what to look for in an electric guitar
Looking for your commencement electric guitar? We've got you covered.
If you're an aspiring electric guitarist, choosing your kickoff guitar tin be an overwhelming process. With such a vast variety of options out there, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to go dislocated and not know where to start.
There are a large number of factors that contribute to the playability, sound and condolement of a guitar. Permit's become through each one by i so that you can make an informed decision regarding your purchase.
Parts of a guitar
Earlier nosotros dive in, information technology is important to familiarize yourself with the different parts of a guitar and what they practise. This will not merely assist you empathise what you are purchasing, only also aid you in the long run if you lot demand to modify or repair a specific component.
First, we have the trunk. This is the heaviest part of the guitar where nearly of the wood is concentrated. On the body, you will find the various tone and volume knobs, as well as the span that keeps the strings in place. The pickups, besides located on the trunk, are magnets that assistance the guitar translate its vibrations into audio.
The neck is where you would unremarkably hold the guitar. On the front of the neck, yous'll find the fretboard, which is where you lot can press downward on the strings to change their pitch.
Finally, you have the headstock, which is where the tuning pegs are located.
At present that you accept a basic understanding of the beefcake of an electric guitar, let's take a closer await at each component and how it tin can affect your purchasing decisions.
Tonewoods
The blazon of woods used in a guitar'south structure makes a big deviation in how it sounds. Certain woods will outcome in a warmer audio signature, while others will increase sustain, high-end, etc. Because of how they can affect audio quality, these woods are referred to as tonewoods. Allow's take a await at some common tonewoods that are used in the different parts of a guitar and how they impact sound.
Body Wood
Mahogany
Mahogany is one of the virtually popular tonewoods available. Information technology has a warm sound signature which makes information technology great for blues, rock and fifty-fifty metallic.
Alder
Alder is very balanced and does not peculiarly accentuate specific frequencies. The lows, mids and highs are all equally nowadays, making this blazon of wood a groovy choice for those who play many dissimilar styles of music.
Ash
Another very balanced tonewood that sounds similar to alder. Ash sounds slightly mellower, simply the chief difference is in appearance and cosmetics.
Maple
Maple sounds bright and adds sparkle to the high end. For this reason, maple is oft paired with a unlike type of woods in order to residue out the treble.
Basswood
Warm with accentuated mids. Basswood is very affordable and is therefore associated with cheaper guitars, only it nevertheless sounds great.
Fretboard Woods
The blazon of woods used to make a guitar's trunk is just i role of the equation. The fretboard's wood textile also contributes to the feel and playability of an electric guitar, besides as impacting tonal qualities such as warmth and sustain.
Rosewood
Ane of the most common fretboard woods, Rosewood is capable of calculation warmth to a guitar'southward tone, which makes information technology a peachy choice for mellowing out a guitar that would otherwise sound too bright. It feels soft to the fingers, however is besides durable plenty to withstand heavy use. Perfect for those looking for a dark sound signature.
Maple
Unlike Rosewood, Maple actually adds some treble to your tone, allowing for boosted high-cease sparkle. This makes Maple a great option for guitarists who play genres that require more twang and popular, such equally funk and state.
Ebony
Ebony is not as common as rosewood or maple fretboards, but is slowly becoming more popular over time. This is partially due to the introduction of harsher regulations on the import of rosewood in contempo years.
Ebony fretboards are usually all-blackness, giving them a distinctive wait. In terms of sound, ebony is brilliant while maintaining a very well-defined midrange. Then brighter than rosewood, simply not quite as bright as maple. This makes information technology a great centre-ground for those who aren't necessarily looking for an overly warm or overly vivid sound. Ebony is also especially favored by metal guitarists.
Neck Woods
The cervix is one of the most of import aspects to consider when choosing an electric guitar. Since your left hand will be wrapped around the neck whenever you're playing, it is crucial that you pick a cervix that feels comfortable and natural to you.
Just like the fretboard and body, the guitar neck's choice of wood can affect the overall audio and feel of the guitar. While many guitars use the same type of wood for both the neck and the fretboard, this is non ever the instance. For example, information technology is not uncommon to find a guitar that features a rosewood neck and a maple fretboard, or vice versa.
Rosewood
Merely similar when used on the fretboard, a Rosewood neck will shine out your guitar's high frequencies, resulting in a warmer tone.
Mahogany
With its open grains and natural appearance, mahogany wood has a distinct feel to it that results in a very polish audio.
Maple
Maple is commonly used as the neck wood on Stratocaster-blazon guitars due to its brilliant tone and high sustain.
Maple neck
Types of guitar necks
Wood isn't the only factor that affects how a guitar neck sounds. At that place are three main types of neck: bolt-on, set up, and neck-through. Each has their own pros and cons which we will hash out here.
