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Buying An Electric Guitar
Buying an electric guitar can be an exciting experience or a source of great frustration, depending on how prepared you are. In this article I’ll take a look at the different types of electric guitars available, what you should get for your money, and what you should look out for when buying.
Types of Electrics
There are basically three types of electric guitars: solidbody, hollowbody, and semi-hollowbody. Each type has numerous variations.
Hollowbody
Deriving from early attempts to “electrify” acoustic guitars, the hollowbody guitar is a blend of old and new. These guitars have large bodies, some are fat and some are thin. Most are “arch topped” and have sound holes cut out of the body, making them both acoustic and electric. Generally, they have humbucker pickups and acheive a very warm, fat tone that appeals to many jazz, fusion, and blues players. These guitars were also popular with many early Rock and Roll and Rockabilly players. The very nature of their construction — a large, open, vibrating sound chamber — makes them suseptible to feedback at loud volumes. A fact used to advantage by some rockers, such as Ted Nuggent, looking for exactly that feedback. Since the market for these instruments isn’t as large as the market for solidbodies, they generally cost a little more.
Semi-Hollowbody
Semi-hollowbody guitars were created to help fight the problem of feedback that often plagues hollowbody guitars. Most are thinner than full hollowbody guitars and usually have a solid block of wood running through the center of the guitar body. This cuts down on feedback and provides more sustain. The Gibson ES-335 is the most popular semi-hollobody design. Other semi-hollowbody designs are built by carving out “sound chambers” in a solidbody guitar.
Solidbody
Solidbody guitars come in infinate variations, but they basically boil down to three types:
Bolt-On Neck Guitars
These are the guitars built Fender and their followers. The Stratocaster and the Telecaster, designed by Leo Fender, set the standard for this type of guitar. Typically, these guitars use single coil pickups and have a bright, trebly sound. They are prefered by many country players and blues guitarist for their ability to play with the pickups out-of-phase giving the guitar a nice, “quacky” tone.
Glued Neck Guitars
At the opposite end of the electric guitar spectrum, are the guitar made famous Gibson and their predessesors. The Les Paul and PRS are classic examples of this type of guitar. They are know for their sustain, humbucking pickups, and fat tone.
New Technology Guitars
Of course, the art of guitar making hasn’t stood still. Manufacturers have continually added new innovations to guitars. Through-the-body necks became very popular in the Eighties. Steinberg introduced a Carbon/Fiber guitar with no headstock and very little body, plus active electronics. In the Nineties we saw completely new manufacturing ideas from makers such as Parker and Godin. These guitars attempt to blend the best of both acoustic and electric tones in one guitar. The Parker Fly is a very lightweight guitar that features a radical body shape with a wood body and neck covered covered with a thin layer of a carbon/glass/epoxy composite that strengthens and unifies the guitar. It uses both standard humbucking pickups and a Fishman active piezo bridge system to acheive a variety of tones. Godin uses traditional wood bodies, but fills them with a built-in preamp/EQ customized for acoustic tones. It also has humbucker pickups and a transducer saddle pickup, but goes one step further with optional built-in synth access.
Only the manufacturers know what new innovations this century of guitar building will bring (and they’re not telling — yet.)
What You Can Expect For Your Money
Before you head out shopping, it’s a good idea to know what you can expect for your money. Don’t automatically assume that an inexpensive guitar won’t sound as good as an expensive one. Often the difference in cost is due largely to cosmetic features, grades of wood, and type of finish used on the guitar. It is very possible to get a good sounding guitar for a reasonable price. Of couse, if you have the money, you can get yourself a premium instrument that oozes tone, is a joy to play, a beauty to behold, and will last you a lifetime.
Under $500
Some companies offer hollowbody models, but it’s mainly solidbodies in this price range. These instruments are considered “economy” or “beginner” models. They will typically be imports, made mainly in Asia or Mexico. Sacrifices will be made in the quality of the hardware (pickups, tuning machines, bridge, etc.) and the construction of the instrument (no fret bindings, cheaper finishes, lower grade woods, three piece bodies.) However, quality standards has risen considerably in recent years and good instruments are readily available.
$500 - $1000
This is the mid-range for guitars. You can get a high quality guitar for this price. It won’t be a “deluxe” or “signature” model, but it will do the job quite nicely. In this price range you will get better components (pickups, tuners, etc.) and nicer paint schemes and finishes. You will begin to see one piece bodies and the use of higher quality woods. You will also start to see some U.S.A. made guitars. Hollowbody shoppers will have considerably more choices.
Over $1000
Once you break a thousand bucks, you looking at some excellent guitars with abundant features. Gold hardware, Ebony fretboards, fretboard binding, intricate fretboard inlays, custom finishes, “signature” models, innovative construction, custom electronics and pickups, the choicest woods, and other pleasures await you here. These luxuries don’t necessarily mean a guitar will sound better, but they often do. And they usually play better. This is also the domain of “new generation” guitars. A guitar in this price range should last you a lifetime.
How To Shop
O.K. You’ve done your homework. Now comes the fun part — shopping. The best way to shop for guitars is to get to a music store and try some out. Don’t even think about money at first, just try out as many different guitars as you can. Don’t limit yourself to guitars in your price range, either. Play the “top of the line” models to get a feel for what a good guitar feels, plays, and sounds like. If your local music store is one of those old-fashioned stores that make you ask permission to play a guitar, then ask. If they still don’t want you to play the good stuff, go elsewhere. If you are new to guitars, ask a lot of questions. Also, if you are just starting out, have the salesman play several guitars for you so you can hear how different ones sound. A good guitar store will have helpful salespeople who can answer your questions and help you get the best guitar for your money.
