Buying an Electric Guitar

Even the most expert guitarists find selecting an electric guitar to be a challenge. Despite your skill level, picking the right guitar for your needs can be tough, but rewarding too; a great electric guitar is a thing of beauty.

Guitar construction is pretty much basic for just about all of the different guitar types. All electric guitars have the same components:

1. A body 2. A neck 3. A head stock piece 4. Electrical pick ups 5. A bridge

Of course, you'll also need an amplifier if you are to hear what you're playing on an electric guitar. You play an electric guitar like you would an acoustic guitar, that is, by strumming and/or plucking the strings. However, with an electric the vibration if the strings is taken up by the pickups (think of them as a sort of microphone for your guitar) and then carried to the amplifier.

The two biggest considerations when choosing the right electric guitar are, simply, the price and the sound.

The price of an electric guitar can be anywhere from an inexpensive $99 to an eye-popping $20,000. Quite a range, yes? Why is there such a difference in price? The materials that the guitar is made of, the care with which it is constructed and the quality of the pickups is the reasons for this. A beginner of course can safely opt for a cheaper model. There are even starter kits out there which include an amplifier, guitar strap, picks and instruction books along with the guitar.

In general, the body of a guitar is solid wood, which is why the pickups are necessary to carry the sound. The amplifier is similar in function to a stereo receiver - it controls the volume of the signal from the guitar. Solid body guitars are the most popular variety, especially among beginning players.

The neck joint is an important part of the guitar and has some bearing on the sound of the instrument (more on this in a minute).

You should be pleased with the way the instrument looks if you are to enjoy playing that guitar. The most popular brands are the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Stratocaster. Other manufacturers, B.C. Rich for instance, make guitars in unusual shapes and color schemes. All of these makers mentioned so far have lower priced models, meaning a Fender or Gibson guitar can be had for $300 or less. B.C. Rich guitars are a little cheaper, even those with custom paint jobs.

Back to the neck joint: this is the way the neck and body of the guitar are joined together. The cheapest type is bolt on, which is easy enough to understand - the neck is literally bolted on to the body of the instrument. This is the most common style of neck joint.

A set neck has a tongue that is set into the body and glued securely to the body. This type of neck allows more note sustain and resonance through the body and is slightly more expensive to construct.

Neck through design has the neck built of a single piece of wood extending all the way through the body. The sides of the body are fastened to the sides of the neck wood. This is the most expensive way to go, but does give the best tone available.

If you're in the market for an electric guitar, does some research before you buy? Visit guitar stores and don't be afraid to ask questions. Try out every guitar you're interested in and go with one that feels right to you - you'll know when you play it!

Happy playing!

Article Source: http://www.articlegoldmine.com

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