Guide to Buying a Guitar II
February 21, 2007 by Jo Minor
The first part of this guide brought you through some of the rudimentary elements in getting an acoustic or electric guitar. Once you’ve set yourself out into the world of guitar stores and showrooms, and have come back with a pleasant purchase with a wide grin on your face, you should follow some of these steps to keep your guitar and guitar playing at its best form.
Case or Bag?
While most guitar purchases (be it acoustic or electric) include a case or bag of some sort or the other in their sales package, it would be best to upgrade to a solid case for your guitar if you’re keen on keeping it safely in your arsenal of musical instruments for years.
Any guitar player who does gigs should have at least a gig bag for those club and pub occasions, and a solid case to store the guitar safely after it has served its duties. While a gig bag is a lighter and more convenient option to carry your guitar to shows and jams, it offers minimal protection to your instrument. Invest in a solid case to store your instruments in once you’re back home.
Accessories
You will definitely need a good guitar strap if you intend on jamming and performing with your instrument. While some salesmen might put in a flimsy generic guitar strap when you purchase your instrument, always get a better strap if you know you are going to play your instrument standing up - you don’t want to know what can happen in the strap fails. I have seen guitarists perform deathly antics on stage with less-than-decent straps - you really wouldn’t want to see the death of a guitar when you’re having fun at a gig.
A decent strap might cost you around RM50 to RM100, but the security it offers to your guitar is worth more than the asking price. Also invest in some strap locks - Dunlop and Schaller make some extremely durable steel strap locks that keeps your strap glued to your guitar at all times. Cheaper plastic strap locks are available for a fraction of the cost of their steel counterparts but don’t offer as much protection.
Another crucial accessory is the guitar pick. While its size and cost might not be the best indication of its importance, remember that the guitar pick is the important piece between your hands and your instrument. I can’t emphasize enough on this. Go through at least ten different picks of different thicknesses and shapes, and stick to the one that does your playing justice. I’ve went through at least twenty picks from Dunlop, Ibanez and Gibson - only to settle for Dunlop Jazz III picks.
Effects Pedals and Other Electronics
When it comes to effects pedals, I strongly believe in the phrase “less is more”. While there are hordes upon hordes of untalented emo retards who hide behind tens of pedals each, guitar playing isn’t about making strange fart-like noises. We should leave all that tomfoolery to synth and keyboard players.
Once you know you way around your equipment, it won’t hurt to acquire effects pedals that would improve and increase the versatility of your guitar tone. If distortion is your thing then you can opt for a distortion pedal - if you can’t get a decent enough distorted tone from your amp and guitar pickups. Boss, MXR and Line 6 make some great distortion pedals - some of their pedals offer crunchy rock ‘n roll distortion to all-out skull-crushing, face-melting metal distortion, all in a single box.
I hope you’ve picked up some tips for your next rockin’ purchase!
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