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→Comfort
Playability above refers to the ease of playing the guitar (action, fretwork) and tonal issues (fretting out, buzz). Comfort is more about the irritations you will experience when playing.
===Bridge===
A common complaint about a guitar is the bridge. Some bridges have protruding metal that can irritate or even cut your hand. Some are oddly shaped and feel strange when resting the side of your palm against it. Companies that specialize in bridges definitely take this concern into account in their design process. Cheap knock-off companies that produce every part in the guitar in-house don't. It may not seem like a big deal when playing for 5 minutes in a store, but it definitely is a huge concern when you play for an hour or more, day after day.
===Shape===
Body shape definitely has a huge impact on comfort. It affects the ease of balancing the guitar when sitting down and whether the neck will dip or not when standing up. The Fender Stratocaster is really the archetype of 80-90% of all electric guitars. Its curves are shaped to easily rest on your right thigh, but can also rest in between both thighs comfortably. The next-most iconic shape, the Gibson Les Paul I find a little less comfortable - it's curves are a little sharper and its body a bit thicker. Then there are the crazier shapes like Explorers, Flying V's, Warlocks, etc. I suggest you try these out and gauge if that special look is worth any discomfort associated with the shape.
===Weight===
Another concern is weight. Some guitars feel like a sheet of paper, while others feel like a log. This depends not only on the thickness of the body, but the wood type. Some guitars are even made of plastic or carbon fiber and are super light. Super heavy can be a concern when you have to gig or practice standing up - imagine holding up a dumbbell tied to a rope around your neck for an hour! Similarly, super light can also be an issue, if for any other reason than it feeling wimpy.
===Fretboard Radius===
Neck radius is the curvature of the frets and fretboard. The fretboard is not completely flat, but has a slight curve to it. The more curve it has, the easier it is to make barre chords; but it can be more difficult to play fast leads. Many electrics use a compound radius where the radius is lower (more curve) on the low frets by the nut and gets larger (less curve) as the fretboard gets closer to the bridge.
===Neck Size/Shape===
If you cut the neck in half right at the 12th fret and look at the cross section, you'll notice a particular shape to the back of the neck, as well as its size from side to side and top (face) to bottom (back). Floyd-Rose or Floyd-Rose-style bridges are typically wider than other bridges, which gives a little more space in between each string. This can make playing leads easier, but may make it more difficult to reach notes on the low E string. The shape of the neck is also a factor. Some are nice and round, some are more flat, and some are kind of odd. I like a round neck - too flat feels awkward, especially on chords. But I don't want the neck to be too thick either.
Next time you're in a guitar store, try a bunch of different guitars out with these factors in mind. You'll quickly see what I'm talking about and can hone in on the neck size/shape that feels most comfortable to you.
===Body Sides/Horns===
Often the guitar's body is contoured so it naturally fits against your body comfortably. But some guitars aren't contoured at all, or it doesn't work for the way you want to hold it. Or the horn might have a sharp edge that presses into your ribs or something like that. It's something to be aware of when buying a guitar because you can't really change it without some major work. I find the Gibson Les Paul is a big culprit in this regard. Also, as much as I like the Parker Fly series, those top horns seem to dig into my windpipe.
===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 ==
