Used Electric Guitars – Our Best Buying Tips

Even though the feeling of a brand new electric guitar in your hands is pretty amazing, the cost of a new instrument might cause some people to think twice before buying. That’s why so many people are purchasing used electric guitars. But if you have never made a purchase like this before, there are a few things that you should know before buying your first used electric guitar.

1. Don’t Buy Used Acoustic Electric Guitars – Check The Input!

Before you buy any used electric guitar, you should make sure that the input jack works. This is the plug where you insert the cord that runs to the amplifier. If the input does not work, the electric guitar will just be an acoustic electric guitar! The best way to make sure that the input jack is operational, you can just plug the instrument into an amplifier and test it out. If it is not working, you will not be able to hear any sound coming from the amp.

Although you can fix a broken input jack, it will be much easier to just buy a used guitar with a working input.

2. Check The Bridge

The bridge is where the base of the strings are held. It is at the opposite of the tuning pegs. This little area has a lot to do with the way your guitar will sound. So, make sure that all of the strings are resting well on their own individual piece of the bridge. There should be a spring underneath each string that is used to adjust tension. If any springs are missing, the strings will not sound correctly.

Many used electric guitars are sold with less than six strings already attached, so be sure that the bridge is in good enough shape to give the strings that are not there a resting place when you put them on.

3. Check The Volume And Tone Knobs

Below the bridge there will be two or three knobs – these control the volume and tone. Be sure the all of the knobs are working, meaning that they can spin all the way from 0 to 10. If these knobs are broken, you may not be able to make adjustments to the sound. If they feel like they are hard to spin, you may want to look at another guitar.

4. Look At The Pickups

The pickups are the ovals underneath the strings that pick up the sound of the strings. Make sure that all of them are well connected to the guitar and that there are more than one. Some guitars have three or four.

Keep these things in mind and you will find a great used electric guitar!

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