How to Chose Your First Guitar

This is aimed at the first time guitar buyer, in the market for their first electric guitar. A guitar can be an exciting purchase, so making sure you buy the right guitar is important. It's all about making music.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• computer
• nearby music store

1. 
   How to chose your first guitar

   Decide what type of music you want to play, that will help you chose what type of guitar to buy. This will help steer you toward a certain style guitar. Heavy metal players tend to like ESP, Dean, B.C. Rich and Jackson style guitars. Gibsons, Epiphone, and Fenders are great for Blues and rock. Ibanez is a favorite guitar of punk bands. None of that is set in stone, as with the right amp and pedals you can get a guitar to sound just about any way you want. I have seen some great blues music played on all different types of guitars.

2. Once narrowed down, go on line and research the startup guitar packages. These are perfect for someone just starting out, just getting their feet wet in music, as they usually come complete with guitar, amp, strap, tuner, picks, strings, an instructional DVD, a cleaning cloth,

3. 
   How to chose your first guitar

   Now visit a local music store. Ask if it would be possible to try out or hold the same model guitar that is in the startup package you want to purchase. What you are looking for is how does the guitar feel, more importantly, how does the neck feel in your hand. Some necks are thicker then others. If you have smaller hands, you want a thinner neck. Ibanez guitars have thin necks as well as the Fender c shaped neck. They also market guitars just for girls. In order to feel comfortable learning guitar and making music, you want a guitar neck that will work with you, not against you.

4. Inquire about the body of the guitar, what wood is it made up of. this can be very important. Some people prefer a heavy guitar while others want a lighter guitar. The more the guitar weighs, the more sustain it will have, but sustain can be made up for in a lighter body guitar by adding a $30 to $40 sustain pedal. Something like poplar is going to be heavy guitar. Light woods are ash, basswood, and Alder will result in lighter guitars.

5. Decide now if you want to go with a floating bridge with a whammy bar or a fixed bridge. For a first guitar I would stay away from any Flyod Rose type bridge. They are the hardest to get into tune. A strat style bridge is best to start out on if you really want a floating bridge. Yes, they go out of tuner quicker, but they are easy to get back in tune. A fixed bridge usually keeps the guitar in tune the longest.

6. Put together your own package. You will almost always get a better first guitar this way, but you have to make certain you buy all the things you will need to get back home, plug in, and make music.

7. Pick out the guitar in the price range you are looking for. Test out the neck. Ask if they can plug it in to an amp to hear what it sounds like. Try several models.

8. Now pick out an amp. To begin with, many players start out on a 15 watt amp. Confused by all the amps to chose from? Ask to try out some, and if you don't know how to play, ask if they would demo some for you to help in your selection.

9. Now pick out a guitar cable, at least nine or more feet long, strap locks, a guitar tuner, and picks - I would get a few of one thickness, then a few of another, maybe light, medium, and heavy, just to give you an idea of what will feel best for you later on.

10. Decide if you will add a guitar pedal, or stomp box. Guitar pedals begin at around $15 and will really add some punch to a smaller guitar amp. Many will start out with a low end distortion pedal. A sustainer pedal is another good first pedal, as it lets your notes really ring out for longer periods of time, which is very important in making music. A cheap guitar processor, such as a digitech or Zoom, start at about $60 but will give you dozens and dozens of stomp box effects from one unit. Don't forget to throw in a patch chord if you add a guitar pedal.

11. Pick out a DVD that covers the basic's of learning guitar. You want a beginner lever DVD. A beginner guitar chord book would also be helpful. You can back these up with free guitar lessons on You Tube and at the many internet guitar sites that also offer free guitar lessons.

12. Make a list of some of the extra things you may want to purchase along with your guitar. This list can include strap locks so the guitar doesn't fall off the strap, a better guitar tuner for around $20 to $30 because the free one you get in the guitar starter package will not be that good. A new guitar cable - the cheap one they give you in the guitar package will begin to short out after about 3 to 4 months of daily use. A new set of strings, since the strings on the guitar will be cheap ones. New strings also produce better tones which translates into better music.

Tips & Warnings

• Inquire of the owner if you buy the startup package from him, will he be willing to do a free setup of the guitar, some will.
• Avoid paying $400-$500 on a first guitar, since many people who take up guitar quit within the first year.