How to Buy a Guitar
by T. Perry Bowers
I picked up my first guitar when I was about six years old. I plinked around on guitars for a long time after that, but I only really got serious about playing six years ago. I played drums and sang in bands all my life, but I’m basically a newborn when it comes to guitar playing. I was given three very nice guitars before I got it through my thick skull that I needed to add some discipline to the mix. Now I practice every day. I’ve written about twenty songs with my band Silverseed. I credit a lot of my success in learning to play the guitar to the Guitar Whisperer, Kenny Rardin.
Kenny Rardin has been in the guitar business for a long time. I’ve no idea how old he is, but he has stories about opening for Led Zeppelin, so he’s got some history. Being a studio owner, I’ve owned a few guitars in my time, I just never played them much. I owned a 1978 Fender Stratocaster. It was a decent guitar. But I knew nothing about the history of Fender. 1978 and 1962 were the same thing to me back then. However something wasn’t quite right with that guitar. I couldn’t get it to stay in tune. The pickups sounded tinny. It didn’t feel good to play. I kept bringing it to different guitar techs in the area, but no one could diagnose and fix what was wrong with it, until Kenny.
My longtime producer friend Tim Andersen introduced me to Kenny. We went up to Kenny’s old shop and delivered the ’78 Strat. A couple of days later, I picked it up and it was like magic. It stayed in tune. The action was low. Kenny recommended I make a few slight electronics modifications. I was so happy. Not only did my guitar sound better than it ever had, I sounded better. I could play easier. I was actually having fun on my guitar and it wasn’t a battle any more. It was symbiosis.
And that’s the key to buying a guitar – symbiosis. People get caught up with names and styles, but nothing ever takes the place of feel and sound. When you’re buying a guitar, style is part of it, but it’s not the most important part.
Bargaining is a real art form. There are so many guitars on the market right now so you can often get a bargain. I sell a lot of used guitars online, on eBay and reverb.com. I flip my guitars fairly quickly, so I usually sell them for slightly less than they are worth. But, when I am buying a guitar for myself, price isn’t much of a factor. I tried some acoustic guitars at the Podium the other day. I started out playing the fifteen hundred dollar Martins. They were really good. Then, the man who was working there suggested I try, “just for fun,” a three thousand dollar Taylor. Boy, that was great. “If you like that, try this,” he said and handed me a Santa Cruz. The price tag was almost five figures. Wow! What a beast! I have never been so in love with a piece of wood. It resonated with my heart. It sounded like a god and an angel at the same time. Just beautiful.
I didn’t buy it. But, someday, I will. I want the satisfaction of seeing that guitar in the corner of my room, knowing that at any time I can pick it up and feel it vibrate my soul. When I am ready, the price won’t matter because the guitar is calling me. It inspires me just knowing that it exists. To know that someone took the time to pick out each piece of wood and fashion it into a work of art warms my heart. There is true goodness in the world and that guitar is my proof.
My point is, when it comes to guitars, it’s a spiritual thing. If you’re looking for a guitar to play, don’t limit yourself with price at either end of the spectrum. Don’t worry if it’s Mexican, Japanese or American. I have a Tokai (Japanese) Telecaster that is better than any other Tele I’ve ever played (except for a ’62 custom in mint condition). A friend of mine has a Parker, the ugliest guitar in the world, but it sounds awesome. Play with no preconceived notions. Don’t look at the price tag. If it’s too much, you’ll figure out how to get it someday. If it’s “too little,” well, you hit the jackpot.
There are some unbelievable guitars out there for three hundred bucks. It doesn’t hurt to do a little research before heading to the music store (or maybe you’re on a Craigslist odyssey). There are some manufacturing countries that aren’t as good as others, but even they put out a winner once in a while. There are some brands that sound good for the first few months and then fall apart. Fender Squires can be like that because they use cheap metals in their electronics and hardware, but you can always upgrade that stuff down the line if you like the body and the neck.
So be open-minded and find the guitar that inspires you to play. The price tag is irrelevant. The joy and satisfaction that comes with playing, and especially writing songs, is one of the most important things in my life. I believe every dollar I spend on a guitar is a dollar saved on future doctor’s bills. Stress kills – guitars and music are the antidote to stress. Next time you’re on the hunt for a guitar, play it before you judge it or look at the price tag.
Maybe you’ll find a bargain. Maybe you’ll have to dream for a few more years.
