How to buy a guitar

[solacematt]

Pretty good article. One of the comments in it was pretty good too where a guy chose an SE One over a 57 LP saying it sounded better
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/21104-jol-dantzigs-esoterica-electrica-how-to-buy-a-guitar

 

[toothace]

Amen brother!

 

[mezzio]

I find the best guitar buying method is to simply go grab one off the wall and buy it... Don't feel around on it, don't play it, just hope for the best!



You know, that sounded a lot funnier in my head, lol

 

[László]

I find the best guitar buying method is to simply go grab one off the wall and buy it... Don't feel around on it, don't play it, just hope for the best!



You know, that sounded a lot funnier in my head, lol

I thought it was indeed pretty funny! :top:

 

[AP515]

I find the best guitar buying method is to simply go grab one off the wall and buy it... Don't feel around on it, don't play it, just hope for the best!



You know, that sounded a lot funnier in my head, lol

HaHa, Gibson would love you for it!

 

[MikeD]

I find the best guitar buying method is to simply go grab one off the wall and buy it... Don't feel around on it, don't play it, just hope for the best!



You know, that sounded a lot funnier in my head, lol

I've bought guitars exactly that way. No kidding.

I can't really play and was embarrassed to sit and 'try' to play it.

 

[DHW]

I've bought guitars exactly that way. No kidding.

I can't really play and was embarrassed to sit and 'try' to play it.

Been there before too... Or you sit and can't think of anything to play. I typically play through a bunch of scales up and down the neck and listen for anything weird and then go through some Open chord progressions and power chord progressions. If everything sounds great and no dead spots, rattles, or buzzing I'll move on to inspecting the frets closely along with any joints and the overall finish. I check bridge alignment and make sure the intonation at least has enough adjustment to make work.

I figure if everything is good I've got 14-30 days to return it depending on the store and can take it home and really audition it. I consider what I do in the store to be the interview.

 

[GADonis]

Been there before too... Or you sit and can't think of anything to play. I typically play through a bunch of scales up and down the neck and listen for anything weird and then go through some Open chord progressions and power chord progressions. If everything sounds great and no dead spots, rattles, or buzzing I'll move on to inspecting the frets closely along with any joints and the overall finish. I check bridge alignment and make sure the intonation at least has enough adjustment to make work.

I figure if everything is good I've got 14-30 days to return it depending on the store and can take it home and really audition it. I consider what I do in the store to be the interview.

That's similar to what I do. If I'm in Guitar Center I take the guitar into the acoustic room and play around. I start with open Low E and work my way up 1 fret at a time all the way up and across all strings to check for dead spots and buzz. I also like to be able to hear what the guitar all by itself sounds like. I've found that the better a guitar sounds unplugged the better it tends to sound plugged in. I've come across a couple of exceptions to that. My Epiphone Swingster was not very impressive unplugged but it sounds really good when cranked through an amp. My Soapbar II Maple SE sounds absolutely beautiful unplugged.

 

[squirrel211]

Been there before too... Or you sit and can't think of anything to play. I typically play through a bunch of scales up and down the neck and listen for anything weird and then go through some Open chord progressions and power chord progressions. If everything sounds great and no dead spots, rattles, or buzzing I'll move on to inspecting the frets closely along with any joints and the overall finish. I check bridge alignment and make sure the intonation at least has enough adjustment to make work.

I figure if everything is good I've got 14-30 days to return it depending on the store and can take it home and really audition it. I consider what I do in the store to be the interview.

Haha! I can never think of a single thing to play at a guitar store!

 

[GADonis]

Haha! I can never think of a single thing to play at a guitar store!

Play Stairway to Heaven or anything by Metallica. They LOVE that. Especially if you slightly detune the guitar first or play it wrong

 

[Raven17]

Play Stairway to Heaven or anything by Metallica. They LOVE that. Especially if you slightly detune the guitar first or play it wrong

True story, but the one song that was most hated by far was Sweet Child O'Mine! Oh how easy and often I heard that one slaughtered in the mid/late 80's.

 

[rugerpc]

Don't forget Smoke on the Water.

 

[Raven17]

Don't forget Smoke on the Water.

Annoying yes, but only 4 power chords...hard to strangle that one

 

[rugerpc]

Annoying yes, but only 4 power chords...hard to strangle that one

That's the beauty of it. You'd think it is too simple to screw up but they manage to butcher it anyway!

 

[Raven17]

Haha....so true!

 

[László]

Play Stairway to Heaven or anything by Metallica.