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  #1  
Old 06-28-2013, 02:28 AM
Scotch Scotch is offline
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Default Buying a Guitar Which You've Never Played?

Opinions on this?

I myself would 99% of time say Play it before buying it.

I only ever bought a guitar without playing it once just because of starting guitar, Now i've done it again.

Here trying to be patient and wait for my new guitar to be delievered (hopefully today as it's last day but size and distance of object may ake longer) But this time it was my favourite or one of my favourite Brands Lowden. So this is my most expensive spend ever made, considered cheap to other but was a good deal on the forum.

But how can i justify the cost when i've never played it.

What you think?
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Old 06-28-2013, 02:53 AM
Rickytuk Rickytuk is offline
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I think with Lowden it's a fairly safe bet. Each guitar is given a lot of attention & much of the build is still hand crafted (I think they use machines for cutting the neck shape) If you're buying from a good retailer then you have nothing to worry about as you can send it back if you don't like it. I do think it's a risk buying used having not played the guitar. Don't forget to post PICS in a NGD thread.
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Old 06-28-2013, 02:59 AM
dneal dneal is offline
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There's a current thread on this very thing

As a rule, I don't buy guitars before I play them. There is a reason people make jokes about Gibson's consistency. Martins can also be inconsistent, although you usually don't find a "bad" one... just a "ho hum" one. You play those (and other "factory made" guitars) searching for the awesome one.

There are exceptions to every rule, of course.

Commissioning a guitar would be an obvious one, and is based on confidence in the builder. A variation on that would be buying a "known quantity"... with some of the boutique brands. I played a Froggy Bottom EIR/Rosewood P12. I was very impressed and made a pretty safe bet on a used one I found online.

Cheap guitars are another. I'll buy one as a "beater". They're all bearable to play, cheap enough to not worry about damaging/destroying, and if you get a horrible one (which is rare) you're only out a couple of hundred dollars.

The last exception that I make is just gambling on one. I bought one of Ted's custom 0's. There's some "known quantity" confidence being that it is a custom shop Martin, but I was guessing how a small, all mahogany Martin was going to sound. It is nowhere close to what I imagined, but in a good way. It isn't the absolutely best sounding guitar I've ever heard, but I wasn't looking for a "holy grail". It is very nice and I'm extremely pleased with it, and would (and have!) recommend(ed) it to others.
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Old 06-28-2013, 03:11 AM
Scotch Scotch is offline
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Apologies i read that thread you linked but i read it totally differntly. Guitars who he had bought but didnt play. Must be the lack of morning coffee that has done me.

I know Lowdens are good guitars, i've never played one but love look and style of them and sound clips i have heard.
I bought the guitar on this forum, purchased a month ago and was sent last weekend so should arrive in good time

Need to find a camera first.

But atm wondering if it's a good guitar or not. Even not i think i could go in a trade it for a good martin at local store.

Also planning on how to first play it. Sounds silly but wanting to play and find a way where i click and know if its good for me or not.
So got Borsalino, Girl From North Country, Jock o'Hazledon. This will be first songs to play as all differnt hopefully something clicks
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Old 06-28-2013, 03:37 AM
dneal dneal is offline
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Quote:
Also planning on how to first play it. Sounds silly but wanting to play and find a way where i click and know if its good for me or not.
Not silly at all. I'm not clear if the Lowden is new, or used but new to you. Here's what I did on a couple of recent purchases, upon receipt. Note that you should let the guitar acclimatize to its environment for a day or so before opening the box/case. I didn't need to because it sat in the mail room long enough it was already acclimatized.

0-15S - New guitar from L.A. Guitar Sales. Inspect for any shipping damage. Inspect guitar for any obvious flaws / defects. Strings are not corroded / tarnished, so tune to pitch and play. Make a couple of notes about first impressions. Check neck relief. Check nut height. Measure string height. In this case, everything was spot on. Sounds good, plays well. Now, compare it to a reference I'm very familiar with. The mahogany 0 is going to be a different sound, but now that I'm comparing it to a very familiar guitar... do I note things I might have missed otherwise? Conclusion - Nice little 0. Woody, lots of sustain with more ringing tones than I expected. I'm happy.

Froggy Bottom P12 - Used guitar, 1998. Seller noted dings / wear and indicated it was structurally fine. Upon receipt, checked for shipping damage and general condition. Better than described. Needs cleaned up. Removed strings cleaned and installed fresh strings. Tune to pitch and play.

Pick jaw up from floor.

Inspect relief, nut and measure string height. Good to go. Play some more.

Pick jaw up from floor again.

Reluctantly compare to reference. Yes, it is that awesome. Explain to wife why I'm grinning like an idiot.
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Old 06-28-2013, 03:53 AM
Scotch Scotch is offline
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They're a few dings on this guitar as it is second hand, had a few owners but wish i could know how many, was made in 1994.

I'll inspect body a guitar itself first. Then tune up and give it a go.

need to make sure that no one will bother me for a few hours and get my half of litre mug filled with tea and ill be good to go

Hopefully might even start making a song.
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Old 06-28-2013, 03:55 AM
lennylux lennylux is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dneal View Post
As a rule, I don't buy guitars before I play them. There is a reason people make jokes about Gibson's consistency.
Although to be fair, that's a legacy issue that gets pedalled about the internet in posts such as that you made. This is very true for the Norlin years with Gibson, in fact you may even say they did have consistency, consistently under par.... bit of a game-changer when it was bought over and Bozeman became the production base. The consistency has greatly improved as has the sound and tonal qualities, looks and general build quality overall.

I know it's a great hobby for some on here to have a swipe at Gibson, but they're really no less consistent than Martin these days.
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Old 06-28-2013, 04:06 AM
dneal dneal is offline
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Originally Posted by lennylux View Post
Although to be fair, that's a legacy issue that gets pedalled about the internet in posts such as that you made. This is very true for the Norlin years with Gibson, in fact you may even say they did have consistency, consistently under par.... bit of a game-changer when it was bought over and Bozeman became the production base. The consistency has greatly improved as has the sound and tonal qualities, looks and general build quality overall.

I know it's a great hobby for some on here to have a swipe at Gibson, but they're really no less consistent than Martin these days.
You say that like it's a good thing. (see, I can crack jokes on Martin too...)

I haven't run across a Gibson that went "plonk" in a while now, so you make a good point. You're still likely to get an average sounding guitar though (with Martin or Gibson). Not a big deal at the entry level, but disappointing at many of the higher pricepoints. Ted's 15's are an exception, but I usually won't buy a new Martin without playing it first.
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