Guide for Buying a Second Hand Guitar No comments yet
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Cost-cutting is the new “in thing” given the recession. The first few steps of cost-cutting can begin with your music. If you want to purchase a new guitar, why not settle for a second-hand one? This is more practical when you’re only beginning to play.
You might be the type of person who buys brand new guitars to get more bang for the buck. Despite this, you should know that you can save a great deal of money in buying models that have already been used.
Your problem now lies in the determination of whether or not you are getting great value for your money. Purchasing a used guitar is not an easy task. However, a bit of research can help solve the problem. A lot of times, newbies who can’t even haggle for a simple thing will find it even harder to haggle with sellers who vend them guitars at higher prices. This is why you should know what to look out for when you’re out looking to invest in a second hand guitar.
Okay, say you’ve found a guitar you like in the classifies or maybe a friend referred you to someone who is selling his old guitar. You have to prepare yourself for making a purchase before you go diving into any kind of deal. Buying a second hand guitar is no joke when you are trying to save money.
Don’t be scared to ask the seller about all your concerns, it’s only natural. It would be to your advantage to ask about the guitar’s basic details, like it’s make and model. If you went through a bit of research, this should be very easy. Generally speaking, comparing prices from different sources will help you decide if it is the best thing to buy. This gives you an advantage over vendors who might be persuading you to buy their guitars.
You must never forget to inquire about its past usage. Asked if it has been handled carelessly or has suffered from any trauma so that you can address the necessary repairs. You would not want to suddenly find cracks on it in the future when you’re already using it. Also check for the guitar’s age. This is how you determine if it has been maintained properly. Hopefully, the guitar’s previous owner has cared for it well.
You should check the guitar in two methods when you inspect it. Look at it from afar, then give it a closer inspection. If in its entirety you think it looks great, then that’s a good sign. Don’t worry about a few scratches. But even a tiny bit of rust means you should totally forget about buying that. It only means that the guitar won’t be in such good shape for too long.
It is a must for you to thoroughly examine the neck of the guitar. Examine it as if you were holding a gun.Be sure that it looks straight from that point of view. Check the bottom, where it meets the body of the guitar itself. Are there visible cracks or residue from glue? Of course, if there are, that’s a bad sign. Also check for the action. Examine the strings to see if they are all parallel to each other with the same amount of distance in between them. It would be better if the strings are close, so it is easier to press on them. If they touch the board though, that’s one more red flag.
If the guitar you want passes all these checkpoints, you have to start playing it.
Make sure the right pitch comes from every string. It doesn’t matter if its tuned well, you can do that later, but make sure that each string plays the proper note in the proper position. If the intonation of the guitar is messed up, you have to spend on having it fixed by a guitar technician. Usually, you can test for the intonation by playing a chord — in this case, the E shape bar chord is most useful to play on every fret. You must make sure the guitar’s pitch stays steady even up until the pitch of the guitar.
If you want to purchase an electric guitar, you have to use an amp to test it’s amplified sound as well. You can check by following the rest of this guide.
Turn the volume up and start playing. Experiment with the tone switches by alternating soft and loud volumes. Make sure all the switches are functioning properly. Be wary of strange sounds coming from the guitar. You can do this by strumming a chord and simultaneously experimenting with the controls. If there are any scratches or weird noises, it should be because the guitar is old, it usually needs maintenance every few years. However, if it’s fairly new, then don’t even bother buying it.
But the testing doesn’t end with just how good the guitar sounds. You still have to check how the same model sounds if it were brand new. Ask someone for help at your local music store. If the sounds don’t match up quite well, that is a sign for you to look for another person you can purchase a used guitar from. If you’re still inexperienced in playing guitars, don’t be ashamed of playing in public! This is a matter of assuring the guitar’s condition, and not a public spectacle.
It would be very useful for you to remember the advice that you have read here before purchasing a pre-owned guitar. If you are unsure of yourself, you can always bring an experienced guitarist a long or a friend who knows their stuff. Purchasing a guitar is not like buying a new wardrobe, as it won’t be as cheap, but having a guitar of very good quality will have its long term benefits.
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