How to know if a guitar is good quality?

To know if a guitar is good quality, carefully inspect its key components and construction. A good quality guitar has excellent tuning stability, a straight neck, comfortable action, accurate intonation, well-functioning electronics (for electric guitars), smooth fretwork, and a high standard of overall build quality. The picture below showcases the areas of an acoustic guitar to check when assessing the quality of a guitar.

Tuning Stability: To determine if a guitar holds its tuning well, tune it to standard pitch and play vigorously, testing each string with bends and vibrato. If the tuning remains stable, it indicates quality tuning pegs and proper setup.

Neck Straightness: To assess neck straightness, hold the guitar up and look down the neck from the headstock towards the body. Ideally, the neck should be straight, but a slight upward bow, known as relief, is acceptable and often desirable for playability. A significant back bow or any twisting suggests a problem.

Action (String Height): String action refers to how high the strings sit above the fretboard. To check the action, imagine the 12th fret as a ruler standing upright. Now, using a ruler or a measuring tool, measure the distance between the top of the 12th fret and the bottom of the string just above it. A good action for a classical guitar typically falls between 3 mm (0.118″) and 4 mm (0.157″) at the 12th fret. Acoustic guitars tend to have a lower action, ideally around 2 mm (0.078″) to 2.7 mm (0.106″) at the 12th fret. Electric guitars generally have the lowest action, ranging from 1.6 mm (0.062″) to 2 mm (0.078″) at the 12th fret, for comfortable playing and bending. Lower action makes it easier to press the strings down, but excessively low action can cause fret buzz.

Intonation: Intonation refers to the guitar’s ability to play in tune across the entire fretboard. You can check the intonation by playing a string open by plucking the string without pressing it down on any of the frets. Then play the same string, pressing it down at the 12th fret, and compare the pitches with a tuner. If the 12th fret note is noticeably higher or lower than the open note, it indicates an intonation issue.

Electronics (For Electric Guitars): When choosing an electric guitar, test each pickup selector position through an amplifier to ensure all pickups function correctly. Listen for any humming, crackling, or dropouts in sound. Additionally, confirm that the volume and tone controls operate smoothly and produce the desired effect on the output. The picture below shows the location of a pickup selector and volume and tone controls on an electric guitar.

Pickup selector and volume and tone controls on electric guitar

Fretwork: Inspect the fretwork by running your fingers along the edges of the fretboard. Sharp fret ends can snag your hand and affect playing comfort. Each fret should be level, and pressing down on each fret should produce a clear note without buzzing.

Overall Build Quality: Carefully examine the guitar’s finish for any blemishes, inconsistencies, or signs of poor craftsmanship. Check for cracks, gaps, or separations in the wood, particularly around the bridge, soundhole, and heel. A well-made guitar feels solid and resonates well when played, producing a pleasing tone.

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