My husband plays classical guitar. When I get my stimulus check, I’m thinking of buying him a new instrument. All I know is it needs to ba a 6-string acoustic guitar with nylon strings. This guitar is in the right price range, and I like the way it looks. What do you think?
Are you asking him first, or are you planning to surprise him? I’m not a guitar maven, per se, but I play a number of instruments, and I would not want one bought for me without my input. They tend to be very personal items.
I’ll ask him before buying it, but I want to have one in mind first.
The guitar you linked to is a steel string not nylon and is likely made in China (a lot of Chinese goods are moved throuugh a huge warehouse in Kentucky)so the build quality is going to be suspect. If there is a local guitar shop I recommend going there and getting a feel for what instruments are available. Failing that, if you have to buy online look somewhere like sweetwater or reverb. Links below. Avoid buying from ebay or Amazon if you possibly can.
ETA: Or Elderly Instruments Classical & Flamenco Guitars
Can you tell us what he already has? It might be possible to recommend a direct upgrade, but I agree with pulykamell that it’s a difficult proposition. Even the slightest “off” feeling - whether it be its balance, its tone, its weight, its shape, its literally anything - can make it less pleasant to play.
I agree with the others. Also, I would never buy some unbranded guitar on eBay, regardless of how pretty it might be. You need to be able to check out the neck and the body for problems and can’t do that online.
The brand of the guitar isn’t even noted in the listing on eBay, which should be your first red flag. I had to zoom in on the picture of the headstock to see the name “ZUWAI” which is the second red flag. And I don’t even need to zoom in to see how poorly installed the frets are on that thing - they should have a much smoother transition into where they meet the edge of the fingerboard.
Like others have said, a guitar shouldn’t really be a surprise gift. But a gift certificate for Musician’s Friend or another reputable dealer of guitars would let him choose his own instrument.
That’s exactly what I’ll do. Thanks.
I’m having this thread closed.
Good call. That will allow him a great deal of choice in the instrument, but also preserve the sense of a surprise gift.
Run, do not walk, away from that guitar. I think it’s probably Vietnamese, they are known for bling over quality.
Why not make him a cute homemade coupon for a guitar? Or better yet, if you know he has a favorite guitar place, give him a gift certificate.
eta: oops, didn’t see you wanted to close this thread (though why not get as much advice* as you can?)
*Like “Don’t just pick a store like Guitar Center; he might have a particular store he’d rather deal with.”
(Oh, he might even have a particular guitar in mind, maybe that cute cherry one hanging up behind the counter at Big Doody’s Fretted Stringed Instrument Emporium…)