The Steel String Acoustic Guitar, usually referred to as simply an “acoustic guitar”, is the basic acoustic for rock, blues, pop and country. It’s the type of acoustic you see played by artists like Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow and Keith Urban. Entry-level acoustics are usually made of woods such as Nato, Spruce, Mahogany, cedar and rosewood. Some may have built in pickup and preamp systems for electronic amplification.
Acoustic guitars fall into three categories. Those made of Solid wood, those made of laminate (layers of wood glued together) and those that are a combination of the two. The type of wood an acoustic is made of plays a major roll in the way the instrument will sound.
All Solid Wood Acoustic - Solid pieces of wood vibrate better than glued together layers and produce a richer, fuller more complex sound. This is a more expensive way to make a guitar and all solid wood instruments make up your higher-end and professional instruments. You should be aware that solid wood guitars are more susceptible to cracking and warping due to changes in temperature and humidity. These instruments should be kept in a hard shell case with a humidifier to prevent damage.
Laminate Acoustics – the cost of wood is the most dominate factor in the price of a guitar. Laminate construction is a more economical alternative to all solid wood construction. While not producing the richer, complex tones of a solid wood instrument, laminate instruments are very durable and less likely to be affected by temperature or humidity. Most entry-level acoustics are laminate construction.
Solid Top Acoustics – The top, (also referred to as the “soundboard”) of an acoustic guitar is the most critical part in the instruments tonal development. Just changing the top of a laminate guitar to a solid piece of wood, drastically improves the instruments sound. A Solid top acoustic is a great alternative when buying an acoustic; it’s affordable, durable and it has a better sound than an all-laminate.
Shapes and Sizes of Acoustic Guitars
Acoustic guitars come in various shapes and sizes. Here are the most common:
Jumbo – The largest acoustics. They are usually made of Maple and Spruce and produce a big booming sound.
Dreadnought – These are the most common acoustics. They produce a loud, well-balanced sound. They’re often produced with built-in pickup systems for amplification and a “cutaway” (to allow access to higher frets up the neck).
Auditorium – Also known as “000” (Triple “0”) or Orchestra, these are smaller and thinner than the dreadnought. Often used for blues and finger picking.
Other Stuff You’re Definitely Going to Need
There are a number of accessories that will help you enjoy and maintain your acoustic guitar. A case, polish, strings and humidifier are just a few of the items that you’ll need to protect your investment and keep it in top performing condition.
Our site has a complete and varied selection of steel string acoustic guitars for every playing level, all backed by our 45/45/100 Guarantee. Call and speak with one of our Product Specialists to help you find the instrument that’s right for you.
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