Contents:
How an acoustic guitar is made (Vid)
How an electric guitar is made (Vid)
How guitar strings are made (Vid)
Acoustic or Electric ?
Acoustic guitar | Electric guitar
Classical guitar | Steel String acoustic guitar
Wood materials
Buying Guitar Advice
(for beginner)
This subject is actually lengthy. Presented here is a simple and crucial guide that could help those who are new to guitar playing and are deciding to buy a first guitar as to which is best for you.
Take your time to read through this. It will really help you to understand and appreciate the crucial points when selecting to buy your first guitar. Be excited.
For better perspective, you may want to watch the following informative videos on:
How an acoustic guitar is made
Courtesy of Godin Guitars
How an electric guitar is made
Courtesy of Godin Guitars
How guitar strings are made
Courtesy of D'Addario Strings
Buying your first acoustic guitar or buying the first acoustic guitar for your child is not always an easy thing and can be an emotional ordeal, especially when you are unprepared for what you are looking for.
Everyone will have a different set of criteria when it comes to choosing a good first acoustic guitar. Chances are that you may not be able to satisfy all of them at once. It pays know how to choose a reasonable good starter guitar.
For those below 10-years old or have relatively small hands, consider getting a smaller than standard instrument most suited for you. Since all major guitar makers do produce different sized guitars you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one.
Again, as children are quite obviously smaller than adults and will generally get bigger as they grow older. A guitar that fits them at seven will be far too small to play when they’re eighteen.
Acoustic or Electric ?
This choice is largely determined by the type of music you want to play. You have to identify and decide on the type of music that you (or the player) is most interested in playing.
First ask yourself these. What do the musicians you usually listen to play? Is that what you want to sound like? Pricing is not that much different between the two when you consider just the guitar. However, an electric guitar typically requires many more accessories (more on that below) which can rack up the price.
Or you may want something that does both.
Surely any song can be played on either style of guitar, but it is smart to think about what you will be playing more of before choosing.
Then perhaps the next thing you need to consider is your financial situation. Just like all things, guitars cost money, sometimes a lot of money. If price is an important issue, you’re going to have to weigh several obvious factors.
For those guitarist who plan to buy a new acoustic guitar. Do consider on buying an electric-acoustic guitar since it had a function of both acoustic and electric guitar.
Acoustic Guitar
This is the instrument most people think of when they think “guitar”. Acoustic guitar is wonderful if you are envisioning campfire sing-a-longs or relaxing playing sessions without the amplifiers to worry about. Or if your passion is in classical playing, then the clear choice is an acoustic guitar with nylon strings.
Two basic acoustic guitars are for the choosing, which in turn branch into specialized types. Classical forms the root of all acoustic guitars while steel strings grew out of modern demands.
Although acoustic guitars are often associated with folk music and “mellow” music in general, in fact they are in all styles of music, from country to blues to heavy metal.
A “classical guitar” looks quite similar to an “acoustic guitar”, and is indeed still an acoustic instrument. Standard acoustic guitars have six strings made of steel, whereas classical guitars have six strings, three of which are nylon. This produces a sound quite different from an acoustic guitar.
Classical Acoustic Guitars
Classical acoustic guitars are distinctive for their lightweight, malleability and use of nylon strings. Often these acoustic guitars work great for folk, flamenco and any delicate style. They usually have string tension of 75-90 pounds, so regular steel strings have the potential to mess your classical up. This type also possesses a more mellow sound while the body, smaller than typical steel string, allows easier handling.
The tone of the beginner acoustic guitar is determined by the type of wood it is crafted out of. A spruce top is the most common for a beginner acoustic guitar. A solid top is better than a two-piece top, because it is more durable so be sure to keep an eye out for that.
Mahogany, rosewood, or spruce are probably the options you will find for the back and sides. A mahogany back and sides will provide a lighter tone. So, if that’s what you’re looking for, mahogany is your best option. Rosewood provides a heavier tone when it is used for the back and sides.
Steel String Acoustic Guitars
Most versatile and common, steel string guitars create a louder, brighter possibilities. They are built with a larger sound box than classical.
Steel string acoustic guitars are well suited for Religious, Folk, Jazz and Country styles of music. Acoustic guitar is nice because you can literately grab it and play. With this instrument there’s no fussing with amplifiers and cords while the electric guitar will require a small amount of additional setup (cables, amp and power source). The drawback is that acoustic guitar is generally much harder to play. A low quality acoustic guitar can make it virtually impossible for a beginner to progress quickly.
For those guitarist who plan to buy a new guitar. Do consider on buying an electric acoustic guitar since it has a function of both acoustic and electric guitar.
