A Guide to Buying Guitars – part two

When you visit a guitar store, take some time to browse around and look at the stock. Does it look clean, or is everything covered in a layer of dust? Have a close look at the guitars, especially the acoustics; are the strings tarnished or rusty? Take note of the type of guitars on sale - are they all in the cheaper price bracket? Are there only one or two expensive guitars that they keep behind the counter? If so, you’re probably in a place where they don’t really have access to the major brands and you’ll end up with an inferior guitar from an unknown maker. Look for the big names: Gibson, Fender, PRS, Yamaha, Martin, Taylor etc. Although you may not walk out with one of these now, when you do want to trade up to that level, you’ll already be an existing customer!

There’s no substitute for experience. If you know someone who plays guitar or already owns two or three instruments, take them along. Remember though that they probably won’t be as experienced as the salesman. When you try out a guitar, always make sure it’s tuned to concert pitch. This will reveal any buzzes, rattles or faults that may not be apparent if the guitar is tuned down for whatever reason. It’s also a good way of checking whether the machine heads work properly. There are some other basic checks you can perform but they may be outside the scope of someone new to the experience.

However, there are a couple of things you can look for, starting with whether the strings are too far from the fingerboard, meaning that pressing on them is painful or impossible. Also, can it be tuned up and does it stay in tune? Is the sound balanced equally between the bass and the treble? Finally, when you strum it, are there any extraneous noises that you don’t think should be there? Getting someone to play the guitar for you is always good, so you can stand about 10 feet away, listen to the tone of the instrument, and let your ears be the judge

As well as the guitar itself, there are the accessories, and they’re a big part of guitar ownership. There’s the case, which is absolutely necessary for protection and transportation. A gig bag is the best option, as it’s cheap and convenient. Another essential is a guitar tuner, which is also fairly cheap. Picks of course, spare strings and possibly a stand are all part of the package and if possible should be bought with the guitar.

Hopefully, with a little help, you’ve made your choice of guitar, got it in your hands and you got a great deal on it. In fact you may be holding the guitar of your dreams - for now.