 | Guitars Buying Guide
| Whether you want to become the next Jimi Hendrix, or play for fun, it’s important to know what to look for when choosing a guitar. |
How to Choose a Guitar
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How to Choose a Guitar Five of the most important factors in your choice of guitar are: Musical genre, performance location, size, price and brand. 1. Musical Genre:
Because different types of guitar produce different sounds, it’s a good idea to decide what type of music you want to play before you start looking to buy a guitar. The types of guitar used most often in each musical genre are: Acoustic Rock: Flat-top steel-string acoustic guitar Bluegrass: Lap steel guitar, mandolin, acoustic bass guitar Country: Electric guitar, archtop steel-string acoustic guitar Jazz: Archtop steel-string acoustic guitar, jazz guitar Rock: Electric guitar, bass guitar
These are not the only guitars used in these genres. For example, many rock guitarists will use electric guitars for some songs and steel-string acoustic guitars for others. 2 Performance Location:
Where you plan to play your guitar can affect the type of instrument you choose to buy. At Home: Beginners just learning to play at home usually choose either steel-string acoustic guitars or electric guitars. Electric guitars have lighter-gauge steel-strings. These are easier on a player's fingers than the heavier-gauge strings commonly found on acoustic guitars. However, you also need to amplify electric guitars to create sounds which audible to people other than the guitarist. Live Venues: Guitarists who plan to join a band are likely to want an electric guitar that will allow them to amplify sound to fill a large room. Electric guitars also allow musicians to create a wide variety of sounds using effects pedals. Live Acoustics: One option for guitarists who prefer the sound of an acoustic guitar and plan to perform in front of an audience is an acoustic-electric hybrid. These guitars provide the sound of an acoustic but include a built-in sound pickup to allow amplification during live performances. An alternative option for live performance is to “mike” your acoustic guitar. Outdoors: A guitar's finish and metal components can quickly be degraded by contact with salt and sand. If you want a guitar to play for fun when camping or on the beach, it’s probably best to look for an inexpensive acoustic guitar made of hardwood or plywood. Electric guitars contain a lot of metal components and are difficult to hear without amplifiers (amps), making them less suitable than acoustic guitars for outdoor use.
3. Size:
Guitars are produced in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, children may find ½-size and ¾-size guitars more comfortable to play than full-size guitars. For guitarists who travel a lot, the ideal instrument may be a lighter-weight guitar. Weight and overall dimensions are both important factors to consider while shopping for guitars. 4. Price:
Most guitarists, from beginners to live performers, should invest in a quality guitar. Well-constructed guitars made of good tonewoods tend to retain their resale value and many even appreciate over time. They also produce rich sounds that improve with age and use. Low-quality woods don't have the same tonal qualities and guitars with inexpensive construction may not have the same longevity. 5. Brand:
You'll find guitars from many popular brands on eBay, including Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Rickenbacker and Yamaha, as well as private label guitars. Buying a guitar made by a named brand has the advantage of giving you greater peace of mind. Replacement parts and advice about guitars produced by these brands are easily available. If you choose to buy a private label guitar, it’s best to ask the seller specific questions about its construction. Some are carefully built by professional luthiers (stringed instrument makers) while others are mass-produced in factories. Ask questions about a guitar's construction, especially its bracing and neck assembly, and the types of woods used for its body, neck and fretboard, before you buy. |
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Electric Guitars
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Electric Guitars Companies such as Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Rickenbacker and Yamaha make excellent electric guitars. Most inexpensive models have decent play and features, so a tighter budget should not put you off. Body Types
The body of an electric guitar is typically made of hardwoods such as maple, alder, ash and mahogany. Solid Body: Solid body guitars can be made of a solid piece of wood or several pieces of wood glued together and topped with a veneer. These guitars are widely-played, popular and sound good with loud amplification and effects pedals. Three of the most popular types of solid body electric guitars are the Fender Stratocaster, the Fender Telecaster and the Gibson Les Paul. Hollow Body: Hollow body guitars, also called jazz guitars, are two inches thick and hollow. Although their sound is similar to that of an acoustic guitar, they are prone to feedback at high amplification. Semi-Hollow Body: Semi-hollow guitars have similar designs to hollow bodies, but have a slab of wood running through them. These versatile guitars, often with two humbucker pickups, have a more acoustic sound than a solid body and still sound good with high amplification.
