Looking for a fun gift for your spouse, child, friend, or even yourself? How about buying them a guitar? You will find several tips for what to look for when buying a new guitar in this article.
Going to a music store is a good place to start. Here are some of the items you should be aware of to insure that you buy a good instrument that will be easy to play, too.
What To Watch For
One of the big areas to beware of is the neck of the guitar. Make sure that the instrument does not have a badly warped neck. A guitar with a warped neck will never play in tune. Try holding down the 6th string at the first and last fret. There can be a very slight curve in the neck, but if it’s pronounced don’t get the instrument.
Check to see if it plays in tune. Play the harmonic on the 12 fret compared to the actual pitch of the 12th fret. To make the harmonic sound, lightly touch the top of the string on the 12 fret, pluck the string with your right hand, then lift the left hand finger off the string. It should be ringing.
What is the condition of the wood? Are there any cracks for chips? How well constructed is the guitar? Look for manufacturing flaws in the instrument.
How easy is it to play? Guitars with lower action are much easier to play. Does it have very low action? If the guitar is for yourself, it’s a good idea to play several different makes of guitar to get a sense of which is the easiest for you to play.
Get The Right Size Guitar
If the guitar is for someone under 5′ 4″ it will be easier for them to play a smaller guitar. For example, Taylor makes a guitar called a ‘Baby Taylor’. A 3/4 size guitar will fit their body better.
For a first guitar, you might want to look at starting with a classical guitar. The nylon strings are much easier to hold down than the strings on a steel string guitar.
It is also possible to find a good used guitar. Many of the items to watch are the same as shopping for a new instrument, but you should be particularly aware of the bracing of older guitars. If you hear loose wood inside the guitar, I would be cautious about purchasing it.
Check out the tuners. Are the tuning pegs easy to move? What is the quality of the guitar construction? Sometimes the tuners get damaged and it’s best to look for a guitar that is in excellent condition.
If the guitar is for yourself, much of playing the guitar is finding your own personal taste. This is why it’s a good idea to play several different instruments to see which you like the best.
A perfect complement for the gift of a guitar is the gift of guitar lessons. There are many lessons geared toward specific types of lessons from classical guitar, electric guitar, and even Christian guitar lesson.