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Adopt a Guitar!



So, you want to buy a used guitar? You don't know whether the instrument is in good condition? Do you trust the owner or the salesman at the music store? How can you judge whether you're going to wind up with a "real deal" or a "piece of junk" for your money?

Today I would like to give you a crash course in how to buy a used acoustic guitar. If you force yourself to keep on reading, you will be able to make a more qualified buy the next time. It doesn't take long to read and can save you a pile of money. If this turns out to be true, then I would like to ask you to make a donation to the German Aids fund, Arbeitsgemeinschaft deutscher Aids-Stiftung, Account No. 4004, Sparkasse Bonn, bank code number 380 700 59.

The first steps...

Ask about the make and type of guitar, the year it was built, and the original purchasing price. Find out whether the instrument has already been repaired at some time, and if so, what was the reason. Take a look at the repair job. If the repair was done professionally and flawlessly, then it is no reason to try and bargain the price down.

Take a good look...

at the finish. Check the surface for mechanical damage and cracks. Mars and nicks aren't very important. They do not really affect the instrument. As a buyer, you should avoid having these flaws repaired since redoing the finish can be very expensive. Cracks in the finish can, on the other hand, indicate a problem (except in the case of shellac or old nitrocellulose finishes). Either a crack in the wood is hidden under the crack in the finish, or the finish is so brittle that it cannot vibrate along with the wood. In this case, you should be very careful and only decide whether you really want to purchase the guitar after getting an expertise from an expert (a luthier).

at the top and back of the guitar. Take the guitar in your hands and sight along and across the back of the guitar and the top. When the guitar was built, did the maker come up with the idea of building it so that the back of the instrument bellies slightly. Just as in the case of a bridge, the back of the guitar should stabilized symmetrically. This convex curve which curves slightly outwards is more or less pronounced according to the make of guitar and should always be symmetrically formed. If the curve is irregular near the transition from the neck to the body or in the vicinity of the block at the end, something is wrong.

What is even more important is the top of the guitar. At the bridge, corresponding to the type and gauge of strings, the pull on the top amounts to 132 to 176 pounds. Actually if you think about it, it's a miracle that the thing doesn't fly apart. However, every guitar maker has to make certain that the static in the top of the guitar can handle this enormous pull.

Bracing is placed in the inside of the instrument to stabilize it. The guitar can have a slight convex hump, or belly, in the top, just like we found in the case of the back (see the back), which stabilizes the piece of art.

What's that got to do with me, you ask yourself.

Now it's time to sight across the top of the guitar. Squint one of your eyes (right or left, it doesn't matter) and take a look at the edge of the top. If you sight across the top at the height of the bridge, you either think:

a. everything is uniformly flat
b. everything is uniformly slightly curved outwards
c. behind the bridge, the top is somewhat bellied and between the bridge and the soundhole, it is slightly dented inwards;
d. the top looks like a range of hills and valleys and is not uniformly shaped.
If your impression is "a-c," you can already start to be a bit happy about your new used guitar. If you think "d," you have had a "fool's luck" and saved money once again. You should forget the instrument if it is not a valuable guitar which is worth it to you to invest the money in to have it repaired.

at the neck of the guitar. Instead of asking the (still) owner of the guitar whether the neck is warped, you should judge for yourself. It could be that the owner thinks you are referring to him, and that usually causes problems in human relations. How can you find out whether the neck is o.k.? This subject is more complicated than the top (for those readers who are now bored and start to skip, I can only recommend, "Necks, necks, and more necks!").

1. Trust your eyes and sight along the edge of the fingerboard from the headstock in the direction of the body of the guitar. The neck should be straight or show a slight concave bow in the direction of the pull of the strings. From the edge of the body to the soundhole, the fingerboard may be slightly sloped. Any irregularities that you can establish with the naked eye means trouble that can only be corrected by working on the neck or the fingerboard.

2. Measure the action. Uh oh, you didn't bring a measuring stick? Somewhere in the music store you should be able to find a small steel ruler, or ask the (still) owner (a measuring stick will do in an emergency), and then get to work. You always measure the action at the twelfth fret. You measure the space between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string. The empty space between, got it? At first you measure the treble e-string and then the bass e-string. You can, of course, do it the other way around, if you want!

