Guide To Buying An Acoustic Guitar

Selecting the right guitar and how to recognize poor will save you countless headaches, not to mention finger aches.

Acoustic guitar bodies are basically the same hourglass shape, with some variations, but they vary in size, color, wood type, style and additional features. You can even buy an acoustic guitar so small that fits in a backpack for hiking.

The guitars are very different prices, but when it comes to instruments, generally you get what you pay for, especially when you buy a new one. No real difference could arise and buy cheap.

But if you buy new or used can be determined by many factors, including your budget, and each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Buying new, gives you a warranty and, hopefully, a return period, if for some reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, or something goes wrong.

In "normal" used guitar can usually buy cheaper and has already gone through its "break-in period.

guitars on the market are usually constructed mass produced. "Custom" guitars are exactly that. They are personalized and tailored to specific skilled guitar maker.

Prices for a custom guitar vary considerably, depending on the skill level of the craftsperson you contract work, but usually they are generally much higher than that of a guitar built in the trade in "similar" quality. Each custom guitar is unique and therefore difficult to compare the price of a guitar built in the trade.

FOR "techies"

Understanding the parts of a guitar will certainly help in terms of pre-purchase list.

BODY: This is the part with the sound hole in the front. It is where the strumming is done, and can vary in size. The size, shape, type of wood siding and general body structure also affects the guitar "sound" is a rich, warm, or sound thin and "tinny. The body tends to be the party also scratched , damaged, and a general strike in gear.

NECK: long piece extending from the body and ends at the "head" of the guitar in the "optimization of the heads are also known as" machine heads. The strings travel from the "bridge" in the body through the mouth of the guitar, and the Council "load", which is attached to the front of the neck, and finally to the development that wrap Heads around tuning posts. The heads are then re-established with the hand, then the posts, so that the strings tighter or loose, which affects their "tuned." Necks tend to warp and twist if not supported, or if you leave the guitar leaning against a heat source.

BRIDGE: Bridge is normally located in front of the body hole, and the opposite side of the hole in the neck. Strings are usually fed to the first bridge to cross the hole and travel up the neck of the tuning heads. The bridge is a string as anchor point. Metal bridges are best, but most are sound or hard plastic or wood. Bridges have a tendency to break and split a long time.

Fret board: The handle is attached to the front of the neck. This is the part that presses on the strings or cables to play individual notes. Because the sticks separately, one card can be made of wood that is different from the neck down.

Chains handle travel and the distance they are above the neck makes a difference in the playability of the guitar. If the strings are well above the handle, then it will be hard to push, making it difficult to play guitar.

When a beginner plays on a guitar, initially his fingers are very soft and should be reinforced. A guitar with the strings high above the handle, also known as "strong action" will result in the player's fingers to hurt so much is likely to put the guitar away in discouragement and possibly stop playing complete.

STRINGS: Acoustic guitar strings, come from a variety of "flavors." Can be made of nylon, brass, steel, or a combination thereof. Nylon languages ​​are usually just a student of classical guitar, and guitars, because they are more easily accessible. They are rich, warm sound to them.

Strings sets come in different "weight" or size. The strings that come in a package marked "heavy" are usually quite large in size and sound "beefy." Strings that are light or additional, very thin and usually have a brighter sound to them, but they are also quieter than the survey of the heavy chains.

String choices are purely personal taste. lighting effects are easier to press than heavy strings but also sound quite different. The strings are played more often, they get dirty. If a cloth is not run over and under them, from time to time, the sound becomes very dull

Pre-purchase CHECKLIST

- Before buying a used guitar, cost compared to the price of a new, except that the guitar is very old. You can also compare the price used for other pricing information by going to an auction and online research, either for the same or a similar guitar.

- Check the overall condition of the wood cracks, scratches, cracks, dents, cracks, etc.

- Also check the lacquer cracks and crevices.

- Check the neck and board loading and torsional deformation. You can do this by holding the guitar on his back, the mouth of the guitar upward. Bring the guitar at eye level, fly with the neck and the edge of the body almost touching your face. The eye skim the front of the body and the neck down. You should be able to see if the neck is twisted or bowing.

- Guitar Tune tune or seller for you.

- If you know how to play about five or six chords then play them. If you do not know how to play, ask the seller to play for you. The amendment ensures that the neck of the guitar is not warped, even if you can not physically see. If the neck is bent, and the guitar is tuned, then some of the strings sounds good, but others like the sound of a guitar is not tuned. If this happens, check the tuning again. If it continues, then do not buy the guitar.

- Check the bridge of the guitar. If made of wood or plastic, make sure it is not cracked or splitting. The bridge must be rock solid, like a lot of pressure on the bridge chains.

- Review the control head. Do they turn easily, or they are very stiff and difficult to turn. Even with the high string tension, heads of quality guitar tuner that are relatively easy to turn.

- Check "and the guitar are the languages ​​at a reasonable distance from the fret board are easy or hard to press various parts of the keyboard.?

- If you buy a guitar myself, and know how to play, even if you are a beginner, then play guitar.

- How do you feel?

- It 's easy or difficult to play?

- Can you fit your hand around the neck / board cargo comfortably to play chords?

- The guitar is a comfortable size and shape of your body? Is it easy to keep?

- If you plan to play standing up, asking for a belt.

- Do you like the sound, color, etc.?

- If you do not play another game so you can judge what it sounds like.

WHERE TO BUY

Buying a guitar in a music store retail natural lets you "prove" the guitar and ask more questions in advance. Purchase online or catalog that can save more money.

No matter where you buy your guitar if you know what to look for and use a little extra effort in your quest for that "perfect" guitar, not only your fingers thank you, but also your ears, and all who will accompany you around the fire, or even go see you live. Who knows?