October 18 , 2016 By : TravelClef Category : Free Materials Comment : 0
When you walk into a guitar store, you find a wide array of guitars and if you’re a beginner, you’ll probably be wandering around and wondering which guitar to get. You stare at the guitars like as though you’re playing ‘spot the difference’ and you realize that even though some of the guitars look alike, they are actually different in many ways? Some of them has nylon strings, some has steel strings, and the prices! You pick up 2 similar looking guitars but when you compare the prices, one can cost $200 and the other $2000! So what are the differences between these kind of guitars? The brand?
So how do you choose?
Firstly, always bring a friend who knows how to play the guitar ( or your guitar teacher) to go along with you to the guitar store if you are a beginner. You can choose the guitars based on the colour and appearance first then ask your friend/teacher for some opinion.
NOTE: When choosing your guitar, try to resist the urge of looking at the price tag first!
The most important thing to look at when choosing your guitar is the Tone. Everything else, including the price, is secondary.
If you are a beginner, the best way to assess tone is to listen to the guitar when someone else is playing it. So, ask a friend, your teacher or even the shop assistant to play a few guitars for you.
Narrow your selection down to two or three, guitars.
With this 2 or 3 guitars, you can now try playing it yourself and ask these few simple questions:.
-
Do you feel comfortable holding the guitar in your hand?
-
Can your fingers reach around to each string?
-
Can you comfortably reach most frets ?
-
Do the strings buzz?
-If yes, try letting your friend/instructor play the same strings as it might be due to you depressing the strings improperly.
-The strings should not buzz if you play it properly. -
Do the strings stay in tune as you play?
-
Does the sound sustain after you strum or pluck it?
-The sound from a high quality guitar should sustain for a significantly longer period of time as the sound resonates in the high quality wood.
Now, you can choose the colour and the make of your guitar.