Be careful...when buying a guitar. Make sure it sounds good, is in good shape and plays nicely. Unfortunately, that pretty much rules out mail order and online purchases. So if that's the way a buyer wants to go...be careful out there.

Beware of generalizations. "I don't know much but" (gonna make that a macro key for future postings :) ) I can quickly name six brands that have a great reputation for quality yet many if not all have had their duds, periods of slack quality control, production and/or material/component issues. It is unwise to blindly heed generalizations that any brand is consistently bad or consistently good. Still, there are more than a handful of brands that one can immediately put their trust in...and then verify.

Blah...blah...blah. The above is all well and good for the experienced musician but the beginner or relative nubie might not 'hear' how nice or how poorly the guitar sounds...may not be able to detect physical problems...may not realize it doesn't play well. In my way of thinking that's a situation that calls upon leaning on the manufacturer's reputation -- the Gibsons, Martins, Fenders, Ovations, PRS's, Taylors, etc. of the world (actually, despite some individual models, those are all U.S. makes). And seek the advice of a trusted musician or dealer.

And when the guitar shopper thinks the advice has all been collected and heard beware of the guitar snobs and brand ultra-loyalists...Ford vs Chevy, Apple vs MS, Pepsi vs Coke, Gibson vs Fender vs PRS....

But most of all -- I just love the oxymoron of "All generalizations are false."

:D