If you’ve ever wanted to pick up the guitar and roll out your favorite song, or can’t go a day without feeling the strings on your fingers, then April is the month for you. International Guitar Month is an exciting time for guitarist often opens up a world of savings to those looking for their first guitar or a special upgrade. There’s lot of ways you can save big on a guitar throughout the year though, so prepare for the frustrating calluses and brush up on your favorite songs because this International Guitar Month is not only going to open you up to savings, but will help you fall in love with your guitar even more!
1. Shop Around
One of the golden rules for guitar shopping is to make sure you check out a large variety of online and local stores. Many guitar stores don’t offer a standard price on many guitars as a lot of their stock is used. Of course, they usually have a couple new pieces in stock but sometimes even these instruments will range in price substantially. The best thing you can do is check out a few different locations to see which store offers the most value for your money. Although a store may seem to have a smaller price at first, you should ask what comes with the guitar purchase. Some stores will actually throw in accessories that can help get your started while others will offer the guitar alone. A lot of stores will simply state their item is on sale when the price is only matching that of other’s stores. So, be careful here as you can end up paying much more than the guitar’s worth if you’re not careful.
2. Buy Used
A lot of people have issues with buying used items, but a guitar is one of the best items to buy used. This is especially true if you’re just starting out on the guitar. Used guitars are already a bit broken in, you won’t feel like they’re the most fragile thing on the planet and they’re a whole lot cheaper. This is especially good if you’re not sure you, or the recipient of the guitar, is going to stick with the new hobby. Of course, if you’re a collector then you probably already know that a lot of guitars that are worth collecting are used. From brand names and models to celebrity status and autographs, many used guitars have a value much greater than money. This, in itself, should tell you that used guitars are totally worth the money and may even make you feel like more like a rockstar than you would with a shiny new one.
3. Try It Out
It may feel weird, but before you purchase a guitar you should hook it up to an amp and take it for a ride. Some stores may act weird when you ask to do this, but you wouldn’t leave a car lot without a test drive, right? The same can be said for guitars. Some stores will ask you to do this before you make the purchase anyway, but if you get attitude from a salesperson when you ask to hear a guitar’s sound then it’s probably a bad sign. It doesn’t matter if you’re buying something new or used as the sound of a guitar can be totally off even if it appears to be find in the store. Not to mention, you want to get the feeling of a guitar before you buy it. Like clothes shopping, some guitars are a much better fit than others, so buying on style alone can leave you coming back in for a return. Trying out the item is especially important if you’re purchasing an “as is” item, so definitely don’t take no for an answer here!
4. Negotiate
If you’re not going to a big chain store, then your negotiation skills may be one way to help you save some big time money on your new purchase. Again, like purchasing a car, some of the local mom and pop stores may actually welcome some negotiation skills. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go into any shop without prior knowledge of a guitar. Do some research before you decide to make a purchase so you know what the guitar should be worth in various types of conditions. It may also help if you bring your smartphone along for the shopping trip so you can readily look up information and show it to the clerk to help aid your case. With any luck, you’ll be able to knock a few dollars off the price of a used guitar or you’ll end up getting a few accessories added on to the purchase at no extra cost. Remember to keep polite about the transaction though and it may help your case to return as a regular customer whenever you need guitar supplies.
5. Bundle
One of the best ways to begin the hobby is to actually look for a bundle set. These sets can be found both online and locally so you shouldn’t have to look too hard to find one. The average bundle set comes with a guitar and an amp which is pretty much everything you need to get started. However, there are also bundle sets that come with the basics as well as picks, a guitar case and strap, tuner and some basic sheet music. The more you look around, the better the deal you’ll probably find so don’t leave any stones unturned. You can buy bundles for new or used equipment too, which will change the price tag of the set substantially. Generally speaking, a new set shouldn’t cost you over $150, so factor this in when you’re looking at a used set to ensure you’re getting your money’s worth. You should also consider if each of the items in the set are used, as it may be more beneficial to buy a new amp with a used guitar.
