There are many factors that influence the sound of a guitar and its characteristics. Some of the main factors are case size and guitar shapes... Let's take a closer look at how the types of guitar bodies are.

Shapes of acoustic guitars

Traditionally, there are five main forms of acoustic guitar. Classic form, dreadnought, jumbo, folk and grand auditorium.

It should be noted that almost all of the above forms have their counterparts in reduced sizes (3/4, 1/2). Moreover, the design features of the reduced samples do not undergo any significant changes.

A short video on acoustic guitars with sound examples:

Shapes of electric guitars

Solid-body electric guitars, in contrast to their acoustic counterparts, have a greater variety of body shapes. Among them you can find guitars of an unusual shape. So, let's list the main forms of electric guitars and their names.

• Stratocaster... The most recognizable and copied instrument is the Fender Stratocaster. The rounded base of the body, while the upper part of the body is crowned with two horns. Narrow neck with 21-22 frets, a C-neck, and tuning pegs to one side. Equipped with three single sensors. Has a characteristic "glass" sound.
• Telecaster... Another brainchild of Leo Fender, which gained popularity at the dawn of the company; one of the very first solid body tools. It has a rather rough outline. The original Telecaster neck is made from a single piece of wood, most often maple. The fastening of the strings deserves special attention; on rare vintage models you can find the B-Bender system for adjusting the tension of the second string.
• Superstrat - an extensive group of guitars from various manufacturers. They resemble the Fender Stratocaster in shape, but they also have their own design differences. For example, varieties with longer and sharper horns are often found, which makes for a more comfortable play on the last frets.
• Les Paul... The development of the shape of the guitar belongs to the notorious Lester Polfuss. Gibson Les Paul guitars are often copied, especially in the Asian sector. It has a classic shape, rounded shape, the top of the case has a characteristic cutout for the left hand. Neck with 22 frets, symmetrical head with 3x3 tuners. The original models are made of mahogany, equipped with two humbuckers.
• SG - the horniest guitar from Gibson. In terms of technical parameters, it is similar to the Les Paul models. It has a rounded shape, the upper part of the neck with two short sharp "horns", greatly facilitating the play on the last frets.
• Warlock made by B. C. Rich - an electric guitar of an unusual asymmetric shape with a pointed top and a horned neck. In general, the body of the guitar resembles the Russian letter "X".
• Explorer... Another easily recognizable Gibson legend. The body resembles a four-pointed asymmetrical star. Comfortable solid-body electric guitar with a light neck and a pickup switch that is moved from the surface of the deck to the edge.
• Flying V... Legendary Gibson arrowhead guitar. The technical characteristics are close to the Explorer and SG guitars. The tuners are arranged in a 3x3 pattern.
• Randy rhoads Jackson is very similar in shape to the Flying V series. It has sharper tips. The tuners are located on one side, which emphasizes the asymmetry of the body.

Today I decided to make for you a selection of the most popular models of electric guitars. Naturally, the manufacturers of this musical instrument there is much more in the world, and I'm not talking about handicraftsmen. But, it is these models and manufacturers that have won the greatest popularity among musicians.

All presented electric guitars differ from each other both in appearance and internal content.

First, the wood from which the body and neck of the electric guitar are made is of paramount importance. Wood has a greater influence on the sound of an instrument, determines its character and purpose.

Secondly, the electronic filling of the instrument is important: active or passive pickups (pickups), shielded wiring, knobs and toggle switches, and even built-in preamps - all of these components create the very guitar sound that you hear in the end.

Despite the constantly increasing models of electric guitars, there are stable leaders in the world who have been producing their most popular models for many decades. Here are the main representatives of the world of electric guitars:

Electric Guitar Gibson Les Paul

Les Paul is one of the most popular guitars in the world. The cost of this instrument makes it unaffordable for many amateur guitarists. Les Paul is used primarily for heavy music.

Electric Guitar Gibson Explorer

The Gibson guitar is designed primarily for heavy music.

Electric Guitar Gibson Flying V

Electric Guitar Gibson Lucille

Semi-acoustic electric guitar.

