How to Pick the Right Electric Guitar for You

Written by: Johnathan Miller

Table of Contents iii

Table of ContentsContent

sBefore you Read..............................................................................................................................v

My Buying Experience vBasic Questions and Guitar Knowledge..........................................................................................3

Diagram 3Questions to Ask Yourself 3

Wood Types.....................................................................................................................................7Body Woods 7

Alder 7Ash 7Basswood 8Mahogany 8

Neck Woods 9Mahogany/Ebony 9Mahogany/Rosewood 9Maple 9Maple/Rosewood 9

Body Types....................................................................................................................................13Solidbody 13Hollowbody 13Semi-hollowbody 13

Pickup Types.................................................................................................................................17Humbucker 17Single Coil 17Active Pickups 18Note on Wiring 18

String Types...................................................................................................................................21String Material 21

Nickel 21Stainless Steel 21

String Gauge/Thickness 21Light 21

How to Pick the Right Guitar for You

Medium 21Heavy 21

Go Get’em!....................................................................................................................................23Bibliography..................................................................................................................................25Index..............................................................................................................................................27

iv

Before you Read v

Before you Read

I decided to write this manual because I have come to find that the electric guitar buying process can be overwhelming. Consumers must choose among thousands of combinations of wood type,

body shape and type, string thickness, pickup type and more. So with all these options, how do you know that you are buying the right guitar for your wants?

First you will need to ask yourself one question: “what kind of sound and tone am I looking to achieve from my guitar?” Once you know the answer, this manual can tell you what aspects you need to look out for when choosing your next guitar. This manuals main goal is to save you, the reader, time and money.

This manual will list all the ins-and-outs of selecting the right electric guitar such as:

What type of wood is best for your wants What type of body you should get What kind/brand of pickups is right for you What strings you should use to get the sound you desire

My Buying ExperienceBuying my first electric guitar was more stressful than it should have been. I had just started to learn how to play and I somewhat know what I wanted my guitar to sound like. Once I made my purchase and got my new guitar home, I regretted my choice of guitar immediately. What I thought was a good first buy turned out to be a guitar with cheap worn out pickups and shoddy wiring work on the inside. I wish I had known how to pick the right guitar.

Buying an electric guitar should be a fun and exciting experience. I hope that once you read this manual you will be able to make a confident decision in what guitar is right for you.

Basic QuestionsAnd

Guitar Knowledge

Basic Questions and Guitar Knowledge

Basic Questions and Guitar KnowledgeDiagram

If you’re looking at the diagram above and thinking to yourself, “that’s what I want my guitar to look like!” then you are on the right track. That is a Fender Stratocaster, an American classic and the poster guitar for the electric guitar world.

If a Strat isn’t what you are looking for then picture in your head what guitar you want. If the guitar you want is based off of seeing what guitar your favorite artist uses then some simple research can help you find what you are looking for.

The important thing to do when buying a guitar is to focus on what you want, and not what others say you should get. When you’ve picked out your own guitar and are excited to play it, that feeling tends to stay a whole lot longer than if you bought something that wasn’t exactly what you were hoping to get.

Questions to Ask YourselfHere are some questions that you might want to ask yourself before you start shopping:

How much am I willing to spend?o This is a huge part of the buying process. Say you’ve got a tight budget, but your

mind is set on getting a brand new Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster which could cost you upwards of $600 all the way up past $3,000. There is a solution to this dilemma. Gibson and Fender have sub-brands – Epiphone and Squire, which offer cheaper alternatives of their best selling models without compromising too much on quality. So, there is a great guitar out there for every budget.

3

How to Pick the Right Guitar for You

What do I want my guitar to look like?o This isn’t the most important question to ask, but it is definitely relevant for the

image you are trying to create for yourself as an artist. There are classic-contemporary styles all the way to crazy modernistic styles. There are an infinite number of ways to combine color, wood grain, and style to match every personality. All you need to do is have an idea of what you want and you will be one step closer to knowing what guitar is right for you.

What do I want my guitar to sound like?o This is quite possibly the most important question to ask yourself. If you like the

way your favorite artist’s guitar sounds, then try to find out what guitar they are using. If you like a certain genre of music, then try and see what the artists in that genre are using to make that certain tone. If you’re having trouble finding a reference point to think on, this manual can help you find the right combination to get the sound you desire.

4

Wood Types

Wood Types

Wood Types

In this chapter I will cover the most popular and most commonly found wood types for both the body and neck. The choice of wood you might want for your guitar could come down to a few factors of personal preference:

How heavy do I want my guitar to be Do I want the grain of the wood to be showing What kind of resonance am I looking for What kind of tone do I want at different parts of the neck

Now I will list the most popular types of woods and the properties that each type offers.

