Guitarists: How do you pick a guitar?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I am going guitar shopping soon. I have bought a few guitars over the years, but I was wondering how other people evaluate guitars. Specifically, what do you listen for, look for, feel for? How do you decide a guitar is a quality instrument? How do you decide that a guitar is the right fit?

Some background in case it helps with answers: I am looking for an acoustic, I am somewhere at an intermediate level, my ear is average - not great, and I know of a great store that is nice and quiet.

And to top it off, I will guarantee to anyone that responds that they will never have to listen to me sing. A prize recently valued at a small fortune. :wink:

2

I like a low action, but the main thing is the right sound. That’s going to vary from person to person, so I can’t give you a lot of help there. When I’ve bought guitars, I’ve just played for a while until I’m certain I’ve found the right one.

Physical “fit” is just a matter of trying various guitars until you find one that feels right.

I’ve mostly bought second-hand guitars, so there are a few things I do. Tune the guitar, play it for a bit and see if any of the strings go out of tune, which might indicate slipping tuning pegs (or lousy strings, but you can tell that just by looking at them). Check the belly of the guitar and make sure there’s no bowing.

3

tavalla raises good points and you’d do good to heed that advice. Personnaly, i like a fast action (which i think is the same as tavalla’s ‘low action’), as i have less of a tendancy to inadvertently dampen other strings while chording. I don’t know whether you are looking for new or used so i’ll give you a bit on each:

New - Generally, you get what you pay for (although you can certainly pay more than you should). There are a lot of quality guitars being made, but only you can say which is the best for you. Martin guitars tend to be a little heavy on the bass whereas Taylor guitars are a bit more balanced. Some swear by Gibson, others by Guild. Yamaha, Takamine, Alvarez, and Sigma (a Martin company) also make good boxes. Look for a solid top, they resonate more and get better with age. Plywood tops are stronger and will stand up to abuse, changes in humidity, and travelling better. Strum a chord and then slide the same chord up 12 frets (one octave) a ‘D’ should still sound like a ‘D’ (you’ll be able to tell if it’s a little sharp or flat). Check the saddle and bridge; make sure the bridge is not loose in the saddle (no gaps), check whether the saddle is pulling away from the top (try to slide a piece of paper between the saddle and the top, you shouldn’t be able to), and make sure you have a ‘compensating’ bridge (the bridge should not be perpendicular to the strings but at a slight slant and there should be what looks like a ‘notch’ under the ‘G’ string). ‘Sight’ down the neck; hold the guitar up by the body with the neck parallel to the floor and at eye level pointing away from you. The frets should all appear parallel, if they don’t the neck is twisted and you don’t want to buy that guitar. Bow can be taken care of, but not twist. Look for signs of sloppy workmanship, glue that squeezed out of a joint and wasn’t cleaned up, rough frets, inlays not flush, etc. If there are mistakes that you can see, imagine what lurks in the places you can’t see. Be sure to look at the inside of the guitar also, there should be a label with the manufacturer’s name and (at least on the better guitars) a serial number. Although you may not be able to see them, ask whether the guitar has ‘scalloped’ braces for the top. These will also help the top to resonate. Ask questions, nearly every ‘decent’ guitar store that i have been in will have friendly and knowledgable help (if you’re lucky, it will be the owner). If the help is snotty (or snooty), walk out, they obviously don’t care enough to deserve your custom. Don’t pretend to know everything, but don’t pretend to know nothing, it just wastes their time. The guitars in a well run shop will have clean strings (no rust), they will be not far out of tune, will be either hanging or on stands, and will be obviously well taken care of. Also, don’t expect to be able to sit down with a guitar while wearing that big shiny belt buckle, they don’t like scratches. I make a habit of untucking my shirt before sitting down with someone else’s box, it shows that i care and they treat me better because of it. Personally, i like to frequent small shops and those that cater to bluegrass as it seems everybody there plays (and plays well).

Used - All the above holds with some exceptions. Don’t worry if the finish is crazed, it’s going to happen anyway. Any guitar that has been played will show signs of wear, expect the odd ding or scratch. On the other hand, walk away if the top or back is cracked, it’s generally not worth repairing unless it is a high-end guitar (which begs the question of why it was allowed to crack in the first place). Look for obvious signs of abuse. Take a set of strings with you if you are answering a newspaper ad as chances are you’ll need them. Get an idea of what a new guitar of the same model would cost to gauge your offer. Ask why it’s being sold.

More than anything else, play the damn thing. Strum some chord progressions, do some finger picking, run a few arpeggios, a little flat-picking, whatever. It has to sound right, and feel right. You wouldn’t think about it until you try it, but the neck of a Martin and the neck of a Taylor are two entirely different things. Try a lot of different guitars. I wouldn’t turn down a Martin, or a Gibson, or a Taylor, or a Yairi, or a Guild, but that doesn’t mean they are interchangeable. Each plays, feels and sounds different (even the same models by any maker). Unless you have the money to throw around, you’re only going to buy one so make sure it’s the ‘best of the bunch’ based on your own perception.

