Peter Kun Frary, Professor of Music • University of Hawaii, Leeward
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Buying an Acoustic Guitar Peter Kun Frary, Professor of Music • University of Hawaii, Leeward
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Shopping for a Guitar Setting Goals
What are your goals? Are you anticipating a serious hobby or majoring in music? If so, buy the best solid top guitar you can afford. An inexpensive guitar is a good choice if your goal is merely casual enjoyment for a semester (or if you're really poor!). Do you need to be amplified for church or stage? If so, an acoustic-electric will afford maximize versatility. Before shopping, decide on a budget so the dealer can show you guitars in your price range.
Finding a Dealer
Go to a guitar dealer. Besides carrying more models than a regular music store, they have guitarists on staff to help you select the best guitar for your needs. Most importantly, the sales staff can play the guitars while you listen and pick the best sounding one. After the sale, they can make adjustments and repairs and recommend books and accessories. A good dealer will keep your best interests in mind as they want your repeat business and referrals. Check the list below for recommended dealers.
Trying Out a Guitar
Obviously, playability and sound differ between guitar models and brands. However, even individual instruments of the same make and model may differ considerably. Thus, the best way to select a guitar is to examine and play several models in your price range one after the other. It is helpful to bring an experienced friend to help you judge the construction, playing ease, intonation and sound quality (a good salesmen should be able to play for you as well). Learn from opinions that differ from yours. However, individual musicians value different things so you must be the ultimate judge of your guitar-to-be.
Each guitar is unique in feel due to variations in neck thickness and shape. If the neck is comfortable, the guitar will be easier to play. The string height above the fingerboard--the action--also influences playing ease. The action may vary according to personal taste and playing style. High action is difficult to play but allows buzz-free high volume playing. Low action is easy to play but buzzes during aggressive playing. A compromise between the two is best for most players. Fortunately, the action can be adjusted to suit your needs. If you are a steel-string player, remember that classical action is higher than steel-string action due to nylon's lower tension.
Listen carefully to the timbre (tone color) of the guitar. A balance between dark and bright is the most versatile. However, timbre preference is subject to taste and playing style. If your right hand technique is on the bright side, a dark sounding guitar will help balance your tone. If you play without nails, a brighter guitar will help bring out the upper frequencies.
Play single notes throughout the guitar's range and listen to how they sustain. Listen to the relationship of the bass notes to the treble. The bass should be firm with a long sustain. However, the treble notes must be able to stand out in relation to the bass so you can project the melody. Finally, have someone play the instrument so you can judge the projection.
What's the difference in sound between a $300 guitar and a $3000 one? Budget guitars are less resonate and have a smaller tonal and dynamic range than expensive guitars.
Workmanship
Whether you are a beginning or advanced player, a quality guitar is crucial to your success and enjoyment. A fine instrument is easy to play, exudes workmanship, and sounds resonant and responsive. A quality instrument inspires you to practice and excel as a musician. Buy the best guitar you can afford and it will greatly enhance your learning and enjoyment.
Note the quality of workmanship in the seating and polish of the frets, the binding between the top and sides, and in the finish. However, in all fairness, you normally get what you pay for. Budget guitars cost less because cheap materials and lesser workmanship are used to trim costs. Budget guitars should be playable but will have numerous finish defects, unpolished frets, messy glue joints, unsanded bracing and poorly adjusted action (a good dealer will adjust the action if needed). Premium quality guitars will have a near perfect fit and finish of all components. Even the interior bracing will be neatly glued and sanded smooth!
Before purchasing a guitar, especially a used or budget instrument, confirm that the tuning heads turn smoothly and allow reasonable pitch control. Fortunately, cheap or broken turning heads are relatively easy and inexpensive to replace.
Soundboard and bridge checks are essential when buying used instruments. The strings exert 75 to 150 pounds of stress on the bridge and soundboard of a classic guitar, and 150 to 200 pounds on a steel-string. After a few years--especially in hot, humid climates--structural damage may occur. Check that the soundboard is not warped, and that the bridge is not lifting off.
Price Ranges
Professional classical guitarists play instruments handcrafted by individual makers, e.g., Fleta, Hauser or Gilbert. Depending on the maker's reputation, these guitars cost $3,000 to $20,000. Guitars made by a specialized group of builders in a small shop cost from $1000 to $10,000 e.g., Ramírez, Hirade or Asturias. Quality production line instruments such as Takamine, Almasa, and Taylor cost from $600 to $5000. For most beginners these instruments are out of reach.
Most beginners are looking for an inexpensive guitar. Buyer beware: most guitars retailing for under $100 are disappointing junk. Don't throw your money away on a cheap toy, pay a little more and get a real guitar. Really cheap guitars have unacceptable compromises in design, materials and construction quality. Fortunately, there are many factory-made guitars costing from $150 to $300 that make fine beginning instruments.
Taking Care of Your Guitar
Guitars normally require very little maintenance. However, a little care in handling and storage will protect your investment for many years to come.
• Never expose your guitar to high heat and humidity. For example, don't leave your guitar in a hot car or in direct sunlight. Typical heat damage consists of warped soundboards and unglued (detached) bridges.• Never lean the guitar on furniture or the wall. The guitar is unstable (the lower bout is round) and can easily fall and be damaged. Always store your guitar in a case or on a guitar stand.
• Wash your hands before playing. Dirt and oil will clog and corrode the strings and diminish considerably the sound and life of your strings.
• Handle the guitar only by the neck. Squeezing the top and body will damage the delicate soundboard bracing.
• Wipe your guitar off with a microfiber or soft cotton cloth after playing. Clean and polish your guitar occasionally with a light polish such as Martin Guitar Polish. Avoid heavy paste waxes as they eventually build up into a thick, vibration muffling coating.
Recommended GuitarsThese models are excellent values in their respective price ranges. The Takamine, Hirade and Jasmine guitars carry lifetime warranties. The remainder carry one-year warranties.Budget Quality • $100-299 Jasmine S32 (steel)
Montana CL80 (classic)
Good Quality • $300-449
Romanza 715 (classic)
Almanza 401, 402 & 403 (classic)
High Quality • $450-899
Takamine C128 (classic)
Takamine EG124C (classic/acoustic-electric)
Takamine EG332C (steel/acoustic-electric)
Takamine C132S (classic)
Takamine CP132S (classic/acoustic-electric)
Premium Quality • $900-1500
Takamine EF341C (steel/acoustic-electric)
Takamine FP340SC (steel/acoustic-electric)
Takamine FD360SC (steel/acoustic-electric)
Hirade H5 (classic)
Almanza 461 (classic)
Recommended StringsSteel-String Acoustic D'Addario Phosphor Bronze EJ16, Light .012-.053
Classic Nylon-String
Where to Buy in HonoluluFrary Classical Guitar • 1019 University Avenue No. 7 • Honolulu HI 96817 • (808) 944-8108 (in Puck's Alley above Greek Corner & Magoo's Pizza)Harry's Music Store • 3457 Waialae Avenue. (808) 735-2866.
8/1/1998 • Revised 10/19/2003
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