How to find a guitar thats right for you

I was looking through a number of websites recently and they just have way too much overlapping information. Here are the few instructions from different websites that I found useful

 

Ehow.com

1) For a beginner guitar you will either want an electric, acoustic, or classical guitar. There are a few things you should ask yourself that will factor into your final decision of the guitar you want to buy.

2) How big are your hands? This factors into the neck size of the guitar, you want to be able to hold down strings and frets with ease. For example, some classical and acoustic guitars have very wide necks that may not be easy for someone with smaller hands to get a grip around.

3) What style or tune am I going for? I'm sure you've got your mind set on playing some certian style whether it's rock, metal, country, acoustic, or classical folk. Check out the guitars tune, and if you're ordering online you can look at the description and will usaully give you a good idea of what the guitar's sound will be.

4) If you're buying from a local music store (which is probably the best option) you'll want to play the guitar and see if it fits comfortably for you. If you're ordering online you are going to want to see close up pictures, and zoom in to see the guitar hopefully with a comparison object to give you a good idea of the body, shape, and size.

5) You should spend anywhere between around $100-$250 on your first guitar. If you buy a used guitar make sure that the tuners are working because a lot of times they are hard to deal with on guitars that have been used anywhere more than a year.

6) Give the whole guitar a very good look before buying it, look for scratches, dents, chips, or any other cosmetic flaw. Sometimes they will lower prices because of these defects when it really doesn't hurt the playability and you'll be fine with it.

Wikihow.com

1) Determine your budget. As a beginner, try to keep your budget low. Around $200-$300 for any guitar. Used guitars are great as well, so check your local pawn shops and used dealers. Just because the guitar is expensive does not mean it is a good guitar, but also beware of guitars that are under $150, as some may be cheaply made. Cheap guitars are often poorly constructed and will have very poor sound quality

2) Research. Find someone close to you that has played guitar for a while. Ask them what brands and types of guitars to look for and which to avoid. For example, Fender, Taylor, Martin, and Gibson are very well-known high quality brands.

3) Decide if you are going to play an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar. It depends on the style you play.

4) Shop. Always play a guitar before you buy it, so you know what you are getting. Not doing this can be a huge mistake. Have your guitar-playing friend go with you to several shops and stores to help you. As a beginner, your ear may not recognize subtle tone qualities that your friend will pick up and help you. This is probably one of the most important things you can do.

5) Ask the clerk. Get a pick and a strap from the sales representative and ask him to show you guitars at the higher end of your price range.

6) Have the clerk verify that the guitar is tuned to concert pitch or standard tuning. This will allow you to better compare this guitar with others.

7) Feel. Try several guitars sitting and standing. If they don't seem natural to you, even slightly, they might be wrong for you. Try several guitars until you find one that feels good in your hands and on your body.

8) Place your index finger directly behind the first fret on the fattest string (E6). The fret is the raised metal "line". Pluck the string with a decent amount of force. Listen for buzzes, pops, or odd noises. Check behind each fret on each string using a hard pressure. If you notice even the slightest bit of "non musical" noise, ask the salesman to adjust and re-tune the guitar. Check the guitar again, if the problem persists, don't get that guitar.

9) Judge each guitar by feel, sound, and appeal.

10) When purchasing: ask for a warranty, a new set of strings, a gig bag, and a tuner. As a new guitarist, you WILL need a gig bag and tuner, so it is wise to buy one. Most dealers leave the factory strings on the guitars for years, robbing them of bright tone, new strings resolve the problem nicely.

11) If possible, try to get private guitar lessons. While books are great, they cannot teach you correct technique (the precise way to position fingers, hands, arms, back, and playing), only theory. If private lessons are not available, or are out of your price range, books or the internet can suffice.