Smile

This is my baby of which I am well pleased

I guess this is how I learnt to buy a guitar and also a little knowledge of why I bought Taylor guitar which Mike thinks makes no difference from a RM60 guitar. Now if you all remember me saying, I never had my own guitar prior to this. Therefore before this, my knowledge of guitars were relatively limited. Even now I don’t claim to be an expert but I definitely know how to choose a good guitar and tell what is a good guitar now.

This post will hopefully help most of you get the basics of choosing an acoustic guitar. Come to think of it. Should I teach you all how to choose other instruments? Please vote on this too ok?

The back of my baby

Why I am doing this is because I realize there are hardly people patient enough or even made the effort to teach me all these things. I don’t see simple articles that help. Also many articles make me feel stupid rather than help me know that everyone has the right to own an instrument that is worth their money. Some even sound like they look down on our knowledge and make us feel small. A lot of what I learnt is from oral tradition and of course experience. I do not hold to the thought that this guide is perfect. But I hope to help some to just start off into the big huge world of music easier. I also believe that everyone can play music someway or another if we only help them patiently. So I hope this post will help ignite an interest to learn music too for some.

Now this is the first step in choosing a guitar and the wisest thing to do is to set a budget first. A guitar can range from the price of 10USD (RM50) to 50kUSD about (RM150-200k). I am just estimating for you to roughly know. Prices fluctuate like the economy Still below I will describe the differences in price range and guitars so that you can set your budget.

I will do this in Malaysian Ringgit and you can do the necessary conversions ok?

El-Cheapos

Now there are those I call el-cheapos and they range from RM50 to RM500. These guitars are made mostly from plywood. They are definitely made in factories and mass produced. Some can look really good but generally they are hollow in sound. Along this entire post, I’m generalising but there are exceptions ok? They are painful to press. Decent enough to give you chords and for strumming. It is also not painful to damage and when carried around traveling. They are lighter and have various finishing flaws and weaknesses. These guitars are generally China made. The brands that have guitars this range are like the all famous Kapok, Santa Cruz, SX, Ayer, Ibanez, Fender, and Yamaha.

This is the head stock and the neck of a guitar

These are the tuning heads

Entry Level Guitars

Then there are those what I call entry level guitars. They range from the price of RM600 – RM2000. These would be my preferred range for beginners start with. Now this is hard for people to accept as you might not want your children buying something that is worth so much and then choose in the end not to learn. Later I will give the reasons why I am insistent as a teacher that they should begin with guitars at this price range. These guitars would have a solid top. What is that? There you know ah, the piece of wood with the hole on the top. That is the top la. Solid means it is made of just one piece of solid wood rather than plywood. Now the more solid the wood, usually the less hollow sounding the guitar will be and that’s what we call ‘fuller’. The rest of the guitar is usually still made of plywood. Now what makes the difference in price? In this range we see a difference in the production of the guitar. The cheaper ones are factory produced whereas the more expensive ones are partially factory made or possibly sometimes fully hand made. Is hand made better? Yes, it makes a whole lot of difference because an instrument has to be crafted and years of instruments tradition has still proven hand made acoustic instruments are the best.

Still it is always good to pick up a guitar and try before assuming that if it says handmade it is better. Because at this range, the luthiers (guitar makers) are not super famous and master makers. To the expensive range, there are those that are well made though. Still I would say that they only fit in this category because of reasons we will later discover.

This is the fretboard. Those metal things (not the strings) are frets and the dots are inlays

Now why I insist that guitars of these range should be the beginners starting point. The first very good reason is that they are less painful! How to be encouraged to play when it hurts so bad? As a kid I would immediately stop if I had to go through such pain. Reason two, when you adjust your ear to good sound, we gradually will be able to discern good quality sound. This range gives decently good sounds. Some in fact sound very very nice. At this range playing these guitars are pleasurable if you have sufficient skills. Some of this range in fact have what we call electronic pickups so that you can plug into a sound system. These however are the lower range pickups that often just do the job of making the sound louder but may not pick the full sound of the guitar.¬† Another reason in getting a guitar at this price range is that you can also teach a student that a better guitar needs more care compared to a cheaper one and a good guitarist doesn’t just play but has to love his/her instrument. There are more reasons but I don’t want to go too in depth in this post.

