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Schmidt Acoustic

How to inspect a guitar

Although the quality and playability of even the most inexpensive guitars has improved in the last few years, there are a number of things you need to take a look at before deciding on a guitar.

Visual inspection. First, visually inspect the guitar for cracks, chips, loose screws, dings or other damage. Also check the tuning machines to make sure they turn easily (but are not loose) and they are securely anchored to the headstock.

Although they might be unsightly, damages to a guitar's finish typically don't affect its playability and sound. Just be sure that the damage doesn't indicate an unseen problem with the guitar such as breaks in the wood or structure of the guitar.

The neck. It's a very good idea to take a good look at the place where the neck meets the body of the guitar. For acoustic guitars, make sure that the neck is firmly attached to the body. For the most part, the only time you'll see a gap or other problem is if the guitar has been damaged or inferior materials have been used. Even a gap the thickness of a business card indicates a problem. Acoustic guitars are under extreme pressure from the six strings and once a neck begins to pull, it almost always leads to the need for repair.

For electric guitars, it's rare to find a problem in the area where the neck is attached to the body unless it has been replaced at some point by an unqualified repair person.

The neck and fretboard should be straight and true. With a little practice, you can learn how to visually check the neck of the guitar to determine if it's straight and true. Holding the guitar with the tuners closest to you and the body of the guitar on the floor, check to see if the neck is straight and does not have low or high spots.

Checking the action. Next, check the action (distance of the strings from the fretboard) to make sure it's not a struggle to push down the strings to play single notes and chords. A good rule of thumb is that the strings should be approx. 3/32" at the twelfth fret. This is the case for both acoustic and electric guitars. A guitar's action can be adjusted but only to a certain degree so it's best to choose an instrument with low action as it will be much easier to play.

Some guitars develop a twist in their neck and this is something you should be able to notice pretty easily. It's a good idea to stay away from a guitar that shows signs of twisting of the neck as it may be difficult to play, hard to keep in tune and this condition may lead to other problems.

The bridge

For an acoustic, make sure there is no gap between the bridge and the top of the guitar. Even if you can only slide a business card under the bridge, it still means the bridge may be beginning to separate from the top. Take a look at the six bridge pins and make sure they are firmly in place without one being higher than another. There shouldn't be any gaps around the bridge pins and the saddle should be straight and level.

Most bridges on an electric guitar are held in place with screws and that's a good place to start your inspection. Also make sure there are no pieces missing. If the bridge is adjustable, find the wrench or screwdriver you need to see if the bridge (individual bridges) actually move when you try to adjust them (or ask the salesperson in the store to do it for you). Older electric guitars sometimes have bridges that become "stuck" in place and can't be adjusted.

The frets
Unless a guitar is quite old and has been played extensively, there should be no problems with the frets. Make sure that they are even, unworn and have been "dressed" properly (no sharp edges or burs). This is the case for both acoustic and electric guitars.

Worn out frets can cause strings to buzz when played. And replacing the frets on a guitar, either acoustic or electric, can be very expensive.

The strings
Take a look at the strings of the guitar to determine how old they are. New strings are shiny and clean while old strings are uneven in color, have dark spots and in extreme cases, are starting to unwind. Keep in mind that a set of old strings can sound dull and lifeless making an otherwise great guitar sound bad. Guitar strings are relatively inexpensive so don't be afraid to ask your salesperson to put new strings on a guitar you're interested in so you can hear it at its best.

The body
Here again, the body of an acoustic guitar is a lot more susceptible to damage than the body of an electric. Pay close attention to the top, bottom and sides of an acoustic to check for any kind of damage. A scratch, ding or dent isn't going to effect the sound (some players think such minor damage gives the guitar character). If however, you see any parts of the body pulling apart or there is evidence that the guitar is damaged from being dropped or abused, move on to another guitar.

The pickups
The only way to make sure the pickups are working on an electric guitar is to play it or have someone play it for you. Make sure each pickup (and the controls for that pickup) work properly. Some acoustic guitar have pickup too so carry out the same inspection.

Follow the inspection guidelines above and you won't be stuck with a guitar that's hard to play or one that will need expensive repairs.

About the Author

Dale Schmidt is a guitar, banjo and mandolin teacher in Washington state and author of Your Private Guitar Teacher and Sheet Music Magic for Guitar. For more information: http://www.yourprivateguitarteacher.com and http://www.daleschmidt.com

what brand acoustic guitar is better?

I have a list of brands and need to know which brand is better. I pretty much already know which models I like. The brands are:
Seagull
Fender
Ovation
Dean
Oscar Schmidt
Alvarez
Ibanez
Guild

It would be nice to receive a little pro and con on each brand. Thanks yahoo community

This is sort of a trick question, since it really is a matter of price. All these companies are really great companies and make excellent guitars if you want to spend more.

What you really want is the most solid wood you can buy. And I think Mitchell has the cheapest all solid wood guitar, and I think it sounds great. Although I must say Breedlove, Martin and Taylors solid tops really sound nice, which I don't quite understand. They are more expensive, however, than their solid top counterparts. I think the cheapest solid top is Epiphone for $99, but that just doesn't sound as good as the stolid tops above.

Let me just say a few words here.

Seagull - I personally don't like the cedar tops. They are too soft for me.
Ovation - this is really a specialty guitar for those who like playing live or through an amp and want to avoid the boomiesness of traditional guitars. To me they sacrifice warmth in strumming with really high quality fingerpicking or lead playing bennefits.

Guild - well, those are just excellent, like the Martin, the Taylors, the Breedloves. I have never really bothered to try them because they are so expensive.

Dean - I would avoid the heavy laminate Deans. They are great to look at, but the laminate doesn't do anything for the sound. However, the non-laminate Deans, the new Fenders, Alvarez and Ibanez - they are all good solid top guitars. Don't get one that is not a solid top. Make sure the strings don't buzz. I can't really tell by the sound of them any difference. The strings might be nicer on one, the setup is better on another, the Dean bridge is supposedly more efficient in the transmission of sound, but I really can't hear it.

I'm surprised the Yamaha and Mitchell aren't on your list, as well as the Takamine.

Schmidt Acoustic
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Schmidt Acoustic