What do you play when trying/buying

mickthemiller · #1 05-12-2016, 02:59 AM

What do you play when trying guitars. Just a few chords. A particular tune. Do you test intonation. Strum, finger pick. What?

Steel and wood · #2 05-12-2016, 04:17 AM

Strum and fingerpick. (I take a pick, thumb and fingerpicks with me). I normally just make stuff up based on a number of major/minor chord progressions.

SpruceTop · #3 05-12-2016, 05:15 AM

I take a tuner with me and tune every guitar I audition to concert pitch. I also carry my favorite flatpick.

Flatpicking: "Crossing Muddy Waters" by John Hiatt; "Seven Bridges Road" by The Eagles.

Fingerpicking: "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" - Bob Dylan version; "April Come She Will" by Simon & Garfunkel.

dcmey · #4 05-12-2016, 05:18 AM

I grab a song book from the store and take it into the acoustic room and start playing.

Silly Moustache · #5 05-12-2016, 05:30 AM

I used tyo get embarrassed as every time I tried a guitar in two specific specialist stores, my hands just started playing my version of I am a Pilgrim (Doc Watsonish style).

I don't really go to guitar shops any more.

dkstott · #6 05-12-2016, 06:19 AM

I start with key of G scales up and down the neck to get a feel for the frets and the neck. It also warms up my fingers.

After that, I play a fingerstyle version of "what a wonderful world". The arrangement covers all of the neck, so it give me a better feel for sound & playability

After that will come some fingerstyle Beatles tunes

fhubert · #7 05-12-2016, 06:22 AM

I generally bring my finger picks and a tuner. Since I primarily play in DADGAD I first ask if I can change the tuning. I always assure them that I will return it to standard when I'm done. Most have been very accommodating with my request. Then I just play what I want and check the guitar out for the obvious factors.

SFCRetired · #8 05-12-2016, 07:14 AM

Why I have a hard time trying to figure out what to play when trying out a guitar is beyond me, so I have an established list of songs that I Flat Pick. Wabash Cannonball, Wild Flowers, Tennessee Flattop Box, I saw the Light, and sometimes Take Me Home Country Roads. And then some of my tunes.

I always take my picks and a tuner. When I leave they have a lot of guitars tuned.

TwoMartinMan · #9 05-12-2016, 07:33 AM

I take a pick, a tuner, an 18" ruler, and a capo. I play bits of tunes in several positions up and down the neck, both strumming and finger style. I capo at the 2nd fret and play Norwegian Wood, capo at the 3rd fret and play Fire and Rain, and capo at the 7th fret and play Here Comes the Sun both with the pick and finger style to check action and intonation up the neck. I use the ruler to roughly gauge the neck relief and neck angle in relation to the bridge and saddle.

easynote · #10 05-12-2016, 07:48 AM

I run through a Dm, C, Bflat, F major Barre chord, chord progression that checks out the string height coming of the nut for me.

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #11 05-12-2016, 08:21 AM

Stairway to Heaven

Kidding aside, I normally hit every note on the guitar to look for anything unusual, then some some barre chords all the way up the neck. After that it's time to play some of my favorites to see how the guitar actually sounds sitting in my lap.

mr. beaumont · #12 05-12-2016, 08:29 AM

I usually play whatever I'm working on at the moment.

If it sounds good, then I really go through the paces...including playing every note, every string, softly, "medium," and loudly.

drive-south · #13 05-12-2016, 09:07 AM

Its not what I play but what I don't play. I don't try to play 100 miles/hr as I'm not there to impress and that tells me nothing about how the guitar sounds.I'll usually start by playing some chords and let them ring to see how well it sustains. Then some movable progressions up and down the neck to see how I like the action.

Dru Edwards · #14 05-12-2016, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I usually play whatever I'm working on at the moment.

If it sounds good, then I really go through the paces...including playing every note, every string, softly, "medium," and loudly.

Same here, Jeff. I also have some strumming/flatpicking and fingerpicking routines I go through as well.

ewalling · #15 05-12-2016, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoMartinMan

I use the ruler to roughly gauge the neck relief and neck angle in relation to the bridge and saddle.

I do this, too. Feel and comfort will also be important. In terms of playing, though, a guitar I want to buy does not require an awful lot of playing. I can identify very quickly if a sound is one I don't much like, one I find okay, and one I find outstanding. Obviously, I'll run through some of the things I do, but the amount of time I spend playing may have more to do with mentally reconciling myself to forking out all that money on yet another guitar!