Hey, guys (and girls)! A buddy of mine is looking to start playing guitar but has no friends in his local area to help him on his quest for a decent starter acoustic, so I figured I would post a short, basic primer on buying a guitar so he doesn't end up with buyer's remorse if possible, and maybe it can help some of you as well.
1) Go to Youtube and look up how to play a D chord and a G chord. You don't need to be able to play these all that well, but you should know where your fingers are supposed to go. Don't worry about being shy and not actually playing anything at the store, this is just so you can fret these chords and see if there's any sort of actual pain associated with it. If there is pain, you don't want to buy that guitar.
2) Go to a friendly guitar store. Seems obvious, but you never know. People who are buying their first guitar need help and attention, and you're just not going to get it from an unfriendly bunch.
3) Play all the guitars you can. Pay attention to how the neck and body depth feels against you. Is it easy for you to fret the D and G? Does the neck feel comfortable?
4) Play every single note down every single string and make sure they all sound pleasant and aren't TOO difficult to play.
5) Pay no attention to the price tag. Of course you're going to want to spend as little as possible, but right now you're just getting a feel for what you like and if, when you discover what you like, you see it's too expensive, it's time to start looking for cheaper alternatives with the same BASIC formula (types of woods, type of construction, etc).
6) Have a member of the sales staff play the guitar for you. I bet they wait their whole lives for this opportunity - it's probably why they started working there in the first place, but it's a good opportunity to hear how everyone else will hear your guitar. Kind of like trying out the backseat when buying a new car because you need to know how it's going to be for your passengers.
7) DO NOT BUY THE GUITAR THAT DAY. I can't emphasize that enough. If you love it, fine, tell the sales staff that you just need time to think about it because you've been exposed to a lot. This gives you time to cool down, and let the experience really sink in. Do research on the Internet, read reviews from other guitarists paying attention to things like how it's going to last in the long run (not about how it doesn't compare to X or how they've been playing for XX years so they know what they're talking about). Like Dragnet, you have to look for the facts and just the facts.
8) If at all possible, bring a small notebook and pen. Write down the model names and your notes about the guitars you try and what you liked or didn't like. Use your own descriptions rather than the sales staff's as you'll want to understand it later.
So there you go! A short primer for shopping for your first acoustic guitar. Is there anything I left out that should have been included? If so, leave the comment below!
1) Go to Youtube and look up how to play a D chord and a G chord. You don't need to be able to play these all that well, but you should know where your fingers are supposed to go. Don't worry about being shy and not actually playing anything at the store, this is just so you can fret these chords and see if there's any sort of actual pain associated with it. If there is pain, you don't want to buy that guitar.
2) Go to a friendly guitar store. Seems obvious, but you never know. People who are buying their first guitar need help and attention, and you're just not going to get it from an unfriendly bunch.
3) Play all the guitars you can. Pay attention to how the neck and body depth feels against you. Is it easy for you to fret the D and G? Does the neck feel comfortable?
4) Play every single note down every single string and make sure they all sound pleasant and aren't TOO difficult to play.
5) Pay no attention to the price tag. Of course you're going to want to spend as little as possible, but right now you're just getting a feel for what you like and if, when you discover what you like, you see it's too expensive, it's time to start looking for cheaper alternatives with the same BASIC formula (types of woods, type of construction, etc).
6) Have a member of the sales staff play the guitar for you. I bet they wait their whole lives for this opportunity - it's probably why they started working there in the first place, but it's a good opportunity to hear how everyone else will hear your guitar. Kind of like trying out the backseat when buying a new car because you need to know how it's going to be for your passengers.
7) DO NOT BUY THE GUITAR THAT DAY. I can't emphasize that enough. If you love it, fine, tell the sales staff that you just need time to think about it because you've been exposed to a lot. This gives you time to cool down, and let the experience really sink in. Do research on the Internet, read reviews from other guitarists paying attention to things like how it's going to last in the long run (not about how it doesn't compare to X or how they've been playing for XX years so they know what they're talking about). Like Dragnet, you have to look for the facts and just the facts.
8) If at all possible, bring a small notebook and pen. Write down the model names and your notes about the guitars you try and what you liked or didn't like. Use your own descriptions rather than the sales staff's as you'll want to understand it later.
So there you go! A short primer for shopping for your first acoustic guitar. Is there anything I left out that should have been included? If so, leave the comment below!
1 comment:
It shouldn't happen, but it has to me - check that the bridge is stuck flat to the top, you don't want to have to return in a week or two or after your first string change because it is lifting and needs to be re-glued/pinned down.
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