Buying a guitar as a beginner now what should I pay attention to? As a guitar beginner you don’t want to walk into a guitar shop unsuspectingly without knowing which criteria a guitar has to meet in order not to make a bad buy. Plus, you’re not sure how much money to spend. This article will show you the basics of buying a guitar.
What kind of guitar?
First of all, you should be clear about what kind of guitar you want to play. There are the following options:
Classical guitar, western guitar or electric guitar
First you should decide whether you want to play a guitar with nylon or steel strings. A beginner is always advised to use the concert guitar, as it is very finger-friendly with its nylon strings. It becomes more difficult when deciding which western or electric guitar to use. With their steel strings, they make it difficult for most beginners, as they quickly lose the fun of playing if their fingers are injured.
String tension also plays an important role. The greater the string tension, the more force you need to push the strings down. For example, because of its steel strings, the western guitar has a much greater string tension than the concert guitar.
Everyone has to decide for themselves. Just because the western guitar is the hardest to play doesn’t mean you have to start with the concert guitar. It can also have advantages to start with the heavier guitar, because if the cornea grows faster, for example, you will not have any problems with playing the other guitar types afterwards.
Another criterion by which to judge is what kind of music you want to play. If you want to play more metal, you shouldn’t get a concert guitar, as it is more intended for classical styles.
The electric guitar is very flexible in terms of sound and can therefore be used for almost all types of music. On the other hand, you can’t take it with you to play around the campfire because it’s way too quiet without the amplifier.
So every type of guitar has its strengths and weaknesses.
How Much Should I Spend?
In the beginning you don’t want to spend so much money because you can’t be sure whether the guitar is the right instrument. But when the guitar is just making crooked notes and the strings keep getting out of tune, it’s no wonder it’s no longer fun to play guitar and you lose interest in it.
When buying a guitar, the following always applies: quality has its price. In other words: the more you invest in your instrument, the more you get back.
To start with, a guitar from $200.00 is absolutely fine. Everything below this should be viewed critically, as there are a lot of things that can be criticized, but more on that in the next point. In addition, the experience grows over time and you realize that there are many more tonal possibilities. We generally advise against buying it on the Internet if you haven’t already had the guitar in your hand, because everything looks good in the pictures. That is why you should always go to a music shop and look at the guitar in person. It is not a mistake to trust the well-known brands. They are brand names and they have become famous for their quality.
It is important that your guitar corresponds exactly to your ideas, size, design, sound, etc.
But you always have to take additional costs into account on the price of the actual guitar. For example, a good tuner is a basic requirement for good learning development. If the guitar is permanently out of tune, then it’s no fun to practice, right?
With the electric guitar, you have to dig deeper into your pockets because it still needs an amplifier. Unfortunately, the same applies here: Quality has its price. But when deciding which amplifier to use, it is best to go to a music store and seek advice, as there are so many different sounds and you should just decide for yourself which amplifier best suits your needs. It is only from $300 that someone becomes aware that every amplifier has its own individual sound.
What should I put attention on?
If you hold the guitar in your hand, you should check out
whether there are any quirks, errors in processing or places where the paint is peeling off. That can not only affect the look but also the guitar itself. A guitar with a hole in the body can no longer convey the tone as well.
whether the neck is straight. The neck of the guitar must be straight and not curved to the left or right. It is generally said that the neck should have a slight curve opposite the strings to improve the sound of the guitar and the free swinging of the strings. A rule of thumb is that when you press the strings in the 1st and 12th fret onto the fingerboard , the strings in the 7th fret must not be more than 0.4 mm away from the fret . If this is not the case, then the neck must be revised. So hands off! That only brings extra costs and effort.
whether the string action is OK. The action of the strings is important for the playability of the guitar. The strings must not be too far from or too close to the fingerboard , otherwise they will either be difficult to grip or the strings will hit the frets and purr while playing.
whether the strings don’t get out of tune so quickly. This is one of the most annoying things about buying a guitar. You can easily check this by asking for a tuner from a music store and tuning all of the strings. Then you do a lot of bendings on a string and see if it’s out of tune. If it is very out of tune or if the peg has cracked while turning, we do not recommend buying it.
Whether there is still a guarantee for repairs, etc. Also a very important point if the guitar breaks. Repairs are very expensive and can cost up to $100. That is why a guarantee would be useful.
whether the electronics are OK of electric guitar. Nobody wants a roaring electric guitar, so you should invest more money in the electric guitar so that the overall picture is right.
In conclusion, one can only say that there are a lot of things to consider when buying a guitar and it makes sense to find out more.
Hey! Check out How to put a strap on a guitar