What should you pay attention to when purchasing an electric guitar?

As a starting musician your knowledge of electric guitars might not be so broad. Which guitar fits you? What kind of music genre would I like to play? What should I pay attention to when I am going to purchase my instrument?

Inside Audio will answer all these questions and more in the following article.

Where should you pay attention to?

Are you going to play an electric guitar for the first time? Then we should advise you to try out different kinds of guitars and amps. Each guitar sounds different and each amp has its own tone. It is important that you actually hear the instrument in person to make the right decision.

When you are going to make your purchase pay attention to the tone- and volume buttons. Make sure it works as it should. If there is a tremolo arm attached to the guitar make sure it works properly and that it does not loosen the strings. Alongside that, look at the tuning mechanism on top of the guitar. These hold the strings in place and make sure that the guitar stays in tune. If you find your guitar then test it on different speakers. This will make sure that the sound it produces comes from the guitar itself and not the speaker.

What type of guitar should I purchase?

There are three types of electric guitars: solid body, hollow body and the semi-hollow body.

• The solid body has a clear and rich tone which does not produce a lot of sound without a speaker. When amplified it gives low feedback.
• A hollow-body produces a warm acoustic tone that can be played without a speaker. In combination with a speaker, it gives a lot of feedback.
• The semi-hollow body is a hybrid between the two described above. The instrument is hollow on 2 sides and has a clear and light acoustic tone. Without a speaker, it does not produce a lot of sound and with a speaker, it produces a minimal amount of feedback. 

Alongside the body, some more aspects determine the sound of an electric guitar, such as the pick-ups, strings and the speaker (amplifier).

Where should you buy an electric guitar?  

If you are a bit technical, or you already have some understanding of an electric guitar, then it is advisable to look at second-hand electric guitars. This could save you an enormous amount of money! One downside is that you will not get a warranty or a go-to guy when there is something wrong. But there are enough stores that sell a decent supply of electric guitars (sometimes even second hand guitars).

Do not make your decision on the spot. Sometimes it is best to wait a few days and think about it before giving in to your impulses. It is important to physically hold and see the guitar that you wish to purchase. Even if you are not confident about your playing style in front of others, it is still important to find out if the neck feels right or the sound fits your expectations.