Acoustic Guitar Buying Guide

Guitars are very personal instruments. Of course, there are the memories... "I remember that scratch. I was so drunk, I fell off the stage at Oktoberfest. I had to do a complete flip with a half-twist to avoid landing on top of old Bessie here. Yup, I spent a week in the hospital, but all she got was this scratch." But even more than that, different guitars feel different and sound different. The weight, the shape of the body, the curvature of the neck, the size of the frets - There are many little physical characteristics that give each model of guitar its own personality. And of course, there is the sound. Especially with acoustic guitars, which generally don't rely on electronic effects and amplification to define their sound. If you want a Martin sound, you have to buy a C.F. Martin guitar. You can't get it with effects.

The point is this: if you really care about the guitar you buy, you're going to have to play it first. Feel it, hear it, make friends with it. And you can't do that online. That's what music stores are for. The good music stores that I've been to are staffed by musicians who know what it takes to buy the right guitar. They'll discuss the advantages ("that one sounds great through a P.A.") and the disadvantages ("it seems to go out of tune a lot"). They'll know the kinds of music you want to play and which instruments work best in those genres. You just can't get that online.

So if you care enough to play it before you buy it, to collaborate with the musician/salesman down at the local Guitar Shack, to gain the benefit of human experience, then support your local music shop and buy your guitar there. Of course, the same goes for any product that benefits from such experience and expertise. Because if those local stores go out of business, you'll have no alternative but to buy online. And then you may find that your "Lucille" turns out to be an "Old Bessie" instead.