Multimeter question

[mgrEIGHT]

I realized i need a multimeter if i want to continue this fine hobby of making diy effects(and i do). I was looking around on the radioshack site and the prices seem to be determined by range. What do they mean by range and how much range do i need for just trouble shooting guitar effects and maybe testing pickup outputs?

[gaussmarkov]

range refers to what values can be measured.  for instance, my dmm only measures resistors up to 2M.  so i cannot check a 2.2M resistor, except by putting in parallel with something smaller than 2M and doing some arithmetic.    there is a range for each thing measured (dc, resistance, ...).

there are probably as many opinions about this as there are forum members.    i am a beginner, too.  i bought the $10 radio shack dmm and it has served me well.  but if you are going to stick with this hobby and do more ambitious things than beginners can do, i suggest that you pony up for something that can measure capacitors and has a greater range.

[KORGULL]

I have a Radio Shack meter that is pretty nice - says on the back: cat# 22-811.
I got it on sale for around $35-$40. It can measure caps (up to a certain value), has audible continuity test, and has an auto-range feature - so you can still get an accurate reading - even if you neglect to set it to the proper range. It also has a diode check function.
Probably the best thing it does is to automatically shut itself off if you leave it on - which I do constantly.

...This is the one:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1&catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=CTLG_011_008_002_000&product_id=22-811

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

The main price jump is when you get 4 or 5 or more!!!!!!! digits.
For normal stompbox work, three is plenty, honest.
I've had to stump up for a high precision $$$ one for synthesiser work, but for diy stompbox $50 (or less, use the search function to see how to get a 'free' meter by buying $50 worth of parts from some shops). The one thing i woulod wnt in a meter, is to be sure it has the 'continuity beep' function. Because most faults (for everyone, and especially me ) are shorts, and you want to be able to hear the beep, without having to look. and a transiistor gain (Hfe) option is useful, if only to work out which way the transistor leads go.