Guitar Types - Understanding the Different Types of Guitars

By Drew Peterson

Today one very popular instrument happens to be the guitar. Of course there are a variety of different types of guitars out there. Various guitars have a different appearances, sound, and are a bit different to play. Trying to decide what type of guitar to learn and play? Here is a look at some of the different guitar types to choose from.

Usually it is best to start out by playing an acoustic guitar if you want to learn to play guitar. These guitars are not electric and only rely on their shape and structure for sound. The body of the guitar resonates the vibrations when playing them. These guitars are usually made of wood as well, although the types of wood can vary.

There are many different acoustic guitar types. One type of an acoustic guitar is a classical guitar. Usually these are great guitars for beginners to start playing on. They produce beautiful sounds and come with nylon strings in most cases. Flamenco guitars are very close to classical guitars, but they sound a bit thinner and have a crisp sound.



The 12 string guitar is yet another variant of the acoustic. It has twelve strings rather than the six you will find on other guitars, and while each string has an extra string which produces the same note, it is tuned to a higher octave, allowing for more options when playing.

Another type of acoustic guitar out there is the steel top guitar. They are close to classical guitars but are made with reinforced bodies and are a bit larger than the classical guitar as well. Their tone is a bit warmer, giving them a nice, mellow sound when you play them.

Acoustic base isn't a bad choice. It's a bass guitar that doesn't feature any sort of electric pick ups. It has a great body which gives off a sound agreeable to anyone, and has four strings. You can pick up models which have more strings, five or six if you so desire.

Naturally there are electric guitars, which you have no doubt heard of. These are guitars that feature electronic pick ups which take the vibrations that you make with the strings and amplify them. To get this effect you will usually need an amplifier, and you will need a good one. If there is no amplifier, then there won't be much sound to work with because the body of the guitar is not make to produce any.

The majority of electric guitars will come with control knobs. These knobs can change the tone as well as control the volume. Some guitars have whammy bars which permit you to shift the notes when playing, and be using them you won't have to reposition your fingers. These bars are often used to make a sound which is known as 'crying'.

These are just a few of the guitar types that you can find. Of course while you may want to learn to play a different type of guitar later on, it is best to start out on a classical acoustic guitar. Then when you learn the basics you can go on to experiment with other types of guitars to find what you really enjoy playing. - 32181

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