Buying a Guitar Package for the New Guitarist for Christmas in 2006

Buying a Guitar for Christmas for the Experienced Guitarist

Tips on Buying Guitars

Buying an Acoustic Guitar - What You Should Know

What to Look for While Buying an Electric Guitar

Buy a Guitar Online - Top Ten Things to Look For When Buying a Guitar Online

11 Tips For Buying a Used Guitar

A Guide to Buying Your First Guitar

Buying A Guitar

Guitar Buying Guide

Teach Yourself Guitar - Secrets for Buying a Good Cheap Acoustic Guitar

What to Expect When Buying Your First Electric Guitar

Buying Goya Guitars on eBay

8 Golden Nuggets For Buying Your First Guitar

Buying your first guitar is always a very exciting proposition but not without its challenges. When buying a guitar for beginners it is all too easy to get carried away and succumb to temptation when faced with a shop full of beautiful, shiny new guitars. Purchasing that wonderful bright red Fender Stratocaster seems like a good idea at the time (budget? what budget?) but you can soon come to realise that it is totally unsuited to your present needs!

To avoid these beginner pitfalls just follow these 8 simple steps to make buying your first guitar a breeze AND.... help protect your bank balance!

GOLDEN NUGGET 1: Know What Style of Guitar You Want to Buy!

This may sound a bit obvious, but before you even begin to consider buying a guitar, you need to know what guitar is best suited to the style of music you wish to play. There are four standard guitars:

Electric Guitar - probably the most popular and well known type of guitar, used in the majority of current pop and rock bands. Usually made with a solid body. You will need an amplifier to go with this guitar as you cannot hear the sound without one.

Acoustic Guitar - this is the other most recognisable guitar, made with a hollow body and wound steel strings to produce the sound, so no need for an amplifier with this guitar.

Electro Acoustic Guitar - as the name suggests, this guitar is a combination of the acoustic and electric guitar. With a hollow body and a pickup this guitar can be used with or without an amplifier.

Spanish/Classical Guitar - this is the oldest style of acoustic guitar which was first built in its current form in the 19th century in Spain. The strings on these guitars are nylon.

GOLDEN NUGGET 2: Ensure it is Suitable for You

As well as different styles, guitars also come in different sizes. It is possible to purchase half size and three quarter size guitars which are more practical for children. Remember also that learning to play guitar can be a bit painful on the fingers when you first start. Nylon strung guitars and electric guitars can be a little bit kinder to tender fingertips!

GOLDEN NUGGET 3: Set a Budget (and stick to it!)

Buying your first guitar is very exciting and it is all too easy to get carried away! It is best to do some figures before you get to the shops to establish how much you can afford and what you really want to spend.

Keep in mind that there is the possibility you may discover you are not cut out for learning to play the guitar after all. You could end up with a very expensive ornament collecting dust in your lounge!

If you are new to guitar it is a good idea to consider starting with a second hand guitar and then treating yourself to a brand new one once you have accomplished some level of playing ability.

GOLDEN NUGGET 4: Gather Information

Buying a guitar is a big investment so like any other large purchase it is essential that you glean all the information you can before you make your final buying decision.

The best place to start is at your local music store. These shops are generally privately owned by music/guitar enthusiasts. They will be more than happy to spend time with you, showing you all the different guitars and explaining things to you. If you cannot play, they will also demonstrate the guitars for you so you can hear the different sounds each guitar makes. But remember, this is a fact finding mission - today is not the day to buy, no matter how nice they are!

If you are looking for an electric guitar, you can also see all the accessories available and familiarise yourself with what you will need to achieve the sound you are after.

GOLDEN NUGGET 5: Shop Around

Music stores are great for pinpointing what guitar you would like but they are not necessarily the cheapest option for buying your guitar. That being said, they can offer a great aftercare service so it is worth weighing up what that is worth to you in monetary terms.

If you decide to purchase from a store, ask them if they have any sales coming up and wait (yes, wait!) for the sales to grab a bargain. If you cannot wait that long and decide to buy now, make sure you haggle with them on the price. They usually have a healthy mark up on musical instruments giving them plenty of room for manoeuvre.

Once you know the make of the guitar you would like, the obvious choice is the internet. There are a number of excellent secure sites which offer great deals. If it is an electric guitar you are after, a good starting point is a 'bundle' deal, which gives you all the accessories you need to get started as well as the guitar - great for beginners!

GOLDEN NUGGET 6: Buy Second-hand

Okay, so buying a second-hand guitar is not quite as sexy as that gleaming, shiny brand new one you have been drooling over. BUT, it is a great option if you are on a budget or not quite sure if the guitar is going to be for you.

Again, your local music store is a great place to start. They generally have some second-hand guitars that people have traded in and it is possible that you could pick up a well known brand for an excellent price.

The classified ads in your local newspaper are also a good place to track down a bargain and again, you can haggle with the vendor.

