When you made your last year’s resolution to learn the guitar, you didn’t think that you’d be still with it 12 months later. You certainly didn’t expect to refine that screeching noises you made in your first weeks into the melodies you’re capable of today. Now that you’ve got a year of lessons under your belt, you almost sound like one of your guitar heroes!

In a world where people break their resolutions within a week of setting them, your dedication to your New Year’s goal deserves some recognition. There’s no better way to reward all of your hard work and commitment than with a brand new guitar.  Exchange that old beat up one you bought last January from some guy in Vancouver for a quality made guitar that has character.

Though you obviously have enthusiasm for the instrument, when it’s your first time buying a guitar, the experience can be intimidating. There are so many details to consider, and you’re not even sure what you’re looking for. To make your guitar shopping as smooth as possible, it’s important that you deliberate on your ‘must haves’ and ‘really wants’ before you visit a guitar store in Vancouver. Make a list of the things that you expect to have in your first guitar.

The top of your list should be price. Your budget will determine everything that follows, so it’s vital that you determine the amount you’re willing to spend. In a perfect world, you’d have unlimited resources, so you could buy even the most famous guitars, like the Washburn 22 series Hawk custom made for Bob Marley (estimated anywhere between $1.2 and $2 million) or the 68 Stratocaster that Hendrix played at Woodstock (reportedly a cool $2 million). In reality, you may only have several hundred to work with. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with buying previously used beaters for the rest of your life. You can find a well-made guitar for under $1,000.

There are guitar stores in Vancouver that have a variety of quality guitars for every kind of budget. Household brands like Fender, Squier, and Gibson have guitars for those with limited finances. Each one comes with a different character, brightness, and tone, so it’s important that you compare price with sound. Spend a weekend exploring your local guitar store to get a better feel for the sounds each brand can produce. Speak with the representatives in store to learn more about the differences, tempering their expert advice with your practical test runs.  Avoid any model that struggles with crackling, humming, or distortion.

When you devote time and effort to your purchase, you can find an amazing guitar for the price that you want. And since you’re so good at making New Year’s resolutions and actually sticking to them, you might want to set another goal for next year. If you see a guitar out of your price range, make it your aim to set aside enough money to buy it this time next year!