How to Select an Electric Guitar

Choose an electric guitar that feels comfortable and sounds good to you. Remember that you'll need an amplifier, too.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Electric Guitars
• Guitar Amplifiers
• Guitar Cables
• Guitar Cases
• Guitar Picks
• Guitar Slide
• Guitar Stands
• Guitar Straps
• Sheet Music For Guitar
• Electronic Tuner For Guitars

Shopping

1. Take someone who is knowledgeable about amplifiers with you to look at electric guitars if you are unfamiliar with them.

2. Try out a Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul if you want to play rock or blues.

3. Look at acoustic electric guitars if you want to play jazz.

4. Make sure the guitar you pick feels comfortable and easy to play.

5. Plug in several models and compare their tones.

6. Be aware that differences in tone might be caused by different amplifiers as well as different guitars. A great guitar might sound pretty awful with an inferior amplifier.

7. Look out for neck warpage.

8. Make sure the strings are neither too high nor too close to the fingerboard for comfortable playing.

9. Test the taper of the pickup. Listen for how fast or slowly the guitar responds when you turn the volume knob up. If it's too slow, consider another model.

Making Your Purchase

1. Go to a music merchant who has the ability and facility to service your instrument. Adjustments and repairs on your guitar are frequently necessary, so be sure your dealer can give you that service.

2. Pick a dealer who is knowledgeable about pickups, amps and guitar electronics in general. You don't have to buy your amp from him; instead, you might want to go to an electronics store that has a wider selection and better prices.

3. Consider renting an instrument. Many stores have reasonable rental programs.

4. Consider buying a used guitar. Many good deals are available in used instruments.

5. Keep in mind that you don't need the most expensive instrument to begin.

Tips & Warnings

• What guitar you pick partly depends on what style of music you wish to play and what kind of sound you want to create.

• Try out several types and models to determine what tone you prefer.

• An acoustic electric guitar is essentially an acoustic guitar with an electric pickup mounted on it. Its tone is usually mellower than that of other electric guitars.

• If the neck of a guitar is bowed back, the strings halfway down the neck will be too high off the fingerboard. When a reverse warp is present, the strings will, at some point, be too close to the fingerboard, and a buzz will occur.

• When the nut is too high, the strings will be too hard to press down. This can be corrected by filing down the grooves holding the strings. Be careful that the strings are not lowered so much as to cause a buzz when plucked.

• Protect your equipment with adequate cases.