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*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
When buying an acoustic guitar, you need to take into account the style of music, the level of skill of the musician, the material from which the instrument is made, the strings, the size of the body and other nuances – you will find out which ones in this article.
Types of Acoustic Guitars
classical
The classical guitar is one of the oldest musical instruments with a good sound. It plays classical, folk music, blues, rock, jazz, and is used to teach children, students in conservatories and musical institutions. It is ideal for beginners.
Classical guitars are equipped with nylon strings, which create a soft, pleasant sound. Even if the musician is a novice, the sounds made by the musical instrument will not irritate or cut the ear. However, in a noisy company, music will be hard to hear.
The classical guitar is played with fingers, without a pick. Soft nylon strings “respond” well to the touch of the musician, do not cut fingers and allow you to play for a long time.
Seven-string
The seven-string guitar appeared at the end of the 18th century in Russia, where it gained the greatest popularity. At the end of the 20th century, it began to be used less frequently. Now the seven-stringed instrument is rarely played, mainly folk songs and Russian romances, gypsy folk music. It is characterized by a pronounced, juicy sound.
Pop music
Pop guitars are equipped with metal strings, and they are played mainly with the help of a pick. The position of the strings is adjustable thanks to the anchor located inside the neck.
Pop guitars are divided into:
Dreadnought. Имеет крупный «прямоугольный корпус, сильное «сочное» звучание, длительный сустейн. С его помощью можно играть блюз, фолк, кантри, поп и прочие жанры. Важно, чтобы корпус был изготовлен из прочного, качественного материала, иначе жесткие металлические струны могут испортить инструмент.
Jumbo. It has a large (even larger than a dreadnought) and rounded body, thanks to which the guitar sounds good and loud. It is ideal for playing in noisy places and crowds.
Folk. It has a small body and a narrow dreadnought neck with an anchor. Quieter than dreadnought and jumbo, and easier to play. Folk is often used to play in a friendly or home environment.
Двенадцатиструнная
It is distinguished by a pairwise arrangement of strings, a volumetric loud sound, massiveness and a high price. It is not recommended for use by beginners and is excellent for singing accompaniment. It can’t be played with brute force.
It is important that a twelve-string guitar is made from quality materials, as all 12 strings put a lot of stress on the instrument, and the latter can quickly fail.
Electro-acoustic and semi-acoustic
A piezoelectric pickup is installed in an electro-acoustic guitar, which enhances sound reproduction. It connects to an amplifier. Such models are used for large performances. Semi-acoustic musical instruments are equipped with an acoustic resonator. They have a hollow or semi-hollow body, create a loud sound, but still during a concert they need to be connected to an amplifier.
Which strings to choose for acoustic guitar
Strings are usually made of nylon or metal. Nylon are considered softer, more pliable. They do not cut fingers and do not cause discomfort to the musician. They are recommended for children and beginners. Acoustic guitars with nylon strings are most commonly used for playing flamenco, classical music and some folk genres.
Metal strings provide a brighter and louder sound of the instrument. They are used for performances in noisy halls and playing in a large number of styles. If the body of an acoustic guitar is made of fragile materials, metal strings can damage the instrument.
Acoustic guitar selection options
Housing material
Wood is used in the manufacture of acoustic guitars. In most cases, cedar, rosewood or mahogany are used for the manufacture of the sides, back and neck, pine trees, cedar for the upper soundboard, and ebony, maple and hardwood fretboards.
When buying, it is important to consider that the sound of the guitar depends on the type of wood used in production:
Spruce is one of the most common acoustic guitar materials. It creates “bright” tones that remain crisp even when playing loudly. Over time, a quality spruce guitar “infuse” like wine, and begins to sound better.
Cedar, especially Western Red Cedar, creates warm, balanced and rich tones and provides an easy playing style. It is ideal for finger players. Cedar responds well to the lightest touches on the strings. When playing music too intensely, the sound is compressed and loses its integrity.
Red tree mahogany creates a strong and even sound, in some cases even shrill. Such instruments are often used by blues players. Acoustic guitars with a mahogany back and sides have a relatively high sound velocity, which increases the amount of overtones.
Maple fairly neutral, it doesn’t change the musical key of the strings much. Maple is characterized by a bright dry tone with a very clear, well-defined finish.
Pink tree, rosewood is known for its rich, deep and “viscous” sound. Brazilian rosewood is considered the best variety.
Acoustic guitar size
When buying, you should also take into account that the volume of its sound depends on the size of the body of an acoustic guitar. The larger the body, the louder the instrument.
If you are choosing an acoustic guitar for a child, be sure to consider its size. A 4–6 year old kid will be comfortable playing an instrument that is ¼ of the standard model, and a 5–8 year old child will be able to play ½ of the standard model. For children 8–11 years old, an acoustic guitar is suitable, the size of which is ¼ smaller than a regular product. Older students can use standard “adult” types of guitars.
Number and material of frets
Frets are metal protrusions on a stringed musical instrument that allow you to change the tone of the string’s sound. Acoustic guitars can have 18-21 frets, which is usually enough for normal playing. Products with a large number of frets are mainly used for the performance of classical works, serenades.
Fret material:
Classic frets are made from nickel silver – an alloy of zinc, nickel, copper. The higher the percentage of nickel (ideally 18%), the stronger the fret;
Sometimes used in production brass. Frets made of this material wear out quickly and are not recommended for use;
bronze frets considered to be among the best. They serve for a long time, practically do not wear out;
Stainless steel cheaper than bronze, but also distinguished by a long service life, “indestructibility”.
Which manufacturer to choose
The best manufacturers of acoustic guitars in the world are:
Blueridge;
Jasmine;
Ovation;
Ipanez;
Fender;
Taylor;
Epiphone;
Yamaha;
Martin&Co;
Gibson;
seagull.
Be sure to test the sound of an acoustic guitar in a store. Play a few chords all over the fretboard, run your fingers along the ends of the frets – they shouldn’t be too sharp. Make sure that the gluing is of high quality, and that there are no scratches or cracks on the body of the acoustic guitar.
Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.