Many instructors recommend a guitar with nylon strings as a first beginner acoustic guitar. Simply because those strings are not so hard on the guitarist’s fingertips. However, if your idea of great music is rock and more rock, a guitar with nylon strings will never produce a tone that will satisfy the rock idol in you.
If your goal is to learn to play steel-string music, you should definitely start by practicing on a steel string guitar. At first, your fingers will be sore, but with time you will develop protective calluses. If, however, you want to learn classical music, don’t be enticed by a steel string guitar.
Wood Materials
Cheaper acoustic guitars usually have a solid top with sides laminated (layered wood). Entry level guitars can even be made entirely of laminated wood. Even these are giving way to experimentation because of price increases of raw materials. Some manufacturers have begun to utilize non wood elements like plastic or graphite (these acoustic guitars are not recommended for the novice).
The main price factor for acoustic guitars is the material they are made of and to some extent the workmanship. Cheap guitars are made of laminates, (plywood) and better guitars are made of solid woods.
The top can be solid and the back and sides made of laminate or all the wood can be solid. The species of woods affects the price. Tops are usually made of evergreens like cedar or spruce. The back and sides could be made from many varieties of hardwood. A popular choice is some kind of rosewood.
Beware plywood when it makes up a cheap acoustic guitar. These will fall apart over time.
Do note that acoustic guitar necks are usually thicker and wider than Electric. Their bodies are also wider. Generally, smaller people with shorter arms, smaller hands and smaller fingers will have a harder time reaching the strings. Chords formation can be difficult as well because the strings on acoustic guitars are usually heavier and harder to press down on.
Acoustic guitar is considerably harder to play than electric. By starting out on acoustic, you can build up finger strength, and then if you choose to switch to electric, all of the little scratches and creaks you hear won't be there!
Electric Guitar
Electric Guitars For Beginners
Unlike the more experienced player, generally, beginners find electric guitars to be a little more confusing than acoustic guitars - there are more knobs and buttons to deal with in order to arrive at the desired tone and sound plus there are also a few more things that can go wrong.
Most electric guitar bodies are not hollow, thus when you strike the strings the sound produced is considered very quiet. For an electric guitar to project a sound, a guitar amplifier is needed so it will take a little more space and you will also end up having some cables or chords lying around the floor.
Basically electric guitars are considered much easier to play than acoustic guitars in regards to pressing down the strings, moving your fingers up and down the frets, picking and strumming. The strings are lighter, and easier to press down. The sore fingers that many novices experience when learning on an acoustic guitar generally aren't nearly as much of an issue when learning on electric guitar.
This is largely due to that fact that most electric guitars are strung with lighter guage strings spaced closer to each other and having a much lower distance between the strings and the frets, therefore it requires less strength to press the strings to the fret board to produce a clean tone as well as providing easier ‘finger positioning’ of particular chord patterns. In short, minimal contact is all that is necessary to create a nice, clean sound.
Electric guitars have a different role in music than acoustic guitars. Whereas acoustic guitars are often used to strum chords to many songs, electrics are used to play "guitar leads" as well as chords.
Therefore, electric guitars are great if you want to be rockin’ and rollin’. They are a good choice if your intention is to play solos, riffs or distorted heavier music or just want to enjoy electronic devices. Then you will want an electric guitar with an amplifier and some effects. Oh don’t worry about your neighbors throwing bricks through your window when you ‘twank’ away past midnight. Most amps provide a head-phone input.
If you never intend to do octave high vibrato bar/arm stuff or play music in the style of bands like PANTERA (hard, fast metal, with lots of high note bending leads), or Jimi Hendrix (psychedelic rock), then exclude any floating or fancy bridge (also called a tail piece). Non-floating tail pieces are usually more stable (keeping tune and intonation) and cheaper to buy.
Choosing to begin learning on an electric guitar probably means your budget will have to be slightly higher, to accommodate buying an amplifier plus other accessories or gadgets. The advantage of choosing an electric guitar is that they are generally easier to play, so you’ll notice improvement more quickly. If the music you like tends to be more electric guitar oriented, you’ll probably want to start by playing one.
Back to acoustic guitar section
Last but not least
One last major consideration when choosing between an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar is the additional equipment needed and the convenience of use. Obviously, all of the setup required for playing an acoustic guitar is to take it out of the case. The acoustic guitar can stand completely on its own.
The electric guitar will require a small amount of additional setup. You will need an amplifier and whatever pedals you need to create your desired sound. You will also need cables to connect your electric guitar to these devices. Plus, you will have to have a power source for plugging everything in. That is why an electric guitar might not be best choice for playing around the campfire.
Get back to
How an acoustic guitar is made (Vid)
How an electric guitar is made (Vid)
How guitar strings are made (Vid)
Acoustic or Electric ?
Acoustic guitar | Electric guitar
Classical guitar | Steel String acoustic guitar
Wood materials
