Acoustic Guides |

Acoustic Guides

Acoustic Guitar Body Styles

There are a few different body styles of acoustic guitars. The most common type is the Dreadnought. The dreadnought comes in 6 string and 12 string versions. Also, there is the Classical and Parlor acoustic guitars. Each type accommodates different musical styles.

Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

This is the guitar you see most and what you think of when you hear “acoustic guitar”. The dreadnought can come in different sizes and different sounds among the brands. Dreadnought acoustic guitars fit a wide range of musical genre’s. For most people this is the right guitar for you. Also, the dreadnought acoustic guitar is built with many different types of woods. Different woods gives you different sounds and varying prices.
Some of the most common woods are mohogany and spruce. You’ll see those two woods a lot. Some of the more rarer woods that will cost more are Brazilian rosewood, lacewood or jacaranda. Different types of woods will make a huge difference in the sound of the acoustic guitar. (See my wood guide)

There are some acoustic guitars that don’t use wood at all and are made with composite materials like carbon fiber and laminites. These guitars will usually be in the lower price ranges.

12-String Dreadnought

Pretty much the same as the 6 string dreadnought but with 12 strings. 12 string acoustic guitars have two pairs of strings tuned to exactly the same pitch an octave apart. The sound of a 12 string has a fuller richer sound. I love the sound of my Epiphone 12 string but my left hand needs a few minutes to adjust to playing it every time I pick it up. So I wouldn’t recommend a 12-string acoustic guitar for a beginner because it can be a little harder to play.

Parlor Style Acoustic Guitar

Parlor style acoustic guitars are a particular size and style of guitar. They have smaller bodies then the dreadnought acoustic guitar and can even be smaller than a classical guitar. But the smaller size is not necessarily for the smaller player (the youngin’). Even experienced players like the parlor style because of the different sound they get with this type of acoustic guitar. For the most part, the sound of the bass, treble, and mids have the same volume. So it won’t have that deep bass of say a Gibson, or the little higher trebley sound of the Taylors.

Jumbo Acoustic Guitar

Jumbo guitars are largest of the acoustic guitars. Generally, the larger body gives it a much deeper and bassier sound than your standard dreadnought acoustic guitar. And that’s what they are designed for, to be loud and full of bass.

Cutaway Dreadnought

This is another style of the dreadnought acoustic guitar but has a cutaway to allow you can reach the higher notes on the fretboard. I’ve read that some people think there is a loss of bass response because of a little loss of body. It think you’d really have to have a discerning ear to hear that. But you know what, if you want to hit those higher notes a cutaway makes it much easier.

Classical Acoustic Guitar (Nylon String Guitar)

Sometimes called a Spanish Guitar, or Nylon String Guitar. Most people that play a classical guitar will play finger pick style and not with a pick. The six strings consist of three trebles strings made of nylon and three bass strings made of metal thread wrapped around a flossy nylon filament core.

Acoustic Guitar Woods

There are a number of factors that determine the tonal properties of wood. In addition, tonewoods respond differently in the hands of different makers. They can also take on different characteristics when used in different models of guitars – even those built by the same maker. Whether a particular wood sounds good or bad ultimately depends on who is doing the listening, so any attempt to sort out distinctions can only be subjective.

Perhaps the most important factor a luthier must take into account is velocity of sound, which refers to the speed at which a material transmits received energy. A luthier must design with materials that facilitate the transmission of vibrational energy. Lively materials, those with a high velocity of sound, or low internal damping make the best facilitators.

Most luthiers believe that the wood chosen for the top is the single most important factor in determining the quality of tone of the instrument. It is also interesting to note that the wood itself takes on different characteristics depending on which part of the guitar it’s used for. Makers of electric guitars with bolt-on necks have long been aware of the fact that neck and fretboard materials can have a significant bearing on tone. Bridge materials, like fretboards, cannot make or break an instrument, but they serve to enhance or constrain the tonal effects of other woods in the guitar’s construction.

It’s important to remember that wood species can be responsible only for certain aspects of the tone of any guitar. Equally important are design, skill of the maker, and the quality of each individual piece of wood used. Tonewood selection however, can be a determining factor in the creation of a very special guitar or a guitar designed for a specific purpose.