Now you have a choice once again:

a. the action is approximately 2-2.5 mm at the treble e-string and 2.5-3 mm at the bass e-string.
b. the action is lower,
c. the action is higher.
In the case of "a," you have a correctly adjusted instrument in your hands. In the case of "b," the action has to be raised in order to keep the strings from buzzing against the frets. In the case of "c," the action has to be lowered so that you don't wind up with bloody fingers when trying to play the guitar. The measurements given above are for "light" gauge strings. In the case of thinner strings, the action should be somewhat higher; and in the case of heavier gauge strings, the action should be slightly lower. Adjusting the action, by the way, is not done by readjusting the metal truss rod in the neck, but rather by changing the height of the saddle in the bridge.

at the fingerboard and the frets. Check the fingerboard for signs of playing. If between the frets the fingerboard is worn down a bit, it is not a problem, but deeper grooves can only be repaired at some expense.

The frets of the instrument should be free of grooves and nicks. In the case of older guitars, however, you will often find grooves in the first frets, especially if the former owner preferred to play in D and G. This is easy to repair, but it should be done by a professional.

at the bridge and saddle. Many acoustic guitars have small wood or plastic pins to attach the strings at the bridge. The pins hold the strings in place, and you should be able to remove them with your fingers or the help of a pliers. Between the pinholes and the pins you will sometimes find fine cracks on old guitars. Take a close look. If you can see a crack, the bridge must definitely be repaired or replaced.

Next, check whether the bridge is still glued firmly to the top of guitar. If there is any space between the bridge and the top of the guitar at the lower end of the bridge, then it will be necessary to repair the damage.

The saddle is recessed into a short slot in the bridge and is made of some synthetic material or bone. The strings cross over it in the direction of the soundhole. This saddle should fit tightly into the slot made for it, i.e., not be loose so that it tips forward under the pull of the strings. Furthermore, the saddle has to protrude a bit out of the bridge. This is important for two reasons. In order to press down on the saddle adequately, the strings must cross the saddle at the correct angle. In addition, you have to be able to sand down the saddle in order to lower the action. Since you still have your measuring stick around from measuring the action, you can take measurements once again and be satisfied if the saddle protrudes at least 3 mm out of the slot in the bridge.

at the tuning machines. Yes, those are those things in the headstock which you can tune the guitar with. You, personally, belong to those who can tune a guitar with ease (or have it tuned). In any case, its a pain if the tuning machines don't function properly. They have to turn smoothly. Tuning machines that are not enclosed might need some oil in order to turn easily once again.

at the strings. If the instrument is still strung with old strings, you should take the time to put on new strings, or have it strung for you. Only then is it possible to decide whether the guitar really has the sound you are looking for.

at the price. Wow! Now things are getting really serious! Of course you want to pay as little as possible for a used guitar. Maybe the instrument was responsible for a really bad marital quarrel and is just waiting to do the same thing to you. But someone else wants to charge you a lot of money for the guitar, and I have to admit, "He's right!"

In other words, after you are pretty sure that the instrument is in good condition, sounds good, and will improve your life, its time to establish the price.

The original purchasing price can serve as a point to orient the price you want to pay on. For a guitar in good condition, you can subtract 25% off the original price after one year, and 5-10% for each further year. Of course there is limit to this. After 50% of the original price has been subtracted, that's it as a rule. After all, an instrument is a lasting value. Exceptions to this rule-of-thumb are damaged instruments which, in accordance with the expense of repairing them, lower the selling price considerably, and exquisite, looked-for guitars which can sometimes be as expensive, or even more expensive, when used than when new.

The origin of the instrument is also significant. Guitars built by some luthiers bring a higher price than instruments made by unknown makers. If you want to buy an instrument and need an expertise, go to a guitar expert who can either supply you with the information you need or tell you where you can get it.

Now that you've managed to stay with me so long, it's time for me to say good-bye and wish you all the best for your new guitar. Be faithful to the guitar, whether new or used. You can reach me at any time by fax: 049/0641-491398, or e-mail martin.seeliger@lakewood.de.

Take care. Martin Seeliger
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