Steve Romig - How to Buy a Guitar (or any instrument)

How to Buy a Guitar (or any instrument)

Copyrite 2015 Steve Romig

Let me preface this by saying that the principles contained in this eBook can be used to help you buy whatever instrument you wish to purchase.

The Real Preface.

Worldwide research has shown that playing a musical instrument has real benefits.

For example, children who play music have improved vocal, vocabulary and memory skills by the time they become adults

Worldwide, the research is unmistakable and unrelenting that participation in music education improves outcomes in all sorts of other areas of schooling, former Dean of Education at Melbourne university Professor Brian Caldwell.

If they stick at this one Ill buy them something better

So learning an instrument is a desirable thing. But,so often, I see children trying to play unplayable instruments because parents have bought an instrument not knowing the basic principles.

I have worked in retail for 15 years and seen a lot of instruments in children's hands that I, as a musician for over 40 years, have difficulty playing.

Not being able to get a pleasing sound out of an instrument is very discouraging for a child or an adult and they start to think the reason is them instead of the instrument and in many cases that is the reason they give up, thinking they are incapable.

So the best thing you can do is make sure the instrument is easily playable.

Where do you go.

Of course the best place to buy an instrument is from a local music shop for a couple of reasons.

The first reason is a music shop has a vested interest in making more musicians. They sell strings and other accessories that are necessary for the maintenance of the instrument once it is bought.

Secondly they know, if they give good service, there is a high likelihood youll be coming back to buy a better instrument at some stage later along the track.

Generally the person you are dealing with is a musician who perhaps plays the instrument youre after and can advise/ educate you about the best instrument and consequently the best value for money instrument you can buy.

Notice I said value for money and not price.

Price is important but it is way down on the list of priorities.

The internet.

Is a wonderful place and I love it,but, it is not the ideal place to buy that first instrument.

So many times Ive seen unplayable instruments purchased via the internet.

Sure it was only $100 but, considering what you bought it for, you could have spent the money on a night out or put it toward a playable instrument

Im not saying this shouldnt be used for research but heres a few guidelines.

Warranty is important. If youre buying an instrument from an internet company make sure you have an option to return it if it doesnt turn out to be playable or is damaged in transit.

Buying from the country you live in is very desirable because warranty can be an issue if the instrument is purchased from overseas.

Simple things like different voltages, if youre buying an amplifier or keyboard, can make a huge difference. Some companies will not supply you with a power supply if the instrument doesnt have a serial number that is compatible with the ones they have on record.

Whats the point of spending money on something you cant use?

This isnt true of every company but why risk it?

If the warranty for something you buy is in the U.S. for example, you live in Australia and something goes wrong with it that is covered by warranty, sometimes you have to pay to send it back, wait for weeks for it to be repaired and, in some cases, pay for it to be returned.

Meanwhile time that could be used to learn the instrument is wasted.

If you buy at your local store and something is wrong you can go back to the sales person and they can look at it for you, assess the problem, and take appropriate steps to get it back in your hands ASAP.

If youre new at this thats important.

For example, just say youve bought a guitar with a pickup in it and it ceases to function.

If the guitar has been left plugged in and theres a battery in the pickup, nine times out of ten the reason its stopped working is because the battery is flat.

Internet.

Several weeks waiting to be told that the battery is flat.

Local shop.

Oh the battery is flat. Did you leave it plugged in? Let me just replace that for you.

This is just one of the many examples where buying locally is an advantage and having someone with a vested interest in keeping you happy, that you can talk to face to face, is a real advantage.

Of course there are many local shops that offer internet purchases and this is great if youre in a hurry or unable to get to a shop or youre looking for the best deal.

However the best way to ascertain if an instrument is right for you or your child is to handle it and see.

Even if you know nothing about guitars youll still know if it feels comfortable I dont know anything about shoes but I wouldnt buy a pair without trying them on..would you?

Second hand Stores.

Are marvellous. I go into second hand stores all the time to see if maybe theres an instrument there that is worth buying.

You hear so many stories of people finding absolute treasures like pre-war Martins or Gibson's and the person behind the counter, not being a musician, is totally unaware that the guitar theyre selling for $800 is actually worth $45,000.

I personally know of a woman who bought a crapped out Hofner Beatle Bass for that price, came to our shop to have it assessed and fixed up and walked out with a big smile on her face.

This isnt the norm however.

People who run second hand stores know an awful lot about jewellery, white goods, sporting goods and etc: but very little about musical instruments unless they are musicians themselves.

If youre going to go this route make sure you take someone with you who knows about the kind of instrument youre going to buy and can advise you on the spot.

Also take your smartphone/iPad to check the brand and model to see how much theyre selling for on eBay.

In my travels Ive noticed that second hand stores will try to sell you an instrument that needs work done on it for retail or close to it so it doesnt necessarily mean its cheaper just because its there.

Check the brand and model. In the case of an acoustic guitar the brand will be on the headstock and the model will be inside the sound hole.

With an electric its generally on the headstock. Look it up.

If its an existing brand and model look up how much it is new.

If it isnt an existing brand or model use the price on eBay as a guide.

Then, if advised by your friend that this is a viable option, you have some bargaining

power.

Bear in mind that guitar repairs, depending on whats wrong with the guitar, can cost anywhere from $60 to several hundred dollars and be away for 2 weeks or more while its being done.

Of course sometimes it just needs a fresh set of strings.

I have seen instruments for sale that should've ended up in the recycling or used to make a clock or something decorative, anything but to make music with.

Not a good idea to buy something like that but it can happen if you dont know what youre looking for.

Buy a reputable brand? (not always.)

Reputable guitars are the ones youve probably already heard of.

Fender/ Squire are very competitive in every price range with really good quality control and have marvellous learner packs with everything you need, especially if its an electric guitar.

The acoustic packs are great too.