Buying second-hand online is slightly more risky. If you go this route, make sure they have a returns policy and some sort of guarantee otherwise you may find you have been sold a pup!

GOLDEN NUGGET 7: Check it is Well Made

Always ensure that the guitar you choose is well made. Check the seams; run your fingers around them to ensure that they are smooth, not rough and that they are not coming apart. Make sure the frets are smooth and even on both sides of the neck. Do not buy a guitar made from plywood or with a plywood top.

GOLDEN NUGGET 8: Try Before You Buy (then try again)

Every guitar is different so it is absolutely imperative that you try out lots of guitars before you make your purchase. They may look beautiful but you need to know how they feel in your hands and what they sound like before you can decide what is best for you. Even if you cannot play the guitar, you will know if it feels comfortable in your hands and you will know if you like the sound it makes. So, try before you buy and then try again!

Of course, buying your guitar is just the first step of your musical journey! Sign up today for your FREE Five Part E-Course on How to Play Guitar for Beginners at http://howtoplayguitargenie.com. This comprehensive FREE course is packed with tonnes of tips and tricks to give you exactly what you need to set you on the road to fulfilling your dreams - TODAY!

How to Go About Buying Your First Guitar

First off, be patient. You do not have to purchase the guitar immediately. Make a minimum of two visits to the music store. Also, don't let the salesman intimidate you. You are the customer and you are the one in charge. You should also do some research before you buy your first guitar. The internet offers a wealth of information about guitars. If you are armed with knowledge, you can use that knowledge to your advantage. Also, remember to recruit help if you need it. If you have a friend or family member that plays the guitar, take them with you to the music store and it can help you choose the guitar that is right for you. If you don't have anyone to come with you, ask the employees at the store questions. Don't be shy. You can get a decent deal on a guitar if you have enough discipline.

If you are a new guitarist, trying out a guitar in the music store may be intimidating. There may very well be other guitarists in the store who think they need to show off their skills. They have a need to impress others with their great guitar licks and chords. This can be intimidating; of course you'd like to be able to show off like this as well. However, stay focused. Your goal is to find the best instrument for you for the least amount of money.

When you enter the store, look around until you find an instrument to your liking. The store employees should give you a sturdy stool. They should also give you a pick but it is probably best to bring one of your own. If you are trying out an electric guitar, it should be plugged into an amplifier that is similar to the one you are going to use.

To hear the sound quality of a guitar, don't be afraid to strum the strings hard. Listen to the guitar's sustain and listen for problems such as buzzing strings. If you cannot hear the guitar well, ask to be put in another room or to be moved to a part of the store that is quieter. If you come up against music store owners that frown on you tuning up the guitar or vigorously strumming, politely hand the guitar back to the owner and take your business elsewhere. It is important to know how a guitar sounds before spending your hard earned money on it.

You should also keep in mind that when trying out a guitar you don't need to play something complicated. Play something you are used to playing. Concentrate on how the guitar sounds and feels. Do not pay attention to the people who may be listening to you. Play every fret on the neck of the guitar and be sure that you don't hear any buzzing. Be sure that if you are playing an electric guitar try various pick-ups and listen for any pick up noise you don't want.

Try out many different guitars in the music store. Ask a lot of questions and take notes on each guitar you try out. You should jot down the make, model and price of the guitar. Find out what kind of wood the guitar is made from. Make a note of anything you like or dislike about each guitar you try. After trying out a few guitars head home and consider what you discovered that day.

After you have played a number of guitars and found some that suit your taste. Research the companies who make the guitar you are considering purchasing. There are websites available that can help you familiarize yourself with the companies and their instruments. The majority of guitar company websites provide specifications for each of their guitars. You may also find additional information on the guitar you want to buy. Check the guitar company website for warranty information as well. The websites will most likely have contact information so you can e-mail or call them with any other questions.

Of course it goes without saying that a guitar company website will be biased so you will need to discover what other guitarists think of various guitars. The web has many, many sites that have user reviews of guitars. When looking at these reviews take note of the amount others have paid for their instruments and seriously look at any criticisms. You should be careful of those who give their own guitar a perfect ten. A lot of reviewers will not offer constructive criticism.

Look online to find music stores near you. Think about visiting each store and trying the guitars they have for sale. Call the music stores and inquire to see if they carry the type of guitar you are looking for. If they do have it in stock, have the store quote you a price. Sometimes you may run into a store employee who does not want to give you a quote over the phone. If you say that you are about to purchase a guitar somewhere else, they will most likely change their mind. Note any differences in prices when calling music stores.

If after your initial research you are still not sure of what guitar is right for you, go to FretBoard, an online bulletin board that helps guitarists. Someone should be able to assist you.

After you have acquired enough knowledge about the guitar you want to buy, check prices online or make another trip to the music store. Once you return to the music store and know what guitar you want to purchase, you will want to get the guitar at a good price. Many individuals assume that if a guitar costs $600, they will have to buy it for that amount. This is not true. Those who own music stores make a profit on what they sell in their store so they are able to drop the price of the item. You just have to get them to do that.

