Whether it is your first guitar or you are upgrading, you may want to consider the following when purchasing a new guitar. Firstly you need to be excited about the guitars appeal. If you don’t like the overall appearance or the way it feels then you will likely not be playing it much. The guitar needs to suit you and some guitars just don’t fit with some people. If you have a favorite guitarist that you follow then that is a good start as to which type or style of guitar you would like to play.
If this is your first guitar you really need to get the aid of the stores staff. Ask them to play it for you in order to hear the sound as well as the tone of the guitar. Get their expertise on the guitar brands they’ve got in stock as well as some of the pluses and minuses of each guitar. The staff should be very well versed in their guitar brands and they are qualified to teach you what a lot of guitarists like and don’t like.
Try the different pickups and see if you like the sound. There are up to 3 pickups on most guitars. Many guitars have 2 pickups. The bridge pickup creates more of a treble type of sound while the neck pickup tends to create a thicker more bass tone. Often you can use a 3 position switch to either play through one or the other pickup, or both. Some guitars will have a 5 way switch with 3 pickups. This really gives you a lot of choice of tone when playing these guitars.
What the guitar is made from has a lot to do with the sound that the guitar puts out. Sounds can change quite a bit depending on the type and density of wood that is used. You may find guitars made of basswood, poplar, mahogany and ash. They all produce distinct sounds that you may want to experiment with.
Finally and most importantly is the feel of the guitar to you. Remember that it is you that will be playing the guitar and it has to feel right. Make sure you try quite a few guitars when purchasing your next guitar. Differences in neck width and length can make a huge difference to you. The different shapes of the guitars can also affect how they are played. There are many varieties of guitars out there and an endless amount of choice. Clearly you need to take some time to really research which guitar will be your next.
To check out some cool Guitar Brands be sure to check out qualityguitarbrands.com to see more awesome Guitar Brands before picking up your next guitar!