competition success magazine

competition success magazine 

competition success magazine Published this article page no  47  If a cloth isn’t run over and under them, from time to time, the sound becomes very dull THE PRE-PURCHASE CHECKLIST - Before you buy a used guitar, cost-compare against the price of a new one, unless the guitar is quite old. You could also compare its used price to other used prices by going to an online auction and either searching for the same or a similar guitar. - Check the overall condition of the wood for cracks, scratches, splits, dents, chips, etc. - Also check the lacquer finish for cracks and splits. - Check the neck/fret board for warping and twisting. You can do this by holding the guitar flat on its back, with the sound hole facing upward. Bring the guitar up to eye-level, with the neck running away from you and the edge of the body almost touching your face. Let your eyesight skim across the front of the body and down the fret board. You should be able to see if the neck is twisted or bowing. - Tune the guitar, or have the seller tune it for you. - If you know how to play about five or six chords then play them. If you don’t know how to play, ask the seller to play them for you. This check ensures that the neck of the guitar is not warped, even though you couldn’t physically see it. If the neck is warped, and the guitar is properly tuned, then some of the chords will sound good, but others will sound as though the guitar is not tuned. If this happens, check the tuning again. If it persists, then don’t buy the guitar. - Check the bridge of the guitar. If it’s made out of wood or plastic, make sure it’s not cracked or splitting. The bridge needs to be rock-solid, as a lot of pressure is exerted on the bridge by the strings. - Check the tuning heads. Do they turn easily, or are they very stiff and hard to turn. Even with the high tension of the strings, a quality guitar will have tuning heads that are fairly easy to turn. - Check the ‘action’ of the guitar. Are the strings a fair distance from the fret board? Are they easy or hard to press down at various points on the fret board? - If you are buying the guitar for yourself, and you know how to play, even if you’re a beginner, then play the guitar. - How does it feel? - Is it easy or hard to play? - Can you fit your hand around the neck/fret board comfortably to play chords? - Is the guitar a comfortable size and shape for your body? Is it easy to hold? - If you plan to play standing up, ask for a guitar strap. - Do you like the sound, the color, etc? - If you don’t play, have someone else play it for you so that you can judge what it sounds like. WHERE TO BUY Buying a guitar from a physical retail music store allows you to ‘test drive’ the guitar and ask more questions up front. Buying online or from a catalog may bring you more cash savings. No matter where you buy your guitar, if you know what to look for, and spend a little extra effort in your search for that ‘perfect’ guitar, not only will your fingers thank you, but also your ears, and all those who will come to join you around the campfire, or even go to see you in concert. Who knows competition success review buy.

competition success magazine