What do you look for?

[stevieb91]

When I purchased my DK2,I over a dozen guitars before choosing.The three main factors for my choice:

1. Neck (contour,fret size,fret accesabitity,fingerboard)
2. Acoustic properties.If it doesn't sound good unplugged,it more than likely won't sound good plugged in(although this is a difficult call,the majority of store hung axes have lousy set ups and the strings feel like they were made from recycled razor blades).
3.Overall build quality.

I know I am repeating many factors listed by my brethren,but I will be shopping soon,and am stating my personal standards.

The authorized Jackson dealer in my area has more than a few USA's in stock,but the place is a pigsty and I would rather buy online than set foot in that place again.

[Newc]

When you go in to a guitar shop and look at guitars, what are the top 3 things you look for?

In other words, based on your needs, what are the 3 most important things that you want it to have, thus prompting you to want it or buy it?

Forget price points, etc. I'm looking for info on the most essential elements that trigger you to buy it.

Thanks for your input!

1. Visual appearance: Is my eye drawn to it because of the high gloss finish, the figured top, the shape, or because it looks so friggen corny?

2. Construction quality: Are the fret ends sharp, interfering with fretboard travel? Does it sound "dead", even with new strings? Did the company use crappy wood in exchange for USA-branded hardware in order to maintain a competitive price point?

3. Versatility: H-S-H, H-H, and H-S-S = Versatility. 1H = Wanker guitar.

[Hamner1]

LOOK: primarily the shape. If it is some retarded mutation/bastard child shape then I won'r bother with it @ all.

FEEL/PLAYABILITY/CRAFTSMANSHIP: does it play "fast" is the neck too thick or too thin? Is everything tight/solid? How long will it sustain? Does it stay in tune? ARe there dead spots, uneven frets flaws in the finish.
** At this point a bad setup or a really out of tune guitar will kill a deal. I don't have the patience to have a rep setup or retune a guitar. In my opinion all of this should have been done prior to hanging the guitar on the showroom floor.

Tone: play thru a clean setting, using the various pickup cobinations (bridge bridge & neck, neck, etc) & controls. Then I play thru a distorted setting doing the same thing.

[Bob From Accounting]

1 Looks/Brand
2 H-H or Single-Hum (no friggin single coils anywhere on the guitar, especially in the middle!!)
3 Ebony or Maple fretboard (light-brown rosewood=Yuk!)
4 Bodywood: Alder,Poplar or Mahogny (no basswood)
5 Binding is nice, 95% must have

If a guitar fits this descripton (the DK2M does...mmmm yummy) Read reviews, check it out, sharp frets etc...overall quality issues. If everything is ok, get it!

Neck-thru is nice, but NOT necessary if it is a great guitar.

Note to self: Order DK2M

[Bob From Accounting]

To spell it out loud n clear

Take the DK2M model and make it in: KE KV RR WR etc models also.
And see if it's possible the make the above mentioned line with ebony boards as an option.

[rjohnstone]

- Good looks. If the design and/or paint isn't visually appealing, you've already lost me - it doesn't matter how good the guitar actually is, if it's not something that I'd like to play. And, since I like variety, "visually appealing" can mean many different things - body and headstock styles, solid, trans and graphic finishes. But, then again, a lot doesn't work for my preferences, too.

- Quality workmanship. i.e., excellent fretwork, paint, hardware alignments and installations, body routing, etc. No significant flaws. It could be the coolest looking guitar on the planet, but if there's an obvious flaw of some sort, it's a "no-go". The first thing that enters my mind is "I wonder what else might be wrong with it."

- Quality components. i.e, Quartersawn necks, Original Floyds, Duncan or Dimarzio pickups, high quality paints, dyes, clears, etc. Cost cutting in this area is obvious, and an immediate turn-off.

That pretty much sums it up for me.

[Stinkbug]

+1

The only other thing I would add is "Made in the USA". I know there are plenty of good guitars made in other countries, but I am still a strong believer the best ones are made in the US. So as a rule if it isn't USA made I am not interested. The exception to that is classical guitars, but I don't think that is applicable here.

[guitarsjb]

1. Looks
2. Feel/playability
3. Has to have a Floyd, not necessarily OFR..but a good quality one.

[Bengal65]

Most guitars I want are not available in a shop to try out. I rarely if ever go to a shop to try guitars. It may be my 40+ years of playing or being an engineer or both. I read the specs. ie; woods, pickups, electronics, neck sizes, frets, finishes etc. Most of my guitars for the last 10 years have been purchased without having ever played the guitar before purchase.
These three items would be what I'm looking for:
1. Guitar type- can it be played comfortably standing or sitting.
2. Specs- Does the guitar have excellent quality woods, electronics, finish and hardware?
3. Reputation of the brand and good warranty service history record.

[hippietim]

I tend to look for strange lights in the sky. One time there were these little green men about four foot ten...

[mm2002]

I always look for the best guitar at the cheapest rice. I mean prixe...I mean price. Yeah price. Price is what matters. A good guitar at a cheap price is a good deal but a cheap guitar at a good price isn't always a good deal. I like buying guitars at around 1/2 their resale value or less. Or even less than that is ok. Ya know?

[daemon barbeque]

Thru confortable 24 fret neck ,Nice acoustic tone with lots of sustain ,and a good fitting ,playing position!

[Jackson-Charvel]

I usually need the neck to have the right meaty feel (an example of the perfect kind of neck for me is the one on ther DK2M/DK2LE). Frets have to be nice and smooth and the inlays can't look like were installed by a drunken disgruntled ex postal employee.

Price is a concern, but I'd rather spend on quality parts than cutting corners to meet some dirt cheap price point. I'd prefer the guitar to be priced in the middle of what's out there $500-$600 range is about right.

As far as body well I am still waiting for Jackson to make the DK2M-1H Reverse, so that said, that is exactly what I look for in a guitar, just make it.

[Jackson-Charvel]

To spell it out loud n clear

Take the DK2M model and make it in: KE KV RR WR etc models also.
And see if it's possible the make the above mentioned line with ebony boards as an option.

+1 Say it loud and proud!!!

I forgot to mention I am a sucker for maple fretboards. I buy guitars I don't necessarrily care for otherwise but if it has a maple fretboard then it catches my eye. I've boughten (yes Ron boughten is a word ) 3 older Peavey Nitro/Tracers for this reason alone, as well as a few Charvel / Jacksons (would be more CHarvel / Jacksons if they HAD more maple fretboarded versions HINT HINT)

[catsize]

1) It is *not* made in Mexico, Korea, China, or Indonesia (US and Japan are OK)

2) While finish will always attract the eye first, the most important thing for me is to sit down and play the guitar:

a) Does the neck feel good in my hand?

b) Are the frets comfortable and well-dressed?

c) Is the neck meaty/chunky, without feeling like a two by four?

d) Do the body contours fit me comfortably both sitting and standing?

3) Are the pickups appropriate to the music I intend to play?

4) Is the hardware appropriate, good quality, and comfortably laid out?

5) Is there a tremolo on Strat-type guitars?

6) Is the fit, finish, and overall construction appropriate to the price point?

I find that I usually know what I'm looking for when I go shopping. If I go into a store without a feeling for what I want, I usually go home emtpy handed.

But, the most important consideration: Am I getting money's worth? $3,000 is too much money for any guitar, which is why I don't own a Gibson Les Paul. A grand is about as much as I'd spend on a tool that I intend to use for work on a public stage.