Choosing a guitar
Opinions, opinions opinions
Anyone wanting to play guitar will eventually have to decide what guitar to buy. This can be a daunting decision and for the novice, a potentially difficult one. Everyone has different opinions, favourite brands, disliked brands etc. and I am no different in that regard. What I'm putting forward here are personal opinions, so please treat what you read that way. Before you buy, talk to a few people. Talk to people you know that play, as well as the sales people at the music stores. Try a few different guitars and inform yourself. This way you'll be less likely to buy a guitar that will disappoint and end up collecting dust in a cupboard.
How much?
This is often one of the first questions asked when buying. It probably should be a little further down the list of questions, the earlier ones being - what kind of music do you want to play and where do you see yourself in six months time? Anyhow we'll come back to that and talk money for now. As a novice, and I'll approach this topic from that perspective, it can be difficult to see why some guitars cost $5,000 when you can go to the internet and pick one up for under $100. The best example I can use as a comparison is the process of buying a car. You can get performance cars and you can get 'lemons'. Whilst the expensive guitars carry the risk of making you poor, the very cheap guitars usually carry a lot of risks about playability and reliability. If poorly made, they may be difficult to play, have fretboards that warp easily and produce inaccurate notes, have poor sound across the sound spectrum: e.g. bass notes play weakly whilst high sounding notes (treble) end up dominating the guitar's sound. The challenge is getting a guitar that plays well and sounds good without breaking the budget. In general, you get what you pay for.
The better questions to ask
What kind of music do you want to play and where do you see yourself in six months time? - they are good starting questions. If you already know what kind of genres you want to play and have been building a strong interest in guitar for a while, you may be better off just getting what you want at the higher end of the price spectrum. Get that electric guitar and amp. Buy that twelve string jumbo sized guitar. For a person in that position, getting a cheaper guitar will mean that you'll end up buying two or more guitars and wasting time and money because you know you will eventually upgrade.
I'm not sure
For the person who's not sure about whether they will continue with the guitar - it's understandable that you don't want to spend too much money. Remember though, that if you get a 'reasonable' quality guitar, you may be able to sell it afterwards between 60-75% of it's price, if you've looked after it. If you're really unsure, start with a cheap nylon string with an action (height between strings and guitar body) not too high. The following advice is of a general nature for the novice:
1. Talk to your musical friends. There's already a wealth of knowledge there and someone's bound to be selling a guitar.
2. Buy a brand name. These brands are there because they generally have established quality control and a reputation to protect.
3. Buy from a shop. You can try different guitars, utilise the shop's knowledge and have support if anything goes wrong.
4. Get a case. Preferably a hard case or at a minimum - a padded soft case. Guitars are very easy to damage, you don't want that.
5. Get your accessories too. Get your capo, strap, picks etc. You should be able to get a good discount and end up saving money.
Brands and types of guitar
In the acoustic circles I frequent, performers tend to use brands such as Maton, Martin and Taylor. There are of course many other brands, but these three turn up a lot and for good reason - they're good guitars. They're typically priced around the $2,000 price mark, often much more and sometimes less depending on the actual model. You're paying for solid workmanship, beautiful tone and reliability. I personally like Cole Clark guitars. They're beautifully made, though perhaps a touch on the fragile side. They have great tone, especially when plugged in and they're made in my part of the world, Melbourne - Victoria.
Other popular brands include Takamine, Fender and Ibanez. These manufacturers make guitars across the whole price spectrum and try to please everybody. Yamaha, Cort and Washburn also make a wide range of guitars and tend to focus more on the affordable side of the spectrum. Washburn guitars are made in China, Cort are made in Korea, but I think that they are opening up factories in other countries such as Indonesia. I quite like Yamaha because they have very good quality control and you could do far worse as a beginner to pick this brand.
Solid versus laminated
The better guitars will have a 'solid top' (usually spruce) that is, the panel with the sound hole, made from a single piece of wood. These are present in all the better guitars. Simply put - they sound better. Often a manufacturer will make two models with the same specifications except for the type of wood used. At first glance, it can be hard to tell any difference, but playing them will soon sort out the "sheep from the goats". Sometimes you can tell by checking the grain near the sound hole. Laminated woods basically use the same features that plywood is made of. Some guitars with laminated tops still sound good, but generally the feature that separates "OK" from "better" guitars is whether solid wood is used. The best guitars have solid wood in the back and side panels as well.
Fittings
Better guitars will have the 'nut' and 'bridge' made of a hard material like bone, to better allow the strings and guitar body to resonate. Cheaper guitars typically use plastic of varying densities but it is possible to upgrade these afterwards. If you are looking at performing, then an electronic pick-up can be useful though not essential. Generally, it will be cheaper buying a guitar with one already installed than using an after-market product. They sky's the limit when it comes to embellishments. Inlays of mother of pearl, abalone etc. can transfer a simple guitar to a work of art. A useful basic fitting is a pickguard to protect the body from continuous strumming rubbing/blows.
