Choosing a Guitar - Revision history

Meambobbo: /* Features */

2016-02-22T03:58:24Z

‎Features

Meambobbo: /* Features */

2016-02-22T03:57:57Z

‎Features

Meambobbo: /* Brand/Quality */

2015-05-16T03:51:04Z

‎Brand/Quality

Meambobbo at 03:24, 13 April 2015

2015-04-13T03:24:12Z

Meambobbo: /* Body/Headstock Shape */

2015-01-22T20:35:25Z

‎Body/Headstock Shape

Meambobbo: /* Features */

2014-12-26T18:17:31Z

‎Features

Meambobbo: /* Neck Finish */

2014-12-26T18:14:28Z

‎Neck Finish

Meambobbo: /* Brand/Quality */

2014-09-24T15:04:47Z

‎Brand/Quality

Meambobbo: /* Fretting Out */

2014-09-21T17:42:55Z

‎Fretting Out

Meambobbo: /* Build Quality */

2014-09-21T17:39:40Z

‎Build Quality

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 Here some various "extra" features you may want.
 * '''Piezo Pickup''' - Uses vibrational, not magnetic, sensors in the bridge to get a more acoustic-sounding output.
-* '''Hexaphonic Pickup''' - Independent sensor for each string.  This is usually for a pickup to output MIDI data, so you can have different strings trigger different MIDI instruments.
+* '''Hexaphonic Pickup''' - Independent sensor for each string.  This is usually for a pickup to output [[MIDI]] data, so you can have different strings trigger different MIDI instruments.
 * '''Sustainiac''' - This is a special kind of pickup that actually works in reverse - inducing the signal in the string for infinite sustain and musical-sounding (harmonic) feedback.
 * '''LED Inlays''' - There are just inlays that can be switched on to light up in the dark.

@@ Line 173: / Line 173: @@
 == Features ==
 Here some various "extra" features you may want.
-* ''Piezo Pickup'' - Uses vibrational, not magnetic, sensors in the bridge to get a more acoustic-sounding output.
+* '''Piezo Pickup''' - Uses vibrational, not magnetic, sensors in the bridge to get a more acoustic-sounding output.
-* ''Hexaphonic Pickup'' - Independent sensor for each string.  This is usually for a pickup to output MIDI data, so you can have different strings trigger different MIDI instruments.
+* '''Hexaphonic Pickup''' - Independent sensor for each string.  This is usually for a pickup to output MIDI data, so you can have different strings trigger different MIDI instruments.
-* ''Sustainiac'' - This is a special kind of pickup that actually works in reverse - inducing the signal in the string for infinite sustain and musical-sounding (harmonic) feedback.
+* '''Sustainiac''' - This is a special kind of pickup that actually works in reverse - inducing the signal in the string for infinite sustain and musical-sounding (harmonic) feedback.
-* ''LED Inlays'' - There are just inlays that can be switched on to light up in the dark.
+* '''LED Inlays''' - There are just inlays that can be switched on to light up in the dark.
-* ''Luminescent Paint'' - Glow in the dark paint
+* '''Luminescent Paint''' - Glow in the dark paint
-* ''Swirl Paint'' - Uses techniques to separate different colors of paints and apply them to create a swirling, random pattern.  See [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3dm-FzI-EQ this video] for an example.
+* '''Swirl Paint''' - Uses techniques to separate different colors of paints and apply them to create a swirling, random pattern.  See [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3dm-FzI-EQ this video] for an example.
-* ''Evertune Bridge'' - A complex bridge that can prevent your guitar from going out of tune and quickly switch to alternate tunings
+* '''Evertune Bridge''' - A complex bridge that can prevent your guitar from going out of tune and quickly switch to alternate tunings
-* ''Fanned Frets'' - Some guitars are built with different scales for all the strings, where the thicker strings have a longer distance from nut to bridge than the thinner strings.  Usually found on 7/8 string or baritone guitars, they get the longer scale which is associated with better pitch and tonal properties for the thicker strings, but the shorter scale which allows for better bending on the thinner strings.
+* '''Fanned Frets''' - Some guitars are built with different scales for all the strings, where the thicker strings have a longer distance from nut to bridge than the thinner strings.  Usually found on 7/8 string or baritone guitars, they get the longer scale which is associated with better pitch and tonal properties for the thicker strings, but the shorter scale which allows for better bending on the thinner strings.
-* ''Scalloped Fretboard'' - Some fretboards feature what looks like dremeled out parts of the fretboard between higher frets - this ensures your fingers don't hit the fretboard during bends.
+* '''Scalloped Fretboard''' - Some fretboards feature what looks like dremeled out parts of the fretboard between higher frets - this ensures your fingers don't hit the fretboard during bends.
-* ''All Access Neck Joints'' - There are various methods to improve the comfort and ease of playing higher frets.  Neck joints were originally just rectangular blocks of wood that were not too comfortable.  New designs reduce the size of the neck joint wood, smooth it, and/or angle it, all to increase comfort.
+* '''All Access Neck Joints''' - There are various methods to improve the comfort and ease of playing higher frets.  Neck joints were originally just rectangular blocks of wood that were not too comfortable.  New designs reduce the size of the neck joint wood, smooth it, and/or angle it, all to increase comfort.
-* ''Floating Bridge'' - A floating bridge does not press against the body, but "floats" against a set of posts.  The tension between the strings and the bear claw springs keeps it balanced and pressed against the posts.  This allows you to pull the whammy bar up to raise the pitch in addition to diving, and let's you seamlessly transition from pulling up to pushing down.  Very useful for vibrato on chords, flutters, and other whammy bar techniques.
+* '''Floating Bridge''' - A floating bridge does not press against the body, but "floats" against a set of posts.  The tension between the strings and the bear claw springs keeps it balanced and pressed against the posts.  This allows you to pull the whammy bar up to raise the pitch in addition to diving, and let's you seamlessly transition from pulling up to pushing down.  Very useful for vibrato on chords, flutters, and other whammy bar techniques.
-* ''Trem Stabilizers'' - These are usually double-hinge type devices that go in the bear claw cavity.  They are designed to help force a guitar with a floating bridge to stay in tune better; however, they often hurt the seamless transition of moving the whammy bar through the "zero" (resting) position.
+* '''Trem Stabilizers''' - These are usually double-hinge type devices that go in the bear claw cavity.  They are designed to help force a guitar with a floating bridge to stay in tune better; however, they often hurt the seamless transition of moving the whammy bar through the "zero" (resting) position.
 == Pickups ==

