Just curious what the experts opinions/feel when buying a new guitar. Since it's not always possible to run into the same amp in store that you have at home.
When you "test drive" a guitar what is your technique to tell which is the winner. What tells you this is the ONE (that goes with you).

Thanks

If I'm really serious, I bring my own amp. Same thing when I buy an amp, I bring my #1 guitar at a minimum. Usually my Strat and either my LP or Supro. I don't purchase guitars or amps on line either.
That's up to you though, I just hate getting something home only to be disappointed and have to return it.

When buying a amp i always take a particular one of my guitars. When buying a guitar I always go by how the instrument feels. Tone can be altered to a greater or lesser degree. A store amp will give you a rough approximation of the sounds available anyway. If you hang the guitar up, strike a string and feel around the body for vibration/resonance (particularly around the opposite end so if you strike the highE feel around the shoulder contour. The lowE feel around the jackplate area). Lots of vibration indicates good resonance and usually more sustain.

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No no and no

I always try to play the guitar on the same brand/model amp as the one I have at home. In my case, this is easy because I don't own anything too exotic (Vox Valvetronix).

I also try the guitar with several different amps in the store. Who knows, I may want to play through something different some day...

Last but not least, I play everything through clean channels so I am hearing the guitar and not the effects added by the amp.

In the case of buying an amp, I bring my guitar because that is just so easy that nothing else makes sense.

Of course, I am just a hack so this opinion is worth every dime you spent on it....

Hi

First, know what you are looking for. What kind of pickups config, locking trem or not, active pu's or passive. Gibson style or Fender style guitar or maybe a neck thru. Do you prefer single cutaway guitar bodies or double cut aways? Look at what other players that play the same style of music you play use. This can help you weed out a lot of guitars. If you have no idea what you want, then you have more work to do playing the different types.

You can bring your amp with you. This allows you to try the guitar through your setup, and shows the sales person that you are a serious buyer, not just someone there to play guitars to impress someone. You also look like you know what you're doing. Personally, I have confidence in my amps, so I have not done this, but I believe its a good idea. Plus if you are like me, you may not feel like rolling your Marshall half stack into Guitar Center.

Before playing, I look over the guitar real well. Looking for imperfections on the guitar and the body wood if you can see the grain through the finish, you won't see it on a solid painted guitar. Look at the condition of the strings, if corroded, someone may have played it a bunch already. If they are bad, ask the guys to put ne strings on so you can get a good feel for the guitar. Check the frets, are ends sticking out, is there any dents or flat areas. Scope down the neck looking for twist or bowing

The setup on new guitars is not always right for you, and can be changed. Therefore, I pay little attention to the setup from the factory, and go on looks, sound and features. Some like to play the guitars first unplugged, to get the natural sound of the guitar. I can't tell much difference in electric guitars unplugged, but you can hear buzzes and strings that do not ring true. Play each string on each fret starting open, going to the first to the 22. Listen carefully. I also bend the notes as I go, to see if any notes fret out when bending.

When I plug in I do the same thing. Also, play with the tone and volume knobs to be sure they operate properly. Spend as much time with it as possible before you purchase, and any problems that you may have with the guitar hopefully will surface before you buy. Go into the sound room if they have one and turn it up. This will magnify amy problems that you might run into. Ask a lot of questions, even if you feel foolish for asking. There is no stupid question, and don't feel stupid for asking no matter how they respond. It's better to be a fool for a day, than a fool for life.

Good luck

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

I always find a nice quiet room and play the guitar acoustically for a while. That is one of the easiest ways to tell a really quality electric guitar.

Also, even if it is not the same amp that you have at home, try it through a Twin Reverb. That thing will not let one single flaw go unnoticed.

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Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

Daniel
I'm no expert but this is what I do when shopping for a new Strat. I play it unplugged first to listen for tonal quality of the wood. If it doesn't pass that test it goes back to the rack. Second I play it thru a decent tube amp. preferably a Fender with a clean and overdriven channel. If I like the feel and tone in those configurations I'm one step closer. I also play it standing up with a strap since that is how I play on stage. Weight and comfort are always things to be considered. Thirdly appearance is important; color, finish, neck shape, rosewood or maple, I don't want to duplicate what I already have. I'm sure there are other things to consider but I also have to fall in love with it....

Good luck take pictures

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I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

This is great advise and what I always do. The only trouble is that I hardly ever go home with what I **thought** I wanted. Each guitar is unique and when you find a specific one you love, little else matters.

My local store here lend me the guitar for testing at home for 2-3 days.
Also Online Shop Thomann with 30 day money back guarantee. Enough time for testing.
In the past I often test guitars in store also. If she looking good, I test first dry, the handling. On the amp if there are any dead spots, playing something in clean modus and in the crunch modus. The character of each guitar you hear on each amp. Trained ears of experienced musician knows then if the one guitar is good for the band (the frequences of the guitar better carry through), the other better for studio or home recordings. At last it is also taste question.

Cheers

unfortunately i'm no expert on this topic, but i have gained some experience when i bought my 2008 mia strat. play it acoustically and see how it feels, it doesn't feel right put it down. because tone can always be altered with. but if you got a guitar that feels bad..not much i think u can do.

please correct me if i'm wrong though..

Hi Daniel: I can't imagine dragging my amp along to stores to try guitars through it - but luckily I play Marshalls so it is usually easy to find the same one or something reasonably similar.

Sometimes I have bothered to take one of my own guitars with me to play first and kinda get my ear in with a familiar instrument: then the sound others make can be put into some kind of context.

I also find guitar buying a nice opportunity to play through amps I will never own - especially exotic boutique items! Probably not the best way to audition an unfamiliar guitar - but fun!

Cheers - C

It was just a feeling i got. You will just know when it is right, kinda like Love.

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"look mummy there's an airplane up in the sky"

LOve at first sight.. or should i say love at first strum

hehe

+1 -- Yes, exactly. He nailed this one right on the head. You can tell alot before you ever plug in.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Playing and electric acoustically, you'll hear how clear the tone is, how the natural sustain is, etc. If it doesn't ring out nicely and sound great acoustically, even the best amp will only cover for that so much.

I play mainly through Mesas so I'll make sure to run it through one before I buy it. But for me - I pretty already KNOW what it will sound like for the most part. I'm just feeling the guitar, seeing how the neck feels, how good the frets are rolled, how easily my hands slides into positions, how the neck curve and fretboard radius fit with my playing style, how the knobs are in relation to my hand and if I like that, how the guitar is balanced, how well it's made, and how it looks to me.

Those are all very important, and I won't get a guitar that doesn't complete that checklist (and probably other things I can't think of right now). But the one main thing for me is how it inspires me. If it goes through that list, and I pick it up and feel no real spark or magic, I don't bother with it. Play enough guitars, and you WILL find one that just connects with you, one that you can play on without even thinking about what you're playing, where ideas flow out effortlessly and sound great, and a guitar that you literally cannot put down. One that you know you can do nothing but sit alone with it, and you can play it from the moment you wake up until you close your eyes next to it late at night. If it doesn't do that to you, then you need to find one that does. The one that feels like a part of you, not just a random guitar you bought. Bottom line.

That guitar "can" be found at any price level, but most likely it will be toward the higher end of the spectrum.