Commodities-on Necks
Although oftentimes regarded every bit the cheapest and lowest quality type of neck past many guitarists, bolt-on necks still have their identify. 1 of the biggest advantages to bolt-on necks is that they are easy to manufacture, which results in lower toll. This is considering it is much simpler to manufacture the trunk and neck separately earlier bolting them together.
Bolt-on necks tend to accept a "twangier" audio, which is why they are usually used on Fender Stratocasters. They are also very easy to supplant or repair, since yous can simply remove the cervix without affecting the rest of the guitar. I disadvantage of a bolt-on is that due to the slight gap between the neck and the torso (since it is bolted on, afterward all), at that place can be some loss of tone transfer between the 2.
Set Necks
Gear up necks are glued onto a guitar's trunk via a dovetail joint, making them easier to industry than neck-through designs, just not as like shooting fish in a barrel equally bolt-on necks. This results in a tighter seal and thus a fuller sound. However, non all guitarists desire such a warm tone, and some might actually prefer a bolt-on. Since tone is subjective, it is important to identify what matters to you instead of looking at trends or popularity.
One of the biggest downsides to a set neck is that it is highly difficult to repair, and almost incommunicable to modify, and so if you're because a set neck guitar, make sure you like the neck first!
Neck-through
Neck-through guitars are less common than their bolt-on or ready cervix counterparts, and are considered the highest-cease cervix type. With cervix-through guitars, the neck and the center of the trunk are made from the same slice of wood, which results in the neck running the unabridged length of the guitar and eliminates the need to bolt or gum them together. This too results in the highest level of force and durability.
With neck-through designs, the neck is contoured in such a way that allows for much better access to the higher frets. If you volition be doing a lot of soloing, a neck-through guitar will give you the ultimate comfort and playability. Unfortunately, neck-through guitars are impossible to replace and are also the most expensive. They also do non offer more sustain than the other cervix types, contrary to pop belief. In fact, it has been shown time and time again that bolt-on necks really offer the highest level of sustain. However, the comfort of a neck-through guitar remains unmatched, and to many guitarists, that alone is worth the price tag.
Neck profile
Guitar necks come in various shapes and sizes, with each cervix profile having a different feel in the hand.
Neck profile is ordinarily denoted by messages, with the letter referencing how the neck looks when viewed as a cross-section of the guitar.
The most popular neck types are C, D, U and V.
U Shaped Necks
U-shaped necks are thick and chunky, ofttimes referred to equally baseball game bat necks. They too feel very deep, and are favored by rhythm guitarists for their comfort when playing chords. Another benefit of having a thicker neck is the warmer sound that results from having more forest used.
C Shaped Necks
C-shaped necks are very popular on modern guitars, beingness flat and quite comfortable to play. Beingness quite thin, it is easier to play fast solos on them. Notwithstanding, they are less durable than thicker neck styles and may require more than maintenance.
D Shaped Necks
D-shaped necks are similar in look and experience to C-shaped necks, only with flatter edges. This is another excellent neck blazon for pb guitarists.
V Shaped Necks
V-shaped necks have a very distinctive feel to them, and are groovy for guitarists who slide up and down the neck, or similar to wrap their pollex around the cervix. V-shaped necks come in both difficult and soft versions, with the soft V-shape having a more rounded-out middle curve. This neck contour is definitely an acquired sense of taste, so brand certain you attempt earlier buying!
Scale length
A guitar's scale length refers to the distance between its bridge and nut. In other words, how much of the string is allowed to freely vibrate when played. Guitars come in a variety of calibration lengths, with the most common being 24.75" and 25.v".
Greater scale lengths result in wider space between each fret, with some guitarists preferring shorter scale lengths due to their smaller footprint, and others preferring longer ones because they are less cramped.
Scale length also affects string tension. The longer the scale length, the higher the tension of the strings. This means guitars with shorter scale lengths are, in theory, easier to play as it takes less strength to bend the strings.
While scale length does not impact tone in the same way that wood or pickups practice, it does make a subtle difference. Guitars with short scale lengths tend to sound fuller because of the reduced tension, while longer scale lengths produce clearer and brighter tones.
Pickups
Often cited as the most important part of a guitar'due south sound, pickups are indeed a huge component to consider when buying an electric guitar. Pickups are responsible for taking the vibrations of your guitar's strings and converting them into an electrical bespeak that is and so fed into the amplifier. This makes them a crucial factor in a guitar's tone.
Single-coil pickups
Fabricated pop by the Fender Stratocaster, these pickups characteristic magnets that are wrapped in a single coil of wires, hence the name. Single-coil pickups tend to produce a clear, detailed and bright sound, with their signature twang being favored past many blues, country and popular guitarists. One downside of single coils is that they tend to pick up a lot of electric interference, resulting in audible background buzz. This dissonance is annoying to some, and loved by others for its vintage feel.