You will have to be savvy if you want a bargain. The music store employees want you to spend your money and you want to hold on to as much of your money as possible. As mentioned earlier, you are the one that is in control. Since the music store wants your business there is nothing wrong with making them earn it.

Keep a few things in mind when you go back to the music store. Like in any sales transaction, do not let the salesperson know just how much you want the product their selling. Do not let the sales person know just how badly you want a particular guitar. If they approach you and want to assist you, just tell them that you have noticed some nice guitars as you have been shopping around.

Before you get down to bargaining for the guitar you should ask if a guitar case is included. Ask if the guitar case is softshell or hardshell. A softshell guitar case costs less than a hardshell guitar case.

Try a few guitars when you return to the music store. If you feel like it, pretend you want to buy a cheaper guitar than the one you are really interested in. If a salesperson sells you a cheap guitar, they will get a small commission. Because of this, they will be more eager to give you a bargain on a guitar that is more expensive.

Don't make it seem that you are in a rush. Take your time and think about whether the guitar you researched is really the guitar you want.

Remember to never pay the list price for the guitar you want. In general, list prices are inflated. A lot of people find it difficult to bargain with a salesperson for a discount. It is not as difficult as it may seem. You can start by asking for the entire price, including the guitar, tax and the case. When they tell you, think for a moment and ask them what they can do to make the price a little cheaper. Have in mind, a price that you want to pay. It may be a good idea to try and get a 15 percent discount. If you know of a store where you know they are offering a lower price on the same guitar you want, let the salesperson know this. You may have to apply pressure to get your bargain but you can get used to doing this.

If the guitar you want is on sale or if it is already a low priced instrument, it will be hard to convince the salesperson to drop the price even more. If this is the case, you might want to ask if they could throw in some guitar accessories at no charge or at a steep discount. This may include items such as guitar strings, guitar polish, picks, or string winders. This may not be the discount that you want but it will be good to know you bargained successfully.

Todd Wales is the founder of GuitaristNation.com, a blog designed to bring the latest guitar news, interviews, reviews, lessons, and gear to aspiring guitarists. For more beginner guitar tips, check out 10 Excellent Resources for Beginners.

Buying a Cheap Guitar - Is it Worth It?

Most people perceive cheap guitar as low quality, poorly manufactured guitar. In fact, some people will be intimidated by the fact that it wasn't US made guitar. You may never consider Chinese or Korean made guitars and may never buy a cheap guitar, until recently.

Many big guitar manufacturers have already started producing their guitars in Korea, China and India to offer more affordable guitars for the regular guitar player. Not everybody can afford a $2000+ Fender or Gibson guitars and there is a large market for cheap guitars under $400.

Most of the Epiphone cheap guitars models which is own by Gibson now are produced in Korea. Kramer, which is another company owned by Gibson produces most of its cheap guitars in Korea too. Fender bought Jackson a few years ago, and now most of its Jackson guitars are produced in Korea and India. BC Rich low-cost guitars and many Ibanez guitar models are made in Korea too.

The low cost of labor may help to produce cheaper guitar, but that alone cannot be the only reason for lowering guitar prices.

So, why some guitars really dirt cheap and yet some guitars are outrageously expensive?

There are several factors determining a guitar manufacturing price.

The first factor for making a guitar cheap or expensive is the actual guitar manufacturing process. Was the guitar hand-made or was it produced in a highly automated modern guitar factory? Hand-made guitars are usually more expensive, while the guitars coming out from an automated factory are usually cheaper because the highly automated manufacturing process doesn't require much manual labor such as guitar building, quality control.

Another factor which will determine a guitar price is the quality of material used for producing this guitar. This can include the woods used for the guitar neck and body, the paints and finishes. Cheaper guitars use inexpensive woods like plywood for building the guitar body, while more expensive guitars use quality woods like mahogany, rosewood, alder.

The third factor for making a guitar cheap or expensive is the quality of electronics and hardware that go in the guitar. Cheap guitars usually have cheap bridge, tuners, and stock pickups. Expensive guitars are made with quality hardware and electronics. For example the cost of a single Seymour-Duncan pickup may be much higher than the price for a decent cheap guitar made in Korea.

Cheap Guitars - Does it worth to buy one?

It really depends. Not everyone will use a cheap guitar. If you are professional musician and the guitar is your tool of trade, then you probably won't want to buy a cheap guitar. Although most cheap guitars nowadays have a very good quality, professional musicians prefer hand-made electric guitars created by professional luthiers.

If you don't want to spend several thousand dollars on a Gibson Les Paul guitar, then you might have a look at cheaper guitars. Bear in mind that cheap guitars are no longer no-name guitars. You can still buy Ibanez, Jackson, ESP, Epiphone, Fernandes, BC Rich, Squier, and many more famous guitar brands for less than $200!

