4. FIND OUT WHERE TO GET YOUR GUITAR

All right, so you know what kind of guitar you want to get, and how much you're willing to pay for it. Where should you go to purchase your stringed enjoyment?

Pawn shops
Mail-order catalogs/online
Local guitar store or chain

Pawn shops

Sometimes pawn shops will have guitars that look and sound great for 100 bucks. This would be a rare find. More often, though, you'll find a mediocre guitar for that price, and that's still pretty hard to beat. Just don't pay more than $150 at a guitar shop just in case you do happen to get screwed.

Mail-order catalogs/online

Buying your guitar through mail-order or online is great because there are always tons of deals being offered that can save you a lot of money. However, this is an extremely dangerous option if you're getting your first guitar; how will you know if you're getting ripped off or not? Fortunately, we have a sneaky solution: go to your local music store, find one you like, tell the salesperson that you'll "think about it," then go online and look for a better deal for that exact model.

Local guitar store or chain

Heading out to your local music store or chain is the optimum way to purchase a guitar. Though this is the most expensive option, you will most likely get the best warranty and best service. And you'll actually get to test-play the guitar. If you like it a lot, you can take that exact guitar home with you. This is not to say that the local store or chain does not have its faults. Sales reps tend to be a bit pushy when it comes to buying a guitar. Don't let them talk you into getting a more expensive guitar than you really need.