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Ruphus -> RE: Some tips on buying a guitar? (Jan. 22 2012 12:15:24)
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As noone has replied so far to the homely topic ...
General wisdom is: What feels and plays good for you should do.
However, as your demands will develop and rise, you might be wanting something that shall be pleasing still sometime into the future.
So, after first impression of liking ...
# make sure do not be deflected by optics and labels. Close your eyes for best soncial and tactile perception.
# don´t let yourself be overwhelmed by strong basses. They must be levelled with mids and highs; allowing balance. Rather watch for trebles to not be anemic and thin. You want them lush, with depth / substance in the fundamental.
If there´s something predominant in volume, it should be the mids.
# check out intonation. Slight cat music might not be noticed right away; but accurate intonation is a major factor for inspiration and pleasure over time. ( Including to who can´t consciously discern finer increments of tune.)
# If second hand, with low action, look for remaining headroom at the bridge ( saddle still well looming beyound bridge slot ).
# check out for wolf tones. A few should be common and acceptable, only not too predominant ones.
# see whether volume goes down all too obviously the farther up the trebels you go. ( Especially with the high E.)
# listen for overtones. The more aligned to the fundamental the better.
# listen for rattle while going up the neck with all the strings at relatively strong attack.
# play rasgueados. Things shouldn´t mush up / the more discernable single strings be the better.
# gradually increase intensity of attack and make sure that things won´t break up / flatten out too soon. Also look for dynamics from near quiet to medium volume.
# ensure grain pattern of the top to be parallel to the center line. ( Which it almost always will be.)
# make sure fret wires won´t be sticking out. ( You might get such fixed by long term / moderate re-humidification. But it certainly makes a good reason for requesting substantial discount.)
# same with sunken in tops. Make sure that they will be straight across the plantilla. - Only a slight rise behind the bridge being rather normal.
# look down from the headstock along the neck and make sure fretboard and fretwires to a be in a smooth line ( no bumps). Also watch for nut and saddle to be exactly parallel.
# unless aiming for noisy gigs, don´t let yourself be distracted by loudness.
Responsiveness is always great, but perfection in tone and balance is of higher relevance.
# if for gigs, let someone else play and see how projection will be.
And if you have a hygrometer at home, you might take it with you into the shops. Consider that many guitars can´t be adequately evaluated at above ~ 60% and below ~ 35% RH.
Hopy that helpy.
Ruphus
PS:
And when in Spain just skip the famous shops. They are misusing their image to fob off stuff for several times its actual value on to the people.
Try to discover lesser known and up coming luthiers where you might find decent to great bang for the buck. Specially now with the recession in Spain there should be chances for good purchases if you snoop around in the lesser hip quarters.
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