Lastly, buy the best guitar you can afford regardless of your ability. If you stick with it, your playing will improve to the point that you ‘fit’ your guitar. When i bought my first guitar i spent a lot of time hanging out in a small guitar shop. When i finally took the plunge, i planned on spending $500. The owner of the shop, knowing my ability (pitiful), helped me talk myself into paying $1313.25 for a Martin HD-28 (i still have the receipt) and i’ve never regretted it. I, at times, have not had the money for a pack of fags, but 16 years later, i still have my Herringbone D-28.

And i know she’s living there, and she loves me to this day. - Neil Young

4

Oh, by the way, my brother and i have been known to play the odd club now and again. We just tell the crowd, “It’s free, but you have to listen to us. The more you drink, the better we sound.” So i know from whence you speak CaveMike!

When your bass player’s flat and your drummer drags, don’t you wish you had a fag. - Leon Russel/Marc Benno

5

I bought an Ibenez acoustic/electric a couple of months ago. Paid about $220 after tax and an extra set of strings.

Guitar Center and Sam Ash Music both have good acoustic room to sample all the guitars. You’ll be able to tell what sounds good to you. What you need to investigate is the feel. Some guitars simply play better than others and are more fun.

You’ll know the right one when you play it, assuming price is not a main consideration.

6

All advice above is excellent. Here’s my addition.

Play the guitar in the store for a while.
Close your eyes and play it some more.
Feel the guitar.

Subtle things can unknowingly affect your like/dislike for a guitar. These things may not be directly noticeable, either. Some things are: radius of the neck, width of the neck at the nut, and action, which was mentioned above. These, combinded with your playing style are very important in their interactive effects.

While you don’t need to know about these things, they do affect the feel of the guitar in your hands and will ultimately affect your comfort playing and thereby helping/hindering your continuation.

Feel the guitar. If it isn’t comfortable, let it go.

Hear the guitar.
Some brands are “tinny” or “bright” (Takamine) while some are “throaty” (Taylor) and some are mellow (Martin) and some are in between. Different makers make styles that encompass all three.
Close your eyes and play the guitar. Listen to the sound and determine if you like it. Listen to the sound of open chords like G and fully fretted chords like F.

In general, you get what you pay for, but there is a big window here. An antique Martin D-45 can run upwards of $100,000 but you aren’t paying for sound here. Further, you can get an excellent small-shop guitar for $3,000 (e.g., Collins). There are even some good “deals” to be found.

Here are Spritle’s picks for high quality, low price “student” guitars. (Student being learner/player, occasional gigger - not size.)

  1. Applause guitars. Look and sound like Ovations. They are made by Kaman, the same company that brought you Ovation. They were meant to be Ovation competition, but were introduced at a lower price than Ovations to grab more market.
    price: $300 - $500
    plus: composite body for excellent tone between mellow and bright. Round back like Ovation. Holds tune very very well.
    minus: Many people will think you wanted an Ovation but couldn’t afford it. New strings make the guitar sound very bright but it mellows out as the strings age. Even though this effect is found in most guitars (property of the strings) it is pronounced in the Applause/Ovations due to the high resonsance of the composite body.

  2. Martin DX-1. Martin opened this line (X) about two years ago to make a low priced guitar. To keep the cost down they used composite materials.
    price: about $400.
    plus: The composite makes for a very sturdy guitar with excellent ability to hold tune. It is a Martin and from 4 feet away, looks like most every other Martin guitar (minus fancy MOP inlay). Very bright sound, regardless of string age/wear. Sounds verymuch like a Takamine.
    minus: Lack of inlay and fancy-shmancy stuff makes it noticeable that you bought a “low-end” guitar. My father bought one and it has a distinctive smell. Sort of like curing tobacco. Over time (6 mo.) the smell has just about gone away. I guess it’s the glue or something.

On buying low end guitars: I have purchased expensive guitars and cheaper guitars. I have had a guitar custome built to my hand measurements and playing style. The cost of the guitar means very little if you like the sound and if you can play the hell out of it. Ever see Peter Yarrow’s guitar? He still plays the same old acoustic he played in the early 60s. Looks like crap but sounds beautiful. That’s more him than the guitar. Same holds true for Willie Nelson.

I wouldn’t buy a used guitar from an individual. They are getting rid of it for some reason, and you may not be sure of the condition. If you want a used guitar (and there ain’t nuthin’ wrong with that atall) get one from a guitar shop. They probably have looked it over and wouldn’t sell it if it had problems.

7

If you have a friend who plays well, you might want to bring them along and listen to them playing the various guitars you’re looking at, as well. That gives you some distance, allowing you to spend some time focusing strictly on evaluating the sound, apart from the act of playing.

Of course you should still play the hell out of 'em yourself before you decide.

8

tavalla, octothorpe, spooje, Spritle, and javaman: Thanks a lot for the great ideas; I really appreciate it. This is exactly the stuff I was looking for.

If anyone else has any thoughts I would love to hear them too…

9

Wow. Great question and great answers. I am always intimidated when I go into the guitar section of a a music store, and always wondered how one ever gets beyond: “–hey, it’s shiny, it’s new, it says Martin, or Fender, or Gibson, and it costs a shit load of dollars–it MUST sound great!”
How do you guitar guys select an **electric ** guitar?