Electric Guitar Gibson SG

Electric Guitar Fender Stratocaster

Another popular guitar along with Les Paul. Nowadays it is produced by all and sundry, although in the original it is the Fender company.

Electric Guitar Fender Telecaster

One of the first models from Fender.

Fender Mustang Electric Guitar

Electric Guitar Fender Jaguar

Arch Top Electric Guitar

Electric Guitar Ibanez RG (rock guitar)

Manufactured by Ibanez. The guitar does its job well in heavy styles.

Electric Guitar Paul Reed Smith

Paul Reed Smith Company. The guitar is specialized for playing solo parts.

Jackson Soloist Electric Guitar

Dean Razorback Electric Guitar

Electric Guitar Jackson Randy Rhoads

Electric Guitar Gretsch

Great guitars for styles like rockabilly and country.

Rickenbacker Electric Guitar

Founded in the thirties of the twentieth century, an American company that began the first of all the production of electric guitars. But, as time has shown, the first does not mean the best.

The only thing left is to buy a suitable tool and go into battle. You are coming to the store and then it turns out that there are much more types of guitars than you could imagine, and they also have quite a few differences.

And now you are on my site with a question " types of guitars and their differences"and" what guitars are there?". Want to learn everything about guitars? And so let's go in order:

• classic
• acoustic
• electroacoustic
• electrical
• bass guitar

First of all, think about what you want to play.

Classical guitars

If you are going to play classical music, then this kind of guitars is the most suitable for you. These guitars are quieter and soft soundthan "acoustics".

They are fitted with nylon strings.(since the fretboard lacks an anchor to allow the fretboard to withstand the pull of the metal strings), they have a wider neck and a relatively smaller resonance cavity.

All virtuosos in the flamenco genre use only the classical form of guitars, these guitars are also called "Spanish women", as Spain is the ancestor of this type of guitar.

Semi-acoustic guitars

This is a more expensive and improved version of the acoustic guitar, a distinctive feature of this type of guitar is the presence of an additional electronic sensor (pickup)which allows you to connect your guitar to an amplifier, for example, at a concert.

But keep in mind - this does not make it fully an electric guitar, its main purpose is to obtain a clean sound with the ability to connect to an amplifier, however, when using additional sound effects (gadgets), you can get a very interesting and varied sound, the same as on a full electric guitar.

Bass guitars

Bass guitar - can be either acoustic or electric... They usually have four strings, but there are also variants with five or more strings. Sami strings are very thick, which gives the characteristic low bass sound.

It can be difficult for a beginner musician to navigate among the abundance of instruments offered. Fortunately, the types of guitars are currently on the market to the fullest. They exist both for completely different sound productions (classical, pop, blues), and for certain musical genres. Not only beginners study and get acquainted with the list, but also experienced band members who want to diversify their repertoire and experiment with sound. Let's try to understand in more detail what guitars are.

Types of acoustic guitars

Oddly enough, but six-string (and not only) girlfriends in the hands of guys from the yard, bards at the Grushinsky festival and world musicians differ not only in price and quality, but also in their intended purpose. Some of them have very exotic names. But do not be surprised that the presented species acoustic guitars may be familiar to you. Of course, there are several more of them. But let's take a short excursion on the most common ones.

Dreadnought (western guitar)

The giant in the world of acoustics. Renowned for its powerful resonant sound and versatility. The name "western" speaks for itself - it is used to play in country, blues, acoustic rock styles. A prominent representative in the world of music is Amy Macdonald. Sometimes it is difficult for beginners, since narrow (some find it difficult to get their fingers into the strings, so the distance between them is small). But if you are in doubt, where to start your "yard" career - old Dred will be a good choice.

Jumbo

You know the old children's ball game rather than the name of a rare guitar today. Voiced chords with deep mids and rich bass notes. This kind of cool stuff was used primarily by rockers of the 80s when they played their songs without the support of the main band. Acoustic rock, pop-rock, country - it's all about a handsome man with a graceful neckline from the 15th fret. Rick Springfield and Bruce Springsteen's stadium hits were recorded with jumbo in hand.