Mahogany	When used as a top, mahogany has a relatively low velocity of sound (compared to other top woods), considerable density and a low overtone content producing a solid tone, and responds best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Mahogany-topped guitars have a strong “punchy” tone that is well suited to country blues playing. When considered for back and sides, mahogany has relatively high velocity of sound, which contributes much overtone coloration. While rosewood guitars may be thought of has having a metallic sound, mahogany guitars sound more wood-like. The harder, denser examples of these woods can take also on the characteristics of the rosewoods. Mahogany back and sides tends to emphasize the bass and the treble. Mahogany necks help to create a warmer, more “woody” tonal range. The same holds true when mahogany is used as bridge material.
Koa	Koa has been used for soundboards since the1920s. This hardwood has a relatively low velocity of sound, considerable density and a low overtone content. Therefore, it tends to produce a solid tone that responds best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Koa has a somewhat more “midrangey” tone that works well for playing rhythm and truly shines in guitars made for Hawaiian-style slide playing. For back and sides, Koa tends to behave much like mahogany in terms of adding tonal coloration, but its emphasis is again more in the midrange.
Brazilian Rosewood	All the rosewoods contribute to tonal coloration. Brazilian rosewood is known for its high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, and is also characterized by strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Rosewood guitars also have a pronounced reverberant-like tone quality, caused by audible delays in the onset of certain harmonics. Brazilian rosewood has tremendous clarity in the bottom end and sparkle in the top. When used for necks, Brazilian rosewood adds sparkle and ring.
Indian Rosewood	Indian rosewood is also known for high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Indian rosewood has a thicker, more midrange overall coloration. When used for necks, Indian rosewood can help fatten up the midrange.
Sitka Spruce	Spruce is the standard material for soundboards, the most commonly used species being Sitka. Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a natural for high velocity of sound. A strong fundamental-to-overtone ratio gives Sitka spruce a powerful direct tone capable of retaining its clarity when played forcefully. This makes Sitka an excellent choice for top wood for players whose style demands a wide dynamic response and a robust, meaty tone. On the other hand, the lack of complex overtones in Sitka can produce a somewhat thin sound when played with a light touch – of course, depending upon the design of the guitar and the other choices of wood in its construction.
Red Spruce	Red spruce is relatively heavy, has a high velocity of sound, and the highest stiffness across and along the grain of all the top woods. Like Sitka, is has a strong fundamental, but also a more complex overtone content. Tops produce the highest volume, yet they also have a rich fullness of tone that retains clarity at all dynamic levels. In short, red spruce may well be the Holy Grail of top woods for acoustic steel-string guitars.
Maple	Maple, as a result of its greater weight and lower sound velocity, can be downright flat sounding, a blessing in disguise when a guitar is amplified at high sound pressure levels. This is why maple is the wood of choice for electric guitar tops. West coast big leaf maple is the softest and lightest of the maple family, with a wood grain that resembles waves. Aside from a visually breathtaking pattern, the wavy fibers of “curly” maple reduce the long grain stiffness and vibrate more freely. (This is the secret to the bright, clear powerful sound of the Parker Fly, a solid-body guitar made with a curly maple body.) In acoustic guitar use, different species of maple, such as big leaf, sugar, and bearclaw tend to be more acoustically transparent due to their lower velocity of sound and high degree of internal damping. This allows the tonal characteristic of the top to be heard without the addition of significant tonal coloration. Maple necks can impart a bright “poppy” tone that can do much to reinforce the top end of a large-bodied guitar.
Alder	Alder is a lightweight wood that is highly resonant, producing a full rich tone. When used for solid-body construction, alder provides a very good low end and midrange with the best performance in the lower mid range. Alder also exhibits good high-end characteristics and sustain.
Poplar	Poplar is a stringy, dense, yet lightweight hardwood that is unusually resonant. Poplar, when used in solid-body electric guitars, has an exceptionally crisp sound, often described as “spirited” and “bouncy” – even “funky.” Poplar guitars are ideal choices for players who favor single-coil snap and clean sound.
Basswood	Basswood is light, stiff, and stable, which makes it particularly effective for necks and bass instruments thanks to its excellent low- end response.
Ebony	Ebony, the traditional material found on the necks of violins, classical guitars, and high-end steel strings, has the lowest velocity of sound of all the woods commonly used and has definite damping characteristics. While not a problem for large-bodied guitars made of red spruce or Brazilian rosewood, it may be something to consider when designing smaller guitars, particularly those using less resonant tonewoods for tops and backs.