10

Electric? Same way. Play it; feel it; listen.

Same things apply to feel with acoustics, though the action on an electic is usually much lower than on an acoustic.

Pickups are extremely important on electics (obviously). A crappy sounding guitar can be made to sound much better by changing pickups.

The construction materials of electrics make some difference. An electric made of ash will sound different than one made of maple, all else being the same (shape, pickups, strings, hardware, etc.), but I doubt if most people could tell the difference. I doubt if I could.

By far, the most important aspect to the sound of an electric guitar is the pickups. This is why you see strange shapes, Eddie Van Halen tape and paint schemes and other such all over electric guitars with nobody cringing. Slap a “Eat Bertha’s Mussels” bumper sticker on any Martin acoustic and prepare to be hunted like a wild dog.

But what do I know, the only electric guitar I own (other than combos) is an early 60s Contessa I got at a pawn shop for $50.

11

Nothing new here, just want to second octothorpe’s last paragraph about buying the best you can afford. In your search you’ll probably come across a guitar that really stands out - the one you think about constantly - the one that fits, sounds, plays, smells, looks as close to perfect as you can get. That’s the one you should buy, because anything else will not be that one. Also, if you buy it, a couple years later you’ll notice your guitar-buying fever will have mysteriously vanished.

Mine is a Taylor 712 - I paid around $1000 for it nine or ten years ago. It seemed like too much to pay at the time, but I’ve never wanted another acoustic 6 string since.

12

I didn’t have the time to read the advice above but Here’s what I look for…

3 things:

First, I think it's really important to LIKE the way your guitar looks. It may sound silly and superficial but if you don't like the way you guitar looks, you're not going to enjoy  playing it...

Then, as far as the way it "fits" is concerned, I think it's really easy: a good guitar is one that you DON'T FEEL at all. It has to be as natural as your arms or legs. If you're aware that it's there, there's something wrong. It has to  be an extension of yourself...

Finally, the most difficult criteria is the sound. I'm afraid that it's completely up to you. When the sound of a guitar is the one you're looking for, you know it immediately.

I used these three criterias when I last bought a guitar and, well, I KNOW that I've made the right choice. She's beautiful, confortable and sounds...perfect.

As a friend once told me, that guitar is my baby :)
13

I have only went to buy a guitar once…

Basically, I went and played and played and played and played until I found the right one. I don’t know how long I spent there… but if its not just right you’r enot going to be happy with it.

Make sure they are all tuned up when you test them, at least wehre I went that wasn’t the case and I had to spend a buttload of time tuning… then playing. I could describe what I was looking for… other than to say I wanted something that felt right, easy to play and had a good sound. (All things I needed to sacrifice a bit to get within my budget)

Good sound is of the utmost importance to me though. So that was what I really wanted.

14

In regards electric guitars:

I’d have to agree with Spritle with one addition:

Hollow and semi-hollow body electrics are a whole 'nother smoke. Each has its own distinctive sound, feel and look. Some of the big names here are Gibson, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, and Epiphone. With these (more so than with solid bodies like Strats or Les Pauls) the body will have a noticable affect on the sound. You definately need to play a fair variety of these before deciding on the ‘sound’ you’re looking for.

As to buying used from an individual, i think that Spritle’s caveat is well founded but, with due diligence, i wouldn’t shit-can the idea. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time in your quest. I must have answered 15 ads before finding the Guild 12-string acoustic that i bought. The seller was getting rid of it as it belonged to a deceased family member and he didn’t play. I paid $360 (he was asking $350, but all i had was $20s) and the guitar was in exceptional shape.

One other thing, make sure you have a good case. When buying a high-end guitar that is not a problem as they ship with excellent ‘hard’ cases. Some of the lower to mid-range guitars, however, have pretty chintzy cases; which is fine if it’s never going to leave the house, but ain’t worth squat on the road.

15

Fingerpick or flatpick? :wink:

16

Some good thoughts here. Boy I wish I had a nice new guitar.

I joked in another thread that I’m a Gibson man, but that is sorta how things work out. We adapt our playing styles to our instruments somewhat, and I grew up playing Gibsons, so I favor that brand because it has the features I like and that I adapted to. Gibsons mostly all have similar necks, with the radius and widhth I like. I used to own a Telecaster and a Strat (real old late 60s vintage stuff) but the fretboard was too narrow and the thickness of the neck was too deep, so I found it hard to play, My fingers were always getting tangled in the strings. I probably could get used to it, but it’s just as easy to get one I like. So that’s sort of how I decide on a guitar.
One thing that’s hard to judge for me is the action. Some guitars in the store or for sale used are set up too low or too high for my tastes and it’s hard to judge how they’d play when I set it up the way I want. I’ve been looking for a new acoustic and I’m just not used to it so I’m having a hard time judging what kind of guitar will be easy to play. Ow my fingertips! I hate acoustic, it’s too rough on my fingers, I originally learned classical guitar and lute on gut stringed instruments. I’m a wimp.