acoustic guitar stand
Guide to Buying an Acoustic Guitar Right.
Know how to choose the right guitar and how you can identify a poor will save you from countless headache, not to mention finger aches.
Acoustic guitar bodies come in basically the same hourglass shape, with some variations, but they vary in size color, wood type, style, and extra features. You can even buy an acoustic guitar so small that fits into a hiking backpack.
Guitars come in a very wide range of prices, but when it comes to instruments in general, you get what you pay for, especially when you buy new. There is a real difference between getting a good deal and buy cheap.
But whether you buy new or used, can be determined by many personal factors including your budget, and each has their own advantages and disadvantages.
Buying new, gives you a warranty and, hopefully, a return period if for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, or something goes wrong.
Under 'normal' circumstances, a used guitar can usually be purchased cheaper and has already gone through its "Break-in period.
Commercially built guitars are usually mass manufactured. "Custom-made" guitars are exactly that. They are custom built and tailored to your specifications with a highly skilled guitar maker.
Prices for a custom-built guitar vary considerably, depending on skill level craft person you contract the job to, but, usually, they are generally much higher than a commercially built guitar of "similar" quality. Each custom built guitar is unique and therefore difficult to compare in price to a commercially built guitar.
FOR "Techies"
Understanding of some of the parts of a guitar will definitely help you when comes to Pre-Purchase Checklist.
BODY: This is the part of the sound hole in front. This is where the strumming is done, and it can vary in size. The actual size shape, type of wood, coating, and general structure of the body also affects how the guitar will "sound", whether it is a rich and warm sound, or a thin and 'twangy' sound. The body tends to be the part that also get scratched, damaged, and generally turned up at the most.
Neck: This is the long end extends from the body and ends with 'head' of the guitar where the 'Tuning Heads' are, also known as' machine heads '. The strings travel from the 'Bridge' on the body, across the sound hole, along the 'Fret Board', which is affixed to the front side of the neck, and finally arrived on the tuning heads where they are wrapped tuning posts. The tuning heads are then turned by hand, then turning positions, making the strings tighter or looser, thus affecting their 'mood'. Necks tend to warp and twist if not looked after or if the guitar is left propped against a heat source.
Bridge: The Bridge is normally located on the front of the body at the sound hole and on the side of the hole opposite to the neck. The strings are usually fed through the bridge first, before they cross the hole and travel up the neck to the tuning heads. The bridge is like an anchor point for the strings. Metal bridges are best, but on most acoustics they are either hard plastic or wood. Bridges have a tendency to crack and split over a long period.
FRET BOARD: The fret board is glued on the front of the neck. This is the part you press the strings to make chords or play individual notes. Because it's glued on separately, fret board can be made of wood, which is different from the neck.
The strings travel over the fret board, and the distance they are above the fret board makes a difference to the playability of the guitar. If the strings are too far above the fret board, they will be hard to push down makes the guitar difficult to play.
When a beginner plays a guitar, initially his or her fingertips are very soft and should be tempered. A guitar with the strings too far above fret board, also known as having a high action ', will cause the player's fingers to hurt so much that they probably will put the guitar away in discouragement and possibly stop playing altogether.
STRINGS: Acoustic guitar strings, come in a wide range of 'variations'. They can be made of nylon, brass, steel or a combination. Nylon strings are usually only found on Classical guitars and student guitars because they are easier on the fingertips. They have a rich, warm sound to them.
Strings sets come in different 'weights', or sizes. Strings that come from a package marked "heavy" is usually quite thick in size and sound "beefy". Strings that are light or extra light, are very thin and usually have a brighter sound to them but are also more quiet sounds than heavy strings.
String choices are purely personal taste. Light strings are easier to press than heavy strings but also sound quite different. The more stringent is played, dirtier they get. If a cloth is not run over and under them, from time to time, the sound becomes very dull
Pre-PURCHASE CHECKLIST
– Before you buy a used guitar, cost-comparable to the price of a new, except guitar is quite old. You can also compare its price to be used for other prices used by going to an online auction and either searching for the same or a similar guitar.
– Check the general condition of the wood for cracks, scratches, cracks, dents, chips, etc.
– Also check the lacquer finish for cracks and splits.
– Check the neck / fret board for warping and twisting. You can do this by holding the guitar flat on his back, with the sound hole facing up. Bring the guitar up to eye level with the neck running away from you and the edge of the body almost touching your face. Let your eyes skim across the front of the body and down the fret board. You should be able to see if the neck is twisted or bend.
– Tune the guitar, or have the seller tune it for you.
– If you know how play about five or six chords then play them. If you do not know how to play, ask the seller to play them for you. This control ensures that the neck of the guitar is not biased, even though you could not physically see it. If the neck is bent, and the guitar is set up correctly, so some of the chords sound good, but others will sound as if the guitar is not set. If this happens, check the tuning again. If it continues, then do not buy the guitar.
– Check the bridge of the guitar. If it is made of wood or plastic, make sure it is not cracked or splitting. The bridge must be rock solid, as a big pressure on the bridge by the strings.
– Check the tuning heads. Has the case easily, or they are very stiff and hard to beat. Even with the high tension in the strings, a quality guitar will have tuning heads that are relatively easy to reverse.
– Check 'Action' of the guitar. Are the strings a fair distance from the fret board? Are they easy or hard to press down at various points on the fret board?
– If you buy the guitar for yourself, and you know how to play, even if you are a beginner, then play guitar.
– How does it feel?
– Is it easy or difficult to play?
– Can you fit your hand around the neck / fret board comfortably to play chords?
– Is the guitar a comfortable size and shape of your body? Is it easy to keep?
– If you plan to play standing up, ask for a guitar strap.
– Do you like the sound, color, etc.?
– If you do not play, is another player that for you, so you can assess what it sounds.
WHERE TO BUY
Buying a guitar from a physical retail music store allows you to "test drive" Guitar and ask more questions up front. Buy online or from a catalog can give you more cash savings.
No matter where you buy your guitar where you know what to look for, and spend a little extra effort in your quest for that "perfect" guitar, not just your fingers you, but also your ears, and all those who will come to join you around the campfire, or even go to see you in concert. Who knows?
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