Acoustic Steel String Guitars Views

• Musical Instruments

All guitars produce sound through the mechanical vibration of strings. Acoustic guitars transmit the vibration of the string to the soundboard via the saddle and bridge. The combined resonance of the strings, saddle, bridge and soundboard are, in turn, amplified in the soundbox or body of the guitar. The design and quality of the strings, saddle, bridge and soundboard have a major impact on the sound. One weak link in the transmission chain--a cheap plastic saddle, worn out strings, etc.--degrades the sound considerably. In contrast, the vibrating strings of an electric guitar are read directly by a pickup and transmitted to a sound system for amplification.

There are two basic types of acoustic guitars, the classic or nylon string guitar and the steel-string guitar. Both types are excellent general purpose instruments, suitable for many styles, but each has its own distinct feel and sound. The choice of one or the other is purely personal. Pop musicians tend to use steel-strings guitars more often than classics. However, many guitarists play both types of instruments depending on their mood and style of music. Eric Clapton, mainly a steel-string player, used a classic guitar in Tears From Heaven. The Eagles, mostly an electric guitar band, used Takamine CP132SC classics on the live acoustic version of Hotel California. Ozzie Kotani and Keola Breamer do much of their slack key work on nylon-string classics.

The first thing you notice about a guitar is its shape. Acoustic steel-string guitars come in a variety of shapes whereas the classic comes in one basic shape and size (that why it's called the classic). In order of size, beginning with the largest, there are five common steel-string acoustic designs: jumbo, dreadnought, NEX, Artist and folk. The Artist and folk, the smallest steel-string designs, and are about the same size as the classic.

There are many different variations on the construction of, and materials used in, steel-string guitars. The various combinations of the different woods and their quality, along with design and construction elements (for example, how the top is braced), are among the factors affecting the timbre or tone of the guitar. Many players and luthiers feel a well-made guitar's tone improves over time.