What are the most important factors in choosing a guitar?

Feels good. Comfortable weight, body style, and above all neck and fretwork.
Looks good. I prefer the more mundane. Natural wood, dark to medium bursts, and "normal" solid colors. Black, red, white, some pastels.
Plays in tune and stays in tune(tho not necc a deal breaker, I can usually fix that most of the time but I'd rather not).
Pickups. I can change em but I'd rather not. I'm not pickup fussy tho, as long as its half decent.
Sound. As much as we fuss over tone, to everyone else an electric guitar sounds like an electric guitar. Any decent guitar/amp has a least one sound in it I like.
 
On an electric my first rule is that it has to have 22 frets minimum. Second is that it must have a bridge pickup. After that I'm open to options.
 
GreatDane said:
I am pretty particular about neck carve, radius and nut width.

Around here, and based on common GPOTD responses, it seems like some folks should be saying "price".
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That's a factor, for sure. There's a lot of drool-worthy stuff that'll never be in my price range. I tend to look at things in terms if value, though. A killer custom exotic for $20k is a lot less a bargain than than many things I could buy off the rack for 1/10th the price. Likewise, a good Les Paul for $1,000 is a much better value than an Epiphone at new retail.
I guess I just like a good bargain.
 
As far as what draws me in....
Does Mrs. G like it? No? Moving on. If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!
Next, does it look good?
Then it just goes by whether it feels good and sounds good.
I tend to like classic, timeless designs but I'm also drawn to innovation IF it addresses a real problem. Innovation for its own sake does nothing for me.
 
I'm with Chad, I go primarily for feel. Sound would be next. Looks is probably last, although I have been known to love the looks of something enough to trump feel and sound....a least somewhat.
 
Intonation, resonance, dynamics, and timbre.

"Feel" should be secondary. People should be able to adjust to an instrument, not expect to be able to tame it. That is simply user error.
 
Flamencology said:
Intonation, resonance, dynamics, and timbre.

"Feel" should be secondary. People should be able to adjust to an instrument, not expect to be able to tame it. That is simply user error.
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Yes and no. You should be able to make any instrument work. I'm happier when I don't have to work that hard though.
 
First the need for that type of instrument. Then features versus price. Then looks, resonance and feel.

Setup, electronics or changing out cheap hardware out I can do myself.
 
jp_nyc said:
Being able to lowball a Craigslist seller who’s already selling cheap because they haven’t got a clue what the guitar is worth.
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Most Craigslist sellers I see have an inflated view of what their guitar is worth. I just posted some stuff for Carol and had to help her recognize she isn't going to get back near what she paid, even if she hardly used it.
 
Mark Wein said:
I've played vintage instruments that I really dig the sound of but are a struggle for me to play on.
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Sure, but if you spent 15 hours with it, and making a conscious effort on making adjustments to suit the instrument, would you still feel the same way?
 
Flamencology said:
Intonation, resonance, dynamics, and timbre.

"Feel" should be secondary. People should be able to adjust to an instrument, not expect to be able to tame it. That is simply user error.
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Why should you have to adjust to the instrument when there are millions of them out there?
 
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