First Timers
We love working with everyone in their search for guitars. Admittedly, we don’t see many beginners because of the level of instruments (read “price”) we’re selling. We do see all sorts of other players though. We see the old salt with concrete calluses. We see the guys and gals on quest for their own, ultimate, personal tone or just strumming on the weekend. We see the collectors who know more about the origin story of a particular, rare tonewood than we do. We see all of them (you), but there is one type that is extra special: The First Timer.
What we mean is the person who is making the leap from lower priced production guitars to higher quality and maybe even boutique. Why do we think it’s extra special? It’s the joy and realization that comes out of them when they experience the difference; it’s contagious. It’s the way they all strum a guitar and wait… and wait for the resonance to die off. It’s the smile and the follow-on eagerness to play as many guitars as they can while they’re with us- to experience the different brands, sizes, and tonewood combinations. It’s fun for them and fun for us.
There’s a widely spread notion among beginner guitar players- it’s that they have to earn the right to buy a better guitar. It’s silly. We all do it, but it’s silly. If you enjoy it, nothing else matters. It doesn’t matter how you play, where you play, or if anyone else is listening. It only matters that you love doing it. There’s nothing to earn.
We’re not saying, if you’re a beginner, to go out and spend thousands of dollars on a guitar to get started. We are saying that once you’ve gotten into playing, love it, and see yourself doing it for the rest of your life, there’s nothing wrong with buying a higher quality guitar. Here’s some advice though- before you go and spend a thousand bucks on a new guitar, go and play some more premium instruments. They’ll cost more, but do a comparison and see what you think. We see a lot of people- like almost all- slowly walk their way up the guitar quality ladder. They start with a couple hundred to $500, then buy a $1,000 guitar, then $1,500, and so on. Great for guitar shops, but what ends up happening? Most people end up selling their guitars on Marketplace or trading them in so they can reach the next rung on the ladder. Both result in big losses from what you paid. If you wait a little, bank up some more in the guitar fund, and buy a premium instrument- you’re much less likely to lose a bunch of money on your slow climb up the ladder.
Now, to the First Timers out there: a warning. Once you step into the premium guitar world, you can’t go back. The ladder still exists there too. It’s different though; there is a top where the rungs stop- a place where you can’t make a better guitar. Don’t sigh in relief just yet. Up there, you’ll find offshoots to the left and right. To the left are tonewoods. You’ll learn about rare, exotic woods with limited supply. You’ll find combining different woods actually does make a difference, unlike the laminate and veneer guitar you started with (still have mine). To the right, you’ll find construction. You’ll see different body shapes- some you’ll recognize and others, not so much. You’ll find different bracing, neck joints, finishes, neck profiles, and the list goes on.
Occasionally, you’ll hear tell of someone who went all the way down one of those offshoots and came back, but it’s rare and we’ve never met one. You won’t save any money up there. You’ll waste a lot less because you’ll keep the guitars and if you do sell them, they’ll have more value. But, you won’t save.
So, what’s the moral of the story? Two things. First, avoid the quality ladder- try some premium guitars before you start that climb. Second, play for you. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks and, truth be told, it doesn’t matter which guitar you’re playing. There is, however, something in the way a premium guitar sounds and feels that makes people love playing a bit more.