Small jumbo

This comrade is inferior to its older brother in size and sound volume. But what he does not care about is gentleness and intelligence. Thanks to the cutaway, he seems to be inviting to put his hand on him and play a ballad. The clear and expressive sound and wide dreadnought neck are ideal for studio work. Modern folk musicians use it a lot. Representative - girl duo First and Kit.

Auditorium / Orchestra

It is not hard to guess from the name that the instrument is used for playing in audiences - that is, small and medium-sized concert halls. Most often used for work in orchestras. And here the main thing is not to step on the "throat of someone else's song." Therefore, its bass and treble are reduced, and indeed it sounds somewhat quieter than the same jumbo. It is characterized by a 14-fret neck (up to the body). Genre - chamber music, pop, folk, blues. Celebrities - Eric Clapton.

Grand Auditorium

An enlarged version from the example above, often models have a cutaway. use spruce (deck), mahogany (shell) and rosewood (fingerboard). The hull is slightly smaller than that of the dreadnoughts. Collected low frequencies, the middle range is pronounced, but not booming. Suitable for any genre. Taylor Swift is a contemporary artist.

Folk guitar

Friedrich Martin improved the body of the classical guitar so that metal strings could be pulled over it. Folk now means guitars of the most different forms and sizes. Basically it's a miniature copy of a western. As you might guess, they perform mainly folk music on it. It's also a great kind of guitar for beginners. Representative - Bob Dylan.

Travel guitar

This baby is perfect for those who like to take their faithful friend with them to nature and on a long journey. It is similar in size to a ukulele - usually no more than 80 cm in length and weighing about a kilogram. The sound is not the richest and loudest, but such a faithful companion will do for a romantic ballad by the fire.

Parlor

The slim body of the small size often makes such an instrument to be considered a feminine one. In fact, he has no gender prejudices. But the sound is best suited to soft pop ballads or romances. Again, it is useful for hiking trips, since the sound is juicier than that of travel. Stars - Ian Anderson.

Seven-string "Russian"

The tuning is radically different from the six-string - re-si-sol-re-si-sol-re. It was popular before the revolution in Tsarist Russia. Used as for performance classical worksand for Jeepsie music. Artists - Vladimir Vysotsky.

Classical / Flamenco

Classic - wide hollow body, massive neck and nylon strings. It is used both in music schools and conservatories. For playing with a fight on this particular guitar, you can get a hand from the teacher (the main working instrument of the musician). The resonating part is made of rosewood. The repertoire is extensive: classical music, Spanish motives, bossa nova, samba, etc. Stars - Paco De Lucia.

The first differences are in the material. The resonator parts of the body (in particular the back and side wall) of flamenco are made from cypress. The case is smaller and thinner than the classic. The tracks are located slightly lower - this allows you to make the sound when playing with rasgeado techniques and various battles ringing, lively and sharp. In addition, flamenco musicians often use the golpe technique - rhythmic beats on the top soundboard. Pros can have fingernails on their right hand, so the deck is protected by a holpeador. Stars - Didula, Steve Stevens.

Twelve-string

Acoustic. Differs from 6 primarily in formation. 1 and 2; 3 and 4 sound in unison. 5 and 6 - in an octave. This produces an interesting "medieval" sound with a rolling echo. In general, these types of guitars are used for rich, spacious sound. Basically - for solo accompaniment in bard music and acoustic rock. Singers - Alexander Rosenbaum.

Electroacoustic. Such "twins" are often acquired by vocalists of rock bands. The accompaniment on them sounds louder, louder and adds unusual notes to the band's sound. The stars are Tom Keefer of Cinderella.

Electroacoustic

This is an advanced type of acoustics that can be connected to an amplifier. It features a cutout (cutaway) in the shell for the signal preamplifier and an equalizer for adjusting the timbre sound. Timbre block (it has a slot for batteries, on some models a tuner). These types of guitars are used for performance on stage or in a chamber hall. It is also possible to use guitar effects, but the sound will not be very "appropriate".

Semi-acoustic (Archtop, Jazz, Blues)

Hollow body with multiple resonating holes + pickups and electronics. Without connection, it will still play even quieter than travel. There is no large Dreadnought resonator here.