Body WoodsAlderMost popular in Fender guitars such as the classic Stratocaster and Telecaster models, this wood is usually found in the medium to high price range depending on the quality of the wood. Alder has such attributes as:

Medium weight Strong, clear, full bodied sound Beefy mids Excellent lows Slight sizzle in the highs Decent sustain

AshThe most commonly used kind of ash is swamp ash, which is a softer form of the hardwood taken from the lower portions of southern-grown wetlands trees with roots below water level. Other forms of ash are also used but tend to be denser and heavier with a brighter and harder sound than swamp ash.

Swamp Ash attributes:

Lightweight Resonant Good looking, broad grain Twangy, airy, and sweet sound Firm lows Pleasant highs Good sustain

Fender Telecaster

Fender Stratocaster

Swamp Ash

Alder

7

How to Pick the Right Guitar for You

Harder Ash attributes:

Medium weight Bright, hard sound Useful when cutting, distorted sounds are desired

BasswoodThis wood is usually associated with a low-to-mid price range, but when the guitar is well made it can put out a beautiful, well balanced sound. It possesses the ability to “growl” which is a desirable sound for rock and metal styles. The only downsides to this wood is that it is a softer wood, therefore it can dent easily, also it has virtually no grain so if you are looking for a natural looking guitar, you may want to look elsewhere. Here is a list of basswood attributes.

Lightweight Little to no grain Fairly soft (easily dented) Fat, full-bodied sound Well balanced highs and lows Yields good dynamics Muscular middle range Desirable for rock and metal styles

MahoganyFinally, we have mahogany. Most popularly used in Gibson’s Les Paul Jr. and Les Paul Special models, mahogany is great if you are looking for a mellow, warm sound. It lacks in the high range, but when coupled with a maple neck it creates a perfect balance. Mahogany is a heavier wood especially in cheaper models, but higher quality guitars tend to be much lighter. Attributes of mahogany include:

Middle to heavy weight Little sustain Weak high range Strong lows and mids Warm, mellow sound Great for jazz or blues

Basswood

Mahogany

Mahogany Gibson Les Paul Special

8

Wood Types

Neck WoodsMahogany/EbonyThis is the most popular pairing among higher quality guitars. A mahogany neck with an ebony fret board is a beautiful pair. The mahogany neck brings a warm and supple sound, while the ebony fret board brings a muscular, controlled bass with sizzling, clear highs.

More clarity and definition than other pairings Mixture of warm, muscular, and clear sound Ebony wears well (doesn’t divot easily over time)

Mahogany/RosewoodThis is the second most common choice for guitarists after maple. This pairing produces a warm, mellow tone with clear mids and highs and creamy, resonant lows. One downside to this pairing is that it isn’t as sustainable as ebony or maple due to rosewood’s softer nature.

Mellow tone Clear mids and highs Creamy resonant lows Low sustainability (divots over time)

MapleWhether by itself or paired with another hardwood, maple is the most popular choice for use in solidbody guitars. A solid piece of maple used for the neck offers a crisp, tight sound with a light sizzle in the highs. Maple is known for its punchiness in the mids when struck hard, but also creates great clarity when medium to light fingerpicking is used.

Tight, bright tone Light sizzle in the highs Punchy sound when struck hard Clarity at medium-low volumes

Maple/RosewoodAdding rosewood to maple’s characteristically bright tone warms up the sound and adds more sparkle in the highs and thicker lows. Rosewood’s warm tone is a perfect pairing for the brighter toned maple.

Warm, bright tone Sparkling highs Thick lows Great feel May divot over time

In conclusion, every aspect of what wood you should choose comes down to what you want your guitar to sound like, feel like, and even look like. Only you can pick the perfect wood for your guitar.

9

Body Types

Body Types 13

Body TypesIn this chapter I will cover the few but different body types of guitars. Although every electric guitar’s sound is registered by the pickups, each style has is own pros and cons and each sounds unique from the other.

SolidbodyWhen you picture an electric guitar in your head, most likely you are thinking of a solidbody guitar. Solidbody guitars have no acoustic restrictions, which means they can be played at any volume and can take any shape while losing little to no tone.

No volume restrictions Freedom of body style/shape Less bulky than other styles

HollowbodyHollowbody guitars are completely hollow on the inside just like an acoustic guitar. The shape of hollowbody guitars is similar to acoustic guitars; this is to achieve the best resonance and tone. Most jazz guitarists seek this unique body style for its full, round tone and robust bass sound. One downfall of the hollowbody design is that you might face feedback troubles at high volumes.

