Before Guitar Playing - Developing a Buying Strategy

Before you can fully enjoy guitar playing, you should embark on something exciting: buying a new guitar. You go to the music store and immediately face a world of possibilities, a supermarket of tantalizing choices. Every guitar on the wall seems to scream, "Pick me! Pick me!" Should you resist, exercise restraint, and avoid the models you know you can't afford?

Heck, no. Be bold and just try any model that strikes your fancy. After all, you're not asking to test drive the Ferrari appearing in the showroom window; you're simply asking the salesperson to see how different guitars feel and sound. And you're not being frivolous either. Before you dive into guitar playing, play a range of guitars to help you understand the differences between high-quality, expensive guitars and acceptable but affordable guitars.

So indulge yourself. Even if you don't have enough experience to recognize the subtle differences between a good guitar and a great guitar, at least expose yourself to them. And don't wait until the day that you decide to buy an instrument to pick one up for the first time. Make several visits to the music store before you're ready to buy and then take the time to absorb your experiences. Try to visit several different music stores if you can. Some stores may be the exclusive dealer of a specific brand in your region; other retailers may not be able to sell that brand of guitar. Also, you pick up far more knowledge about what makes a good, playable guitar than you may think just by handling several different instruments.

Buying a guitar can be like what happens after you think that you have the basics of a foreign language down pat and then visit the country where it's spoken: You practice your best Berlitz for weeks, but the first time that a native starts speaking to you, you're completely flustered. But don't rush it; hang in there. You're just buying a guitar; you're not in a strange land trying to find the closest restroom facilities. You're eventually going to sort it all out. In no time, you'll enjoy the bliss of guitar playing in your home.

Don't simply wait until you get to the store to develop a buying strategy (which, by that time, usually translates into no strategy at all). Keep in mind that the two most important factors in making any purchasing decision - especially concerning a guitar, where passions tend to run high - are to develop a plan and to gather all the information you need to make the best choice.

Singer and songwriter Jim Byrne has been a guitar player all his life. His songs has a twist of bluesy folk, country, Americana and Scottish. Discover effective guitar playing tips to help improve your guitar playing fast, as he offers some great all-around advice for beginner and advanced players alike. Visit Jim's website for more tips and to download two of Jim's latest songs for free => http://www.songsbyjimbyrne.com/freemp3music/index.html

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