I bought a cheap guitar made in China by Fernandes for just $150. The guitar has a licensed Floyd Rose tremolo, a very good, easy-playable neck and nice sound. This guitar is able to put "cheap" and "quality" in one sentence. My cheap guitar is worth much more than $150 and it's actually of a better quality than some US made Fenders I have played.

Would you rather buy the cheapest US made Fender Strat model for $500 or would you rather buy a Japanese made Jackson, with Duncan-designed pickups, Floyd Rose tremolo and super-fast neck for $300? This decision of cheap / expensive guitar is yours.

Electric Affair is an online store that offers many different brand of electric guitars and acoustic electric guitars as well as accessories . Browse the catalog of electric guitars and find the one you are looking for at Electric Affair.

Electric Guitar Buying Guide

Planning to get an electric guitar? Now I know this may seem like a big thing taking all the top brands and everything into consideration, however with a little research and insight you can easily get a guitar that is both suited to your needs and budget. Without further ado, let's get started!

Getting the budget in place

Now I can imagine very well if you want to get the latest Fender which has hit the market, but seriously you are looking at expensive price tags here. High quality guitars can very easily top the $3,000 range and you are best to consider your options before you make your purchase. Having said that, I do not discourage you from buying high end guitars, by all means if you can afford one then go for it. This is extremely important because the higher the quality of the instrument, the better the experience you will have playing it. This is obviously a very personal decision and you will need to know for sure how much you are willing to spend here.

Another thing that you need to know is that cheaper guitars are not essentially poor in quality. Due to computer aided manufacturing techniques, guitars, especially electric ones are now being made at less costs without sacrificing on quality. You can get excellent guitars for $150-$250 of appreciable quality these days which would have probably cost 3 to 4 times as much about 20 years back.

Getting Round the Basics of the Electric guitar

An electric guitar produces sound via an electric pickup that is installed below the strings. The pickup collects the vibrations of the strings and transfers them to an amplifier. A pickup is essentially a small device that is made of a magnet surrounded by a very fine metal wire (at least most of them are). As the guitar strings vibrate within its magnetic field, it produces a very small electric charge which is fed to an amplifier which boosts the signal and further on feeds it to the speakers.

Because electric guitars use only a pickup they do not require a hollow body as is seen in a traditional acoustic guitar. In fact most electric guitars are made out of solid wooden or plastic body. However this does not mean that you can have an electric guitar made out of anything; the material used in the body still has a great impact on the quality of the sound that the guitar produces.

Types of Electric Guitars

four types of electric guitars are there for you to choose from.These are the Solid body guitars, Hollow body guitars, Semi-hollow body guitars and the Chambered guitars.

a. Solid body guitars: The most commonly known design for the electric guitars. These can take virtually any shape from just a neck and pickups to wild and star shaped designs. Given the kind of shapes these are available in these are also the most popular ones around.
b. Hollow body guitars: These guitars are generally speaking just normal acoustic guitars with pickups on them and are favored by jazz players for their full round tones, however they are best played at a low volume setting.

Semi-hollow body guitars: Best suited for a range of music ranging from jazz to punk, semi hollow body guitars have a wooden center with large holes on either sides to avoid feedback issues commonly seen in hollow body guitars at high volume settings.

c. Chambered guitars: Are essentially solid body guitars which have sealed chambers carved into them to both decrease the weight and also increase resonance.

Scale length

The scale length refers to the distance between the strings and the head-nut which vibrates once the strings are plucked. This length determines, to a great extent the sound that the guitar makes. Two scale lengths are most common:

a. 25 ": This was the original length of steel string acoustic guitars and was adopted by Fender onto its Stratocaster and Telecaster models. Guitars made to this length offer a high tension and trebly noise. Since it is slightly difficult to play guitars on this length, most guitarists opt for lighter strings.
b. 24 ": This is the scale length of most Fender guitars. As these require a lower string tension, they do not produce as much treble. Usually guitars built to these lengths are equipped with heavier strings which produce a heavier note more suited for adding bass. The most famous guitars built on these scales are the Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG, Gibson ES-335 and the Gibson Flying V.
c. 25": PRS Guitars has opted to make guitars on this length which produces a very unique tone and is slightly easier to play.

Pickups

The pickup that an electric guitar uses has a lot to do with the way an electric guitar sounds. We currently have three types of pickups available, these are:

a. The Single Coil: This consists of a single bar magnet surrounded by a very fine wire which produces a small electrical current every time a string resonates within the magnetic field. These were the first and most preferred types of pickups used in guitars.
b. Humbucker: These have two coils wrapped opposite to each other so that they eliminate the humming noise which was a common problem in single coil pickups. These also produce a smooth, round tone. Some humbuckers also give you the option to switch to a single coil mode where you can get the characteristic single coil sound.
c. Piezo: Piezo pickups are made of a crystalline material which produces a very small electric current as compared to the other magnet based pickups. These require pre-amplification before they are fed to the amplifier. Piezo pickups are added to the guitar's saddle.

