​Nylon or Steel Strings?
The type of music you want to learn and play makes a difference.    Guitars designed for nylon strings are usually used to play classical, flamenco and some types of folk music.   These instruments are commonly referred to as “classical” or “nylon string” guitars.  Nylon string instruments are not as loud as steel string acoustics and they are almost exclusively played with the fingers of the right hand (for right handed players) rather than with a pick.   They produce a wonderful warm and intimate sound.  In recent years the sound qualities of the classical guitar have been finding their way into pop and jazz.  This has given rise to a newer kind of classical guitar called a “hybrid” or “crossover” guitar. This instrument features electronics, nylon strings and a neck and fingerboard that more closely resembles that of a steel string guitar like a narrower nut width and sometimes a slightly curved fingerboard.

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Different acoustic guitar body styles and shapes produce different kinds of sounds.  One of the most popular steel string guitar styles is the large dreadnought size.  It produces a rich, loud, full-bodied voice that favors the lower end (bass) frequencies.  Another popular size is the OM.  OM stands for “orchestra model.”  This style features a smaller body which can be more comfortable to hold than larger sizes and produces a more refined, balanced and a bit quieter sound.  There are many other sizes including the popular auditorium size, which yields a sound that’s between the dreadnought and OM tones, and the smaller parlor guitar named so because it was originally designed to be played in the front parlor.       
 
Some beginners are attracted to nylon string guitars because the strings are softer than metal and they’re concerned about sore fingertips.  This shouldn’t be a consideration as a properly set up (adjusted) steel string guitar with the right gauge strings can be just about as easy to play.  In addition, nylon string guitars usually have a wider fingerboard which may be challenging for some players.
 
Talk to the experts at Northwest Guitars.  They can answer all your questions and help you select the instrument that’s perfect for you.

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​Caring for your new instrument
 
Just like changing the oil in your car or the filter in your furnace, your guitar or bass requires a certain amount of maintenance. Why? Just like with your cars oil or furnace filter, without the proper maintenance it gets dirty, runs poorly and eventually clogs. The dirt and oils from your hands gets between the wraps of your strings, eventually rusting the strings, dulling the tone and weighting down the strings so it’s harder to keep in tune.
 
You can prolong the life of your strings by simply washing your hands before you play and then wiping down the strings after you play. There are also products such as string cleaners that are designed to prolong the life of your strings. Coated strings will last much longer than ordinary strings but do cost more. If you don’t like to change strings, they may be a good choice. But keeping fresh strings on your instrument ensures a bright, clear tone and comfortable feel.
 
Keeping the back of the neck clean is also important. You want your hand to glide easily up and down the neck and not get hung up on a bunch of gunk and sticky sweat.  
 
Instruments are usually made of wood and wood is susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity.  Leaving your instrument in the trunk of your car and exposing it to extreme temperature changes can cause the neck of your instrument to bow or back-bow making it harder to play or causing it to “fret out” or buzz.  Worse yet, prolonged exposure to the outdoors can eventually ruin your guitar. 
 
If you find that your instrument becomes harder to play with higher action (the height of the strings from the fingerboard is commonly referred to as the action) our qualified guitar technician can check your instrument and make the necessary adjustments. Your instrument should be checked at least once a year.
 
There is nothing wrong with leaving your instrument out on a stand or hanger when at home but to prolong the life of the instrument and keep it looking and feeling new, always carry it in a hard case or well padded gig bag when transporting it.
 
As a full service guitar store we offer classes in re-stringing and caring for your instrument and our excellent guitar techs can re-string your guitar and make all the necessary adjustments for you. Stop by the store and pick up your FREE copy of our “Caring for your new instrument” flyer which contains much of the above information.

​​ 8 ways to sound better right now – for free!     by Shawn Demots
 
Though there is a lot of great gear on the market, you don’t always need to spend serious bucks on the latest boutique gear to improve your tone.  Here are eight easy ways to sound better instantly without emptying your wallet.

2. Hit the strings harder.
 
A lot of musicians play quite a bit softer than they really need to.  Obviously you don’t need to whack the bejeezus out of the thing but a little force is good, especially if you’re playing energetic music.  If you notice a lot of string rattle and hum, you might need stiffer strings and higher action.
 
 
3. Check your right hand technique.
 
It’s natural to focus on your left hand since it’s doing the more complicated stuff.  Nevertheless, your right hand is where your tone comes from.  Try picking at different spots closer and further away from the bridge.  Try every pick you have, playing the same riff each time. Hit the strings with the pick as near to parallel to the strings as possible for a fat tone, angle the pick for a thinner tone.  Finally, try creating pinch harmonics by holding the pick so it’s just barely sticking out from your fingers.  The idea is for the string to hit the flesh of your thumb right after striking the pick.
 
 

Top 6 reasons to get new strings:

6. They have become rusty and lose elasticity.  They end up feeling less smooth.
5. Kinks or flat spots in strings can also cause the string to play differently, they may even start to buzz.
4. They become weighted down with sludge over time making them sound out of tune.
3. You get the whole guitar inspected and cleaned while the strings are getting changed. (Only at NWG)
2. Your guitar’s tone slowly becomes dull. Starts to sound muddy, even more prevalent with distortion.
1. Your guitar strings are discolored and are gross to touch.  Plain strings should be silver are now black from dirt, grease and rust. It's gross!

We have recently added more videos to our site:
-Repair Page
-Tom Anderson
-Wall Walla Guitars
Added Menu links for Bass, Amps > Bass Amps and Amps > Guitar Amps
Added Menu link for Used Basses
Added Menu for used guitar and bass amps
​We will continue to build out our site so keep tuned!

  Many of you have already noticed the website has been down.  We are lucky that our store and our customers are like a family and many of you have given us advice and offered to help.  We thank you! As a result of all the help we have found a great place to build a new website.
  Our e-mail addresses have changed as well.  Our quick fix is to skip the forwarding @NorthwestGuitars.com and just give you the direction @Gmail.com e-mail address.
KevinNorthwestGuitars@Gmail.com
SeanNorthwestGuitars@Gmail.com
JamesNorthwestGuitars@Gmail.com
MichaelNorthwestGuitars@Gmail.com
  Thank you again for all your support.  We have worked hard to stand out from the big box store and be something special.  A community of guitar players, music lovers and a home to all those who love the arts. And as we support you, the community is always there to help us!  Thank you for that!