Hi there!  I'm Matt from Highway 51 Music Company.  So you want to play guitar?  Or your son or daughter has been dreaming of becoming the next Eddie Van Halen?  There are literally thousands of choices on eBay and out there in the brick and mortar world as well.  When you're just starting out, most people will look to the cheapest guitar they can afford.  Unfortunately, a lot of the low-dollar instruments will be so poorly made, they end up frustrating the player so much that he ends up quitting.  How do you know if that great find is a real deal or just a piece of junk??  Here are a couple things to keep in mind when shopping for that first electric guitar:

1.  Tone Wood -- Instructors will tell you the most important elements in the sound of a guitar are (a) the players skill and (b) the construction of the instrument.  Look for guitars made of solid woods first.  There are many varieties of woods used in guitar construction.  Each gives its own properties to the sound.  Some popular choices in student models are Basswood, Ash, Alder, Mahogany and Agathis.  All of them are suitable, but make sure it is SOLID WOOD.  If the ad doesn't say that it's made from solid wood, it's probably made of several plys.  These are typically listed as "hardwood" construction.  Plywood bodies are very common on cheaper imported guitars.  These bodies are very heavy comparatively, and the sound they give off is dead compared to a solid wood guitar.

2.  Neck woods -- Necks on student models are typically made of maple with fingerboards made from either rosewood or matching maple.  It is a player preference as to which is better, but either will suffice for learning.  The neck must be good and straight with a slight relief to allow proper action.  Again, if the seller doesn't specifically mention woods used in construction, you need to ask questions!  Most sellers will be happy to tell you everything about their guitars.  If they can't answer your questions, move on!

3.  Set up -- Guitars come from the factory very rough.  Most are simply assembled and stuffed in a box.  You have to adjust many things to get them playable--the bridge must be intonated, the truss rod in the neck adjusted to proper relief, the height of the strings adjusted to a comfortable playing position, etc.  Many, many sellers on eBay simply pass along a guitar to you straight from the factory.  You're going to have take this guitar to a guitar shop to get it set up for you, unless you can do it yourself.  This can run anywhere from $30-50 depending on the shop and what has to be done to set it up.  Look for guitars that are already properly set up and save yourself the money and hassle!

4.  Reviews -- There are many sites on the internet that musicians use to post reviews of various guitar makes.  One of the most popular is Harmony Central--http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/#man--almost every brand of guitar has been reviewed by someone.  Use those reviews as a guide, not a sales pitch!  Generally if there are more than a couple, you can get an idea of the kind of quality you can expect.  If you can't find that brand listed, you can take that as a red flag.

5. Feedback -- If a seller has excellent feedback, you can be sure that he takes care of his customers.  A lot of feedback doesn't necessarily mean great feedback.  Some sellers sell thousands of items in addition to the odd guitar here and there.  If you have to sift through 1000 feedbacks on quality canopeners to get to a review of a guitar he sold, I think I'd look elsewhere.  Buy your guitar from a seller who deals in instruments only!  If not, you're getting a guitar that's sold by someone who most likely knows nothing about them.  That's a sure way to end up with a disappointment.

The #1 most important thing to keep in mind is....buy the one that's going to keep the student playing!  If you end up with a dud, you can be sure the learner will get frustrated and quit.  If that means spending a few extra bucks, believe me it's worth it!  I started learning on a guitar that was little more than scraps of wood.  It wasn't until I got serious and bought one in a slightly higher price range that I really started to blossom.  It has kept me fascinated and learning ever since.

I hope this review was helpful!  Happy Picking!

Matt T

Highway 51 Music