Body size/shape
There are a whole lot of terms used to describe the body shape but the general rule is - the bigger the body, the bigger the sound. The downside of having a very big guitar such as a 'jumbo' is they are not as comfortable to play as a slim bodied guitar. If you're going to be playing in groups and not plugged in (to an amp) you want something 'middle-of-the-road' in size: folk/classic, concert. The 'dreadnought' shape is also very popular and developed as a result of musicians wanting a fuller bigger sound. It's a little bit bigger than the concert or classic sizes and is popular for bluegrass. It's best to actually play the guitar to see whether it fits your body.
Nylon versus steel
I've already admitted I have a bias towards nylon but the truth is some styles sound better on steel. In fact, nowadays I almost play everything on steel. Steel-stringed guitars evolved from nylon or 'classical' guitars. They have a fuller, brighter sound and are the dominant guitar type in most acoustic circles. This has come to the point that when people use the term 'acoustic' guitar, they are specifically referring to steel- stringed guitars, despite the fact that technically, they are both acoustic in nature. Steel-string guitars are built stronger to deal with the higher string tensions, the strings tend to stay in tune longer because they don't stretch as much as nylon and are usually played with picks/plectrums.
Classical guitars are more suited to mellow types of music and more specifically for disciplines like flamenco or classical music. The main difference I find between the two, apart from tone, is neck width. This is normally measured by the width of the nut (where the string rests near the top of the guitar). The typical steel string has a nut width of 43mm or 1-11/16th inch. The typical classical guitar has a nut width of 52mm or 2 inches. That's a big difference! Why the difference? There's a lot of reasons.
Truss Rod
Historically, guitar manufacturers long ago didn't have the same technological manufacturing advantages we have today and could not produce the tight tolerances that can now be made consistently with today's machinery. With the invention of the metal truss rod early last century, guitar makers no longer needed a thick wooden neck to handle the tension of strings placed on the instrument. Guitars could now accept the higher tension generated by the louder resonating steel string. The truss rod is a metal rod running along the length of most acoustic guitars that can be loosened or tightened to make small adjustments to the guitar's setup and playability.
Different Styles
Another major reason for neck width difference is style of playing. Strings more widely space apart make it easier to finger individual stings. Conversely, they slow you down for rapid chord changes moving up and down the neck and are harder to bar chord. The bottom line is really one of personal preference. To cope with all these different situations, many players own multiple guitars. That's my reason anyway.
Finally
Whatever you decide upon, give it some thought and get what's right for you. Remember that as you progress in your playing you will most likely want to get another guitar anyway. It's all part of the musical journey. Good luck and happy travels!
Jose
Anyone wanting to play guitar will eventually have to decide what guitar to buy. This can be a daunting decision and for the novice, a potentially difficult one. Everyone has different opinions, favourite brands, disliked brands etc. and I am no different in that regard. What I'm putting forward here are personal opinions, so please treat what you read that way. Before you buy, talk to a few people. Talk to people you know that play, as well as the sales people at the music stores. Try a few different guitars and inform yourself. This way you'll be less likely to buy a guitar that will disappoint and end up collecting dust in a cupboard.
How much?
This is often one of the first questions asked when buying. It probably should be a little further down the list of questions, the earlier ones being - what kind of music do you want to play and where do you see yourself in six months time? Anyhow we'll come back to that and talk money for now. As a novice, and I'll approach this topic from that perspective, it can be difficult to see why some guitars cost $5,000 when you can go to the internet and pick one up for under $100. The best example I can use as a comparison is the process of buying a car. You can get performance cars and you can get 'lemons'. Whilst the expensive guitars carry the risk of making you poor, the very cheap guitars usually carry a lot of risks about playability and reliability. If poorly made, they may be difficult to play, have fretboards that warp easily and produce inaccurate notes, have poor sound across the sound spectrum: e.g. bass notes play weakly whilst high sounding notes (treble) end up dominating the guitar's sound. The challenge is getting a guitar that plays well and sounds good without breaking the budget. In general, you get what you pay for.
The better questions to ask
What kind of music do you want to play and where do you see yourself in six months time? - they are good starting questions. If you already know what kind of genres you want to play and have been building a strong interest in guitar for a while, you may be better off just getting what you want at the higher end of the price spectrum. Get that electric guitar and amp. Buy that twelve string jumbo sized guitar. For a person in that position, getting a cheaper guitar will mean that you'll end up buying two or more guitars and wasting time and money because you know you will eventually upgrade.
I'm not sure
For the person who's not sure about whether they will continue with the guitar - it's understandable that you don't want to spend too much money. Remember though, that if you get a 'reasonable' quality guitar, you may be able to sell it afterwards between 60-75% of it's price, if you've looked after it. If you're really unsure, start with a cheap nylon string with an action (height between strings and guitar body) not too high. The following advice is of a general nature for the novice:
1. Talk to your musical friends. There's already a wealth of knowledge there and someone's bound to be selling a guitar.
2. Buy a brand name. These brands are there because they generally have established quality control and a reputation to protect.