Humbucker pickups
Different single-coil pickups, humbuckers are double-wound, with the ii coils wound in opposite directions, resulting in the groundwork hum being cancelled out. Humbuckers sound thicker and warmer than single-ringlet pickups, and are pop in styles such as rock and metal.
P90 pickups
P90 pickups are a special type of single-coil pickup that have a higher output, making them punchier and better for gritty styles of music like punk rock. They are a expert middle ground between single coils and humbuckers.
Pickup configurations
Most guitars have a neck pickup, bridge pickup, and in some cases even a middle pickup. This allows you to switch between pickups for a wider variety of tones. For instance, certain guitars characteristic 2 humbuckers and a single coil in the middle (also known as HSH – humbucker, single-coil, humbucker). Experiment with different configurations to find the best ane for y'all. If yous're just starting out or just desire something versatile that tin can handle all styles of music, a combination of both unmarried coils and humbuckers would be a rubber choice, for example HSS or HSH. If you want a very specific type of sound and aren't worried about versatility, consider three single-coils or 2 humbuckers.
Active vs passive pickups
All iii of the to a higher place pickup types come up in both active and passive variants. Merely put, agile pickups require a ability source (in the course of batteries) while passive pickups do not. Active pickups have less groundwork interference, and also have higher output, which is great for high-baloney scenarios. Passive pickups, on the other hand, have more background interference but are also less "hot" and take a wider dynamic range and more than pleasing make clean tones. This is why active pickups are so popular in heavy metal and other genres that feature heavily distorted guitars. Keep in mind that with active pickups, y'all will need to swap batteries every few months (or less depending on how often you play, and whether you leave your guitar plugged in all the fourth dimension).
Bridge Types
Ofttimes overlooked past many guitarists, the span affects the reliability of a guitar, the ease of string changing and more than. While there are many unlike types of guitar bridges, they tin can be boiled down to two master categories: fixed and floating.
Stock-still bridges
Fixed bridges, or hardtails, are screwed into place and feature saddles for the strings to rest on. They stay in place and do not motion. The simplicity of fixed bridges results in low maintenance and extremely like shooting fish in a barrel string changing for fifty-fifty the most inexperienced guitarists. Their fixed nature also results in greater tuning stability when performing string bends.
Floating bridges
Floating bridges come up with a tremolo arm, also known as a whammy bar, that allows you to change the pitch of a cord without bending it. Y'all can press the tremolo to lower the pitch, and pull the arm to raise the pitch. 1 of the most popular styles of floating bridge is the Floyd Rose, which features double locking tremolos.
Floating bridges give you lot more creative options and another grade of expression, but they are more susceptible to going out of tune (particularly after a big string bend), and are harder to restring. If you are a beginner, information technology makes more sense to go for a hardtail bridge first.
Other Things to Consider
22 vs 24 Frets
While at that place are exceptions, nearly guitars come with either 22 or 24 frets. While this does non seem like a big difference, it will definitely affect your play manner in the long run. Having 24 frets gives you two more semitones of expression than a 22-fret guitar, and even more if you lot curve the high E string on the 24th fret. For this reason, many pb guitarists favor 24-fret guitars.
On the other hand, rhythm guitarists – or soloists who don't become as loftier up on the fretboard – tend to stick with 22 frets. This is considering due to the 2 less frets, The cervix pickup on a 22-fret guitar is located further from the bridge. This results in a warmer tone.
six string vs vii string vs eight cord guitars
Most guitars come with 6 strings, which is standard for an electric guitar. However, due to the emergence of heavier genres such as progressive metal and djent, extended-range guitars have become increasingly pop in recent years. 7 and eight string guitars allow you to play much lower notes than yous would exist able to on a standard guitar. This extended notation range is very useful during breakdowns or heavier song sections. If you lot will be playing these styles of music, consider getting an extended range guitar. Nevertheless, if you program on sticking to blues, jazz, popular and rock, a 6 cord guitar will be more than than sufficient while also being lighter and easier to play.
Locking vs Not-Locking Tuners
Some guitars come with locking tuners, which keep each string in place via a clamping mechanism. This allows for greater tuning stability, particularly for guitars that accept floating bridges. Locking tuners also allow you to restring the guitar quicker as you practise non need as many cord windings. Locking tuners are more expensive to produce, and as a result are less common on entry-level guitars. Yet, fifty-fifty if the guitar you want doesn't come with one, you tin can easily add a set of locking tuners down the line.
You lot now have all the data y'all need to make a well-informed guitar purchase. But call back that specs aren't everything, and you should also effort a guitar in person before ordering i. Later you lot've washed all your inquiry and decided on a guitar that you're interested in, be sure to head over to your nearest local music store to try information technology out. Fifty-fifty though a guitar might wait perfect on paper, y'all won't know until you've held it in your hands and played a song or two on it.
If y'all're looking for recommendations on specific electrical guitars, check out our article on the all-time electric guitars for each style of music, coming soon.
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