Woods

As said earlier, the type of material used in the making of the guitar has a great impact on the kind of sound that the guitar produces. This is important because the wood with which the guitar is constructed will determine how long the string will vibrate. The common types of woods being used in the making of the electric guitar include:

a. Maple: Is used in the making of the guitar's neck, fretboard and top body. Maple wood is best known for its tonal qualities.
b. Mahogany: Is dense and strong, but really hard and is used in the making of the guitar back and neck. Mahogany is a very resonant wood and tends to emphasize the guitar's sustain.
c. Rosewood: Is the most common wood used in electric guitar fretboards.
d. Ebony: Is extremely hard and is mostly used in electric guitar fretboards and also in the construction of more expensive guitars.
e. Ash: Is most commonly used in the construction of the body of solid body guitars. It imparts a high sustain and also a beautiful well defined midrange

Neck Construction

Electric guitars have three different types of neck constructions, these include:

a. Bolt On Necks: Are attached to the body by three or four screws which run through the back of the body and into the back of the neck. These kind of necks are easy to replace and fix should something break. Bolt on necks were also pivotal in making the electric guitar cheap and affordable.
b. Set Neck: Consist of necks which are glued to the body. These sometimes have a tenon which is an extension which reaches from the fretboard and goes deeper into the body.
c. Neck Through: These include guitars which are built around a single column of wood which starts from the headstock all the way to the tail.

Bridges

The bridge is the part of the guitar on its body on which the strings are attached. They are used primarily to compensate for the slight differences in tones produced by the string's length, material etc and also for using a vibrato also known as a whammy bar or vibrato arm which allows the player to bend the notes by moving the arm. Of course there are quite a few bridge designs that exist, three most popular are:

a. Two point rocking tremolo: AKA the Fulcrum Vibrato, has individual saddles for each string, which are adjustable for tone and intonation. These are attached to a bridge that rocks on 2 bolts on the guitar. The bridge itself is attached to the body by way of a floating plate which is attached to the inside of the guitar by stretch springs which match the tension of the strings.
b. Locking Vibrato: Similar to the 2 Point Rocking Tremolo, only it clamps the strings and works concomitantly with clamps at the head nut down. This was designed by Floyd Rose.
c. Stop-bar tailpiece: A stop bar tailpiece is attached to the top of the guitar and provides a string terminus that gets the maximum resonance from the guitar.

Final Notes: Buying a guitar need not be the toughest thing in the world. As said above keep your interest in perspective and go for the guitar that you think well suits your tastes and preferences. Music can be an expensive hobby; this especially so if the hobby in question is guitars. Good quality guitars can indeed cost a small fortune so if you are an avid guitarist and would like to go in for that top quality Fender or Gibson then, by all means go in for them. Music is indeed a passionate hobby and if this is what you choose to do for a living then don't let anything stop you from pursuing your dreams!

Gear-Vault is one of the most respectable guitar review websites on the entire interweb. Read their professional and comprehensive guitar and amplifiers reviews before you buy your next guitar or piece of musical equipment. Looking for a guitar or amp? Check out the Guitar Buyers Guide at Guitar Finder.

If you found this article helpful and want to learn more about one of our favorite electric guitar choices, check out the Gibson Angus Young SG Guitar.

Buying Your First Guitar - How to Choose the Right Guitar to Give You the Best Value For Money

INTRODUCTION

Buying the right guitar to start learning on is an important step that should not be rushed. You need to consider a range of factors. I will go into detail on each factor I believe you should consider when buying your first guitar.

For many people, starting a new hobby is like trying out a new car before buying it. They aren't sure if they will like it two, three, ten years down the track and it is hard to guess if you will like it. Many people who start to learn the guitar will give it up after a short time for different reasons. For this reason, a lot of people don't want to spend too much money that they aren't sure will go to good use. One option you could take is if one of your friends or relatives owns a guitar. You could ask if you could borrow it for a short time to get an idea of whether you like the idea of playing it or not. If after a while you feel that this is the right hobby for you, come back here and read this article to give you assistance in buying the right guitar for you.

BUDGET

This is the most important issue to consider for most people. Guitars can range all the way from cheap $20 acoustics found in garage sales all the way to prestige guitars costing thousands upon thousands. You should think about how much you want to spend and stick with it. Salespeople will give you plenty of reasons to pay more than you want to, but understand that you can get a good guitar for even low prices. Consider the following points and how they will sit within your budget.

STYLE OF MUSIC

If you have in mind what musical direction you want to take, it will influence the type of guitar you buy. If you really want to play heavy metal or similar styles you wouldn't buy a nylon string acoustic because it won't help you reach that goal. Likewise if you want to play soft ballad type songs that you can sing along while playing, an electric guitar may not be the right choice for you. If you have a certain style in mind, find out what type of guitars musicians of that style play. Have a search for your favorite artist's gear to see the type of guitar they play, don't look at the model or brand of the guitar (because famous artists normally buy the top of the range products that are extremely expensive).

