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Solid body, or hollow body. Single cutaway or double cutaway. Humbuckers, or single coil pickups. Gibson, or Fender. So many questions come up in a guitarists mind when searching for a new guitar to buy. The real question is, "How do I figure out which guitar to buy?"

Let's have a look at some very important key features to look at when deciding which axe will become yours.

Wood

Guitars are made out of many different types of wood depending on how the manufacturer intended the guitar to sound like. There are mahogany, maple, cherry, spruce, and many more types of wood used to make the body of a guitar. Each different wood has a particular set of tones that resonates through it, producing much different sounds than other woods. The only real way to figure out which type of wood your guitar should be is to try a bunch, and pick the tones that sound best to you. After all, you will be the one who has to listen to it the most. Some woods are stronger and heavier than others, making them a better choice for the longevity of the instrument. They tend to produce less dynamic tones overall though, so you must weigh the benefits vs. The shortfalls of each before you decide.


Pickups
So which pickups are better? The humbucker type, or the single coil setup? The answer lies not in which type is better, but the type of sound you are looking for. If you play metal music, you may not want to buy a guitar that features crisp trebbly highs and no harmonic content. Each pickup is designed to impart a certain type of sound from the guitar. You must figure out which genre of music you are playing, then make your decision based on that. Humbuckers tend to have much higher output and harmonics. Single coil pickups usually have a more mellow, even-toned structure to their sound.

Brand
Many people assume that because a certain brand of guitar is more popular, that it is automatically better than other ones. This is not the case. Every manufacturer has a cheap model, and a high quality model. It is not so much the name that is on the guitar that is important. It has to do with the price range. Your best bet is to go with the most expensive model for the price range you have set. You are much more likely to find a good quality guitar for yourself this way.

Before you purchase a guitar, always try out many different brands, models, and types. You may be amazed at what you will learn by doing this. The brand that you thought was not as good, may become your favourite choice. Playing many guitars will give you a taste of the feel that you desire in your guitar. Always try playing the guitar with, and without an amplifier connected to it. This way, you can not only hear what it sounds like, but it will help you separate the sound from the feel.

Buying a guitar does not have to be a bad experience. Just take your time. Try thinking outside the box with different types, shapes, and brands to truly find your guitar. Ask opinions of others, but do not let them decide which one will be yours. After all, it's your instrument.