Although most guitars have a stoptail bridge for stable tuning, some have a tremolo bridge perfect for metal. Scale length can also vary, ranging from 24 ½-inches to 25 ½-inches (64 3/4cm). For example, Gibson uses 24 5/8-inches (62 1/2cm), Fender uses 25 ½-inches (64 3/4cm) and many other brands, including Paul Reed Smith, use a 25-inches (63 1/2cm) scale length. Neck
Most manufacturers use maple, mahogany, rosewood, basswood, or pau ferro for necks. Most have 22 frets, but if you want to play the higher register you'll need to buy a guitar with a 24-fret neck. The neck and body can connect in several ways: Set-In: Neck glued to the body. It almost always uses dovetail joints and some guitarists believe it offers better sustain. Gibson Les Paul guitars have set-in necks. Bolt-On: Neck connected to the body with bolts or wood screws. The Fender Stratocaster and many other solid body guitars have bolt-on necks. Neck-Through-Body: Neck runs the length of the body. A lot of solid body guitars have neck-through-body style necks. e.
Sellers may also describe a neck's profile in terms of width (regular, narrow or wide), depth (regular, thin or fat) or by its shape. Oval: Rounder than a C, but with a less pronounced curve U: Almost rectangular and good for players with long fingers V: Has a groove down the middle
Pickups
Pickups sense different tones produced along different lengths of a string. Most guitars have two pickups but some have three or more. In a two-pickup setup, one pickup sits close to the neck and the other sits close to the bridge. Two types of pickup are the single-coil pickup and the humbucker. Single-Coil Pickup: Produces a bright sound, but may experience some interference in concert venues. Humbucker: Produces a darker sound than a single-coil pickup, cuts down on hum, and works well in concert venues.
It’s a good idea to look at guitars that feature a switch as well as a volume and tone control for each pickup. The switch allows you to choose between pickups or blend them. |
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Acoustic Guitars
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Acoustic Guitars
Acoustic guitars from companies such as Alvarez, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Martin, Ovation, Takamine, Taylor and Washburn project a rich, organic sound from their body without the assistance of electronics. Although an audience will hear your music in a small room, you'll need to “mike” your guitar for larger venues. It’s a good idea to look at the materials that make up a guitar before buying an instrument. Nylon & Steel Strings
Acoustic guitars can use either nylon strings or steel strings. Nylon strings, used on classical guitars, produce a mellow tone. This is perfect for classical, flamenco and some folk music. Rock, country, blues and jazz musicians tend to prefer the loud, clear sound of steel-string guitars. Steel strings should not be used on guitars made for nylon strings - the bridge and neck of these instruments can’t withstand the additional tension created by the steel strings. Body Types
Several pieces of wood make up the back, sides and top of an acoustic guitar's body. Luthiers use hard tonewoods such as mahogany, rosewood and maple for backs and sides and soft tonewoods such as Sitka spruce for tops. Laminates composed of several layers of wood can also be used for tops. Although laminates offer durability, many guitarists believe solid tops produce a better tone. The finish of the instrument also plays an important part in its overall price and appearance. Lightweight satin finishes are less expensive than heavier urethane gloss finishes, but dent more easily. Sellers will often describe body shapes and sizes in item listings. · Archtop: Archtop guitars have curved tops and hollow bodies. The sounds made by these guitars are normally associated with country music and jazz Flat-top: Flat-top guitars have a similar shape to a classical guitar. These guitars are most commonly used in rock, folk and blues music.
A standard-size guitar with a 24 ½-inch (62 1/2cm) to 25 ½-inch (64 3/4cm) scale length will be most suitable for the majority of adult players. Other sizes of guitar include smaller “Beginner” guitars, large-bodied “Dreadnoughts” and larger “Jumbo” guitars. Necks & Fingerboards
A guitar's neck, usually made of a hard wood such as rosewood or mahogany, has to handle a great deal of string pressure. To cope with this pressure, some use a truss rod for additional support. The fingerboard, a piece of wood (usually made from ebony or rosewood) mounted to the neck, holds frets and inlays. Standard-size or “Dreadnought” acoustic guitars have between 18-21 frets overall, with 12-14 sitting clear of the body. These guitars are usually described by sellers as 12-fret or 14-fret models. 12-String Guitars
The rich sound produced by a 12-string guitar sounds similar to two guitars playing at once. However, 12-string guitars are only recommended for guitarists who have mastered the 6-string instrument. More skill is required to play 12-string guitars, their sets of strings are more expensive and they take more time to tune than a standard 6-string instrument. Rock guitarists will also sometimes use 12-string electric guitars. |
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Acoustic-Electric Guitars
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Acoustic-Electric Guitars Audiences can have a hard time hearing an acoustic guitar over crowd noise. Musicians who prefer the sound of an acoustic instrument can either opt to “mike” their acoustic guitar or buy an acoustic-electric hybrid guitar. These are manufactured by such companies as Epiphone, Fender, Jay Turser, Ovation, Takamine, Taylor, Washburn and Yamaha. Acoustic-electrics look and sound like an acoustic but include an in-built pickup. Typical models use: Active Electronics: Guitars equipped with active electronics usually have a piezo transducer under the saddle and a battery-powered preamp with three bands of EQ. The additional components add to the overall weight of the guitar and cost more than other options. A Piezo Saddle Transducer: These lightweight pickups, often used with a preamp built into the endpin jack, allow you to connect to an amp. You will need to adjust tone and volume with your amplifier or preamp. Dual Source Systems: Dual source systems have a piezo transducer and mike inside the body. They provide a lot of amplification and are therefore ideal for guitarists who pluck strings rather than strumming. However, guitars with dual source systems can be prone to feedback.
