Buying Advice - Guitars

Classical/Spanish guitars have lightweight bodies and nylon strings. Because the strings are much easier to push down than on steel-strung guitars (see below) they are the recommended choice for children to learn on. Beginner classical guitars are very affordable due to relatively low manufacturing costs and mass production and we stock a range of sizes to suit ages as young as 5/6... there's plenty of colour choice as well! If you are an adult, these guitars are obviously ideal if your main interest is classical guitar music, but also suit those who prefer the lower tension strings (no painful fingers!) and wider necks (ideal if you have very large hands!). Finally, if budget is your main consideration, a classical guitar is usually the cheapest option. We stock guitars by Ashton, Santos Martinez, Yamaha & Admira as well as other brands from time to time.

Steel-String Acoustic Guitars

Steel-String acoustic guitars have strongly constructed, heavier bodies able to support the high tension of metal strings...the vast majority of adults (and children over 12/13) choose these instruments rather than classical guitars because they are ideal for strumming and have the preferred sound for playing most pop, rock, folk, blues etc.

In common with most other instruments these days, quality of construction and playability (in particular the straightness of the neck, quality of fretwork and string-height above fretboard) are generally excellent, so you will generally find that it's mainly the quality of the materials used which separates the basic budget instruments from more expensive ones. Typically, a brand new basic/budget guitar will be very comfortable to play with correct tuning/intonation but will not have the depth of sound or volume of a more expensive instrument where superior tone-woods have been used.

Most steel-string guitars are of a size/shape known as the 'dreadnought' style (made famous by Martin USA) but there are other popular options, particular the slightly smaller-body 'folk' style which is ideal for a younger person or smaller adult. Many steel-string acoustics come with factory-fitted pickups...this means that the guitar can be plugged into an amplifier (or PA system) in order to be heard in a band situation. These are called electro-acoustic guitars.

Electric Guitars

Electric guitars can be confusing for beginners as they come in a vast array of shapes, styles and prices... we would advise the best way to start is with a 'beginner package' which will include all the essentials you need: namely a 'standard' (usually Fender-style) guitar, a small amplifier, guitar carry-case, lead, strap and plectrums. As with acoustic guitars, even the cheapest instrument will generally function very well but materials used (particularly electronic components) will be basic and may need replacing/attention before long...these are rarely expensive repairs though.

Although 'junior' size electric guitars are available, most music teachers & parents would agree that it's preferable for a child under 11/12 to first start on a classical guitar... not only is this a much cheaper option but the classical guitar encourages and demands a more disciplined approach to practice and playing, which will have huge benefits if the child switches to electric guitar later on. Of course, every child is different, so this is by no means a hard and fast rule!

Guitar Accessories

We stock a wide range of popular guitar accessories including:

Electronic tuners

The latest generation of 'clip-on' devices have made tuning easier than ever... they are highly responsive, not affected by noisy environments (as they use vibration sensors, not a microphone) and offer 'hands-free' operation. We would certainly recommend them for use on all acoustic guitars (classical & steel-string) whilst the standard 'plug-in' style tuners are perfectly adequate for electric guitars & basses.

Guitar Cases

We stock a range of guitar cases in various shapes and sizes from simple carry-bags, thru luxury padded gig-bags to hard-shell cases... the level of protection you opt for depends on how much travelling you do and the value of the instrument. It's worth noting that (with the exception of Hiscox cases) even a hard shell case does not guarantee protection in the luggage hold of an aircraft.

Guitar Stands

A guitar stand is an extremely important investment, not only because it's an ideal way to store a guitar (guitars should never be lent against walls as this will eventually bend the neck!) but mainly because a guitar on a stand is far more likely to get picked up and played! We stock the popular standard upright models as well as the more durable (and better looking) compact 'Quicklok' style models. Alternatively, if you prefer to keep the guitar off the floor then a wall-hanger is a popular and visually attractive option.

Guitar Capos

A guitar capo (short for capodastro) is a small device that locks across the neck of a guitar to instantly raise the pitch without requiring one to manually tune the instrument keys up. A capo can be a very handy tool. For example, let's say a guitarist plays a particular song in the key of C, but is getting together with a friend who plays the same song in D. Rather than transposing the song from C to D, a capo on the second fret will raise the guitar's pitch by a whole step up to D. It is also common to learn a song by a favorite recording artist that is not in your singing range. A capo allows the guitarist to move the song into a comfortable key while maintaining the same chording and fingerwork of the original song. We stock most popular models such as Jim Dunlop, Shubb, Dunlop Trigger, Kyser & G7th.

Guitar Cleaning & Maintenance Products

We stock a range of popular products, such as 'Fast-Fret' which is a handy wipe-on formula for strings and fingerboards, as well as polish, lemon-oil, string winders, replacement bridge-pins and strap studs, etc etc.

Guitar Maintenance

String changing

Strings snap usually either because of over-tuning (common if you are a beginner) or because of corrosion/oxidization if they've simply been on the guitar too long! We stock a wide range of guitar strings and can advise you which type of strings to use... we're more than happy to demonstrate how to change single strings or, if you prefer, our guitar workshop can revitalise your guitar by fitting a fresh set for you.

Playing action

This is the height of the strings above the fingerboard, which (unfortunately!) can change for any number of reasons - leaving a guitar leaning up against a wall for long periods, leaving old strings on a guitar at full tension for long periods, replacing strings with new ones of a different gauge, frequent changes in temperature & humidity. In all these cases, your strings will typically get much harder to push down due to the guitar neck becoming slightly bent upwards. If you suspect this is happening, then bring your guitar in to the Ritz guitar workshop (1st floor at Ritz Music) and we'll adjust the neck, as well as checking saddle & nut height and changing strings if necessary so that you end up with a comfortable instrument that plays to its best potential!

Other maintenance

Electric guitars (particularly if used a great deal) need electronic servicing from time to time to avoid problems with noisy controls and unreliable input sockets. Guitar tuning pegs sometimes break or become stiff and guitar frets gradually wear down and grooves can develop over time... in many cases the existing frets can be re-profiled, but in extreme cases a total re-fret is the only option. If you are unfortunate enough to snap the neck of your guitar... don't panic! In most cases, the break/fracture can be repaired very successfully by our workshop - we use specialist glues which set stronger than the original wood! Please visit our Guitar Repair Workshop page for more information.