I’ve been messing around with junk guitars, yard-sale finds and deals from friends, for years. Now that I’m finally thinking about getting some lessons, my boyfriend and my Mom got together this Christmas, and gave me several hundred bucks to spend at the guitar store of my choice.
Which brings me face-to-face with the fact that I know nothing about actually buying a guitar. I tend to stand around in guitar stores drooling and muttering “shiny… pretty…” but when it comes to plonking down a chunk of cash and walking out with one, I’m hopeless.
What do I look for? What kind of flaws might make me regret my purchase down the road? Are there tests I can do that will show up any problems?
Let’s postulate a budget of $500. Am I better off buying used, or going with a new low-end? Are there low-end brands that are really good for the money consistently, and low-end brands to run from screaming?
Are there things to look for when I’m choosing a retailer?
I’ve done some research, and the guitar-buying guides I’ve found online seem pretty sketchy. I’d love to bring a knowledgeable guitar-playing friend on my purchasing rounds, but I don’t have one. Instead, I’m hoping that the SDMB music-makers might put together a good set of tips, so that I and any other potential guitar-buyers might adopt a new instrument with confidence and pride.
There’s a lot of information to cover all the bases. If you’ve got the time, go to www.mudcat.org and search for old threads on the topic (or start a new thread, probably someone will provide links to previous ones).
It really is helpful to have someone knowledgeable along, because even within a given brand and/or model there are often better and worse instruments. If you can think of a way to accomplish this, it’s highly recommended.
That said, guitars made by the Godin Guitar Company ( http://www.lasido.com/ ) are generally recognized to be of good design and manufacturing quality, and some of their lines are moderately priced. I forget the heirarchy of their six lines, but Seagull and Simon & Patrick should be in your price range. A number of my friends have Seagulls and are happy with them. I have a Simon & Patrick. It sounds quite good to me and I sometimes get comments praising its tone. The playability is good as well.
Whatever you get, it’s a good idea to have it set up for you and your playing style. It’s rare that a new guitar (or used, for that matter) is in proper adjustment when you buy it, partly because things can change during shipping and partly because what’s right for one player may not be right for another. Set-ups typically cost 25-50, and often the store has a luthier in house or can recommend one to do it for you.
There are other good choices in your price range. It’s a bit like automobiles – there’s not one perfect choice that suits everyone’s needs, budget, preferences, etc. Some others may join this thread with different, but equally good, recommendations based on their experience.
As you probably know, really cheap guitars tend to be problematic in both tone and playability. I’d say that you’d need to spend about 300 and up for a good chance of getting something decent. Buying used guitars presents a higher risk of buying problems, so I’d suggest new for someone in your situation. You should be able to get a good instrument for what you can spend.
I’d suggest, first, to go to a music store and try a few different models they have. Aside from the reliability of the guitar, I think the most important part of buying one is how it feels. Sit and stand with it and see how comfortable it is. You’ll know what body style fits you best rather quickly, and when it comes to practicing, you hafta be comfortable and like the feel of your instrument or else practice isn’t fun. That will also reflect in your playing. For example,I’m a Jackson V man, but say my g/f bought me a custom Fender Strat. Indeed its a world class guitar, but I’m not comfortable playing strats and I’d hate it and play like crap. So go out and try some different kinds and see how they feel. Sometimes its as easy as just seeing it on the wall and thinkin “Holy shit, thats the one !” Good luck !
What I would suggest is that you find your guitar teacher first. Ask around for recommendations for a teacher. Then figure out what kind of guitar you want, acoustic or electric. Once you figure that out go to some stores and look at and mess around with a lot of guitars. Once you get an idea of what you want ask your teacher(or an experienced guitarist) to go to the store with you so he/she can check out the guitar for you. During this time you can probably use a guitar from the store where the teacher works during lessons.
The reasons for this are pretty simple. A guitar teacher will want you to get the best guitar for your money because if you hate your guitar you aren’t going to take lessons for very long.
Also, buy new. Once you buy it the store should set it up for you. After you buy one ask your teacher to play it to make sure it is setup properly. If it isn’t set up correctly your teacher should be able to recommend a guitar tech who would be able to get it set up.
Things to look for. Action. Action is the height of the strings from the fretboard. High action requires a lot of finger strength. Really low action causes the strings to vibrate against the frets, known as fret buzz, which is not good. You want reasonably low action to start with. Guitar body size/shape. As Snake meantioned, the body style of the guitar will affect your playing. Find something comfortable. Style of Music. What kind of guitar you want to get will depend on what style of music you want to play. If you want to play rock you probably want an electric with humbucker pickups. If you want country you probably want single coil pickups. If you want to play acoustic you don’t need to worry about pickups.
Amps. If you decide on electric then you need to get an amp. Once again you should have your teacher or an experienced guitarist go with you to look at amps. There are some really good amps out there that can be used for a wide range of musical styles. When you figure out your price range for amps go to the store and plug in the kind of guitar you want to all the amps in your price range. Then start twisting those knobs. This can be alot of fun as most stores these days have amp rooms where you can make tons of noise without bothering anyone.
Hope this helps.