Things You'll Need:
- an idea of how much you can afford to spend
- an idea of how much time you plan on devoting to playing the guitar, in order to make it worth the investment
- transportation to and from the guitar store
- access to the internet and/or a bookstore or library, for research purposes
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Step 1
Taylor 1st edition solid body-we got this guitar for about $700 (with case)First, some basic differences between electric guitars. Their pickups come in 2 styles - 'single coil' (played by Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Ritchie Blackmore, etc.) versus 'humbucker' (like Jimmy Page, Angus Young, and almost all metal musicians--Megadeth, Metallica, Judas Priest, etc.) The country-western set almost all play single-coil (like Brad Paisley, Buck Owens, etc.) Single-coil pickups (the electronic part in the guitar that 'picks up' the string vibrations and sends it to the amplifier) have a very distinctive 'sharp' sound. Humbuckers have a warmer, 'fatter' sound.
Almost as important as the type of guitar you want to buy, is the type of amp you play it through. Amps come in 2 types as well--solid state and tube. Solid state are less expensive. Tube amps have a 'warmer' sound and cost a LOT more. At the beginner level, plan on a solid state with 2 channels (clean and gain.) This will allow you to coax some of the 'crunchier,' distorted tone that the metal guys get, if you're after that. Be aware that if you play in a band you will need to get a 50-watt amp--otherwise no one will hear you. Don't get carried away with the 150-watt beast that the sales guy will try to push on you--you'll wind up wanting a better amp and won't get the return on your 'beastly' investment. You're better off buying a higher-line lower-wattage amp that you can overdrive. Unless you're playing the local Coliseum, you will never use 150 watts. Buy the best amp you can afford.
Last--who is your favorite band? Who do you want to sound like? Steely Dan or Motorhead? Foo Fighters or Atreyu? Research the type of gear your favorite bands use. Humbuckers or single coils? Tube amps or solid state? If you don't have any clue about the tone you like, you will be frustrated when you try to play 'Motorhead' through the clean channel on your amp...and it comes out sounding like 'Delilah.'
Don't forget about the other accessories that come with owning an electric guitar...cables, pedals, straps, picks, etc. can all add up to a pretty penny. HOWEVER--the single most indispensable item you can buy, besides the guitar and the amp, is a guitar tuner. You can find online guitar tuners, but they are unwieldy (to say the least) when you are away from your computer. Drop $20 on a good chromatic tuner. This will especially be handy when you're ready to try alternative tunings.
Plan on buying a hard case. Think of it as life insurance for your guitar. -
Step 2
American Strat, 1962 issue. We paid $900 (orig. $1300) because it had sat on the shelf for a YEAR...my hubby visited it at least once a quarter.Ready to research your tone? This is the fun part. Go to the guitar stores...many, many times. Play everything they have on the shelves (even the cheapies and the 'weird' ones...you never know when you may lose your heart to a Danelectro longhorn.) And make sure you play through several different types of amps, on both the clean and gain channels. DON'T LET THE SALES GUY talk you into anything. You are in control of the sale and you can walk away at any time. In fact, plan on visiting the guitar store at least 3 times before you actually make the purchase. You don't want this to be an impulse buy. Don't be seduced by a pretty paint job. You want a good return on your investment.
When playing the guitars, notice the 'feel' of the neck in your fretting hand. Is it shaped like a C? a V? a D? Is the fretboard really wide? Do you have trouble reaching a chord? Is the guitar heavy or does it seem to sit naturally on your shoulders? Don't be shy about asking to borrow straps, cables, picks, etc. Remember you are going to drop about $500 on your rig, and any salesman worth his salt knows he should make your experience there pleasant and easy. By the same token, the sales guy is trying to make a living--don't bust his chops by stringing him on. Tell him upfront you are planning on buying, but not that day. He will appreciate your honesty.
When looking at the guitars--are the strings old? Are there obvious cosmetic flaws? Does the guitar sound leaden or clunky? Does it stay in tune through a couple of songs? If you can't get a good tone by playing with the tone knobs on both the guitar and the amp, pass it by, no matter how pretty it is.
When buying an amp, you want a minimum of 2 channels. If you're after the hard rock distorted sound, make sure you crank the gain as high as the store personnel will let you get away with. You want a crisp sound that plays loud but doesn't go 'mushy' (unless that's what you want.) Play around with the bass and treble controls too. Ask the sales people if they have a 'loud room' where you can really test-drive the amp and guitar. Don't be shy! Check out the effects that come with the amp, too. You can have fun with the delay and chorus effects (ooh, trippy.) -
Step 3
Buy of the year! Gibson Explorer for $700 (orig. $1300) plus $300 case; brand-new!You've got the tone, you know the amp you want...now begins the time of great haggling. I always go STRAIGHT to the 'scratch and dent' or 'used' equipment. You can get some pretty amazing deals. I bought my Taylor T-5 for $1400 (marked down from $2300) because it had 2 almost-microscopic dents in the body.
Also, if you've been visiting several times, try to talk to one main person. If they know what your interests are, and you've been nice, they might be willing to help you get it. They generally have a little 'play' in how much they can let the guitar and amp go for and will be willing to help you out, because they know you will be back for pedals, strings, cables, etc.
Make sure you ask about warranties when you're ready to buy. Most used stuff only has a 30-day warranty.
Also, ask if they have any merch that isn't on display yet. Re-sellers of musical equipment in CA have to wait 30 days before selling trade-in goods; it's called the 'police hold.' A sales guy may be willing to tell you what he has in stock. My hubby scored big-time with his used Gibson Explorer that had come out of 'police hold' that day: he paid $600 for it (bonus: $300 case included.) It still had the plastic covering on the pickguard! I can't emphasize the used section enough.
If you have your heart set on a particular model but can't afford it (i.e., Les Paul) try the lower-end but still very good quality models. Epiphone makes Les Paul/Gibson copies. Fender Squires are copies of Stratocasters. Ibanez, Schecter, Dean, and ESP make good quality guitars for around $300-$600. -
Step 4
My pride and joy--my Taylor T-5 S1 (with maple top)Last point-financing. The store may offer 3-month or 6-month financing without interest. This may seem very attractive at first—however, if you don’t pay off the ENTIRE BALANCE by the term, you will be liable for the interest for the total purchase price. 21% x $500 = A LOT of $$. So make sure you can pay off the entire amount in the time specified.
Ask if they offer layaway; sometimes, if you can come up with the $$ within a paycheck or 2, they may be willing to "hold" the guitar for you until you pay it off. If you can afford it, this is a better option than the financing, because you don't run the risk of putting the payments off and then getting socked with the interest charges.
If you do use credit, be very careful. It's easy to run hog-wild, especially in a guitar store. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE--between the 2 of us, my hubby and I own 8 guitars and one bass, plus 6 amps and 2 bass amps, 8 pedals (he uses 6, I use 2,) 2 noise suppressors, 1 feedback killer, and 2 PAs. We acquired the majority of all this stuff WITHIN 2 YEARS. Be judicious in your use of credit, and pay cash when you can. Your bank account will thank you in the long run. ;-)
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
