Guide to Buying an Electric Guitar

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By: Mike Hammil

If you’re looking to buy an electric guitar, there are many things you should keep in mind. These can range from brands to price; build to sound issues. That’s why an electric guitar guide can come in so useful – it can point out what you should be looking for as well as what to avoid.

As well as this, an electric guitar guide can also offer you tips on how to find someone who can offer you electric guitar playing lessons, as well as what type of strings are best for your particular make. So although you may have paid several hundred dollars for your new guitar, the little extra for a guide to go with it is more than worth the effort.

Where to Begin
One of the first things you’ll want to decide when buying an electric guitar is what make you want to go for. Sure, everyone’s heard of the Fenders and the Gibson’s, and fine guitars they are as well. However, there are many more brands available, and some at a fraction of the cost of these two well-know brands, and again this is where an electric guitar guide can come into its own.

You’ll also want to decide what wood the guitar is going to be made out of. Although you might think a guitar is a guitar, no matter what, the type of wood that’s used can make all the difference in the world when it comes to how it will sound. For example, mahogany gives a rich, low tone whilst Indian rosewood offers a sound with a far higher tone. Maple is probably one of the most popular choices, especially from the way it flattens the sound of the guitar at high volume.

The Neck
The neck of an electric guitar is another area that’s important to get right when choosing one, especially if you’ve never played a guitar before. Because it can be difficult to get your fingers and hand coordinated along the neck while learning, a slimmer neck may be a better option than one that is thicker set.

Once you’ve decided what thickness of neck you want on your guitar, you also need to decide how you want it to attach to your guitar body. Again, this can make all the difference when it comes to how the guitar will sound. Necks that are part of the body are known as solid-body guitars, and often have a far richer sound than those that are “glued” to the body, or separate.

Frets
One of the best electric guitar tips that you’ll often hear is to buy a guitar with 24 frets (the frets are the little separate channels that run all the way up the neck, and dictate what key and tone is being played). Most electric guitars come with 22 frets as standard; however, should you wish to play in the “higher register” (where notes will be far higher in pitch than normal), then a 24-fret guitar is more suitable.

There are many things to take into account when buying an electric guitar. However, if you buy yourself a reliable and informative electronic guitar guide before making your big purchase, there will be less chance you’ll be disappointed. All that’s left then is to buy your guitar and play!