3. Buy from a shop. You can try different guitars, utilise the shop's knowledge and have support if anything goes wrong.
4. Get a case. Preferably a hard case or at a minimum - a padded soft case. Guitars are very easy to damage, you don't want that.
5. Get your accessories too. Get your capo, strap, picks etc. You should be able to get a good discount and end up saving money.
Brands and types of guitar
In the acoustic circles I frequent, performers tend to use brands such as Maton, Martin and Taylor. There are of course many other brands, but these three turn up a lot and for good reason - they're good guitars. They're typically priced around the $2,000 price mark, often much more and sometimes less depending on the actual model. You're paying for solid workmanship, beautiful tone and reliability. I personally like Cole Clark guitars. They're beautifully made, though perhaps a touch on the fragile side. They have great tone, especially when plugged in and they're made in my part of the world, Melbourne - Victoria.
Other popular brands include Takamine, Fender and Ibanez. These manufacturers make guitars across the whole price spectrum and try to please everybody. Yamaha, Cort and Washburn also make a wide range of guitars and tend to focus more on the affordable side of the spectrum. Washburn guitars are made in China, Cort are made in Korea, but I think that they are opening up factories in other countries such as Indonesia. I quite like Yamaha because they have very good quality control and you could do far worse as a beginner to pick this brand.
Solid versus laminated
The better guitars will have a 'solid top' (usually spruce) that is, the panel with the sound hole, made from a single piece of wood. These are present in all the better guitars. Simply put - they sound better. Often a manufacturer will make two models with the same specifications except for the type of wood used. At first glance, it can be hard to tell any difference, but playing them will soon sort out the "sheep from the goats". Sometimes you can tell by checking the grain near the sound hole. Laminated woods basically use the same features that plywood is made of. Some guitars with laminated tops still sound good, but generally the feature that separates "OK" from "better" guitars is whether solid wood is used. The best guitars have solid wood in the back and side panels as well.
Fittings
Better guitars will have the 'nut' and 'bridge' made of a hard material like bone, to better allow the strings and guitar body to resonate. Cheaper guitars typically use plastic of varying densities but it is possible to upgrade these afterwards. If you are looking at performing, then an electronic pick-up can be useful though not essential. Generally, it will be cheaper buying a guitar with one already installed than using an after-market product. They sky's the limit when it comes to embellishments. Inlays of mother of pearl, abalone etc. can transfer a simple guitar to a work of art. A useful basic fitting is a pickguard to protect the body from continuous strumming rubbing/blows.
Body size/shape
There are a whole lot of terms used to describe the body shape but the general rule is - the bigger the body, the bigger the sound. The downside of having a very big guitar such as a 'jumbo' is they are not as comfortable to play as a slim bodied guitar. If you're going to be playing in groups and not plugged in (to an amp) you want something 'middle-of-the-road' in size: folk/classic, concert. The 'dreadnought' shape is also very popular and developed as a result of musicians wanting a fuller bigger sound. It's a little bit bigger than the concert or classic sizes and is popular for bluegrass. It's best to actually play the guitar to see whether it fits your body.
Nylon versus steel
I've already admitted I have a bias towards nylon but the truth is some styles sound better on steel. In fact, nowadays I almost play everything on steel. Steel-stringed guitars evolved from nylon or 'classical' guitars. They have a fuller, brighter sound and are the dominant guitar type in most acoustic circles. This has come to the point that when people use the term 'acoustic' guitar, they are specifically referring to steel- stringed guitars, despite the fact that technically, they are both acoustic in nature. Steel-string guitars are built stronger to deal with the higher string tensions, the strings tend to stay in tune longer because they don't stretch as much as nylon and are usually played with picks/plectrums.
Classical guitars are more suited to mellow types of music and more specifically for disciplines like flamenco or classical music. The main difference I find between the two, apart from tone, is neck width. This is normally measured by the width of the nut (where the string rests near the top of the guitar). The typical steel string has a nut width of 43mm or 1-11/16th inch. The typical classical guitar has a nut width of 52mm or 2 inches. That's a big difference! Why the difference? There's a lot of reasons.
Truss Rod
Historically, guitar manufacturers long ago didn't have the same technological manufacturing advantages we have today and could not produce the tight tolerances that can now be made consistently with today's machinery. With the invention of the metal truss rod early last century, guitar makers no longer needed a thick wooden neck to handle the tension of strings placed on the instrument. Guitars could now accept the higher tension generated by the louder resonating steel string. The truss rod is a metal rod running along the length of most acoustic guitars that can be loosened or tightened to make small adjustments to the guitar's setup and playability.
Different Styles
Another major reason for neck width difference is style of playing. Strings more widely space apart make it easier to finger individual stings. Conversely, they slow you down for rapid chord changes moving up and down the neck and are harder to bar chord. The bottom line is really one of personal preference. To cope with all these different situations, many players own multiple guitars. That's my reason anyway.
Finally
Whatever you decide upon, give it some thought and get what's right for you. Remember that as you progress in your playing you will most likely want to get another guitar anyway. It's all part of the musical journey. Good luck and happy travels!
Jose