If on the other hand you are not sure what direction you will be taking or want to play a range of styles, the type of guitar you buy won't be as important to your decision in regards to style. Instead, focus on the below points to find out which guitar will be best for you.

Remember: you can always buy another guitar later on, so don't worry if you change directions after you buy your first guitar.

PLAYABILITY

STEEL STRING VS NYLON STRING ACOUSTICS

For a beginner, how easy it is to play the guitar will make a big impact on the rate you improve and the skills you develop. If you start off with a steel string acoustic for example, you will quickly notice that is hard to push the strings down and may hurt your fingers. Many females (and some males) will have a lot of trouble starting on a steel string guitar because it takes a lot of finger strength to play. If you are worried that this will be a problem for you, maybe you should consider a nylon string acoustic instead. Nylon string acoustics are much less of a strain on your fingers when pushing the strings down. For this reason, most teachers will recommend students start on nylon strings so their first month or more won't be too painful.

ACOUSTIC VS ELECTRIC

There is a big difference between starting on an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar. Many teachers don't recommend starting on an electric guitar for the following reason. Electric guitars are easier than acoustics to play. For many people this is a good thing. The problem with electric guitars being easy to play is that you will get comfortable playing the electric so much that when you pick up an acoustic and try to play the same music, it will most likely be a major strain. Many guitarists who only play electric guitar struggle to play acoustic. It is very hard to swap from playing electric to acoustic. Likewise, it is very easy to swap from acoustic (especially steel string) to electric. This is because of the strength acoustic guitars build up in your fingers. Once you switch to electric guitars, you will find your fingers can play with ease. So have a think about this issue and if you want to play both electric and acoustic, start off on acoustic. If you want to only play electric guitar, then the choice is simple. Later down the track if you decide you want to play acoustic as well, you may find it difficult at first, but with practice playing an acoustic can improve your playing.

QUALITY

There is a great range in the quality of guitar available today. It is similar to the car industry: you can buy a super high quality Ferarri, you can buy a rundown second hand Toyota and everything in between. What you should aim for is to buy the best quality guitar within your budget. But don't be fooled into thinking that only high price guitars are high quality. You will be surprised at the quality of guitars available at low prices. Your best choice is to bring a friend or relative (who are competent players) in with you to test out the guitar you are thinking about. As I explain below, you shouldn't rely solely on the music store salesperson's advice. Remember to stick to your budget.

BRAND

Many guitarists suffer from 'brand loyalty'. This is when they are so devoted to a particular brand that they will never buy or play a guitar with a different brand name. Don't be one of those people. It is okay to prefer a certain brand because you like the style of their guitars, but don't get sucked into thinking that one brand is better than all the rest. Every brand has their advantages and disadvantages.

Just like in supermarkets where you can choose between 'brand name' products and 'home brand' products, guitars will have well known 'brand name' guitars and unknown 'home brand' guitars. Sometimes the only difference between the guitars is the name that is printed on the guitar headstock. People pay big dollars for guitars that have the names fender, Gibson, Ibanez, PRS, Martin printed on the headstock. Although buying a brand name guitar will most likely give you a very high quality guitar, it can be a very expensive choice. My suggestion is to find a guitar that you like regardless of the brand name. If it is good quality and within your budget: go for it. Don't buy a guitar solely because it has fender written on it. If on the other hand you prefer the security of buying a quality guitar from a reputable brand, it's okay to buy one for that reason.

SALESPEOPLE TRICKS

This section is to warn you of potential issues when dealing with music store salespeople. This isn't to scare you off or to insult salespeople, it is to protect you from the people looking to make a high commission rather than give you what you want. Hopefully you will deal with an honest salesperson who genuinely wants to help you. Just be aware that they aren't all honest.

My first point you need to consider is that the people working in the store are normally excellent guitar players. So good that they can make every guitar sound good no matter how poor quality it is. In a future lesson I will explain how you can make any guitar sound great. Just be aware that a salesperson can make the dodgiest guitar in the store sound better than the $2,000 fender in the glass case. This is why I recommend that you have a go playing the guitar if you can play at least something simple and even better bring a friend or relative who can play. If they know what they are doing they should be able to tell you the problems with the guitar.

It is well known that audio salespeople use a trick to make a stereo systems sound higher quality by turning the volume up slightly louder than another one. Salespeople may use a similar trick when comparing two guitars. By plugging the guitar they want to sell to you into a high quality amp and playing it loud, it can make it sound fantastic. Some people may try this to get you to spend just a little bit extra. Don't think a great sounding guitar will automatically make you sound great. It takes a lot of work to be a competent player. Great players can make any guitar sound great and bad players can make any guitar sound bad.

