| It doesn't really matter the price range that you have in | | | | 4. The Neck Angle |
| mind. Years back a low cost guitar would be a | | | | The first three can be adjusted. If the neck angle is |
| nightmare to play, and for a beginner it was worse, I | | | | bad then adjusting the other three will bring about little |
| had one for my first guitar. These days with advanced | | | | change to the action. Picture a guitar lying level on its |
| machining and mass production techniques there are a | | | | back and you place a straight edge along neck and |
| large number of guitar manufacturers turning out quite | | | | extending down to touch the bridge. The bridge is the |
| good guitars at low cost. | | | | piece of timber attached to the body of the guitar that |
| Regardless of the price if you take any two guitars of | | | | has the strings attached to it, and the saddle is the |
| the same make and model, even with consecutive | | | | (usually) white plastic strip that sits in the bridge and |
| production numbers it's quite likely that one will be | | | | has the strings running across it. When the neck angle |
| easier to play than the other. | | | | is good then the neck and the top of the bridge will be |
| How well a guitar plays is determined by the | | | | on the same line. When the angle is bad then the |
| action.The action on a guitar is the distance between | | | | straight edge will point to a spot closer to where the |
| the underside of the strings and the frets. The frets | | | | bridge joins the body and is a really bad case it would |
| are the thin metal strips that lie across the neck. The | | | | touch the body of the guitar first. |
| maximum distance is found in the area where the | | | | Now we cannot carry out this test in a music store, |
| neck and body join. If the distance is greater than say | | | | however what we can do is sight down the neck and |
| 3mm then it will be harder to play the guitar up the | | | | it's fairly easy to see where the line of the neck points |
| neck than it should be and for a beginner it can totally | | | | to, it should be in line with the top of the bridge. |
| discouraging. Keep in mind that that a small difference | | | | This is all probably a lot to absorb in one go, the |
| can mean a lot. | | | | important thing is to be aware of the action and any |
| A 4mm gap is a big step up from 3mm. | | | | good guitar salesperson should know all this and be |
| There are four things that influence the action. | | | | able to point them out to you so you can make the |
| 1. The Saddle Height | | | | best choice so you have a guitar that is easy to play. |
| 2. The Nut Height | | | | Lastly do not buy a guitar because you like the color |
| 3. The Truss Rod Adjustment | | | | of it, buy the guitar that sounds good and plays well. |