Starting your adventure with music, it is good to know the available versions and models of guitars, which will make it much easier to choose the right instrument. Guitars come in acoustic and electric versions, although there are also models that combine features of both worlds. Each instrument has its own specific sound resulting from the construction and materials used.
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Classical and Electro-Classical Guitars
The classical guitar is the oldest form, and its shape and design have evolved over the years to meet the requirements of musicians who play classical music. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s limited to classical music alone. The warm and gentle sound of the classical guitar also works well in popular music or jazz, depending on your taste.
For many years, classical guitars have been a popular choice as a first instrument, thanks to the use of relatively soft nylon strings. The wide availability of smaller scale models, such as 3/4 or 1/2 sizes, makes it easy to choose an instrument suitable even for young children.
Electro-classical guitars come in various versions and shapes. Sometimes, they are regular classical guitars with built-in electronics that make it easier to amplify the instrument on stage. In other cases, they are designs that combine nylon strings with a slimmer body or a narrower neck. These hybrid types are often chosen for their comfort and ease of playing while standing, primarily for popular music.
Acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars
The acoustic guitar is the younger sibling of the classical guitar. Its design differs from the classical guitar in having a larger soundbox and a narrower neck. The entire guitar is a bit more robust and must withstand the significantly greater tension provided by steel strings. The use of metal strings makes these guitars much louder than classical guitars, ensuring they can be heard even in noisy campfire settings. Acoustic guitars have a narrower neck, which makes it easier to play chords, and the steel strings can be positioned much closer to the frets, requiring less force. This misconception is quite popular and is a common reason for people giving up on acoustic guitars.
Acoustic guitars come in various shapes and sizes. The guitar’s body shape influences playing comfort and sound characteristics. Generally, a larger and deeper body produces a louder sound with more low frequencies. However, this isn’t always an advantage, especially when playing with other instruments on stage, as each instrument occupies a certain frequency range. Therefore, it’s important to leave “space” for other musicians. The most popular shape is the dreadnought, often referred to as “western.” Guitars in this shape feature a wide body with a strong bass response. Smaller guitars, like “grand auditorium” or “concert” shapes, are often chosen for their clear midrange and comfortable playability.
Electro-acoustic guitars are essentially regular acoustic guitars with an additional built-in sound system. These systems often include tone and volume controls and a built-in tuner. In recent years, many manufacturers have been producing guitars with a cutaway in the body, making it easier to play in high positions. Thanks to the built-in electronics, these guitars are much easier to amplify on stage and are less problematic than using a regular microphone. However, for professional recordings, a good microphone is usually indispensable.
Electric guitars
The electric guitar was developed in response to the need for a sound system that would allow the guitar to be heard alongside large big-band ensembles. The earliest instruments classified as electric guitars weren’t significantly different from acoustic or electro-acoustic guitars. However, over time, their design has undergone considerable evolution, resulting in a wide range of electric guitars available today, featuring various designs and equipped with diverse hardware and electronics. In general, electric guitars can be categorized into those with a full body, often referred to as “hollow body,” semi-hollow body, or “semi-hollow body,” and solid-body instruments, also known as “solid body.”
“Hollow body” and “semi-hollow body” guitars are most commonly associated with genres such as jazz, blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and rockabilly due to historical reasons and their unique sonic characteristics. These instruments are not well-suited for classic rock or metal genres because they are susceptible to feedback when played at high volumes, especially with heavy distortion.
Solid-body guitars are the most popular type of electric guitars. By eliminating the resonance chamber, they can be played at high volumes even with heavy distortion, making them suitable for nearly any music style. One of the most iconic solid-body electric guitars is the Fender Stratocaster, closely followed by the Gibson Les Paul model. Other well-known and popular manufacturers include Ibanez, Yamaha, Paul Reed Smith (PRS), Epiphone, Squier, Cort, Schecter, Jackson, Rickenbacker, and many more. Solid-body electric guitars are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and versions, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
The electronics in an electric guitar differ from those in acoustic guitars. Magnetic pickups with passive controls in the form of volume and tone control potentiometers are the most common. Active pickups, which require additional power, are also quite popular as they produce a clean, clear, and powerful signal. Additionally, there are electric guitars on the market equipped with more sophisticated electronics that significantly expand the instrument’s capabilities.
Electric guitars often feature movable bridges that allow for pitch modulation using an appropriate arm or lever. Some of the most popular bridge systems include the “tremolo” type bridges from Fender, Bigsby, or Floyd Rose bridges.
Conclusion
On the Internet, we can find many discussions about what factors affect the sound of the guitar and to what extent. In our opinion, however, the most important is the base and therefore what material and how the neck (neck) and body or body of the guitar were made. The rest of the instrument is just electronics and accessories that we can most often replace. Therefore, when buying a guitar, it is worth paying attention that it is an instrument made accurately and from good wood. Nowadays we have access to a huge number of manufacturers who flood us with the variety of their products, so we should easily find a solid instrument even among guitars from the lower price range.