There are more brands within this range. The beginning range is still made in China. There will be some you will see in this range made in Mexico, Korea, Vietnam. Canada and more. In my opinion, the Canadian and Korean made guitars in this range are the best. I’m going to arrange them by pricing also as much as I can. So the earlier ones are cheaper and the later ones are more expensive but this order can differ because there are millions of guitars and variations out there ok? SX, Ibanez, Fender, Epiphone, Washburn then near the 2k range Cort (Korean), Godin (Canadian family of – Seagull, Simon and Patrick, Godin, Norman and more), Yamaha, Martin (US/Mexico), Takamine (Korean), Alvarez, Ovation (Korea, and some made in other countries) and many many more, there are even Taylors at this price range for some who didn’t know (like me hahahaha).

This is a nice view of the guitar hahaha

Players guitars

This is the range of guitars in which a musician of intermediate standard to professional standards will need. It ranges from RM3k-20k.¬† Wow that is a huge range! Yes it is. Let me explain why. Firstly the level of workmanship here is rather important. The more expensive ones usually are guaranteed to be almost flawless in make. Mostly this range of guitars are all handmade by skillful luthiers. The difference in price here is also dependent on the wood combination. Here we have loads of different kinds of variations of solid and plywood. The expensive ones usually contain an all solid wood body. The lower ones varies depending on the series. As we know generally, different woods are differently priced. Some woods are rare and expensive. Some less. Also the grain of wood for the expensive guitars are also much better and finer. Each type of wood will distinctly shape the guitar’s sound. (this is taken from http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/guitars/acoustic/buying-guide.php)

