When you visit a guitar store in the hopes of buying a new instrument, picking up some accessories, or just browsing, it's easy to adopt the mentality of a "kid in a candy shop." While this type of shopping requires a hands-on approach, it's ideal for you to keep some basic rules in mind that will prevent you from standing out for all the wrong reasons. Here are some common things that some customers do but that you should avoid while you're at the guitar store.

Playing Too Loudly

While you certainly have the right to test out an electric guitar and amp if you're thinking of buying one or the other, you should also be mindful of those around you. It's fair to turn up the amp to the point at which you can hear it clearly — but unfair to exceed that threshold to the point that you're annoying the other shoppers. There are a couple of potential solutions to consider. Many amps have a headphone input jack, so if you visit the guitar store with a pair of headphones, you can play to your heart's content without anyone hearing it. Additionally, many stores have private practice rooms; you can have a staff member help you put the gear in the room to play in a soundproof environment.

Changing A Tuning But Not Putting It Back To Standard

It's perfectly fine to change the tuning on a guitar that you pick up and want to play. If you commonly play in a particular tuning, such as drop-D, you'll want to hear how the guitar sounds when tuned in that manner. It's poor guitar store etiquette, however, to simply hang the guitar back on the wall when you're done playing it. If you change an instrument's tuning to play it, always take a moment to put the guitar back in standard tuning before you leave it.

Leaving A Mess In Your Wake

It's common courtesy to clean up after yourself upon testing out an instrument, but this is something that some shoppers forget. If you're testing an electric guitar, for example, you'll have such accessories as an amp, cable, and maybe some effects pedals. When you're done, don't simply walk away. Hang the guitar up on the wall where you found it, coil up the cables and place them atop an amp, return the pedal to its shelf, and push the stool you used so that it's not in the way.

For more information, contact local professionals like The Music House.