How to Save Plenty of Cash on Guitar Equipment

Without a doubt, new guitar equipment can cost a pretty penny, especially if you hope to invest in top-of-the-range gear. However, not everyone is in the financial position to spend a small fortune on an original Gibson Les Paul or a Fender Stratocaster. Don’t worry, even if you only have a small amount of cash to spend on a guitar, there are several ways you can purchase equipment without having to break the bank.

Although the sales of electric guitars have gone down in recent years, acoustics are just as popular as ever. The great thing about acoustic guitars is that you don’t need any other equipment, such as a pedal, amplifier, or cables. If you are in the market for a guitar for the first time, you should consider getting an acoustic. Although electric guitars look and sound amazing, learning the different techniques on an acoustic guitar will help you through the early stages of the process. Once you get the hang of the famous instrument, you can consider upgrading to an electric.

Know What You Are Looking For

Before walking into your local music store, understanding the type of guitar equipment you need will help. If you are an entry-level beginner, don’t let the sales representative encourage you to buy the best guitar in the store. Most well-stocked traditional guitar stores will have lots of guitars suitable for beginners.

However, you don’t want to spend your hard-earned money on the cheapest guitar in the store. Inexpensive plastic guitars sound terrible, and they tend to go out of tune easily. This can make learning the guitar even more difficult. The strings might be too far from the guitar’s fret, making it difficult to press your fingers down. People who invest in these low-cost acoustic guitars struggle to make progress when learning how to play. Although learning the instrument can prove difficult, especially during the early stages, it can be a lot of fun too. However, inexpensive builds can cause a lot of frustration, so don’t waste your money on them.

You should look for an entry-level guitar that sounds good and is easily playable.

Shop Online

The internet has changed the way many of us shop for music equipment. There are tons of online stores like SoundImports that stock a variety of branded speaker equipment that you can order from the comfort of your own home. The downside to shopping online for guitar gear is that you won’t get a chance to try the equipment, so don’t be afraid to make direct contact with the seller for advice.

If you are wondering what the guitar, speakers, amplifiers, pedals, etc. sounds like, consider sending the online store an email. Most reputable stores will send potential customers videos and photographs of the products they have in stock, so don’t hesitate to ask.

Just because the online store has the asking price published on their website, doesn’t mean you can’t ask for a discount. People who sell guitars on a regular basis will be used to negotiating the price with their customers, so don’t be afraid to ask to see if they can reduce the asking price. Even if they gave you five percent of the original price, you’ll have some extra cash so you can buy a set of new strings, a capo, or a few plectrums.

Consider Second Hand Gear

Well built guitar equipment is designed to last for many years, which is why you should consider investing in second hand gear. Even seasoned guitarists are not afraid to purchase used equipment, especially guitars that are in immaculate condition. Here are a few reasons why there are so many second guitars available on the market:

• A person invests in a high-end guitar but doesn’t learn how to play it
• Upgrading
• Run into financial difficulty
• Some folks have way too many guitars, so they need to sell a few to make more space at home

If there is a second hand store in your area, the store is bound to have a few guitars for sale. But there are plenty of online marketplaces and auctions worth checking out too. If you decide to buy a second hand guitar or guitar equipment on the web, make sure that you ask for a lot of information before agreeing to the deal. You will want several close up shots of the equipment to avoid investing in damaged products. Make sure that the seller accepts returns if there are any issues with the equipment.

Build Your Own Amplifiers and Speakers

If you want to buy a high-end amplifier or speakers for your guitar, the cost of these items might burn a hole in your wallet, which is why so many music enthusiasts are building their own gear at home. Taking on such a project can prove extremely challenging, but if you are willing to give it a shot, you might be able to produce a great sounding speaker for a fraction of the cost of a commercial speaker. Well known brands like SMSL manufacture all the bits and pieces you need to build a speaker from scratch, and all of these items are readily available online.

DIY speaker and amplifier kits make making a speaker from scratch straightforward. These kits come with all of the wires, cables, speaker boxes, receivers, etc. that you will need. Most quality kits come with a step by step instruction manual to help you through the process. You can find several DIY speaker building tutorials on streaming services like YouTube.

Ask Friends or Family Members for an Old Guitar

Almost everybody has had a dream of playing the guitar at some stage, which is why so many people have purchased guitars but never got around to learning how to play. If one of your close friends or family members has an old guitar lying around the attic collecting dust, they might be willing to give it to you.

Old guitars might not sound very good, but you’d be surprised what a quality set of strings will do. If somebody offers you an old guitar, don’t let the sound put you off the idea of taking it. If the instrument has been sitting in the same position for many years, it’s highly unlikely that it will sound good, plus, it’s bound to be out of tune. Remove the old guitar strings, and replace them with high quality branded strings. Decent strings can make a big difference to a guitar, and they can make learning how to play easier.

Conclusion

The guitar is a wonderful instrument to play, so don’t let the cost of the equipment put you off. During these unprecedented times, it seems like more people than ever before are learning how to play the popular instrument. With lots of virtual lessons available, online tutorials, and websites dedicated to helping people learn, people are learning how to play from home. Just because an entry-level guitar costs less than high-end guitars, doesn’t mean it won’t produce a nice sound. There are lots of well-known brands manufacturing high quality inexpensive beginner guitars that will last for years.

Learning how to play properly can take time, so don’t worry about not being able to produce a nice sound during the early stages of lessons. Dedicate an hour every day to learning different chords and strumming techniques.

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