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Choosing the Perfect Electric Guitar
Thinking of purchasing an electric guitar to ignite your passion of music? Congratulations! You’re on the first step to creating great music. But with the hundreds of models and brands of electric guitars available, the question is: How do you choose the best electric guitar suitable for you?
There are a lot of electric guitars to choose from, each with different features and equipment needed to make it sound better. This may end up confusing a lot of beginners! So here is a guide on how to choose an electric guitar.
Learn the basics
You probably chose to start playing because of someone inspirational. If he’s a musician, then you can start off there. Choose a similar model or brand that your idol uses, and that way, you’ll be able to play lik to play similar tunes and be more motivated to learn.
But before that, you’ll need to know what an electric guitar is and its parts before getting one, obviously! Just like purchasing a new car or gadget, an electric guitar has different features and specs, depending on the model you choose.
Before choosing, you should know the basic components and its parts, so you know where to focus on when purchasing an electric guitar.
Tonewoods
The sound of a guitar not only comes from its basic components and parts, but also from the material it’s made out of. For beginners, it isn’t easy to notice the difference, but it’s best to know the different tonewoods in order to be knowledgeable and advance the learning process.
There are three popular tonewoods:
- Maple – Best known for long sustainability and bright character
- Mahogany – Usually used for warmth
- Poplar – Used for a bright and crispy tone
Budget
Of course, your budget matters when purchasing just about anything. So when choosing an electric guitar, keep your budget in mind and find a model that suits both yourself and your wallet. You can strike deals in your local music shop, or find a lot of discounts online. The most expensive won’t exactly be the best, while you shouldn’t scrimp and get a mediocre model for half the price, either. Do your research and see what the best model is, along with its package and return guarantee.
Body Style
While it may seem that all guitar bodies look, feel, and sound the same, there are different kinds of body types that give out a variety of sounds, depending on what you choose.
There are four types of body styles:
- Solid – These are sturdy and need amplifiers when playing it. It’s best to use for rock n’ roll and other similar genres.
- Hollow – These are hollow on the inside, which is best when playing mellow music, such as jazz.
- Semi-hollow – These have a small hollow portion that gives out a bright tune, used for folk or country music.
- Electric-acoustic – These are like acoustic guitars but allow you to play it with pickups. It doesn’t have as much features, but you’re able to play it without need for amplification.
Comfort
Your comfort is important too, which is why you need to understand the feel and know if the guitar is easy to play with. Not only that, but choose one you like that is pleasing to the eye, from physical looks to your favorite colors. Like what I said, there are millions of models with different designs, so choose one you find attractive for motivation!
Basically, when choosing an electric guitar, you should know what you want to sound like, and what’s most comfortable to play with. Along with keeping your budget in mind, then you’ll be able to find the perfect guitar for you. You’ll be able to strike a lot of deals online and maybe even start off with a second-hand one to get a good package in a much cheaper price. Then you’ll be able to advance from there.