The main thing that catches your eye is the vintage design. They look wildly stylish. No wonder, because such a tool was used by cult rock and roll players like Eddie Cochran. Most often they have two humbuckers, the sound between which is not too different - rather softer, and more fatal. The neck is slightly convex, since Gibson originally made them in the likeness of violin instruments. Sound - warm, soft, chamber. Most often used in jazz bands, surf / rockabilly bands, solo improvisations.

Resonator

The main detail of this miracle is the resonator (it looks like a cone expanding from the bottom up) under the nickel-plated cover. From above, it all closes with a grid of three types: "spider", "biscuit" or "tricone". This tool is designed to , country, slide blues. Its specific sound makes it stand out from dozens of other timbres. Artist - Muddy Waters.

Ovation

The original body model and the arrangement of the springs create a unique sound among acoustics and semi-speakers. Carbon fiber housing, cherry-shaped figured resonators. The star is Yngwie Malmsteen.

Electric Guitars

Solid body, no resonators and pickups. Stuffed with electronics. Different models have a different number of singles and humbuckers, which differ not only , but also a stylistic purpose. Style - punk rock, hard rock, metal. The star is Steve Vai.

Bass guitars

Provides a rhythm section in collectives. It is characterized by a low chest sound and thick metal strings.

Doubleneck with two necks

A hybrid version that can combine the neck of an acoustic, electric and bass guitar. It is interesting to see these types of guitars photos. Used for concert activities. When there is only one guitarist in the group, but it is necessary to alternate parts and there is no time to dashingly remove and change instruments. A prime example: Jimmy Page on the track "Stairway to Heaven".

Different types of guitars have different structures and, accordingly, different sounds. The old samples were gradually modified. The types of guitars also changed.

The very first was the classical guitar. It became especially popular in the 19th century and continues to be in greatest demand today. For the first time this instrument appeared in Latin America (then it was ideal for performing national flamenco). The body of the guitar was made from cypress plates, so its weight was insignificant. Now craftsmen do not use this method, preferring durable types of wood.

Classical guitars usually have a wide neck and, as a rule, will suit most classical guitars (but not always). The playing technique is finger. Such guitars are preferred by bards.

And here different kinds acoustic guitars only spread in the 20th century. Their body (drum) is larger than that of the classical ones, the neck is narrower, and only metal strings are installed. The sound is bright, rich, powerful. It is further enhanced by a pick.

Non-classical types of acoustic guitars are very suitable for combat, solo, rock, country, blues.

It is worth highlighting in this category an acoustic guitar of the Jumbo type. Its body is the largest, the bass is brighter, and the sound is generally more powerful. Jumbo is just perfect for combat and accompaniment.

Some are called hybrid. They have a built-in piezo pickup and can be connected to an amplifier. In addition to the sensor, they have a built-in equalizer and tuner that allows you to tune the instrument. Ideal for live performances.

A semi-acoustic instrument can be called a hybrid of an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar. A fairly large soundboard should amplify the sound, but the smaller resonator hole prevents this. The sound reveals well when using a pick. Such types are preferred by jazzmen.

A characteristic feature of twelve-string guitars is the arrangement of 2 strings (in 6 pairs). The tree for these guitars is chosen as strong as possible, since the tension of 12 strings "weak" wood simply cannot withstand. That is why the "twelve-handed" hands are quite massive and heavy.

Well suited for combat (brute force play is quite problematic). You can get an idea of \u200b\u200bthe sound by comparing regular photos and HDR photos. When you overlay several photos, you get a richer picture (and in our case, a wider range).

The types of bass guitars stand apart. there are quite a few: body shape, number of strings, passivity (or activity) of electronics, type of neck (fretless, fretted), etc.

For convenience, it is customary to divide these types of guitars into semi-acoustic, fretless and fretted. Most of the frets are Jazz Bass and Precision (or "Jazz" and "Bass").

The main difference between these types of basses is electronics, which is why the pickups began to be called p ("rung") and j after the first letters in the name of these types.