# Guitar/Buying a Guitar

A new guitar can be purchased for a moderate price. Modern manufacturing
techniques coupled with mass production keeps costs low while intonation
and playability are preserved by precise machining. Most manufacturers
offer a full range of guitars from budget to custom-shop.

## Acoustic or Electric

The first decision a buyer has to make is which type of guitar to
purchase. After deciding this the buyer should research the models
available within their price-range. Research avoids impulse buying and
allows an informed decision to be made. It is recommended that a first
guitar be bought from a guitar shop. Pawn-brokers and charity shops may
offer second-hand guitars but all decisions fall upon the buyer who may
not be experienced in spotting flaws or damage. Guitar shops will offer
a range of new guitars from established manufacturers and a selection of
second-hand guitars without faults. It is important that the buyer not
be swayed from their informed choice on the day of purchase. If you know
that you want to play electric guitar in a band then this is the correct
type of guitar to purchase. It is not uncommon that when faced with a
bewildering range of guitars in a shop a buyer may choose to purchase a
different type of guitar other than their original choice. If at anytime
a doubt arises whilst purchasing it is better to walk away and review
your aims and buying options.

Singer-songwriters favour the steel-string acoustic guitar as the
standard accompaniment for solo performance. The buyer should be aware
that acoustic guitars have no internal pickups for amplification so a
microphone must be placed in front of the sound-hole for recording. An
electro-acoustic guitar is an acoustic guitar with pickups and a quarter
inch jack output which allows the electro-acoustic guitar to be plugged
into an amplifier. Note that thin-line guitars are not true acoustics
and it is a common error that beginners raise the action in the belief
that there is something wrong with their thin-line guitar which despite
its obvious acoustic build has buzzing strings and produces a weak
volume when played unplugged. Thin-line guitars are electric guitars
with a body that imparts an acoustic resonance when amplified.

### Testing a guitar

!Martin D28 acoustic
guitar{width="130"}

-   The height of the strings above the fretboard is called the action.
    If the action is too low the strings will buzz and if the action is
    too high more effort is required to push the strings down. Acoustic
    guitars have their action set by the factory and should not need
    further adjustment and therefore acoustics with a high action should
    be avoided since this may be a sign of faulty construction or a
    warped neck. You can test the action by playing barre chords at
    different positions. If the barre chords are difficult to play then
    the action may be set too high.

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-   Intonation is a term used to describe accurate tuning over the range
    of the guitar which is three octaves. A guitar with its intonation
    set correctly ensures that an open C chord played on the first three
    frets sounds the same as a C barre chord played at the eighth fret.
    Guitarists use octaves to check intonation by striking an open
    string then fretting its twelfth fret octave equivalent. The open
    string and its octave should be in tune together with neither being
    sharp or flat in relation to the other. On all electric guitars the
    intonation can be adjusted at home by the player using an electronic
    guitar tuner but for acoustic guitars any adjustments must be made
    by a luthier since the nut and bridge need to be adjusted by filing
    and shaving. Guitar manufacturers ensure that the intonation is set
    at the factory and a further check is normally made by guitar
    dealers before a guitar is put on display. A second-hand guitar must
    be tested for intonation problems as sometimes a warped neck will
    render accurate intonation impossible though the guitar may sound in
    tune in the first position. Intonation depends on the straightness
    of the neck, whether the nut allows correct spacing and seating of
    the strings, the height of the bridge, and the scale of the frets.
    Intonation and tuning are two related but different concepts.
    Setting the intonation is about preparing the guitar so that it can
    be accurately tuned across its complete range.

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-   The guitar should be played from its first to last fret on all
    strings to check for fret buzz and wolf notes. Fret buzz may be
    present when the truss rod is not properly adjusted or the action
    has been set too low. Worn fretboards or incorrectly shaped
    fret-wire can also cause fret buzz. Wolf notes sound dull and lack
    sustain and in some cases they can affect the tuning stability of a
    guitar. It is common to find a wolf note on the G string in the
    first position though they can occur anywhere on the neck where
    string contact to the fret is impeded or incorrect. The problematic
    wolf note can be corrected by sending the guitar to a luthier for
    setting-up and adjustment. The luthier will ask you which make of
    guitar strings you use and will adjust the guitar for that gauge.
    The guitar must be restrung every time with that particular string
    brand and gauge to preserve the set-up. Re-grooving nuts, adjusting
    necks and permanent bridge alterations are best left to a luthier
    whose traditional skills coupled with modern tools like the
    oscilloscope and precision calipers ensures a stable match between
    the strings and the guitar.

