need help buying a guitar

orianagt · #1 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 03:05 PM

I want to buy a guitar, but i don't know a thing about them. if someone can tell me what to look for in a guitar it will be great help!!

don't know if it better acoustic, electro-acoustic or electric.

badger809 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 03:16 PM

What kind of music to you like the most? What kind of music do you want to play on your guitar? What is your price range?

adaptable · #3 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 04:41 PM

Badger's right. The other thing to ask yourself, if you are truly serious is "Do I want a collectible guitar that might hold its value/appreciate in value after a few years?" No sense in buying a cheap guitar that will be worth hardly anything in a few years.

Are you a Costco member? If so, they often stock decent inexpensive Yamaha acoustic guitars that are great for beginners....added bonus is that they will refund you your money if you are not serious about playing a year or more later.

orianagt · #4 (**permalink**) 07-24-2008, 06:45 PM

I'm a student, I don't have much money. I have no more than $300. But i really want to learn to play guitar. The music that i like are alternative rock, Latin Rock, R&B. I was trying to find a good deal on the web but there's to many options and the shipping it's a bit expensive because I'm form Puerto Rico.

adaptable · #5 (**permalink**) 07-25-2008, 03:43 AM

Given the type of music you like, I would recommend a solid body electric guitar like a Fender or Gibson/Epiphone. You'll also want a practice amplifier (perhaps one that is loud enough to be hear over drums) and a tuner.

$300 will probably not get you a decent guitar & amplifier combo new, but it could get you a decent overseas/Mexican made Fender Stratocaster or Epiphone SG or Les Paul....particularly used. $600 is what I would truly budget if you want a new guitar and Line6 or Vox practice amp.

If simply want to learn and perhaps get an electric guitar later, I'd suggest the Costco route (great return policy!) or a decent acoustic guitar....They also occasionally have some decent inexpensive electric guitars. I'd suggest you go with someone who already plays. 6 months into it, if you are progressing at a good pace, save up for a good instrument, and you could return what you bought at Costco. Also 6 months into it if it is just sitting in a corner, you could just get your money back.

mmcquain · #6 (**permalink**) 07-26-2008, 04:04 PM

I would recommend you try out as many guitars as possible BEFORE you buy one. Yes, I agree that a solid body electric sounds right for the type of music you are wanting to play. However, the specifics can vary greatly from guitar to guitar. As adaptable mentioned, you can probably find a Fender Strat or Epiphone (Epi) Les Paul well within the $600 range (leaving some money for an amp). Either of these could be a fine choice but you really need to let your ear decide which one is "right" for you (keep in mind that there isn't really a right or wrong - it is all just about personal taste). To help you get started, I'll get you a little overview of the 2 types:

Fender Stratocaster (Strats)...

* These are usually made in either America or Mexico (MIA or MIM) but some are made in Japan and Korea (MIJ, MIK) as well. The American made models are the most expensive and are probably out of your budget (unless you find a great deal on a used one). But don't let that worry you, the MIM and MIK models are fine instruments.

* Fender also has a lower end consumer line called Squier, which are MIK and other places. Some of these can be great guitars for the money as well - but they will not generally be equal to the ones that go under the regular Fender name.

* Strats have a bolt-on neck vs. set-neck guitars like a Gibson (or most Epiphones). Their scale length (the length of the string from the nut to the bridge is just a little bit longer than the standard Gibson/Epi Les Paul length (but not enough to make a difference).

* Strats were originally designed as almost more of a "tool" than a "finely crafted instrument" so there is a TON of replacements parts and upgrades available. If you get one now and decide you like the body but not the neck most any luthier (guitar repairman/builder) can swap out the neck for you. Want to change the look of the guitar, put a different pickguard on it, etc. Guitars like Gibson/Epi are more "what you buy is what you get" (but they can to some degree be upgraded but not as easily as a Fender).

* The most common type of pickup in a Strat is the single-coil style. These produce a nice chimey, twang or quack type sound (think Sultans of Swing or Sweet Home Alabama). The down side of many single-coil pickups is that they can pick up more hum from flourescent lights, etc. (but there are ways to minimize this type of buzz). Now some Strats can have a humbucker pickup (these generally look like 2 single-coil pickups side by side and are designed to minimize the hum/buzz - hence they "buck" the hum). Almost all Gibson/Epi guitars have humbuckers, which usually produce a thicke, fuller sound (think Allman Brothers, BB King or something like Gary Moore's Still Got The Blues).

