lute@abnjh.UUCP (J. Collymore) (06/08/84)
(Note: This article assumes that you can at least play guitar.)
I am an "unschooled" classical guitarist, but I will give you my opinion
on the choosing of a classical guitar, anyway.
Go to a music store that specializes in guitars, or has a good-sized stock of
acoustic (folk & classical) guitars, and (hopefully) some knowledgeable
guitar salespersons. If the stock is good, but there are no good salespeople,
just play the guitar. If it sounds good (e.g. good tone, no buzzing on the
notes played around the 12th fret, good harmonics can be produced easily) and
you like it, buy it. I think that if you like the sound you get from the
instrument, and it has no defects, that is the most important way to choose
an instrument. Also, I think it is wiser to buy the instrument you play,
not one brought up from the stockroom, UNLESS you also play that one, and
are equally happy with its tone. Musical instruments are highly individual,
and there is no guarantee that they will be identical in tone and quality
from instrument to instrument, even if they are made by the same
manufacturer or craftsman.
Also, take a good look at the color of the wood on the top (front) of the
guitar. Allowing for the type of wood, and any wood stains/varnishes used,
if the wood is light colored, that means it probably hasn't aged. If it is
dark, it probably has. If the wood is aged, it will probably hold its tone
in the years to come, or improve. If it hasn't aged, the wood will age
while you own it, and its sound may change drastically from the tone you
originally bought it for (this can be a mixed blessing).
Finally, the strings that are on it when you first play it will affect how
it sounds and how it plays. Make sure the guitar is in tune (at the right
pitch). Don't be afraid to tune it when teesting it out. Ask what type of
strings are on it when you test it. "Silver" strings are very bright and
loud, "gold" strings are somewhat softer, mellower, and "darker" in tone.
Most stores will have silver strings on their floor model guitars
since gold strings are 2-3 times as expensive. Allow for this though when
judging the guitar's sound.
By the way, when you get the strings of your choice for the guitar, I'd
be wary of "hard" tension strings. They may cause early neck warpage.
However, this is my fear. You should feel free to experiment. Also,
when you choose your strings get two sets (one as a full replacement set,
and the other to "cannabalize" if neccessary. And if you want to try gold
strings, be warned, they are hard to come buy and usually have to be
special ordered. D'darrio makes a variety of silver and gold strings, you
might start off with them.
One other thing you should do when trying out various guitars at various shops
is try one or two guitars that are in a price range beyond your present
allowance. This will give you a level for comparison that may be useful in
making your final choice. You may also be surprised that some of the less
expensive guitars' sound may be equal to that of some of the more expensive
guitars.
Anyway, in the final analysis, I think it comes down to is what can you
afford to spend, (and once that's decided) taking the time to play a lot
of prospective guitars. Settle on the one that gives you the best
feeling and inspiration when you play it. Making beautiful music, no matter
how simple, or of what style, is an act of love and joy. If you do not
feel happy with your instrument, it will be heard in your music.
I hope you find a guitar that will make you very happy.
Jim Collymoreelf@utcsrgv.UUCP (Eugene Fiume) (06/11/84)
I thought I'd follow up on Jim's inspirational message on acquiring a classical guitar. I think the single biggest problem with buying any instrument is that unless your technique has been perfected--and whose is-- what sounds good to you now may change with the improvements (or in my case degradation) in technique. Classical guitars are particularly prone to this problem, especially when you start buying so-called handmades (e.g. Ramirez, Kohno). These are typically very well made guitars with individual characteristics. For example, high quality classical guitars have either cedar or spruce tops. Cedar-topped guitars tend to sound louder and brighter than spruce-topped ones, all other things being equal. That doesn't mean cedar is better. But certainly the characteristics of the guitar affect (perhaps unconsciously) one's technique AND choice of repertoire. It can be hard to judge how one will be affected by an instrument. My solution is the obvious cop out: own more than one guitar. Another thing to worry about is humidity. Depending on where the guitar was made, the sound (and health) of a guitar is optimal somewhere in the 30-60% relative humidity range. The precise figure is depends greatly on the instrument, and it is wise to choose a guitar whose requirements are not at odds with your environment. Lower-priced guitars can often be surprisingly good. My first guitar was a pretty cheap Yamaha (less than $200 Canadian, about 10 years ago), which I kept for a long time. Takamine makes a super cedar-topped instrument for just over $250CDN. In fact, T makes two low-priced models. The cheaper one has always sounded better to my ears. From my experience, the Japanese (e.g. Yamaha, Takamine) have it all over the Americans (e.g. Fender, Martin) wrt budget-priced classic guitars. Eugene Fiume U of Toronto utzoo!utcsrgv!elf
dbb@fluke.UUCP (Dave Bartley) (06/11/84)
There's very little I would add to Jim Collymore's advice; his article sums thing up admirably. An important thing to consider when just starting out is the playability or "action" of the guitar. It's a lot harder to get motivated to practice if, after an hour's practice, you have furrows suitable for farming on you fingertips. At the beginning, when your ear isn't that accustomed to the subtleties of guitar tone anyway, I would say this is more important than tone. It doesn't matter how it sounds if you dread playing it. If you don't play guitar, bring someone with you who does to the store. Salespeople are there to sell you merchandise. Sometimes they are very helpful and sometimes they just seem very helpful. And, to repeat what Jim said for emphasis, ONLY buy a guitar that you've PLAYED. Each instrument has its own personality (or should; at < $350 you will be getting a mass-produced instrument but they still vary quite a bit within the same model). Good luck shopping, and best of luck with playing, -- Dave Bartley decvax\ John Fluke Mfg Co. ihnp4 >!uw-beaver\ PO Box C9090 allegra >!fluke!dbb Everett,WA 98206 USA ucbvax >!lbl-csam / (206)356-5284 hplabs/
mwg@mouton.UUCP (06/12/84)
++ Something that I noticed about playing classical guitar is that the sound heard in front of the player is much better than that which the player hears himself. When I bought my Aria, I went with my teacher (who is a very good guitarist, of course) and listened to her play several models for the sound, then played them myself for the 'feel'. - Mark Garrett