The sound and feel of every electric guitar is different, and if you’re a new musician trying to pick out your first guitar, here are some tips to make you sure make the right purchase:
- Get over the intimidation – Walking into a music shop and seeing all of the guitars on the wall, the various guitarists playing their most mastered licks and the tattooed sales representatives really tend to give new guitarists the feeling of inadequacy. In order to get in the right mind set, you need to get over feeling intimidated. Walk around the store for 10 to 15 minutes and observe your surroundings so you feel more comfortable and realize it’s not such a scary place. This is the most important step in the process.
- Pick out a guitar that suits your style – Guitars come in many different shapes and sizes so a guitarist can express themselves visually as well as audibly. Find one that feels comfortable in your hands and be sure to sling it across your shoulder to get a feel for how heavy it is. First timers should stay away from heavy guitars such as Les Pauls because of their ability to make instrument feel more like a piece of luggage than a vessel of expression.
- Pick out a guitar that suits your style – Underneath the strings and in between the bridge (the metal piece in the body of the guitar that holds one end of the guitar strings) and the neck of the guitar are what’s called pickups. Find an amplifier and connect it to the guitar with an instrument cable and see how it sounds. Pickups receive the string vibrations from your guitar and translate it into different wavelengths to make the sound come out of your amplifier. Single coil pickups are found on Stratocasters and are best for blues, rockabilly and grunge while humbucker pickups are found on Les Pauls and are good for metal, punk and jazz.
- Ask one of the scary tattooed salespersons for help – There’s a reason these people work in music stores, and it’s because they know tons and tons information on everything from guitars to clarinets. As long as you’re polite and honest about what you’re looking for, these people will gladly help you. Representatives especially enjoy helping first time buyers, as they get a chance to pass along their music knowledge to help you pick out your perfect instrument.
- Bring a knowledgeable friend – If you’re first learning guitar, chances are you know a friend or an instructor who knows a lot about the instrument. By bringing them along, you can gain valuable insight on their perspectives of each brand and style of guitar that can help shape your decision.
By following these simple and practical steps, you’re sure to find the guitar that’s right for you and your future legions of screaming fans.
The Phree Press 