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-   Look for misaligned screws on electric guitars as these may be a
    sign of wear or previous adjustments. On acoustic guitars glue spots
    may point to flaws though in most cases they are just residue that
    wasn\'t wiped off the guitar and generally don\'t affect the tone or
    playability. Loose switches on electric guitars are common and if
    dirt has accumulated then the familiar crackling of reduced contact
    will be heard when a pot or switch is moved. Pots, switches and
    wiring can be replaced so a good electric guitar with these problems
    should not be dismissed though the price should reflect the cost of
    replacing the damaged parts. Look down the sight of the neck to
    check for a warped neck and to ensure that the guitar strings are
    all at the same height. The thickness (gauge) of the low E string
    may not allow it to sit in the nut groove correctly and it may be
    slightly higher than the other strings. This may be a sign that you
    need thinner gauge strings or that the guitar needs to be set-up.
    Run your finger along the neck edges where the fret-wire ends.
    Fret-wire is tapped into a fretboard and then cut flush with the
    neck edge. As you run your finger along you should not feel any
    fret-wire protruding and this is an indication that the manufacturer
    has ensured a degree of quality control.

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-   The intonation tuners located on the bridge of most electric guitars
    should be in a neat staggered row with the high E string intonation
    tuner nearest to the neck and the low E string intonation tuner
    furthest away from the neck. If testing a guitar you notice that the
    intonation tuners are not in a diagonal line from the high E to low
    E than this is a sign that someone has attempted to adjust the
    bridge and intonation tuners to set the action and has probably
    rendered the guitar unplayable. This is not a construction fault and
    the intonation tuners can be adjusted so that the guitar can be
    tuned correctly. It is common when you see misaligned intonation
    tuners that the bridge has also been raised to its highest position.
    The only time a bridge should be deliberately raised to its highest
    position is when a guitarist chooses to set-up a guitar permanently
    for use with a slide.

### Buying a guitar that suits your playing style

-   Try as many different necks as you can until you find a guitar neck
    that you feel comfortable with. Gibson favours a flat wide neck and
    Fender a thinner neck. Some guitarists find that bending strings on
    a Gibson neck is more stable and precise due to the extra surface
    while others prefer the thinner neck of a Fender and the ease with
    which you can bend strings an octave or more. Try different necks
    until you find one that responds to your playing style.

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-   The guitar should be comfortable to hold. Some guitarists like the
    heavier weight of Gibsons while others prefer the thinner and
    lighter bodies of Stratocasters. More important is the sound
    characteristics of a guitar. Telecasters are not as comfortable to
    hold as Stratocasters but many guitarists are drawn to their
    distinctive sound.

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-   The majority of new guitars have a medium action either set at the
    factory or adjusted by the dealer. Lead guitarists sometimes prefer
    a very low action which sacrifices a small amount of tone for speed
    and ease. Slide guitarists will raise the action up to a height that
    renders normal fretting very difficult though this does ensure
    clarity of tone when using a metal or glass slide with alternative
    tunings. A medium action is ideal for a beginner as it maintains
    tuning stability while providing a clear tone.

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-   Test as many models and price-ranges as you can. You should test
    guitars in the price range above your budget to familiarise yourself
    with the differences. Dealers are quite happy to give potential
    customers a long time to test different guitars without any sales
    pressure. Note that not all sales assistants are guitarists since a
    shop that sells both keyboards and guitars may prefer to hire a
    pianist to demonstrate their keyboard range. In this situation the
    buyer must rely on their own knowledge.

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-   Do not be distracted. Testing guitars involves all the mental
    faculties. It is during these moments that a buyer may make a wrong
    decision. If at any time during testing you feel as though
    distractions are affecting your concentration then walk away and
    refocus.

### Where to buy a guitar

-   Buying a guitar from a friend or relative who plays is an ideal way
    to avoid some of the common pitfalls of a first purchase. Relatives
    and friends may also help you search for a good guitar if they do
    not have one that they want to sell. It is recommended that the
    final choice should be made by the purchaser since guidance is never
    fool-proof.

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-   A local guitar or music store that has an established reputation.
    Many guitarists return to the same local shop to buy strings and
    other extras though a larger dealer should be sought if the range of
    guitars offered by your local dealer is too small. Second-hand
    guitars need to tested thoroughly before purchasing. If the buyer is
    unsure of what faults to look for then a new guitar might be the
    better option.