My experience with buying a first guitar:

I was unaware of many of these issues when I bought my first guitar. Luckily the salesperson we dealt with genuinely wanted to help us out and made sure we got a great guitar at a good price. I had been playing my dad's old beat up acoustic guitar for a couple years and my parents bought me an electric guitar. It is a good quality guitar and I still use it today for recording and performing. So if you make a good decision, the first guitar you buy will be useful for a lifetime.

Because I started off on an acoustic guitar, the transition to electric was incredibly simple. Consider buying an acoustic even if you want to play electric guitar down the track.

SUMMARY

I have pointed out a few important issues for you to consider when buying a first guitar. There are many more factors you should consider but these I believe are the most important issues. If you take your time to find out what your best option is and then shop around for the best deal, you will save money and hopefully end up with a great instrument that can last you a lifetime.

If you want to learn guitar from the very beginning for free, check out my guitar lesson blog at http://aaronmatthies.wordpress.com/

Buying Your First Electric Guitar

Buying your first guitar is a big step, and there are a lot of things to consider. Electric, rather than acoustic guitars are the most frequent choice for budding guitarists, as they are generally easier to play and, for many beginners, more fun as well. Knowing which equipment is a necessity and which is overkill, comparing prices and brand names, and sorting through a mountain of technical jargon and specifications can all make the process intimidating. This is particularly true for budding musicians or people trying to find that perfect gift for the musician in their lives.

But buying a guitar doesn't have to be hard. In fact, many professional musicians look back on buying and learning to play their first guitar as one of the most fun times in their lives. This article will sort out of a few of the most confusing aspects of guitars and accessories, and at the same time make the process of buying your first guitar as personal, easy and fun as possible. After all, you're not really interested in buying a guitar, you're interested in playing it!

By using the menu below, navigate through the rest of this article, including what you'll need to get started, as well as how to select the right guitar and amplifier.

Necessary Equipment

There are a few absolutely essential pieces of equipment that are needed to play the electric guitar. The bare minimum set of equipment includes:

A Guitar
This one should be obvious, but read the section on choosing the right guitar for more information about which features to look for when buying your first guitar.

An Amplifier (Amp)
Some guitar amplifiers come with built in speakers and some don't. Many have particular features which put them ahead of others in their class. Read the section on choosing the right amplifier for more information.

An Instrument Cable
At least 6 ft. long, to connect the guitar and amp.

A Set of Guitar Strings
A Guitar Pick

The contents of this list may seem obvious to some, but overlooking any one of these items will require an inconvenient trip to the music store or your favorite music supply website before you can start playing. In addition, there are several other items that are not strictly essential, but many musicians would say they cannot live without:

Distortion and Effects
A key element of a guitar's sound is the effects that are used to modify it. The most common, essential effect for rock music, jazz, blues, and most other forms of modern guitar is distortion. Some amplifiers come with built in distortion, some don't. Read the section on amplifiers for more information.

Guitar Carrying Case
It's pretty hard to move your guitar around without damaging or detuning it, so a hard guitar case or soft "gig-bag" are an important piece of equipment.

Instruction Book
If you're just starting out playing guitar, having an instruction book to guide you will definitely help. It's no substitute for taking professional lessons, but it's a start.

Since there are many pieces of equipment needed to play electric guitar, one attractive option is to purchase a single "kit" containing all the neccessary items and accessories. An example of a good quality, affordable guitar kit is the Vintager Guitar Pack [http://www.beatstaff.com/174970/6604609.html].

Now that you know which equipment you'll need to start playing, read the sections below for more information about selecting the right equipment to meet your needs.

Choosing the Right Guitar

The most important and possibly most intimidating part of putting together your first electric guitar "kit" is selecting the guitar itself. Music stores have walls full of guitars with a wide range of quality, features and price tags. So how can a beginner sort through the ocean of terminology, brand names, and jargon without getting lost? The choice really comes down to three essential elements: body construction, electronics, and budget.

Body Construction

Although electric guitars derive a lot of their sound quality from their electronics, the construction of the guitar's body is even more important. The way sound resonates through the body of the guitar will determine whether it produces a warm, solid tone or a hollow one. As common sense might dictate, a solid-body electric guitar will produce a stronger more solid tone than a hollow-body guitar. Although some people do like the thinner sound that comes from a hollow body guitar, a solid body will be the most versatile, and most appropriate for beginners and veteran guitarists alike. In addition, a well constructed guitar should have the entire body, neck and fretboard made of wood, not of laminate or plastic materials.

A second consideration is the guitar's size. A "standard" electric guitar has 22 frets, meaning each string is capable of producing 22 different notes. However, many electric guitars, particularly those marketed to beginners are smaller in size. Except for small children who lack the wingspan to reach a full sized guitar, this is undesirable, as it limits the range of notes the guitar is capable of producing. Therefore, teenagers and adults looking to purchase their first guitar (and 10th guitar, for that matter) should look for full-sized, 22 fret guitars.

