My Purchasing Suggestions
This is what I do when I buy new/used gear. It may work for you and it may not, but I thought that it was worth posting my process and tips if it can help anyone!
1) CHECK HARMONY CENTRAL...
...and other online reviews. There is an excellent buyer’s guide at HC. I prefer user reviews to professional reviews. I want to know what an instrument is capable of and what it sounds like to experienced musicians and inexperienced musicians alike. Whether you are a pro musician or have never touched a musical instrument in your life, you can learn a lot by reading the experiences of others. Look for common complaints or praises in the reviews. Does the guitar tend to have a faulty input jack? Do the strap buttons fall off? Decide if you are willing to cope with and/or repair the faulty instrument parts and make your decision.
2) BUY USED GEAR.
I can't stress enough how important buying used gear is. A quality guitar will age like a fine wine, and lesser quality guitars can be picked up at bargain costs if you are willing to do repairs. You can never get more bang for your buck than buying used. Many times you will be able to find the exact instrument you are looking for for a fraction of the cost OR you may be able to afford a better quality instrument within a used budget. For the last few years I have dealt almost exclusively in used gear. It just makes sense. Check CraigsList and eBay. You can also find great deals at yard sales, pawnshops, and thrift stores. I paid $175 for my current Stratocaster (G&L Legacy) off of Craigslist with upgraded noiseless pickups, a padded gig bag, and two full sets of extra pickups. Total for all of this retail? Nearly $1000! I picked up a Harmony Tenor Guitar from the 1950’s in great shape for $10 at a church yard sale. I routinely buy drum sets from $50-$150 off of Craigslist. There are tremendous deals on used gear out there. You just have to know what to look for and have patience.
3) PUT IN SOME WORK.
Expect to work on your instrument, even if it’s brand new. Almost every instrument will require some basic setup to achieve optimal playability. For a guitar this can mean a basic setup (change strings, adjust action and intonation, etc.). For a drum set this may mean replacing the heads or simply tuning them. The more work you are willing to do the better deal you can find, but understand that every instrument will need a little tweaking to get it ready to play. If you aren't the handy type, most music shops will setup a guitar for about $25. Although you can do it yourself for free, it is well worth the money to have a well set up instrument!
4) BUY QUALITY INSTRUMENTS.
Avoid budget, entry level instruments, and beginner kits where possible. While they may seem like a great deal, you normally get what you pay for. Buying a new guitar for $100 would be comparable to buying a new car for $2000. Understand that I am not advocating that beginners (or even experienced guitarists) need to go out and buy $2000 American Fender Strats and Gibson Les Pauls. My current gigging guitar (G&L Legacy Stratocaster) cost me less than $200. If you know what you are looking for you can find great deals on great instruments. I understand that sometimes a budget instrument is all that can be afforded. Often for a little more money, you can buy a lot more guitar.
5) ASK FOR HELP.
Ask around to get the opinions of various people you trust. Expect to find gear snobs just like you would find car snobs ("Never buy a ford, Honda is the best car manufacturer, etc.), because everyone will have a personal opinion. I recommend asking advice from people you trust (family, friends, music educators..) or unbiased online reviews more than salesmen in music stores. If you need help, I'm only a click away.
1) CHECK HARMONY CENTRAL...
...and other online reviews. There is an excellent buyer’s guide at HC. I prefer user reviews to professional reviews. I want to know what an instrument is capable of and what it sounds like to experienced musicians and inexperienced musicians alike. Whether you are a pro musician or have never touched a musical instrument in your life, you can learn a lot by reading the experiences of others. Look for common complaints or praises in the reviews. Does the guitar tend to have a faulty input jack? Do the strap buttons fall off? Decide if you are willing to cope with and/or repair the faulty instrument parts and make your decision.
2) BUY USED GEAR.
I can't stress enough how important buying used gear is. A quality guitar will age like a fine wine, and lesser quality guitars can be picked up at bargain costs if you are willing to do repairs. You can never get more bang for your buck than buying used. Many times you will be able to find the exact instrument you are looking for for a fraction of the cost OR you may be able to afford a better quality instrument within a used budget. For the last few years I have dealt almost exclusively in used gear. It just makes sense. Check CraigsList and eBay. You can also find great deals at yard sales, pawnshops, and thrift stores. I paid $175 for my current Stratocaster (G&L Legacy) off of Craigslist with upgraded noiseless pickups, a padded gig bag, and two full sets of extra pickups. Total for all of this retail? Nearly $1000! I picked up a Harmony Tenor Guitar from the 1950’s in great shape for $10 at a church yard sale. I routinely buy drum sets from $50-$150 off of Craigslist. There are tremendous deals on used gear out there. You just have to know what to look for and have patience.
3) PUT IN SOME WORK.
Expect to work on your instrument, even if it’s brand new. Almost every instrument will require some basic setup to achieve optimal playability. For a guitar this can mean a basic setup (change strings, adjust action and intonation, etc.). For a drum set this may mean replacing the heads or simply tuning them. The more work you are willing to do the better deal you can find, but understand that every instrument will need a little tweaking to get it ready to play. If you aren't the handy type, most music shops will setup a guitar for about $25. Although you can do it yourself for free, it is well worth the money to have a well set up instrument!
4) BUY QUALITY INSTRUMENTS.
Avoid budget, entry level instruments, and beginner kits where possible. While they may seem like a great deal, you normally get what you pay for. Buying a new guitar for $100 would be comparable to buying a new car for $2000. Understand that I am not advocating that beginners (or even experienced guitarists) need to go out and buy $2000 American Fender Strats and Gibson Les Pauls. My current gigging guitar (G&L Legacy Stratocaster) cost me less than $200. If you know what you are looking for you can find great deals on great instruments. I understand that sometimes a budget instrument is all that can be afforded. Often for a little more money, you can buy a lot more guitar.
5) ASK FOR HELP.
Ask around to get the opinions of various people you trust. Expect to find gear snobs just like you would find car snobs ("Never buy a ford, Honda is the best car manufacturer, etc.), because everyone will have a personal opinion. I recommend asking advice from people you trust (family, friends, music educators..) or unbiased online reviews more than salesmen in music stores. If you need help, I'm only a click away.