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by Anna Lyman
Purchasing a guitar can be fun if you know what you're looking for, but if you don't it can be scary!
What to look for:
* What style of guitar do you want to play? Steel string guitars sound great for country, jazz, folk, and blues. A big bodied guitar works well for jazz. One special type of jazz guitar doesn't have a round sound hole, but instead has "F"-shaped holes. If you want to play classical or flamenco, a nylon-stringed classical or flamenco guitar is a must because of the need for nylon strings to accomplish techniques such as "rasgueado". Don't try these styles with steel strings -- it's too painful! And it doesn't work.
BUYING NEW
* Having decided upon steel or nylon strings, go into the music store and have a look. Here's a tip: Even two guitars of the same make and model can sound different. One is often better than the other. Look them both over for dents and scratches, and note the quality of construction. Now here's the test: Play and strum the strings of each guitar separately with equal effort and NOTE WHICH GUITAR SOUNDS THE LOUDEST. If you already know how to play, then PLAY THE SAME SONG ON EACH GUITAR. Generally, the guitar which has notes that ring the longest and loudest is the best guitar, assuming construction and condition are equal.
BUYING USED
* This can go very well or badly. Do all the tests mentioned above and the following extra tests.
* Inspect the bridge for signs of lifting off of the top, and also for signs of gluing that would indicate a repair.
* Note condition of fretboard on the neck. How worn is it? Do the fret wires need replacing?
*Inspect bridge nut and upper nut (by the head) for wear. Is it worn out under the 1st (highest) string.
* Play each string from top to onto the body. Do they ring or do you get a dull thud at some frets? If you get a dull thud the neck is either in need of adjustment (not a task for beginners!) or is warped, or possibly the bridge nuts are worn out (new ones are about $3.)
* If it is a steel string, is the neck adjustable?
* Hold the guitar with the bottom level with your eye and look all the way down the neck. Does the line of the neck hold straight and true or is it bowed? Inspect the neck where it attaches to the body to discover if there are any spots where the glue is coming undone.
* Inspect the tuning heads. How do they move? Are they tough to turn? If this is so, you may be able to fix it by loosening the string, and applying a screwdriver to the headscrew to slightly loosen the head, or tighten it if it is too loose.
I hope this will help you find the right guitar. Now go rock and roll!
Anna Lyman taught guitar and computing at Okanagan University College, Penticton.
The Conductor, (a music joke for you)
A musical director was having a lot of trouble with one drummer. He talked and talked and talked with the drummer, but his performance simply didn't improve.
Finally, before the whole orchestra, he said, "When a musician just can't handle his instrument and doesn't improve when given help, they take away the instrument, and give him two sticks, and make him a drummer."
A stage whisper was heard from the percussion section: "And if he can't handle even that, they take away one of his sticks and make him a conductor."
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