The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments today. There are different kinds of guitars that are available out for different guitar players. Guitars are different in terms of playability, overall appearance and sound quality.
Here are some of the types of guitars that guitar players or aspiring guitar players can choose from:
Acoustic
If you want go get into the guitar world, you can start learning with an acoustic guitar.
Acoustic guitars are dependent on their structures and body shapes for resonating sounds. Unlike the more modern electric guitars, they don't rely on other external devices to enhance sounds. The natural vibrations of the strings are resonated by the body of the Guitar.
Acoustic guitars are generally made out of wood. The neck is usually made from mahogany and the fret board is made of maple or rosewood. There are many kinds of acoustic guitars, here are some of them:
Nylon String Acoustic Guitar
Classical guitars are very popular and are usually the choice guitar for beginners. The strings are usually made from nylon. They are usually played in a standard sitting position and used in playing classical music. Classical guitars produce whole sounds which are very pleasing to the ear.
Some guitar teachers insist that beginners should always start on classical guitars, as they are easier to learn on than other types of guitars.
What makes classical guitars easy to play is the low string tension and wide fretboard. The low string tension simply means that you don’t need to press down hard with your fingers to play a note. While everybody gets past the sore fingers stage of learning guitar, learning on a classical guitar does make the journey slightly easier.
Steel String Acoustic Guitar
Steel-top guitars are much similar than the classical guitar but are constructed to be more resilient. The parts of the steel-top guitar are reinforced and their bodies are significantly larger than the classical guitars. They also produce a warmer tone than the classical Guitar.
There are three main body types for steel-string acoustic guitars: dreadnought, parlor and jumbo. There are other variations and shapes outside of these three, but they’re the most popular. Beginners can successfully learn on steel-string acoustic guitars. While the steel strings do require more pressure with your fingers, a good guitar teacher will know how to properly introduce you to the guitar and build up your finger strength.
Electric
Electric guitars are a versatile type of guitar that comes in many different shapes and sizes. They are ideal for players who seek a powerful, sustaining sound or who want a much greater choice of sounds, With an electric guitar the world of effect pedals is open to you and the sounds you can create are almost limitless.
Electric guitars make use of electronic pick-ups to amplify the vibrations of the guitar strings. They are usually connected to electric amplifiers. Electric guitars have a solid or semi-solid body type and they don't use the body for sound resonance so usually make very little or no sound when played without an amplifier.
Beginners tend to find it easy to start learning on an electric guitar. While some electric guitars are harder to play than others, the string tension is generally lower than what it is on a steel-string acoustic guitar.
All the above will demand a very different type of playing technique, the right type of guitar for you is one that matches the type of music you want to play.
What Styles of Music Can You Play on Nylon String Guitars?
As you might expect, this type of guitar is the main choice with classical music. Outside of classical music, classical guitars are used in a range of styles including folk, Flamenco, pop, Jazz.
What Styles of Music Can You Play on Steel-String Acoustic Guitars?
This brighter tone makes them the popular choice for styles of music including folk, country, blues, pop, rock, bluegrass, and others.
What Styles of Music Can You Play on Electric Guitars?
Electric guitars have been used in pretty much all styles of music at some point. They’re the go-to option in countless styles of music such as rock, metal, blues, punk, and more. It’s hard to imagine a heavy metal or rock band not using electric guitars.