Mahogany	When used as a top, mahogany has a relatively low velocity of sound (compared to other top woods), considerable density and a low overtone content producing a solid tone, and responds best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Mahogany-topped guitars have a strong “punchy” tone that is well suited to country blues playing. When considered for back and sides, mahogany has relatively high velocity of sound, which contributes much overtone coloration. While rosewood guitars may be thought of as having a metallic sound, mahogany guitars sound more wood-like. The harder, denser examples of these woods can take also on the characteristics of the rosewoods. Mahogany back and sides tends to emphasize the bass and the treble. Mahogany necks help to create a warmer, more “woody” tonal range. The same holds true when mahogany is used as bridge material.
Koa	Koa has been used for soundboards since the 1920s. This hardwood has a relatively low velocity of sound, considerable density and a low overtone content. Therefore, it tends to produce a solid tone that responds best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Koa has a somewhat more “midrangey” tone that works well for playing rhythm and truly shines in guitars made for Hawaiian-style slide playing. For back and sides, Koa tends to behave much like mahogany in terms of adding tonal coloration, but its emphasis is again more in the midrange.
Brazilian Rosewood	All the rosewoods contribute to tonal coloration. Brazilian rosewood is known for its high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, and is also characterized by strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Rosewood guitars also have a pronounced reverberant-like tone quality, caused by audible delays in the onset of certain harmonics. Brazilian rosewood has tremendous clarity in the bottom end and sparkle in the top. When used for necks, Brazilian rosewood adds sparkle and ring.
Indian Rosewood	Indian rosewood is also known for high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Indian rosewood has a thicker, more midrange overall coloration. When used for necks, Indian rosewood can help fatten up the midrange.
Sitka Spruce	Spruce is the standard material for soundboards, the most commonly used species being Sitka. Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a natural for high velocity of sound. A strong fundamental-to-overtone ratio gives Sitka spruce a powerful direct tone capable of retaining its clarity when played forcefully. This makes Sitka an excellent choice for top wood for players whose style demands a wide dynamic response and a robust, meaty tone. On the other hand, the lack of complex overtones in Sitka can produce a somewhat thin sound when played with a light touch – of course, depending upon the design of the guitar and the other choices of wood in its construction.
Red Spruce	Red spruce is relatively heavy, has a high velocity of sound, and the highest stiffness across and along the grain of all the top woods. Like Sitka, is has a strong fundamental, but also a more complex overtone content. Tops produce the highest volume, yet they also have a rich fullness of tone that retains clarity at all dynamic levels. In short, red spruce may well be the Holy Grail of top woods for acoustic steel-string guitars.
Maple	Maple, as a result of its greater weight and lower sound velocity, can be downright flat sounding, a blessing in disguise when a guitar is amplified at high sound pressure levels. This is why maple is the wood of choice for electric guitar tops. West coast big leaf maple is the softest and lightest of the maple family, with a wood grain that resembles waves. Aside from a visually breathtaking pattern, the wavy fibers of “curly” maple reduce the long grain stiffness and vibrate more freely. (This is the secret to the bright, clear powerful sound of the Parker Fly, a solid-body guitar made with a curly maple body.) In acoustic guitar use, different species of maple, such as big leaf, sugar, and bearclaw tend to be more acoustically transparent due to their lower velocity of sound and high degree of internal damping. This allows the tonal characteristic of the top to be heard without the addition of significant tonal coloration. Maple necks can impart a bright “poppy” tone that can do much to reinforce the top end of a large-bodied guitar.
Alder	Alder is a lightweight wood that is highly resonant, producing a full rich tone. When used for solid-body construction, alder provides a very good low end and midrange with the best performance in the lower midrange. Alder also exhibits good high-end characteristics and sustain.
Poplar	Poplar is a stringy, dense, yet lightweight hardwood that is unusually resonant. Poplar, when used in solid-body electric guitars, has an exceptionally crisp sound, often described as “spirited” and “bouncy” – even “funky.” Poplar guitars are ideal choices for players who favor single-coil snap and clean sound.
Basswood	Basswood is light, stiff, and stable, which makes it particularly effective for necks and bass instruments thanks to its excellent low-end response.
Ebony	Ebony, the traditional material found on the necks of violins, classical guitars, and high-end steel strings, has the lowest velocity of sound of all the woods commonly used and has definite damping characteristics. While not a problem for large-bodied guitars made of red spruce or Brazilian rosewood, it may be something to consider when designing smaller guitars, particularly those using less resonant tonewoods for tops and backs.

As we know, there are many more types of wood. I have not even begun to experiment with all. The parts on the guitar like the tuning heads, the saddle and so on are sure to be of high quality for this price range.

Cutaway body with gloss finish

Why this range is called players guitar range is because they generally sound very very good and are made to bring out the best qualities of the guitar in a private residence to even a concert hall. They have a very very full sound to them and are very very easy to play. The ‘action’ what we call the touch when we press the strings are amazingly better and crafted accurately to ensure that you get the best pitch and sound out of your guitar. The best sounding guitars can be found in this range. And I must say it makes a world of difference to an experienced player to bring their skills to a different level when playing a good guitar. I mean, in just two months I found I have been able to do what I have not been able to do for years.

Generally if the guitars at these ranges have a pickup, they are of the best range. They have very good pickups that pickup the timbre of the guitar with the utmost highest accuracy available today.

Taylors ES System Pickup Controls

Plug in hole for cable and battery container

Now these brands I will name in my opinion make the best player guitars in the market today. Taylor, Maton, Martin, Gibson, Santa Cruz, and Ovation. Notice I have now narrowed down the brands. This is because, this is just my opinion on what are good. There are many more within this price range. I must say that you have to choose the guitar as a player yourself. I also don’t have the resources to play too many of them that are in these range because I’m not a wealthy man. One big surprise that some of you who know me is the fact that I excluded Yamaha from this. I have my reasons. I must say that I’m rather disappointed with Yamaha guitars nowadays in this range. Terrible I must say. The cheaper Yamahas are good though but not their top range in comparison to the rest. There are also loads of other brands but I don’t want to recommend also because I will not recommend something I have not experienced to be good for myself. I lack the exposure that some have to really play all these marvelous instruments.

