How To Purchase Your First Guitar in Five Easy Steps

My most recent blog focused on the vintage guitar market which obviously attracts professional musicians and collectors who really know their stuff, but what about those with little or no experience in guitar buying? Obviously they wouldn’t be looking to compete with the experts in the vintage guitar market. Probably the number one question I am asked when people find out I work for Fender is, “How do I find the right guitar for myself (or my son or daughter) if I have never purchased a guitar before?” The number two question would be “I don’t want to be a Rock Star, I just want to try guitar for my own enjoyment so where should I start?” Another potentially intimidating factor for most people who have never purchased a guitar is they probably have no idea what a guitar costs. If you are any of these, I’m here to make that choice a little easier by giving you a few simple points about making that purchase. To do this, I will have to remove myself from Fender so this won’t seem like a corporate sales pitch. No, I’m not leaving the company, just taking a short break for the length of this blog.

The first thing you should know is that a guitar can cost anywhere from a street price of a couple hundred dollars all the way up to the thousands. The reason for this is that major brands have to offer instruments in every price range, for every level of proficiency; otherwise their competitors could push their way into a niche in the market that’s left unprotected.

Step 1: Stick with a recognized brand name. That would go for any product you want to purchase because you want to make sure that the brand you choose has a strong company to back it up. That’s most important for quality, service and warranty. If you are not familiar with the major brands, simply take a look at the name on the headstock (that’s at the top of the guitar where the tuning keys are) of your favorite artist. If it’s good enough for them, it should be good enough for you.

Step 2: Buy from a reputable dealer: This is for the same reasons (quality, service, etc.) as above. Reputable dealers can be major chains, or small local “mom & pop” operations. If they are carrying one of the recognized brands you are interested in, they should be a sound choice. Many dealers will have “authorized (brand name here) dealer” signs so that you know they have a formal relationship with the major brands.

Step 3:

Start out at the low end: No matter how much you have to spend, if you are not sure how long you are going to pursue your guitar playing dreams, it’s best not to invest a lot of money. There is nothing wrong with an entry level instrument from a recognized brand because of modern technology, quality guitars are actually cheaper in today’s dollars than they were 20 or so years ago. I usually recommend an acoustic, meaning a hollow body or “folk” style guitar that does not need to be plugged into an electric amplifier to be heard. This is also a great instrument for guitarists who are quite happy to play for their own enjoyment, or just want to sit around the campfire strumming and singing with friends (I was a pro musician for years and this is still the most enjoyable). If your heart is set on an electric and/or you have aspirations of playing in a band, then you should choose to go the electric route. The challenge is that you will also need an amp, and a guitar cord that connects from the guitar to the amp. But that is not a problem because all the reputable brands (including Fender - ooops, I have to take off that Fender hat again) offer a pack that has everything you need in one box for around $300.00. That makes it a perfect gift as well for that aspiring guitarist in your family and that’s why you can find these in music stores and mass merchants like Target and Sam’s Club alike.

Step 4:

Stick with the brand you want: This is important because as trustworthy as dealers are, they also have to move overstock products, or they make not have the brand you want so they may try to “bait & switch” you into another brand by offering deeper discounts. Sometimes a salesman will say, “The brand you want costs so much more because you are paying for the name. This guitar is made in the same factory but it’s less money because you’re not paying extra for the name.” Beware of this pitch because not only are you taking a chance on the quality, but recognized brands retain their value so if you do want to trade up to a more professional guitar in the future, you will have more money to put towards the new one. The “bait & switch” is pretty rare but I wanted you to know this just in case because old adage “Let the Buyer Beware” still applies to any purchase you make.

Step 5:

Enjoy your guitar! There is nothing more rewarding than learning to play that first song all the way through which shouldn’t take more than four to six weeks of dedicated practice. Since most Rock and Country songs, even the best ones, are written with only a handful of chords, by mastering these you will be well on your way being able to adequately strum you way through your favorite songs. If you determine you want to get serious about your playing, I suggest you take lessons either from a dealer, or private teacher. That’s the way I started and I actually became a music teacher for a short period after I graduated college. Once you dedicate yourself, trust me, no matter how far you want to go, the journey will be just as much fun.

Author: admin