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Bass Guitars
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Bass Guitars
Bass guitars manufactured by companies such as Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Peavey, Rickenbacker and Yamaha produce low tones used in rock, R&B, jazz, country and funk. When shopping for a bass guitar you will be faced with a wide range of options. However, beginners should stick with the basics: a 4-string solid body with a bolt-on neck and fretted fingerboard. When looking for a bass guitar, it’s a good idea to ask sellers whether: Tuning pegs, volume control and tone controls turn smoothly. The neck has any pits or bowing (you should look for an instrument with a straight neck). Strings produce any buzz when the guitar is played at either low amplification or unplugged.
Strings
Bass guitars typically have four strings tuned to G, D, A, and E. Five-string, six-string, eight-string, and 12-string bass guitars are also available. It’s a good idea to look for a bass with a bridge that allows you to adjust the length and height of each string individually. This type of bridge gives you more control over any adjustments you may wish to make for string buzz, tone and comfort. Body Types
The guitar industry hasn't set a standard for bass guitar construction yet and options abound. Like any guitar, it’s important to get an instrument with quality materials, construction and sound. You should also bear comfort in mind when choosing a bass guitar. Bodies can be made of woods such as maple, ash, alder, mahogany and walnut or a hard synthetic material. Exotic wood veneers are also available as laminate tops, but these specialty woods add to the cost of a bass. Bass guitars with a 34-inch (86 1/3cm) scale are generally recommended for comfort. Neck & Fingerboard
Basses usually have a bolt-on neck and a maple, rosewood or ebony fingerboard. The fingerboard can be fretted or fretless. On a fretted board, metal frets mark each half-step on the fingerboard. This makes the instrument easier to play and tune. Fretless boards create a tone closer to that of an acoustic bass (often used in bluegrass music). However, these are harder to tune and play with accurate tone. Pickups
When shopping for a bass guitar, you may have the opportunity to choose between instruments that use single-coil pickups and humbuckers. Single-Coil Pickup: Produces a bright sound, but sometimes experiences interference in concert venues. Humbucker: Does not produce as bright a sound as a single-coil pickup, but does not often experience interference.
If the bass you want has more than one pickup, make sure you'll have the ability to switch between them. The bass should also have tone controls and a volume knob. Some bass guitars use active electronics to help amplify sound and shape tone. Active electronics add to the cost and weight of a bass. |
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Amplifiers
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Amplifiers Amplifiers (amps) allow you to amplify the sound of your guitar. As with shopping for your musical instrument, it is important to bear performance location in mind when choosing amps. Guitarists playing in their room may find a small 15 to 30-watt practice amp with 6-inch (15 1/4cm) to 12-inch (30 1/2cm) speakers most suitable. If you don't want your neighbours or flatmates to hear you practice, make sure the amp you choose has a headphone jack. Guitarists wishing to join a band or play concerts may prefer louder 25 to 50-watt models with speakers 12-inches (30 1/2cm) to 15-inches (38cm) in diameter. Amplifiers can have one control or more than a dozen. In general it’s useful to have an amp with: · A volume control (sometimes called “post gain”). Separate high and low tone controls for treble and bass. More expensive amps may also have a midrange control to adjust the tone between bass and treble. If your amp supports reverb, it’s also important to have a reverb echo control. At least one 1/4" (2/3 cm) input jack. If your guitar has active electronics, you should make sure the amp has a low/-6db input jack that can handle its higher output signal.
