When men and women go to buy an electric guitar, they find they have many choices. How can they know which guitar is suitable for their needs? This instrument should fit their musical style and have the desired features to achieve their selected sound. Individuals must realize that no one guitar is perfect for everyone. Knowing which features are desired will make it easier to choose the correct model.
Table of Contents
Budget
As every musician knows, if you want an electric guitar, you may spend very little or thousands of dollars. Knowing your budget before shopping makes it easier to narrow the options. However, paying more doesn’t necessarily mean getting a better guitar. In addition, you need to consider the cost of the amplifier that you must purchase. Amplifiers vary significantly in price, much as guitars do.
Aesthetics
While a guitar’s appearance doesn’t affect its sound, it does impact the musician. People want to play more often when they like their instrument. Consider this when choosing, but don’t allow the guitar’s appearance to be the deciding factor. Other features are of more importance.
Body
Musicians may choose from three body types when purchasing guitars. As the name suggests, solid-body guitars are made from solid blocks of wood. Most people consider them the standard when it comes to electric guitars. These guitars are very versatile and can play all music styles. The tone is focused, and feedback is less of a concern.
However, people should not overlook hollow-body guitars, which may be semi-hollow or completely hollow. Semi-hollow guitars have an acoustic tone and more resonance but lack tonal focus. They are versatile and provide clean and overdriven sounds, so jazz, pop, and soul musicians often use them.
Hollow guitars are larger than their peers and offer an acoustic tone. Jazz musicians often turn to these guitars because they love the thick, clean tone and outstanding resonance. However, these guitars are not suitable for many other styles of music.
Tonewoods
Expensive guitars often have solid-tone wood bodies rather than laminates. The tonewood influences the sound quality and resonance. Manufacturers use different wood for the neck because it must be durable. Some manufacturers today layer woods to give the guitar blended tonal qualities. Options to consider include mahogany, maple, and basswood.
Frets
Electric guitar frets vary in number and size. Individuals who want the most comprehensive note range should choose 24 frets. Most electric guitars come with this number. However, the standard number is 22. Men and women who prefer soloing and rhythm work may want a guitar with 22 frets. Older guitars come with 21 frets or possibly 20.
Larger frets make it easy to find string bends and vibrations. However, many guitarists find that they push the frets too hard and end up bending their strings out of tune. Smaller frets allow for easy solos and a smooth glide over the strings. Older guitars often have small frets. Today, most musicians choose a medium size fret for increased versatility when playing.
Other factors should also be considered when purchasing an electric guitar. These factors include pickups, configurations, the bridge, scale length, and radius. Ask a friend who is an experienced electric guitarist to help make the selection or work with a professional. They will happily share their love of music and help every guitarist find the right instrument for their needs.
