“YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT” – BASIC GUIDELINES WHEN PURCHASING A NEW GUITAR.

Like a room imagined up by Willie Wonka himself is sometimes how I feel when I’m working in our shop in Blanchardstown. Products as saccharine to the eye of a musician as the confectionary in this conceived candy room to any child. And with so much range and choice before my own eyes, how do I decide what I want?

I am surrounded day in day out by a vast array of guitars of all shapes, sizes and materials. Be it maintaining the stock we have, opening and testing new arrivals or restringing and fixing our customers guitars, vintages and rarities from all corners of the globe. With this much exposure it can feel overwhelming.

This feeling can be the same for any buyer out there. Social media and throngs of online content and opinion can leave one feeling overwhelmed with choice. I won’t say not to follow these ventures, I too actively engage with them when necessary and in essence, that is what this blog entry is too.

There are a number of things I think about before making the big buy. This thought process also doubles up as important information i provide to those buying from me. I am going to use the Acoustic guitar as an example to show a number of tried and tested pieces of info to bear in mind when making your first guitar or a new purchase.

Basic Guidelines when purchasing a new guitar

These basic guidelines and info points are a great starting point, but not cardinal rule or the be all and end all. From my experience of using these techniques either selling an instrument or buying my own, there is sometimes another higher being that supersedes these things. It’s simply, trusting your gut.

Albeit a Hallmark comment, like the inspirational musings of the lovestruck hero in a Hollywood Romcom, trusting your gut can sometimes lead to great things. It surely is a strong sentiment, but why not applicable to music too? Learning an instrument in my eyes is an incredibly enriching and enlightening experience and deserves total gravitas and many outlooks. Some might say “Knowledge is power but without action” and there is a certain feeling one gets when they play “the one”.

This is something i’m sure the likes of Angus Young felt when purchasing his infamous early 1970s Gibson SG or our own Rory Gallagher and his 1961 Fender Strat. It’s an almost fictional feeling you get when you just click with the right instrument. It may sound like ancient voodoo or witchcraft, but definitely something not to glance over.
With a little bit of this magic instinct and the right specifics and details to look for, your next big purchase should be a breeze!

I hope this was somewhat useful for you!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you are all staying safe.

Remember, as we say here in Waltons, Make Music!

Basic Guidelines when purchasing a new guitar

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Basic Guidelines when purchasing a new guitar

Product Guide

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