Buying a Musical Instrument
Buying a new musical instrument should be a magical experience, both for the beginner and for the expert. For the beginner, he or she will begin to experience the wonder that comes from melding oneself to a simple piece of wood and string. The expert will know all too well how the right instrument can become an attachment, almost an appendage. Just like you would use an arm to grab something off of a table, so too does the virtuoso use his instrument to grab our feelings, seemingly at will.
The experience of getting that first instrument, especially for a beginner, depends greatly on the service of those around him. Certain instruments are made for beginners, some for experts. You need the right person to help you with that learning curve, so that you neither become too frustrated with your instrument, nor overpower it because it is so easy as to be a toy. Quality is important when buying an instrument, as it should be able to grow with you as your skill improves.
Take for example, the electric guitar. Guitars made for experts are notorious for being especially difficult to tune, and their strings will cause the fingers of a beginner to chafe and scratch. The slightest reverberation can ruin an arpeggio sweep or solo, and the fingering is unforgiving. However, properly played, an expert guitar simply gives tones that a guitar that is easier to tune and strum could never give. The guitar made for the beginner is meant to ease the player into the instrument. The strings may be a bit farther apart and more malleable to the touch. They may be skinnier, and therefore break more easily, but not cause so much chafing to the virgin fingers of the beginner. Your perfect guitar will have traits of both of these. A beginner will be able to practice and strengthen his fingers, but the guitar will not sound like a toy once the player masters the basics.
The right music salesman will be like a friend who will honestly assess playing ability and conditioning, as well as the final goal for the player. Are you trying to be a virtuoso? Then you might need a stronger, better quality instrument. Are you just playing for friends and family? Then you might not need top of the line, but you need to look good. The right salesman will ask you these questions, listen to your answers, and provide a solution for you according to your needs. It is always good to do as much research as you can ahead of time. Your salesman will be better able to direct you if you come in with specific questions about brand names. Bottom line: Make sure your salesman sounds like he cares, because the instrument you choose has the potential to touch the lives of the people you play for. This is an opportunity that all musicians, beginners and experts, cannot afford to pass up.