Use Your Eyes Too
It’s important that a guitar sounds good. But it should be well made also. Things to look out for are: rough fret edges, gaps in the neck/body joint, and twisted or uneven necks. Looking at the neck from the side, a very slight bow is normal and necessary to keep the strings from buzzing on the frets, but it shouldn’t be extreme. Looking straight up the neck from the bottom of the body, the neck should not twist to the right or left or have any bumps or dips. Try all the volume/tone knobs and slector switches to make sure they work. Listen for crackling or hums. If you are serious about a guitar, finger every fret position on each string to make sure there are no dead notes or buzzes.
Final Advice
If you really like the way a guitar looks, feels, and sounds — you’re probably looking at the right guitar for you. Happy hunting.
recommended
- Under $350
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Epiphone Goth Les Paul Studio
The Epiphone Goth Les Paul Studio oozes dark vibes. Black chrome hardware. Rosewood fretboard with 22 frets and XII inlay at the 12th fret. The body and set neck are mahogany, and it comes armed with 2 Alnico Classic humbuckers. Limited lifetime warranty. Available At Guitar Center
Epiphone Goth Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar Black-
Peavey Predator Plus EXP
Got a predatory attitude? This is your guitar. Nothing but the bare essentials you need to wreak aural havoc. Features a 25-1/2" scale; Floyd Rose-licensed double-locking tremolo; 2 humbuckers with 2-way selector switch, volume, and tone controls; sealed die-cast tuners; and bound body. Available At Guitar Center
Peavey Predator Plus EXP Guitar Candy Apple Red- Under $500
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Ibanez ARX320
You get a load of bandstand eye appeal from the carved quilted maple top atop a mahogany body. The set Artist neck with bound rosewood fretboard and diamond inlays is fast and built to shred. The Gibraltar III Quick Change bridge/tailpiece adds sustain and easy string swaps. ACH1 and ACH2 humbuckers go from prim to pugilistic sounds with a midrange punch that works for everything from jazz to punk to rockabilly. Available At Guitar Center
Ibanez ARX320 Electric Guitar Transparent Cherry-
Fender Standard HSS Stratocaster
The Fender Standard Strat HSS is an electric guitar that features special switching for its humbucking bridge pickup and 2 single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions. Other features include an alder body, modern C-shaped maple neck, chrome hardware and vintage-style synchronized tremolo. Available At Guiar Center
Fender Standard Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar Brown Sunburst Maple Fingerboard- $500 - $700
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Epiphone Les Paul Ultra
Get comfy with body-contoured mahogany back has weight relief cavities and is made from choice woods. Alnico Classic pickups for searing tone, gold hardware for suave looks, and Grovers for sure tuning. Angled headstock and slightly narrower nut. Set mahogany neck has a rosewood fretboard with trapezoid inlays. Available At Guitar Center
Epiphone Les Paul Ultra Electric Guitar Faded Cherry Sunburst Gold Hardware-
Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24
Born out of innovative Parker engineering, the Parker PM-20 Single Cut Electric Guitar is a single cutaway design with a mahogany body and mahogany set neck. Equipped with custom wound Parker Stinger humbuckers, the PM-20 screams "play me!" Push-pull coil tapping gives you an edgier tone on the fly. 25-1/2" scale. Available At Guitar Center
Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 Electric Guitar Gray Black Rswd Frtbrd-
Fender Highway One HSS Stratocaster
The Highway One series! Super-size frets, '70s styling, alnico pickups in the neck and middle positions and great colors take this amazing guitar to the next level. The neck and middle position pickups on the Highway One Stratocaster HSS guitar produce a more round tone that can sound glassy and great with high gain. Master Greasebucket Tone Circuit rolls off highs without adding bass. The thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish lets the body wood's natural tone shine through, making for one of the most exciting instruments in the Fender family! Available At Guitar Center
Fender Highway One HSS Stratocaster Electric Guitar Transparent Wine Red- $700 - $1000
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Gibson Les Paul Studio
The arrival of the Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar in 1983 offered guitarists all the essential elements of a Les Paul Standard, including a carved top and humbucking pickups. Its simple yet elegant design quickly helped it become the most popular model in the Les Paul Series. Cutting-yet-rich tone—the hallmark of the Les Paul—pours out of the 490R and 498T Alnico II magnet humbucker pickups, which are mounted on a carved maple top with a mahogany back. The Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar includes a Gibson hardshell case (Faded finish models come with a gig bag) and a limited lifetime warranty. Available At Guitar Center
Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar Faded Cherry Mahogany Chrome-
Fender Highway One Series Texas Telecaster
Designed in Scottsdale, Arizona, and made in Corona, California, the Fender Highway One Texas Telecaster Electric Guitar is a genuine American Tele with a one-piece '52 maple neck with 12" radius, U.S. vintage hardware, jumbo frets, and vintage string-thru-body 3-saddle bridge with brass barrels. It's a journeyman's dream at a down-to-earth price. Available At Guitar Center
Fender Highway One Series Texas Telecaster Electric Guitar 2-Tone Sunburst