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Shopping Tips
Okay. You have decided to take the plunge and go shopping for a new electric gutar. What to do? What should you be looking for when you try out a new guitar? What questions should you ask? How much to pay?
The traditional gloss finish is still in use, but these shiny finishes are costly because of the much longer drying times, and more coats in between drying. All manufacturers offer satin finishes on a few models today. A satin (or "faded") finish is typically marketed as allowing the guitar wood to breathe better, and not inhibiting the guitar's ability to resonate (vibrate) while playing.
Gibson still uses nitrocellulose lacquer, which they claim allows the wood to breath and age properly.
In general the type of finish makes a subtle, if any, difference in the sound or playability of an electric guitar. Finish appearance can be a solid color, a wood grain finish, or a sunburst or other "burst" finish. The appearance of the finish does not affect the sound or playability of the guitar.
Should you buy a solid body or a hollow body. guitar? Solid body electric guitars are the most popular. In addition they are physically smaller in size which is convenient.
Hollow body guitars have a unique sound that many players prefer, and they are a bit louder than solid body guitars when not plugged in. This allows the guitarist to practice without disturbing the neighbours. Hollow body electrics are associated with particular artists, and with Jazz music in general.
The brand of guitar to buy is of course a personal preference. However, electric guitars made in the U.S. have strong resale values and typically never need repairs.
Once you have found a guitar you are interested in buying, play the guitar! The fret board should have the radius you desire. The neck shape should feel comfortable when playing. Notice whether the controls are conveniently located, or whether they get in the way of your playing style.
Electric guitar controls vary from model to model. I prefer a guitar that has a separate volume control for each pickup. This allows me to have each pickup at a different volume setting, and switch back and forth for soloing/rhythm playing. Personally I do not use the tone controls on electric guitars and I adjust my amplifier's tone controls instead.
I recommend bringing a guitar strap with you when you are serious about choosing a guitar. You may find a guitar is "neck heavy" on a strap and requires constant shifting while playing.
If you only practice guitar at home sitting in your bedroom, you might not care about the weight of a guitar. However once you start playing with a band and rehearsing regularly, you may wish your guitar weighed less. Some guitarists will purposely choose a heavy guitar, because they believe that sound and sustain will be better than with a lighter guitar. Let your ears, (and your back) be the judge.
Plug it in!
Pickups vary in sound and impedance. Some pickups are designed especially for heavy music, others for jazz, and most are somewhere in between. Make sure the sound of the guitar matches the type of music you plan to play. There should also not be any buzzing frets, and the intonation should be very good.The shape of an electric guitar can affect the sound in subtle ways. It can also affect whether you can play the guitar sitting down or not, or can play it in a cramped space.
How much to pay? You should buy the most expensive electric guitar you can reasonably afford. You get what you pay for and a better guitar will be a greater pleasure to play, will need less maintenance, and have a higher resale value.
In the U.S., you can often negotiate a lower price on a new guitar. You can determine the street price for a particular guitar model on the web. In Canada, Gibson and Fender require their dealers to sell for one price and there is no negotiation allowed.
Some electric guitars are sold with a case, and some do not. American made guitars typically come with a hard case, made of vinyl covered plywood or blown plastic. Some guitars come with a soft vinyl case, and some are sold with no case at all. It is a good idea to ensure you have a case for your guitar before you take it home.
