Aside from the thrill of playing a guitar before thousands of thronging fans, hardly anything matches the excitement of buying a guitar. But be cautious: many things can derail your selection, and if you’re not careful you may not get the axe you need. Here are some great tips to keep in mind.

First, you have to know what kind of music you’re going to play. Narrow this down as much as possible. If acoustic, do you want jazz, folk, or classic rock? There are guitars for each that have specific sounds and are physically set up to be conducive to playing each type of music. For example, folk guitars have shorter, thinner necks designed to make finger-picking easier. To the naked, untrained eye these differences might be difficult to notice. But knowing what music will be played on the guitar is essential.

Obviously, no purchase can be made without considering your budget. This decision will largely be made for you; you’re not going to purchase a guitar that’s beyond your means. But consider this. Starter guitars come in two different price brackets, the cheap ply-wood variety and the genuine hardwood soundboard. If you believe you’re going to be a serious player, don’t bother with the first kind. The latter is much, much better value, and even though it’s a couple hundred dollars more it’s still a much cheaper instrument than horns, keys or drums. It’ll last you decades, stay in tune better, and most importantly, sound better. But, if you’re unsure whether you’ll stay with the instrument and you want a sampling, the ply-wood guitar is certainly playable (it’s not a toy, it is an instrument).

Next, consider whether you want to go electric. Even if you play an acoustic guitar you can get pickups, and if you’re going electric there’ll be decisions to make. The quintessential one: Fender or Gibson? Play both a lot, get a feel for their necks, sound, and the action of each. But perhaps you want to play Satriani style shredding. In that case, you’ll need an Ibanez. PLEASE, don’t be afraid to ask the fellas at the store as much as you can. Ask them too many questions, and always err on the side of being too annoying and deliberate in your purchase. They’ll understand. Also, make sure they’re knowledgeable, and ask them about a return or exchange possibilities. In some cases you can rent to own, and if you’re on the fence about a guitar this should assuage your anxiety. The guitar you buy must last you for years and years. In the short term, it must compliment your style, the sound of your band, and it must really want to make you practice.

One of the biggest mistakes prospective buyers make is associating a guitar with a hero of theirs and buying it to be like them. There is some truth to this. Buy it if you want to sound like them, not be or look like them. Don’t make a superficial decision. A musical purchase must be made on musical grounds, and anything else is juvenile. Resist this temptation!
Have fun, and buy the right guitar so you can make sweet, sweet music for years.

Author Bio: Long & McQuade’s Musical Education Center offers music lessons Nanaimo and music lessons Brampton. When trying to learn a musical instrument be sure to visit the professionals at Long & McQuade – one of Canada\’s largest music stores.

Category: Recreation
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