Buying a used guitar has many perks besides costing less. Used acoustic guitars have aged, the wood has had a chance to dry out which brings out the most beautiful sounds and the instrument over all has matured.

In this article I’m going to be talking about buying a used acoustic guitar, but many of these points are the same for a used electric guitar. After reading this you should be able to go into any used instrument shop and pick out the gems from the racks.

1 – How’s it Look?

While looks aren’t everything it’s important that you like it. Note any bad scratches or cracks.

2 – What’s it Sound Like?

The strings on the guitar are probably quite old and a new set could do wonders for the sound. It could be worth buying a set to put on the instrument if you’re really keen on buying it but just aren’t sure if it’s the old strings causing the sound to be a bit below par for your liking.

3 – Inspect the Neck

A neck reset is the most frequent maintenance item done to newly purchased used guitars. Take a look at the neck and ensure it’s straight, do this by looking downwards from the head stock towards the body. Take a look at the action, is it too high? Too low? Check to see that the neck has a truss rod to keep it straight and true.

4 – Inspect the Bridge

You should look at the bridge to see if it’s pulling away from the body at the back. Often times this can be repaired, but too much tension can cause a serious repair.

5 – Cracks?

As mentioned in #1 above, bad cracks should probably be avoided but small ones can usually be repaired for under $100. Use your own judgement here, but if a guitar looks really beat up, it probably was, so unless this is a diamond in the rough pass on it.

6 – Push Test

Push around on the top of the body, be careful not to push too hard just hard enough to notice any soft spots. Once an a while an reinforcement will let go inside. These are repairable how ever it’s still good to know what you’re getting into and what potential costs you might have to incur after purchasing.

A question that comes to mind is what do you do if you’re just starting to learn guitar? How can you test out a guitar if you’re not sure what it should sound like?

One option is to purchase a guitar instructional dvd before you buy your instrument so you’re armed with a bit of knowledge about how to play a few chords before you start shopping. A course like learn and master guitar would be a good one to check out.

You could also take a friend along who can already play guitar. This can be easier since an experienced player will know what to listen and look for.

If you take your time when shopping you can find a great deal on a used acoustic guitar, just be logical about it and try not to let any one thing such as a the look of the guitar make your decision for you.

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