Six things to ask when buying an acoustic guitar

So you have decided that you want to buy an acoustic guitar. If you are like me, when I first bought a guitar I had no idea what to look for or what to ask. So, this article will give you some buying tips and some suggestions on what to ask when you talk to the salesman.

Ask to see the various body types and body sizes. You should pick a body size that feels and sounds good to you. Larger guitar styles are the dreadnought and jumbo styles. The smaller sizes are the parlor, Oms and grand concerts.

Ask what kind of wood the guitar that you pick out is made of. Most tops on guitars are made of spruce. Spruce wood offers a balanced tone, which is the most popular choice for steel-string guitars. Some guitars are made of cedar tops. Most of these are classical guitars, and they offer a little brighter sound. The different sounds you hear from the guitars come from the wood on the back and sides. This is what gives each guitar its character. Most guitars use rosewood, mahogany, maple or koa. The rosewood wood gives the guitar a darker more bass-heavy sound. The mahogany gives a brighter crisper tone. Maple woods give a mellow or balanced tone. The koa wood tone is somewhere between the tone of rosewood and mahogany wood.

Ask what size the nut on the guitar is. The neck width usually refers to the width of the nut. As you go up the neck (toward the headstock) the width of the neck increases. Common widths are 1 11/16, 1 ¾, 1 13/16 inches or wider. Here are a couple of tips to remember. The smaller necks are more comfortable for smaller hands. If you are looking at a more expensive guitar, the necks may come in different widths for the same model.

Ask about the size of the strings that are on the guitar that you choose. Strings come in different sizes. They come in extra light, light, medium and heavy. The sizes of strings are referred to as the gauge of the string. You might have a favorite. If you have decided upon a particular model, you may want to ask if the strings type and size are the same on both models.

Ask if the store has other models of the one that you have selected. If they do, it is a good idea to try to play the other models.

Ask if some type of case is included with the guitar. For higher priced guitars, usually higher priced cases come with the guitar. The case should fit correctly and provide adequate protection.

This is a list of a few things that when you get the answers will help you make a decision about purchasing the acoustic guitar so that you can play an acoustic guitar.