Buying a guitar is a delightful experience, especially if it is your first one. Well, you need someone to guide in the right direction because not every acoustic guitar is the same. It would be great if you have the instrument that suits your personality the best.
There are many subtle differences in the sizes, shapes, and features of guitars for sale. If you feel overwhelmed by these factors, follow this guide.
Look at the Type of Wood
Every instrument has some unique features or specifications. They vary from one manufacturer and model to another. The type of wood used in standard guitars includes Maple, Walnut, Rosewood, and Mahogany.
However, the higher-end instruments are made from exotic varieties like Sapele, Cocobolo, Ovangkol, Blackwood, and Koa. The type of wood affects the sound quality of guitars. For example, mahogany has a dark tone to hit the lower notes, while maple is excellent for the higher notes.
Look at the Guitar’s Neck
The sound of your guitar will largely depend on the neck, as well. Remember, it is the wood of the neck and fretboard that ultimately influences the sound quality. In the lower-end instruments, you'll find rosewood for acoustic fretboards because it has a soft and smooth texture. Ebony is also a good option for fretboards due to its lesser pores and affordable costs.
Apart from the material, the neck of your guitar also differs in terms of scale length. Typically, the acoustic guitars for sale have a scale length of 25.5 inches, but you can always find exceptions. Choose a shorter scale length if you have smaller hands. The extended scale length, on the other side, is appropriate not only for larger hands but also for making lower tunings.
Look at the Pickups
When the guitar is plugged in with an amplifier, it becomes essential to check its pickups as well. Since every acoustic guitar might not have electronic functioning, you may not need to worry about this feature. Wood pickups give an excellent tone to the instrument. Also, check if the guitars have an active or a passive pickup.
While active pickups have high output, passive pickups give a traditional tuning to the instrument. You can always tweak the amplifier settings to check how the pickups respond to varying levels of playing.
Look at Body Size and Shape
Since you are buying a guitar that suits your personality, choose the right shape and size as well. Larger guitars like the classic dreadnaught are suitable for smaller frames while you can select a full-bodied jumbo guitar for making louder sounds at large venues.
Whatever size you select, it should complement your body and style of playing the instrument. Smaller bodied guitars can make bright sounds and are perfect for smaller settings where their music will not get drowned by other noises.
Look at the Strings
Strings on your guitar are the most critical factor that affects the type of music it produces. Though nylon strings are easier to play, they are suitable only for some genres of music. If you want louder tones, choose steel strings and practice a lot to play them well.
So, choose a guitar that works according to your taste and style of playing the instrument.