6. Strings
Your guitar strings can make or break the way your guitar sounds, not to mention how your fingers feel. Although they’re usually not terribly priced, when you’re starting out you’re probably going to go through a lot more strings. There’s a few tricks that can help you save in this department though. For starters, look around and see if you can find bulk strings to help prevent you from having to shop more and to ensure you’ll always have a backup when a string breaks. When you’re just starting out then you may want to keep to purchasing cheaper strings. They’re going to break more often and may even snap while you’re learning to restring your guitar. So, quality isn’t always a priority. However, when you start to get the hang of things you may want to start finding a higher quality brand that you enjoy. When shopping for strings make sure they come in an air tight wrapper. Strings that are in a simple container actually begin to age on the shelf, thus you won’t get as much life out of them. Air tight strings maintain their newness so when you pull them out of the container it will seem as if they were just made. You may also want to consider boiling your strings to help them last even longer.
7. Online Lessons
Part of having a guitar is taking lessons to learn how to play, right? A lot of people will spend a small fortune when they finally locate a guitar teacher that has open slots for lessons. This can be a pretty time consuming activity and a lot of guitar teachers are in high demand so they can raise their prices to suit their needs. Rather than even bothering with this aspect of learning, you can easily turn to your computer or tablet for lessons that are absolutely free. Sure, you won’t get the feedback of the teacher, but you’ll learn the basics and will eventually be able to alter your technique to ensure you sound like a skilled player. If you’re still craving feedback from a teacher then you may want to browse online to see if anyone is offering online lessons. Some music sites will allow freelance teachers to offer lessons for a low price. You will probably end up conducting your lesson online via webcam, but it will be more affordable than some music teachers in your area.
8. Coupons
Believe it or not, but there’s a whole lot of coupons for guitars just waiting to be used. Major chain music stores put out a lot of coupons each year for their selection of guitars, but you may have to look online to find these coupons. Even local stores offer coupons, so check your local ads or call the store to see if there’s any available for you. These coupons usually take off a fair amount on some purchases, including that of the guitar and amp. They will also help you afford sheet music and accessories for your guitar. Of course, coupons for purchasing the guitar aren’t the only ones out there. If you search on social media pages you may be able to find some for guitar lessons. This is especially great if you know a group looking to learn how to play or you have more than one or two people in the family wanting to learn. You should also look for coupons for repairs as these are common too and can come in handy if you’re clumsy or don’t know how to re-string your guitar yet.
9. DIY Repairs
Taking your guitar in to get repaired can be an out of this world cost, especially if you’re not sure what’s wrong with it. Although, finding a great repair person is always a bit of weight off your chest, some issues can easily be corrected in your home. Before you decide to spend money on repairs for your guitar you may want to look online to see if there’s any tutorials to help your specific problem. Usually, someone on the World Wide Web has not only come up with an easy solution but has also posted it online for free. Thus, you can easily fix up your guitar with a few minutes and a little bit of streaming. If you’re not exactly sure what’s wrong with you guitar then you still shouldn’t stress out. Search engines are great because they can pretty much find information that is custom to your needs if you know how to search correctly. With a few keywords you may find out your guitar’s problem and the solution for it at no cost to you. If not, you can always join some guitar forums to see if anyone lurking on the page can help you out. Usually people are more than willing to lend a helping hand.
10. Research
One of the key components to saving money on your new guitar is actually doing a bit of research. You shouldn’t walk into a store willing to buy anything that meets your eye. Rather, try to learn more about brands and models before you take the leap. This won’t just help you gauge the price tag that should be associated with your guitar, but will also ensure you know general problems it may have as well as how to maintain it. A little research may also help you discover if you really want to play the acoustic guitar or the electric, which could lead to some major savings!
Purchasing a guitar isn’t light shopping so it’s important to know a few tricks to help you save some money. These ten topics should help you know more about guitars and ensure you find the savings you deserve. After all, what better way to celebrate International Guitar Month than to save lots of money on a new one!