* Strats come with 2 types of fingerboards: maple or rosewood. Maple tends to be a little brighter sounding (and is lighter in color).

* The shape of the Fender neck comes in several varieties: V, C, D, etc. These generally refer to the way the neck looks from the back (V necks come to more of a point in the middle, while C necks are more round, etc.). You'll need to see which neck shape fits your hand the best.

And now for a Gibson/Epiphone Les Paul overview...

* Les Pauls tend to be heavier (slightly) than some Strats (some will say this helps with their sustain) and feature a single cut out where the neck joins the body. SG style guitars (and a "double cut" Les Paul) will have cut aways on both sides of the body at the neck joint (closer to the design of a Strat).

* Gibson Les Pauls are considered the creme of the crop in Gibson's product line (and can be very expensive, depending on the specific model) but Gibson owns the Epiphone guitar company and produces some very nice Les Paul guitars under the Epi band name (these will be the ones in your budget range).

* Gibson necks come in 2 general shapes (the thicker neck style is called the 50's neck, since original Les Pauls from the 1950s had thicker necks, and the slimmer 60's neck (sometimes called a "fast" neck since it is assumed that a thin neck lets your hand more faster up and down the neck - phooey! get the neck that feels right to you).

* Gibson finger boards are generally made of rosewood or ebony. Ebony is a little darker and harder (which some say makes for a slightly brighter sound). As a general rule, the higher end Les Paul models (Custom, Supreme, etc.) will have ebony boards and all the others will be rosewood. Most all of the Epi's have rosewood.

* FYI - Beware of any Gibson guitar (or Epiphone) that says Made in China (many on eBay right now are like this) as these are cheap rip-off fakes and should be avoided IMO. If you aren't sure, post some pics and one of use can probably help you figure out if it is a fake or not.

There are several other differences betweens Les Pauls and Strats but the above should be enough to help you get started. As I said above, go try out as many guitars as you can to see what feels the best and produces the sounds you like. Once you've narrowed that down then you can start shopping around for the best price. However, PRICE IS NOT EVERYTHING... just because a guitar costs more doesn't always mean it is "better". But, in general, the "you get what you pay for rule does apply to guitars" so you just need to try 'em and decide for yourself.

Now here are some tips for testing out a guitar before you buy it. I wrote these with a Les Paul in mind but they generally apply to any electric guitar purchase.

I've had a few people ask me about picking the right Les Paul for themself, and while I'm no expert, I thought I'd share a few tips that I use when guitar shopping. When I'm comparing 2 guitars I'll check each out by holding both guitars up side by side (if you can) and inspect each one closely to look for little details in the finish and build of each:

Run you finger slow down each side of the fretboard and feel for sharp edges and any fretwork that may feel rough or unfinished.

Look down each neck to see if it looks straight and doesn't have any warp in it.

Press each string down and walk up the fretboard as you plug each string and listen for any fret buzz.

Inspect around the neck joint and binding to make sure their are no cracks or seams that look "wrong".

Check the overall guitar for dings, chips in the finish, etc. (these things happen when they are handled by a lot of customers prior to selling).

Look at the bridge and tailpiece height (I like mine low to the body - I think it helps with sustain) and check the action of the strings.

Play some bends at different points on the neck to make sure the guitar doesn't "fret out" when bending a string.

You will probably want to get the guitar professionally setup after you buy it. I do this for all of mine (even if it is nicely setup right from the factory - you'd be amazed at how much even a slight tweaking can do to really make a guitar feel "right").

Play the guitar UNplugged (open chords strumming are good for this) and listen to the sustain and resonance of the wood... it should sound full and rich and not be "dead" or dull sounding. It should NOT have a lot of buzzing (which would indicate loose parts or poorly joined connections of the wood and metal).

And finally, close your eyes and play each one through an amp as close to your own setup as you can get. Let your fingers and ears decide which one is right for you.

I'd love for others to share their tips as well. Hopefully the above tips and my earlier posting on some general Les Paul info will help you guys find the guitar that is right for you. Good luck and remember to post photos here when you get something... we all love to share in each other's NGD (new guitar day)!!!

gregsguitars · #7 (**permalink**) 08-12-2008, 05:15 PM

try every guitar you can as above mentioned, listen with your ears NOT your eyes .if it is ugly and sounds good you will play her ,if she is pretty and sounds like crap warmed over or is hard to play ,you will givw it up,play em all large and small in your budget, go to a big chain music store where the selection is greater ,

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