Choose a Second Guitar

Not all guitars are the same. Each one can have a different sound and feel, and can be used to play various styles of music. It is not unusual for a guitar player to purchase a second guitar, a third one, and even more. Here's help in going beyond your first guitar.

Steps

  1. Think about what you like and don't like about your first guitar. Do you want different kinds of pickups? A tremolo (whammy bar)? Set- Neck? These are some of the things that can persuade one to get different types of guitars.
  2. Go to a qualified guitar dealer, not just a pawn shop. However, some pawn shops deal almost exclusively with musical instruments, and they can get cheap. But be wary. Often, the salesperson at a pawnshop doesn't always know about the product he's selling. So know what you want, and don't rely on a pawn shop dealer for help in making a selection.
  3. If you're going for your second guitar, you'll probably want to spend a little more money on it than your first one. For as little as $400, you can get a Fender Squier, a Jackson, an Epiphone, or several other brands. However, many professional level guitars sell for around $1000 and up. It often helps to price a brand's high end and low end instruments, to get a better idea of what you're paying for.
  4. Choose based on sound and comfort, not fancy paint jobs and shapes. Also take note of the overall build quality of the instrument and the grade of wood used. It's better to buy in a store than online, because store models are nearly always set up and intoned well, so buyers can feel they're getting the highest quality possible. But there's nothing wrong with buying online. Often, a guitar can be several hundred dollars cheaper, or brand-new (as opposed to a used store version for the same price) online. Shipping is usually free over 99 dollars, and 24 hour support can come in handy.
  5. Be prepared to spend well over an hour (or much more) at a store, especially if you're not sure yet what you want.

Tips

  • If you shop online, READ THE REVIEWS! There is usually a variety of opinions and facts about the instrument. Some will get a bad one, and write about it to warn others that it can happen to them as well. Some people tend to exaggerate, so if somebody says a $100 Fender Squier sounds just like a $1,200, better made Fender model, they probably don't know the differences.
  • Try out the guitar before you buy it. If you are seriously considering/are only there to buy the guitar, good music shops will let you play it. Bring your own picks and bring music if you plan to be playing that style on that guitar.
  • If you have extra money left over, you shouldn't spend it all on the extra stuff advertised at the store (like flashy effects pedals). These things can sound really cool, but you should get used to your new guitar before you try to change how it sounds.
  • Do some research on different pickups. Try to get different kinds of pickups than you already have. Humbuckers are very different from single coils, and active pickups are different than passive. Humbuckers are good for classic rock, single coils are great for country and southern rock, and actives are better for metal (generally speaking). There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to pickups. It's all about your sound.
  • A good rule of thumb is, don't settle for something too cheap, or pay a lot of money for a guitar because it looks cool. If you're getting your second guitar, that should mean you already know how to play and you know what hum is and how to pick out tonal differences between guitars. Also, a flashy paint job by no means equals a good guitar. Many manufacturers will spend more time & money on the finish than the electronics, body, and neck combined. There's nothing wrong with a cool looking guitar, but make sure you know how it sounds before you buy it.

Warnings

  • Make sure to change the strings on the guitar, if necessary. Most dealers leave the factory strings on the guitar, which can sit in a showroom for months and even years.

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