1.2 I want to start playing the guitar and to buy one. Which guitar should I buy? (A quick guide to buying a guitar)?
Description
This article is from the Classical Guitar FAQ, by Joshua Weage (jpweage@mtu.edu) with numerous contributions by others.
1.2 I want to start playing the guitar and to buy one. Which guitar should I buy? (A quick guide to buying a guitar)?
If you are a complete beginner then I don't suggest you go out and
buy a guitar worth hundreds or thousands, but I guess you don't
need telling. On the other hand, some cheap guitars are really
awful - so here is how to try and tell the difference between a
bargain and a bad banjo.
The price of a guitar is largely determined by the woods
used in its construction - cheap guitar bodies are made from plywood
or laminates. As the price increases woods such as rosewoods, cedar
and spruce will be encountered. These latter woods will also
age well, with the sound of the guitar improving with time, unlilke the
cheaper variety which are at their best when new. As a beginner,
there is little harm in buying a plywood guitar - as long as it
fits some other criterion...
In general, the guitar should be solid with no loose
bits inside - giving the guitar a small shake will determine this.
The guitar's neck should be straight. This can be checked by sighting
along its length. Good fret work can also be checked at this
time by running your fingers along the edge of each side of the
neck. Each fret position will need checking to make sure that there
is no buzzing of strings on poor frets. Do this simply by playing
a note at every single fret position on the board, ensuring
you place a your finger close behind each fret when you do so.
The action of a guitar (the height of the strings above the
fret board) is down to personal choice, but it is recommended
that you pick a guitar with low action (strings near the
fingerboard) as this will make fretting easier.
Do not buy a steel string guitar and replace the strings
with nylon ones. There are two main reasons for this. Classical
guitars are less rigid than steel strung ones, allowing the
strings to vibrate the wood more, producing better sound
quality. Secondly, steel string guitars tend to have necks which
vary in width. A classical guitar should be 2-1/8" across over its
entire length - you'll need the width to correctly finger both
the left and right hands.
Japanese makes, such as Yamaha, Takamine and
Rodriguez are cheap and quite cheerful, usually being perfectly
adequate for beginners. It is only after some months/years practice
that you may want to spend the money on an instrument where
the tone is something very important to you.
One overall guideline is this: take someone who
is experienced in guitars with you. For example, a tutor (if
you have one) or a friend who has been playing classical guitar
for several years. Tutors may also be able to show
you the good shops, good bargains, or offer you guitars
from other students of theirs who are progressing onto
a finer instrument.
Cost: cheap and cheerful: 50-180 pounds sterling.
expensive: 350 - thousands pounds sterling.
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