Guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments today. It’s playing with pick or fingers. Sound of guitar comes from its string. Traditionally there are 6 strings on a guitar. Guitar’s bodies are traditionally producing from some tree types. Also today it’s possible to made guitar produced from polycarbonate materials. A guitar producer is traditionally calling as “A luthier”. It’s also possible to find steel or nylong string types. Guitar category won new types after 1900s. Today guitar is the leading musical instrument of various music types from blues to rock. How many types of guitar are there?
Today there are 18 main types of guitars as Acoustic guitars, Renaissance and Baroque guitars, Classical guitars, Extended-range classical guitars, Flamenco guitars, Flat-top guitars, Archtop guitars, Selmer-Maccaferri guitars, Resonator, resophonic or Dobro guitars, Twelve-string guitars, Russian guitars, Acoustic bass guitars, Guitarrón, Tenor guitars, Harp guitars, Extended-range guitars, Guitar battente and Electric guitars.
Guitar has a long history but first musical equipment called as guitar is started to use in 1200s. First guitar types were very complicated but in 1400s, they became simpler than 1200s.
Classical guitars are one of the most popular types in the history and today. They are also known as Spanish guitars. Main characteristic of classical guitars are nylon strings and plucking with the fingers. They are very easy to play arpeggios and use in chorus. Today it’s possible to see them in Latin-American countries mostly. Spaniard Antonio de Torres Jurado is known as the man who shaped classical guitars to modern style.
Renaissance and Baroque guitars are two of most popular musical equipment in the medieval ages and renaissance. They mostly have 5 strings. Also they were smaller than today’s guitars so it was making possible to play guitar easily for smaller children.
Flamenco guitars are some developed version of classical guitars. Most important difference between flamenco guitars and classical guitars is body. Flamenco guitars are producing from spruce top and cypress body. Today popular Flamenco guitarists like Paco de Lucía are using some developed type of Flamenco guitar. It’s known as “Flamenca Negra”.
Twelve-string guitars are mostly using for Folklore songs. Also it’s possible to see them in Blues and Rock and Roll. It’s possible to find electric forms of twelve-string today. According way of Twelve-string guitars is very similar mandolin. Twelve-string guitars are became popular in 60s with used in “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” song of Beatles. Also Pink Floyd used this type of guitar in “Wish You Were Here” song.
Acoustic bass guitar is today using mostly by Mexican guitarists. Guitarrón is a modified type of acoustic bass guitar. A guitarrón is a perfect guitar for especially Mexico’s traditional fast and funny songs. Also classic American Texas music “Tex-Mex” guitars have influences from guitarróns.
Acoustic guitar is the popular guitar types producing with acoustic sound board. Today acoustic guitar have two types as Nylon/gut stringed guitars and Steel stringed guitars.
Electric guitars are most popular guitar type in the world today. They have very low voice without amplification. Electric guitars’ steel sounds need to be converting to signals with electromagnetic pickups. Rock age is started with development of electric guitars. Electric guitar is firstly started to use famous Jazz guitarist George Van Eps in the concerts. In 70s and 80s, it was the key object on the heavy metal explosion. People loved its electric and strong voice and accepted it as the voice of revolt. Then Steve Vai made popular the Solid body seven-strings type of electro guitar and lots of popular guitarists are still using this type of guitar.