Finally, the last important feature of an electric guitar's construction is the bridge. The bridge is the part of the guitar where the strings attach to the guitar body. There are two types of bridges: fixed bridge and floating (vibrato) bridge. For most aspiring guitarists, the vibrato bridge will be the best choice. This allows the guitarist to "bend" notes as they are being played using the included "wammy-bar". This is a common technique in rock, blues and jazz music. Although the bridge won't have a large effect on other aspects of the guitar's sound like those listed above, a floating or vibrato bridge really makes guitar playing more fun and expressive.

Electronics

Another essential element of a guitar's sound is the system of electronics it contains. The most important element of an electric guitar's electronics is its pickup (or pickups). Pickups are like small microphones that sit just beneath the strings. The position and quality of the pickup(s) in the guitar will have a large impact on the guitar's sound. Pickups placed near the bridge produce a sharp "twangy" tone, while those placed near the fretboard produce a deeper more melodic tone.

The best option for a beginner (and many more advanced guitarists) is a guitar with multiple pickups. This allows the guitarist to choose the appropriate sound for the type of song being played, and greatly increases the guitar's versatility. A common setup is a guitar with three pickups and a switch that allows the guitarist to select which pickup(s) are being used. In this case, a 5-way switch allows for any pickup to be used, as well as combining multiple pickups to produce a unique sound.

Budget

Just as with any product, budget is an important factor to consider when buying an electric guitar. Guitars can range in price from about forty dollars to several thousand. And just like with most products, the top of the price range spectrum is occupied by "designer" guitars with celebrity endorsements that don't offer much more in the way of quality than those in the middle of the price range. In short, they are the equivalent of a designer handbag: inflated price without much real functional benefit.

The truth is that most of the name brand guitar manufacturers (Fender, Ibanez, Behringer, Jackson) produce an affordable beginner model, and most of these models are of perfectly good quality for a new musician, and will last for years. As long as you stick to the guidelines in this article for body design, electronics, amplifier design, etc., you can't go too wrong.

The next important task is selecting the right amplifier to go with your new guitar!

Choosing the Right Amplifier

Most people (but perhaps not all people) realize that the electric guitar does not produce any sound by itself (except an almost inaudible twang). The sound you here from an electric guitar actually comes from the amplifier, which is connected to the guitar by an instrument cable. Therefore, the quality of the amplifier is as important as the quality of the guitar itself in determining how the guitar will ultimately sound. Much like selecting the guitar itself, the process of selecting an amplifier can be intimidating, but can be boiled down to a few essential features.

Power

When reading about a guitar amplifier, the first thing that is always listed is the power rating. The power of a guitar amplifier is measured in watts (abbreviated W). The higher the wattage, the louder the sound it can produce. However, although this feature of an amplifier is important for stage performers, it is not the most important thing to a beginner guitarist.

Practice amps are available with as little as 5 watts of power, while amplifiers with hundreds or thousands of watts of power are typically used for stage performance. Realistically, a power rating of 10-15 watts is more than enough to wake the neighbors, and you'll rarely if ever max out the power of your practice amp. The more important aspects of an amplifier are its features and effects, as these will affect the sound quality.

Features

One important feature of an amplifier is the type of electronics it employs. There are basically two types of amplifiers: solid state and vacuum tube. While almost all modern electronics, including guitar amplifiers to some extent, have phased out vacuum tubes and replaced them with transistors, it is still widely accepted that vacuum tube amplifiers produce better tone, better distortion, and better all around sound quality. In fact, many if not most professional rock, blues and jazz musicians use vacuum tube amplifiers because of their superior sound quality. Most practice amps in the price range affordable by beginner guitarists do not include vacuum tubes, but there are a few companies that have made this option available. The Behringer AC108, included in the Vintager Guitar Pack [http://www.beatstaff.com/174970/6604609.html], has a vacuum tube that can be turned on or off, allowing for increased versatility and sound quality, while still maintaining an affordable price.

Another desirable feature of guitar amplifiers, particularly for beginners, is a CD input. This allows the guitarist to plug a CD player, cassette or iPod into the back of the amplifier, and play along with his / her favorite tracks. If you've ever tried to learn to play guitar, you probably realize that this is something beginner guitarists do all the time during the learning process, and the convenience of a CD input makes this process much easier.

Effects

The last major element to consider when buying a guitar amplifier is the built in effects it includes. Effects such as distortion, reverb, and equalization (EQ) allow the sound produced by the amplifier to be customized, thereby increasing its versatility. The more effects that are built into the amplifier, the fewer effects you'll need to go out and buy separately to produce that perfect sound you're looking for.

The process of buying an electric guitar can be confusing, but it should be fun, too. Music isn't meant to be about instruction manuals and long spec sheets - it's about fun and inspiration. Hopefully, by providing some basic guidance on what you'll need to start your guitar career, this article will make that process easier and more fun.

Nick DeLong [http://www.beatstaff.com]

Nick has been playing music for 20 years, and has played guitar, bass, drums and piano. He has played in several bands, and has extensive expertise in the technology and business of musical instruments and equipment.