Hot Tips You Must Check When You Want to Buy an Acoustic Guitar
Hot Tips You Must Check When You Want to Buy an Acoustic Guitar
Bridge Unit
First thing you should check is the bridge unit. This one usually overlooked because most think the body of an acoustic guitar produces the sound. But What actually happens is that the vibration is picked up by the bridge (Just the part where the strings touch) and is transmitted, through the bridge unit, into the sound chamber. The vibration is then amplified using the chamber arrangement, bounced through the struts (usually box-shaped for acoustics), then pushed out from the soundhole.
If the bridge unit is made from plastic keep on looking. Plastic will never give you satisfying sound. The tension produced by the strings wears off the plastic fast and completely until the unit is worthless.
The bridge unit, on should be made out of wood. Specifically, Ebony. Ebony is a very dense, solid wood, but very rare and expensive. Equally as good are Rosewood and Ash.
The white piece, the bridge itself, should also be made of a dense wood. Here, though, many alternatives will do and are usually to the manufacturer's preference.
The whole unit is then firmly glued on to the top of the guitar, the soundboard.
Body
A guitar is a precision instrument which must be made out of top-quality products. A variety of woods can be used to produce the body. Often these are due to manufacturer's preferences, but quite often to economics. You'll occasionally see plywood being used and if so don't buy it.
Also, the front piece and the back piece should be made of two different kinds of wood. You're looking for a denser piece for the back and a lighter one for the front. Maple will often be used for the front piece.
Each panel is made from two different pieces of wood which are mirror images of each other. You should check this point. Also, there shouldn't be any knots in the wood. Sometimes you'll find them, this is a sign that the manufacturer uses a cheaper quality of wood.
The sides should be made from a third kind of wood. Again, different manufacturers will have different opinions on which particular woods to use.
End Blocks
The sides of the guitar are made from two different pieces of wood, and must be joined. Just putting them together and gluing them to the front and back of the guitar is not good enough,the whole thing would fall apart.
There is always an end block at the back of the guitar. You don't even have to look for it. Again, this should be made of a dense wood. Where some manufacturers will attempt to save money and not to use dense wood.
You should hold the guitar with the neck pointing to the ground, so you can see whether or not an end block exists at the front. If you're still not sure, loosen the string and place your hand into the soundhole and feel around gently. Make sure your hands are clean and that you don't break anything.
The Neck
A variety of woods can be used on the neck. The neck should be in two parts: the neck itself and the fingerboard.
On an acoustic, a neck must be glued on the body. If there is no end block at the front of the guitar, that usually means that the neck is assembled on to the body at the same time as the body is assembled. This might be quicker for the manufacturer, but is not to your advantage.
The body should be assembled separately and the glue should be left to dry for several months before the neck is installed.
The fingerboard is usually made out of varnished Maple or Rosewood. Maple is cheaper, but will give you a fingerboard which will last forever. The Rosewood will change over time and maybe needs to be replaced after 10 year or more.
Finally, the butt of the neck (the part that goes down and joins with the body), should go all the way down to the back for stronger support.
In Conclusion
The guitar should feel right in your hands even if it's the first time you have picked one up. You will feel it just matches your hands and posture and that you don't have to struggle with it. After some time you will start to feel it immediately. You should always buy from a reliable store, ask for warranty and make sure you are comfortable with the salesman approach. If you feel like you are under the pressure to buy some instrument no matter what, go somewhere else. It takes time and patience to choose guitar. It's ok to look in stores and not to buy until you will find what you are looking for. After all, Guitar is not something you buy every day sos choose wisely.
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