Display guitars

Now here we have the range of guitars from RM30k to 200k. Why the ridiculous price!!!!??? Because these guitars are beautiful. Not only they sound good. They are works of art. The intricate details and designs on the guitar are remarkable. They are like what I say meant to be on display because playing them will damage them definitely. Some artists are rich enough to own such and play them but for most of us humans, these are impossible to own in our lifetime. There is no necessity if you are looking for one to play but is really for those who collect. They are museum pieces in my opinion. They take an awful long time to make.

The Martin D-50 Deluxe

These brands make beautiful guitars that I can only dream of; Taylor, Gibson, Charis, Martin and some others that I don’t remember because I don’t even think I would ever want to own one. Hahaha.

Guitar shapes

You must be aware that there are many many different types of shapes for the guitars. The most famous being the Dreadnaught seen in the the picture above, the Martin D-50.

The rest are like Cutaways, Jumbo, Folk, Classical, Grand Auditorium and Mini Jumbo. This also changes the sound of the guitar and the types of styles of playing.

The dreadnaught is generally a full sounding type that is suitable to strumming styles. The Jumbo gives you a more bassy sound and the cutaways are generally brighter for finger picking styles. Mine is a Grand Auditorium.

Top of the guitar

Bridge and saddle

Other advice:

Now the fact is that price depends on branding again. There are more popular brands and less popular ones. The popular ones are always more expensive but have better second hand value.

Pickups are a whole other issue to talk about and I won’t. But a good guitar is not dependent on the pickup which can be added later and the pickup prices are quite fixed. Good pickups themselves are not very very costly. Just about RM1000.

I also think that a musician must realise these two things. That an instrument although may be the same model, wood and brand will always differ. Each instrument has its own unique voice. Even the cheapest one. If you can appreciate the beauty of the sound of a guitar, that is the most important. Still there is such thing as a good sound because it is just how we are designed by God.

Soundhole

Secondly, each musician has their own way of creating music and will have preferences that differ making the guitar choices personal. So don’t insult a musician’s instrument. It is a reflection of who they are.

Also watch out for climate issues because where the guitars are made will raise different ways in which you have to take care of your instrument or it will be damaged.

Of course remember, the sound of the guitar is highly dependent on the strings used and the players skills. Strings range from the price of RM5 to RM70. Good strings are a good investment. They last longer, sound better and generally don’t break so easily. Those prices about RM20 onwards are rather good already. Best string brands are D’ardarrio, Ernie Ball, Martin and Elixir. Their top ranges of strings cost all about RM60-70. My personal favorites are the Ernie Ball Super Slinky Acoustic Titaniums.

Ooooo did I tell you my tuning heads are gold plated

Buying a second hand guitar is also a skill because as you start to experience these guitars of different ranges you will know how to look for a good guitar. Such as a straight neck, wear and tear, finish damage, or wood condition and grain and so on so forth. Always get someone who is more expert to help you to learn. Thats why luthier tradition is still passed down like kung fu from a master to another not by a book. So yes I learnt this all from multiple ‘Si Fus’

So the second step after setting the budget is just to try as many as you can, any within that budget range and choose which really suits you in terms of sound, touch, looks, and needs.

I’m so glad that now I have a wonderful guitar. One I can say is heaven sent! And you have seen every part of it! The pics are that of my real guitar except the Martin hahaa. Wow I have written too much but I hope it helps any of you as to how to choose a guitar. I think now you also know how to appreciate a musician or a guitarist a bit more. Cheers! Happy guitar hunting.

Tags: guitar, Music