An Acoustic Guitar
Source: Kid Guitar Reviews
What Is An Acoustic Guitar?
If you start looking for a guitar and wonder what different types of guitar exist, you need to read these next few articles.
Actually the Acoustic Guitar and the Classical Guitar are very different from each other. The classical guitar has its roots in Italy, when a man by the name of Antonio de Torres made some very large advancements to the guitars that existed centuries ago.
He made the guitar bigger and louder and give it gut strings. That was the beginning of the Classical Guitar.
The Acoustic Guitar was popularized by the C.F. Martin & Sons Co. The Acoustic Guitar that we know today was popularized in the early the mid 1930′s when Martin developed their Dreadnought Style Guitar that is still the most popular style of all time.
Acoustics come in a a wide variety of style, shapes and sizes from size 0, 00, 000 Dreadnought, Grand Concert, Grand Auditorium and many many others.
There are also kid sized guitar that are typically called either traveler guitars or 3/4 size guitars.
Unique Things About the Acoustic Guitar:
It comes in many different sizes and shapes, whereas the Classical Guitar is mainly one size.
The neck is typically narrower than that of the Classical Guitar – usually about 1-3/4″ at the nut.
The strings are plain stainless steel for the first 2 strings and would brass, bronze or phosphor bronze for the remaining 4 strings. There are additional variations such as silk and steel and flat wound that are in much less demand.
The fingerboards are curved or have a radius.
The frets are typically narrower, harder and higher than the frets of a Classical Guitar.
The strings are attached to pegs from the tuning machines that protrude through the peghead. There are models that do have slots with steel rollers, much like a classical guitar too.
The necks have an adjustable rod or a harden steel or aluminum reinforcement bar, tee or tube.
The necks are seldom laminated except on custom models
The strings go through the bridge and the top and hook inside the guitar and are wedged against the bridge with bridge pins
There is almost always a pick guard to protect the top finish/wood.
The bracing inside the guitar is very heavy to handle the extra force of the steel strings.
Quite often the body thickness can vary by as much as an inch.
The basic models are very plain, but the more expensive guitars can be very ornate with abalone trim, mother of pearl vines in the fingerboards and artwork in the peg-head on inlaid in the back.
How is the Acoustic Guitar Played?
The Acoustic Guitar can be played with a pick or Plectrum or with the right hand fingers. If you play with a pick you are said to be a flat-picker. If you play with your fingers you are said to play fingerstyle guitar.
Acoustic Guitars are used for a very wide variety of music. From soft rock, country, bluegrass, Celtic, blues, ragtime and much more. It is a very versatile instrument.
The guitar is held very differently than an Classical Guitar. It is usually placed on the right leg, which or used with a strap while standing.
Costs of Acoustic Guitars:
Typically Acoustic Guitars run in similar price ranges as Classical Guitars. There are starter guitars, beginner in intermediate class guitars. Intermediates, advance and professional models. The prices can range from below $100 to well above $10,000.
Can I Start Out Learning Guitar on a Acoustic Guitar?
Absolutely! If you like you can learn on the Acoustic and transfer all of your knowledge over to the Classical Guitar. It works great – because I did it. I started out playing electric guitar, transferred to the Classical Guitar and then to Acoustic Guitar and I still play all three to this day.
Have a Tip?
Do you have a special trick or tip that you could share with us. Please leave a comment and we will post it. Let’s all share so we can be better musicians and have more time to practice the guitar!
Tags: acoustic guitar, guitar for kids, how to buy a guitar, kids guitar