Highly resonant Feedback at high volumes Full, round tone Robust bass Preferred by jazz guitarists

Semi-hollowbodyThis body type is a middle point between a solidbody and hollowbody. A solid wood center and large chambers – usually with sound holes – on either side, characterize this style. This style is versatile and can be used in almost any genre of music from mellow jazz to punchy punk rock.

Highly resonant Less chance of feedback at high volumes Versatile sound for almost any genre

Solidbody

Hollowbody

Semi-hollowbody

Pickup Types

Pickup Types 17

Pickup TypesAlso known as “pups”, pickups come in three main types: humbucker, single coil, and active single coil. As with every other aspect of choosing parts of your guitar, you will need to know what kind of sound you are looking for. Keep in mind that the sound of your pickups could change drastically just by playing on a different amplifier, so consistently play on the same amplifier when testing out pups.

HumbuckerHumbucker pickups offer a unique sound that is a direct result of its design. Because the wires are wrapped two different ways, a humbucking pickup has a noise-cancelling effect that reduces the amount of fuzz that you would normally get in an average single coil pup. Here are a few of the humbucker’s attributes.

Noise cancelling (reduces fuzz) Smooth, round tone Not as bright and defined as single coil More sustain than single coil Great for rock, punk, and metal

Single CoilSingle coil pups are the most popular and the most widely used type of pickup. Depending on where the pickup is placed on the body of the guitar, you can get a wide range of tones; when placed closer to the neck the pickup will produce a warmer tone, while when placed near the bridge or saddle the pickup will produce a twangy, airy tone. One downfall of single coil pickups is that they tent to produce noise or fuzz, however there are companies that offer noise-cancelling models. Here are some of the attributes of single coil pickups.

Bright, clear tone “Vintage” sound Produces noise/fuzz Noise-cancelling models available Can be used in many genres of music

Humbucker Pickup

Single Coil Pickups

How to Pick the Right Guitar for You

Active PickupsThe most popular brand of active pickups is EMG. Active pickups have a low-output design but are attached to a battery-powered circuit; this allows for great clarity, but it is most well known for its ability to overdrive, which makes it a popular choice amongst rock and heavy metal guitarists. EMG makes different models of active pickups, some include: EMG 60 for a bluesy, clean tone. EMG 81 for rock, and EMG 85 for heavy metal.

Great clarity and sustain Well known for its overdrive capabilities Great for any style of play, but widely used in rock and

heavy metal

Note on WiringThe wiring of electric guitars is the whole reason the guitar makes sound; therefore a shoddy wiring job could result in a very poor sound. Poor wiring could also cause your guitar to have a lot of feedback and fuzz. There are ways of reducing feedback without having to rewire but it’s always best to stop the frustrations at the source. If you suspect your guitar has wiring issues, take your guitar to your local guitar tech to have it checked out.

18

String Types

String Types 21

String TypesThere are really only two choices in the material that the strings of an electric guitar can be made of: nickel and stainless steel. This is because the strings need to be made with magnetic alloys so that the pickups can “pick up” the sound. On the other hand, there are a few more choices of gauge, or thickness, of your strings. There are light, medium, and heavy gauges, but there many different thicknesses within these three classifications. I will list out the aspects of each and explain which is best for your style of play.

String MaterialNickelNickel is the most widely used material for electric guitar strings. Most commonly found as nickel-wound, or nickel-plated strings, this material produces a bright tone with great sustain, all at a higher volume than stainless steel strings.

Stainless SteelStainless steel strings have a smoother feeling to them, which reduces the amount of noise created by sliding your fingers along the string. Also, this material tends to hold out better against corrosion and rust. The sound of stainless steel is a bit harsher than nickel, which is recommended by rock and metal guitarists, however one downside to stainless steel strings is that they tend to wear down frets unless you also have stainless steel frets.

String Gauge/ThicknessLightLighter gauge strings, typically .009 or .010 (referring to the thickness of the bottom string), are easier to bend and fret notes so they are perfect for beginners, but they don’t produce a loud sound. Another downside is that they tend to break easier.

MediumMedium gauge strings, typically .011 or .012, are a great step up from light gauge strings if you are just starting to get the hang of playing guitar and want to build up your finger strength. They don’t have as bright a tone as light strings but they are a bit warmer, plus they tend to last a bit longer before breaking.

HeavyHeavy gauge strings, typically .13 and up, require a lot of tension so they are quite difficult to bend and to play on for long periods of time. However, they do produce a much louder and fuller sound than light and medium gauge so they are perfect for that playing style, and they last the longest.

