For the simple reason that a good playing comes from a good instruments, perhaps, the following tips might be a great help in picking out a worthy guitar.
Test the accuracy of the frets.
- Tighten all six strings just enough to give each full tone.
- Pick out one complete scale on each string. To do this with the six string; first pluck the string, then press upon the second fret, 4rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th and 12th fret. Te tone produce should, in a good guitar, give the exact sound of themusical scale:do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. Do the same with the other strings. The twelfth fret when pressed should give a tone one octave higher than the open string.
After the "mechanical test" of the fingerboard, try the "tonal quality" of the instrument.
- Tune the six strings to the sequence of the universal standard tuning: 6th=E, 5th=A, 4th=D, 2nd=B, 1st=E.
- First strum on one major chord, then on other chords.
- Observe the sounds produced on the guitar. Look for fullness, "roundness" of tone, and not loudness.Then, you may consider the easeof playing. It would be best to select the guitar which would require you to exert the least amount of pressure to press firmly the strings on one fre in producing full and sonorous tone; in this way, sore or blistered fingers could be prevented.