Trying guitars...

OK - it is not really that I'm looking to impress someone - it's more that I didn't feel at ease and relaxed, had problems remembering what I have been playing recently etc... - obviously, takin the guitar home is a great plan if possible.

But it is also that I began wondering if there are things I should look for / listen for. Thanks Wes, you're obviously right saying that it's most important to play it clean.

And like some of you said - yes I think it's about getting the feel of the guitar - I'm pretty sure that is something normally established quick, and then we spend a long time trying to justify it.

However - one great solution presented itself yesterday - my uncle has a Ibanez of the same type from approx 1980 - it has been laying under his bed for some time, and he offered me to try it for some six months to see if I like the type of guitar. ... that should be sufficent to give a good idea of the type (real hollowbody) :-)

I always try to play an onscure song that no one would recognize. That way no one will really know if I'm playing it correctly or not.

My favorite is an easy Rush song, Bacchius Plateau.

I feel the same about trying guitars, so I don't unless I'm really thinking of buying one. If I am going to buy a pack of guitar strings at my local store I just walk in, buy the strings and walk out even if I see something intresting.

The best would be to try a guitar unplugged, if you like it take it home. I'm sure all guitar stores have a return policy so if you don't like the sound you can take it back to the store. At home you can try at the right volume and also be sure to test it on your own amp.

I am a beginner and I only know like 2 songs, so when I tried out an Epi LP at Guitar Center, I hear this old guy say:

"Hes just been sitting there playing the same riffs over and over."

Better then having the amp turned off and guitar taken out of your hands. :x Dumb music store owner. I ended up getting my Gibby Flying V not too long after that at the other local store (Todd's Guitars, Etc.). Now if they would only send mail out quicker and not get something like a free string change for all Gibson and Epi guitars two days late I would be much happier. :( E-mail's would be nice.

I like to look at the guitars, but only if they're unplugged or for gear testing, then it's okay. I don't need anymore guitar's for now. I'm very happy with what I have. Sort of have two of my dream guitars already, my Gibby Flying V and Ibanez RG. Maybe when I get better I'll get a new guitar.

when I check out elecric guitars that I might buy I never really test it for how it sounds. frankly, the environment and amps are not even close to how I want it. since I dont lug my amp to the stroe how could I possibly get an idea for tone/sound?
what I do look for is the feel, the resonance inheirant in the guitar. I look for intonation, how the controls work; do they work? any loud unwanted hoises or pops? I feel the neck, looking at workmanship. I check out the tuners...all the components of the guitar. if that passes I may plug it in and have it say hello. usually I arppegiate an open E chord. then I try out a few barres. I kick the tires so to speak.
trying to distinguish your sound you want with a new guitar and an unfamiliar amp in a guitar stores 'hostile' enviroment is impossible. there are too many shredders miming guitar licks. I refuse to compete.
one purchased and at home I have at it. if the guitar 'falls apart' then I return or exchange it.

Sometimes I think guitar store employees make sales in spite of themselves, I don't have any GC's anywhere near me, but there is a big local shop kinda similar although they don't carry Gibson, Epi or Vox stuff. I've been stinking of an amp purchace and I was telling the guy what I was thinking about and all he said was yep. uh huh, yep, to the point where I just left.

It wasn't like he was busy, there were only 2 people browsing the shop, guess when I buy it'll be online.

In a few years when they have to close for lack of sales they will blame it on the online sales, not the poor customer service they provide.

Scott

I am a beginner and I only know like 2 songs, so when I tried out an Epi LP at Guitar Center, I hear this old guy say:

"Hes just been sitting there playing the same riffs over and over."

Better then having the amp turned off and guitar taken out of your hands. Dumb music store owner.

LOL, those were great.

I dunno, I kinda understand these salespeople. Last time I was in GC, this kid was playing The Sandman riff from Metallica over and over and over through a Marshall amp with max gain. I thought I was gonna grab his guitar away from him and smash it like John Belushi in Animal House. :D

As much as I love guitar, I think I would get a headache listening to that all day.

Unless you go to a local music store and know the owner, it is difficult to sit for hours and really try a guitar out. And even then, they really don't want the expensive guitars handled because you might scratch them up. So this is understandable.

Guitars are so much better today, almost every guitar is a good guitar. I am not afraid to order online. You just gotta read lots of reviews and see what people say, and what type of music the guitar is good for. You don't want a guitar with EMG81 pickups if you are playing clean Country.
And you don't want a Fender Twin amp if you are playing Metal. So you need to do a little research first and find gear that fits your style of playing.

When I went acoustic shopping some months ago for my second acoustic, I had a strage strore experience.

I went to a shop on the otherside of town, where I bought my Jay Turser LP, and went straight to the acoutic department. One of the sales man came over and held out a $2600 Larivee. I told him it was way out of my price range, but he said to try it out anyway, just because it was such a nice guitar. I tried it, it sounded nice, but it was impossible to finger pick on, bad action and a lot of drag, but I think it just needed a proper setup. When I was finished with it, I went over to the $700-800 guitars, and picked out a Washburn.

Paul

And I thought I was the only one who got stage fright at my local guitar store! :o

Not only do I get nervous in front of a store full of guitar geeks, I have a hard time relaxing enough to play well for my husband. Guitar, that is. :oops:

I personally don't plug the desired guitar in. And I hope that everyone else is loud enough that they can't hear my feeble attempts at playing anything worthwhile. Then, if the guitar feels right (and you all know what that means), I ask the salesperson to plug it into an amp of my choosing and play. They're almost always happy to oblige, I've found. :wink: Then...there's either a happy ending or I develop extreme flu-like symptoms which were already in Stage 1 before entering the store.

I haven't tried an acoustic in about 20 years. Wonder why...

Not only do I get nervous in front of a store full of guitar geeks,
A while ago, I was in my local chain music store, and was feeling inadequate after hearing a guy giving a beautiful sounding classical guitar a test drive.
I was looking at the "affordable" acoustics, but was too intimated to pick one up.
Then I noticed a six string banjo... Picked it up and played the riff from Inna Godda Da Vida on it.

The guy playing the classical stopped, looked at me with a big grin and said "that's perfect!".

We chatted for a while, he told me that he'd been playing for over 20 years. I admitted to less than a year, and he gave me his honest opinion of several of the budget guitars that I was looking at.