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 {{top}}
 {{Gear Crumbs|2}}
-{{Buyer's Guide Crumbs|1}}
+{{Buyer's Guide Crumbs|2}}
 [[Category:Guitar]]

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 There are numerous concerns you should have when choosing a guitar, such as...
 == A Note on Warranties ==
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 ====Type: Fixed vs. Floating vs. Dive Only ====
 ====Brand/Quality====
 [[Category:Guitar]]

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 ===Body/Headstock Shape===
 This is the main thing you see when you first see a guitar, besides the finish color.  Guitars come in all kinds of different shapes, with various pickguard and face designs.  Here's a list of the most common shapes/styles:
 * [http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars.html Ernie Ball/Music Man]
 ** [http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/the-majesty.html Majesty]
@@ Line 99: / Line 104: @@
 ** [http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/silhouette.html Silhouette]
 ** [http://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/luke.html Luke]
 * [http://www.fender.com/guitars/ Fender]
 ** [http://www.fender.com/guitars/jazzmaster/ Jazzmaster]
@@ Line 117: / Line 131: @@
 ** [http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/u_eg_series_pre.php?year=2014&cat_id=1&series_id=31 Iceman]
 ** [http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/u_eg_sig_series14.php?year=2014&cat_id=1&series_id=22 Jem]
 * [http://www.jacksonguitars.com/guitars/ Jackson]
 ** [http://www.jacksonguitars.com/guitars/kelly/ Kelly]
@@ Line 130: / Line 138: @@
 ** [http://www.jacksonguitars.com/guitars/soloist/ Soloist]
 ** [http://www.jacksonguitars.com/guitars/warrior/ Warrior]
 * [http://www.prsguitars.com/ Paul Reed Smith]
 ** [http://www.prsguitars.com/s2series/ S2 Series]
 Besides the sillouhette, also pay attention to the "top".  This is really the ''face'' of the body - the part facing the audience.  Some bodies use a rounded top to give the guitar a more 3-D look, which I find appealing.

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 ===Neck Finish===
 Luckily this is something you can change if you need to, but given the option it's easier to buy the guitar that needs no modifications.  The neck finish is important because it affects easily you shift positions up and down the neck.  I like an unfinished neck, sanded with increasing grits to be as smooth as a baby's butt.  Often guitar manufacturers will paint the neck or finish it with a clear-coat.  This leaves the neck with higher friction and a little sticky (it's subtle but enough to affect your play).  You can always sand it down yourself, but it's quite difficult to completely remove the finish, and this can look ugly especially if painted a color that stands out against the wood's natural color.
 == Tone ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:04, 24 September 2014
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	[[Category:Guitar]]		[[Category:Guitar]]
	[[Category:Gear]]		[[Category:Gear]]
		+	[[Category:Setup]]
		+	[[Category:Tuners]]
		+	[[Category:Bridges]]
		+	[[Category:Electronics]]
		+	[[Category:Pickups]]

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 ===Fretting Out===
 A good guitar should ''not'' fret out anywhere - this is where the string literally ''cannot'' sustain due to hitting a higher fret.  A little fret buzz is expected, depending on string gauge and action; but it shouldn't sustain over the life of the note.  Test notes on the entire fretboard - low and high frets, low and high strings.  It's common for frets around 2-6 to get more fret buzz than higher frets - this can usually be evened out by adjusting the truss rod.
 ===Fret Finish===

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 Guitar manufacturers stake their reputation on their build quality.  The bigger companies usually use a different brand name to market their cheaper, generally-lower-quality lines.  For example, the big names like Fender and Gibson have Squier and Epiphone lines, respectively.  That said, even the big names can produce duds.  Most guitars are factory-built, many in foreign factories.  Quality assurance is lacking.  It's best to give any guitar you want to buy a good look over - make sure there are no chips, warping, glaring knots in the wood grain, loose parts, rattling, or any other defects.
-Play the guitar all over the neck - make sure no frets produce rattling or mysteriously fade out instead of sustaining.
+Play the guitar all over the neck - '''make sure no frets produce rattling or mysteriously fade out instead of sustaining'''.  A guitar's build quality will determine if the guitar itself has strange resonances or nulls that cause some notes to ring into overtones or fade out prematurely.
 Used guitars can make for good bargains; but if you're not sure how to check if the guitar has any defects, you may want to buy a new guitar.  These will have a better return policy with the store you purchased it from, plus have a 3 month - 1 year manufacturer's warranty you can honor if you later discover some non-obvious defect.