Conclusion 23

Go Get’em!Now that you know exactly what kind of guitar you want down to every aspect, you can go out and own the marketplace. You won’t get stuck not knowing what the salesman is talking about when he asks what kind of pups you want on your axe or what kind of tonewood you are looking for. Here are a few tips to remember when trying out different guitars at the shop:

Play on the same amplifier and use the same settings for every guitar If you know a riff, play that riff on every guitar and really try to find the differences in

the tone Play at every part of the neck (lows, mids, and highs) and on every string to see how the

tone varies Even though you may feel confident about what guitar you want, don’t be afraid to ask

questions Enjoy yourself! Leave the store with no regrets

Bibliography 25

Bibliography

"Beginner's Electric Guitar Strings." A Guide To The Best Guitar Strings For Beginners. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. <http://www.samash.com/opncms/opencms/samash/buyers-guides/beginner-electric-guitar-strings.html>.

This article is about guitar strings. It talks about gauge, and material, and how those both affect the sound and tone of a guitar. This article offers great information for beginners that haven't purchased a set of strings before.

"Buying Guide: Electric Guitars (Full Version) Buying Guide." Electric Guitars (Full Version) Buying Guide. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. <http://www.musiciansfriend.com/resources/article/Electric-Guitars-Full-Version-Buying-Guide/m710126>.

This article is a full buyers guide for electric guitars. It didn't have a lot of in depth information about the different parts of a guitar, but it did have valuable insight into knowing what kind of guitar the buyer would want.

Hunter, Dave. "GuitarPlayer: All About Tonewoods." GuitarPlayer: All About Tonewoods. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/all-about-tonewoods/6502>.

This article is all about tonewoods. It has information about the different types of woods used in both the body and neck of a guitar. It gave me details about how each wood affects the tone, weight, and look of a guitar.

"Ultimate Guitar Guide: Pickups." Ultimate Guitar. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/the_guide_to/ultimate_guitar_guide_pickups.html>.

This article is all about the different types of pickups used in electric guitars. I chose to use only the information on single coil, humbucker, and active pickups because these are the three most widely used types

Index 27

Index

Aacoustic, 17Active Pickups, iii, 22, 29active single coil, 21airy, 9, 21Alder, iii, 9amplifier, 21, 27ash, 9

Bbalanced, 11bass, 12, 17Basswood, iii, 11blues, 11body, v, 9, 17, 21, 29Body Types, iii, 15, 17bridge, 21bright, 12, 21, 25bulky, 17

Cchambers, 17clarity, 12, 22corrosion, 25creamy, 12crisp, 12

Ddefinition, 12distorted, 11divot, 12, 13dynamics, 11

EEbony, iii, 12EMG, 22Epiphone, 3

Ffeedback, 17, 22Fender, 3, 9fingerpicking, 12fret, 12, 25frets, 25full-bodied, 11fuzz, 21, 22

Ggauge, 25, 29gauges, 25Gibson, 3, 11grain, 5, 9, 11growl, 11

Hhardwood, 9, 12heavy, 9, 11, 22, 25highs, 9, 11, 12, 27hollow, 17Hollowbody, iii, 17humbucker, 21, 29humbucking, 21

Jjazz, 11, 17

LLes Paul, 3, 11Les Paul Special, 11light, 12, 25Lightweight, 9, 11lows, 9, 11, 12, 27

Mmagnetic, 25Mahogany, iii, 11, 12Maple, iii, 11, 12material, 25, 29medium, 9, 12, 25mellow, 11, 12, 17metal, 11, 21, 22, 25mids, 9, 11, 12, 27muscular, 12

Nneck, 9, 11, 12, 21, 27, 29Neck Woods, iii, 12nickel, 25noise, 21, 25noise-cancelling, 21

Ooverdrive, 22

Ppickup, v, 21

How to Pick the Right Guitar for You

Pickup Types, iii, 19, 21pickups, v, 17, 21, 22, 25, 29punk, 17, 21pups, 21, 27

Rrange, 9, 11, 21resonance, 9, 17Resonant, 9, 12, 17robust, 17rock, 11, 17, 21, 22, 25Rosewood, iii, 12rust, 25

Ssaddle, 21Semi-hollowbody, iii, 17Single Coil, iii, 21, 29sizzle, 9, 12sizzling, 12Smooth, 21Solidbody, iii, 12, 17sound holes, 17sparkle, 12Squire, 3

stainless steel, 25Stratocaster, 3, 9String Types, iii, 23, 25strings, v, 25, 29supple, 12sustain, 9, 10, 11, 21, 22, 25swamp ash, 9

TTelecaster, 9tension, 25thickness, v, 25tight, 3, 12tone, v, 9, 12, 17, 21, 22, 25, 27, 29Twangy, 9, 21

Vversatile, 17Vintage, 21

Wwarm, 11, 12Wiring, iii, v, 22Wood Types, iii, 7, 9

28