How to Choose a Guitar

First, you have to decide what kind of guitar you want. Electric or Acoustic?

Electric Guitars, Solidbody?



Initially, the best electric deal will be a solidbody. They are the cheapest, the most durable and the most popular - Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul and SG are solidbodies.



Hollowbody - This is usually a couple of inches deeper making it more like an acoustic. It has a boomy or jazzy sound.



Semi-Solidbody - This is a hybrid of solid and hollow bodies. The result is a stronger instrument. They are guitars like the Gibson 335.



Woods - A good BODY is made of very hard woods because they are more durable and improve the sustain. Maple, ash, alder, walnut and mahogany are all popular. The NECK is usually built in mahogany or maple. The FRETBOARD is rosewood or ebony. Ebony is better, because it is extremely hard. Avoid painted fretboards.



Important: Remember, when you go for an electric, you will also need an amplifier. Make sure you plug it into an amp similar to what you will buy.

Playing the electric guitar is much easier because the strings are close together,

they're a lighter gauge and its neck is narrower. It covers a lot of musical styles.



Acoustic Guitars Classical or Spanish - It is made with a large, hollow sound box. The fretboard is made of a solid wood with Spruce or Cedar top, Rosewood back and sides. Nylon strings are used - which gives you a sweet, gentle, slightly muted sound. This guitar is ideal for any melodic work but particularly suited for classical music.



Flamenco - Nylon stringed with thinner wood dimensions and less body depth than the Classic - Cedar Top with Cypress back and sides - the main difference between this and the classical is that the fretboard is even wider; apart from that, these instruments are pretty much the same.



Folk- This is similar to the classical but the sound box is larger, the fretboard is narrower, the sound is brighter and the strings are made of steel. Woods: spruce or cedar top, ebony or rosewood fretboard, mahogany or maple for the back and sides. If you want to play rhythms or take your first steps in rock, this is a good choice to consider.



12-String- The fretboard is extra long, many people tune this guitar down a tone to ease the action. This instrument is useful when you want loud strumming or twin sounds in octaves. Note: Tuning a 12-string guitar is really difficult.



The acoustic guitars are more portable and can be played anywhere. You just have to buy an instrument that feels and sounds good. You don't need any other equipment.



Evaluation/Sound



� TONE

The instrument must sound good to you or you

will not enjoy it and therefore not play it much.

� TONE BALANCE



This means that it has bass and treble.

� SEPARATION



Can you hear the individual notes on a chord?

� SUSTAIN



All the notes must last rather than quickly die.

� TUNING



The instrument has to be able to stay in tune

Construction

� FRETBOARD



May be flat or slightly curved from side-to-side.

� FRETS



Should be even, and none of them should stick

out more than the others.

� NECK



A good neck must has a functional trussrod

so that a repairman can make adjustments.

A good neck should ALWAYS look straight.

� BODY



Run your hands all around the body's edges.

If it feels like the wood does not quite meet

properly in any place, don't buy that instrument.

� BRIDGE



Make sure that the bridge is in the right place.

� PICKUPS



One pickup is all you need if you're starting out.

Don't expect a guitar to sound louder or better

because it has multiple pickups.

� SMOOTH OPERATION



Make sure the tuning machines, the switches

and the knobs are tight and operate smoothly.

Feel

� NECK



Should be smooth and comfortable. Classical guitars

have wide necks. Electrics have narrow necks.

Folk necks are somewhere in between. If you

have small hands a narrow neck is more comfortable.

� BODY SIZE



Most steel-string acoustic guitars have dreadnought

style bodies. These are big instruments, and if you are a

small person they can be uncomfortable to play.

� BALANCE



Hold the guitar in the playing position and notice how

it feels. The instrument should be balanced so that it

is not too heavy at the headstock. If you are buying

an electric, how does it feel hanging from a strap?

� ACTION



How high are the strings from the fretboard?

Low action make guitars easier to play. The higher

the action, the greater difficulty you will have.

� PLAYABILITY



This is especially critical for the beginning student.

An unsuitable instrument can have negative effects

on the learning experience.

Cost

� Spend as much as you can afford. Once you have set

a maximum price, stick to it, and DO NOT exceed it.

� If you decide for an electric, you must have an

additional budget to buy an amp and effects. Always,

focus your attention (and your budget) on the guitar.

You are going to have a very close relationship with it

and it has to feel right.

� Playability affects the price, cheap is no fun.

If a guitar is no fun to play, you won�t play it.

Other Things You Need

� CASE

A flight case or hardshell case is best. Soft cases

and nylon gig bags do not provide real protection.

� STRAP

Get an adjustable one that lets you set the length,

I recommend to buy a strap lock at the same time.

� TUNER

Get an electronic tuner. I recommend a chromatic.

� STRINGS

To start out, buy a light gauge. They are easier to

play but aren't so thin you'll break them right away.

� PICKS

Get all the sizes, shapes, thicknesses and brands.

Try them all and decide which works best for you.

� AMP

If you buy an electric, you need a small amp.

8 - 15 watts of power with one speaker (6" to 12").

� MUSIC



Unless you're already taking lessons, a good way to

start out is to get tablatures of your favorite songs.



Luciano Figallo is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and the webmaster/owner of Guitar4ever He has been dealing with guitars and music for over 25 years now. His musical career covers both studio and live performance situations. So, most of his experience is hands on and he want to share it with you