Tips for Buying a Quality Instrument

June 10, 2010, By Phil Dotree 0 comments

You may not be Eddie Van Halen -- and you probably don't have his paycheck -- but playing music as a hobby can be a lot of fun. Here are a few tips to help you get the most rock for your buck at your local music store.

Five brands for beginners. Before you start shopping for that killer ax, you will want to check out these brands, which are known for offering decent equipment for a modest price for the beginning guitarist.

1. Fender. Probably the most popular brand with beginners, Fender provides electric guitar packages such as its Starcaster model, amp and other accessories for less than $250.
2. Gibson. You can pick up a good Maestro electric for $150 at Best Buy.
3. Yamaha. If you're still on the fence about whether to go acoustic or electric, you can get a dual acoustic/electric model for less than $300.
4. Ibanez. Though a tad pricier, Ibanez does offer its RG series, which can be picked up for about $400 on sale.
5. Epiphone. Known primarily for delivering a bargain-basement copy of Gibson's famous Les Paul guitar, Epiphone does make several guitars that can be had for under $200.

Now that we have the brands out of the way, here are some general tips to follow when shopping for a guitar.

• Always play an instrument before you buy it. The web is a great place to buy laundry detergent and diapers, but it's not a great place to get a guitar; every guitar sounds different. Sometimes they sound a little different, sometimes a whole lot different.

The best way to buy a good guitar, amp or keyboard is to play around with a lot of them. If you've got your heart set on a guitar, be prepared to play every single one in the store. You'll quickly figure out what you like and dislike about certain models, and you might find an amazing deal. A used $400 Epiphone SG can sound a whole lot better than an $1,100 Gibson SG under the right circumstances.

What's more, if you pick out a guitar because you like playing it (and not because of how it looks or its brand name), you'll never really get ripped off. If you buy any music equipment without testing it, however, you're taking a big risk.

• Go online before you go downtown. Make sure you do some research before buying anything at a guitar store, whether it's a major guitar outlet or a local chain. Usually, prices will be close to retail, and you can get a much better deal online. Now, note what I said above: You don't want to buy an instrument online, but you can use the online price to get a better deal on in-store items.

Ask a sales rep to beat any price you can find on your iPhone, or bring a catalog with you to the store. Check websites such as MusiciansFriend.com for good deals. Most music stores are very familiar with this site, as it's a major competitor; they'll be ready to match any price you can find. Don't stop there, though. A big part of buying an instrument is negotiation, so use whatever leverage you have to try to lower the price of the instrument. This doesn't work for everything in the store. Music stores aren't farmer's markets; they won't budge on the cost of picks, cables and other accessories.

• Don't buy the cheapest thing in the store. Well, not if it's a bad product, anyway. There are a ton of fantastic guitars and amps for under $500. A standard Fender Stratocaster, the guitar of the gods, is only $499.99 new. You can even go cheaper with an Epiphone Hummingbird (shouldn't cost much more than $350) and be happy. If you buy an acoustic or electric guitar for a hundred bucks, you shouldn't be surprised when it won't stay in tune or when it sounds like you're playing it through a tin can.

The fact is, a really, really cheap instrument will make you frustrated, and it'll significantly impede your musical progress, particularly if it's your first instrument. Shoot for middle-of-the-road. Most starting guitarists won't notice the difference between a $400 Fender and a $1,100 Gibson. By the time you do notice a difference, you'll know that you're ready for an upgrade.

You have a little more leeway with accessories, however. A cheap amp will be just fine for most starting musicians, and even intermediate-to-advanced musicians should opt for a $20 guitar cable rather than a $69.99 Super Deluxe Unnecessarily Expensive cable.

• Look for specials. Most guitar stores run crazy promotion weeks, and these are often the best times to get good deals on instruments and other equipment. The first time you visit a music store, ask if they have a mailing list and sign up. They'll let you know about their specials and you can keep an eye out for something that appeals to you.

Playing an instrument is an enjoyable pastime, and it doesn't actually cost too much. Just be sure to know what you're doing before you head into the store and you'll find a great deal on an instrument that you can practice with for hours (and hours, and hours) without getting bored or frustrated.