How to choose an acoustic guitar. How to Choose an Electroacoustic Guitar

Choosing a guitar is an important event for any musician. For those who just start playing music, this can be an extremely difficult task. Therefore, before choosing an acoustic guitar, it is worthwhile to study the basic technical characteristics of such an instrument and to determine in advance the requirements that your purchase must meet.

Choosing an Acoustic Guitar

How to choose an acoustic guitar is often not known to those who make a purchase for the first time. First of all pay attention to the material from which the tool is made. A good guitar is made from several types of wood - this allows you to achieve the required sound transmission. It is important that the wood is thoroughly dried, otherwise the guitar will start to deform with time. Be sure to make sure that the tool body does not have plastic parts - this degrades the sound quality.

Pay attention to the nails, that is, the special overlay, through which the strings are passed. It determines the height over which the strings will be placed above the neck. For a beginner musician, it's better to stay on a low-threshold version: in this case, for a good sound, less pressure is required and, accordingly, less effort in playing.

Be sure to try playing the guitar before buying. Virtuosity of performance is unimportant, the main thing is to evaluate the sound. It must be saturated and pure, without rattling or discordant notes. If you hear a rattling, then most likely in the manufacture of violations were committed. Check how the instrument sounds when you play by brute force, fight, whether the sound is good enough when using a mediator or finger pads.

Make sure that the guitar can withstand a slender sound at 9, 11 and higher frets. Some low-quality models stop building as you approach the case, and on such an instrument you can not play complex compositions. The last thing you should pay attention to is the appearance. Remember that too externally externally cheap model can be just a cover for defects.

How to choose the right electro acoustic guitar

A peculiar subset of the instrument is an electroacoustic guitar. It is distinguished first of all by a pickup - a special mechanism that transmits sound to external media. In the rest, it must meet the requirements that are imposed on completely acoustic instruments.

The most high-quality and surround sound can be extracted from a guitar, the pickup on which is a miniature microphone. However, such tools are quite expensive. Wherever a conventional piezoelectric sensor is considered to be less reliable , it is also able to remove sound quite qualitatively, if installed on the guitar body. But models with a pickup tablet on the fretboard should be immediately put aside: the sound of such a tool will be distorted and incomplete.

Before choosing an electro-acoustic guitar, you should think about additional accessories, such as a mediator, a sound tuner, an equalizer and a tuning fork. The availability of these items is not mandatory, but greatly facilitates the process of the game.

How to choose the strings for a guitar?

As a rule, strings complete with a guitar are not supplied. Therefore, the first question that arises in any musician: "How to choose strings for an acoustic guitar?" Firms, producing them, are now quite a few, when choosing one should proceed more from personal preferences than from some common criteria.

All kinds of strings can be divided according to the material of manufacture on nylon and metal. The first are installed on guitars of the so-called classical type. They have a softer and quiet, compared to metallic, sound and are excellent for performing romances and instrumental studies. At the same time, the strength of their tension is less, therefore, it's easier to play classical guitars than on models with metal strings. It is important to remember that classical instruments lack an anchor mechanism that changes the slope of the neck, so placing metal strings on them can deform the body.

The best instruments for the performance of rock, blues and bard songs are pop guitars. Metal strings, mounted on them, are distinguished by a powerful, rich sound. However, due to the high tension force, not everyone can play on them. When choosing strings, you must take into account their diameter, which also determines the timbre of sound: the thinner the string, the more sonorous the sound. However, thin strings wear out much more quickly, as a result of which they have to be changed more often.

Installation and tuning of strings

The correct placement of strings on an acoustic guitar determines how harmoniously your instrument will sound. Each string should be carefully fixed on the lower spigot and in the hole of the corresponding spike. Only after this, it is possible, by gently rotating the pegs clockwise, to start the adjustment - to tension each string to the extent that when grazing it produces a strictly defined sound. To achieve this without a musical education can be difficult, therefore, before choosing an acoustic guitar, it is recommended to buy a tuning fork.

The tuning is always started from 1 string, the sound of which must correspond to the notes. After it is stretched with the necessary force, you need to hold the 2 string on the fifth fret and twist the pegs until both strings start to sound in unison. Do not try to do it quickly - a sudden increase in voltage can break the string. The same principle applies to the others: each subsequent one, when clamped on the fifth fret, should sound the same as the previous one. The only exception is the third string - it is tuned to the fourth fret.

How to quickly tune a guitar

Many beginner musicians are forced several times to relax and re-tighten the strings, because it is not immediately possible to correctly adjust the acoustic guitar. Do not be upset because of this - the skill comes with experience. If you need to adjust the guitar quickly and without much effort, you can use a guitar tuner. This small device captures the sound of the string and shows whether it matches the target, and how much you need to turn the pegs to achieve the desired sound.

How much does a guitar cost?

The average cost of an acoustic guitar varies from 3000 to 15000 rubles. Better tools produced by well-known firms can cost up to 80,000 rubles and more. The main mistake often made by newcomers is buying the cheapest guitar. Doing this is not worth it, since models costing less than 4000, as a rule, do not have good quality.

Too expensive, however, is also not worth buying - it is quite possible that in a few years you will have a desire to replace it with a more functional model. The optimal choice for those who are just starting to learn music will be a tool that is in the price range from 4000 to 7000 rubles.

Acquiring a guitar is an important and fascinating activity for all who are connected with music. Do not be afraid to ask questions to sales consultants and clarify incomprehensible nuances. In case you do not even know how to choose an acoustic guitar, it is better to ask in advance for the help of acquaintances already having similar experience.