Electric Guitar Buying Guide
Julia Witenhauer
Even the most expert guitarists find selecting an electric guitar to be a challenge. Despite your skill level, picking the right guitar for your needs can be tough, but rewarding too; a great electric guitar is a thing of beauty.
The basic composition of a guitar varies little from type to type; they all have the same elements:
1. A body 2. A neck 3. A head stock piece 4. Electrical pick ups 5. A bridge
Electric guitars need an amplifier to make the sound audible. For an electric guitar, the sound is made when you pluck the strings and the strings vibrations are sent, or "picked up" by the pickups and sent to the amplifier.
When choosing an electric guitar, the most important considerations for most are the price of the instrument and its sound.
An electric guitar can be as inexpensive as $100, or as expensive as $20,000! This is quite a large price differential, what accounts for this variation? Basically, materials used quality of the construction of the body, neck and head stock, along with the quality of the pickups. A beginner need not go with the $20,000 varieties - there are plenty of beginner's kits available which include guitar, amplifier, picks, guitar strap and usually instructional materials.
In general, the body of a guitar is solid wood, which is why the pickups are necessary to carry the sound. The amplifier is similar in function to a stereo receiver - it controls the volume of the signal from the guitar. Solid body guitars are the most popular variety, especially among beginning players.
The other factors to consider are the guitar's looks and the neck joint.
The visual appeal of the instrument is also a prime factor - after all, you are more likely to enjoy playing the guitar if it is an instrument which is pleasant to look at. The most popular looks (and indeed, brands) are the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Stratocaster. Another large manufacturer is B.C. Rich, which is known for offering electric guitars in unconventional shapes and colors, as well as being slightly less expensive than Gibson or Fender guitars. However, even the biggest names need not be too expensive as these manufacturers offer lower priced models in addition to their flagship products - a Fender or Gibson guitar can be yours for $300 or a little less.
The neck joint is an important consideration. The neck joint is the connection between the neck and the body of the guitar. Bolt on is the cheapest style, followed by set neck and neck through? Bolt on is self explanatory (the neck bolts on to the body). This is the cheapest type of neck joint and also the cheapest option.
The set neck attaches to the body by means of a tongue set into the body of the guitar, which is glued in. These necks cost a little more to build, but offer more sustain and resonance to the guitarist.
Neck through is exactly what it sounds like - the neck is all one piece which extends the entire length of the instrument. This is the most expensive type of neck joint, but these guitars have a great sound.
Do your homework before you buy an electric guitar - there are so many different makes and models that you'll want to try many out before you decide (but trust me, you will know when you've found the right one). Visit guitar stores, try out guitars and most importantly, ask questions! Happy playing!
Happy Strumming!
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