How to Find a USB Guitar
USB guitars are electric guitars that feature a cable that plugs directly into your computer. These guitars aren't for everybody; they don't work with regular amplifiers, so most musicians opt to buy a USB interface device for a standard electric guitar. For that reason, USB guitars are relatively difficult to find. However, if your primary interest in a guitar is as an input device for digital sound production, there are ways to locate USB guitars for purchase.
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Instructions
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Go to the websites of USB guitar manufacturers and check their list of authorized resellers. Some makers to look at are Behringer, Ion Audio, Godin and Suzuki. Before you go to the reseller's shop, call and make sure they have the model you're looking for. They may carry the manufacturer's USB interfaces, but not their guitars.
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Check out Craigslist and other local websites for sale ads for musical instruments. Guitars are normally listed by make and model name, so searching under "USB guitar" probably won't yield results. Search by the manufacturer's name instead.
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Contact the music departments of local "big box" stores. Best Buy and Costco, for instance, are listed as resellers of some USB guitar manufacturers. Again, it's best to call first. Ask for the manufacturers and models you're looking for; if you ask for a "USB guitar" the staff may hand you a Guitar Hero controller.
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Contact online sellers as a last resort. It's usually best to play a guitar yourself before buying, but with hard-to-find guitars that's not always possible. Reputable Internet sellers like Musician's Friend and Amazon.com sell USB guitars; many resellers have good return policies if you decide you don't like the guitar once you play it.
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Tips & Warnings
As you search for USB guitars you'll probably be deluged with information on USB guitar interfaces. You may wish to consider one of these; most USB guitar manufacturers ofter only a handful of models, while a USB interface lets you use any kind of electric guitar you want.
Do not purchase guitars from little-known or foreign resellers, particularly if they're offering too-good-to-be-true bargains. The likelihood that you'll be shipped an inferior counterfeit -- or nothing at all -- increases dramatically when you purchase from companies you don't know.
References
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