Tucson Arizona & Guitars anyone?

[Nazgul]

As a musician and teacher myself, I have some insight on purchasing an instrument:

First and perhaps most important, you may have difficulty playing a travel sized (typically 3/4 scale) guitar due to its reduced size. Now, this may not be the case, but if you have the typical beefy man hands as many men in their later years do, this could create issues. I currently have a young female student in her 20's with average-sized hands and she's been having difficulty with her 3/4 scale guitar, so that might be a good point of reference. This may or may not apply to you; certainly try out the instrument before you buy!

Secondly, you would be well-off to purchase a "hard case" (as opposed to a soft case), especially if you intend to travel with it. I recommend this to all of my students regardless of whether they will travel great distances or not, because even a slight bump or ding to a soft case can result in structural damage to the instrument.

Finally, you may get a better deal down in Mexico but do not be wary of instruments from reputable stores that are "Made in Mexico" (MIM). The factories down there often put out quality instruments and instrument parts, at a fraction of the cost of American-made pieces. Same goes for "Made in Japan" (MIJ) instruments.

If you have any more specific questions feel free to pm me