again this can vary from guitar to guitar.
The playability of the guitar can only be determined by trying it out. Things you want to look out for are how your fingers feel on the fretboard and how the individual notes sound up and down the neck. You need to be able to manipulate the strings and the frets easily; sometimes frets are set to high or have sharp edges, which make for an uncomfortable playing experience. If you hear buzzing on any notes, there may be a problem with the frets themselves, and you should try another instrument. Take a capo and run it up and down the neck. If the guitar goes out of tune, you know there is a construction problem.
You also will want to consider how the guitar looks, and what it is made of. Guitars are made of a variety of woods and have different finishes. Maple, spruce, mahogany, and rosewood are all used in guitars, and each has their own particular charms. The best way to figure out what you want is to play guitars of different material. One good rule, if you can afford it, is to be certain the guitar top is of solid wood. Some tops are laminated – plywood making up most of the top and then a sheet of good wood laminated above it – and this can be both misleading and disappointing in terms of sound quality. If the top of the guitar is laminated, the price should be considerably cheaper.
Most importantly, you need to consider how the guitar feels when you play it, and for this reason it is highly recommended to play any guitar that you are considering purchasing – even if the guitar is the same model as one you’ve tried out elsewhere. This cannot be stressed enough. Because of production quirks, and the delicate nature of balancing sound and harmonic tones, all guitars will vary slightly from one to another.
The final and – for most people – the most important aspect of buying a guitar is the price. This is a tricky question to address, because in general it is true that the more expensive the guitar the better the quality, though this is not always the case. This does not necessarily mean that it is a better guitar for you, however, and your budget will largely determine how much you can spend. It is true, though, that if you are going to buy a guitar you may as well purchase a decent one. Buying a poor quality guitar to save a few dollars is only going to make you miserable when you get home and realize you dislike playing your instrument.
On the other hand, spending thousands of dollars for a concert-quality guitar when you scarcely know the basic chords doesn’t make much sense either, especially if you realize a few weeks or months down the road that guitar isn’t for you. The best approach is to be willing to spend money for a guitar – you can get a great guitar for less than $1,000, and a decent one for less than $500 – and if your budget doesn’t allow for it, perhaps consider waiting until you are in a position to do so.
If you simply can’t swing it financially, another option is to buy a used guitar. This will be cheaper, but it will require more vigilance on your part when selecting the instrument. Defects and damage can be subtle, and unless you know what to look for, you can be in for a rude surprise when you get home. On the other hand, used guitars can be both collectors items and can have a rich, worn sound that isn’t found in new guitars. If this appeals to you, then a used guitar might be the way to go.
Buying a guitar is a complicated process. There are many factors to consider, and most likely you will discover that everybody who owns a guitar has a different opinion about what it is you should look for. But remember – it is your guitar, and you will be spending countless hours practicing and playing it. With this is mind, it doesn’t matter if the guitar is $100 or $5,000, made by a famous manufacturer or a no-name, so long as you love the way it feels and sounds in your hands.