Many guitarists also like amps with channel switching, which cleans up audio at the press of a button. These amps include a pre-gain control to handle distortion. Types of Amps
Companies such as Ampeg, Fender, Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Orange, Peavey and Vox make traditional amps for electric guitars, bass amps for bass guitars and acoustic amps for acoustic-electric hybrids and other pickup-equipped acoustic guitars. The different amps bring out the best tonal qualities of each type of instrument. Pricing and sound quality also depend on the type of technology an amp uses. Solid-State: Solid-state amplifiers use transistors to amplify. They are lighter than tube amps, cost less and are more durable. Tube: Tube amps amplify sound using vacuum tubes. They are heavier than solid-state amps and often more expensive. Fragile tubes can also break or wear out. However, many guitarists prefer the sound they produce to solid-state amps. Modelling: Modelling amps use digital processors to simulate the sound of a tube amp. You can usually preset tones and many include built-in digital effects.
Amplifiers can also come in several configurations: Combo: A single cabinet houses amplifier circuitry and speakers. Piggyback: A separate amplifier head sits on top of a cabinet. Stack: Combines two cabinets and a head. Marshall and Mesa Boogie are best known for stacks. Rack: Cabinet that can securely mount multiple speakers and amplifiers. Until you begin playing concerts, it’s probably best to stick with an amp in your price range that has basic features.
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Effects Pedals
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Effects Pedals Guitarists can enhance the sound of their electric guitar using effects pedals from companies such as Boss, DigiTech, Marshall, Dunlop and Rocktron. You can get pedals that support a single effect or a multi-effects processor that can handle two or more effects. Some common guitar effects include: Chorus: Split a signal into two or more parts and create the illusion of multiple guitars. Compressor: Don't allow signals to fluctuate beyond a set or adjustable level. Delay: Repeat a signal after a short lag. Distortion: Clip, boost or compress a signal. EQ: Control the amplitude of an audio signal. Flanger: Split a signal in two and slowly move the pitch of the louder frequency slightly up and down. Fuzz: Further emphasise distortion, harmonics and sustain. · Modeling: Recreate vintage guitar sound. Octaver: Change a signal by one or two octaves and mix the new signal in with the old. Overdrive: Mimic the sound of an overdriven amp. Phaser: Time-based effect similar to a flanger that makes sound waves appear to swirl. Reverb: Echo effect that mimics the natural ambient sound of a room. Sampler: Play back or loop a short sound clip. Talk Box: Pedal that feeds a signal into a plastic tube held in a player's mouth. Tremolo: Rapid repetition of a single note or two alternating notes. Vibrato: Pulsating effect created by slight rapid variations in pitch. Volume: Allows adjustments to the loudness of a signal. Wah-Wah: Wavering sound effect made famous by artists such as Jimi Hendrix.
Many sellers also offer effects pedals designed for bass guitars. |
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Must-have Accessories
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Must-have Accessories There are a number of useful add-ons you can buy that'll help you protect your new guitar and achieve the sound you want. Case: It’s a good idea to store your guitar properly in a case to improve its durability. Lightweight softshell cases and “gig bags” work well for guitarists who have to carry their guitar around a lot. Hardshell cases are more suitable if you plan to play live on a regular basis. Guitars can easily get damaged at venues if not stored properly. Beginners may want to simplify the buying process and get a beginner’s pack that includes a guitar and a case. A few common case abbreviations you may see in item listings include:
OHSC: Original hardshell case. OSSC: Original softshell case.
Strings: New strings tend to sound better and last longer than used strings. It’s useful to have a couple of spare sets for when your strings start to snap. You can also use a string winder to crank the tuning pegs and string your guitar even faster. Picks (also known as plectrums): Guitar picks get lost very easily, so it’s a good idea to have a lot of them to hand. Tuner: Although some sellers will tune a guitar for you, you'll need to tune it for yourself once you start playing. An electronic tuner can help you achieve just the right notes. This can be extremely helpful for beginners who can't yet tune their instruments by ear. Strap: Unless you plan to stay seated while playing, it’s a good idea to buy a strap so that you can support the weight of your guitar with your neck, shoulders and back while standing. Cables: Electric guitars and bass guitars require proper instrument cables to connect the guitar to an amplifier. Pickup: You can amplify your acoustic guitar with an add-on pickup. Stand: To help protect your guitar and display it at home and on stage, it’s a good idea to store your guitar on a stand. Slide: Slides can be used to change pitch quickly by moving your finger up and down your guitar’s fretboard. Capo: Capos clip onto your guitar’s fretboard and are used to hold down all your strings and uniformly raise pitch. Instruction Manuals: Instruction books, CDs, DVDs or videos can help you learn to play much faster than learning by ear.
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